2014.03.16 - To the Happy Couple

Sebastian Shaw's VIP lounge at Madison Square Garden overlooks the arena floor below. There isn't an show or game tonight though. Instead it's a celebration of a new phase in the lives of two people: Sebastian Shaw and Millie Collins have become engaged to be married. The lounge is huge with various leather couches and seats, stadium seating outside on the balcony and a full bar with a bartender and wait staff.

It has become a rather big social event with many famous people and political luminaries are here. The Mayor of Metropolis and the Governor of the state are here as well as a who's who list of socialites and celebrities of the city. Many of them have already come up and congratulated the couple.

Shaw himself is dressed in a nice muted blue suit with a dark waistcoat and an ascot, his hair tied back into a tight ponytail with a matching blue ribbon. He's in rather jovial spirits, for obvious reasons and is happily greeting the various well wishers as they come to him. He has no idea that this will all change soon.

In the back loading dock of the Garden two large vans pull up. When Security stops them they are greeted by two silenced shots to the head, and two more to the center mass.

Donald Pierce stepped out of the back of the van and said, "Alright boys, lets go give our regards to the happy couple."

As he said so a team of mercenaries and cyborgs filed out of the van. All of them armed with various types of firearms.

The Reavers had arrived to gatecrash, and what they had planned would not be very nice.

Emma could still barely believe it, Sebastian Shaw and Millie Collins? Of course, she has been there every step of the way through their relationship on both ends. It has been fascinating to watch, and was sure to be through marriage. Down the line if they have a female child she would be most cross if she wasn't named Emma. But that was quite down the line, likely.

She arrived with her arm placed on the small of her plus one's back, Jean Grey. Emma was dressed that evening in a semi-sheer one sleeve white gown, with an open panel from her sleeve to the ground, with diamond detailing. She wore a large diamond accent necklace, and worn her short bob curled and pushed to the right side. She spoke quietly to Jean, "Nothing to worry about. I assure you, you're much more interesting then all of the Politians that will be here tonight, dreadful bores the lot of them."

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. One likely would not go so far as to say the Beauty and the Beast, but Sebastian Shaw and Millie Collins are quite an 'odd couple' to say the least. The conservative woman has loosened her standards a little bit to please Sebastian since they have begun to seriously date, her model friends would have noticed it. And the fact it is an engagement party? It certainly didn't stop Chilli from stealing a kiss earlier and getting a scolding from Millie that just made the other top model - a red headed one - laugh. Chilli is quite busy right now however drinking it up and partying with the rich women? Ya, Chilli has declared herself a lesbian in recent years.

Right now Millie wears a high neck white dress, with tan inlets at the sides, up over the hips, and along her backside with white designs over the tan. The sleeves are done in white strips with sheer strips opposing it, and the back has a white fabric stretching down the spine with sheer fabric connecting it to either side of the dress. Quite conservative from the front, and a bit daring in the back. Millie's blonde tresses are piled up and pulled back, and she has lovely diamond earrings in her ears, simple, but obvious. Her make-up is light except around the eyes which are a little dark with the mascara to draw them out. (http://images.indianexpress.com/2014/01/parishilton1.jpg?w=480&h=480)

Millie is currently at Shaw's side, all smiles and warmth as she keeps her arm linked with his. She shakes hands, nods in acknowledgement, and thanks people for their well wishes with joy. Not because they are there, she could care less about many of the Hellfire Club members and politicans that came, she is just happy celebrating with Sebastian! And honestly, her face turns from something a little more polite, to lighting up even more when she sees a true friend.

Nate doesn't look completely comfortable with a suit, but he wears it well, anyway. Not as scruffy as his normal self. Less comfortable is to be here alone. But the Halo/Cyberdata conflict is still going and Ravager had a mission outside New York. So he strides in confidently, but alone. His eyes (and mind) go looking for Millie, and he waves at the blonde happily. Probably breaking protocols or something, see if he cares.

Then he spots Jean and blinks. Emma /and/ Jean. Jawdrop.

Sometimes it's hard to guess how these things happen, and looking around her and, quite frankly, at herself, Jean Grey has very little clue as to how she ended up here, but that hand on her back is a constant reminder that, if anything, it has a lot to do with a certain headmistress called Emma.

Phoenix has been a heroine for more time than she hasn't, so relaxing like this, and spending that much cash on her current dress is almost like an out of body experience, something that is happening but she can't quite believe it. Unlike Emma, the redhead is clad in a one-should green dress, the frilly top-end hugging her sinuous curve and enhancing her small waistline as the skirt, dancing just above her knees, seems to flow with each gust of wind or passing of a person close to her. Not that the once-Marvel Girl is not used to showing off her legs and body, but it suddenly feels... more revealing, when not in a heroic context.

She smiles back at Emma, leaning closer to whisper, allowing the hand on her back to dictate where they go, both hands on her purse, like a good plus one. "I doubt it. Plucking their minds should give no small ammount of entertainment, if you can stomach it.", she says with a smirk, looking about, "But I guess... this could be fun! With the right compan-"

"N-nate!?", she says in a hushed tone, looking around as she blushes some. The next words are to his mind alone << What are you doing here?! >>

Creed arrives a bit later, letting some of the more official and formal types make their way through and taking a private entrance along the side. While Victor Creed is certainly wealthy enough to run in such circles, his reputation doesn't have nearly the false front of respectability. Wanted in at least thirty countries, the sight of his face plastered next to certain people here might be damaging to reputations. Best, then, to avoid the paparazzi, especially given that Mary, in her alter ego, has a certain celebrity profile in and of herself. Mary, of course, is at his side, the massive mutant offering his arm as he wears a custom-cut black suit, his blue tie standing out ( http://static.pblogs.gr//128287-josh-holloway-400ds0705.jpg ). His dirty blonde hair is relentlessly tousled, though, and he can't disguise his fangs, overgrown as they are and marking him as more than human. Not that anyone is likely to say anything about it to his face. "Some shindig, huh, doll?" he says, tilting his head to Mary. He catches a few scents on the air, but it's irritating trying to sort the familiar from teh strange in such a crowded setting, especially with so many of the local floozies the rich bastards dragged along drenching themselves in the latest pop star's candy-colored musk.

It might be a little overly optimistic, but the dress Fern Fiddlehead chose for the party tonight is full of the freshness of spring and displays the young woman's style more than most things she wears out to affairs of this sort. Cocktail length, the full skirt is awash with colorful spring flowers on a gradiated blue background, random crystals, spaced few and far between, sparkling in the light. Belted at the waist with a simple white sash, the bodice is a solid dark blue, scooped at the neck with short capped sleeves. Having arrived solo, she's had no problem finding Sebastian and Millie, the pair being the obvious center of attention, but she's kept to the side, waiting to catch her friend's eye and offer a wave without stepping closer. Fern tucks her hair behind her ear absently after the long distance greeting, letting the lucky couple rub elbows with more important guests for now, planning to approach when things have simmered down a little. Blue eyes scan the crowd, her interest in the other attendees obvious, as a few more gets smiles when eyes meet.

Typhoid Mary is bringing the heat, tonight, in a very different way than she usually does. When Victor told her he'd been invited to a ritzy engagement party, and that he was bringing her as his date, she tried not to let on how excited she was. Not that she's all high class or better than anyone... But, she's sick and tired of being relegated to the trash that's always disgusting, surrounded by trash. So, after looking online for something to wear, she finally caved and sought Sweet Mary's inane, but expert knowledge of fashion and etiquette. Then, she went shopping. She's not hurting for money, but the prices she shelled out...felt sort of like a sock in the gut, at first. But, if she's not gonna spend it on something like this, something to help her look extra nice on Victor's arm, well...what else, then?

So, when she shows up, that evening, on Creed's arm, Typhoid Mary is decked out in a beautiful Zac Posen cocktail gown (http://goo.gl/3O0PP8) in a red that almost matches her dreadlocks in intensity. Her dreads, themselves, are freshly spun, super thin and extra malleable, and a brilliant, rich red--the color of fresh blood. And, she's got them twisted into a sort of french twist. She wears no jewelry, but she does carry a black leather Jimmy Choo clutch with silver chain clasp (http://goo.gl/Lk65zv). And, on her feet, she, surprisingly, wears heels--shiny black patent leather heels by Marc Jacobs (http://goo.gl/pqF2TH). She looks...pretty radiant. She's...smiling.... And, she looks beautiful in her happiness as she walks in on the arm of the handsomest man she's ever met. She might actually be able to pull this off.

Lunair is an odd duck. But aren't the rich often fond of the eccentric? Or is that just the British? Maybe both? Regardless, she's probably trailing someone as a body guard. But she looks to be going stag. Although, it makes sense, really. Either way, here's Lunair. Lunair, who once fought a deadly battle against ribbons and fabric, only to fall to it! It was grisly, and several fashion designers fainted along the way. It's a black dress, with lovely, lacey and strange ornate patterns. It seems Lunair favors an elegant lolita look with black and pink ribbons in her hair, dark socks and sturdy, flat dress shoes. Her eyes are wide and she seems out of place. She has strange, silver, black and pink jewelery - an ivylike necklace, a wrought onyx armband with tiny pink blossoms as an armband and all that jazz. But she's here, thousand yard stare and all. Also, her player sucks eggs at describing dresses, so have a picture: http://i.imgur.com/morHEpZ.jpg

True friends are definitely something that are nice to have and Sebastian Shaw has few of them. But one he had scene in over five years had just arrived and moved forward and towards Sebastian and his young lady. He was a rather tall man and rather large in girth with long red hair pulled back into a pony tail of his own. He was Harry Leland, Sebastian Shaw's oldest friend and former Black Bishop of the Hellfire Club.

He takes Sebastian's hand with both of his and says, "Sebastian! I can not believe this is happening. To think you getting married, after what happen to Lourdes," he gets silent for a moment and then says, "Sorry I didn't mean to bring her up."

Shaw smiled at his friend and said, "It was ten years ago, Harry. It's all in the past, and I lived in that past for way to long." He gestured over to Millie and said, "And this is the woman who helped me go past it. Harry Leland, I want you to me Millie Collins."

He looked over to Millie and said, "And Millie, this is my oldest and dearest friend, Harry Leland. He retired a few years back and lives in Rio now."

Sebastian looked at Emma and her date for a moment and thought about how Emma certainly did like her ladies to be redheads it seemed. He then added to Harry, "Make sure you find Emma as well, I know she'll be pleased to see you."

Meanwhile things were getting a bit crazy as the various society reporters and paparazzi took pictures and talked to many of the more famous guests. Shaw had allowed them to attend as he had figured out that they were easier to control when they were guests rather than gate crashers.

Millie's face lights up when she senses Nate within her mind. She instinctively searches for him and finds him. She raises her free hand and waves excitedly! She then leans toward Sebastian, "That is my club dancing partner, Nate Grey. He is a sweetheart, and he has saved my life before." All praise for Nate, and if he is still lingers, he can likely sense the honest warmth and adoration Millie feels for Nate, much like a big sister to a little brother (that actually likes said little brother).

Though searching about for Nate did let Millie find someone else. "Fern!" Yes, it's Millie, she has no problem calling out, though not as loud as say Chilli by far and she oops afterwards, blushing a bit. See, there is still some small town girl in her yet!

But then Harry Leland is there, and Millie's smile slips a bit at the mention of Lourdes, not because she is brought up, but for how it could hurt Sebastian. Luckily, Shaw smooths things out before Millie's protective instincts give poor Harry a nasty lashing! She remembers to smile and offer her free hand, "It is nice to meet you," she states simply.

"They all tend to be as boring as anyone else. /However/ there are a few friends I'd love to introduce you to in fact..."

She noticed Jean's blush and smirked, giving Nate a small wave from across the room, |"Nate. You look very sharp in a suit, it's been a long time."|

With a smile to Jean's fellow X-man she looks about the room, and her eyes widen in surprise as she sees Harry with Sebastian. She mused silently to herself, "Well it /must/ be an event, Harry's come to join us. Interesting indeed. Do you need a bit of courage juice before we proceed?"

A unique dress is what catches and holds Fern's eye at first, her appreciation for the singularity of the garment bringing a curve to her lips. As her eyes lift, her head tilts in a curious way, as the face strikes her as familiar. The young ex-waitress steps toward the dark haired lolita, skirting around a strikingly Vogue couple, the unknown to her Creed and Mary, with a soft, "Excuse me." Approaching, her smile becomes uncertain as she addresses Lunair. "Hi... I think you know Leo Luthor? We've never really had a chance to talk, but I'm pretty sure you're you. Her. Leo's friend." While she's not concisely to the point, it's an open and friendly approach.

Creed frankly finds all this good cheer and handshaking more than a little disgusting, both the genuine and the artfully faked. Whatever sins he's had, Creed's never been one to put on airs. Typhoid, though, is basking in it, as he can see, and he hardly wants to ruin it for her, much as he'd rather slip back into the kitchen and get a few beers, maybe pick up a roast bird for himself. Few strangers approach, Victor's massie size and fierce visage more than a little intimidaitng. It's not even his faultl, his face is just built that way. Even in repose, he looks like he's about to rip someone's throat out.

He takes Mary's hand in one of his massive ones, however, the deadly woman seeming delicate next to his bulk as he leads her over towards the drinks, catching Shaw's eyes as he passes Fern on her way to Lunair, and then the party gathering around the happy couple. "I'm gonna need some liquor if I'm s'pposed to stand this pack o' stuffed shirts fer very long," he growls lowly, "Least I got a real woman on my arm an' not a walkin' mannequin," he mutters, pushing his way a bit past some councilman's son. The frat boy turns, prepared to give a rude reply, but backs off quickly at a flick of Creed's eyes. "Pardon me, kid, but yer slow ass was in my way." he says.

Jean Grey keeps her eyes anywhere BUT on Nate, but she keeps her links up with her not-quite-son, even as she looks back at Emma, tilting her head to the side, allowing her scarlet tresses to fall over her shoulder.

"Courage juice?", she grins amused, leaning closer to Emma to whisper, cocky "I am NOT as helpless as I look most of the time. Lets see these friends of yours. I am sure I can keep a straight face for five minutes straight~", her eyes glinting with playfulness before she looks around, trying to figure out who Emma could be talking about.

"That being said... I think some courage juice could be just what I need right now...", and she smiles, bitting her lower lip as she keeps looking around the room, back slightly arched.

Nate manages to recover when Jean projects into his mind. He peeeers and then, slowly, a smirk forms. He strides forward towards Emma and Jean, stopping only to wave to Fern quick-like. |"I know Millie. Amazing girl. She saved me when I got in trouble with the Intergang. She also a great dancer. And fights AIM in her spare time."| The last bit might not be entirely true.

He is close enough to the women, so he switches to regular speech. "Emma, nice to see you. And you brought my mom to the party," he grins to Jean. That should make her blush some more! Pause for three second. "I mean, she is my mom the same way Hope is my daughter. I came from a different timeline. But I found out I have some interesting... kinda family members."

Lunair is definitely an oddity. But she likes what she likes and she goes with it. Her gaze is distant. Any telepath might notice Lunair's just gone blank, like the soft fizzing of a television screen. She can't keep up. Too much social input. She's trying, though, picking strands as she can. Managing not to bump into anyone. But it is difficult. But then, she smiles politely to Fern. "I do," Nod. "And Miss Fern, his para-- girlfriend." PARAGIRLFRIEND. SEAL FORCE GIRLFRIEND. ... no? Okay. Lunair more resembles a dazed fighter, thrown into an arena where manners beat rocket launchers.

"Yes? I am her, though I imagine he has many friends." Lunair has a quiet sense of humor.

She smiles, waving to Victor politely. And Mary, too! She glances to Fern. "How are you?" She's trying. But it is apparent her expressions do not keep up with her speech.

The Loading dock was now secure and being used by the Reavers and specifically Donald Pierce. He talks into his comm piece and said "All Reavers report when you are in position." It wouldn't be long before they were ready to make there presence to Sebastian Shaw and his party.

After a moment the names came out "Bonebreaker, ready to roll." "Pretty Boy, ready." "Cylla, in position." "Skullbuster, we're green."

Donald Pierce smiled and said, "Any word on secondary targets?"

Cylla's voice came back and said, "I've got eyes on both secondary targets."

Donald couldn't help but laugh, leave it to Sebastian Shaw to set up a perfect event for him to exact his revenge on all the people he hated at once, "Alright then. I'm moving into position. When I give the go, attack."

Inside the VIP Lounge Harry Leland said to Millie, "It's a pleasure to see the beauty that could tame the beast, Sebastian Shaw," he then took her hand and kissed it, "I'm sure you'll be just perfect together. The one thing I know about Sebastian is when he gives himself to something, he gives his all."

Harry then said, "And Emma's here? I would be sure that she would have some issues given your..."

Sebastian interrupted, "Emma and I have always been close friends, she's been very supportive of our relationship."

Seemingly as soon as Jean agreed to some drink a waiter arrived with two red wines, "Of course you could. I find it helps makes things a bit easier."

But then Nate puts things in his awfully direct way, "Mm. You've put that in the most painfully awkward way, darling. But she makes a lovely plus one, just look at her dress she's fabulous."

She touched very lightly to her curls as she eyes the main couple for a moment, "Join us Nate, unless you have more alternative timeline aunts and uncles you'd like to bring along."

There was a pause as she adds, "And please, do refrain from telling me of any other Emmas and if they have terrible hair and nails."

Ehhhhh?! Millie looks at Harry funny. She resists the urge to kick him in the shin! Poor Millie, she doesn't even know why Harry rubs her wrong, but he does! Emma might need to save the poor man soon. But she remembers not to let her smile slip entirely. Though she gives Shaw a 'look'. "He must be a good friend to know how furry you are darling." Yes, she went there. Onery girl! She peers past Harry to see Fern talking to a young lady and smiles softly at that, fondly.

Fern tucks her hands easily behind her back, cradling the simple clutch that carries her essentials, including a gift from a friend that she has been instructed never to go anywhere without. And who but Justin Hammer would think to gift a friend with an engraved taser? But it was a welcomed replacement to the one that she lost. A movement catches her eye and Fern raises her hand again quickly, returning Nate's wave, making a mental note to find him to say hello later, and her attention is back on Lunair. "I suppose he does have a lot of friends, but I haven't met too many. I'm great, thanks." She glances around quickly, eyes returning as she goes on, "It's a really nice party, and Millie looks beautiful, so happy. Are you enjoying yourself?"

Typhoid's not reveling, so much, in the activity of being at a socialite event, but more at being somewhere, dressed nicely, and not wading through crushed peanut shells that should've been changed months ago...and, most importantly, on the arm of Victor Creed--mutant, monster, manhunk. She grins at his comment about the liquor, "I don't think they got enough here to get you buzzed, but we'll do what we can."

She lets her keen, penetrating gaze fall over people, out of habit, judging, picking out threats, deciding how she'd murder them if attacked by them, looking for quick exits... You know, the usual. She gives a brief nod of her head to Millie, the lady of the hour. And, the man who must be Sebastian Shaw. Mary's eyes take in all... Lunair's super-cute dress, Jean's beautiful green dress and brilliant hair... Fern, and more. But, her attention is mostly on Creed. She revels in him being himself, even in this very nice suit, in which he looks so dashing. That said, she'd probably think he looked amazing covered in mud and blood...panting... Mary's pulse jumps, her temperature spikes... Well, Creed knows the routine. She clears her throat and redirects her attention. Drinks.

Headtilt. Lunair smiles faintly. She's doing her best, at least. "I see." She doesn't really know. A lot of dynamics are completely lost on her. She seems genuinely happy enough for Fern, even if she's lost. "It is nice. They do seem happy," Nod. "I think - it is interesting." Enjoying herself? Hmm. Lunair has to think on that one. "I - yes." She struggles a bit. Still, she seems friendly enough. Admittedly, it is a complex thing! "How about you? I did not get to talk to you much before. I thought about sending rose ice cream to you and Leo, both," Because now she treats them as a functional unit. One, the other, both. And there's Mary again! She seems surprised. But there's a faint, puzzled smile.

At Nate's teasing about Jean being his mother, the redhead swallows down some. Stellar. No better way to feel inappropriate than to be called mom to your face during a party. Although she smiles, there is some in her features that speaks of some powerful awkwardness.

Right after, though, comes the save, and Jean cannot help but chuckle at Emma's casual way of helping her indirectly, without making it look like she is as insecure as she is about her legion of sons from other worlds (worlds in which she is mostly dead). There's a brief <>, whispered to Emma's mind, before she just smiles at Nate.

Apparently taking the compliments over her looks very well, without blushing or anything, Jean does look a bit less awkward after the blonde's words. "Feel free to join us, Nate. Although one more 'mom' talk and I'll ground you. On the moon."

Jean has yet to notice the other party goers, but she frowns as a hulking man walks by somewhere in the party, a general feeling in her mind that there is something... off with a few people here.

Nate smiles a fake innocent smile, "you are both fabulous, Emma. No doubt." He offers Jean his arm, so she is between Emma and himself. "I don't think any other alternative timeline relative is here, but one can't never be sure, they can be sneaky. I gotta be watching out for redheaded telepaths all the time."


 * "Sorry!"| He sends to Jean. But his telepathic 'voice' sounds all too happy and not even a little contrite.

Despite her aspirations to the stage, Fern isn't really much more comfortable than Lunair, but she's able to mask it well. What she does assume to be a similar reticence in her new companion is met with understanding and a sense of solidarity. Her brows lift in surprise at mention of ice cream. "Really? That's so sweet of you." To her, it really is the thought that counts, and there's the same gratitude given as if she'd just been handed the treat from Lunair herself. Again her eyes wander briefly, and there's still a smile as they return, a slight lean taking her barely closer as her voice lowers. "I expected there to be important people here, but I never imagined so many. I'm pretty sure that guy," with a nod, "Is the mayor. And I saw a women from a soap opera that I watch sometimes when my boss is in meetings." Which would be the ones that are of a degree of shadiness to which Fern is not exposed. "It's all kind of... wow. I wish Leo could have been here tonight." There's a note of light wistfulness to her words, but she doesn't let it linger. "He'll be sorry he missed seeing you."

Harry laughed and said, "Me and Sebastian go way back. The stories I could tell you about this man. Let me go grab another drink and I'll tell you about that time in Costa Rica when-"

Sebastian's eyes went wide and said, "That'll be great Harry, let's go get you that drink." He put his arm around Harry and let him towards the bar. He glanced back at Millie and mouthed the word 'Sorry.'

Harry was a bit of a lush and it was showing, Sebastian was hoping that perhaps he would come say hello before having a few drinks. Fortunately, Harry hadn't gotten to the "grab everyone's ass" level of drunk yet. He'd make sure that the bartender made his drinks very light for the rest of the evening.

"What do you mean I'm not on the list, I'm one of Sebastian Shaw's oldest and dearest friends. We were like brothers... that's why he kicked me out of his little Inner Circle and decided to use schematics of my cybernetic implants to build killer robots. How could I not be on the list?" A loud booming voice came from the entrance.

The man standing on the entrance was tall, lean and very blonde dressed in a dark blue frock coat, purple waist coat, baby blue breaches and buckle shoes.. the traditional dress of the mysterious and mostly unknown Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club. Three people in attendance would know this man instantly.

Sebastian's eyes looked at Donald with anger and then fear. If Donald Pierce was here, it was not for a polite drink and some niceties.

"Well if I'm not wanted.... I'll just have to crash the party" he touched his ear and said, "Move in." He then grabbed the man trying to stop his entrance with amazing speed and broke the man's arm and threw him into the VIP lounge. As he did the window to the balcony shattered as a man with no legs, replaced with a tank like chassis, holding a minigun in his arms. Followed by two men, one with an obvious cybernetic arm and another in a black full face mask with a red skull printed on the front and obvious cybernetic legs. Both of them armed with assault weapons.

Creed throws off his suit jacket, his glass of wine dropped to the floor in a moment's notice, "Thank fuck, now it's a god damn party," he snarls, and his hands make a slick *SNUKT* sound as his nails extend, adamantium talons gleaming. Panic, of course, has broken out around him, but Creed pays it no mind, although he does flick his eyes to Mary, "Get yerself some knives, babydoll. Looks like we're havin' fresh meat tonight," he laughs and then leaps, pouncing much like the big cat for which he's named, hlis leap carrying him over a few heads and aiming him in a leaping spear at Skullbuster, the face-masked merc having the unfortunate luck of being the one to land closest to Creed.

"/Shit!/"

A most unbecoming language from a woman like Emma Frost. But this party itself was quickly changed to unbecoming itself she spoke quickly and quietly to Jean and Nate, "My apologies, I was hoping to show Jean a most extravagant evening. But you know, old rivalries and all of that. What a drama queen."

The look in her eyes were that of actual fear, even if her humor only attempts to hide it. This gate crasher was a very deadly man, she touched a finger to her temple, "I'm going to try to quickly escort the normal civilians out of the building, and suddenly feel the urge to make a sizeable donation to the AoT."

D'aw. Lunair smiles faintly at Fern "Thanks. I get some when I travel now and then. I definitely need to hang out more," Nodnod. She's trying. But she looks around as Fern mentions people. "Really? Wow," Her eyes widen a bit. And Lunair seems oddly out of place, with all of these social movers and shakers. "I wish he could have been here with you, too." She can't convey her meaning. There's an uncertainty. "I am not keeping you from a drink or anythi--" Suddenly, KILLER ROBOTS!? Why does this feel like a walked into a bar joke?

She looks over her shoulder and frowns. She puts a finger to her lips. "I am sorry. But I think I should help here." She's going to quietly slip Mary a machete, being as subtle about it as she can. Where the HELL did that come from? "I'll try to look after you. I think Leo'd be upset if I let you get stepped on or something. I mean, although - you could be like a Kung Fu Master or something." This paradox perplexes Lunair. And she doesn't even mention the machete she just gave a soap opera star. Okay. "Just um. Here. Have a light saber. Wait, can you use a sword?" Assumptions, etc. But either way, Lunair is bracing herself.

So Nate is a charmer! He did not learn that from her or Scott, she knows that! With a grin, Phoenix shakes her head at the man, taking his arm and allowing Emma to keep guiding her with that gentle hand upon the small of her back. With her free hand? Her drink! And she cheers silently with Emma, winking at the blonde.

<< Oh, stop! >>, she chuckles within the confines of her not-son's mind, giving him a smart smirk, completely at ease with him now.

But those things seldom last, do they? Suddenly, Jean goes from being close to two people she likes, drinking good wine and enjoying a lovely night to facing men with huge guns and... Sabretooth? Yes. The disturbing pulse that man exudes with each animalistic thought makes Jean visibly retch, and with her wide, green eyes, she scans the situation. What would Scott do?

<< Emma, Nate and I will provide you and the civilians with cover. >>, she says to their minds, knowing telekinesis might come in handy right about now. She knows Nate is up to the task, but her hands shiver at the presence of Sabretooth. The... creature is unsettling.

<< Nate. Sabretooth is here. He... might be the most dangerous thing around. I'll show you his mental signature. If he tries anything funny... throw him into the Atlantic. >>, her voice far less uneasy than she is.

With her golden-red aura, Jean raises a barrier of pulsing fire around Emma and to the civilians those guns point at. That's all she can do at the moment until everybody is evacuated.

Millie actually crosses her arms over her chest and glares slightly after Harry. Oh yaaaa, if there weren't so many witnesses. But then a booming voice is heard and Millie's head instinctively whips to look toward it. And ladies and gentleman, that is one ugly suit, so says the supermodel!

Though the crashing in the window nearby has her let out a surprised scream! It's Millie, of /course/ she is going to scream people! She gets scared just like all the other normals, thank you very much. But what's her first thought? Sebastian! Then the girls Fern and Emma! Then the other people! Yep, panic mode! She searches for an escape route, not for herself, but to help people get away. Poor Millie is struggling to concentrate as her heart thumps within her chest and she thinks of all the innocent people that can be hurt by these...not very meaty morsels.

Typhoid Mary sees the Reavers crash in through the window and she glares at them. Yes, Creed is excited. She, however, wanted ONE NIGHT. ONE goddamned night...to make a good impression on Shaw, to show she could be mannered enough to be in respectable surroundings... She shelled out a SHITLOAD of money for these things...and she is NOT letting them get ruined by fuckin' cyborg fucks. So, as Creed slips out of his jacket, Mary slips out of her DRESS, tucking her shoes and clutch with it in a safe place. That's right, ladies and gentlemen, she is now currently...mostly naked. She's wearing underwear--sort of. And...not much else. She gives no fucks. None.

As she looks to Lunair--knowing her, liking her--Mary catches the machete the girl tosses at her, gives her head a vicious shake, and her dreads come free, giving her /some/ coverage up top... But, there's just nothing to save the rest of her nakedness. "Thanks, cutiepie," she yells at Lunair and dives into the battle, slipping under legs, between bodies, and diving at one of the cyborgs with murder in her eyes. She slices with deadly precision, her rage spiking her temperature and pulse even higher...and her sword starts to burst into flames as she uses pyrokineses to enhance it. "YOU MOTHERFUCKERS!" she roars. "YOU HAD T' FUCK WITH MY ONE GODDAMNED NIGHT, DIN'TCHA!?"

To Fern, Lunair also adds. "Confession time! Here as a bodyguard. Am very very sorry. Client ran away. Helping you now!" And man, her English goes south FAST when she's distracted.

Nate wasn't even paying attention to Pierce. Last time he was in a high society party they got Anarky. According to Hawkeye, there will always someone crashing the party.

When the first cyborgs appear, however, he reacts quickly. His first thought is that it is Cyberdata and he has fucked it up by coming here. That is a very Summers' though, so forgive him, okay? But not everything wrong in the universe is his fault. Nate is almost relieved to know these are not the /other/ killer cyborgs.

A bit confused about Sabretooth. As the only Victor Creed he had heard about was an X-Men and a hero. Another alternate gone wrong, he guesses.

Cover to civilians? Alright. He will let Jean take care of one side, try to ward off the bullets coming from the other side. "Gotcha. Ah, this is more my kind of party, anyway."

Suddenly, the Heathermobile parked out front. "Damn damn, I hate being late!" she mutters to nobody as she jumps out of the car. It wasn't her fault! The Titans called an emergency meeting and she didn't have much choice. She -told- them that she had someplace to be. But noooooooo, they wanted to talk about formal team stuff. She sat there in her club dress, tapping fingertips on the counter until the meeting was over and then raced over to the party. The... party.. that was just... crashed.

She was running towards the building when the cyber soldiers made their appearance. "Hey stupid!" she calls out as she leaps through behind the soldiers... basically dive-tackling Pretty-Boy.

The crashing of glass and the new arrivals bring forth what might be the strongest word in Fern's vocabulary. "Oh crap," she says softly. "Now Millie's party is gonna be ruined, and I'm pretty sure Leo isn't going to be at all happy about this." Her propensity for being in the wrong place at the wrong time borders on the ridiculous. But it's hardly ever her fault! She misses the machete pass, but blinks at the weapon offered to her. "Seriously? Cool!." Maybe a little misplaced enthusiasm, and she doesn't question that it's a light saber. She's no stranger to the odd and unexplainable. As Fern accepts it from Lunair, she flashes a grateful look, "Not so much, but I've seen movies, and I've done a few stunts and I know a little self defense, and it's better than nothing." Lunair probably didn't really want Fern's resume, but at least she seems to know enough to be dangerous to some small degree. Miniscule.

Knowing her limitations, Fern doesn't seek to engage, but she won't hesitate to defend if she has to, and she's certainly not going to stray far from Lunair. She thumbs the light saber, careful to hold it away from anyone and anything that might get sliced off them, eyes widening as the beam comes up with a soft hum. Almost immediately, she thumbs it back off. "Ok, I don't know if I should have this." That's like... seriously dangerous. She doesn't care about the bad guys, she's worried about damaging someone innocent by playing way above her pay grade. Still, she doesn't give it back, but tucks it into her sash, just in case, and pulls her taser out of her clutch in it's stead. For a taser it's sleek and cute, a very pale pink, manufactured by Hammer Industries as part of their limited 'self defense' line.

Now the surprise was wearing off and genuine panic was starting to lay in to the socialites, politicians and celebrities. Screaming was occurring, people were running for the little cover there was. Until Emma's telepathy changed things and people were starting to calm then.

Oh I don't think so Emma, your not going to ruin my fun with your mind witchery. Contingency A." A sniper shot came out aimed at Emma's shoulder. The hope was that she was instinctively turn to diamond and thus no more telepathy. What they weren't counting on was Jean's telekinesis and the bullet ricocheted of her force field and into the ceiling.

Donald frowned and said, "Seems you've got new friends. Wonder what they would think if they knew the real you, Emma."

Skullbuster, the masked mercenary with the cybernetic legs saw Creed coming at him and with reflexes enhanced by his cybernetic components he swung his leg around and kicked at the leaping Victor Creed. If he connected the force of it would easily shatter bone.

Sebastian said, "Your a mad man Donald just like always. Harry lock him down." Then Shaw ran towards Millie to get her out of here. He had lost Lourdes to a crazy man with a vendetta, he would not lose Millie the same way.

Pretty Boy, the cyborg with the obvious cybernetic arms reached forward and one of his arms telescoped out and smashed him into the back wall holding him by the throat, "Nah nah! The boss has plans for your little philly. You stay over there like a good old fart!" That's when Heather dive-tackled him. Taken totally off guard by a super-model suddenly attacking him he did let go of Shaw. Shaw didn't look hurt at all despite how hard he was hit by Pretty Boy and the indentation he left in the wall.

Harry just looked at Donald and activated his mutant ability. Increasing his density with the intention of holding him place. Donald said, "Contingency B." and another sniper shot lets out hitting Harry in the knee. The older fat man fell to one knee and cried out in pain, his concentration ruined and Donald freed.

Mary's attacks didn't go unnoticed in the crazy melee that was breaking out. The flaming sword did some damage to the cyborgs components though not enough to stop them. Once she got clear of the three suddenly a series of bullets started to fire from the sniper, their intention to shot Mary in any place that will slow her down.

And Millie, does something she likely shouldn't do, especially with the sniper fire! But Shaw's running to her, Harry is going down, Heather is...is that Heather?! Sometimes she hates that girl, how can she look soooo good tackling someone in a sexy dress?! Ah well, if she's eventually going to be beat out by a lingerie model, she's happy it's one with lots of personality and a friend. Wait, she distracted herself! She was going to do something she shouldn't do! Right!

And that something is, "Is that so? What is your name? Donald Duck was it?" It isn't like Millie to go on the attack. "I know Emma very well. Self-sacerficing, dedictated, loyal, loving, compassion when the subject deserves it, and so much more. What are you?" She does call mentally out to Nate, instinctively. |"Hit him with everything you have if you can Nate, before he calls out anymore other shots! I don't want to lose anyone!"|

And then if Shaw kept running, he would likely be there with Millie. See, girls without super powers are good for something! Damsels in distress, and distractions!

The problem for Skullbuster, of course, is that Victor Creed's bones aren't like other people's bones. Once upon a time, he'd have broken some ribs from that, maybe even pierced a lung. It wouldn't have -stopped- him, mind you, but it would've at least done something resembling damage. As it is, though, the deadening impact of the leg into his body allows Creed to bring an arm down, trapping the leg against his body, "Nice mask there, flunky. But does the carpet match the drapes?" he grins and then he lashes out with his other claw, adamantum claws aiming to sheer off the cyborg's face to get a good look at the actual skull underneath. The sound of Mary's cursing and savage fighting makes his heart sing, his red-tinged vision showing him to almost be in a state of ecstasy from the pure rush of murder. He thrusts a thought out, having known Emma long enough to at least be able to do that, even if the rest of his mind was like a barbed wire landmine. "Mary and I can handle these pukes, just get SShaw enough cover to break some fucking necks." Sure, Emma is getting shot at, but so what? What kind of pussy lets a couple of gunshots rattle them?

In Sebastian's mind he can hear Emma's less then happy tone, |"Get her the hell out of here. We should have taken care of this Sebastian."|

Her eyes widened as the bullet was blocked by Jean's telekinetic shielding, "Thank you Jean, I'll do this as quick as I can."

Surverying about the room some of the civilans had knocked over tables and taken cover others to escape through the chaos. Her eyes glared at Donald, she wasn't the kind of monster who would harm so many innocents. She would enjoy Millie's positive comments later.

Victor hears Emma's voice in his mind, |"Do /not/ hurt any of the civilians in this room. And if you can, break any cameras."|

As a sniper begins taking pot shots at her, trying to catch any part of her body that would be still for long enough, Typhoid Mary's leg is grazed in two places by one bullet, and she howls in anger and pain. "YOU SON OF A BITCH!" she looks in the direction from which the gunshots came and uses her minor telepathy to scan for the sniper's mind--which would be calmer, exhilerated, focused. If she should find him, she flings an arm out in his direction and every sharp bit of metal around her flies in his direction /very/ fast and hard. Her back is unprotected, but she knows Creed is near. She trusts that he'll watch her back while she's distracted. Turning back to the cyborgs, Typhoid's flaming sword is slashing, again. High, low, middle, low, high, middle.. She is nearly impossible to predict and she's beginning to set the cyborgs on fire.

Most folks don't expect a supermodel to be superhumanly strong. Sure, she's no Supergirl, or even Spidergirl. But she's pretty strong. She's also fairly well trained. "you should be more careful with your toys." she remarks to Pretty-Boy. She has no idea what his name or moniker is. But she does spy the telescoping arm and then quips. "Someone must be compensating..."

But she rolls to her feet, the little black club dress -really- not designed for this. She surges in and takes a blow to the face just to get in close where she grabs at the guy's head with both hands, lifting a knee while pulling her hands forward in a classic knee-nose meeting maneuver.

Right. Luna's body guard duties continue. Her client has shifted, and it's more an honorable arrangement than Lunair scoring a paycheck. Her original client had the good sense to flee. Lunair looks to Mary, nodding. "You're welcome!" She calls back. She feels some sympathy to Mary. Lunair is predatory in her own way. She just has a deep fear and leash on it. For now. It simmers, waiting easily for the chance. But now is not a good moment to go full yandere. You never go full yandere.

Lunair watches Fern and the lightsaber a moment, tilting her head. "Couldn't hurt. Just don't point it at your face or anything you don't want cut through by plasma. It's not really plasma, but that's the best word for it," Smile. Either way, Lunair's got to look after Fern and nods. Her eyes widen as Mary is hit. "Sniper. Or snipers. Let's um, find some cover. I'm not in armor," And Lunair is a normal person for purposes of taking damage. Also, making sure Paraactiongirlfriend stays safe. Must. Resist. Urge. To Murder. Bad guys. She sort of smiles weakly and moves with Fern towards cover. She actually soon has an alarmingly large (that seems to be a theme with her...) sniper rifle in hand. "I am sorry. Please don't look if you abhor violence." Lunair is good at clearing a crowd, at least and finding them a path to cover. There's one of the tables overturned. "Here." "I should find that sniper. He's going to muck with people. I hope you don't think less of me for this." Now, what angle was that fire coming from...

Whatever the case, Lunair has located them some cover and safety against a wall. If Fern wishes it.

Jean doesn't think about cameras. Maybe she should, though, as her energy signature is unlike anything else on the Universe, despite how many clones show up. Right now, however, her focus is on the civilians and, ever since that shot sizzled and got deflected on her burning shield, Emma. Her green eyes dart from Sabretooth, if she can even see him, to the armed man, to the ammount of meta-humans that seem to crawl out of the wood- Is that woman naked and bleeding and wielding a flaming machete?!

What. Is. HAPPENING!?

"E-Emma. It's getting hard to keep all those shields, in movement, in so many places, up. How much time do you need?", her body shaking slightly as the temperature inside her barriers raises up significantly, despite Jean's control. Jean jerks her head, as if to shake off dizziness.

She does catch the talk about Emma and the man's tirade about her, but right now? Jean has more than enough to believe Emma is exactly what she seems to be.


 * "Got that covered, beautiful"| replies Nate to Millie. |"But we gotta keep the civilians safe before going to the ripping-off-heads fun part, though."| Sabretooth and Mary just don't follow the rules; there are advantages in being evil.


 * "Speaking of which. You should leave too."| Snipers are a problem, looking for them would force Jean or him to split attention between telepathy and telekinesis, leaving people poorly protected. But wait, there is also Emma. "Emma, can you find the snipers? I'll take care of them if you can point them to me." He is already moving towards the closest window.

Emma let out a quick breath and looked to Jean catching the mental 'heat' coming from inside her mind, "You can stop. I got many of them out, and hopefully the rest have found over. I'm very sorry."

She reached to grab the back of Jean's head, and kissed her hard on the mouth, "I really did want to show you a dazzling evening."

As she turned away Emma turned to diamond, and strutted towards Donald, "But sometimes I just don't get what I want."

You need to vote for other players before voting for Victor Creed again.

You need to vote for other players before voting for Emma Frost again.

Fern isn't a superhero, but she's not a pacifist. She has no objections to violence being met in kind, and her heart doesn't bleed for the unjust persecution of poor, downtrodden criminals. "Do what you have to," she says quickly, breathlessly as she scurries with Lunair to the cover of the overturned table. Once there, she does peek over, scanning furiously for Millie. She doesn't doubt Shaw will protect his fiance, but that doesn't stop her worrying for her friend's safety. Or Lunair's, as she cautious, probably needlessly, with a whispered, "Be careful."

Nate Grey goes to: Lower Metropolis.

Jean listens to Emma, but she doesn't quite lets her barriers go until she is SURE everyone is out. There are some things she is just not willing to risk, and those lives she would never, so when she can finally return her senses back inside her own head, Emma is upon her, drawing her into a kiss.

Unlike what some might expect, it is not the wide-eyed, surprised reaction that Emma gets, nor it's a scorching kiss in return. Somewhere in the middle, the redhead lets her fingertips graze along Emma's arms, unsure of what to do, eyes closed. The most obvious reaction to the blonde's action, though, is that the shield around them seems to melt, losing it's spherical shape to become like molten glass, at least for a few moments, while Jean catches her breath.

Jean smiles back at Emma once she goes back to being her quippy self, but she is not that person. She is speechless. What she does, though, is raise a shield around her, and look at Donald aswell.

"On your mark, Emma."

Donald Pierce smirked at Millie, "I'm Donald Pierce. I was the White Bishop of the Hellfire Club before your beau decided I was no longer needed. You help a man murder some people and you think your tight. But nothing last forever when you are with Sebastian Shaw. As you'll learn one way or another." He lifted his arm and an adamantium bade came from the front of his wrist.

Donald started to run towards Millie with the blade ready to cut out her very heart. That is when Sebastian moved in. His face was a mask of rage as he grabbed Donald's arm and pulled it over the man's head. He caught Donald's other arm and similarly held it up, "You really have made a mistake Donald. This is my life and I will not have a pathetic little mutant wannabe ruin it! I kicked you out of the Inner Circle for good reason. Your not even a damned sociopath, your a fucking wannabe with a penis envy for those who are your betters. You are a pathetic man, not worthy of the Revolution. You never were. You were always just a means to an ends."

Sebastian thought to Emma |"Save the lecture, Emma. He's still human in the mind. Shut him off before I can't stop him, He's stronger than the last time."|

Mary had some good luck finding the single sniper you only need one if you have the right equipment and you are an enhanced cyborg. Cylla was -her- name. As Mary's telekinetic attack on Cylla was not very successfull though. She jumped straight up into the air about fifteen feet and landed at a new hidden perch.

Mary's unprotected back is taken advantage of by Bonebreaker who smashs his minigun into Mary's back before getting it set up to fire it at her.

Skullbuster face is practically ripped off by Sabertooth's attack leaving a scratched up metal skull and cybernetic eyes. He growls out of anger more than pain before he brings his assault rifle up to bear and unloads the entire clip at Sabertooth, mostly towards his torso, hoping to damage him by sheer attrition.

Pretty Boy just smirked at the attacking Heather as she smashed his face with her knee, "Sorry dollface. We don't feel pain, and that nose of mine hasn't been real for a while. His telescoping arm wrapped itself around Heather's body, it's hand held her head to look Pretty Boy in the eyes, "How about we go on a date after I do a little... reprogramming. Fiberoptic filaments came from the sides of his eyes and started to attach them to Heather's eyes. A small voice was heard in Heather's head, telling her that she was a Reaver, just like him.

Creed would've just plowed forward into that gunfire had he not caught a hint of Bonebreaker sneaking up on Mary. While he knows she probably senses him (telepaths are good for that shit), he sees no reason to take the risk. The pain of the gunfire means nothing to him. He's had his guts liquiefied more times and by more rounds than have been fired in some wars. He does, however, plunge his hands into Skullbuster's torso, shearing through any armor with his adamantium claws and cinching like pincers as he twists, doing an almost judo throw over his hip as he tosses Skullbuster straight at Bonebreaker, "Mary, on your six, doll, incomin' tincan!" he howls.

And wow...you know, sometimes you can't unsee certain things! Like Mary's bouncing...'Are those real', and, alright, hey, aren't those the same brand she wears? Alright, Millie got distracted, but normally people don't strip nude and run about at her parties. Perhaps Sebastian's parties, wait a second! But then there is a blade and then there is a Shaw! The words confuse her, and her ears roar with fear of losing Sebastian. So what does she do? "Dear, we aren't allowed to call these your parties anymore, people get nekkid at your parties," and Millie is BEAT red of all things in the middle of this craziness!

Back to the real action! Well, if you can call it that after seeing Mary. Honestly, can you? Sorry, you just don't measure up Donald Pierce.

Still, Shaw is there fighting with Donald, Millie has no weapons, and...well, there is that crystal punch bowl. And so she reaches out for said crystal punch bowl and to put insult to injury she actually darts to the side to try and crash it upside-down on Donald's head! Course, Millie may not be able to break it on his head not being THAT strong, but she would certainly dunk him!

Seeing that her TK attack on Cylla was unsuccessful, despite having very good aim, Typhoid calls out to Lunair, "It's a bitch who's snipin', she's over there---" pointing with her machete before she's cracked savagely in the back with the butt of a gun. She coughs out a sound of pain, the breath knocked out of her as she falls to a knee, one hand pressing fingertips to the floor. It's her own fault, for taking her eye off of the thing that's right-in-fuckin'-front of her. She wheezes as she struggles to get her breath back, her body already twisting as she rolls out of the way to resituate herself and regain bearings. Seeing Creed tossing Skullbuster at Bonebreaker, she shoves a hand out and pushes herself, her TK, with rage and retribution... She TKs Bonebreaker up INTO Skullbuster, so they meet in the middle...very, very hard.

Arm wrapping around her? Heather is good at escape maneuvers. Though they don't always work the same with telescoping (phallic!) limbs. But... when in doubt, don't let someone attach things to your eyes. That's a good rule of thumb for Heather. She rolls her neck and swipes a hand up to bat away those filaments. "You're really starting to get on my nerves. Not only do you have zero fashion sense, and a total compensation kick. I bet you had your daddybags replaced too."

She says that, constantly whipping hands about to try to keep those things away from her eyes, but even so.. some filaments are getting through.... likely frustrating the Reaver as the body heals itself at about the same speed he's trying to override it. She plants one foot on the floor, and swings the other into the guy's crotch to find out if it's real or not... but either way, once the foot is there, she gives all she has... (treat as a PUSH in game terms)... and tries to rip herself (and the arm about her!) off of the guy's torso.

She hears what the guy is saying to Sebastian and... Revolution? She'll have to have a loooong talk with Millie after this. Over about four pizzas... okay maybe five. But her hope is that she can get a nice telescoping cyber arm as a trophy!

"Very well then, Jean."

Thankfully Sebastian's mental command was just before she slipped into her diamond number. She looked to Donald as she placed a hand on her hip, and tisk tisked, "Really, Donny darling this is really very low class of you."

But then Millie has to be all heroic and she runs in, her shining form breaking between the two, "Get /out/ of here Millie! Or I will be /most/ cross god damn it!"

She turns back to normal to breach into Donald's mind to shut him down...

Lunair pauses. She nod at the whisper. "I think someone is after the sniper," So close range fighting it is. Maybe something else is more suited to this. The sniper rifle disappears, and Lunair is guarding the table that's turned over and Fern for now. No time to get offensive about it. But Heather is about to get a roboreprogramming. From an evil cyborg who doesn't realize that mindeye connections are NOT OKAY without okay. THAT IS BAD. And definitely not pretty.

Any cyborg who gets too close is going to meet the wrath of a - yup, it's the alarmingly large white laser cannon! "Okay! Thank you!" Lunair is grateful! And distracted from non-consentual eye guy. She's worried though, about Mary who is hurt now and everything. Any cyborg who gets too close is going to eat lasers. But for now, the sniper is priority. She stays put, to guard Fern. But you know, there's a reason - and it's not just overcompensation jokes - she has such a huge weapon. Anything in its way is going to have a smoldering hole in it or be vaporized. Carefully (and she is a mighty awesome marksman), she takes aim in the direction Mary indicates, looking for the telltale black end of a barrel, glint of a sniper scope and fires. Mindful, though, of keeping her path clear.

From her peeking position behind cover, Fern spies Heather in battle as well, and places the woman immediately as one of Millie's friends that she's met before. Popping up like a target in a Whack A Mole game, her taser is up, leveled on the edge of the table, aimed toward Pretty Boy. Fern doesn't know from cyborgs, and that it may have absolutely no effect, but, on the other hand, electricity doesn't always play nice with circuit panels and things of that ilk. Still, the electrodes have to hit, first. She's shot a gun before, even impressing Hammer with her aim, and hopes this is close enough that she makes her target. Hoping for the best, Fern pulls the trigger and the projectiles fly, trailing thin filament behind them.

Skullbuster was down. Bonebreaker wasn't though. Skullbuster would have fallen over if it hadn't been for his tank like chassis and it's low center of gravity. Four small pincer like legs pull out of the chasis and locks Bonebreaker into the ground. The miniguns turrent begins to spin as he brings to bear on Sabertooth. It'll start firing soon.

As Heather pulls on Pretty boy's arm! RIPPPPPPPP!! Yeah That's it for Pretty Boy's arm which is now limp and lose in Heather's hand, "Dammit bitch! What are you made of!?" He raises the assault rifle in his other hand ready to fire and then! TASED!!!!! His arm kicks into the air and starts firing randomly at the ceiling.

Millie dumps the punch over Donald's face and the crystal punch bowl fractures slightly as Millie hits his head, "Heh, I like her Sebastian, she's got spunk. After I kill you... I'll keep her alive for a few weeks, the boys could use a new comfort girl, we broke the last one."

Then Emma's attempt to shut down his mind occurs. Donald seems to feel it and smiles at Emma. And then: The psychic attack Emma attempted on him, reversed and went into Emma's mind attempting to shut down her own mind.

Shaw roared in the outrage of it all. He let go of one of Donald's arms and pulled with all of his might on the one with the adamantium blade. It broke off as if it were nothing, like he was pulling a sheet of paper out of a notebook. He spun around and hit Donald over the head with his own arm, "I'm so sick and tired of you, Donald. You've ruined my party. Hurt my best friends. And threatened to rape the woman I love. I'm going to see you dead."

As Lunair fired her weapon towards the sniper there is a large scream for a moment! And the sniper fire stops very suddenly. Apparently their sniper wasn't modified to not feel pain as of yet.

Mary's attempt to TK throw Bonebreaker was thwarted by the legs digging into the ground holding him in place.

"Sugar and spice and everything nice! That's what girls are made of!" exclaims Heather. She kinda toppled over backwards when the resistance of the arm ceased. But she leapt to her feet in time to say that line, and then ships the cyber arm about to aim in an overhead swing for the guy's head. But oh.... tazed. "Hey careful!" she shouts, "You might hit someone with those bullets!" And she adjusts her aim to try to hit the weapon arm instead.

The moment Jean Grey takes the air, surrounded by the bursting flames of her telekinesis, there is something she catches, a faint buzzing coming from the man Emma seems to have a gripe with. Phoenix can feel when the blonde musters her energies to send her psychic impressions over Donald, but then the buzzing stops.

And turns it up a few notches, almost making the redhead fall off right of the air, onto the ground. Something's wrong, something's terribly wrong, and although she doesn't know what it is, Jean can feel it's source, and it's target.

Being forced to make a decision in a split of a second, Phoenix does what she does best, and she redirects the impulse, being unable to stop it.

She takes the psychic feedback, sparing Emma of it.

Victor Creed charges at Bonebreaker, stomping on Skullbuster's skull along the way. He can see Bonebreaker's legs straining from trying to hold himself in from Mary's TK, cracks forming in the ground underneath as it desperately holds on. Which would've been bad enough if he'd faced Creed in a good state of mind. Unfortunately, he just hit Mary, even threatened to kill her. Victor Creed doesn't feel things for many other creatures. Hell, up until not long ago, he probably would've said 'any'. So, when he sees Bonebreaker looking smug, even as he stupidly turns his back on Mary, Creed's vision goes red.

Few people here have ever seen him like this, in this state. He's gotten better at control, with time, with Mary bleeding and endangered, the berzerker rises in Creed's gut and he calls her name in a howl, "Marrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!" as he dives into Bonebreaker, his impact dislodging those feet so that Mary's TK finally kicks in, launching them both somersaulting into the air with Creed slashing and slashing in a constant, frenzied blur, flesh and metal and gut and sinew all flung back over his head as he and the cyborg tumble into the air.

"Shit!" Apparently there is something stronger in Fern's vocabulary after all. She releases the trigger of the taser, stopping the current that has brought on the hail of bullets from Pretty Boy. She waits a beat, giving a moment to see what happens next, and if it's needed, as long as the electrodes stay in place, will pull the trigger again to restart the shock. IF Pretty Boy's finger is off the trigger of his gun. She doesn't want to be the cause of any accidental shootings while she's trying to do good. There's a thin line between help and "help". But it looks like Heather is going to make further intervention of the Fern kind unnecessary, and the little redhead can't stop a soft sigh of relief. "How do these people deal with the pressure of trying to do more help than harm?" she mutters softly as she drops back behind the protection of the table, returning to peeking, the extent of her helpfulness spent unless she has to resort to the light saber still tucked at her hip.

Emma's eyes were starting to rol to the back of her head when her own attack was being thrown back at her. But this stopped when Jean took the attack back onto herself. When Emma came to, her eyes flared, "Jean!"

Emma turned back to diamond and turned to deliver a roundhouse kick to Donald, ruining her dress in the process, "Fucking parasite. This party was going to be amazing."

She looked to Shaw before running to Jean's side.

The last of Typhoid's consciousness gives out as Victor bashes into Bonebreaker and loosens the legs enough for her TK to fling them skyward. She collapses on the floor, her dreads splayed all over her face and body, her leg's grazes bleeding freely, but not too badly. The last thing she hears is Creed roaring her name before everything goes black.

Phew. No more sniper. In Lunair's defense, it is a quick death. "Miss-" Lunair is polite enough not to shout names. Between Mary and Fern, Lunair is doing her best to look out after. She still has a huge, eff off laser cannon. And she pauses, startled by Fern's curse. "Oh." Pause. She looks to Fern and tries not to comment. Idea! Two staves, with round tops that have cat's ears and tails. "Here." One for Millie, one for Fern. "They make shockwaves and hit stuff! You can swat people no killing, okay?" She has no problems with killing. But she knows those who don't kill do exist. And now she's going to move to drag Mary behind the overturned table, as long as Lunair moving Mary to cover doesn't introduce her to The Wrath of Creed, which is followed by the hit sequel, The Pointy, Angry Ends of Creed and The Even Pointier Ends of An Upset Creed.

So much destruction! But Emma and Shaw have her attention. So much overwhelming information! While Nate is out taking care of innocents and snipers, Millie is about to brust into tears. But Emma is running to her friend's side after kicking Pierce, and she can't run and leave Shaw! "Sebastian!" The word is called sharply, /demanding/ immediate attention. And she reveals she is paying more attention than she let on, "Give me a weapon!" This call directed toward Lunair who was pulling weapons out right and left.

Millie can't be thankful when the young woman tosses her one yet, and she isn't even sure how it works! But suddenly, she points it toward Pierce hopefully before her to-be husband does something she would greatly DISAPPROVE of, and knocks him to hell and back again. "MY engagement party jerk," she says, revealing her one hell of a temper! "And you ruin it! Hurt my guests! Upset Sebastian! And I swear, if you or your goons do one more thing, I will find an EMP and set it off on you!" She is sure she can ask Miss Potts for one. Note to self, ask Miss Potts for an EMP grenade.

Donald looked at Shaw with seething hatred as he is hit by his arm, "Your such a fucking hypocrite, Sebastian. Because your good at all of this, shit you think you don't have blood on your hands. Pretending to be normal, to not be what you are. Well that's over. My eyes are cameras, my brain has wifi. Guess who just got outted? You filthy mutie!"

Then Emma's diamond kick that knocked him to his knees. And then Millie's tirade starts. Sebastian had dropped Pierce's arm and was about to smash his head off his freaking head off. Pierce was knock back and against a wall as the shockwave from the staff Lunair gave Millie sets off.

Donald touched his ear piece and said, "It's over. Gateway, exit!"

The feedback from Emma's psychic attack hit Jean, hard! But Jean's own psychic defenses are strong as well. The attack hurts but it doesn't shut her down like it would have Emma or Donald. The Phoenix's worse problem will probably be a migraine that will last for a week and an immediate loss of balance

Bone Breaker isn't as lucky, Mary's desperate TK before she passes out had quite the effect! He was flung from the balcony and into the arena floor falling directly through one of the basketball hoops bellow. A loud airhorn plays through the arena as it's considered a "basket."

"Seriously?!" asks Heather as she discards Pretty-Boy. "I'm over here, healin' everything they throw at me, and because I'm not a mutant, that's somehow different? Who's the hypocrite now? That's gotta be the biggest load of BS I've ever heard! Powers are powers you Cialis reject!" she announces as she hurls the cyber arm aside and rushes towards Donald. After all.... she must not focus on one target and let her friend get smooshed. "The world is not this narrow view black and white, mutant and non mutant thing you've invented in your own mind you loser!" she exclaims as she goes into a full on angryblondeattackflurry! Heedless of damage to herself as she does so.

As Victor tears into Bone Breaker, the savage fury of Sabretooth is too much even for the enhanced reflexes of the cyborg. It isn't long before Creed has ripped through every bit of flesh that Bone Breaker had and was into his spine, biting and clawing breaking him away from the chassis of his lower body. It's then that's Mary's TK throws him away from the balcony.

As Jean gets hit by the feedback her nerves flare up, her eyes go wide and it takes all her focus to close all the neural pathways to keep that cold, mechanical sensation to wash over mind. For a moment Phoenix just looks like she is drowning midair, green eyes wide, looking up, before Jean lets out a gasp, and she falls back on the ground.

As the redhead falls on her back, she feels the oxygen escape from her lungs, those eyes crossing, unfocused. As the X-Woman doesn't know what is happening her she has that Rocky moment, of Logan screaming for her to get up, just like in training, and she does.

But Jean cannot find her legs. As if she were drunk out of her MIND the redhead stumbles and falls again. She doesn't see Creed's savagery, she doesn't see much, looking down to the ground, trying to will her body to obey her. Jean is shaking. She can almost feel that man, and Emma, inside her head, both cold, in their own ways.

Victor Creed pants, spitting bits of Cyborg out of his teeth, the savage brutality of tearing another living creature in twain at least alleviating some of his rage. He crouches for a moment, his breath coming in thick, huffing blows. His face is smeared with gore and oil, but his only concern, at the moment, is Mary, his nostrils flaring and turning his head until he sees her behind the table, Lunair standing guard over her. He grasps the rest of his shirt, already ruined, and just tears if off, throwing it loose.

The other cyborgs look mostly in hand and, even if they weren't, Frost and Shaw can handle their own affairs. He's not their babysitter. He walks towards Mary and Luna, looking down at Deadpool's weaponeer with his head cocked, "Lu...na..." he says, his throat thick, pure homicidal rage slowly bleeding out to be replaced with just regular rage. Creed doesn't really have a calm state or, at least ,not one most people get to see, "Thank you..." he says softly to Luna, moving to lift up Mary and slinging her over his shoulder.

If there was anything Emma wasn't used to, it was martyrs, particularly people who were comfortable with laying themselves on the line over herself. Emma was exasperated, and faced an anxiety she hadn't felt in a long time. Not since one of her own students was in the line of fire. She kneeled next to Jean and panicked for a moment, "No, Jean this wasn't for you, damn it."

She kneeled behind her head and placed her hands on each sides of her head, there is one thing that sets Emma apart from other telepaths, she was a psycic surgeon. Emma closed her eyes focused Jean's mind on healing itself to the psychic tears.

Given another weapon from Lunair, Fern gives the taser a tug, pulling the thin wires free so she doesn't lose it if it's still attached to Pretty Boy. It was a gift, after all. She can't help but smile at the cat ears and tail, even as Lunair scoots out to collect Mary and bring her to relative safety. "Man," she says in soft wonder, "You have some awesome stuff." There's a concerned frown back on her face at once as she looks to the clearly wounded and almost naked soap opera star, but then there's that huge slavering guy, and Fern scoots back from the trio. Sure, he was fighting on the right side and all, but he's still got that whole hugely scary thing going on. She'll just keep quiet for now, and not draw attention to herself. It seems as if it's all over but the shouting at this point, so her limited usefulness is at an end.

And Lunair vaporized the pesky sniper. She has a rather violent streak, but it's kept on a tight chain. She's afraid of it. Also, for better or worse, Lunair is Deadpool's friend, no longer sidekick. She is adrift these days. Still, Lunair has her little protective fort by Fern and the unconscious Mary. Lunair knows first aid, but it's probably going to take morethan that. Her huge, eff-off gun disappears. A soft sigh. Totally outed herself there. But at least she wasn't alone.

She looks to Victor. "Hey." She doesn't seem frightened. Probably because she's aware that he's now just regular angry. Lunair is at a loss. "You're welcome." She waves to him, not stopping the Sabretooth. That's all she can say. She did what she could. She does seem to care. Just in her own distant, fragmented way.

And then Lunair looks to Fern. There's a faint smile. "Thanks. He's taking her somewhere safe." As far as Lunair reckons, anyway. Either way. She looks around to them. Still mindful.

Donald doesn't resist Heather's attack at first, but he doesn't stop his smile, he knows his exit is on the way and he is practically immortal anyways. However after a few punches and kicks from her however he said, "Listen slut. I don't give a shit about some lingerie model trash or what she thinks."R

His whole body suddenly electrified delivering a jolt like he was a taser, forcing Heather to let him go and get away. As he did so a portal started to open behind him. Gateway was apparently, right on time, "Bye bye." Pierce said as he allowed himself to fall into the portal as similar portals opened underneath the various defeated Reavers absorbing them and taking them somewhere else.

Sebastian Shaw looks at Millie for a moment and then rushes to her and hugs her, "I couldn't forgive myself if Donald had hurt you."

The truth is though, this situation had spooked Sebastian, he was afraid of what might happen to Millie, he had many enemies... any of them could target him, through her.

Victor Creed looks back over his shoulder one last time as he heads for the backdoor, the virtually naked Mary's bethonged butt sticking up in the air next to his ear. He gives a sharp, piercing whistle, getting Lunair's attention again, "She hid her clothes around here...somewhere. She liked 'em. Bring 'em by the apartment," he says, knowing how long it took Mary to pick out something fancy to wear. He may not understand the impulse, but he understood the smile on her face, and that's all that matters to the big, psychotic galloot at the moment.

On his way towards the back, a stray paparazzi who managed to try and hide pops up, having been in the toilet when chaos ensued, 'Oh, my god, that was amazing, that--GURK!" he says, unable to finish as Creed casually lashes out, arterial spray from parasitic throat splattering the floor in Sabretooth's wake. As usual, he leaves with the smell of copper and death in the air...

"Ooooooh, that jerk face!" This said when he escapes, but then, "Heather! Are you alright?" Millie sounds so very, very concerned, and she's shaking, almost violently, and her voice is shaking she's so mad and terrified. And she's fighting to keep a stiff upper lip! But she nods to Sebastian, "But you and I are also not anyone else's pawns, and I won't stand by and let you be played with them like either of us are just some...chess pieces to be manipulated." She doesn't hug Sebastian though she wants to, because she's afraid she will start crying "First aid, for those that know it. We...need to get ambulances. And..., and...," Millie can't think. She's strong in a crisis, but the blood, the destruction...she suddenly starts running to a wall, bracing against it with shaking knees as she throws up. Yep...sorry, weapon dropped somewhere on the way. Least she made it to a potted plant, alright? She's happy for that potted plant against the wall. She hopes it's a fake one. Oh yes, she got up close and personal, it's fake. Oh, good. Millie would hate to kill a plant. Even during this, she's mentally kicking herself to get her act together and help others!

Jean is shivering, that burning inside of her, in her mind, rather than in her body, that consuming fire, raging right behind her eyes. It feels like her head is going to explode at any moment now, the pressure in her gums, the tingling in her fingertips driving Phoenix almost insane.

And then, that cooling, gentle touch, desert rain. Slowly Jean Grey's whoe tensed up body relaxes, each bundle that Emma unravels inside the X-Woman making the redhead's body go slacker and slacker, until Jean simply sighs, kneeling on the ground, breathing slow, and leaning back against Emma, her breathing calming down.

Heather goes to: Lower Metropolis.

Lunair jerks, startled at the whistle. She nods. "Okay! I will bring them by ASAP. Anything else I should bring by?" Otherwise, Lunair may just bring dinner or something quiet.Lunair is far too used to that sort of violence. In a way, her distant gaze is cold. She's seen war and fighting and death and blood and ... then poor Milly threw up. Ummm... She looks to Fern, puzzled. "... maybe she needs some sprite or water. I should make sure-" That dress meant a lot to Mary. And Lunair knows that pain too well. Friendship, treasured, happy moments yanked away by violence that seems to find her even when she turns and runs away. "You're not hurt?" Lunair peers to Fern.

There are moments of silence as Emma is still holding to Jean's temple, healing her own damage. Fire and ice. Emma's healing touch cools her burning mind. She speaks softly, "There, there now. I can't have you getting hurt on my account. I'm sorry."

She touched her forhead to the back of Jean's head before rising and she raised her voice for all to hear, "Get the civilians out of here, the authorities are now just outside. Sebastian, call your PR rep."

She went to Mary and also touched the sides of her head, "Now to get you all fixed up."

And at that Emma got to work.

Fern isn't about to protest big scary guy leaving and thankfully doesn't see the cheap shot on the poor paparazzi (has anyone else ever uttered those words) as he goes. She gets to her feet, offering the staff back to Lunair, then stuffing her spent taser back into her clutch. "No, I'm not hurt. And thank you. I know Leo will thank you, too." Unless she can keep his tv off and stop him from seeing reports on the news. She looks around, her face squinching sympathetically at Millie's moment of illness. She knows the feeling, and at least Millie didn't ruin someone's precious boots. "How about you go find that woman's stuff, and I'll get something for Millie?" she offers. She turns to go see if she can help Millie, forgetting the light saber still in her possession, despite it pressing into her side.

Sebastian Shaw pulled out a cellphone and called a number that very few people could ever have and said, "It's Shaw. Madison Square Garden. No. No. Yes."

He hung up the phone. What Millie had said had touched him in a way that Millie probably hadn't meant to touch. The mind of the Lord Imperial was active now, plotting, planning, preparing.


 * "Emma, if Ms. Grey is well again could you please look at the passed out Soap Opera star on the balconey, I believe your own abilities will be well suited for her before attention arrives"|

He walked over to Creed and muttered, "Secrets are out, I'll deal with them. Emma will take care of your Mary. What I need from you right now is to make sure that every last bit of the tech that Pierce's men had is collected so that responders don't find them." It was nearly inaudible, he was counting on Creed's enhanced senses to pick up what he said.

He went over to Millie again and said, "I'm sorry this happened. I promise you... it won't happen again."

Lunair is still here. She has her order and goal. "Sure thing." She lets Fern do her thing, dismissing the staff. It just /vanishes/. "I'll dismiss the light saber." That way it doesn't accidentally activate or something. And it might be a little alarming Lunair is used to such carnage. Especially at her age. Would explain a few things, though. But she will find Mary's things. And helpfully, she might pull down the odd camera if she spots any.

Millie really, really wants to cry now! Did she just...hiccup a bit? But she takes a shakey breath, not looking up from her...ugh. "Sebastian, please don't get too close right now. I'm...sensetive about this stuff, even with you darling," she says a bit tensely. Her voice is still shaking. Yep, she doesn't want Shaw anywhere near her vomit thank you very much! Then again, she doesn't want near it too, but she's a little too shakey to walk right now. But...hopefully Fern will come save her soon, cause really, Fern kept it together better than she did.

Lunair will wander out, unless stopped - with Mary's things. Just as quietly as she arrived.

Fern doesn't notice as the light saber disappears, reaching Millie, sliding her arm around her friend's shoulders comfortingly. She looks up to Shaw, offering what she hopes is an encouraging smile, "I'll take care of her for a few, while you take care of... things." The little redhead doesn't really look around, not registering everything in it's technicolor glory. She's learned her lesson. "Can you walk, hon? Let's go find some ginger ale." Leading Millie away, she keeps up a soft chatter to keep the model's mind occupied and off what happened for a moment. There will be plenty of time for that later.