2466/Memento: Lost in the Woods

Memento: Lost in the Woods
Date of Scene:	15 July 2020
Location:	Central Park
Synopsis:	People converge to investigate leaves. Yes leaves. No clowns were harmed in the making of this scene.
Cast of Characters:	Mori Merritt, Ororo Munroe, Cecily Winters, Amanda Sefton, Richard Swift, April O'Neil

---

Mori Merritt has posed:
The wooded areas in Central Park are larger than those unfamiliar with the city might think. Finding a patch of trees that's secluded enough that a random jogger might not see you? Easy. The woods have plenty of places to hide, to relax in, to take the chance to avoid the average observer. Today, the mid-day sun peeks from behind a few clouds, making it warm but shady--the perfect environment for a walk in the woods. The slightest hint of a light breeze makes it idyllic. Peacefulness amidst the usual rush and bustle of the city.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
It is here, communing with what little 'nature' can be found in the big City, is where Ororo Munroe can be found. She's dressed in a sundress today, light and airy that seems to pick up and billow slightly with the hints of breezes that can be found. She's barefoot, carrying her sandals in hand. While she doesn't appear to be rushed, the dark-skinned, white-haired lady does, indeed, have a destination in mind, and it's to cross a small opening to get to a specific copse of trees that calls to her.

Bright blue eyes, again, striking in a lady of such complexion, searches the skies briefly before the immediate environ. It is, indeed, a pleasant day, complete with a light, cooling breeze that looks to please anyone that may be out of doors.

Cecily Winters has posed:
    For her part, Cecily is glad to be taking a break from SHIELD business. She's been in training--and in medical--for a bit and it's a nice day to get some air. The fox is letting herself get lost in the woods, not something one can easily do in the city. That's usually reserved for a vacation upstate. So today she's here, enjoying the touch of cool breeze, the shade, and has found a place to drop a blanket next to a tree. She's leaning back on it, sitting, even in casual clothes for once!

    It might be hard for some to recognize here that have already met her, since she's outside of her business suit--ears and tails notwithstanding. But a tank top and some short shorts are the look of the day, even if she's still packing a thigh holster and her usual bookbag. She's got a second bag with her too, though, and it has lunch in it! She's nibbling on a sub sandwich while reading something in the shade.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
It almost seems to Amanda Sefton as if she's been *living* in Central Park, the last few days. With the New Horizons Folk Festival having wrapped up last night, all the stages are being struck and cleared out today. Thus, aside from the early working lunch with Pepper Potts at Stark Industries late in the morning, the event coordinator expects to be in the Park all day, monitoring the teardown process and ensuring the last remnants of the event are taken away.

It's returning from that morning appointment that brings the blonde through the woods, now, entering the Park from an access point leading from the Upper West Side. She needed to swing by the apartment to put some things away and change her clothes before she returned to the event site and cutting through the woodland is one of her favourite shortcuts.

At the very least, it's cooler than the sweltering cooktop that the city streets have become in the middle of summer. Thank the gods for shade trees and cool breezes off the water.

Richard Swift has posed:
"Mid-day is by far the worst time of day."

With a faintly annoyed downturn of his lips, Richard Swift withdraws a timepiece from his breast pocket and peers at it in the vain hope that he might be able to intimidate the hands into moving past this accursed hour as fast as possible. When the pocket watch steadfastly refuses to be rushed he grumbles wordlessly and places it back in his waistcoat as he turns his gaze across the park from his spot in the deepest shade he can possibly find beneath a tall oak atop a small hill. Though he's left his top hat at home, Richard is still dressed in a horribly anachronistic three-piece suit from sometime before the turn of the century. He draws a couple glances from the various New Yorkers and tourists -- the latter more so than the former -- who pass near enough to see him, but not as many as one might think. Perhaps it's the fact that the shadows seem to cling to him more firmly than anyone else, obscuring his particular form of dress from all but the most observant passer-by.

Regardless of whatever looks he draws, he draws in a breath and resolves himself to make the most of the day. For the first time in a very long time, there's nothing on his schedule. Over two centuries of life have taught him to enjoy these moments when he can get them -- even if it /is/ the worst time of day.

April O'Neil has posed:
In one section of the park, a camera crew is setup with a young reporter standing in front of said camera with a microphone in her hand. Behind her are a wide variety of people in brightly colored clown makeup all holding picket signs up that read 'Clowns Aren't All Bad' and 'Support the Clowns!'

They're walking around in flopping shoes that slap around on the grass and pavement, or even some of them squeak with every step taken.

The reporter, April O'Neil, is speaking into the camera. "As you can see, the Clowns are serious about being taken more seriously. They feel that popular culture -- and specifically Hollywood movies -- have been painting them in a bad light for far too long. Horror movies have often particularly taken a negative stance on Circus Clowns, and these particular red-nosed individuals are looking to try and change that public opinion."

A clown on a uni-cycle rolls past behind April, juggling bowling pins and giggling insanely.

Mori Merritt has posed:
There's a lot of things that move in a forest. People passing by, the animals that inhabit the park moving around to avoid those traveling there. So, for those on the edge of the forest and those in the center, a leaf falling in the woods isn't anything surprising or different. It's barely noticed. But in front of Amanda, a leaf falls from a nearby tree, the light breeze apparently having tugged it off. It flutters in the air for a moment, then just stops, hanging in the air like it were attached to a string.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Ororo reaches the copse of trees, the flutter of a slightly cool breeze a little less noticable the moment she hits the treeline. Still, there is no shift to her mood, which means the sun yet shines, and there is no shift of the weather that might reflect expressed or even inner thoughts.

There is a moment, however, that gives the weather goddess pause, and reaching out to touch the side of a tree as if for balance, senses... something, and her brows crease as her path begins to change towards the direction that will ultimately lead towards Amanda. As she passes, with each step, there's a touch of breeze that now gently surrounds her, causing what forest grass there is to sway, causing some of the lower branches of bushes to flutter slightly.

Cecily Winters has posed:
    Cecily's ears are just sharp enough to hear... honking. Clowns. They perk up and she frowns. She'd found a spot off the path but had no idea there would be a news broadcast today, or a local Clown Awareness Event. The fox exhales a sigh and sets her book down, shaking her head. "Well, it's a nice day for everyone to be out, I suppose..." she murmurs to herself before taking up her sandwich. It's a well-stacked affair, and she takes a big bite out of it. "...days off are the best..." she exhales a happy sigh after swallowing, eyes cast upwards towards the canopy and the sky beyond. The only thing funny going on for her at the moment is the sound of the clowns relatively nearby.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Okay. That brings Amanda to a stop. She watches the leaf hover for a moment and then, centering herself in the heartbeat before, reaches out with magical senses to determine what may be causing it to stand before her in such a fashion. She draws the energy of the city into herself, tasting the ebb and flow of the life that fills it, tracing magical pathways and searching for the push and pull of arcane talents, entities, and energies with her heart and mind.

As Ororo nears, the sorceress glances towards her, holding up a hand to forestall her coming too close until she has decided whether or not the anomaly is a threat. "Wait."

Richard Swift has posed:
Lacking any special connection to trees or nature in general, Richard takes no note of the mysterious freezing leaf. However, as he calmly begins to push his awareness out through the limited shadows provided by the Parks trees, he turns his head slowly towards the protesting clowns. "How curious," he muses gently to the great oak beside him as living shadows begin to twine and wrap about his limbs, swallowing him fully in darkness as he sinks into the inky black void. A moment later, subtle as you like, he steps out from behind another tree deeper within the forest so that he might better observe April and her ongoing newscast with a faintly bemused smile.

April O'Neil has posed:
With the report wrapped up, April lowers her microphone down in front of her and looks to her cameraman who's lowering the camera down and taking it over to the table where he setup their equipment for this piece.

HONK HONK - Noodles the Clown rides his unicycle past April and keeps juggling / giggling, causing the Reporter to look over at him and smirk. "Keep fighting the good fight, Noodles." She tells him as she moves to join her cameraman while he looks over the footage on a laptop. "I think they're making real change here, Vernon." April says softly to him, now looking around the park in-general.

"I think that clown in the back hasn't moved a muscle since we got here. I bet he escpaed from a prison and is just hiding in plain sight." Vernon replies while working on the laptop.

"Oh stop." April says in reply to that, glancing at the one he was referencing. She squints her eyes. "Is he even alive?"

April hasn't YET noticed anything odd happening outside of the painted faces and brightly colored wigs of the twenty-or-so clowns on the lawn and pavement pathway.

Mori Merritt has posed:
Whatever it is, it's not magic holding it up. There's not a trace of that hovering in the air around the leaf. It sits there, though, some kind of force holding it aloft, some kind of force from nearby. But the leaf doesn't stay there. As gently as if it were a fragile thing, the leaf moves, floating back up and coming to rest on the tree, as if it were resuming its original location. Closer inspection would be able to tell the leaf isn't connected back to the tree, just held there as if it were a part again. The energy source seems nearby. The tree, maybe? It's a large tree, very old, hard to even see all the way around the trunk.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Ororo truly is more than simply a 'weather witch'. She's as near goddess as a mortal can get; though she has been worshipped as one in her earlier years. She can feel the pulls of magic surrounding her, though that's never truly been her dint. The earth itself is hers, as is the weather, the magnetic poles that align, that lay within Gaia herself.

Upon reaching Amanda, as the woman raises her hand to forestall her, the breeze that gathers around her remains, if not reducing in its already light intensity. There's a half-smile that creases the dark-skinned lady as she watches the other.. watches her sister.

And then this leaf is 'on the move'. Now, her own posture, manner and mien echo Amanda's own as she puts a hand up and moves sideways, her head tilted as if looking directly at something simply won't reveal what it is she's looking for, or at. One barefooted step around the large oak, two.. and as she moves, that caress of air that lingered around her drops, as if giving her that chance to //not// be distracted.

"Here," comes in a softly accented word. "Around here.." and she's headed towards the opposite side.

Cecily Winters has posed:
    Truly unaware of any oddities around an old tree, Cecily yet remains a slave to primal urges. There is a sandwich in front of her, and she hungers. She hungers greatly. Another bite, and another, the kitsune woman lost in her own little world of Pat's Deli. And today her near-superhuman reflxes are used to ensure that not a single drop of secret sauce is wasted by landing on her clothes. She catches it with her finger and stares indignantly at it, as if it could be the sheer audacity to try and escape. Well, not on her watch! She licks her finger clean and resumes her current trip through her private little heaven full of lettuce, tomatoes, and freshly-sliced deli meats and Pat's Super Sauce.

    Pat's: Perfect Pickles, Pastries, and Portable Lunches.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
As the leaf retreats back to the tree, Amanda tracks it with her eyes. Sparing the striking, white haired young woman nearby a brief, evaluating glance, a faint smile on her lips in acknowledgement of the energies and innate nature they share, she conjures an eldtritch wind to lift her. Its eddies fit within the natural weather patterns, simultaneously disrupting and soothing those patterns so as to contain themeselves to the localized area around the sorceress who commands them. Thus bouyed by the wind, Amanda lifts herself gently to follow the leaf hovering at the edge of its original attachment while the darkskinned witch circles the trunk.

The blonde purses her lips as she evaluates the leaf for a moment more before turning towards the tree and drifting closer to its trunk.

"Yes," she agrees with the stranger. "The tree, perhaps?" She drifts closer to it, hands extended to lay against the bark so she can better sense its lifeforce and, just maybe, commune with its essence.

A tree that size? Could be an avatar of one of the Mother Trees that help Yggdrasil bear the weight of the worlds.

Richard Swift has posed:
Richard steps out of the shade of the nearest tree and into the dappled sunlight streaming through into the center of this wooded area of the Park. With regal bearing, he picks his way across the open terrain until he's near the table occupied by April and her cameraman, his cane sinking softly into the soil with every step.

When he's close enough to hold a politely conversational tone and still be heard over the nearby clown gathering, Richard comes to a stop. "An odd place for a protest, wouldn't you say?" he asks of the pair, his body and head turned towards the crowd though his eyes glance sidelong towards the news crew. A faint smile turns up the corner of his mouth as he continues: "What exactly are they protesting?"

April O'Neil has posed:
Ororo kind of stands out in a crowd, and it doesn't take much for April's perception to pick up on her moving out toward that big tree. The stark white hair alone stands out againgst the natural colors of the wooded area. April peers through the daylight shining down from above and speaks out. "What's going on over there?" She asks, pointing.

Vernon quickly looks up and over to where April was pointing. After a second he shrugs his shoulders and looks back to the laptop in front of him. "I don't know. Hippies? LARPers? It's central park. This place is full of weirdos all day and night."

April stares a moment longer, but it's Richard's approach that pulls her eyes to him. She glances back to the clowns and then back to him and smiles. "Yeah, I mean, we all got our problems we want to make sure get fixed somehow, right?"

Noodles rides by again, giggling and juggling.

"Some of us more than others." April then quietly adds, grimacing at the odd clown. She nods to Richard then.

Mori Merritt has posed:
As they move, a leaf from the ground this time flutters its way back up to perch on the branches of the tree, like it's putting itself slowly back together again. The adventure around the tree proves to be less exciting (or more, depending on how you look at it), as a mousy-haired young woman lays, her back against the tree. A messenger bag is on the ground near her, and her positioning seems like perhaps she fell or slid down with her back against the tree. Her eyes stare blankly in front of her, but she's not dead. There's plenty of life-force in her, and she's breathing, she's just... not present. The discover doesn't stop the slow flutter of leaves moving back onto the tree and behind held there. Like putting a puzzle back together with all the pieces dumped on the floor.

But some pieces of the puzzle travel farther than others. The wind's carried some farther away, so this force has to bring it back. A cluster of leaves abruptly flies up from the ground nearby, fluttering right up to smack into Noodles' face for a moment before the leaves fly off towards the tree. It certainly didn't look like the wind.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
A bo- no.. breathing, so not a 'body'. There's certainly no way 'Ro would miss the slight ascent on the breath of the air done by the other woman, and again, there's a acknowledging nod. For her part, though, she takes the route around on her feet. Breeze used here means none 'there', wherever 'there' may be.

As she makes it around, blue eyes take in the form and figure of the young woman before she kneels beside her. Reaching out, she wants to shake the woman; could be asleep, could be meditating. Could be, well.. anything, really. Give her a chance to respond before immediately calling for 911.

The movement of the leaves, though.. it's as if the tree is in 'rewind' mode. Leaves that had fallen for one reason or another moving backwards to resett--

Reaching out her hand, 'Ro tries to capture a leaf to check its pull.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Sensing nothing from the tree -- nothing unnatural, at least -- Amanda gently dispels the wind that holds her aloft, alighting lightly on the ground. She treads softly around the circumference to see where the whitehaired woman may be, only to find her kneeling by a recumbent form. "Is she okay?" the sorceress asks, coming to join them. She crouches down and waves a hand gently before the mousey-haired young woman's eyes, looking for a response.

Her nostrils flare slightly and, carefully weighing the pros and cons before she does, she finally decides to run a hand over the girl's form, keeping a couple of inches away from her body. Her hand glows faintly with golden light as she uses her healing abilities merely to check to see if and/or where the girl might be injured that they may not be able to readily see.

She glances to the weather witch beside her as the dark skinned woman reaches out to snag a leaf. "Telekinesis, maybe?" she suggests. "A mutant?"

Ororo might note that Amanda is entirely at ease with the idea of mutants. There is no alarm there, only concern for the girl.

Richard Swift has posed:
Richard wasn't paying attention to where April or Vernon are looking, so he doesn't catch the visual aid to go with the brief conversation concerning Ororo's peculiar appearance. Instead, he's still watching the clowns, puzzling out their particular grievance from the signs and chants. It doesn't take much really; they have presumably put some thought into their message after all, so he gets the general gist in short order. He's just about to make a comment on it, in fact, when a pile of leaves abruptly lift themselves off the ground, smack directly into Noodles' face, and then continue on their path.

For a moment, Richard isn't entirely positive it isn't part of some sort of act, but ultimately the way the leaves move -- or rather the way they utterly fail to scatter and disperse after their collision with a clown -- draws his curiosity more so than the unusual protestors.

It doesn't take much more than a brief search through the shadows to find the trio gathered around the oddly rewinding tree. Luckily for him, he only has to turn around and look their way to see them in person, finally connecting a few faces to the musings of April and Vernon. "Well now isn't that interesting," he murmurs to himself as the pile of leaves rejoins the collective at the end of several branches. While he's never been shy about using his powers, sliding through the shadows when he's fully within sight of a gaggle of protesting clowns and a news crew tends to draw more attention than he cares to garner just yet. Instead, Richard begins to stroll, his steps casual and calm as he approaches the tree central to the current paranormal events.

April O'Neil has posed:
Naturally Noodles is knocked right off of the uni-cycle and on to his back with all four of his limbs splayed out wide, and naturally the three bowling pins he was juggling all come toppling down directly on his crotch, one after the other!

April winces at the sight of it, as two other Clowns move to help their brother back up into a seated position... but the Reporter's eyes are following the pile of leaves now.

When she watches their ultimate rejoining of the tree, she peers curiously. "What the hell.?" She starts now to walk toward where the others are at said tree. "Vern."

"Ehh?!" The cameraman says while chewing on an apple and staring at his laptop.

"Grab the camera. Come on." April adds. "Somethin's going on over here."

The tall man with the dark hair sets his apple aside and reaches for the camera to trail after the Reporter...

Mori Merritt has posed:
The young woman doesn't appear to be in any physical pain, at least. By all accounts she's physically healthy. Her eyes remain distant, though as the leaf is caught, her brow furrows a little in confusion. The same goes for when she's shaken--she's not there, but she's reacting. The leaf tries to escape, the pull trying to draw it back up to its place on the tree. Amanda's healing abilities find nothing. Whatever has pulled her elsewhere, Mori does not seem to be injured anywhere to cause it which is, at least, a good thing. The leaves, which had been snagged from near Noodles, neatly come to rest, each leaf dropped off on the branches of the trees.

The pull, though, isn't done. The leaves are fulfilling their subconcious purpose, perhaps, but there are other needs. Like food. The closest, it seems happens to be Cecily's sandwich. The force, with a sudden surprise tug, tries to take it and carry it like a leaf to the tree.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
'Ro can feel the tug of the leaf as it tries to finish its migration back to the tree, and as the other woman looks to be trying to sense the supine young woman, she rises back to her feet. The approach of the others brings blue eyes around, and she sounds a challenge //and// a question at the same time. No harm will come to the woman on the ground, and she desires information.

"Do you know this girl?" Ororo is leaning towards mutant, though she's guessing it's not a magnetic thing. Particularly not as bits of food begin their approach towards the tree, dodging the others in the copse. Whether she gets a 'yes' or 'no', the bag's presence filters down into the woman's conscious, and she looks back at Amanda, pointing at it,

"Maybe a hint is in there, yes?"

Cecily Winters has posed:
    The difficulty of a healing factor, even if it's not a rapid one, is the metabolism. Maybe everyone's different. But for Cecily, that means more food when she's on the mend. She finishes the first half of her sandwich, six inches of delicate delicatessen delight. A moment is taken to breathe, drink, and lick her fingers clean. She grabs the second half, intent on getting through the meal before getting through her book. After all, a good sandwich is a terrible thing to waste.

    And then, it's being pulled on. It almost slips out of her fingers, but she grasps it, and scrambles to her feet. "H-hey...!" she growls, ears going flat against her head. Book, picnic bag, and that little bag of chips are left on the blanket as she gets up in a hurry, having just enough presence of mind to nab her bookbag at the least.

    "Just because there's one of you out there with telekinetic powers... does not mean you can take my lunch...! That's petty theft and I have the proper credentials to make an arrest...!" she calls out to, well, the trees. To whomever might be snickering in the bushes and trying to get a free lunch.

    But she's not ready for where she ends up. A group. A big, old tree. And... "Mori?" she asks, halting before addressing the others. "...are you alright, dear?" she asks, frowning, tails drooping and ears flat against her head.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
"Maybe," Amanda agrees, letting her magic fade again. She glances toward the people approaching and tries not to wince. The girl probably *doesn't* need a crowd when she awakens. *If* she awakens.

"I should call Kurt," she says softly to herself -- though Ororo may hear it. "Maybe Xavier's can help."

Nevertheless, she reaches for the bag, patting it down on the outside to see if she can detect where a wallet or cell phone my be, so she's not just digging through some stranger's belongings heedlessly.

Except, then a foxish stranger appears, apparently with the girl's name. "You know her?" she asks, lookng up at Cecily. "Is she your friend?"

Richard Swift has posed:
As Richard approaches, what has already captured Ororo and Amanda's attention becomes more clear to him: Mori's apparent disconnect from the world around her. "The plot thickens," he comments, loud enough to easily be heard but he seems to mostly be talking to himself while he reroutes his steps to take him out wide in front of the unresponsive young woman. Ignoring for a moment the various other people converging on the mysterious tree and its equally mysterious attendant, Richard crouches down and lays his cane across his thighs while he peers curiously at Mori. "Very curious indeed," he claims, though his attention is stolen by the revelation that the unresponsive woman is named and apparently known. He eases himself back up to his full height and observes the proceedings with little more to add -- for the moment.

April O'Neil has posed:
April and Vernon are arriving at basically the same time as Richard, though Vernon is raising his camera back up on to his shoulder to record the situation and April is stepping up to where she sees Ororo.

"What's going on here?" The Reporter asks, a microphone in her right hand at her side, but she's not yet raised it up to jam it at anyone's faces... she's more literally concerned about the situation. She does spare a glance up toward the trees where she'd seen the leaves go back UP to their branches. Lowering her gaze again, she glances over to Cecily and Amanda as well, concern on her face considering what she saw back there with the clowns!

Mori Merritt has posed:
The sandwich just hangs in the air nearby as it returns, as if it could bring a horse to water but not make it drink. Another cluster of leaves zips by, the leaves perfectly perching on the tree. But as the questioning and curiosity continue, it seems the puzzle's put back together. The leaves, while they had been returned to the tree, had only been held there, not /actually/ returned to the tree. All at once, they just release. Around them, leaves begin falling, fluttering down like soft green leafy rain. Just how many had she put up there and for how long?

Mori does, however, seem to be abruptly aware that something's happening and does not react well. There's sudden utter confusion and panic, her hand reaching out to hold onto a chair or a railing or perhaps a bench that just /isn't there/ so her hand flails wildly in one durection as she searches for it. Even in her confusion she's aware that there are people around her. "Ooohhh... uh, everything's fine, no need to worry, we're good, I didn't stop in a street again did I?"

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Once again, Ororo is beside the girl, and as Amanda reaches for the bag, the identification of the young girl lying beside the tree begins to take shape. Straightening up, the white-haired, dark-skinned woman doesn't look as if she has time for nonsense, the leaves migrating, and now the food migrating ignored. There's no disruption of nature occuring; the earth isn't hurting, isn't damaged any more than simply that hole that was Mutant Town and the occasional front-end loader digging into the ground.

"Who is-- Mori?" There's a pause before, "Is she a mutant?"

Ororo catches the softly muttered words, and taken together, there's a certain peace that comes across the woman who was growing concerned. Sister, indeed.

"I think that is a wonderful idea," is cast towards Amanda. "The elf could get her there quickly." In a couple of hops. It would tire him, though..

And then the newly identified Mori begins to wake up and flail. Putting her hand out in order for the young woman to grab, should the flailing go her way, she murmurs, "You're okay.." not that she expects the young woman to actually listen to her right now..

As for April, brows rise as she looks at the reporter. "There is no news here," is spoken in a sing-song cadence, nodding at the microphone in hand. "Thank you for not using that."

The kitsune is noticed, and.. the gentleman dressed.. strangely for summer!

Cecily Winters has posed:
    Cecily nods to Amanda, "She is... a very dear one..." the fox says quietly, lips pursed in a frown. She looks around as more people gather, no familiar faces save for perhaps April's, a known quantity on television. She frowns at her arrival, though before she can speak, the leaves start to come down. "How... what?" Sadly, the sandwich is forgotten, and the vixen's ears lift as her head raises to follow the verdant rain, feeling some land in her hair and her tails. Mori's explosive awakening shakes her though, and she reaches out for her, too.

    Ororo's question earns a slow shake of her head, "I... don't know for sure, honestly... I know she's got..." she trails off, "Mori, dear, it's me, Cecily... you're safe, in the park... sitting down this time..." she says gently. "..you stole my sandwich.." she attempts to add some levity to things.

    A nod then to Richard, and to Amanda, before the fox looks straight at Vernon. "...kindly stow the camera and respect my friend's privacy..." she says and does her best to use her body and her floofy tails to block Mori from the device's field of view.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
"Easy," Amanda says, still close enough to Mori to warrant raising her hands to ward off any errant blows from flailing limbs as the girl awakens suddenly and in confusion. Her tone is gentle and her attention remains on the prone girl despite the rain of leaves. It's not unexpected, after all, given the forces that were animating the leaves. Instead, she points up to Cecily through the drift. "You're okay. Your friend's here."

She rises fluidly to her feet then, and steps back to let Cecily in closer.

Then, she glances to Ororo as the dark woman responds to her murmured comment. Brows rise; eyes brighten. "You know Kurt." The elf, yes. Fuzzy, blue, devil-tailed elf! "Xavier's." The name is spoken as a conclusion: The dark skinned woman is from the school. Amanda can't help but smile at the connection.

She'd tell Ororo that, had Kurt ever managed to get her out to the Mansion to meet his friends, she'd have been able to portal them there without difficulty... except there's a crowd here, now. So the witch remains silent. She, too, eyes the press, eyes clouding slightly at their presence. But between Ororo and Cecily, adding her voice to the objection seems superfluos. Instead, she her gaze is drawn over to Richard for a moment, head canting as she notes his curious mein. A man displaced in time.

Unless he's one of those eccentric steampunk fellows... You just never know, in her world.

Richard Swift has posed:
"'There is no news here,'" Richard repeats as he glances between Ororo and April, "Perhaps the single clearest phrase to indicate that there is, in fact, some very interesting news present." Though his quick glance at the accumulated leaves now freshly fallen or falling once again is a clear indication that nothing else is needed to make it clear April could indeed find a story somewhere in the mix.

But... He's neither Mori's PR rep nor is he April's editor, a fact he indicates by a slight disinterested shrug of his shoulders. Casually, he sets the cane in front of him and folds both hands over the silver hawk's head before he turns his grey eyes around the gathering, his interest shifting to the talk of elves and people known as Xavier and their possessions and the look he gets from Amanda. For her, he simply lifts a hand and waves, a cheery smile on his lips, seemingly unaware of the oddness of his dress while he happily plays the blatant eavesdropper.

April O'Neil has posed:
April's looking from face to face, while her cameraman looks right over at Cecily when he's asked to stwo the camera. "You know, I've been covering things like this for a decade now, and the best way to prove when a mutant is innocent of acquisitions laid against them..." Vern pats the camera on his shoulder. "Is to have video evidence to show it. But..." He glances between everyone and then back to his laptop where the clowns are all gathered around it and pretending they're in an office setting. "Hey! Get away from that!"

Vernon sets off back toward his gear at the table. "Let me know when you're done, Ape." The gruff man grumbles as he leaves.

April, however, looks over to Richard and nods once to him. "There's definitely news in leaves flying around like that, but... if this is under control, I'll let it lie. I don't have any interest in exploiting someone in need of help."

Mori Merritt has posed:
"In the park?" Mori's trying to pull together details. The struggle is visible on her face, eyes rapidly scanning to take in what's around her. Someone said she was sitting. She pats the ground around her several times to make sure it's solid, to make sure she /is/ sitting and she didn't just make up the words. After a moment, it's clear it's not her first rodeo: she's doing an exercise to ground herself. Finding things to focus on based on each sense. Touching, smelling, listening. She's not /quite/ there, but she's not flailing at anyone anymore. Abruptly, as she looks around, she points at April. "You're from TV!" At least she's recognizing more around her!

Ororo Munroe has posed:
As Ororo stands there, offering to be an anchor is a storm of confusion, and with the fox-lady offering more support, the leaves that have dropped around them begin to whip up again, slowly at first as pale blue eyes look to the oddly dressed man. "Thank you for you opinion," she says evenly. The brilliant, warm sun is briefly covered by some clouds, but they do pass as the now identified Mori comes a little more aware of her own presence. To see that, the leaves are no longer caught in that turmoil and settle easily on the ground once more.

That allows Ororo the chance to take a step back and cast a glance towards Amanda. She'll catch the woman, exchange names, and perhaps take a walk before returning to Westchester. They apparently have something to talk about!

Once again, as April utters her own words, the weather-goddess offers a warm smile to the reporter, murmuring a 'thank you'. No need to sensationalize this.

But, it's time to leave...

Cecily Winters has posed:
    Cecily wilts a little when the camera is turned away, her ears flattening. "...oh thank goodness... I didn't want to have to fill out forms again over -another- melted camera..." she says quietly, looking around her once more, as if taking in everyone anew. "She'll be okay," she nods, confidence in her voice, seeing that Mori is 'awake' and interacting with people again. The mention of Kurt and Xavier earns a small note in her mind but for now, she's offering up her name, "Winters. Cecily Winters. Lovely day for a picnic, dears?" she offers with a laugh that's clearly one of relief.

    "I... don't really know any of the rest of you though..." she nods around at Richard and Ororo and Amanda. Well, at least she knows April by name and face.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Amanda retreats with Ororo as Cecily moves in to help her friend -- particularly when it seems evident the reporter isn't out to cause any harm. She keeps half an eye on Richard, just because he seems something of a cad (to coin an old fashioned term). But otherwise it seems likely that, beyond watching to ensure nothing more untoward happens, there's little else for her to do.

Thus, she exchanges information quitely with the weather witch, checking the time on her phone as she inputs the other woman's details. She has people waiting for her on the Great Lawn.

Nevertheless, she lingers a little longer, giving Cecily a bit of a smile at her observation. "At least you know there are some kind strangers in New York, though."

Richard Swift has posed:
Richard seems momentarily pleased when a brief spattering of clouds roll in and weaken the sun's strength, but as they depart he sighs with some clear disappointment and a muttered grievance against bright lights. "You're entirely welcome, my dear," he offers to Ororo, once again forgetting his annoyance at the general time of day with as bright a smile as he offered Amanda. Cad indeed.

Richard shifts to face Cecily as she mentions not knowing several of them, himself included, and for just a moment his shadow twists and flickers as if fighting the sun's light. In the blink of an eye though, the shadow settles and behaves exactly as a shadow should while its owner bows faintly at the waist. "Richard Swift, though I'm merely a curious bystander. I'm glad to see your friend has recovered," he offers, saying the last as he turns his smile towards Mori and nods his head, including her in the introduction.

April O'Neil has posed:
April's hands go to her hips as she puts most of her weight on to her left foot and still holds her microphone by its handle in her right grip. She lets her blue eyed gaze roam over the others, to Ororo and Mori. As people introduce themselves, she chimes in when she's able. "If something /does/ happen, or if any of you need a way to get word out to a large audience... don't hesitate to get ahold of me. April O'Neil online, not hard to find. I'm only out for the truth and helping people who deserve to be helped. The good folks."

She drops her mic-holding-hand down to let it hang beside her thigh and then glances back to her cameraman who's fussing with clowns riding around his work area. "I better get back to it." She nods once to everyone, and gives Mori and Ororo another glance before turning and starting back to where her co-worker is.

Mori Merritt has posed:
Mori's eyes move around, studying everyone and everything with more lucidity before. She sees some of the people who were nearby are leaving, and she holds up a hand to wave, though she's not sure what to say. The words are a little slow to come to her, so she just settles for a wave in Ororo and Amanda's directions. Richard is also noted, a nod returned in his direction. She does focus on April for a moment, clearly thinking. "Okay," she says slowly. "I might take you up on that." She gives a small wave in April's direction before she looks around and assures herself Cecily's still there--some sort of stability for the moment. "Uh, sorry about all this," she's not at all sure who the apology is to.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Ororo's stepped away, assured that Mori is in good hands.

"And sir," Ororo smiles warmly, though blue eyes narrow, "It isn't so much to move leaves."

She follows her words with an upraised hand, and again there's a gentle breeze that moves the leaves, brings them dancing and lifting to the air in a soft motion. In the next second, Ororo lowers her hand once again, and the leaves fall to the ground. "As I said. There is no news here." It's a light cadence, a gentle lilt to her words.

"And if you wish to know, I am a mutant." Nope, no news here!

Turning her attention to Cecily, and in way for Mori, April and more specifically Amanda, her expression takes something of a serene look. A woman at peace, despite the name she gives in the next breath.

"My name is Storm." At April's offer, however, she cants her head head before she nods her acknowledgment. She just may, later.

Once her briefest of introductions is made, the woman with the shock of white hair turns to make her way from the copse. If needed, her name is all that's needed to find her, and it won't be hard.

Cecily Winters has posed:
    April is given a lopsided smile from the fox as she starts to depart. "Sorry, dear, I do try my best to stay out of the media light if I can.... but your offer is welcome..." she says gently before giving Amanda a more straightforward smile. "I know... it makes my heart swell to see others helping others... far too often people turn a blind eye, or they just look down at their phones and keep going.. even when it's clear someone in front of them is hurting.." she says quietly, recalling the last time she'd met Mori in the park. At least a friendly neighborhood Spider---Peter Parker was there too.

    "Ah... a pleasure..." Cecily nods to Richard, noting his name--and his shadow, or at least, what she thinks might have been a trick of the light? As far as commenting on the recovery, her response to him is "It happens... thank you for your care, all of you." Then she sits down, within arm's reach of Mori, staying close to the girl. "Nothing to apologize for, love... You found a truly lovely place for a nap, though," she smiles, looking up at the big sturdy tree.

    "...the company is a bit colorful though..." she gives a lopsided grin, glancing over at the clown convention.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Amanda watches Storm take her leave and smiles wryly. Cecily is right. The company *is* a bit colourful... clowns notwithstanding. She straightens some, rubbing at the bridge of her nose as a flicker bothers her eye for a moment.

Turning to Mori, she says, "I'm glad you're okay, miss." To Cecily, "Take care of her, now. I've got to get to work, unfortunately. If you need me, I'll be on the Great Lawn." Watching the rest of the festival clean up. Yay.

To the others, she gives a bit of a lazy salute and a more formal nod. Then, taking her leave, she slips away between the trees.

Richard Swift has posed:
As the impromptu gathering of unlikely associates begins to disperse, Richard takes his cue from the rest and begins to fade away, figuratively speaking. A few quiet, simple steps as he pulls back, nodding once more in a silent farewell before he turns and resumes his meandering exploration of the Park. He moves by foot at first, but when he enters into a thicker copse of trees he takes a step behind one tree and never emerges on the other side.

Mori Merritt has posed:
With the crowd around her and nearby slowly sinking back into the treeline, Mori seems at least grateful that she did find a good place to 'nap'. She fumbles around again, but this time it's not for what isn't there, but what is: Cecily's arm so that she can use it to assist her up. Scooping up her messenger bag, she notes where the sandwich ended up on the ground, half-covered in leaves.

"Well, I guess I owe you a new sandwich. Let's go, I'm starved anyway."