2579/Lakeside Training Montage

Lakeside Training Montage
Date of Scene:	23 July 2020
Location:	Breakstone Lake
Synopsis:	Lorna and Logan train on the lakeside. Scott, Ororo, Douglas, and Bobby observe. Conversations lead to Creed, Danger room scenarios, Civil Service, and a potential standard curfew to protect the students from the numerous threats which always emerge.
Cast of Characters:	Logan Howlett, Lorna Dane, Scott Summers, Ororo Munroe, Douglas Ramsey, Bobby Drake

---

Logan Howlett has posed:
The Canadian runt has transitioned from thick canvas pants and hiking boots to a pair of black swimming trunks and a white-tank top. He currently wields a pair of striking pads, which he alternates in height and location for Lorna as she's taken through a drill of punches and kicks. "Harder in ankle depth water, ain't it? Good trainin' for balance and footwork. Too often, we only practice on flat ground, and most don't have a danger room."

Early afternoon, the sun reflects off the nearly non-existent waves of Breakstone Lake. As Lorna kicks, droplets of launched water sparkle in the air. Logan will offer a cursory shove with one of the pads to check Lorna's balance after one of her strikes. With a mildly sadistic grin, it's clear he is enjoying himself. "Get back to a neutral position fast, unless you are followin' up. Difference between a love tap and a knockout is bein' caught midstep."

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna was trying her best, but clearly it was throwing her for a loop to not be a.) floating or b.) on stable ground to not be floating. She'd never had to fight on unstable ground before and it was showing in how her footwork fell apart and she stumbled here and there. She hadn't quite fallen over, recently, but the dampness on her clothes and wet hair suggested she'd already taken at least one or two tumbles. Lake mud and sand stuck to one side of her arm, and shorts. Her eyes narrowed in concentration and intent as she swung another kick harder this time.

As she settled back she near toppled over again, "Asshole." She bit out, wobbling as she nearly tumbled over again. But she went back to the form, fixing it as she moved again.

The sun's reflection off the water made it even harder for her, leaving her squinting here or there against the summer's rays. But at least it was cool to be partially in the water.

Scott Summers has posed:
Scott had no idea Logan had taken on training Lorna. Can't say he disapproves; people complain too much about his own training routines and his Danger Room scenarios. They need to learn about True Evil.

So, he has taken a few minutes of his busy schedule to watch Lorna fumbling around in the mud. "Mental note: add more mud to the Danger Room sessions. I think I am giving the team too optimal fighting conditions. It is unrealistic."

Are there people around him? Of course, they heard him. He can almost hear the mental groans. Good.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Water 'traps'. Not something the wind-walker really comes in contact with, nor is she usually on the ground unless she so deems it necessary, beyond the casualness of the day. So, like a dark-skinned siren, a small variation from Greek myths, Ororo instead sits upon an outcropping of rocks, enjoying company with little more on than what is proper for a school. There's nothing suggestive about her pose as she enjoys the sun, nor nothing in her manner and mien. She's simply.. home.

Blue eyes look to the water, watching those in as they find their footing, well, as Lorna finds her footing.

As for Ororo's own personal feeling regarding training? Physical is a distraction... and the more she steps out into the city, the more she's convinced of this.

"Lorna," the woman's accented voice lilts melodically, "I have taken the liberty to have arranged for us a shift in the 42nd street kitchen this evening. It would be good to go out and serve."

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
    Doug has mostly recovered from his ordeal at the hands of the witch, Spiral - the wounds left by the silver hooks she dug into his skin have healed, though the whole sequence of events is still weighing heavily on his mind. He's taking it out on himself physically, by jogging around the lake, in a sweat-soaked t-shirt, shorts, and running shoes.

"On your left, Scott," he calls as he comes jogging past.

Logan Howlett has posed:
Logan guffaws, his grin only getting wider. "Hah, just figurin' that one out, Lorna?"

He glances Scott's way for a moment and nods, "Yea, with maniacs like Sabretooth prowlin' around. I wanted to work wit ya on a few danger room scenarios. I've got experiences t'share. I can't keep just playin' in the rose garden for forever."

The offer may feel unexpected, but recent events had triggered a greater sense of responsibility in the loner. He looks Ororo's way and nods, "Eh, that's good stuff. Relied on a soup kitchen a couple of times myself."

He narrows his gaze and focuses back on Lorna. He pushes with the pad against one of her strikes as he takes a step forward. "Feel that? When someone blocks, they are tellin' ya something. They are sayin' 'My arm is right here or my foot is planted there', which means you know where they ain't and where their balance is weak."

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna distractedly glanced toward the shore as Ororo spoke up about something, there was a lag in her ability to process what the other woman meant as she tried to maintain her balance, and her drills with Logan pushing back against her strike. She gritted her teeth, "I'm supposed to have a Council meeting." She got out, before her balance broke and she ended up taking yet another tumble into the muddy lakeside water. She cursed, half soaked again as she shoved herself up to stand again.

She made a noise at the back of her throat, shoving her hair back, newly dripping and splattered with more sandy grit than before. Lorna went for another string of strikes, clearly getting irritated and trying her best to //not// get distracted by Scott, Doug, or Ororo again.

Scott Summers has posed:
Scott grunts. Mostly about Sabretooth. Of course, Creed wouldn't have be so nice as to die in Genosha. "What is he looking for now?" He asks, shifting aside to let Doug pass. "Do we need to keep the students confined again?"

Because that never works well. Much less as the days become weeks. Scott knows when not to push it as far as occasional disobedience would become outright ignoring the rules. He can punish against the first, but not for the second.

At least Stryker has not killed any student yet.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Ororo looks back at Scott, but it's not necessary for her to move much as all; think dark panther sunning on a rock. There's a hint of a smile when 'mud' is mentioned for the danger room. It's short-lived, however, but the amusement isn't that plays around her eyes as she looks back at Logan, nodding her approval of his words.

"I wonder what's brought him out. Surely there are more exciting things happening that would take his attention." It's a statement more than a question, but it's a curiousity wrapped in a conundrum.

She exhales in a sigh as 'Council Meeting' is mention, and she inclines her head, "A leader must learn who their people are. You cannot lead from meetings only. You are concerned as to how your people will perceive you? You cannot assume they will learn who you are from afar." She smiles again, both pulling sting from her words, and strengthening them, "They must learn you are not your father somehow."

Ororo falls silent with Logan's instruction, instead lookig to the jogging Doug, her serene gaze watching him. Another she worries about.

Okay, she worries about all of them.

Logan Howlett has posed:
"There ya go. Use your anger. Don't let it use you. It'll make you stronger and faster, but don't let it give ya tunnel vision." Logan didn't laugh when she fell. He just waited patiently for her to stand back up. He even seemed a little pleased when she got right back into it.

He glances back over to Scott and mutters, "I think he had a few reasons to be here. One of them was to screw with me. The other was to meet with Blink. She struck a deal with him, so I think he'll stay away for now. Though probably not a bad idea to have a curfew for the woods unless chaperoned. I keep sniffin' around and let you know if somethin' comes up. Either way, people should be prepared to fight folks like him and myself. Trackers, trappers, and sneaks."

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
Doug stops, finally, and grabs a bottle of water hanging off of a loop on his shorts - he puts it to his mouth and takes a long pull off it, before he squirts the remainder over his head, and then stands there, dripping. "You're talking about Sabretooth out in the woods? I don't know what he was doing out there, but his presence has all the animals freaked out. The birds were all warning each other about where he is as if he's a giant cat."

Then he glances up at Ororo, and smiles, though his eyes aren't in it.

"Mchana mzuri, Ororo."

Scott Summers has posed:
"The birds?" Scott hahs. So, they have a Sabretooth-detection system right there. Good to know. "A deal with Blink, you say? I better investigate that one." A glance is directed to Lorna, in the case she knows something about Blink and Sabretooth she wants to share.

Then to Doug. "You look better, I heard you had a problem with Mojo. He seems active on Earth again. I heard rumors about some kind of games he is running." He runs a hand through his hair and sighs. Isn't Doctor Strange's job to keep that particular brand of alien lunatic away from Earth?

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Ororo Munroe says, "Amani iwe juu yako, Doug," is returned softly, as if bestowing a blessing, or a fervent wish. In this, she and the soul of the mutants, Nightcrawler, share the same.

Using anger, however? Ororo shakes her head, canting it soon after as she rises from her recline, "It is difficult not to have your anger consume you." This, she knows from example; she's conjured typhoons before she'd realized the sheer damage that she'd done unwittingly. "Something that needs to be worked on."

Still, she's moving towards the topic of Blink. "I've spoken with her. She understands that perhaps the Brotherhood isn't the best choice for advancement." She shrugs lightly, "Or, rather, that violence isn't the answer."
"

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna stopped after a few more practice blows at the targets, and then she stepped back from Logan. A groan escaped her as she made her way to the shore and the towel and water bottle waiting for her there. She wiped down her face, popping open the top of the metal water container and taking a long gulp. "You know that is literally the opposite of everything my father's followers told me, before, right?" She drawled, and shook her head.

Scott's comment earned a twist of her lips. "Clarice told me that Sabertooth was the one that saved her from the Magistrates and trained her. I thought it had been my father. I... I'll talk to her. And I told her that having a meeting with him in the forest outside of the Mansion was ill advised on all counts."

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
Doug rubs the back of his neck as if to massage a kink out of it. "I wouldn't know about that. Spiral abducted me because she wants to take control of - think of it like an alternate realiity that's like... the spiritual reflection of the internet. It's an alternate source of power that's similar to the one Mojo draws on, but apparently he doesn't understand that streaming's the way of the future, so she plans on using it against him."

"I'm still a little salty about it. That - witch - got the drop on me and used me. I thought I was handling it, but --" He shakes his head. "Mmm. I guess I just feel useless, is all. I see you got a load of CUBE - I honestly didn't expect it to activate. It was an experiment I was working on."

Scott Summers has posed:
Scott stare of disbelief at Lorna is probably mostly lost due to the thick 'sunglasses' he wears. "That is... Interesting," as 'in just when you think you know someone' way. "Ms. Ferguson seems a skilled fighter and a good person," he admits. "She mentioned the Magistrates also trained her. I suppose she was going to be added to the Press Gang. I wonder if the other mutant there had similar stories." But Pipeline, Hawkshaw and the others are likely long dead. And mostly forgotten.

"As Logan mentioned, I am sure Creed had other reasons to come here," offers Scott. "A cellphone call was not enough. He had to remind us he is still alive and willing to play his sick games."

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Nothing seems to surprise her overmuch; the young Blink is a mass of surprises, but one that is willing to learn from the past, so she's noticed. Ororo looks to Scott, Lorna, and finally Doug (though not without checking on Logan briefly.)

"Don't blame yourself, Doug," she begins, "It was a difficult lesson to learn, and I'm sure there are still things you believe you could have done, but.. don't do that to yourself. Learn from it."

Finally, the wind-rider slides from the rock, eyeing the lake that lies so closely within reach. "He must, because he's not pressing advantage elsewhere." New York City still needs its neighborhood back, there are power vacuums everywhere, and she hasn't heard of slaughters that mark as his MO lately. "I can't help but think there should be reason, other than to antagonize. Even there, one should be concerned about motive lying below it."

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna glanced at Doug, "Cube was a valued member of the team Doug, I'd pick him for missions any day." It was only half joking, "But you were missed. I'm glad you're in one piece." She offered the other mutant a smile as she wiped off the rest of the muddy sand from her person with the towel a grimace twisting her lips.

"Clarice is my friend, and I trust her with my life several times over. It doesn't mean though that I know everything about her..." She took another gulp of water. As Storm mused that there must be something else she considered. "I mentioned this to Logan before, but he wasn't sure about it. Word's gotten out that my father is alive. Maybe he came here to see what we knew?"

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
"I'm trying not to, Ororo. But I'm realizing that either I take control of my own destiny, or people will do it for me. I've gotten a job - mostly programming and stuff, really light workload but the pay's decent, I'll be working for Ted Kord out of New York. But--" he says, as he wipes wet hair back, "I've also decided that I'd like to become an X-Man, in full. Recent events are pretty solid proof that we all hang together, or we all hang separately."

"Yeah, Lorna," Doug says, "When I reviewed its datafiles I found out it'd been asked for advice six times and it'd been asked out on two dates. Maybe I did too good a job programming it." He sighs. "Of course he's alive--" But then he clams up.

Scott Summers has posed:
"I have to say your CUBE was quite useful," adds Scott, nodding at Doug. "You did a good job with the programming and the sensors. But we could have used your skills to deal with Brainiac. And Illyana told us something was going on with you, but at the moment we had few resources to spare. I am sorry if it took too long to help."

Otherwise he does hope Doug is joking about the robot being asked out on date. Yes, the situation is in the mansion admits all kinds of strangeness, but... damn.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
"That is a good lesson, though I would say, 'Act, do not be forced to react', mhibu." Ororo does take the opportunity to walk into the water slowly before she gives herself fully into the lake. Turning about, blue eyes are still on the gathered.

"I would not doubt that. There is little information to be gained from going to Genosha. There is nothing coming from the Titans, from SHIELD or Avengers. So, he must go to those he knows and understands." Mutants.

Doug's desire to become an X-Man, however, gains a touch of surprise on the wind-rider's tanned face. "We should speak of that while breaking bread. It is a path that is difficult to travel." Still, she doesn't sound completely averse to the idea as her gaze flickers towards Scott to check on his opinion on the matter.

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna blinked in baffled amusement as Doug mentioned that Cube had been asked out twice. A snort of laughter escaped her at that, which she tried to muffle behind a hand as she shook her head. "Damn, Cube gets asked out more than I do." A glance was spared to Scott and then Ororo regarding Doug wanting to join the X-men officially. "Not my call but I don't see why not." She mused, and sat down, making to wipe off the water and sand from her legs next.

"But yes, my father is alive. Along with a good chunk of Genosha. He's not freed yet.. but yeah." She sighed heavily, "So maybe Sabertooth came sniffing around to one.. harass Logan. Two. Talk to Clarice. Three. Maybe test our defenses and see what we knew about my father.. It's all possible for motivations. Hard to say."

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
Doug crosses his arms. "The only way to really know for sure would be to ask Blink - or to ask Sabretooth. Any of us in a hurry to volunteer to do that?" Doug lays a techno-organic finger on his nose, making the nose goes gesture.

"...Mmmm. I wonder if Kitty's father was among the taken. If so, it'd be a load off her mind - but then... Carmen was just Sapiens. Still, there's a chance he might've been scooped up." He thinks about that, for a moment.

Scott Summers has posed:
Scott has heard Doug's request, but he is certainly wary of it. Doug has no combat powers, plus already got 'killed' once. True, good fighting skills and the right weaponry can make up for powers, but he is not sure Doug has those. Definitely something he needs to think about.

"I suppose we will know soon," offers Scott. Communication with the miniaturized cities is possible. And they are in the hands of heroes, right? "I need to get back in, I'll include you into more advanced training sessions Doug. Lets see what you can do, hmm? Good afternoon, Ororo, Lorna."

Logan Howlett has posed:
Logan let the others talk for a bit as he sat in the shallow waters lakeside. His propensity to sink has him occasionally tugging a leg out of the muck, but in general, he seems to be enjoying the cool water. The Canadian always did run a little hot body temperature-wise.

He offers a nod in Scott's direction as he departs. "If anyone is goin' to talk to Creed, better make sure its on the right terms. As in, far away from the school. He cannot be trusted. Guy is more ruled by his instincts then I am."

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
"The funny thing is, Logan - I understand having a feral side--" Doug says, glancing back to him. "But the way Creed behaves... it doesn't actually reflect the behavior of a wolf, or a cat, or any other predatory animal. I mean, the 'Alpha Male' theory about wolf behavior's been pretty totally debunked by this point. And big cats are more than capable of being social - albeit on their own terms."

"Honestly, if you ask me, it's not that he's ruled by his instincts - it's that he's just a *dick*." Doug looks around, and then he peels his sweat-soaked shirt off. "I think I'm going to take a swim. Let me know when I have to report for training, Scott." He turns to find a suitable diving rock to dive into a deeper part of the lake.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
In a hurry, no. Can she avoid his claws, probably.

Probably.

Ororo catches the concern and wariness that lies upon Scott's face, and she flickers her gaze back to Doug. There, it lingers for a few heartbeats. Shifting her position in the water as Logan basically 'resurfaces', and Doug finding a spot, Ororo encourages Lorna again with a wave.

"See you later, Scott," is offered before she returns her attention to those gathered.

"I will do what I can," as usual. "I'm not always an obvious threat." Not always, anyway.

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna glanced to Doug and nodded, "It's possible Kitty's dad is in there. Yeah. We don't exactly know who might be in there or not." It was hard to tell who might've been dead at the hands of the Sentinels or taken into the bottles. They wouldn't know until they figured out how to release them.

She waved at Scott's departing back, and shifted a glance for Logan as he spoke. "See Doug, this is why I equated him to a house cat. They don't have to hunt for food, they do so because they want to. And in general.. cats are dicks." She mused, and exhaled a breath, taking the moment to enjoy the breeze coming off the lake and to take a break from training.

Logan Howlett has posed:
Logan offers a shrug toward Douglas. "I agree with Lorna, take the same house cat that'll kill everythin' that moves for fun, decimatin' whole ecosystems, and mix that with a soldier trained for assassination... And you get Creed. He's ruled by his instincts, but the guy doesn't have a place where he belongs in any ecosystem. Tiger has to 'thrive' in the jungle. Creed just moves on to the next huntin' ground."

He growls lowly, "And 'dick' isn't strong enough of a word. Not by a long shot. Let me tell you some birthday stories sometime..."

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
Doug loses his sneakers, and makes sure he's not going to splash anybody, before he makes a neat dive into the lake. He's a strong swimmer, so he vanishes beneath the water and surfaces elsewhere a few moments later.

"I -- suppose so. But even the feral tomcat that lived in my garage in Salem Center knew enough not to bite the people who fed it."

Ororo Munroe has posed:
That breeze across the water is gently encouraged by the weather goddess as she keeps the balance in check during their time out. Add a touch from the flowers beyond to catch on the wind, and it could mean a very pleasant day indeed, all things considered.

"We don't have to define him in order to know the man is dangerous. He's dangerous to mutants and humans alike, and his motivations must be discovered." It's a statement of immediate purpose as far as she's concerned. "Whether we discover them by asking him, or Clarice, or divine by his actions, I care not."

With that, she dips below the surface for a moment, the only thing left behind is her white mane that still floats above her. She's not down for long before surfacing, however, and with a breath of air, she seems.. a little more renewed. She rises from the water, not by walking but rather by the catch of the wind that draws her out, and she appears to simply be placed upon the shore. There, there's a light wrap, a fabric in brilliant hues, that is wrapped about her.

"I am meeting at that food kitchen tonight. Any who wish to serve is welcome to join me."

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna glance wore a pair of soaked shorts, and a tank-top. The training gloves discarded on the sandy shore beside her. Her hair was still wet, and the towel beside her was damp from where she'd made the attempt to dry off. A water bottle remained in her grip and she sipped at it again as a sigh pulled from her lips. "Fair enough Doug, feral cats have more logic than most." She drawled, and shook her head faintly.

As Ororo dove into the water and resurfaced to leave, the green haired woman waved to her. "I will see what meetings I can move to be there.."

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
"True enough." Doug says, before he pushes his hair back using both hands, and kicks his legs to stay afloat in the water. He vanishes again, resurfacing several feet away. "Hmmmmmn, nice breeze. I can smell the flowers in the gardens."

Bobby Drake has posed:
Bobby comes wandering down toward the lake, a towel slung over his shoulder, a pair of dark blue swim trunks on, and some sandals. He whistles a little bit to himself as he strolls toward the others, smiling when he sees that there are other people there. He lifts a hand in greeting and smiles, "Hey. How's it going?"

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
Doug emerges from the lake, shedding water, before he climbs back up onto the diving rock. "Oh, not bad," He says, turning to face away from the lake. He puts his hands together over his head and kicks off backward, diving into the water, before bobbing back up a moment later. "Just -- cooling off. You just missed Ororo."

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna glanced up as Bobby approached, "You missed Ororo, and Scott. Logan was helping me train in hand to hand combat and that went out the window when Scott started asking details about Sabertooths' recent visits." She grimaced, and set her metal water container down in the sand beside her.

"But otherwise it's a nice day."

Bobby Drake has posed:
"I noticed her heading out on my way down," Bobby says when they both mention that he missed Ororo, smiling a little bit. He kicks off his sandals and spreads out his towel nearby, leaving them next to it before he makes his way over toward the water, wading in up to his hips or so. He raises both brows and says, "Guess that raised some tempers?" he asks, glancing around nd seeing neither Logan nor Scott immediately.

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
Douglas Ramsey says, "Not really." Doug says, bobbing in the water, "Things were downright civil, I'd say." He floats on his back, for now, seemingly content in the moment. But then he sighs, and swims for the shore. "But yes, Creed seems to have both of them a little bit on edge, which is, I guess, what he wanted.""

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna shrugged, "I gave Scott the idea of adding mud to the Danger Room with falling over repeatedly. So I'm sorry there. Logan, has been working with me to train my hand to hand combat skills." She wrinkled her nose and reached up to undo her ponytail and squeeze out the water and retie it back.

"I think Scott was just happy to get training ideas." She mused, and shook her head. "But yeah, with Sabertooth about both of them want to implement curfews for the kids and until we know what he wanted.. that's probably a good idea."

Bobby Drake has posed:
"It's not a terrible idea," Bobby says, not seeming to have any issue with the idea of a curfew in general. "It's not like we haven't been locking down periodically lately for.. dinosaurs, and kidnappings, and anti-mutant sentiments and..." he trails off. There's been a lot lately, and a lot of reason that folks have been made to go out in pairs or be careful going out at all, with fairly good reason. He rubs at his face a little bit. "It's just one thing after another. But yeah, that's cool, about the training ideas. Never hurts to have more varied training options."

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
"Oh, I could write some personalized Danger Room programs for anybody who wanted it." Doug muses. "Sam and Berto won't let me use 'Marble Madness' anymore, though." He seems content to merely float, lazily enough. "They said there was too much madness and too many marbles."