2013.06.15 - Chasing Bluetail

It's past Memorial Day, so officially 'summer' has begun. Some are headed to the City, and others are escaping.

This, however, is an escape with purpose. Camping isn't something that is unfamiliar to the blue bamfer.. not in the least. There are trees, there is a mountain very close.. and a six man tent that is set up before the sun begins to fall, setting a dimness to the landscape. Shadows are beginning to fall a little more heavily and darkly. There's a fire pit dug, and wood has been located, and there actually is a fire burning. Everything that makes a site comfortable is present and accounted for.

It is chilly in the mountains, however, and Kurt is wearing a jacket, his collar turned up, a red-flannel pattern that is reminiscent of what Logan might wear in his native Canada as he perches on a log next to the flames, glowing yellow eyes looking out towards the woods. All that's left, truly, is a bag of marshmellows and weenies.

Camping for fun and recreation is one of those things which Talia hasn't had many opportunities to try in her past life (lives?) Necessity occasionally dictated it, but even then there had usually been somewhere she could crash along with the rest of the team.

To be out in the woods, no concerns in the world? It's fantastic.

She's taken the opportunity to scout out the area surrounding their chosen campsite, darting between the branches overhead until she's back nearby the camp. When she comes out of hiding she does so in one of their usual gargoyle-esque poses, except that it's done upside down from one of the branches near the fire.

"Picked a nice spot, there's a stream about a quarter mile from here. Plenty to see."

It's probably nearby that river where she found the small white flower that's currently tucked into that braided mass of hair by her right ear.

Kurt knows the area, reasonably well, anyway. It's very much like home, back in Bavaria. The mountains, the forest, the streams, and the cool, bracing air. "Did you look for some of the better places, liebchen?" He looks up and a little sideways as she shows up.. and hangs upside down. Reaching out, he touches but doesn't take, the little white flower that looks so startling in that deep, indigo-ink-coloured tousel of hair. "Reminds me of eidelweiss.."

Dropping his hand again, Kurt's smile grows as he rises to his feet. "Would you like to be irresponsible campers und see the sights in the dark?" As if the lack of light has any affect on either of them? "It's my time of day, und, unless I miss my guess?"

*bamf*

Kurt appears in the same tree as TJ now, and he's clinging to the side, his tail wrapping lightly around the trunk, "We might find something to amuse ourselves?"

"Not Wagners, nein.." Kurt agrees easily, those glowing yellow eyes truly beginning to show themselves in the dim light. If he was of the mind, he could play havoc with other campers should they come across them.. blinking, glowy eyes peering out of bushes or the trees. "I don't think we will have to call for the Sheriff's department for aid."

Kurt is easily perched in the trees, and as she joins him on the branch, he leaps up to the next, and swings his feet up and over until he's perched in the next highest, which causes the tree to sway just a little.

"When I was in Limbo, aiding Illyana, I took to the trees," and he sounds.. content in the telling. "It is always best in the trees. Und, we can travel so quickly.."

There's a moment when Kurt falls silent, and the cicadas are chirping, beginning their night's serenade.

"I'll race you to the stream!"

With those words, Kurt leaps from the tree in which they're set to the next, his tail trailing behind him as he grabs hold of the next branch..

There's that name again. Illyana. TJ can't help it, every time she hears it there's something in her which flinches.

She doesn't have long to lament. Suddenly there's a challenge being issued. In an instant she's also leaping forward, choosing to use his shoulders as a springboard.

"False start!"

The growing shadows and tree canopy hide them both well, progress only followed with a light rustling of leaves and shifting of branches.

"Don't make me possess your furry butt, you'd never win!" Same goes for teleporting, naturally. To have anything even close to a fair race they'll both have to check their greatest powers at the door.

Unfortunately, the opposition still knows these woods better than she.

The leap and over his shoulders brings a laugh from the fuzzy stand-in dad, and Kurt is caught briefly flat-footed. Reaching out to grab at her tail to pull her back, she's gone, thanks to his landing on a branch that doesn't quite want to hold all of his weight.

He has to flick his tail out to the trunk once again to wrap about it for some stability. Kurt isn't about to stay long on such a rickity perch, however, and he leaps to the next, flipping over end over end, his hands reaching out for the next tree.

"You are going to have to keep up with me, mein Herz.."

"I'm sorry, did I hear that correctly?" TJ calls out from somewhere else amongst the trees. Not far away a nesting bird angrily squawks and dives for cover as a blue hand drops onto the same branch a few feet out. "It sure sounded like you said I was going to have to keep up with you!"

Trying to catch the other off-guard isn't easily done with how many tricks they both share. Hiding in the shadows, seeing in the dark, being so blasted acrobatic, one has to plan their attack carefully!

TJ's father always taught her about the importance of looking above herself. Never be caught unprepared from the skies.

This is exactly why when she comes back around she does so from below, suddenly stick-crouching to a tree trunk then launching herself upward after him on an intercept trajectory.

"Ambush!"

"Polite.. I like that in a daughter," Kurt quips. "Now, only have to teach you a little more respect." He's teasing, obviously, and he whistles as he catches the disturbing of the bird's nest.

Lifting himself up, he pushes himself off once again, "You have much to learn, Grasshopper.. to move silently und stealthily.. und birds get really pissed off." The last bit is offered up with a wide grin.

Now, the blue bamfer is so very used to working in all 'dimensions', as it were. Up and down, left and right? Child's play. So when she comes up from under him, reaching for that interception, he reaches out with hands and feet.. and tail to wrap about her, and the last thing she sees before they both disappear?

A very wide grin.

*bamf!*

Kurt lands in the top of a tree several yards back, and he .. lets her go. Drops her.

"Her mistake for trying to build a nest in my path," TJ replies with a toothy grin.

Then..he 'cheats.' Not that any official rules had been laid out beforehand, but this? This is cheating. "HEY, no fair!"

Catching her fall, that's easy. Balancing and leaping back into action, that's also easy. Making up for lost time...

Actually, that's kinda easy, too.

-Broonk!-

A streak and a flash of electric blue causes one of the thicker branches to suddenly jolt and whip about as the concussive blast broadsides it, causing leaves to go flying all over the place.

She's trying to catch the very branch that Kurt is about to land on next.

"Wanna turn this into a powered chase, do ya! I've played my share of mutant ball!"

Ah ha! Kurt's grin doesn't slip for a second, and he barks a laugh in the falling night's air as he watches her pull her controlled 'fall', righting herself easily and obviously with a great deal of experience and training such that it's not even a concern. Some father he'd be if she couldn't catch herself!

Oops?

Still, the moment she's deposited in the treetop, Kurt is off and on his way, leaping from branch to branch. No bamfing for him, no... he's going to work on keeping ahead of her now.

When the branch explodes in shrapnel, however, the blue bamfer has to make something of a check. His handhold is no longer there, and he shifts his body, changing the trajectory of his body slightly as he controlled-falls down a level. Grabbing the next branch down, he collects himself, and pushes up and off, swinging in the trees with a distinct purpose now...

"Good! But did you ever play 'Tag'? You're 'it', mein Herz!"

Getting closer...

Talia makes a growling sound in the back of her throat as she leapfrogs off of another branch, sailing after the other elf in direct pursuit. The branch which she had struck from a distance is cleared altogether, catching the trunk right above it with another determined launch.

"That's a real bad thing to say when I'm behind ya, Fuzzbutt. I've got a longer reach than you!" As just demonstrated by smacking that branch with a Hex Bolt!

The campsite is practically a distant memory already, branches and leaves sailing past in a blur as she pushes the rush. It's a rare thing to have an opponent that can so easily keep pace with her, let alone (should she think it..?) best her at her own game.

"You'll never escape me, Captain Bluetail!"

LEAP!

Keep to the trees, always moving forward, and Kurt dips and dives and leaps and rolls through the foliage. He's getting poked with sticks here and there, but it's of little concern to him. Those glowing eyes serve as a good marker as to where he is now, however.. he's not trying to disappear, but should someone look up from the ground, they'd simply see a dark spot crossing the sky, obscuring the stars for the briefest of moments.

"On my tail, Herzchen?"

Kurt leaps up, and laughs loudly, "You'll never catch the dread Captain Bluetail.. you'll have to do better than that!"

Of course, the hex bolts?

Pretty damned impressive..

That leap, however.. what is it that the old adage says?

Look before you leap!

Kurt's right on the precipice, and he knows that down is a good distance as the side of mountain mixed with deep cut stream meet.

"Surprise!"

*bamf*

And the elf is gone.. only to reappear on the other side, clinging to a large maple, his gaze looking back a little.. anxiously, perhaps?

You know that moment when what seemed like a really good idea suddenly turns out to be a really bad idea?

TJ's having one of those moments.

The determined grin quickly vanishes in favor of a wide, glowing stare, her mouth starting to open before any sound of surprise can reach the surface. All five limbs windmill as they search for something to latch onto and arrest her forward momentum but it's too late for that, all she winds up getting is a foot-full of torn leaves.

"Whua--Buggerall!"

Down the ravine she goes.

"This was not part of the game!!"

For someone that may (or may not) have her father's sense of teleportation, and the skills to back it up, there may still exist subtle differences between the two. She's had the chance to try it out through Kurt's own person, to tap into his memories on how he triggers it and what he's capable of doing with it. Still, she's never done this on her own.

There's also certain limitations to it which Kurt may never have to worry about, now or ever.

"Oh God don't let me--"

-Foomp!-

"--hit!"

SPLASH!

The only way she could go was the way she was looking. She was looking at the river down below. Quite intently. Now, she's a part of it.

While it's not quite tossing a baby down a cliff into a ravine, it could be considered its moral equivalent? Of course, a kinder, gentler person would liken it to a bird tossing the babies out of the nest in order to test the wings.

Kurt'll go with the latter.

Hanging on the tree, those eyes watch intently in the dim night's glow, seeing everything as plainly as if it were daylight. Better, perhaps.

The beginning of the plummet brings Kurt's heart into his throat, and he grips the branch upon which he's perched a little tighter. ''Look up, Herzchen.. look up...''

Nope.. and down she goes..

Immediately, Kurt is after her as if all hell has opened up behind him.. (which, in a way, does every time he teleports!), landing on the bank of the river, and searching, his tones sounding a little worried.

"Herzchen!"

*bamf*

Kurt appears upon an outcropping of rocks, his tail swaying as he catches his balance on the slippery moss that covers it.

Some people make it look so easy...

A second after Kurt lands upon that rock there's a completely soaked arm that shoots out of the water, nabbing him by the ankle as a braid-covered head breaks the surface. "I--!"

Teleported? Am freezing cold? Can't believe you just did that?

"--Donteverwannadothatagain!"

The falling off of a ravine bit more than the teleporting bit, probably.

One very soggy Talia starts to crawl her way out of the river, already shivering from the cold water and chilly evening air. "I th-think I p-passed..."

It's a couple of moments of actual frantic looking, though Kurt keeps a lid on most of his anxiety. He's looking all around the river, searching for the form and figure of a blue, fuzzy, ink-black haired mutant.. in the dark.

"Herzch--"

As the hand comes up, Kurt leans over to take hold of her, providing some of the balance and support she may need to pull herself up. He's got her.. and he's got that look on his face. Relief and worry all rolled into one.

The moment Kurt's got her, however, the only sound TJ may possibly hear is that familiar--

*bamf*

And the pair land in front of the fire, in their campsite. The flames have burned down to embers, but that makes the fire yet hotter. "You did it, Herzchen.. I saw you. You did it!"

TJ figured they'd make a beeline back to the fire. Fortunately, that's exactly what comes next. If Kurt happens to have a problem with a cold, soggy Teej clinging to him for extra warmth, tough.

"The park rangers would have been picking me off of the rocks with a spatula if I didn't!"

Pause.

"Guess we're too cool for the Danger Room, huh?" she says with a chilled, nervous chuckle. "I just..I can't believe that I can do that. I've never been able to before, what changed? I should have known what I was capable of doing by now. My God, if I could have done this all along..."

She probably could have used it to help a great many number of people.

She might have been able to save some lives.

"I don't understand..."

Kurt's got his arms wrapped about her, though he does reach out with his tail to grab a wool blanket to wrap about her. About them. Warm bodies.

"I wouldn't have let you be hurt, mein Herzchen.. not ever. If I thought you weren't going to?" He'd have been there immediately. "But you needed the.. push. The feeling of necessity. The only thing you did wr-- the only thing you need to work on is.. landing. Und directions." Kurt chuckles softly and pulls the blanket around a little tighter, "Never look down, unless that is where you want to go, ja?"

He sits for a long moment, listening to the stream of consciousness coming from his fuzzy one, and offers a soft, "Shhh.. be still.. you're still young yet, ja? Und, I don't know half of what it is you've experienced in your life, so.. when it came und how? You are," and here, the fuzzy blue elf smiles, his fangs showing a little, glinting from the dim glow of the fire, ".. definitely a Wagner."

Warmth. Closeness. Familiarity. Family.

"I know you wouldn't have, dad," TJ replies in a softer voice, staring now at the glowing embers. Even that reminds her of the glow of their very eyes. The woods don't watch them, they watch the woods.

"Trial by fire, I know..." Then forcing a small laugh, she says "That was where I wanted to go! If I hit the ground at that speed..?"

When the unknown territory that is her past comes up a three-fingered hand suddenly reaches up to the side of her head, feeling through the sodden braids around that ear.

The flower's no longer there.

"Yeah," she quietly agrees as her eyes pinch closed against a sudden wave of sadness. Of loss. With the rest of her still soaking wet the tear that follows will never be recovered.

"Definitely a Wagner."