7986/Welcome to the self pity party.

Welcome to the self pity party.
Date of Scene:	26 September 2021
Location:	Central Nexus
Synopsis:	Clarice comes and visits Lydia to talk to her about the recent operation to rescue Mystique. Lydia wallows in self pity, then Rahne stops by to keep her company.
Cast of Characters:	Lydia Dietrich, Clarice Ferguson, Rahne Sinclair

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Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Jasmine was very adamant about Lydia going back to her quarters while she works on healing Mystique. This is due to the woman hovering and fretting over every little thing that's happening to her lover and Jasmine just has had enough of it. So Lydia just sitting at her desk, staring blankly at the screen of her laptop, having promised herself that she'd do something to distract herself but failing that promise miserably.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice has a lot on her plate - she's working her way through a mental checklist and yes, Lydia is one of those things on that lists. Maybe reducing your nearest and dearest to a checklist wasn't ideal, but on days like this...
    Changed out of her tactical gear into some comfortable pants and a t-shirt, and with her left arm swathed in bandages to cover her healing burns, she raps on the outside of Raven's door. "Lydia?" she asks, pressing the button beside the door. "It's Clarice."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia is snapped out of her daze when Clarice comes calling. "Yeah, come in!" She calls out. She's still wearing her tactical gear, not having thought about getting out of it. Her brain is firmly in the medical center where Mystique is, laying and getting healed.

When Clarice comes in she turns around in her chair and gives her a half hearted smile. "Hey." she says. "How's the arm?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Numb. Which, believe me, is an improvement," Clarice responds, moving towards Lydia to give her a one-armed hug, after the door has slid open to admit her. "Raven couldn't be in better hands than Jasmine's, you know," she adds quietly.
    "...how're you?" she asks, a little concern managing to creep into her tone.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia laughs bitterly, "Numb. Like your arm," she says. "I don't know what to do. This is the first time I've ever loved anybody like I do Raven, and this is the first time somebody I've loved has been injured as badly as she has." She shakes her head. "I don't know what to do. I feel so helpless."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice is silent for a short time, her arm still around Lydia as she considers her response. "I wouldn't leave Rahne's side. You remember? Raven had to keep showing up - ordering me to eat, and shower, and sleep in a bed... So. I've been there, myself. Or at least in the vacinity, yeah?"
    She wears a tight, wry smile as she adds, "I guess I'll have to be Raven, this time, and make sure you look after yourself while she's recovering."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia snorts and nods. "Yeah, I remember. You've been there." She takes a breath and nods. "I promise to make it easy on you, so you don't have to kick my butt that often." She sniffles a bit and wipes a tear from her eye, "I almost lost her, Clarice. You should have seen the state she was in when we pulled her out of that pit."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I saw," Clarice said grimly, and just remembering causes a surge of anger as she grits her teeth at the memory. She will continue tearing down these 'Mutant Police' until the last loyal soldier is dead. "But we got to her in time."
    She lets out a sigh before she adds, "You know you shouldn't have run off like that... right? In the middle of the mission?"

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia winces at the admonishment. "I know. I was... you and Mister Creed had everything under control. I didn't really need to be there, and when I heard that they got her I... just wanted to be there for her. To make sure she got out."

Tears start leaking out of her eyes. "I shouldn't go the next time you all go out on a mission," she concludes.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Probably," Clarice agrees. "Mister Creed and I work well as a team. My greater concern was that you could be caught unawares by someone. The site wasn't fully under control yet, and you have the least combat experience out of everyone that was out there. You can't move without someone watching your back, alright?" Her tone remains calm, and mild. She doubts very much that getting any harsher with Lydia would be beneficial. Especially not right now.
    "It also split my focus when you ran off like that," she points out. "Because then I started worrying about you, rather than dealing with the situation in front of me."
    That right arm, still wrapped around Lydia, gives her a little squeeze. "We're lucky it all worked out, and I understand wanting to be with her. But your safety was on me out there. It was my op. If anything had happened..."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
"I know," Lydia says morosely. "Even more reason why I should go. You shouldn't have to worry about me in those situations and I... I don't have the kind of viciousness you need. I can't. I'm just not built that way and you need people who can get things done."

She worms her way out of Clarice's embrace, suddenly disgusted with the armor that she's wearing. She starts furiously trying to unstrap herself from it, but finds it difficult to see through the tears. She lets out a yell, her frustration having reached it's peak, and the ectoplasmic aura around her suddenly turns into sharp blades the shreds the armor to ribbons.

"Look at me," she says helplessly. "I should be worried for Raven, but here I am feeling sorry for myself."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "We don't just need people with viciousness," Clarice counters quietly, letting Lydia wiggle her way free - and frowning slightly as the armor ends up shredded. "What do you think the Brotherhood would be doing right now - if it were just me, and Raven, and Sabretooth, and Magneto? If I hadn't had Lorna to show me another way of looking at things? If I didn't have Rahne now?" she points out firmly.
    "We're //better// when we have people like you and Rahne with us. We need that. We need reminding sometimes of- That other lives are worth something. It's easy to forget that, sometimes."
    She takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly as she adds, "We've all had a difficult day. It's no surprise you feel upset. And you saw... a lot."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
"I guess," Lydia says without much weight behind it. She looks at the shredded mess on the floor and sighs, bending over to start picking it up. "I just wish I knew what to do other than sit here and worry."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Right now, unfortunately? That's pretty much your job. I mean - we could maybe take the edge off it with a glass or two of whiskey but... For the moment, yeah. You're going to be about as useful as I was when Rahne was hurt. And I was useless," Clarice replies with a small smile. "You feel awful right now, and that's okay. But in the grand scheme of things... Raven and I need you and Rahne to keep us... to make us better. To make sure we only hurt the people that //need// to be hurt. We need you."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia nods silently, depositing the first round of shreds in the trash bin. "I know," she sighs, shrugging helplessly. "Doesn't make it any easier." She's silent as she considers the whiskey option. "I better not start drinking," she concludes. "I just won't stop until I'm blotto and don't feel anymore, and if Raven wakes up while I'm that way...." She shakes her head. "No, I think I'll stay sober."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Alright," Clarice agrees. She moves closer to Lydia, putting a hand on her arm as she asks quietly, "Are you okay? With what you saw, I mean. That's- you'd never really seen before what Mister Creed and I can be like when we really let loose. I hope things'll stay alright between us, but I'll understand if you need space and time."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia pauses in her cleanup. "To be honest," she sighs and leans against her friend. "I haven't really thought about it. My mind's been so wrapped up with Raven that it's kind of taken a back seat." She looks at the remains of the body armor in her hands. "I'm sure I'll have nightmares of it when I go to sleep because that's not something you forget. But for now.... I can only process so much. "

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice nods her understanding, giving Lydia's arm a squeeze before letting it drop. "Look, I'm going to be pretty busy today. I'm going to make time for you, and for Raven, as much as I can - but there are more assaults to plan. More mutants we need to free," she explains simply. "But if there's anything I can do to help you, let me know. And if at any point you need me, or Mister Creed to give you a wide berth - let me know. Just send a text if you have to, I won't take offence."
    She gives Lydia a small smile as she adds, "We'll get through this. Tomorrow'll be better than today. We've got her back - that's what really matters. Yeah?"

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia hesitates a moment before giving Clarice a nod. "Yeah. Okay. Mister Creed won't have to give me a wide berth. He is what he is, and besides," she says with a joyless chuckle, "I'll either be here or in the med bay."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "We are what we are," Clarice counters quietly. "There's more of him in me than most people want to see. He is my father." The only want she has - the only one she knows.
    "You didn't do badly today, Lydia. You protected Ying, you got the door open - you stayed safe. You made the one mistake," but it was a big one. "Even I screw up on missions sometimes, still. We reflected on our mistakes - but we don't let them overwhelm us. Learn, and move on."
    She nods her head towards the bedroom as she adds, "You should hop in the shower. While you're doing that, I'll check in and see if they're done working on Raven yet. Okay?"

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
A shower. Now there's a thought. Lydia nods, and puts the fistful of scraps into the wastebasket and stands. "You're right. I should take a shower. Get out of these clothes and into something more comfortable." This sounds like a plan. Before she turns to leave she gives Clarice a hug, being careful of the arm. "Thanks for talking with me," she says.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice returns the hug with just her right arm, leaning into the contact with Lydia. "Of course," she answers in a quiet voice. "I mean - what're sister's for, right? And you guys were there for me when Rahne wasn't well. Rahne and I need to be there for both of you." Yes, she just casually volunteered Rahne for more work. But she's pretty confident this was the sort of work she wouldn't mind...
    "Now, go get clean. You stink."
    Pot, kettle, black.

Rahne Sinclair has posed:
That's when the door chimes. "It's me," rahne's voice says, and she sounds unwell. She was gone to talk to the old Chinese gentleman. She went to tell him that his son was never coming home.

She sounds like she did the job. And she knows you're both here, because she can smell you. "I can go, if you want." She's on the other side of the door. She isn't going to make it much further.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
"No, it's alright," Lydia calls out. "You can come in. We were just finished talking." Giving one final sniff, and a straightening out of her clothes she attempts to make herself as presentable as she can for more company. "What's up?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice goes to open the door for Rahne. Sure, it can be voice activated - but it also lets her be right there at the door to greet her with a hug, and a concerned look. "I was just telling Lydia, actually, that maybe you wouldn't mind keeping her company."

Rahne Sinclair has posed:
Nothing. Not a word. Rahne just comes in, then grabs Clarice by the waist and hugs her. Right there, wherever she is at the time. She buries her face into the woman's shoulder, and her hair, and her scent.
She doesn't let go to answer, but she does nod. Yes, of course. She opens her eyes to look at Lydia, then nods again.
"Yes." Yes.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia's eyes dart from Rahne to Clarice and back again. Her face sours at the lack of resistance Rahne has. "Rahne can keep me company later," she decides. "I think she needs you, Clarice, more than I need her."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice lets out a sigh, gathering Rahne into her arms. Well - arm. She's still very leery of putting her left arm to much use. "That bad, huh?" she murmurs in a quiet voice. "I'm sorry, I know that must have been difficult."
    She leads Rahne over towards Lydia's desk chair, settling into it, and pulling Rahne snuggly into the tight space along with her. "You go get showered, Lydia. Rahne and I are fine."
    Bur she will have to go soon - she knows that.

Rahne Sinclair has posed:
"I'll set with her," Rahne says, though she's not putting too much effort into sending Clarice away. "Will be here when ye come out, Lydia." She just needs to figure out how arms work, so she can let go of Clarice. It's odd, but her arms just don't seem to be working right.

She doesn't need to explain how the talk went. Hopefully she'll never need to, ever again.