7789/Pete to the Rescue!

Pete to the Rescue!
Date of Scene:	11 September 2021
Location:	Clarice Ferguson's Quarters
Synopsis:	Pete gets Clarice onboard with the program, even if she still can't quite make sense of things.
Cast of Characters:	Clarice Ferguson, Raven Darkholme

---

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Still curled up in Rahne's arms, as the sleepy wolfgirl dozes, Clarice pulls out her phone, wiping the tears from her eyes. She struggles to tap out a message - her brow furrowed with thought as she tries to consolidate her whirling thoughts and confusion into text. Writing is never easy for the young teleporter, but it's a particular struggle at the moment.
    'I don't get it. A boy on the inside?'
    I mean, it doesn't express everything in her mind, but it gets the crux of her struggle across. ... right?

Raven Darkholme has posed:
The younger children have all finished their school work for the day, leaving the older kids to finally do something they want... in this case hanging around watching each other suck at the random play station game. Pete never really played, he didn't like being all grouped up with them in the rec room of the tent, so he was doing what he always did... get outside away from all those minds.

When his phone buzzes he pulls it from his pocket and reads the message.

'What don't you understand? Seems pretty straight forward to me.' And send.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice reads the response - her brow still furrowed, and a deep frown pulling at her lips. How is any of this straight forward? How is he so blase about something like this? It's a while before she can figure out a response - but the response feels pretty inadequate to her.
    'Isn't it all just in her head?'
    There's a far shorter pause before 'Can I come down?' follows.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Pete finds his way over to the benches by the trees that aren't quite tall enough to offer a lot of shade, but they offer a little. He looks at his phone again and says to the air, "Are you fricken kidding me?!"

When the second text comes through he types back, 'Oh I think you better.'

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice wipes at her eyes again, tucking her phone back into her pocket after reading Pete's reply. She hugs Rahne tighter for a moment, planting a gentle kiss on the corner of the wolfgirl's lips before she murmurs, "I'm going to go figure all of this out." Does Rahne even hear her? She figures the other woman's out like a light. After a few more moments breathing in Rahne's scent, she wiggles herself free, opening a portal down to Genosha, and stepping through.
    It doesn't take long for Clarice to find Pete - especially with some of the kids pointing the way. It's probably almost impossible - with her bright green eyes, and magenta hued skin - to see that Clarice has been crying, but her eyes are a little puffy, and she just seems... weary. And worried.
    "Pete," she says as she joins. "I'm trying to figure this out - really. I mean - it seemed so important to Thia. She was so scared. I just- I don't understand it."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
When Clarice approaches, Pete can see that she's been crying, so he stands from the bench to hug her first, then sits back down with her.

"Okay, well... I'll try to help, you know that," he says softly, offering her a smile. He doesn't seem to have any troubles at all talking to Clarice about this, perhaps he's been practicing, or perhaps he is just that comfortable with her already. Likely the second, as he learned a lot about her through Theo.

"What Theo is called is Trans, short for trans sexual. It's not in her head, at all. There're thousands of trans people out there Clare, some without any support system at all, some who will likely kill themselves because they can't be who they really are, and some who have already gone through the process and become the gender they were supposed to be. What is it you're having troubles understanding, exactly?

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice returns the hug gratefully, a few more tears sneaking out despite her efforts to keep her roiling emotions contained. She sits down beside Pete, training her eyes on the boy, trying to absorb everything he says.
    "Trans?" Clarice repeats quietly. There's a word for this? Then other people are going through it too? Though as he says some of them //kill themselves// - she feels a shiver of fear run through her. "No. Thia can't ever-" She balls her hands tightly into fists, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly.
    "I didn't want to say any of this in front of Thia," she admits. "She was so- I don't know. It frightened me, to be honest. I just- She's so important to me, and I want to help her. I want to do the right thing. But I don't understand how it isn't just all in her head? She's been through so much, with mom and dad making her hide her powers, and then- seeing them die...
    "How do we know she isn't just... //unwell//?" she asks uneasily.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
There is a soft sigh from Pete. Yeah, Clarice was having troubles alright, every thing she just said still referred to Cynthia as a her, a she.

"Smart not to say that in front of him," he says bluntly, more forcefully then he has ever been really. "Cause there is nothing wrong with him. Not one dang thing, Clare."

He turns on the bench so he can face her, swinging one long leg over so he was straddling it. "I get that you don't understand this, lots of people don't get it, because it isn't happening to them. All you see if the female body and you think, 'That's a girl' only... the body isn't what makes us a person. Our mind and our spirit are what make us a person. Theo, Theo was born a boy in his mind and spirit, but his body... it's female, it's alien to him. He looks at himself and doesn't see what he 'feels' inside himself. This isn't just a brain disease, you can't medicate or pray it away. It's who he is, through and through, his body just doesn't match."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Thia... Theo's? hurting. I don't want to make that worse," Clarice answers quietly. "I want to help. So... you're saying, he's not crazy... and just needs my support? Doctors would agree with that, too? Psychiatrists and stuff?"
    Picking her words carefully she says, "All I want is for my... sibling to be well, and happy. 'cuz there's no one more important in the world to me. You know that, right? I'm just- I'm trying to figure out the right way to get there, because I don't like seeing them frightened like that."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Pete tilts his head a little, pondering something.

"I can show you exactly what he feels, Clare... if you trust me enough to use my power," he says quietly. "Other wise, you just have to take my word for it, because I've felt what he feels. There are doctors out there who would tell you Theo's crazy, there are those who would help. There are psychiatrists who go two both sides as well, some who try to drug away the depression and say it's not what it is. The science for all this is still being discovered, but the fact is, enough science has been found to prove that this is not a disease, it's not a mental problem. I could give you hundreds of web sites to visit and read, books you could look at and read, doctors you could talk to."

Reaching over he takes her hand, not doing anything with his powers, just holding her hand. "You're with all the parents and siblings of trans people out there Clare, you aren't alone either. There are support groups online, and places you can go to talk to other people who had the same questions you have."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "That might help," Clarice agrees quietly, giving Pete's hand a squeeze. Knowing that she isn't alone - that other people have been blind-sided by this before. "I don't care if I have a brother or a sister. I really don't. I just- I don't want to accidentally do something that somehow makes things worse, instead of better."
    She takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly before asking, "Can you show me, without hearing too much from my own head in return?" she asks. "Because I would like to know - I do want to understand."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Pete offers her a smile, giving her hand a squeeze in return.

"I get it," he says brightly. "You want to do what's right for Theo, that makes you a good sister... never question that. All of these questions, every single one is one that's been asked by siblings and parents out there before. I'll send you a text with all the links, alright?"

He pauses for a moment, then says slowly, "I can touch you without reading any of your thoughts, this is... isn't reading you, it's sharing. I know you're really touchy about it, and I totally understand, I do, I don't want to do anything that will upset or bother you."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Okay. That'll help," Clarice agrees, lifting her free hand to wipe at her eyes. Seeing Thia so rattled and vulnerable had shook her pretty hard. But they'd find their way through this. ...right?
    "I trust you, Pete. You know that, right?" Squeezing his hand she adds, "You can show me. I really want to understand - I need to."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Pete nods, "Yeah, I know you do... but still wanted to make sure before I did anything."

Reaching up slowly, he places a hand on either side of her head, then leans to look into her eyes. "It might be a little jarring, because you'll see everything though his eyes and feel what he feels.... okay? Ready?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Okay," Clarice agrees. She blinks before asking, "You're sure Theo won't mind us doing this?" she asks uncertainly.
    Hey. At least she realized //before// it happened that she might be invading her sisters- well, brother's? privacy.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
"I'm sure," Pete replies. "He asked me if I'd be willing to do it before, and I told him yes. I'm always willing. Theo just didn't think you'd let me."

(OOC Disclosure: This may not be accurate or match the reality of this situation, but I will try and do not mean to offend, degrade or belittle any aspect of this situation)

Closing his eyes, he concentrates for a moment. In that moment Clarice stops being Clarice, and becomes Cynthia standing in front of a mirror. Pete is there in the background silent, but his presence can be felt.

As Cynthia is looking in the mirror, Clarice can /feel/ with every fiber of her being the hatred and disgust of that body reflected back, how wrong it is. It's a perfectly good body, but it's the /wrong/ body. There shouldn't be breasts or defined hips, there should be a flat chest with hair, maybe only a little but it should be there!

Cynthia won't even look toward the genitalia because she... HE knows he won't see what should be there. In his mental mind he can close his eyes and he SEES himself as he's supposed to be, and it feels so right, it brings real joy to his heart. With his eyes closed he can pretend for that moment that the image in the mirror is what it should be, but the minute he opens his eyes, there it is again, the wrong body and he wants to carve it up himself to remove what shouldn't be there, it would be a start, no more breasts!

Pete stops him from doing that, and then the feelings all fade and Clarice is Clarice again.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice's breath catches in her throat - and when she comes out of the momentary vision of her sis- sibling's life, she's breathing raggidly, with tears streaming down her cheeks. Just the thought of Cynthia cutting at her own body... "It's that bad?" she asks quietly. "...all the time?"
    She wipes at her eyes as she asks, "How do we give her a boy's body though? How do we fix this? Thia- Theo's in this much pain?" And she hid it from their parents? Hid it from her, until now? "...you're the only one she ever told? She was- He was alone with this?" //How//?

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Pete has to take a moment to bring himself back to center and not go projecting thoughts into anyone. That's the hardest part for him, recentering but he's getting better at it.

"Sometimes he can pretend," he says as he opens his eyes. "But most of the time, yeah... that's how he feels." He pulls a little portable pack of Kleenex from his pocket and offers it to Clarice.

"Theo would never have told me himself, not out right. The first time I lost my shit all over and he jumped in to snap me out of it..." he blushes a little now. "I didn't mean to invade his mind, but... after that, after I knew, I helped him as much as I could. Me knowing, it made it a little easier for him, but he's still afraid, every day. Most people out there ask that question Clare, 'Isn't she just sick?' and that scares the hell out of him... cause he's not. I don't know about the new body, there are gender reassignment surgeons out there, but I don't know if they'll help a mutant trans or not."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Because it doesn't make sense!" Clarice answers, though does it really matter if her sister is 'sick' or not? She's in //pain.// How does this even //happen//? She wipes at her eyes, and blows her nose, with her mind still whirling.
    She can't leave them in that much pain. Thia, or Theo, it didn't matter to her. She just wants to stop the pain. "After- after they have surgery, though, they feel better? It helps these trans people? Because, fuck, if that's what it takes - I'll find someone. I will," she insists fiercely.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Pete scoots a little closer and lays his hand on Clarice's shoulder.

"Those answers are from the web sites and people who've been through it, their families who went through it with them and even family who didn't, who fought against it. You need to read it all Clare, so you can begin to understand why. I'm a telepath, but I can't tell you how the human mind works, only that there are part s of it that we don't even use. Science can't explain the why or how it happens, and they've been trying to for a long time now."

He pulls his phone out now and sends the list he's put together in a text to her. "In the end, doesn't matter how it happens or why it happens... it happened. At this point, what happens next it up to you. Talk to Theo, read those sights, talk to other people you can... but you know what's going on in his head now. You know what he feels. That goes a long way to helping him through it."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "You know I hate reading, right?" Clarice protests weakly - forcing a wry smile. It's an attempt at humor - even if it is a poor one. For something this important? She'll figure it out. "I, ummm... I guess I need to find a way to talk to people who've had this surgery. To see if it helped," she agrees.
    "Thi- ...Theo's all I have," she murmurs quietly, seemingly incognizant to how patently false that statement is. "This is kinda scary," she admits. She takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly as she adds, "Thank you for being there for... him. And for helping me."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Pete offers a smile and a slight shrug. "Theo's been there for me since he got here," he offers. "I'll be there for him for anything he needs, and you now. You're my sister, I was informed this adamantly by Theo, so it must be true, right?" He grins a little.

"A couple of the links have numbers you can call to talk to people, I've called them myself to make sure. If you need help reading the stuff, I'll bet Theo would help. He really wants to make this easier for you, which is really silly to me since he's the one going through all this."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I thought I'd gained a sister," Clarice admits. "Then I thought I'd gained two sisters and a brother. ...turns out it was two brothers and a sister. There's no keeping up with it." She's silent a moment before asking, "Was... he texting you more? After we'd finished talking?" Clarice asks curiously, hesitating a little over the pronoun. Was Theo texting with Pete - while she was snuggling with Rahne?

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Pete tries very hard to look some where else, obviously so really, even though he doesn't mean it to be so obvious. "Well... yeah," he mutters. "A... a little, all night really, but we're always texting each other."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Well... You guys should," Clarice agrees. "And you guys can keep all the secrets you want, or need. I wouldn't pry. It's good she-" Why do pronouns have to make this so hard, and confusing? "...he has someone to confide, and I wouldn't want you to betray that trust. But you can always talk to me too, yeah? Anytime." She dabs at her eyes some more with the kleenex - and blows her nose again. God she's a mess.
    "Did Theo tell you about the party for Lydia?"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Pete nods, really glad for that change in subjects. He keeps secrets, all of them, because when he accidently reads someone's mind he knows what he heard or read wasn't meant for anyone, not even him.

"Yeah, Lydia's celebrating something really big, but she didn't say what... I didn't ask either," he replies. "He said we need nice suits for this, and that I didn't have a choice... so I guess I'm getting a new suit to celebrate something for Lydia."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "That's the gist," Clarice agrees. "She's joining a witch's coven. It's apparently a big deal, and she's apparently more powerful than we realized," she explains, shrugging her shoulders. "So I figured we'd start off with a fancy dinner at some world class restaurant somewhere. With music and dancing - and then move on from there. Possibly a whole world-hopping celebration." Having a teleporter along helps with that. "...I'm open to celebration ideas."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Pete's eyes light up. "Wait, you need help planning a party to celebrate her joining a coven? Okay... so a party of celebration," he hmmms, looking really excited. "Okay, here's what you do. You find a nice restaurant or a club, and rent out their best room for a good meal, get a band if it's a restaurant, and after dinner dancing. Or, OH OH!" he bounces slightly.

"You could take her to a strip club! Wait, then Theo and I can't go... Hmmm..." he puts his thinking cap back on. "Definitely a good dinner, there's lots of places that you can rent their back rooms for private parties. After that though, it's after that... I mean dancing always works, but since you're dealing with a couple of teens, alcohol becomes a problem... and you adults always have so many issues with teens drinking."

This is where he pauses and looks back at Clarice, "Um... there's a lot of things you could do, it just all depends on how many people will be there, if you want to send the teens home at some point and /really/ party or what."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice smiles in amusement - even lets out a quiet laugh at the thought of dragging Theo and Pete to a strip club. Sooooo not happening. "Look - if you want //a drink// I'm not stopping you. But if I send you home drunk, Kelly will kill me," she points out.
    Then again. ...Pete could spend the night on the asteroid.
    "...just don't over do-it," she mutters under her breath. "And we might send you guys home eventually. But since Lydia's the biggest-sister, I imagine she'll want //all// of her siblings there for at least a good chunk. I've just never planned a party like this before," she admits, scuffing her feet at the floor.
    "I mean, I figure it'll be me, you, Theo, Mystique, Rahne, and Lydia, of course. I suppose there could be others, but..." Who? She'll see if Mystique has anyone to add to the guest-list. "Probably a pretty small group, though."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Another hmmm escapes Pete as he nods, soaking in this new information.

"Okay, so family celebration. That would be dinner at a nice place, reserve the best table in the place, choose the best wine for the adults. After dinner, the choices become a dance club, which some let teens in, or walk on the water front in New York, or a movie, oh! The theater! I could take her to a play, I mean if you think she'd like that..." he suddenly realizes he doesn't know much about Lydia.

"Well, there's some ideas anyway, you know her better than I do." He ends on that.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I mean - could be New York. Or London. Or Paris. Or Dubai..." Clarice points out with an amused grin. Her brow wrinkles in thought as she adds, "Lydia might like the theater, actually," she admits. Then adds, "...I've actually never been to a play. Have you, before?" As soon as she asks it she realizes - given everything she knows of Pete's past - it seems likely he might not have, and she winces. She hopes it wasn't a stupid question.
    "You could drink at a private dinner - but probably not a club or anything," she points out.
    Maybe they do the lot. Early dinner, a play, and then hit a fancy club? Or is that pushing it?

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Pete shakes his head, "Nah, never been to a play, unless you count the one the kids put on last year... which I would not. They did pretty good, but..." he shakes his head again. "... it was kids."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Do you want to go to a play?" Clarice asks, giving Pete a nudge with her shoulder. Does Cynth- ...Theodore? She'd have to ask.
    "And when do you want to go shopping for a suit?" she asks. "Sooner might be better. In case we need to do any alterations to make you look your snazziest." She's more worried about alterations to make //Theo// look their snazziest - to be honest.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Pete nudges back, "I'd like to see a play some day, yes... but this is for Lydia." He grins. "Tomorrow would be the best day to shop, that gives the tailor time to make alterations if they're needed." He glances toward the tent. Exactly thirty seconds later a literal herd of children explode out the flap.

"They've escaped," he says plainly.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "It is," Clarice agrees. "But if Lydia likes plays then - well. Two birds with one stone, right?" she remarks a bit teasingly.
    She watches the children stampede out onto the lawn - a smile on her lips as one of them, in particular, runs with more ease than they used to. That was one good deed... Even if she hadn't, exactly, been the one to do it.
    "Do you want to go up and check in on Theo in person?" she asks. "...he's doing alright, yeah? Did- can you tell me if, well, if telling me made things better for him?"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Pete chews a little at the inside of his cheek, seeming to debate something in his head then slowly nods.

"Yeah, I can tell you that," he offers then smiles. "Telling you made it better, even if you're freaked out. He was terrified you'd send him back here, but I knew you wouldn't. You don't even want the rest of to be here, so I knew you'd never send him back. He needed to tell you, and now we'll get you both through it."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice nods - giving Pete a grateful smile. "I'm glad it helped - and I'm glad she- he told me. I mean, I thought that stupid photo album said it. Theo's stuck with me. Both of you are, and nothing will change that," as long as they're all breathing. She gives Pete an abrupt hug - then rises to her feet. "I'm gonna... go start reading through all these links, I guess. Maybe call some of these numbers. If you wanted to go up and hang with Theo... I mean. I'm here, might as well give you a life, yeah?"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Pete nods and stands up, "I do. I think he needs me... that's alright? I can go up, maybe stay the night?" He looks both anxious and concerned at the same time. "Kelly won't mind."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Pete, you're welcome as often as you like," Clarice promises. She glances around, and if she can spot Kelly - she'll gesture to her, and indicate Pete, before the pair of them disappear.
    Otherwise, she can send the woman a text from the asteroid, so she doesn't worry, or wonder.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Kelly just waves back to Clarice, already knowing that if Clarice is around, Pete likely won't be for long. That's all the more she needed to know, one less kid to deal with for the night.

Pete shrugs a little, "I don't want to be a bother, you know that." And then they are gone.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "You could never be a bother, brother." Yes, the humor is terrible - but the sentiment is true. Clarice gives Pete //another// hug - and while she's doing that, the pair blink out of existance to reappear in the shared living room. No need for a proper portal when there's hugs involved.