7680/It's my birthday and it'll rain if I want to

It's my birthday and it'll rain if I want to
Date of Scene:	03 September 2021
Location:	Swimming Pool / Patio Deck
Synopsis:	Ororo hosts her own birthday party at the pool, Laxmi, Rogue and Rahne, as well as many others show up and enjoy the sun and rain.
Cast of Characters:	Ororo Munroe, Rogue, Laxmi Mallick, Rahne Sinclair

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Ororo Munroe has posed:
    The small blutooth speaker sits near the grill and the song bumping out of it is Hey Ya by Outkast, the old hip hop seems to really be jiving with the birthday girl, as she stands next to the grill, wearing a white one piece swimsuit and her hair cascades down to her shoulders, still not yet wet hinting that she hasn't been in the pool yet.

    Ororo has a hand up in the air and the other on a pair of tongs as she flips a patty over and then rolls across one of the hot dogs. Simple labor day weekend kind of food that she knows most everyone will agree upon, and even a few choice impossible-burger pattys, knowing Laxmi could show up at any time, and other vegetarians might show up so she is prepared. The woman is dancing in place, her straw shoes clapping softly on the not too hot not too cool pool surface.

    The sun is shining, but there are clouds thick and poised to rain at any time, not because Storm is upset, but because she's on record for saying that there's nothing like swimming in the rain. Even flying in the rain doesn't cut it. So its her birthday, she'll have it how she wants.

Rogue has posed:
The sound of a dog barking can be heard coming from the lake area, and from the trees two things emerge. One is Rogue flying through the air about 10 feet off the ground and the other is her dog, Jeepers chasing her and barking at her. He's watching her fly and jumping up at her as she teases him and glides around in the air with a stick in her hand, getting the dog to chase her as she soars around.

Ultimately Rogue is on her way to the pool area though, and when she arrives she drops out of the sky and does a flipping cannonball in to the pool causing a big splash!

Jeepers runs around the pool now hopping and barking at the water where his Rogue'ums went! Bark bark bark bark!

Eventually, Rogue comes up out of the water, wearing a bikini top and a pair of denim cut off jeans shorts. She walks up out of the pool and slicks her hair back behind her shoulders with her hands as she sheds water and smiles at the dog, offering him the stick,.

"Happy birthday, Stormy." Rogue says over to the other woman.

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    Laxmi does indeed arrive - the dusky-skinned woman dressed in a brightly colored bikini top with tightly fitted board shorts in black, pink, and orange. In her hand she carries a gift bag with a floral pattern, and over her shoulder is slung a beach towel, as she makes her way over towards Storm at the grill. "Ororo!" she calls in a bright voice. "Namaste, and happy birthday." She presses her hands together briefly in a traditional greeting, before gesturing with the bag in her hands. "Where should I leave this?" she asks, looking around for a convenient place to put it, before glancing up at the sky.
    "If we're expecting a bit of rain.... under one of the tables, perhaps, instead of on it?" she suggests with amusement, a broad smile pulling her lips into a smile.
    She turns her head towards Rogue to watch the woman dive into the water, while the dog leaps and barks at the edge of the pool.
    "Ah, go ahead. Jump in and get her!" she encourages the pup.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
    "Namaste, to you too!" Ororo says, her smile showing how joyful she is on this particular day, though she seems to shift a bit more sorrowful when a present is offered and mentioned. "I should have said to make a donation, but no, presents are nice, and yes, under the table or toss it on the nearest surface inside. Rain is in the forcast." The weather goddess says with a knowing smile and a playful wink before she looks over her shoulder at Rogue.

    With a less than subtle nudge of her hip, the wind picks up slightly to tease at Jeepers' fur, maybe encourage the dog just a bit to jump in and soak up that water to make Rogue's room that much stinkier later tonight.

    "Thank you for the wishes and greetings!" Ororo replies with a smirk as she flips over another patty and rolls another hot dog over. "Don't worry Laxmi, I have a veggie burger just for you. Multiple even if you're feeling like overeating."

Rogue has posed:
Rogue is holding the stick up out of the water at her dog who is trying to grab it and chew on it with his teef! She's grinning as she hears the others talking and encouraging the pup to jump in. "He won't. He's scared of the drain." The Belle says of her dog as she stands i nthe shallow end of the pool, up to her waist in the water, the rest of her out and dripping wet. She looks over at Lax and Storm, smiling at them. "I got you a blanket, Stormy." Rogue says. "I'll bring it to ya here in a bit. It's upstairs. Handmade. It's reeeeally soft. I figured ya probably need'em in that attic room here come a few weeks from now...."

AS she's saying this she pulls the stick back fro the yellow lab dog and he just jumps in to the water after it and splashes her! Rogue recoils and gasps, then laughs at the dog.

Rahne Sinclair has posed:
Rahne is near the pool, but she TOTALLY forgot that it was Storm's birthday. She's this hard to notice person sometimes, and she kind of stays low to avoid dog spray. But also to keep from being seen. She isn't ready, she didn't come prepared!

Oh wait. She can go get the thing, for the thing with the stuff! She looks at them, then she shifts to wolf form and dashes toward the mansion.

She's inside for all of two seconds before she comes out the next door over, a paper bag in her jaws. She speeds back, making all kinds of noise, and slides to a stop in front of Ororo.

paper bag delivery yo!

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    "I could also happily make a donation," Laxmi agrees readily. "What charities do you support?" she asks curiously, as she carries the gift over to a nearby table, tucking it safely away and dropping her towel into place near it. After all - what good is a //wet// towel?
    As the pup jumps in, Laxmi lets out a laugh of delight. "I suppose he isn't so afraid after all! Good on him!" And a moment later - a red blur goes streaking past. "...was that Miss Sinclair?" she asks curiously. The reappearance of the wolf-like being confirms it, and she greets the girl with hands pressed together. "Namaste, Miss Sinclair. And you as well, Rogue," she offers with warmth, before making her way towards the stairs that enter the pool.
    Does it surprise anyone that she steps into the water with poise, rather than cannonballing in?

Ororo Munroe has posed:
    Ororo is still grill side, in her simple one piece swimsuit on, and a pair of metal tongs that she refuses to 'click click' when not working with them. She isn't known as a cook, but it's something she enjoys doing for the people she enjoys. And as of today, her birthday, there are very few people she wont give a second, third, or even fourth chance to.

    Smiling over at Rogue and letting her soft blue eyes linger on the scene in the pool. "Rogue dear, come take my place, I'd like to take a dip for once." The X-man says with a gentle wink, trying to slightly guilt trip the younger woman into helping. Maybe she wants to play with the dog more than swim, but she doesn't have to tell anyone that.

    Stopping in a halt when Rahne reappears in front of her, Ororo reaches down and might playfully rub at Rahne's head between her ears as if she were an actual dog too, taking the paper bag in hand she smiles, "You didn't have to get me anything, but I very much appreciate it." Then she turns her attention to Laxmi as she sets the paper bag gift beneath the table next to the one Laxmi put there and she grins, standing up straight and making sure her swimsuit is properly set on her frame. "Oh, it's silly, but I actually quite like donating to Child's Play. Thank Hambone for that idea."

Rogue has posed:
Rogue continues to toy around with her dog and the stick that they had from the lake. She glances over at Rahne as she runs past, then runs back a few moments later. "No runnin' by the pool." She says in a very not-meaning-it tone of voice, a smile on her lips before she looks to Lax getting in the pool. "This dog is fulla surprises. Can't be predicted. Like me." She states with a smirk.

The stick is tossed to the edge of the pool and Jeepers swims after it, his doggie head up above the blue hued water.

"Sure thing, sugh." Rogue states then to Storm as she raises up out of the water, shedding it back down in to the pool off of her body as she flaots toward the edge and then steps on to the patio around the pool. She pads on bare feet toward the grill, biting down on her bottom lip as she surveys the food cooking, reaching for a spatula... "Tasty..." The Belle surmizes.

Rahne Sinclair has posed:
Rahne becomes herself again the moment she's scruffled, which ends with Ororo's hand on top of her human head. She may have done that on purpose. "It be tea!" she says, her clothing reappearing. Which is so much better than it used to be, when she'd have to dash off and re-dress herself.

"Ah wanted tae ...oh, ah'm sorry Ms Laxmi, Rogue." She grins, then backs off a bit so the others can be in place. She just enjoys giving gifts, it's the best part of Xmas!

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    "You have absolutely nothing to apologize for, my dear! Tea is such a lovely gift, with so much meaning and steeped in tradition for many around the world," Laxmi replies brightly, flashing Rahne another of her smiles, before she turns her attention to whistling to Jasper, trying to coax the dog closer. She wades in the shallows towards the pup, scratching happily at Jasper's head, before she tries to prise the stick free and toss it for the dog to pursue once more.
    "I'll come enjoy one of those veggie burgers in a little bit - and I'll be sure to send a donation to Child's Play," she remark - before dunking herself fully into the pool. She stands back up, with water streaming down her back from her hair.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
    The first drop is cold to the touch, and the second more so, but Ororo's arms flair out wide as she walks away, falling visibly and metaphorically into her happiest place. The cloud overhead blocks the sun just so, and the rain begins to come down not heavily, but briskly. It's a very refreshingly cool rain fall, and Ororo raises her chin to the sky and smiles as she lifts off the ground, her flip flops barely hanging on her toes as she defies gravity itself and hovers just barely off the pool decking.

    She mouths something to herself, but slowly she opens her fully white eyes with a shock as they snap open and she seems different, dangerous. Predatory. But that passes in an instant and she's back to enjoying the world and the weather as she finally touches the pool water and sashays her hips on the way to fully getting wet up to her shoulders and then bloops into the depths to come up moments later, again, lifting up through the water unnaturally with her hair stuck long and wet to her back. "Thank you all of you, you're all prescious and important to me. You're my family."

Rogue has posed:
Rogue listens to the music playing near to the grill and does her best to flip the food when it looks to be in need. She's not the best cook, but she's pretty good at it, and had a lot of experience this summer out here no less. When a couple kids come running up from the yard and reach for plates, Rogue flashes them both a smile and talks for them for a bit, offering them food when they tell her what they want. She reaches for some drinks for them and sends them on their way to the tables.

Its then that the rain starts and Rogue looks up, feeling the droplets hitting her bare skin. "Storm, ya sure know how to build ambience." The Belle says with a glance back to see Lax and Jeepers playing together which has her smiling. But a look is sent to Rahne. "How ya been, Rahney?" Rogue asks out of conversational desire.

Rahne Sinclair has posed:
Rahne closes her eyes and leans her head back, taking the rain as the gift that it is. She does need watering after all, in order to get her growth.

She opens her eyes as she's spoken to, and grins first to Laxmi. She and Ms Ororo are having a lot of fun, so she turns to Rogue. "Well...prettttty good," she says, kind of blushing. "Ah mean, kinda very good." So hiding something. "OH! Ms Ororo thinks ah might make a good counselor here. Ah mean, why not? Ah'be been through a lot m'self, earned a place maybe."

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    Claiming the stick from the pup, and tossing it for a second time - just as the rain because to splatter down - Laxmi smiles and turns her gaze up towards the stormclouds. She's with Ororo on this - there //is// something to be said about swimming in the rain, as long as lightning isn't expected.
    She lays back in the water, going spread eagled and floating as she stares up into the stormy sky, letting the rain drip on and around her.
    "This is the life," she rermarks to no one in particular. "Isn't it?"

Ororo Munroe has posed:
    Floating just above the pool, looking like a goddess briefly with her eyes once again fully milk white. She doesn't mention family again, not wanting to sound like that silly car movie, but she hovers over Laxmi on her way back to the grill and watching the kids and Rogue with a motherly sort of feel about the whole thing. They're hers, she'll protect them to her last words, and she'll help impart all the wisdom and life lessons she can in the mean the mean time.

    "I think both of you could be great counselors, but only you showed interest, Rahne." Ororo explains as she drips onto the pavement and smiles probably too much, but it's such a happy day, "What about you Rogue, what do you want to be when you grow up?"

Rogue has posed:
Rogue smiles at the response that Rahne gives her, though her eyes are down on the food still as she puts some new stuff on and takes the cooked stuff off to set under the protective covers fromt he rain. "You'd be a ballin' Counselor." She tells the Scot. "You could speak t'Kitty about it too t'get some veteran pointers." Veteran pointers from a girl who just turned 20 (oops)! Kitty's had a weird life...

At the question, Rogue looks back to Storm's location and smirks at her. "I'm gettin' my teachin' degree, you know this. I'm gonna be here, for liiiiife." Or so she hopes. "I wanna teach French class here, come next fall." She's fluent in French, most of everyone who knows her well would know this.

Jeepers continues to swim around in the pool with the big stick in his mouth, though he's headed for the stairs now...

Rahne Sinclair has posed:
Rahne reaches for a bun, hoping for meat to go on it. She's never leaned vegetarian, not with the Wolf to deal with. It just never made sense. "Thank ye, everyone. Dinnae honestly think ah be ready t' teach yet, but...hey, if Rogue can do it."

Wait, did she just joke? She did, she teased Rogue! "Meat please!"

Ooh, girl's so asking for it.

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    After a short time spent floating, Laxmi drops her legs back into the water so she can stand, and she makes her way to the stairs, climbing out shortly after the pup. She joins the others near the grill, asking in a cheery tone, "Can I get one of the veggie burgers, please?"
    Once she has one - she starts decking it out with lettuce, tomatoes, and other fixings - before taking a seat perched back against one of the tables. "You're going to go into counseling, Ms. Sinclair?" she asks. "That's a noble calling, and I'm sure the students will appreciate it."

Ororo Munroe has posed:
    "Kitty and Rahne are both twenty..." Ororo muses softly to herself and frowns for a brief moment and looks to Laxmi, Rahne and Rogue in no particular order, "Well, I'd like to announce today the aniversary of my twenty seventh birthday, and that's as old as I'll ever be." She says with a devilish smile as she crosses her arms beneath her chest and can't help but watch the way Laxmi prepares her own burger. Something the teacher likes to do is to make sure she knows how everyone likes their food prepared. So if the situation ever comes up, she can take care of things on her own.

    "It's very admirable." Storm agrees, in a tone that is much like a proud mother, "It's going to be difficult working and taking college classes at the same time, but she can do it, you both can." Ororo says, giving a weighted look towards Rogue, and then a coy smile to Laxmi, hoping the other teacher will catch her drift.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue serves up a veggie burger for Lax upon request, giving her some of the cooked veggies from the plate to go with it, kabob style with some on sticks too! She glances over at Jeepers to see him dragging the stick over to the kids to play with them at their table as they eat. Rahne's joke has her smirking at the Scotish woman. "Harsh. I'mma remember that one for a looong time, Rahney." The Belle responds to her before glancing at Storm.

"I'm mostly just doin' my classes on my laptop, have been for a while now. I think it kinda flies under the radar. It lets me focus on other stuff more, like last summah I had that job at the car hop, and now I'm doin' the... grocery shoppin' and so forth... or what have ya. Whatever people want me t'go t'town for. Which I've been enjoyin' the hell outta. IT's nice t'have reasons t'get outta the house durin' the day."

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    "I suppose we all contribute in our own ways," Laxmi remarks, as Rogue talks about her status as the local errand-runner. "I can see how that sort of work would fit in well with online courses. But I think it's important to always keep an open mind about all the ways one can contribute to the wellbeing of others around them. Though not to your own detriment."
    After fixing up her burger, she actually starts by nibbling at some of the grilled vegetables, letting out a contented sound. "Everything tastes better off a barbeque, doesn't it?"

Ororo Munroe has posed:
    "Okay, move over." Ororo says, stepping up and with a wet slap, her hip bumps into Rogue, as she tries to take the reigns of the day back by grabbing for the spatula, "You tell me what you want, and be prepared." Storm says with a gleeful smile, and a glance up to the sky as the cloud begins to move away and the rain softens to a sprinkle and finally the sunshine is back but not over bearing.

    "I want you to enjoy the day too." Ororo winks and blows a kiss using the stolen barbeque hard ware. "You are quite right Laxmi, twice. But we don't want people getting over worked or having a poor balance between work and play. We have to have play."

Rogue has posed:
Bumping in to Rogue can be like trying to hip bump a brick wall, unless she plays along. And in this instance she plays along and yields the station back to Storm. She grins at her. "I just wanna grab some'a those kabobs and I'll be good." She states as she leans down to grab a lemonade for herself out of the little fridge by the cooking station.

When she straightens again she twists the cap off and takes a sip from it. "Lots'a play." She confirms to what Ororo says, with a look toward Laxmi whilst walking now toward the table to sit down in one of the open chairs. She looks up at the sunshine for a moment, letting it warm her face before she looks back around the yard. "God willin' there won't be no more alien attacks any time soon neither..." She mutters before sipping her sweet drink again.

Rahne Sinclair has posed:
"God willing," Rahne agrees, then makes the sign of the cross on her chest. She then eats the last bite of her burger, having been silent a moment due to full mouth disease, and lowers her head to pray.

It doesn't last long. She proceeds to drop her trousers, standing in a swimsuit, and walks to the poolside. where she..dives in, underwater. Wait, when did she learn to swim?

Well, from the way she dove, she probably can't. But you know, doggypaddling is an option.

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    "Well, which is why one must always be mindful of your own wellbeing. You can do yourself harm otherwise, and then who are you really helping?" Laxmi asks. She takes another bite of the vegetables, then reaches into the fridge to secure a drink for herself, as well, before she'll join Rogue at one of the tables.
    "We should all be grateful for days like this - with friends, and good food, and a pool... We're blessed." And hopefully not a target for further alien invasion.
    Her gaze shifts towards Rahne, watching the younger woman leap into the pool while she continues to enjoy her meal.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
    "Yes. I agree." Ororo states from almost no where and cryptically almost, knowing it could be a perfect response to any of the before stated phrases, and as such, she leaves it at that. It's an answer to all of them. Reaching over and picking up a hot dog bun and placing her weiner in it and then covering it in relish and mustard, Ororo takes a moment to close her eyes, open her mouth and savor the savory lunch.

    Eyes still closed she uses her thumb to scrape her mouth and cheek clean before sucking on her thumb briefly and smiling, blushing slighly hoping no one saw the way she eats her hot dogs when she's in such a pleased mood.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue picks up her phone off of the table while the others talk, her stuff had been lying there the whole time (why else is she in swimwear?!). She spends a moment tapping away on the screen and when she sets her phone down she has a little knowing grin on her lips.

She totally watches Storm and her sloppy dog eating before just shaking her head softly side to side. Another pull is taken from the lemonade bottle, before the double french doors to the east wing of the school open up and a full on birthday cake is being brought out by some of the Senior girls that have candles lit upon it. They start to sing 'Happy Birthday' to Storm and Rogue is soon to join in, standing up from her chair too!


Jeepers runs by and jumps in the pool again with his stic!

Rahne Sinclair has posed:
Rahne is underwater when the cake arrives. She comes up, and ...NOOOoooooo! "Wait!" she calls out, too late, too quiet. Oh no, she's gonna miss the most important part!

She makes her way to the edge of the pool, kinda calling, "Habby blurble," as she dogpaddles, then she pulls herself out and....oh, god, so late.

"Happybirthdaytoyou!" she sings, a few seconds off the pace but with all her heart.

Nobody laugh.

Laxmi Mallick has posed:
    Laxmi is happy to join into the singing - effortlessly harmonizing to the song, and sparing an amused smile for poor Rahne's antics. But she doesn't laugh - she wouldn't dream of it. As the song completes, she claps her hands, and remarks with amusement, "You know - in India, many families have a tradition of 'cake feeding.' Where the birthday girl must cut the cake and feed everyone by hand - before everyong returns the gesture for the birthday girl."
    Random bit of Indian cultural trivia there.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
    "Thank you everyone!" Ororo says with a deep blush on her cheeks and she opens her arms wide, wanting to drag everyone into a deep hug, and she actually does so. Despite her wet hair, skin and swimsuit, Ororo is very purposefully giving everyone a heartfelt hug. Not to get them wet, though that is an added bonus, she really is showing her love to those around her, making her feel special.

    Looking towards Laxmi, she can't help but lower her eyes in a slight defiance, "Only if you're the first one to give me cake." The weather witch says with a coy look on her face that remains there only for the briefest of moments, and even a look of thank you is given towards Rahne. "You're all too much."