18880/Happy Harbor: A Little TLC

Happy Harbor: A Little TLC
Date of Scene:	19 August 2024
Location:	Exterior - Happy Harbor High School
Synopsis:	Morrigan is trying to get the front lawn of Happy Harbor in shape for Halloween. Sam stops by to help and Caleb also wanders by with ideas on the Galactus situation.
Cast of Characters:	Morrigan MacIntyre, Sam Wilson, Caleb Dykstra

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Morrigan MacIntyre has posed:
Morrigan couldn't be out in the direct sun for too long. But there was something that she had wanted to get done at the school ahead of the incoming Spooky Season shenanigans.

That was cleaning out the flowerbeds and plant a few trees where there were long stretches of lawn. It would make things look nice.

She'd texted Sam to let him know what she was doing. Because who doesn't love doing manual labor right before dinner!?

Sam Wilson has posed:
"Mo?" Sam asks as he comes out of the school administration offices. "I was just putting some files on your desk for some incoming students. You okay being out here?" he asks as he makes his way over to her.

As hand loops around her waist and he kisses her cheek, but finds it far warmer than normal. This causes him to frown, but he brushes it aside to smile. "So gardening, huh? I suppose I can work up an appetite."

Morrigan MacIntyre has posed:
Morrigan plants the shovel into the ground when she senses Sam coming, "Yay more paperwork." the woman states with a grin. "And yes, I was timing it so I wouldn't be out too long. Though I think my outside times is wearing off faster with this batch of serum." she frowns and then she kisses his cheek.

"But I will be fine." she adds. "If you want to help me get this last thing planted we could go grab dinner at the diner or something?" she offers.

Sam Wilson has posed:
As she relays the information on the shorter time on the serum, Sam considers for a moment, before asking her. "What if I were to draw some blood from myself? Could you drink that and have the same effect, if not better." He feels like that they may have talked about her biting him, but he doesn't recall for sure. "I know the blood is seperate from the serum. Just, what if them not working in concert well is what's causing this?"

"But I'll be happy to help you with the rest of the planting, and then yes, a greasy spoon sounds like a great start, followed by a shared shower... and whatever we want to do after that." He gives her a sly wink. "If you need to get to the shade, you do that."

Morrigan MacIntyre has posed:
Morrigan straightens when he talks about his blood, "I...don't know." she tells him. "Also, I love that you are willing to let me take a drink like a capri sun, we'd need to test it first. Just to make sure I don't hurt you and all that jazz." she admits.

She then smiles at him, "Alright. Let's get this last tree planted and then I can lock up my office and things of that nature before we go get food." she tells him. "How was the day?" she asks him.

Sam Wilson has posed:
"Well, first I suggested just withdrawing my blood. Necking with me would be only if that didn't work and you got worse." Sam points out with an amused smile as he takes up the shovel. "It's not an ironclad idea, just a thought on how to help you. But we definetly don't have to do that."

Before he gets started digging though, he realizes he's wearing one of his nice dress polos, so not to get it dirty, he spades the shovel and pulls the shirt off. "Hold this for me, love?" he asks of Morrigan, not bothered with having his shirt off around her as he passes over the shirt to her.

And now, he takes up the spade to start digging where she has pointed to. "My day was okay. I need to follow up with Robin on the Caleb thing. Otherwise, just working on getting new students up to speed, placement tests, dreaming of my fiancee. The usual." he says with a wink over his shoulder as he starts moving dirt.

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
And approaching quietly to witness the sundown, Caleb stumbles upon the two faculty members and picks up the last of the conversation.

"Well, Counselor", he says, "I'm very curious to know what Gotham's finest - which are not, nor ever will be the police - have to say about me." He shows a faint smile, but it's not really a happy one.

He looks at Mo, and he bows his head slightly, "Dr. Morrigan, I hope you're doing well."

Morrigan MacIntyre has posed:
Morrigan gives a grin to Sam, "We'll see about trying it out should things get worse." she tells him. When the shirt is held out, she takes it and drapes it over her arm like a butler, "Of course." she muses to the man.

"I guess I could have used magic, but that's wasteful." she frowns. "What sort of dreams about your fiancee?" she teases him.

Then there is a Caleb and she looks to Sam who is shirtless and then back to Caleb, "Oh I am alright, Caleb. How are you doing?" she asks him. "We were just finishing up some planting." she adds.

Sam Wilson has posed:
"The type of dreams I'm not allowed to talk about in front of the youth." Sam responds to Morrigan with an easy grin. "And I don't mind a little manual labor, keeps me in shape."

Caleb's arrival is noted, and he considers for a moment. "He said little more than he will look into the issue. I trust them to do as much without meddling into the whys of things, Mister Dykstra." Sam comments, "You can always try to find him yourself if you're really curious."

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
"I'd might, Conselor", Caleb says, "but right now, I think they must have their hands full."

He looks between the two faculty members, and notices the shirtless one.

And then he realizes it.

"I'm sorry, was this a bad time?", he asks, embarassed. "Because if so, I can just...", he points back to the buildings.

Morrigan MacIntyre has posed:
Morrigan realizes that Caleb notices Sam's shirt being off and there is a chuckle, "He just didn't want to get it dirty while helping plant. I did sort of corral him into helping me without time to get changed. And we didn't expect anyone else to wander through. You're fine Caleb. Nothing untoward is going on." she points out. "And I see him with his shirt off every morning as it is." she shrugs to that.

She then hands Sam his shirt back to put it on, "Sorry about that, Caleb. How are you doing?" she asks him.

Sam Wilson has posed:
"Don't worry, Mister Dykstra, it was mainly to tease the dear Dean." There's a wink at Morrigan from Sam as he takes the shirt to slip it back on. With that done, he returns to digging the hole he was asked to make. "And I'm sure she has something for you to do as well." A smirk at that as he finishes the hole and goes to get the tree to plant.

"Have you had any problems since we talked last?"

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
"Oh, I'm hanging on", Caleb says, "as best I possibly can, given the circumstances."

"I think out of learning just about first-hand that we're a course of an interplanetary buffet, a news that wasn't relayed just to me, but to the whole world..."

He lifts his head, rubbing his face with his hands and letting them drop, followed by a shrug. "Sheila gave me a hug so tight, I think it lasted the whole night."

Morrigan MacIntyre has posed:
This might be Caleb's first time seeing Morrigan not being grumpy and mopey. But there are bigger things to focus on! She gives a soft sigh to Sam, but it's all in fun.

Then she looks to Caleb, "It's...a lot to process. And we'll of course be looking for ways for Galactus to be defeated." she states. "For now...we can just try to act like all if normal. For the sake of others. If we all fall into a panic it will be very bad." she frowns. "And hug Sheila every chance you can." she nods to Caleb.

Sam Wilson has posed:
After setting the tree, Sam opens the bag around it's roots and starts to pack the dirt back in. "I think what we're fogretting here is that this is not the first cosmically powered intergalactic threat the Earth has faced. Last time it was Brainiac, and that was a huge threat. But I believe we will find a way through once again." he says with some confidence and winks over at Morrigan.

"There's plenty of people searching in space for the answer. I'm good with helping down here with what I can until otherwise needed." A small pause and he adds. "Especially since I have plans."

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
"Yes, it was huge", Caleb says. "It was huge when the alien coalition struck over a decade ago, and we managed to pull through, too."

"Except we're talking about something here that the big-headed blue aliens who're behind the Green Lantern Corps knew about and deemed it a security risk to learn abvout it. One of Galactus' Heralds wiped a whole group of them with little effort."

"And that 'silver surfer' guy, he turned missiles fired at him into air, and flocks of birds. That's... That's restructuring matter by altering their fundamental properties, not mere matter manipulation."

He sighs, "The silver guy said his world was spared by offering himself to be his Herald." He hesitates there, "I-I'm... I'm considering doing the same."

Morrigan MacIntyre has posed:
Mo was mainly listening to talk as she wasn't nearly as good with people as Sam was. "Herald are very scary. Avatars can also be that." she nods to what is being sad. Then Caleb says what he's debating and there is a soft shake of her head, "There is no air tight way to tell if anyone did volunteer to become another Herald if it would stop what is incoming. Someone could volunteer and they could turn around and enslave the whole of the Earth and now that person not only has to watch as his world is held prisoner...but they can't step out of line against a tyrant that crossed them." she states.

"There are too many unknown variables. I would implore you don't do it. For the sake of your sister. You are all that she has in the long run of things. And nothing can replace you to her." she states quietly. "You are also grown so whatever decision you might make I would say make sure you talk it over with everyone and have plans in place." she points out.

Sam Wilson has posed:
Sam listened quietly as Caleb and Mo exchanged their thoughts, his brow furrowed with concern. He knew how high the stakes were whenever Galactus was involved, cosmic power that dwarfed even Earth's mightiest defenses. The fact that Caleb was even considering offering himself as a Herald hit Sam with a look of confusion and concern.

"Look, Caleb," Sam began, voice steady but laced with urgency, "I get it. The pressure to protect what you care about is something we all feel. I've been there too, ready to jump into the fire if it means saving the ones we love. But Mo's right-there are too many unknowns here."

He leaned forward, locking eyes with Caleb. "The Silver Surfer might've saved his world by becoming a Herald, but you gotta remember that his journey wasn't his own anymore. Once you're bound to Galactus, you're not just his servant, you're his tool. You lose your freedom, your purpose becomes his, and everything you hold dear is left hanging by a thread. And you'll never see your sister or home again."

Sam's voice grew softer but firm. "You say you'd do this for your sister, but what if it backfires? What if Galactus takes your sacrifice and still consumes Earth? Or worse; turns you into something unrecognizable? What would that do to her? To the people who depend on you?"

He paused, letting his words sink in. "I know you're trying to do the right thing, but you can't rush into this alone. You've got a team here who has your back, people who need you alive and free, not enslaved to some cosmic tyrant. We need to exhaust every option first, find a way to outsmart this threat, not surrender to it."

Sam looked to Morrigan for support, nodding at her earlier points. "Like Mo said, you're grown and this is your decision, but I'm asking you to think it through. Talk to your sister, your father, and let's plan this out together. We're stronger when we fight as a unit, not when we sacrifice one of our own."

Sam stood up, crossing his arms as he took a breath. "No one should have to carry this burden alone. We've faced impossible odds before and made it through. We're not done fighting yet."

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
"I bet those were the words of a lot of alien civilizations before our own, Counselor", Caleb says. "But that is still out there, consuming world after world." He pauses. "We got four Heralds on our marble, likely up to something."

He pulls notebook from his jacket, noticeably scribbled. "I have the theory, but Dr. Richards and Tony Stark will have the know-how." He shows it. "On the chance our might counts for shit, I drew this: a seed ship." He closes his eyes. "Creating ships that could evacuate a portion of the population, while feasible, brings about the moral questions of who gets to go. And that is simply plain messy. I mean, easy to say humans, of course. But mutants, while human, could think they should go because they feel they are more than your average human. Vampires - if we include Seward's push for an 'oppressed minority' - would want to go, but they don't really eat ordinary food, so there lies the problem. Not to mention the very food source for people in general." He sighs, "So much logistics, so little time. So..."

"No-one alive today would get to go. This seed ship would carry on the legacy we tried to protect, as a testament to our final stand, carrying the DNA from individuals, our culture, and DNA from other animals to populate an uninhabited world, but with suitable conditions for life."

Morrigan MacIntyre has posed:
Morrigan looks to Sam as he speaks and then to Caleb to see what he says. "Caleb, in the end of all things you are an adult and can...and will make your own choices. No matter what we tell you. That is freewill." she states.

"If you become a Herald, you do not have that. You won't have anything." she tells him.

"So think very hard on what it is you want to achieve. Who will take care of your sister if you did become a Herald? What if you became one and Galactus destroyed Earth anyways?" she asks him. "There are so many variables to think on. Just...don't do it rashly is all I ask." she states.

"And I'm sadly not up on the seed ship stuff, that is definitely a Doctor Richards and Doctor Stark level plan." she admits. "And vampires can be rather flexible sometimes. Should it mean them surviving." she chuckles as she dusts the dirt off of her gloves and then moves to take them off. "Think I need to get things cleaned up. But I'm still listening." she tells them.

Sam Wilson has posed:
Sam listened to Caleb's elaborate plans and theories, feeling the weight of frustration settling in his chest. It was like trying to break through reinforced concrete, no matter what he or Mo said, Caleb seemed locked into his own grim calculations. Sam's instincts told him there was no reasoning with someone who was already thinking about humanity's last stand while the fight was still in front of them.

He sighed, shaking his head as Caleb rambled on about seed ships and the politics of choosing who lives or dies. "This all sounds like a defeatist's playbook, focusing more on contingencies than fighting the threat head-on." Sure, Sam wasn't a genius like Stark or Richards, but he knew when someone was slipping away into worst-case scenarios instead of holding the line.

"Look, Caleb," Sam started, keeping his tone calm but firm, "I get where you're coming from. You want a backup plan, and that's fine, but don't let your focus drift too far into the 'what-ifs.' The fight is still here, still now. We need you in this moment, not planning for a world where we've already lost."

He glanced over at Morrigan, catching her eye before turning back to Caleb. "You're smart, you've got good ideas, but if you're already looking at the next planet to send a seed ship, it's like you're giving up on the one we're standing on. And I'm not ready to do that. Not now, not ever."

Sam rubbed the back of his neck, clearly growing tired of the circular conversation. "Like Mo said, you'll do what you think is best. But don't forget that being a Herald isn't some noble sacrifice. It's losing yourself completely. You won't be in control, and that's a one-way street. You want to help your sister, then stay here, stay with us, and keep fighting. She needs you as her brother, not as some cosmic pawn."

He took a step back, clearly done trying to convince someone who wasn't really listening. "You do what you gotta do, Caleb, but I've said my piece. I'm gonna go help Mo clean up. She's got enough on her plate without getting tangled up in these doom-and-gloom plans."

With that, Sam turned toward Morrigan, already shifting gears in his mind. Caleb was stubborn, but there were still things Sam could do to keep moving forward, like lending a hand where it was needed. Sometimes, talking sense into someone wasn't about forcing them to see your point of view-it was about knowing when to step away and put your energy where it could actually make a difference.

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
Caleb stores away his notebook schematics.

"Well, I have no idea what else to do from cracking up, Counselor." Maybe that's how he keeps his mind occupied, to focus on something he actually can do? "We're talking beings that erase military armament with a flick of a finger from existence and wipe-out a full-fledged group of Green Lanterns before you can blink. If Heralds come first to assess a planet's level of defenses, I'd say so far, they're anything but impressed."

He adds, "But Hell, I'm down for shoving a missile up their asses, and presenting their collective heads to their supreme overlord, but chances feel pretty slim on that."

"But I'm not out of avenues to explore yet", he says. "I just like to have all the exits covered." He ponders alternatives to that, you can almost hear the gears in his head working.

Morrigan MacIntyre has posed:
Mo doesn't seem to be upset or anything, she's just...everything is heavy. "Thank you for having alternate ideas, Caleb. Just in case." she tells the young man. "I've been in the sun too long, so if you'll excuse me." she tells the two of them quietly as she goes about quietly packing up stuff from where they were planting today.

Sam Wilson has posed:
Sam watched Mo quietly retreat, feeling the weight of everything hanging in the air. He turned back to Caleb, offering a small nod. "I get needing something to keep your mind occupied. Planning's good-it gives you something solid to hold onto when everything feels like it's spiraling. But just don't let the worst-case scenarios get you stuck, man."

He let out a small breath, tired but resolute. "We're not exactly in the business of easy wins here, and yeah, those odds sound slim, but we've been up against 'impossible' before. It's just another day at the office for us. So keep working those angles, cover the exits-but don't forget, we're still in the fight. And if it comes down to shoving a missile where the sun don't shine, well, you'll have plenty of hands to help with that."

He glanced in the direction Morrigan has gone. "In the meantime, I'm gonna go help Mo finish up. She's been carrying enough weight on her own today." With that, Sam gave Caleb a pat on the shoulder and turned to lend a hand where it was really needed.

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
Caleb Dykstra considers Sam's words, silently nodding. And then, he moves towards a place where he can enjoy the sun. "See you soon, then."

What to do? What to do?

Morrigan MacIntyre has posed:
Mo gives a look to Sam and there is a smile, "I think we've got most of everything done. Did you want to grab dinner on the way home?" she asks him quietly. "Don't get into too much trouble, Caleb." the woman states to the young man with a good natured smile.

Sam Wilson has posed:
"Dinner sounds good, Mo." Sam responds, and draws in a little breath, before letting it out. "It'll be alright. Just wait." Always the optimist.