Participants:
| Scene Title | New, But Not New |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Wolfhound's newest recruit is a familiar face to several of its extant members. |
| Date | April 24, 2018 |
Rochester is a gray, dreary, and very damp place when Felix's flight lands, but what's a little weather compared to turning over a new leaf — or perhaps an old one. He's met at the airport by Harkness, and then all but literally handed off to Hana at the doors of the repurposed power station. The major wears the white shirt and black pants that might as well be her uniform, lightweight black blazer over all. "Ivanov," she greets as they walk in. "Welcome to the Bunker. It's good to have you here."
The lobby is shiny, sleek, and empty save for them — a state certain to not last for long, as the unit's been told there's a new member coming. Though maybe not precisely when.
Fel's garb is none so nice - he's rocking the nearly-homeless-veteran look, though he's clean and the clothes are in good repair. The boots are shined, everything's clean and mended, but it's only a canvas parka, t-shirt, and fatigue pants, with a matching army surplus ruck over one shoulder. Someone's got all his worldly goods down to a backpack, it seems. "Thank you," he says, gravely. "Glad to be here." None of the old incandescent, too-broad grins - the speedster's a far more dour creature than he once was.
Curtis has just come inside from a run. Just around the base a few times. Well a lot of times, but it keeps him close by and still gets him outside. It was during that jog around the base that he spotted someone arriving and so finishes his run up just a bit early to go be nosey and see who it is. He got the notice after all, and despite being an anti social brooder he does get curious. So he picks up the pace, getting around to the entrance and heading inside to try and track down whoever it was Hana was greeting. It looked like someone that Curtis is pretty sure he heard died during the war.
When he steps inside the lobby and spots a Felix his eyes go slightly wide, blinking a couple times before he actually smiles. "Ivanov." Curtis calls over, his steps quick as he closes the distance. His smile isn't a big one, it's small, happy to see an old familiar face, even if they didn't serve together for long.
With head down, eyes on a tablet in her hands Lucille walks out from the lounge. Auburn hair tied back into a loose ponytail, it would be time for a trim soon. She’s dressed in dark grey loose fitting clothes. Her silver locket holding the photo of her and all of her siblings swung freely and she comes to a stop when seeing the Major and the fresh meat. And there’s a Curtis, who Lucille smiles at.
“Major.” A faint smile crosses her lips, she looks over her shoulder the friend at her shoulder before giving Felix a look along with a nod. Lifting a hand to wiggle her fingers in his direction. “New blood.” She says with a grin towards the man. “Lucille, Lucille Ryans, it’s good to have you.”
She jerks a thumb over in her friend’s direction as way of her darker haired friend.
Booted footfalls come bounding down the corridor, something is wrong, this is clearly an emergency. No one runs that fast without proper reason. Coming skidding across the floor from the hallway that connects the lobby to the lounge, Colette Demsky windmills her arms to maintain her balance. "Oh my god!" The exuberant shout from Colette might as well be a scream, and the only time outside of combat scenario that any of her squadmates have her her take on that tone of voice. Hana and the newly arrived Felix, certainly, but that was a girl nearly a decade younger. This is an adult woman.
Ostensibly, at the moment.
Colette breaks into another run, blowing past Curtis and Lucille and colliding with Felix like an overexcited cat latching on to a tired greyhound. Stronger arms than he remembers wind around his shoulders, her face pressed into his chest, a briefly ragged noise of emotion in the back of her throat, and when she looks up at him — both eyes milky white — he isn't looking at the wiry girl barely out of her teens that he'd last seen in the early days of the war.
"Uncle Felix," Colette exhales against his chest, hands pressing to the back of his neck and arms squeezing to make sure he's real. He's the last person that mattered to Judah Demsky that was unaccounted for. He's one of the only people who could elicit this reaction.
Fresh meat? More like a piece of jerky. He's weathered and scarred, and there's plenty of gray in the brown hair. The greeting from Curtis has him peering over, squinting a little. "I remember you," he says, pleased about the fact, by the little grin he wears. And then it fades, and he snaps his fingers, "….but your name's escaping me. Sorry." To Lucille, he says, pleasantly, "Felix Ivanov, pleased to-"
The rest of the bog-standard introduction is cut off by the impact of Colette. It's a tribute to his reflexes that he's braced enough to meet her by the moment of collision, and he's got his arms around her, just as tight. Here he is, solid, alive, in the flesh, and as sane as that bag of bugs that passes for his brain will ever permit. "Colette," he says, and his voice is distinctly choked, as he hugs her close. He smells like aviation fuel, clean canvas, and soap, and beneath that, just distinctly him. Can't get a word out beyond that. It's gone from a polite meet and greet to what's apparently a family reunion.
"Common areas are all down here," Hana says, giving Felix the very short verbal tour. "Lounge, mess, conference room, and so on. Personal rooms are one floor up— " The door behind them opens to admit Curtis, the first inquisitive addition. "— take your pick of what's open," the major concludes.
It's a good thing, too, because then Colette happens. Hana raises a brow at the younger woman's enthusiasm, but there's no actual remonstrance in the expression.
"Remember to let him breathe, Demsky."
Curtis chuckles lightly at Lucille's comment about new blood. "Only if you consider tough old jerky new blood." His lips part to speak further when a Colette comes tearing around the corner. Curtis blinks in surprise for the second time inside of a minute at the charging Colette and … "Uncle Felix?" Curtis's brow goes up, a slightly amused smile twisting the corner of his mouth to match. A glance to Felix, then around the room at the others. He'll wait until Felix no longer has an attached Colette face hugger to enlighten the man further. "Curtis Autumn. We served on Frontline together for a little while back in 2011. Heard you were dead."
“That is quite alright,” she says to the new soldier in the group. “Well maybe I like jerky-” she’s cut off as she hears and then sees Colette rushing forward. A smile tugs at the corner of her mouth and she tilts her head at her best friend. “More family? Great help me keep an eye on her,” Luce teases as if Colette was the one on team Amarok. “We’re glad to have you,” And she was glad to see Colette in this state. Uncle Felix could stay, 100 percent.
“Where’d you come from?”
A jubilant bubble of laughter slips from Colette as she gently relinquishes her hold on Felix just so, though still remains beside him. Rubbing fingers at her eyes, she slides back and away and smiles awkwardly. There's a look to Curtis, one of surprise and dawning understanding, and then an apologetic smile to Hana. Another step back, and Colette looks over to Lucille.
"If you ask him, a 1920s Film Noir," is the tongue-in-cheek answer Colette gives to Lucille's question. "Felix is… yeah, he's absolutely family." Face flushed with color, emotion evident in her voice, this — hot on the heels of reuniting with Sable — was a one-two punch of the past.
It's definitely cracked that dour facade, this unexpected reunion. He lets her go, but with clear reluctance. And Colette's reply for him conjures up that old grin, too broad for the narrow face, the smile lines deepening around his eyes. "I was damn near dead near San Francisco, spent the end of the war comatose in a prison war," he answers. "But the most immediate reply to 'Where did I come from?' is 'Florida'." That glow of fondness remains in his face, expression warmer, more mobile. "Good to see you again, Autumn," he adds. And then, more softly, "All the family I have left."
Hana nods to Colette as the younger woman steps back. One hand makes a slight gesture as if to hand Felix over, before the major quietly removes herself from the lobby. They can see to the rest of his introduction to the place and people; that seems to be well in hand already.
Hana nods to Colette as the younger woman steps back. One hand makes a slight gesture as if to hand Felix over, before the major quietly removes herself from the lobby. They can see to the rest of his introduction to the place and people; that seems to be well in hand already.
Curtis is ready with a retort for Lucille when the Colette cannonball happens and Luce's comment is cut off, so he lets his retort die and just watches the reunion with a small smile on his face. Always good to see family find eachother again. A slightly confused expression touches his features at Colette's look to him. He's not sure what that's about but also doesn't push on it. "Night Major." Curtis calls to Hana as she retreats from the room. He glances to Colette and then to Felix. "There's gotta be an interesting story behind all this." His tone soft, more an aside to Lucille than a comment at Colette and Felix.
“Where’s the sax solo?” Lucille asks with a wide grin and a hand on her hip, expectant of the man, a quirked eyebrow before breaking out in a laugh, “Florida, I could never get use to the humidity there.” And well other things, she bumps Curtis with her hip as the Major walks off, “Night!” she calls out before placing an arm on Curtis’ shoulder her hand dangling down. “We should drink, it’s kind of the way of welcome.”
Her way of welcome at least, her demeanor noticeably more light. No gloves, she’s leaning on Curtis, completely relaxed in place of the more stoic nature had adopted from needing to restrain herself.
Luce’s blue eyes travel to the faces of the group assembled before her, smile warm. It was nice to have some new faces, “Some more testerone to add in the mix is nice, yea Curtis?”
Finally fully disengaging from Felix, Colette dips her head down into an apologetic nod and manages something of an awkward smile. Covered up as she is, the only tattoo Felix sees of her is the black EKG line on the side of her neck, broken by a semicolon, and covering up a deep scar. "I lived with Felix for a while, when the Vanguard were in New York and it wasn't safe on Manhattan. He and my dad were… really close." Blind eyes level back at Felix, and Colette smiles fondly.
"There's hardly anyone else I'd trust as much as Felix," Colette proudly notes with one hand raising to rest on his shoulder. "I can't fucking believe you're really here."
"I can barely, either," he says, grinning at Colette, in return. To Lucille, "I couldn't either. But I had family there, and I couldn't really move 'em," he says. "Glad to be back out of the South. The climate was awful." To the both of them, he adds, "Colette's dead was…pretty much one of my best friends." And a terrible crush, but that was Felix's burden to carry. Though surely Colette suspected.
Curtis jerks in surprise out from under Lucille's arm and hand when she leans on him like that. Like she just tried to kill him almost. Which well… as far as he knows she may have just tried to hurt him at least. "The fuck?" He blinks again. It's a night of surprises for the big soldier. "Did you just? How? I thought…" He stares at Lucille dumbly for a few seconds, then a few seconds more. "Whaaaat did I miss? And yeah, testosterone good. And Felix is a damn good fighter. I know. I've fought him. When I was just Ash…" He glances Felix's way. "And alongside him after I got my… me… back." He edges back towards Lucille and her leaning. Slowly. As if wary of being bitten or something. Like she's a potentially venemous snake or something. "Florida. Ugh. Did some training stuff down there at the Navy base in Pensecola." When he was still a Marine.
At Curtis' reaction to Lucille, Colette raises her brows and shakes her head slowly. "Your guess is as good as mine, Curt. Scar's all healed up just… gradually. I really don't understand it. I noticed it when we got back from Detroit."
Colette slants a look over at Felix. "Man, I've got so much I want to talk to you about. I… I can't even… figure out where to start." She looks over to Curtis, then Felix. "Maybe we should go out for drinks sometime? Catch up? Seems like we all could use it."
"I'm entirely at your disposal," Fel says, mildly. "And happy to. Yeah. It's been a few years." He gives Curtis one of those curling grins in approval. "Yeah. I'm remembering more. As a warning for all of you - this…" And he taps the terrible web of scars on the side of his head, "Has taken memories. I've lost a lot. Not in terms of training or reflexes, physical and Evolved abilities are up to spec. But a lot of personal stuff has been wiped out. The more I meet of people from my past, the better I am, but…"
"Detroit?" Curtis asks with a slow blink. "Lucille went on the Wendigo mission?" He looks confused, apparently not having been kept in the loop on that. His head shakes a little, though there's definitely something more in his eyes than just confusion. He didn't like being grounded, especially for a stealth mission, but he took it as just team stuff. But given his more than capable stealth aptitude he looks surprised and maybe a little angry that he wasn't included if people outside of Wendigo were included. Curtis isn't a particularly complicated person. At least not on the surface. "Sounds like you and Ivanov here have a lot more to catch up on than he and I. I don't mind tagging along but it'll mostly consist of me sitting and brooding while you two talk." Curtis nods his head to Felix's admission of memory loss. "It happens. I understand." Curtis's issues are just in reverse. He remembers too much rather than too little.
Colette laughs awkwardly at Curtis and scrubs one hand at the side of her face. "No no, she didn't. But when Berlin and I got back we went out for drinks and I noticed the scar was gone. Don't worry Curt, they didn't leave you behind on a mission. Lucille was wanting to get on that too. And… it might be good for the three of us to chat. You know, inter-departmental cooperation? Besides, I know a great place in town. We can share war stories and get a pint or something."
Shifting her weight to one foot she regards Felix as she crosses her arms over her chest. "Tasha had some CBT right before the war. I know how hard that recovery is, so…" Colette smiles fondly at the ex-fed. "Whatever you need, I'm here for you. But you're absolutely coming down to the Safe Zone for dinner at our house sometime. Doctor Demsky's orders." She is not a doctor.
Felix offers a little salute, two fingers to ruined temple. "If we're drinking now, I'm game. And you can't brood if I get drunk enough to dance," he addsto Curtis. Legendarily, if you get Felix really, really drunk, he'll remember Russian dances from his childhood. "It might come to that," he adds, mock-solemnly. "No brooding."
Curtis lifts a hand to rub it across his face before Colette has even responded. His anger is misplaced and he knows it. Even before Colette explains he knows his anger is misplaced. And the conciliation on his features is plain to see, more so after she's spoken. "Sorry. I…" Curtis shakes his head a little bit, a hand lifting again, this time to run fingers through his hair. "Only if you dance at super speed Ivanov. Or semi super speed at least. Like a music video on fast forwards." A faint smile from Curtis, though there is a slow nod to Colette's statement. "Drinks it is. Just name time and place." There's a side glance to Felix then. "Maybe now there's finally someone in this building for me to spar with. Getting rusty sitting around with nothing to do." There's a moment where he grins. Not long, just a moment, but it's there. Smiles and grins aren't common to Curtis these days, so this little meet and greet in the lobby has been quite a night.
Grinning broadly, Colette hooks an arm around one of Felix's and taps two fingers at the middle of his chest. "Don't let Curt pressure you, you can dance as slow and as poorly as you like, Fe."
Blind eyes flick up to Curtis, and Colette makes a motion toward the front door with her head. "I'm gonna show Fe to his quarters, then I'm gonna get changed out of these sweats, and I'm gonna show you the grimiest, grittiest bar the city of Rochester has to offer. You're gonna love it." She hasn't been in spirits this good in a while, and it's intoxicating. Not as much as the drinks later will be…
But that's neither here nor there.