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Post by Gigabyte on Jul 3, 2023 17:06:20 GMT -5
Date: Sunday, July 23, 2023 Tag: @cherrybomb Words: 356 Notes: Cherry Bomb's first thread! We got my Gigabyte and Hydro, and I stuck them in Miami since there was no Florida city specified in your bio. Let me know if there's anything off/you would like me to edit. It was a weekly occurrence for Sierra to mentally scan any headlines on the internet, anything that may indicate mutant activity. Of course, mutant activity was a thing anyway, had been for about fifteen years at this rate, but Sierra usually narrowed her search down to activity that may warrant the help of the Xavier Insitute.
As soon as she realized there was breaking news from Florida, Sierra suited up.
"So, why me?" Roy -- garbed in his new recruit gear -- was fidgeting from the Blackbird's front seat. Sierra risked a glance at him to see him wide-eyed and staring at all the controls in front of him. She made a mental note to perhaps ask if any of the age-appropriate new recruits were interested in learning how to drive the jet as well as cars.
"The breaking news mentioned some explosions," Sierra said, "connected to a young woman holding a pharmacy hostage."
"Explosions? Hostage?"
"Considering it is located in Miami, Florida," Sierra continued, "it is right on the water. We may need some waves to literally put a damper on things."
Roy took a deep breath and nodded, pausing a moment before asking, "What makes you believe it is a mutant?"
"Merely speculation in the new articles," Sierra admitted, "but we should be able to get a clearer look when we get closer."
Roy gave her another nod and said nothing more during their swift ride to Miami. Sierra activated the invisibility cloaking on the Blackbird and landed it gently on the outskirts of the city. Together, Sierra and Roy made their way on foot, discreetly enough to not have to worry about attracting attention when all the focus was clearly on the hostage situation.
The authorities were obviously on the scene with plenty of onlookers gawking from the sidelines. Sierra paused, making Roy stop as well, around the corner of the block. She stretched her abilities, listening in as one of the police officers were trying to call into the pharmacy to negotiate with the young woman in the center of this situation.
Vaguely, she wondered if there was a back door to the pharmacy.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2023 18:06:32 GMT -5
this wasn't how things were supposed to go today, Cherry had been dealing with a bad cold and fever for days. The sweat, so much sweat had poured from her she had trouble keeping enough water in her and all the clothes she owned (what little there was) had been soaked through every night. Her head was pounding a mixture of the alarms and whatever...whoever...no it was her, she was sure it had been her, but the blast and the alarms rang in her head. She felt the either water or was it blood? She saw blood mixing with the water, tasted its copper bitterness run into her mouth..
"...miss please ! please my kids are outside..walk away from this!" the woman, red hat and green track suit, was screaming up at Cherry as everything seemed to come back into focus, "wh..what happened?" why did her arm hurt? (not the one stretched out holding this woman and three others at bay; it was her right) she chanced a quick glance, oh it was broken...maybe dislocated too.
"mi..miss..ma'am," the pharmacist was speaking a little old Cuban man, "something blew up...I...i..I don't think anyone was hurt but you...turn yourself in the cops have the place surrounded..."
The phone from behind the counter rang, Cherry flinched, "d..d...ow...don't move! I'll get it," Cherry spit through gritted teeth limping towards the phone. Whatever she had done scared these people...it scared her, a big explosion happened from he damage she could see...how? How did it happen?
"hello?" she had snatched the phone up and the voice on the other end seemed so loud it made her pull the phone back, "st..stop yelling...what?....everyone...ev-their alive...i..i," he was asking what had happened, what her name was, who was hurt or alive, the damn alarms and the damn sirens outside clouded her mind, "I'm sick! Why didn't he just let me run with the medicine?!" she screamed staring at the pharmacist, it hurt but she was starting to recall the events that happened before she blacked out, "im hurt everyone else is just scared...i...I don't know! There was an explosion...turn the alarms off and the water to the building...yes...that's my demand man! I...I need to think..now! Call me in a hour with my demands met!" and she slammed the phone down.
She didn't cry often but so much was happening so fast: what was she? how was she going to get out of this? Her arm hurt so bad and her head worse, she touched just below her hairline and it sent a fresh wave of pain almost sinking her to her knees, she looked at her hand and it was hers.
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Post by Gigabyte on Jul 5, 2023 6:45:11 GMT -5
Tag: @cherrybomb Words: 343 Sierra took a deep breath as she listened to the phone conversation between the young woman and the authorities.
"She sounds young," Sierra murmured to Roy. "Young and scared."
"If she is a mutant," Roy said, "maybe this is the first time she's using her powers?"
"Perhaps," Sierra said. "She mentioned she was sick, trying to get medicine, and that she was hurt."
"The police seem to be more interested in protecting the many than understanding her," Roy said. He was leaning around Sierra from their vantage point, watching as the police spoke among themselves, a couple going around the side of the building. Perhaps they were working on shutting off the alarms and water to the pharmacy but there was also a handful gearing up in case there was further trouble.
"I'm going to try to call," Sierra said. Roy glanced back at her as she continued. "I'm hoping to connect with her. There is a back door. It has an electronic lock, and it's close enough to the ocean should you need it."
"You want me to go wait by the back door?" Roy confirmed.
"You will probably be more of a friendly face," Sierra said, "than the police. I will be here, both as point and back up for you."
Roy nodded, appeared to steel himself, then darted through the alleyways and boardwalks until he was out of Sierra's sight. Sierra spoke gently to the building's alarm system, coaxing it to shut off before the police were able to figure out the system. The water system was a little more difficult, the sprinklers arguing that they needed to be on to save the building, but eventually they listened and shut off. Roy spoke in the comm link that he was in position during the negotiations Sierra had with the electronics.
Sierra then called the pharmacy, having the main line ring quietly.
"Good morning," Sierra mentally greeted when the phone was picked up. "My name is Sierra. I shut off the alarms and sprinkler system. How else can I help you?"
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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2023 8:46:15 GMT -5
tag: Gigabyte
Cherry kept her working arm trained on her hostages...HER HOSTAGES...she mentally repeated in her head, the words bounced off the ringing in her head. She kept mumbling this wasn't how it was supposed to go and she knew she was in deep deep trouble, the cops outside wouldn't understand this as a simple shoplifting gone wrong...gone very wrong.
"I...I..I'm sorry," she finally spoke again to the scared people kneeling on the floor, "just surrender to the police miss, it will be better for you and this will be over," the one woman cried out and Cherry focused green eyes on her (or were they blue?), "y..you said you have kids outside?" Cherry asked a little to sharply for her liking but the woman nodded vigorously. Cherry thought for a moment then nodded toward the door just as the alarms stopped and the water too.
"go..go to your kids, just you," Cherry demanded also just as the phone rang again, the woman didn't have to be told twice she took off hands up through the door as Cherry picked up the phone. The voice on the other end wasn't the man she spoke to earlier she was calmer and way nicer, "I let one go in exchange for cutting off the alarms...I...I want out of here, I'm hurt bad from whatever happened, help me and the other two can go!" she didnt mean to yell but the throbbing in her arm was worse with the sprinklers off the pharmacices air conditioner was making her shiver because she was soaked to the bone.
"Theres a back door miss, leads out back...they might not have it covered but it leads to sun set boulevard..." the pharmacist pleaded but Cherry shook her head while still on the phone, "They'll have it covered...i...this pharmacist said there is a backdoor let me go.. give me twenty and you can come in..." she demanded of the negotiator or well who she thought was the negotiator.
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Post by Gigabyte on Jul 6, 2023 21:11:23 GMT -5
Tag: @cherrybomb Words: 335 Sierra kept her comm link open, allowing Roy to hear at least her half of the conversation. She was pleased she at least got the young woman talking to her.
"That's wonderful news," Sierra said. "Thank you for letting her go.
"I am here to help you," Sierra continued, "but I am not with the authorities." She paused for a heartbeat to gather her thoughts. "I do have a friend at the back door. If you'll give me a moment, I will check with him if there is anyone else there."
"Just me right now," Roy reported immediately. "The police look like they're gearing up to surround the place, though. I can... deter them, I'm sure, I have the means to back here, anyway." Sierra could hear the ocean waves off the boardwalk begin to churn faster, rougher. "If, uh, I have to, I mean. And if your friend on the phone is alright with it, too."
Sierra certainly didn't want either Roy or the young woman to get caught up with the police if the authorities were to go around to the back of the pharmacy. "Be careful, Hydro."
"Of course."
"Miss." Sierra brought her attention back to the phone conversation. "I checked with my friend by the back door. He says it is only him back there at this time, a young man with blue hair, and he is willing and ready to help you escape back to where we have our jet. You mentioned you were hurt. We have some first aid supplies and medicine on our plane. We would like to help you at least heal as much as our supplies allow, perhaps while we talk about what exactly happened in the pharmacy...?"
"They're mobilizing," Roy's voice said in Sierra's ear, and her gaze darted towards the authorities in front of the pharmacy.
"I dislike rushing you," Sierra said, "but I believe the police are planning to move closer to the pharmacy soon. I do hope you'll let us help you."
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Post by Deleted on Jul 7, 2023 11:22:18 GMT -5
'who are these people?' Cherry thought to herself, 'a jet...they have a freaking jet!'
Cherry looked at her two remaining hostages as the person on the other end explained that the cops were going to enter the pharmacy, she had a split second decision to make but the two people were encouraging her with their eyes she'd seen that fear before but not like this...and it was her they feared.
Dropping the phone and cradling her arm Cherry took off through the back busting through the swinging door. Boy with blue hair. Boy with blue hair. She kept repeating that as she finally came barreling through the last door into the heat. There he was, "Boy with blue hair...," she almost threw herself into him not as some damsel in distress either but because she was at her pain threshold with each pounding step. Her arm pain clashed with the pain emitting from her head wound, she couldn't tell how bad her injuries were but the blue haired boy would see it instantly...was it bone sticking out of her arm? She thought so. Gigabyte
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Post by Hydro on Jul 7, 2023 20:33:51 GMT -5
Tag: @cherrybomb Words: 341 In anticipation of trouble, Roy was positioned about halfway between the pharmacy's back doors and the edge of the boulevard that overlooked the ocean. He had a decent vantage point of the authorities, able to see through the closest alleyway to keep an eye on them. Just in case, he had an open palm facing towards the ocean behind him, occasionally rotating or flicking his wrist to churn part of the sea below the boulevard. If need be, Roy was confident that he'd be able to "grasp" part of the water to cause a spout to rise up and over onto the street. It wouldn't be much, but it could be a good distraction.
The pharmacy's back doors burst open, making Roy jump enough to jerk part of that water spout. A little spilled over onto the boulevard, but not enough to hinder him and... Well, presumably the young woman Sierra had been in contact with.
She murmured something about his blue hair before nearly clinging to him. He swallowed hard, trying not to blanch at her broken arm, and said quietly, "It's alright. We got you. Let's get you safe... My name is Roy."
He probably should have used his code name just in case, especially since Sierra had called him as such on the comm link, but with everything happening, he was hoping his real name would earn him some of the girl's trust.
"She's with me," Roy said into the comm. "We'll meet you back at the jet. Her, uh, arm is broken... Which is putting it mildly..."
"I will begin to prepare the medical supplies," Sierra said, and Roy had no doubt she would somehow beat him and the girl back to the Blackbird.
"Sierra, the woman you were speaking with on the phone," he said to the girl, "will start prepping some medicine on the jet. It's not too far, but it is hidden well. Where else do you hurt?"
Wordlessly, his own touch gentle, Roy guided the girl through the alleyways away from the pharmacy.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2023 15:31:08 GMT -5
The heat was beating against her battered and shocked body, she was already beginning to sweat again but her vision was blurry at best darkening, "Cherry..spelled like the fruit.. said like Sherry...my dad was an idiot," she introduced herself and found herself speaking almost deliriously, why did she have to say anything about Kutz to a total random stranger with a jet? Her head fell into crook of his shoulder as he navigated them through the ally ways. Did he smell good? Did it matter? He was strong but gentle, oh God was she the damsel in distress?! She hated to look weak but her body was just tired.
"My head hurts a little...I...I think I'm about to blackout Roy...," everything in her screamed to give up but she couldn't. That wasn't Cherry daughter of Kutz, "ju-just keep going..I've never been in a jet..." Gigabyte Hydro
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Post by Hydro on Jul 9, 2023 10:30:12 GMT -5
Tag: @cherrybomb Words: 450 Notes: Prepare for inaccurate medical procedures, lol. She was coherent enough to introduce herself. That was good.
"Cherry," Roy repeated, being sure he was pronouncing it correctly. "I like it. Uh, despite the situation, it is nice to meet you. C'mon, this way."
He glanced back behind them, catching sight of the pharmacy in the background. It seemed that the police were finally starting to try to force their way in, but he presumed the last of the hostages would let the authorities know they were okay.
He really hoped no one would point out the back door, but he was sure they were far enough away from anyone following them. The authorities would be more interested in being sure the hostages were okay and investigating whatever damage was done to the place before sending out anyone to look for them. By that time, they would be long gone.
Roy made sure his hold on Cherry was secure, conscious of the body heat she was radiating, and figuring she had some sort of a fever. She murmured something about blacking out and he said, "Hey, do your best to stay awake right now, okay? Besides, you'll meet Sierra, the woman you speaking on the phone with. Do you remember anything that happened in the pharmacy? How it got a little crazy in there?"
The pair made it to where the jet was hiding before long, and there was Sierra standing straight and as tall as she could be beside the ramp leading up into the belly of the Blackbird. There was a storage container next to her, almost looking like a luggage trunk, propped up and being used as a makeshift table. First aid supplies were there, and Roy could see Sierra frown when she noticed Cherry's arm.
To Roy, Sierra said, "Did anyone see you leave?"
He shook his head. "No, I don't think so. They were more focused on the pharmacy. Um, Sierra, meet Cherry. Cherry, this is Sierra."
"A pleasure," Sierra said to Cherry, "but I imagine it would be better if you were feeling well. Would you like to rest on the ramp or go into the jet and settle down there? We won't pressure you either way."
"The jet's seats are probably more comfortable, though," Roy said. His hold on Cherry shifted just enough so she could lead as to where she wanted to go. He'd continue to help her walk if needed.
Sierra did hold out a bottle of water and a couple of pills to Cherry, saying they were pain medication and would help with her fever. She did mention wraps for Cherry's broken arm, but it would be with Cherry's permission that would let Sierra investigate her arm further.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2023 20:56:33 GMT -5
Cherry was trying very hard to do as Roy had asked, stay awake, stay awake, stay awake but the more she fought the more everything got foggy. She still fought by talking, "I've been sick for days...fevers...night sweating and my head...it felt like explosions in my brain," a delirious giggle as he head rolled back so she could focus on the boys face, "...but I needed medicine...its the flu I know it, so I was just going to steal what I needed honest I didn't have any other intentions but the pharmacist the little doctor man caught me...I panicked and then boom," with her good arm wrapped around him she imitated the explosion, "it...it was...it was from my broke arm..like I did it," she still didn't believe it.
Sierra. She sounded nice, so did Roy but if anything that made Cherry nervous because nice wasn't what she had ever had. But Cherry was a survivor this was just another situation where she'd use whatever she could to get better but hopefully out of trouble.
"you really do have a jet," another giggle as she took the medication offered, "...inside, inside is better my head is pounding...am i..are you guys some top secret government? Am I in trouble?"
Hydro Gigabyte
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Post by Gigabyte on Jul 10, 2023 7:16:02 GMT -5
Tag: @cherrybomb Words: 303 When Cherry made the choice, Roy helped her up the ramp and into the jet to pick a seat while Sierra followed with the makeshift table that held the medical supplies. She was pleased that Cherry took some of the medicine without a fuss and hoped that would help her body relax.
Roy relayed when Cherry had told him about what she figured had happened at the pharmacy, and Sierra nodded. "There was some leftover footage from the security cameras. It appears that the explosion indeed came from Cherry herself."
Sierra mentally closed the jet's hatch, the interior lights of the Blackbird coming on. She dimmed them a touch, unsure if the bright lights would hurt Cherry, but she did need enough to inspect Cherry's arm.
"Roy, please go and inform the manor what is going on," Sierra said.
"Sure." Roy quietly moved away from the seats and went up to the front of the jet to communicate with the manor, allowing Sierra more room. She began to inspect Cherry's arm, telling her so.
"Cherry, we are not from the government," Sierra said. "Rather, we are a private group called the X-Men based in Bayville, New York. We are like you. Mutants. Being a mutant is what allowed you to cause an explosion.
"I imagine this will be a lot of information to take in," Sierra continued. "Do you have any family or friends you are staying with around here? After setting your arm, we can take you to them and speak further."
Sierra did her best to set Cherry's arm, her mind delving deep into the internet to find information on how to do so. They had more medical supplies and instruments in the manor's infirmary, of course, but Sierra in good conscious couldn't just take the young woman up the coast.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 11, 2023 8:56:57 GMT -5
A mutant?! Cherry wanted to scream suddenly, there was no way she was a mutant her Father wasn't and wasn't that how these things worked? One parent had to be a mutant to pass the trait..or...or that's what she had heard and been told by her Father a anti-mutant all her life. All she could do was shake her head, "no..there has to be a mistake right? Another exp-," she stopped as pain flooded her arm and she went paler than she usually was laying her head back, "My dad had told me it has to be in the family somewhere for someone to be a mutant...I'm just me...I'm normal...," for the first time in a long time a tear, a single tear, spilled from her right eye which she quickly wiped away, "You'll just have to test me lady...I'm not what you say I am."
The pain relievers were working and she felt even more sleepy then before but when asked about her family she shook her head, "I've been on my own for two years my dad's dead and my mom died when I was younger...I've been living under a bridge downtown...I got no family." Gigabyte Hydro
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Post by Gigabyte on Jul 11, 2023 17:30:23 GMT -5
Tag: @cherrybomb Words: 246 Sierra didn't pause in her administrations on Cherry's arm as Cherry spoke. The young woman's shock at the idea of being a mutant was unfortunate although not altogether unexpected.
"Not necessarily," Sierra said when Cherry mentioned how her father spoke of there needing to be a mutant gene in the family for the trait to be passed on. "An activated x-gene is more so considered the natural process of evolution in humanity. I'm going to put a numbing agent on your arm and try to set it as much as possible with the tools I have available. I'm afraid I'll only be able to wrap it at this time.
"We do have an infirmary back at our home," Sierra continued, "but as mentioned, it is located in New York... If you are certain there is no one else here for you, you are welcome to join us there." She paused. "Aside from giving your arm a proper cast, we could also test your blood and genetics for the mutant gene.
Alternatively, we could bring you to a hospital," Sierra offered. She cast a glance at Roy, who had returned from the cockpit at that moment. He raised an eyebrow, no doubt in confusion considering that he had just finished informing the institute that they would be returning home soon.
Still, Roy said not a word and instead took one of the other nearby seats, staying in both Sierra's and Cherry's view in case he was needed.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 12, 2023 21:09:36 GMT -5
Cherry, once the numbing of her arm was done, felt nothing but the pressure of this woman working on her arm. She was nodding but quickly processing her situation and the options one she didn't have family and the old man's old gang had all but shut her out and she was sick (not a mutant) stealing medicine had lead to all of this, she couldn't be her usual street wise lone survivor in this state anyways...hospitals asked questions, dad had said, Kutz had preached, she had dug a bullet out of him once and stitched up more stabs wounds or bad fight results than she could count. No hospitals.
Her head dropped and her eyes closed just for a second before jerking her awake, she blinked at Sierra, "I'll go to New York," a few days rest and a test to clear her of their wrong theory would be good, "Plus I want to get tested, clear up any misunderstandings and..and food...food would be nice," she yawned. Gigabyte Hydro
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Post by Gigabyte on Jul 13, 2023 20:28:12 GMT -5
Tag: @cherrybomb Words: 178 Notes: Figured we can end the thread here? I'll leave it open for a bit in case you want to do a final post. Sierra had half a mind to ask Roy to share some more of his water bottles to help cool Cherry down, but the medicine seemed to be doing the trick. Perhaps it was mainly a fever that helped to trigger the explosion, but it was still ultimately Cherry. They would need to do some investigating to figure out the logistics of her mutation, but the first hurdle would obviously be to convince Cherry she was one and that there was nothing wrong with it.
They got permission to bring Cherry to New York, and Sierra said, "Excellent. Don't worry, we will get there soon. This jet does move quickly, as a fair warning. You can try to rest while we move."
Sierra looked at Roy and nodded to him, which he returned. She got up and headed to the cockpit in anticipation of flying them home, vaguely hearing Roy behind her offer to help Cherry with her seatbelt. Once both of the teens were secured, Sierra began their ascent into the air and back up the country's coast.
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