14736/Jungle Fireside

Jungle Fireside
Date of Scene:	21 April 2023
Location:	Fall People Village
Synopsis:	Savage Lands discussion with the X-Women at the fireside of a Fall People village. The topics are light, and ominous.
Cast of Characters:	Rogue, Monet St. Croix, Ororo Munroe, Jean Grey

---

Rogue has posed:
In the heart of the jungle, the Fall People village buzzes with activity as the community works to rebuild their homes and fortify their defenses against future threats. On this hot and steamy night, Rogue of the X-Men sits by the fire in her green and gold uniform, the zipper unzipped to mid-chest level in an attempt to alleviate the oppressive heat. As she converses with a Fall People warrior, they share tales of their vastly different combat experiences. Rogue recounts the time she traveled across the galaxy to bring back their team leader, one Dr. Headmistress Jean Grey, from the brink of her own demise. The Fall warrior stares with wide eyes as the southern belle speaks of this adventure.

"I didn't think we'd ever make it back. What with all the radiation, even."

"Radiation?" The man asks.

Rogue just shows a faint smirk to this as she rubs her fingertips together lightly. "I uh... it's invisible particles that smash in to your body, and break it apart on a molecular level." She skips a beat then, unsure of herself. "I think... anyway. I'm not much of a science person."

The man starts laughing and shaking his head. "With looks like yours, you do not have to be, I am sure." The man fires back, which just has both of them laughing together.

It's a typical night here, especially with the shameless Rogue around.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the Monet protests tonight.. She's not particularly thrilled to be here over in the jungle, with the omni-present threat of infected dinosaurs and whatever else is there in the jungle coming to attack them. For now, her taletns are being put to use over with rebuilding and repairs. Carrying things - in this case large rocks that are to be put into place to help build the bases of what will be replacement huts to use to store food in. The process of having to dry and preserve food, particularly meat, is exct an ddemanding.

And so Monet is ever, ever so irritated over as she has to move things to her that barely matters, but she has to pick it up, move it again, and put it back down to a placement just a couple cenimeters away. Then shuffle to put the next lbock over in place. She's swapped out of her -normal-, as Tabby put it 'gucci combat uniform' tos omething a bit more standardized from the X-Men's combat closet. Which she's not prone to as vastly overheat in but makes her feel like she's wearing a t-shirt and sweatpants for how lband it is.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Ororo laughs, a rich sound that fills the campsite with a warm humor. She gestures at the warrior to get his attention. "It is like heat," she explains. "But in this case, it is a heat so gentle you might not notice it, but it will melt you as surely as iron melts in a forge."

There seems to be something familiar about the village that brings Ororo a deep sense of comfort and familiarity. In fact, sitting by the fire as she is, she looks like she *belongs* there on some profound level. She looks completely comfortable clad in the dinosaur-skin leather given to her by the villagers, little more than a thick skirt and something akin to a halter top. Moccasins are propped up on a rock facing the fire to let them dry while Ororo digs her toes into the earth underfoot. Behind her, two local girls are quietly but firmly fixated on the task of taking down Ororo's innumerable white, beaded braids, one at a time.

Jean Grey has posed:
As Rogue is in the midst of her tall tale telling, she benefits from the absence of the subject of the story, as Jean is briefly out of sight inside one of the nearby huts, one they've been occupying during this more on-going phase of the mission. No Jean, no one there to contradict her!

... almost.

Near the end, she pushes back out through the hanging hide curtain that serves as the door of the hut. She too has embraced the native dress, for the time being. After all, the climate here is that of a tropcial jungle, the air hot and humid, despite their position near the south pole. Sauntering out, she 'sneaks' behind Rogue, laying a hand on her shoulder to announce her presence. "You got it right," she assures Rogue, before adding some of her own explanation to the assembly.

"Radiation... it is a special part of the fire of the sun. Not the part that is flame as you know it." There is a glance toward Ororo, and a nod, as she signles out that invisible nature. "Think, how it can harm you, if you stand out in it too long - make your skin sore and cracked. Now, imagine that there is no sky between you. That you are much closer to it, and no shade can cover you." Despite being a bit more of an actual scientist, she is also, of course, a teacher - and so instruction by metaphor, by the use of simpler concepts? It's a familiar tune.

"The Firebird has such power, also," she continues, adding something of a dramatic flair to her own delivery, selling her own legend a bit. Naturally, the listeners enjoy this! "Power to give life, or to destroy, as the sun does. Because of that terrifying power, the guardians of the valley, the machines of the ancients," she sweeps her hand to indicate distant mountains, "cast me out, and will not permit my return. Not without a battle. A battle that might shake the whole of this land."

Which finally brings her to sit down near Rogue. "Which means, for the time being, I will remain here in the outer valley, even as some of my friends venture deeper to figure out a way that this great blight might be destroyed."

Rogue has posed:
The laugh is shared, and the village warrior sitting with the X-Women looks to Storm next, as she offers her insights...

In truth this village has been having a whirlwind tour from all manner of beautiful 'outsiders'. From the members of the Justice League, to the X-Men and Women, to the Amazon warriors themselves, the Fall People had had quite an experience through it all.

What Storm says earns a slight grin from the man, followed by a series of nods from him. He glances toward Monet, then between Storm and Rogue. "The knowledge that you bring to us, along with the endless beauty... It is humbling, my new friends." The man says with a sparkle in his brown eyes, and a look past Rogue as Jean comes in to view. "Miss Red. It is good to see you embracing our local clothing. It suits you very much. We should ensure it be a common thing over these suits..." He motions to Monet in the distance, and then Rogue as they're both wearing their X-Men uniforms.

The guy might be a horn-dog, but that's been the nature of things here in the down times, at least in playful ways, being friendly and conversing amongst each other.

What JEan says about the space radiation has the man drawing in a breath and shaking his head. "I would not wish to experience such a thing. Our homes have been ravaged by sickened animals that we thought we'd reached a level of harmony with. The very last thing I would wish now, is for the wrath of the sun itself to fall upon us."

Rogue just smiles to this, lifting up her plastic canteen she sips from whatever is inside it. Rogue had only just arrived about ten minutes ago, and had found Storm by the fire, she'd not seen Jean or Monet yet either. She smiles to Jean settling in beside her and offers her some of her drink, it's definitely alcoholic.

"Well, we should be safe from wrathful suns for now, I hope..." Rogue adds with a smirk.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
The talk over of radiation is another headache for Monet, and another thing to have to do some research on. She goes to let out a mental sigh as she puts it on the list of topics that she'll have to be reviewing when she returns to somewhere suitable for research. Perhpas something to ask the Kryptonians on, since they knew everything.

The quick thought of Kryptonians leads M to a sour face for a moment before it quickly vanishes for a moment. She also pauses with the setting of the rock down, taking a moment to consider. Before going to send telepathically to Jean.

<<Space radiation on top of whatever technology built here in the first place? And the Brood infestation?>> OH yes, she's getting much more of a headache. Jean can probably sense M's mood shifting towards the 'nuke it from orbit, it's the only way to be sure' approach of handling things.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Ororo dips her head at Jean politely, though there's a familiar affection nestled in the corners of her eyes when she smiles at the redhead. The weather-caster's hands are rarely unoccupied, though at the moment, her knitting seems to have been sidelined in favor of putting sharp tips onto the javelins she's been making.

"We are *very* grateful for the gift of this clothing," she tells the hunter with sincere gratitude. Ororo is acutely aware of the effort that goes into making the least item of leather clothing; the fact that they have been gifted some of the finest pieces of leather is certainly not lost upon her. Days of labor would have gone into making the garments she and Jean now sport.

She returns to her task and a soft humming escapes her lips, murmuring the tune to some old song. Perhaps something tribal, from her time in Kenya? No-- it turns out to be the tune to a song by Against Me!.

Jean Grey has posed:
Discussion of the sun itself as an ally or an enemy causes some curious murmurings among the gathering of villagers. "Perhaps," one of them offers, his brow etched in concern. "But you were not here when the chieftains gathered to meet the Princess of the Amazons." Yeah, a lot has been going on in the Savage Land, since the X-Men completed their first set of missions. Sauron might be dealt with, but the Brood threat has seen the Justice League on patrol, Amazon armies arriving to bolster the locals, SHIELD research teams, all manner of people. For the most part, the locals have been cooperative. But...

"There are people here, who call themselves the Sun Tribe," the man speaking goes on to explain. "Their representative, at the council... she took offense to all of you, and then left, to report to her High Priestess. I think, there may be trouble from this. They say she is the speaker of the living god, whose flesh is stone and whose eyes are the sun itself. You should be cautious, that he does not send this radiation against you! And if the bearer of the Firebird will not walk with you..."

At this point, many of the eyes around the gathering turn upon Storm. They know her legend too, by now, even if she has not been quite so boastful in her storytelling. "You too are a goddess-speaker. Perhaps you can protect them. Or perhaps, Garokk's Priestess might heed your words, where the Princess and Queen Leanne failed."

Jean, for her own part, seems quite fascinated by the discussion, taking it in as she enjoys the shared beverage with Rogue. The strength of the liquid is definitely a plus. Although as all the villagers focus on Ororo suddenly, she follows suit, grinning with sudden amusement at her friend finding herself now in the spotlight. "I have no doubt Ororo can handle anything this place throws at her. The machines... well, they've challenged her too, but they still seem more accepting of her magics than mine. They're more... of the world? So maybe she could find some kind of common ground with this... Speaker woman."

Rogue has posed:
As the women converse with the warrior man near the large fire pit, the sounds of the village around them echo through the steamy jungle night. The rhythmic beating of drums can be heard in the distance, mingling with the chirping of crickets and the occasional rustling of leaves in the canopy overhead, the drums played as an ancient method to keep natural Dinosaurs away. Villagers move about their business, carrying supplies and tending to the wounded from the recent Brood invasion. The aroma of cooking food drifts over from the cooking fires, and lanterns sway gently in the warm breeze.

Rogue falls quiet while the others talk, her hands pulling off her gloves to take a moment to tuck them in to her jacket laying over the log on the opposite side from which Jean sits beside her. When she looks back, she accepts her drink cannister back. another swig is taken from its contents, and the Belle rubs her tongue over her upper lip for a moment there-after, she looks from Jean, to the others gahtered around now.

"So many Gods, why do so many of them gotta be cruel and vengeful too? As if we don't have enough problems already, us poor little folk." She says with a grin tugging at the corners of her lips.

From the food fires, a long line of tribes people arrive, carying bowls of stew that they start to pass out, each person getting their own big bowl of dinner, along with a cup of berry juice wine... among other things likely in it, who even knows anymore!

Rogue accepts, setting her cannister down. She sets the bowl of food on her lap between her thighs with her knees pressed together. "Look, if we pissed off some big angry lady here... that sucks, but we're tryin' t'help. Once we've helped, we'll take off and never come back, if that's what folks around here want."

The man she'd been laughing with is enjoying his dinner now, but chimes up with. "I do not want that." He says over to Rogue with a grin.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Ugh, how positively revolting. Now they have to play the diplomacy game amongst these barely developed.. Monet's train of thought goes in some further ucnomplimnetary directions as she moves to kick a stone over into place underneath the foundations.

Her mental note is sent over to Jean and to Ororo. <<Headmistress Grey, Ms. Munroe, we hardly have the time to go be an intermediary amongst these various tribes and arrange diplomatic endeavors>> Mostly M finds these sorts of things to be beneath her - and by extension the group. So she's trying to share with the care!

<<There has to be more productive things we can do to resolve this situation>> That does not involve sitting around in the hot, smelly jungle listening to stories. But, M's level of protestation is muted. She can always just take the next teleporter back if she needs to.. And there's a aprt of her that she will not admit to anyone under pain of telepathic invasion that she finds this sort of thing -fascinating-.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Rogue's question is not intended to be a serious one, but it prompts Ororo to put her work in her lap and fold her hands atop it. The white-haired woman examines her knuckles and her palms thoughtfully as if looking for inspiration in the contrast of her skin.

"Gods are more akin to people than some would suspect," she says with a careful enunciation of her words. When Ororo speaks, her solemn, rich timbre rolls around the fireside audience. She does not shout or raise her voice but all the same, much idle conversation diminishes to better hear her.

Her blue eyes cut over to Monet at the pouting socialite's frustrations, and there is a silent reproach in that chilling gaze.

"Some gods love too little," Ororo continues, and lets her eyes track across the gathering. Jean gets a beat longer of eye contact and a flickering there-and-gone wink. "Others, love too much. Some are prideful and boastful. Some are old and forgotten, and it pains them to be reminded how far they have fallen from lofty old perches." Her face hardens. "And some are simply cruel and wish to do harm." A subtle dip in the air temperature adds a literal chill to her words.

"But all gods bend their knee to Aisili," Ororo says, her voice smoothing over her momentary ire. When she speaks the name, there is something familial and loving lurking behind her words. "She is the Mother of the gods, and of the land and sky and waters."

Ororo looks at the man who brought up the Sun Tribe. "I have no temporal power or authority in your lands," she cautions him. "But perhaps this Priestess will receive me not as a foreigner, but as a daughter of Aisili myself. If there is any intercession I can negotiate with the Sun God, I will give it my best effort," she assures him with total sincerity.

Jean Grey has posed:
"You can take everything that makes a person who they are and make it your own. And throw busses. Hate to break it to you, sugah," and yes, Jean is definitely doing a bit of playful mimicking of Rogue's signature dialect, "but as these things go, you're not a 'little folk.'" And Ororo's line about the Gods being akin to people hits the target dead on. "You're one of the rampaging goddesses. Just, you know, a little less vengeful and a little more out for a good time." The last gets earns an affectionate little bump, as Jean edges closer on the log where they're sitting.

"But you're right, that it's hard, to live in the shadow of giants. I think that's why the ancients built the protections that they did. To protect the people," and she looks across the fire toward the man they're speaking with, and around beyond him to others working around the village. "And the animals, and the very landscape itself... from the likes of us. It's a preserve. Or it's meant to be. The problem is... we don't know the rules. This 'flesh of stone, eyes of the sun' guy? Outside this place, that could be a half-dozen different mutants or other sorts of metas, the sort we deal with every day. But here, he's a God, or close enough. The question is why he gets to walk around, flexing said divinity, while I get the boot."

As for Monet's telepathic worries, she thinks back with just a touch of exasperation. <<It may seem terribly... local, but the people here understand this place. Even if they don't know the science, they know how things work, by observation, by practice, and eventually by tradition. If they see this Sun-Speaker woman and who- or what-ever she serves as important? It's not for no reason. We don't want to make enmeies when we need allies. And if the 'God' she speaks for can really command the fires of the sun... without triggering the Celestial defenses? Maybe he could help fry the Brood.>>

While that discussion happens in parallel within their minds, the continuing verbal dialogue is one of confident support on Ororo's behalf. "I imagine you'd be able to speak her language - figuriatvely, that is - better than any of the rest of us. We all may have our abilities, but not the spiritual understanding to go with them. Assuming she's not another fraudster who knows her God is false, anyway." They just did that plot with Deathbird and her deific disguise among the Aerians! "Figure it's at least worth a shot. Though we should definitely be careful, send you with backup."

Rogue has posed:
As night deepens, the Fall People's village comes alive with more activity. Some of the villagers, having already enjoyed their dinner and taken a break from the recovery efforts, start to dance around a central bonfire, moving to the beat of the drums. Their laughter and chatter mingle with the music, creating a vibrant and joyous atmosphere. Other villagers sit on woven mats or wooden stools, sharing stories and trading goods in the soft light of lanterns hung from tree branches. Some of the children play games in the corners of the village, while their parents keep a watchful eye. The air is thick with the sounds and smells of the jungle, and the warm breeze carries the scent of flowers and the sounds of nocturnal creatures. It is a peaceful and welcoming environment, one that belies the danger that lurks beyond the boundaries of the village, though a patrol of Fall warriors is seen moving through the jungle with torches and spears, nothing dangerous expected, just heightened security after the harrowing events of days past...

Rogue's eyes were down on her stew when Jean sassed her with a bit of her own medicine. It causes her to look up with a spoon of food in her mouth, her green eyes large as she stares at the redhead beside her. The spoon is pulled from her lips, and she smiles wide. Her shoulders shrug, as her eyes dance back down to her dinner. "I already died once here so far. I don't really wanna do it again. Jumanji might be my favorite movie in the past decade, but I don't think I got a whole lotta extra lives waitin' t'get used up."

She mockingly looks over her left shoulder then. "Unless they're marked somewhere that isn't my wrist. I might need help lookin' for them..."

She never stops. She can't, really!

When she looks back to the others, she's smirking, and her eyes dart over to the dancers while her drink of mysterious village wine comes up to her lips to sip from it.

"If this is a preserve, which I agree it feels like that's what the technology is here for... it kinda makes me like whatever aliens built it too. I mean, it means they have an appreciation for life, an' its beauty. Thats a thing I can get behind..."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
The 'pouting socialite' at least has the consideration to not glare back over at Ororo. She is decidedly not happy, but at least she's keeping things to mostly herself - and teh telepathic back and forth at least to the other X-Women present rather than bandying it about with everyone else. Jean's logic at least gets a very little bit of affirmation. The telepathic an pick up the general sense of reconsideration and light emotions of logic and analysis, then a semblance of emotional agreement. M's shielding isn't as good as she thinks it is, likely.

Her head is tilted away from Ororo, and thus safety over from the 'weaponized mom glare' of the Mansion's resident weather goddess. <<They work as they are already incorporated into the system and it's parameters. We need those that are fluent with the technology here. Or at least those that can make some sense of it. Richards, Pym.. Holt. And..>> There's that word that she hasn't heard before.

<<Ms. Grey, what is a Celestial? You use that word in your thoughts differently than a.. Sense of a deity.>> She's confused for this moment as she tries to sort out what it is in relation to. Then watching over at Jean and Rogue flirting with a 'take it to a room' expression on her face that would quickly fade over. Then over to Rogue's commentary she adds some of her own. "Or a petri dish. Dropping in all sorts of random things and seeing how they survive."

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Ororo has a fairly disciplined mind. Enough that Monet wouldn't likely pick up on the sudden, clenching fear that grips Ororo's gut when Jean projects the concept of 'Celestial' to them. She looks at Jean with a flaring of wide eyes that she quickly marshals, save for a shade of a grim expression. The word itself means nothing to Ororo... but all the same, it grips her gut with a base-level, almost animal reaction. The gentle jungle breeze stops quite suddenly around them and the air temperature chills again before Ororo reasserts her self control.

<<A... topic for another time,>> she projects, and nods reassuringly at Monet.

Jean knows Ororo well enough to recognize that the weather-shaping mutant is suppressing a 'We Should Talk' glance at Jean.

"I have not rampaged in a long time," Ororo informs Jean with a faux-haughty, arch tone. "At least, not since the last time someone left the door to my botany greenhouse ajar mid-winter," she amends. Ororo welcomes a bowl and a wineskin with a beaming smile for the girl who bears it over to her. She thanks the girl in their language and tucks into it hungrily.

"But yes-- Backup would be prudent," Ororo finally acknowledges, and nods at Jean. "I think of myself as a decent diplomat, but even the divine make mistakes." An amused, self-deprecating glimmer flickers in her flawless blue eyes, and she grins slightly before pulling a gulp from the wineskin.

Jean Grey has posed:
The fact that Rogue has a happy take on the machinery stalemating them causes Jean to smile a little, although the gesture, the expression, is a little underbaked. She has doubts. "Maybe, maybe... To me, it feels more, experimental, than strictly conservationist? If it was purely about protecting this place from all outside interference, then the Brood would be an infection, right? They'd be priority #1 to wipe out. And yet." A hand upheld, indicating the ongoing predicament they face. "It's more like, they allow some things. Small, incremental changes, maybe. Rahne and Iara, it didn't do -anything- to them, at least that I could tell. But there are other people like them here, humanoids with feral traits that is. Heck, that flying lizard she uh... befriended, he kept calling her by some native word, like she fit right in."

One of the Fall People speaks up here, helpfully: "Tubanti. The Fish-People. She is not?"

Jean grins, and shakes her head. "Thanks, that's the word. But, no. She's a mutant, like all of us." Which causes another thoughtful pause, even as the tribesman looks on uncomprehending of the distinction. "I suppose /everyone/ is a mutant, when you get down to it. That's evolution. So maybe it isn't much of a difference." This kind of deep thought requires mental flexibilty, and thus Jean reaches to snag Rogue's container again. For a thinking swig.

"On the far other extreme, it shut me down almost completely, and at the point where I spiked, to save Rogue-" Jean debates that she 'died.' JUST A HAIR SHY. "-it just, well, kicked us out. Like if it couldn't stop me, it was just going to get rid of me."

Monet continues on asking hard questions. Indeed, rather that earning the kind of answers Jean normally gives - ones that are educational, scientific (and being honest, often excessively lengthy) - it provokes a sense of uncertainty and distance in her psyche. <<I- it's hard to explain, M.>> And what is the distinction between an alien and a god, anyway? Or a metahuman? There is a mild wave of relief, too, as Ororo steers the conversation elsewhere. <<For us, it's what they left behind that matters anyway. I've never had the sense that anyone's home, running the shop. And we've seen that the machines can be controlled, it's just...>> Mind-bendingly complex. The conversation does remind her of something important, though.

"Rogue, if you're going with that Justice League expedition, we should get in touch with Leanne ahead of time, see if she'll lend you her necklace again. To use or for the techs to look at. It's the best lead we have, in terms of how any of this tech works." That's one mission.

In turn, she looks at their own sometimes-wrathful goddess. "Between the rest of the X-Men and whoever the Justice League is bringing, we've got plenty of people. And if anything, if it's a diplomatic mission, we don't want to send too many, either. I'd say, just grab whoever you think you need. Maybe the Aerians can send you a scout along, too? They seem more religious than the Lemurians, could help filling in on the local custom."

Rogue has posed:
Rogue is finishing off her food when Jean mentions that necklace. It draws her eyes back over to the woman beside her, and she nods once before lowering her stare down to her bowl again. "I gotta try'n hang around the Justice League some while we're both here. I swear ta god if I keep missin' Wonder Woman, an' have people tell me 'She was just here' over and over, I'm gonna scream."

Once she finishes her food, she sets the bowl aside, only to see the man she'd been talking to stand up and offer his hand to her. He's asking her for a dance then, which has her looking up at him whilst she drinks from her cup. When she lowers it once more, she grins over at the others, bumps shoulders with Jean, then steps up and takes the man's hand, making sure her limited control is activated so she doesn't pull the Fall warrior's soul right outta his fingers.

"Sounds like a hoot. Lead on, Mistah." She tells him, going with the local to the area beneath all the lanterns where people are jiving to the beat of the drums together.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
The sudden shift in Ororo's mindset and the fear that goes over her is subtle. Monet, that is not looking overa t her directly, nor in tune with the subtle gestures of Ororo's emotions, is entirely unaware of them. Her back is to Ororo and at most there is confusion at hte quick change of pressure and coolness in the air. The grimness is completely missed.

She looks back just in time to get the reassuring nod, which gets the equivalent of a shrug back at Ororo and then consideration to Jean.

<<Petri dish. It occasionally throws things into here or permits them to come. It keeps for the most part them from getting out in large numbers. This is someone's little playground>> Of whomever left the ancient technology behind that seems to maintain and quarantine the area. And the fact that it could shut down the /Phoenix/ is omething that Monet can understand on an intellecutal level. She has seen what Jean can do when the Phoenix fires. She can comprehend the sort of power that takes fromw hat she has seen, of what she has read, when the Phoenix wiped out the Brood in the system.

At an emotional and mental level, the concept completely horrifies her beyond her remotest ability to comprehend in a world that has time travel, apocalypses, and galactic empires staring down at it as an ant they might bring a boot down.

What are they in this universe where things so powerful as the Phoenix can be simply shut down entirely?