8026/Mystique gets to go home! Well, her room... same thing!

Mystique gets to go home! Well, her room... same thing!
Date of Scene:	28 September 2021
Location:	Mystique's Quarters
Synopsis:	Mystique gets installed in her room with a promise of lotion for itchy skin!
Cast of Characters:	Raven Darkholme, Clarice Ferguson, Lydia Dietrich

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Raven Darkholme has posed:
Two days in the medbay, that seemed like too little time, but a full check up of Mystique's body and skin completed, she was given the go a head to go back to her room and resume some of her usual activities, nothing strenuous.

Mystique was more than ready to get back to work, mentally anyway, she knew she still had to be some what careful, but she needed out of the medbay.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice had discussed Mystique's medical condition with Dr. Hathaway - ensuring that Mystique really as well enough to leave the Medbay, rather than simply stubbornly commanding it. With the doc's assurances that there was no reason to believe Mystique's condition to be anything other than stable, mending, and remarkably better than anticipated - well. She hardly has cause to try to force her boss to stay longer.
    Speaking quietly into her phone, she assures a few strategically places rooms on the route through the Asteroid have been cleared - so she can have come discrete places to stop and rest as needed - or to use as a location for a private teleport. Only once she's handled that, does she step into Mystique's room with a smile on her features. "I've managed to talk the doc out of keeping you here any longer," she fibs playfully. "You're welcome."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
The first thing Mystique needed in order to get up and be mobile was a change of clothes, Lydia determined. While scrubs may be comfortable they're hardly dignified (unless you're a doctor) and Mystique needs to look as normal as she can during her triumphant return. Or at least that's how Lydia's reasoning goes.

Mystique doesn't have a lot of clothes to choose from so Lydia picks out a simple pair of jeans and a tank top. No bra, since that would be too constricting to the skin. No socks or shoes either since she knows that Mystique prefers to be barefoot anyway.

Satisfied with her choice she makes her way to the med bay to meet up with Clarice in Mystique's recovery room. She knocks on the door to announce her arrival and gives Clarice a smile. "Has she told you the good news?" She asks Mystique "Doctor cleared you to come back to your room. Now, I know you don't want to be seen in your scrubs so I brought over some clothes for you to wear." She goes and lays out the clothes at the foot of the bed.

"Are you sure you're okay to do this?" She asks, worry painted all over her feature. "I mean you look...." she flails a hand trying to come up with a good enough word. "Gnarly. Do you still itch?"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique is presently decked out in medical scrubs because that's what Hathaway had, and there was no way Mystique was doing the hospital gown thing. There was a lively debate about it that lasted all of fifteen seconds before Hathaway just went and got an extra set of scrubs. Some patients were just too scary to argue with.

"Yeah, /you/ talked the doc out of keeping me," she snorts, eyeing Clarice with a laugh. "My bitching totally had nothing to do with it. So thank you Clarice, for talking Hathaway into releasing me."

Now her amber eyes shift to Lydia and then the clothing. She had been prepared to just go out in scrubs, but having real clothing was much better. "These are fine love," she answers, starting to pull the scrubs off. "I don't have many clothes for you to choose from anyway."

Once naked, she starts to slowly pull the jeans on. "Yes, I still itch, just not as bad. I've gone to itching and flaking." She looks to Lydia as the jeans finally make it to her waist. "Gnarly? Really? That's the word we're going with?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "You're welcome," Clarice answers with an amused grin. As Mystique starts to pull on her pants, she shifts a little bit closer - possibly she remains unsure if Mystique's sense of balance and muscle strength is really up to snuff yet. It's a relief when she seems to manage with very little trouble.
    "I don't know. You probably don't want me saying any of the adjectives I was thinking," she points out. "It'll heal, though. I mean, according to everyone - you're doing better than you ought to be."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia huffs and rolls her eyes. "Well, it's better than saying you looked like a half-scaled salmon." She watches Mystique disrobe and confirms, "Which you do." She shakes her head, "When was the last time you took a shower? That should help with the itch and get some of that flaking skin off you. I should wash you just to make sure that we're extra gentle and we don't do any more damage to your skin."

She watches how tenderly Mystique pulls on her jeans. "Are you sure you're up to this?" she asks, worry in her voice. "I know you don't like sitting on your butt all day, but I don't want you to damage anything...."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique shakes one pant leg and flakes of skin fall out.

"I'm fine, I just don't want to make it itch any worse than it already is." Now she reaches for the tank top and pulls it on. "Have to wait on a shower one more day, just to make sure there's no open wounds left, which their aren't, but Hathaway is being WAY over protective about all this."

She looks between the two of the, the way Clarice moved, the concern all over Lydia's face. "Can't imagine why she's being so over protective," she grins. "Could it be because you two are scary, and I'm terrifying and trying to please all of us likely gave her an ulcer?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "How dare our doctor care about the health and well being of the organization's leadership? Simply shocking," Clarice deadpans. "And I'm sure the doc's fine. She's made of tough stuff. You have to be, to deal with the medical issues of the lot we get around here." She smirks with amusement as she adds, "I imagine it was worse when I was hurt. She had to deal with you and //Mister Creed.//" That's a pretty scary combination.
    "Would you do me a favor, though? And stroll arm-in-arm with Lydia while we walk? That way, if you do start to get tired, or shakey..." Or even clumsy...

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia looks at the flakes of skin that fall out of Mystique's pants leg with a bit of disgust. "Scaled. Salmon." Nobody ever said recovering wouldn't be gross. When she looks up Mystique has her tank on but after being in bed for the past couple of days, her hair's a mess.

Lydia tuts as she steps up to Mystique and starts combing her fingers though it to give it at least some kind of semblance of order. "You're lucky you didn't lose any hair," she says as she combs. "I should have brought a brush," she mutters to herself.

Once she smooths out the last lock of Mystique's hair she takes a step back surveying her handiwork. "It'll do," she says with a nod. Then she holds out her arm so that Mystique can link arms with her. "Ready for your triumphant return?"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique chuckles softly, watching Lydia swoop into to save her hair from bed head.

"I did lose some," she offers. "I just made it come back, because bald was very unappealing. If I'm going to be scaley salmon, I need my my hair for that." She doesn't stop Lydia from messing with her hair, it makes her smile even more broadly.

"Clarice," she then says looking to the magenta mutant. "You're still doing that protective thing, right? Walk arm in arm in case I start to lose my balance?" For a moment she tries to put on the judgey face, but fails and just smiles. "Of course I can walk arm in arm with the woman I love, but I assure you, I'm fine. I'm still a little tired, but I don't hurt any more, I just itch."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I'd rather teleport us, or use a wheel chair," Clarice points out flatly. "I'm picking the compromise we can all live with. ...unless you do want me to shortcut u- nope, didn't think so." She cuts off after a look from Mystique, and moves to open the door, contenting herself with simply escorting the pair. It's not like seeing Clarice, Mystique, and Lydia walking together was at all unusual.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia takes Mystique's arm and gives her hand a gentle little pat, which knocks some more flakes off her skin. "I know how important it is for you to show everybody how strong you are, so we can be strong, too while we walk," she says. "But as soon as we get into our room, you're either going right into your chair or into bed."

She leans over to plant a gentle kiss on Mystique's lips. "I love you," she murmurs, and then straightens. "Let's go." She'll let Mystique set the pace, unless she deems it too fast, but she'll never slow it down past a leisurely stroll. Image is important.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique was already shaking her head as Clarice went into the offer, she knew where it was going and no, she doesn't need to be teleported to her room. It wasn't that far.

"You realize Hathaway wouldn't be letting me go if I hadn't already proved I'm ready, right?" She asks, more of Clarice than Lydia, but they both likely needed to hear it. "If she didn't think I was ready, I wouldn't be going. Lydia would have me tied to the bed to keep me there."

She runs her hand over her arms again, deciding to flake here rather than on the walk. "It's getting less itchy," she then comments, and as Lydia takes her arm, she rubs herself against the ecto-mutant, Might have been sexual, might also be scratching the skin, either way it felt good.

"I'm not going back to bed," she admits as she walks toward the door, with Lydia, because apparently they're being attached and that's fine. "So I'll sit in my chair like a good old mutant."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Recovered enough that you don't need monitoring, and recovered enough that you're ready for physical exhertion are not the same thing, boss," Clarice points out simply. "I'm not worried you're going to suddenly keel over dead, or anything like that. I don't want you to inadvertantly slow down your recovery, is all."
    With a straight face Clarice adds, "Old? I'd say ancient - but Mister Creed would take it out on me during our next training session," she remarks with amusement. She strolls alongside Mystique, opposite, Lydia, glancing at the pair periodically with a grin, before surveying any of the other residents they may cross paths with - silently cateloging their reactions to seeing Mystique with her strangely mottled skin.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
"I know," Lydia admits. "I trust Doctor Hathaway's judgement but I can't help but fuss over you." She walks along Mystique, just enjoying being in her company like this after all that's come before. She walks with her back straight, like this was just any other stroll that the two of them might take.

She notices Mystique rubbing up against her and asks in a quiet voice, "Is there a lotion or anything we can get you to help with the itching? It must be maddening."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique honestly gives no fucks what others might think of her appearance. She survived hell, something that would have likely killed most of those here. If they wanted to gawk, let them. They were looking at a true legend at this point, not that she thought of herself that way.

On the way out of the medbay, Hathaway stopped them long enough to hand Lydia a bag. In this back is the special soap for washing Mystique's skin and the blessing of lotion that will help the itch and stop the flaking from being so... frosted flakes cereal all over the floor like a two year old threw a fit.

"Emily and I had a long talk about what I can and can't do," she says to Clarice, once they are out of the medbay. She's free! "I'm allowed to walk around and do some stretches to help the skin. No major physical exertion. I can walk to the cafeteria, etc. No combat," she sighs. "Not that I even feel up to combat, so trust me... I have my limits and I know them."

Looking to Lydia she leans over and kisses her cheek. "You my love, you get to fuss, worry, and order me around so long as you understand that some orders will get things thrown at you, and I might say no."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice nods to the Doctor as she makes herself known, giving her a brief but grateful smile before they make their way out. Once they're strolling through the halls she remarks in a dry tone, "I don't trust me to listen to Dr. Hathaway, so I'm afraid you're stuck with me not trusting you to listen to her, either. We're both impatient with illness, and we're no good at sitting still. Tell me I'm wrong?" she challenges.
    As they walk, continues to pay close attention to sound of Mystique's gait, and her breathing - using them to judge if she was tiring unusually. Honestly, she hopes this really is nothing more than a stroll in the proverbial park...

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia takes the care package from Hathaway gratefully. These are tangible things that she can use to help Mystique speed along in her recovery. Instead of holding them in her other hand, she just hangs it there beside her in her ectoplasm, letting it float along side with them. That hand is busy resting gently on Mystique's.

She laughs lightly at her lover's amendments, "How is that different from any other day?"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
There is a roll of Mystique's amber eyes at Clarice's challenge.

"Well fuck," she mutters. "Looks like you got me all figured out Clarice, and here I was going to run a marathon tomorrow." She looks over at the magenta mutant with a smirk. "Yes, I have issues with sitting still, I hate it, in fact it goes past hatred into pure loathing, but you tried and I'll try, to be good."

Her eyes settle on someone as they walk by because they offer a thumbs up and a smile, nothing more, and just go on by. Apparently the entire Asteroid did know what happened.

"As for how it's different lover," she turns to wiggle her brows as Lydia. "You get more leeway, that means more times you get to be right and I actually listen." She nods a few times, a mischievous grin on her face.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Oh, com'on, I don't think you're //that// stupid. Give us both more credit," Clarice replies with an amused grin.
    She seems content to lapse into silence for a while after that, strolling alongside her two friends with a small smile on her features. Sure, she may be hovering a bit - but she was glad Mystique was recovering as easily as she was.
    "Oh, hey, if Pete seems unusually happy - don't listen to a word her says. I have no idea what he's on about. Honestly, I think he may have done a bit delusional." Amusement pulls at the corners of her lips as offers this pronouncement.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
"Oh good," Lydia chuckles. "This means I might actually stand a chance at getting you to rest." She gives her lover a wicked grin, "If it wasn't for the fact that Hathaway ordered no strenuous activity I'd test that to the limit in private." She lets out a disappointed sigh, "Though I suppose it's still going to be at least another day or two before we could anything of that nature."

Clarice gets a wary glance. "Why? What did you do?" she says accusatorially.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique snerks. "If I give you credit it would be like I agree with your hovering over me," she offers as the snerk becomes a grin. "I can't do that, no matter how right you actually are, because I still need some wiggle room for deniability. I'm sure you understand."

Her arm pulls Lydia closer so she can say a touch more quietly, but not all that quiet, "There are quite a few things I can do to you without straining myself, and I intend to do all of them... twice."

And then she looks back to Clarice as if she didn't just say that. "I was just about to ask that myself, what /did/ you do?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    If Clarice overhears the quietly offered comment, her features show no sign of it, nor do her steps falter in the least. Instead, she puts on an affronted expression. "Why does everyone assume I did something?" she protests.
    "I mean, sure, I //might// have gotten him his own desk. And his own credit card. And I //might// have left adoption papers just lying around, but everyone's making such a big deal of it." Of course, she's grinning as she says it. With all the stress, and fear of the last week or so - with the continuing pressure of trying to organize an attempt to take down an organization as strong at this Mutant Police force - everyone could use a little palate cleanser.

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
"It's no fun if I can't do things back," Lydia breathes, and then goes in for a kiss on the cheek. "I missed you in bed," she says, less lasciviously. "I mean just the sleeping part. Being curled up next to you. I know I like to take a break every now and then to sleep in my apartment, but being forced away from you...." She shakes her head. "I didn't like it."

"Wait," Lydia says, her attention being ripped back to Clarice. "Adoption papers? You're /adopting/ Pete? I never figured you for a mother." She shakes her head. "I assume there's some reasoning behind this."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique wiggles her brows at Lydia as she says, "I'm sure there are some things you can do, and when it comes to sleeping... I don't do that without you any more, unless you count knocked out and recovering."

Then what Clarice said fully sinks in and her head slowly turns to look at the woman. "You're adopting Pete," she repeats more slowly than Lydia, having to take a moment with that thought. "He needs a home, good choice," she finally says then adds less calmly, "Fuck. I'm a grandmother again."

Continuing to walk she spies another couple of people walking by, waiting for reaction but they are doing there best not to notice scaly salmon. Offer a wave, find another way to go.

"Yep, I'm ugly, keep moving," she laughs, rolling her eyes a little. "I can guess at the reasons behind the adoption, but I'm sure 'making Raven a grandmother' wasn't part of it."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Hey, I loaned you a Rahne, so you weren't completely alone," Clarice counters with an amused grin. It still made her laugh - how seriously the wolf girl had taken the request to keep Lydia company.
    Lydia's next comment sours her expression a little, however. "Neither of us want me to be his //mother,//" Clarice answers, wincing a little at the idea. "I just thought- I mean, sure, we call him brother. But legally? He's got no family. This is the only way to make him //legally// belong. To show him we mean it, you know? He's family, end of story. I mean- the Brotherhood was the only family I knew, really - until Raven found Theo, and that was different. That was- it was different." She takes a deep breath in, and lets it out slowly before adding, "If I can give Pete even a fraction of that feeling, then... that's what matters. That's what I want."
    In a lighter tone she adds, "I've never once said you were my mother, 'boss.'" She smirks at her own comment. At least she finally realized what she'd been doing with that one, simple word.
    She's silent for a moment before adding, "I also- well, if anything ever did happen to me - and I ended up in a hospital dirt side or something, they could deny the lot of you visitation, or access to my medical records, and all that. This way, Theo wouldn't be alone. Pete and Theo could handle it all together. It's better that way, I think."

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Mystique's admission that she doesn't sleep without Lydia gets a kind of worried look from the glowing green mutant. This is something that she'll have to talk to her about. But later. Much later. There's more pressing things to worry about.

"You did. I appreciated that. Really I do. She helped keep some of the nightmares at bay." She goes quiet for a moment, "I'll have to get her something nice to show my appreciation."

She silent as Clarice explains her reasonings, and nods along. "That makes sense, since there's no real legal way to adopt somebody as your brother."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Coming around the corner into the hall that is where Mystique and Lydia's room is located, at the end because Mystique wanted a window, the flakey cobalt mutant nods.

"That's a good reason Clarice," she admits with a nod. "But I'll tell you this. Dirt side, in space, some other country... nothing on the planet would stop me from getting into a room to get you and bring you home. Pete will be the one that the legal aspect of it all falls on, because he'll be eighteen first, and they won't listen to Theo because he's not."

Stopping at her room, not winded or tired, just flakey, she pauses to looks back to Clarice. "The other choice is telling Victor they won't let us in and seeing how that goes," she smiles. "But... legal route first, just remind them both that they aren't alone. Lydia and I are here to help, if something ever happens, but it's not going to."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I don't plan on landing in the hospital," but who does? "And I know they won't be alone," Clarice agrees. "And I appreciate that. But really - the main reason was so that he would know he really does belong - and that we really are stuck with him," she remarks with a grin. "None of it goes through until his brithday, anyways. Adult-adoption is sooooo much less of a hastle, and his birthday's around the corner."
    As they reach Mystique's room, she stops outside to offer Mystique a cautious hug - still afraid of causing pain somehow - before offers one to Lydia instead. "I think I'll get back to work. Besides - this way Lydia can get you back into bed, after all," she offers with a bit of mischief. She starts to stroll off, calling, "All part of our nefarious plan!"

Lydia Dietrich has posed:
Lydia opens the door with a press of a button and leads Mystique into their room and deposits her into her chair. "And we've got lawyers if it comes to that," she says as she plucks the care package from her ectoplasm to set it on the desk. "Good ones, too."

She gives Clarice her goodbye hug, and closes the door behind her. "Okay," she says, turning back to Mystique. "Off with the clothes and back into bed." She pulls out the bottle of lotion. "I bet you're /dying/ for me to get this on you to take care of that itching."