2013-02-12 We Know Where You Live

Los Angeles, California

The setting sun bakes the valley in its normal orangish hue. The winter weather is far warmer here than most of the places that Scott Summers visits on these sorts of trips. The routine is simple. A mutant, usually a freshly manifested one, is running into some problems. The Professor sends in an operative, in this case Scott, to monitor the situation. Xavier himself had visited the family, but it had yet to agree.

Serene Nasir. Teenage girl. A giant. A mutant.

Scott flicks through some assorted channels on the television of his hotel room. There are two beds and a black uniform and silverish visor lay on the next bed over.

"Scott...Now."

Exams can be a real pain, so when Serene spent some extra time at the library it seemed like time well spent. However, on her walk home, she's interrupted by a small gang of middle-teens. 6 on one.

"Hey little Seenee, looks like Daddy's little girl grew all the way up, huh?"

Serene is trying to study for exams, but to be honest she's been being kept home ever since these... Changes seemed to stabilize. If she wasn't visiting doctors and specialists, she was being kept at home to avoid drawing attention from certain kinds of people. She felt stifled. Yes, she was terrified of what was happening to her, but there had to be some cure right? Eventually she'd go back to normal. And if she wasn't keeping up with school work, then she'd be in a LOT of trouble. Her grades are good. She can't ruin that by slacking off now. Even if all the stares from people are making her even more self-aware than she already was. But she made it to the library, found a place to stay away from everyone else and study, and felt like she'd made progress. The dark-skinned girl then quietly made her way out of the building. She has been quiet-ish most of her life, but she at least knows how to laugh and have fun, and has never failed to be friendly. Now she feels so isolated even surrounded by other people that she just wants to get home and out of the public eye. But that plan is interrupted. She shifts the strap of her bookbag on her shoulder as she is approached by some other kids. She reaches up to adjust her glasses, and keeps a smile on her face like it's all no big deal. Keep smiling, Serene. That's how to keep others from realizing your pain and fear. So she just grins and says, "Yeah, some weird medical thing. I don't know what's up with it. I'm sure the doctors will figure it out soon and then I'll be back to normal. What about you guys? How's life been treating you?" She has to keep smiling. She has to keep faking it. She has to get home safe. She's normal, not one of those freaks. There's no way other normal humans are going to mess with her like that, right?

Some of the gang members look back and forth between each other and start laughing. "How are we? Come on, girl. You're actin' like you aint got no clue about what's happened to you. You're a /myooo/tant. Clear as day." The one who talks leans back and folds his arms before shaking his head as several more begin to laugh.

"A f****ng mutant, man. I hope she won't give us cooties."

"I used to think she was fine, too."

"...almost a shame we aint told her what happens to muties this side of town."

They say her fears outloud, and even as Serene's heart rate picks up, she just keeps acting. She rolls her eyes. "Haha, guys. Giantism is a thing. That's probably all it is. Look, I have to get home. Go find some real mutants to bother." She knows this situation is volatile, but she has to the best she can. There's a payphone down the street. Maybe she can call home and get a ride back rather than risk more trouble. Serene tries to just push past to the best of her abilities. And since she's seven feet tall, she might actually be capable of it if they A) Don't try to stop her or B) She were using her height advantage seriously. B is not currently the case, so she'll just have to hope that their 'prey' not showing obvious fear shakes their confidence just enough to get out of their without serious trouble. Serene has dealt with bullies in the past. What kid hasn't? But this is different. She feels like she's actually in danger this time, instead of it just being a bunch of jerks who can be talked-down or dissuaded.

There's a quick *swipt* of a jacknife opening up.

"Aww, ya gonna carve her Rex? You gonna carve her?" a high pitched voice comes from the group, obviously the toadie. "Where ya think you're goin, Seenee?" One of the gang members, covered in tatoos and wearing a blue bandana with a white wife-beater shirt steps forward. Three of his front teeth are gold, "We gonna see what's under that smil*BAM!*"

Without warning a shriek-blast of red power comes from across the street and knocks the knife flying. A figure in a black turtleneck and jeans runs over, and he's wearing some sort of device over his eyes. Serene may recognize him as the man who came with the Professor to meet her family.

Before the first gun is even pulled, Scott Summers knocks one of them out cold with a right cross that came through years of training.

Serene is not a hero. She's a civilian. So when she is threatened with a weapon, she backs off from trying to push through. Her eyes are on the blade. She wets her lips nervously with the tip of her tongue and says, "Hey, guys... We're right here in public. You think no one will notice?" Still trying to use reason and psychology to get these gangers to stop long enough for her to get to safety. It doesn't seem to be working, though, and she unslings her bookbag from her shoulder to try to use it as a shield or swing at someone's face in desperation, all the while fearing that she's going to get cut up by some morons who can't tell she's normal. She's normal! She's no mutant! And even if she is, so what? There has to be a cure, right!? Why is this happening to her!? But Serene never gets the chance to futilely struggle for her life, because a weird red energy beam comes flying out of nowhere and takes the knife out of play. Her head whips around, long hair swirling about and obscuring her own vision as she tries to see where it came from. Some guy with a machine on his eyes. A super hero or something? She doesn't know. But the moment her rescuer finishes punching out one of the gangers, she takes the distraction he is providing to make tracks. She runs, using her long stride to try to put distance between herself and her attackers. She is not qualified to be involved in super battles, and she is too scared for her own safety to worry about what's happening with the new guy. She doesn't go too far though, instead grabbin that payphone she'd been thinking of earlier, scrambling with shaking hands to find some change in her bag, and unable to even open up the zipper. She looks up occasionally, watching what's going on back there... That guy looks familiar. She met him before, right? He came to the house. Her brain isn't working right right now. Too much adrenaline. Too much fear to make the connection.

After the punch and the energy bolt, the bullies become cowards very quickly. They turn tail and begin running; the pads of their shoes slapping loudly as they run in fear. The one with the high voice yells out onto the night street, "Aint gonna matter, Seenee, we know where you live!" The thugs disappear around the corner, except for the one who is knocked out cold. He lies there, limply.

Scott meanwhile turns his shoulder to see Serene down the way. He takes a deep breath, and walks towards her, trying to think of what to say.

The threat called back over the one thug's shoulder is not taken as an idle one by Serene. She can't go home now, can she? Maybe the jerks are gone, but they'll find her eventually. Maybe she should call the cops instead? But what if they think she's a weirdo too? What if they don't believe her? The phone remains clenched in her left hand while she tries with all her might to open the book bag. But eventually, she sees that the man with the visor is coming her way, and she... Hesitates. Her hand is clenched tightly. Tightly enough that, without meaning to, her 'gift' activates from all the stress and emotional instability, and her hand passes right through the phone. Not like intangibility. More like she becomes so much denser and heavier than the phone that it practically just crumbles in her grip. She jumps back, startled, as though the phone had turned into a snake instead of just being broken like nothing. Her ability goes the complete opposite direction, and her leaps sends her hurtling out into the street like she weighs nothing. Her arms and legs windmill as she lets out several short shrieks of fear and surprise, sending her spiralling and cartwheeling until she lands on the sidewalk on the other side of the street -- only to become heavier and denser again and leave an imprint in the concrete. Tears flowing from her eyes, bookbag scattered all over the street, Serene just stays where she is on the ground, shaking and waiting to find out what's going to happen to her next. She's almost afraid if she lets go of the ground she's going to go falling up into the sky or something. "Wh-what do you want with me?" she calls out to Scott.

Scott witnesses her struggle with a sad look and a tilted head. "I'm sorry," he begins not really knowing where he should. "I know you're denying it right now, but you're a mutant. It's going to be a difficult road for you. People will look at you differently. People will be cruel. I know it happens because it has happened to me." He takes another step further, this time into the light of a street lamp, "I want you to know that there are people out there that can help you--help you to learn your powers...How to use them, control them, and have them help you."

"Please, Serene, consider the offer from Professor Xavier. There's no reason you need to go through this alone."

Serene lies there, not wanting to believe what she's hearing and... Honestly, she just plain doesn't. The ability to disbelieve is one of humanity's greatest strengths and greatest weaknesses. Disbelieving one's limitations can allow one to push past them. Disbelieving blatant fact can cause one to fruitlessly pursue a foolish path that ends only in sadness and failure. Right now, Serene doesn't believe that what she's hearing is the truth... But she believes she's in danger and so is her family if she doesn't get out of here. This guy wants to help her? He wants to keep her safe long enough to figure all... All THIS out? That's fine by her. She's used to telling people what they want to here. 'Fitting in' is all she has ever striven for. So she does what she has to. "...Okay. Okay, I accept. Just please help me get out of here, and warn my parents? If those guys come looking for me and find out I'm not at home, I--" her throat clenches up and she can't speak anymore, so she just takes several calming breaths and tentatively sees if it's safe to get off the sidewalk yet. She seems to weigh what she normally does now that she's calm again. Her stuff is scattered everywhere. But her safety is more important right now. So she gets to her feet, and just... Nods her assent to Scott quietly. She'll go with him.

"We have the time. Those guys won't come back," Scott says with an exhale that almost reaches a chuckle. "And if they do, they'll be sorry." Scott kneels down to pick up her things, a book at first and a few pens and pencils. A notepad. A mirror. Scott smiles faintly up to her, "I'm sure the Professor can work something good up to ensure your family's safety." The Professor is a man of many talents, after all.

"You don't get sick in airplanes, do you?" Scott tilts his head, "I guarantee you've never seen an airplane like this."