1044/And We're Walking...

And We're Walking...
Date of Scene:	07 April 2020
Location:	Hank's Lab
Synopsis:	Gabby is taken on a tour by Kitty and Piotr, and sees Beast in his lab.
Cast of Characters:	Kitty Pryde, Henry McCoy, Gabby Kinney, Piotr Rasputin

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Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde has been trying to spend a little more time with others. Since Genosha's destruction, she's mainly been locked in a server room down in the X-men base. When she heard that Gabby could use a tour of the base, Kitty volunteered.

They've already seen the medical bay, and now Kitty approaches the door to Hank's Lab, having communicated ahead to him so Beast would know they are coming. "Hank is... just brilliant," Kitty explains to Gabby as they head over to the lab. "Especially in biology and genetics, one of the smartest people on the planet probably. A lot of us owe our science expertise to him," she tells the younger girl.

Kitty reaches the door and knocks on it. "Hank, it's Kitty and Gabby."

Henry McCoy has posed:
Henry was in, in fact. The big blue man was hanging upside-down from the rafters, jotting things down on an old-school chalk board. He'd been at it for some time, the white chalk dust evident in some of his fur around his wrists. At the knock, he glances back over his shoulder and then to the clock. "Come in... come in. Sorry for the mess." He calls back, apologizing in advance.

Gabby Kinney has posed:
"Genetics?" Gabby, usually cheery and hyper, was taking this whole tour seriously. That particular topic was one that was near and dear to her entire existance though. A little frown creeps over her as she regards the large door that Kitty knocks on looking between it and Kitty a long, thoughtful moment.

"Okay, but if he comes at me with needles we're going to have a problem." Grr, tough Gabby. Maybe she picked that up from Laura or Logan. Surely she can't be suggesting she'd hurt Hank-- "Speaking of needles I wonder if I'd be able to get a tattoo? I mean not right away, but would I heal while it's being done and it won't stick or would that just mean I'd need to touch it up once in awhile?"

Nope, still Gabby.

Piotr Rasputin has posed:
Piotr is not too far behind, having heard that Gabby was finally getting a tour, and feeling a little guilty over how he found out about her powers, elected to tag along, though he was outpaced by the other two. When he gets to the door he also knocks, "Also Piotr," he says, politely, waring his Columbia t-shirt and leans against the wall after walking in, if allowed. The talk of needles from Gabby gets a raised brow from the tall mutant, "You are a little young for a tattoo, best to wait a while before making that decision."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty pauses at Gabby's question. "Well, I don't imagine he'll be sticking you with a needle, medical or tattoo. And, I don't really know if it would take, but it's also the kind of thing you might want to wait a bit on. Because if it does take, kind of permanent."

Kitty turns to greet Hank then. "Hey Hank. This is Gabby. Giving her a bit of a tour now that she's one of the students. Don't think you two have had a chance to meet yet have you?" she asks, Kitty getting out of the way so the pair can introduce themselves further.

She looks over to Piotr, smiling at the big Russian as he comes in. Not that many years ago it was Kitty getting the tour.

Henry McCoy has posed:
With a graceful dismount, Henry is right-side up again, offering a hand to the newcomer. "No, I hadn't had a chance to meet Miss Kinney yet, a pleasure." A wide, toothy grin. "Dr. Henry McCoy, though my friends often shorten it to Hank." A glance between the three who have entered, after waiving Piotr in. "I do not know that a tattoo would have much success, though. As quickly as you're bound to heal, it might expel the ink all together. I also agree with my august teacher associate, that it's a bit early to think on such things."

Hank looks to Kitty and Piotr. "How are you two doing? I'm afraid I've been mostly tied up in research, teaching... and well, being out of the loop." A chuckle and a glance back to Gabby. "Feel free to look around - I'll be glad to answer any questions that I can."

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney glances over her shoulder at Piotr with a warm grin toward the Russian. Nevermind how he found out about her powers, she didn't seem upset by it. Then again everyone else had been. Maybe it was her that ought to feel guilty. "I just mean in general. I don't have any ideas in mind." Pause. "Oh, maybe a --" But thankfully whatever horrible idea she had for a tattoo is interrupted by Hank coming over to properly introduce himself. She reaches out to take his much larger hand in her own flashing him a toothy grin.

"Yeah that's kind of what I was wondering. I know my body gets rid of bullets that are stuck in me. Probably the same with ink." Ah, but then he offers to let them look aroiund and ask questions so her eyes wander over the lab flitting from counters to equipment to displays. "Okay, sure! If you were to medically turn off someone's pain receptors but a side effect is slowly killing them, how would you resolve the issue?" Well he *said* to ask.

Piotr Rasputin has posed:
Piotr frowns but nods to Hank. "Indeed, I was there, she was hit in the torso by a sniper, and the body rejected the bullet as it healed, as opposed to healing around it." He takes a breath and returns the smile to Kitty before continuing, "She has some sort of healing factor, which is good, but terrifying until she did not bother to tell us until she recovered." The large Russian sighs and facepalms as Gabby asks /that/ question.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty can't hide her little frown that Gabby is already getting used to what it feels like to get shot. She knows enough of what Gabby has in common with Logan to suspect she can survive such things. But still. She's just a kid. If one who is two years older than Kitty was herself when she started on the team. How perspectives change.

Kitty glances around the lab, curious about what Hank is working on as well. "I've been ok," Kitty says, giving a small shrug. Word around the school is probably otherwise. Her father died on Genosha and the normally warm young woman has been a bit wooden, concealing those emotions.

Henry McCoy has posed:
The chalkboard is littered with various genetic formulas - some finished, some still incomplete. The Beast nods to Piotr. "Quite fortunate, then, that she has that gift." A glance to Gabby. "Better to not test the limits of it, yes?" A slightly sardonic grin, knowing that's not going to be the case - not in their lifestyles. "As to your question - I would need to know a bit more, yes? Such as was this a surgical procedure, to block the reception of pain? Genetic modification? Chemically induced? After that, it would be a matter of reverse engineering the changes, though that may very well remove the effect of numbing the pain." A tap of his claw to his furry chin. "It bears some research, I would imagine." A low chuckle.

At the wooden response from Kitty, Hank looks over to her. "Is that so? OK?" A hrm. "Well, I wouldn't wish to pry, but my door is always open if you feel the need to talk." That's that! A grin to Piotr. "Did you get gray hair in seeing the incident with the sniper rifle, then?" He teases, good-naturedly.

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney gives a little shrug at the looks she gets for asking the question. Well he had asked! Piotr's remark of her powers earns a little guilty duck of her head. "Sorry. I got so used to hiding it from Alchemax that I just... I didn't want to mention it until I knew they wouldn't be an issue anymore. I didn't mean to upset anyone." And she had never out right lied so much as brushed off questions of powers by pointing out she was just an imperfect clone. Which she was.

The answer from Hank earns a slow thoughtful nod. "Not surgical, but... Okay. More information." She could get that eventually. But she was already distracted by something with a lot of blinky lights that she goes over to stare at.

Piotr Rasputin has posed:
Piotr listens to the explanation from Hank and shakes his head with a grin, "Only grey hairs I get are when I turn to steel." He runs his hand through his hair without thinking. Kitty's wooden reaction catches his attenion, but Hank seems to say something first. The Russian focuses then on Gabby's explanation, "Indeed, it seems something is... unusual, though at least we are now able to know a bit more." Piotr turns to Gabby and says calmly, "You did nothing wrong, they were fools to try and take you, and that we will not allow."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty moves over to one of the chairs sitting along a counter, swiveling it back to the others to face them though. She gives a small nod in agreement to what Piotr said. "Gabby, I don't think Hank and I have heard the story of how you came to us, and about Alchemax. I know it might not be something that's enjoyable to talk about... but would you be up for filling us in? It would be nice to hear it first hand," she suggests.

Kitty glances over to Hank to see if he would like to hear it as well, Gabby having only been at the school for a little while.

Henry McCoy has posed:
Another chuckle is given to Piotr. "Fortunate for you. I fear the day when my vanity is demolished by gray fur." A smirk from the man to the other. At the mention of the story from Kitty, Henry's ears perk up. "Indeed! I would be happy to listen, though I understand if the subject may be too raw to talk about at the moment." A cant of his head an his eyes focus on Gabby. "It might help with the question you posited."

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney flashes Piotr a smile in relief when he assures her that it wasn't her fault. That did help a bit to hear. Her eyes slide over to Kitty when she takes a seat suggesting the obvious topic change. Rather than explain immediately she walks over to where Kitty sits to wrap her arms around her in a silent, firm hug. Blurting out why Kitty was upset wasn't going to be something she did again even accidentally, but that doesn't mean she won't offer some comfort if she can.

"Oh, no it's okay," she assures the others at mention of her history. "I'm the tenth in a series of clones of Laura. I don't know if the sample they got was damaged or if they just weren't very good, but each iteration they tried to alter to get the results they wanted. They failed every time, but we did all end up with minor differences. Bellona ended up an albino for instance." She pauses before continuing.

"Anyway, since most of them didn't end up with mutant abilities they started using us as guinea pigs and trained us to be killers. The excuse was we were going to be bodyguards for the higher ups in the company. It was a lie. But to make us more efficient they developed a way to turn off our ability to feel pain. It was just an injection into our spine, but it worked."

"At least until my older sisters started to just... die. For no reason. They assume it had something to do with what they did to us."

"And then we noticed I was healing if I got hurt... We hid it and planned an escape before the lab noticed."

Piotr Rasputin has posed:
Piotr nods to Hank, "In time, Old Man," he says with jest in his voice, but the smile dissipates as the topic shifts to Gabby's origins. He stands quietly and pays attention to the details, noting what he can, though gradually developing a frown, for while it is only partially new to him, it still bothers the large mutant deeply. He quits leaning against the wall and says, "I am so sorry you had to go through that, Gabby. Just so you know, we will protect you, here."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde smiles over to Hank, and then as Gabby comes over to give her the hug, Kitty wraps the younger girl in her arms and hugs her back tightly before letting her go, a grateful smile given to the teen.

The Jewish teen sits quietly then to listen to Gabby's story. She frowns early on, and the expression stays on her face as what the company did to the girls is told. Kitty crosses her arms, giving a little shake of her head at a private thought, but keeps listening without interrupting.

She nods her agreement with what Piotr said. "We're here for you. Protect you, and more than that. Welcome you into our family. Because that's what we are. A family, as much as we are a school." She pauses and thinks, then asks, "How many of you managed to escape the lab?" Kitty asks. "And, are there any more left back there that you know of?"

Henry McCoy has posed:
Hank nods in agreement with the sentiment offered over from Piotr and Kitty. "We are family. We do not take kindly to those who would harm our people." The man assures, having found a chair to sit back in. "The method you speak of could be a genetic or chemical affect - even nanites." He hrms, scratching at the side of his head. "If there are others there, we should see about liberating them. At the very least, we should see those who arranged this be brought to justice." A slight smile. "I've done some dabbling in medical research and even surgical procedures. I'd rather get some opinions of other professionals in that field, if you are interested in looking into the situation." He looks to Gabby. "With a healing factor though, it might be a bit difficult to ascertain the situation at first glance."

Gabby Kinney has posed:
"Four of us. 3-PAR, Zelda and Bellona." Gabby goes quiet now. The rest she'd managed to talk over with no apparent upset though now her head hangs a little. "Thanks," comes quietly muttered with a slightly thicker tone of voice as if she were trying to keep her emotions in control. Biting at her lower lip she glances around with a half-smile. "Thanks. That means a lot. 3-PAR sacrificed herself so we could get away at the end. Zelda... She didn't make it long after we got to New York. She was one of the oldest of us. The older ones seemed to have it the worst. It's just me and Bellonna now."

Grinning a bit more she adds, "And Laura now, and Logan, and all of you as well." When Hank offers help she nods quickly. "I'm more worried about Bellona. I mean, at least I have a healing factor, but she doesn't."

Piotr Rasputin has posed:
Piotr listens and crosses his arms, "But that means we can still help Bellona, and also stop these thugs from causing further problems for you or for others." He straightens his posture, "You said before you know where they are, what can you tell us of them so that we can use it to stop them. Do you have any information on where we can find Bellona to ensure her safety?" He tries to sound reassuring, but is uncertain of its effectiveness, "But yes, whatever you need, we will do what we can."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
As Kitty sees Gabby's emotions getting near to the surface, she reaches over and if allowed, takes the girl's hand to give it a soft squeeze. The gentle smile she gives the girl isn't a mask, one of the times that genuineness is making it into her eyes.

The questions about the company from Piotr get a small nod from Kitty. "We're going to have to dig into them. Find their legal operations, and their illegal," she says. "And who in their company is behind them."

Kitty glances over to Hank. If there's anyone who would be able to help Bellona at the school, it would be him. "We could give Moira a call if an extra set of eyes on it would help," she suggests.

Henry McCoy has posed:
Henry was lost in thought for a good few minutes, rolling thoughts over in his head. "Yes... Moira." He snaps out of it. "She would be an excellent partner in this endeavor." He grins, nodding to Kitty. "We should reach out." Turning his gaze to Gabby, Hank offers a soft smile. "We will find a way. When we work together, we can accomplish anything."