A Measure of Desperation (Illyana and then others)

[seismic_shockwave]

WHO: Kayla Connors, Illyana Rasputin
WHEN: Approximately a week after the incident in the kitchen
WHERE: X-Mansion Infirmary
WHAT: Illyana is brought in to help Kayla in dire straits

After the dramatic moments in the kitchen, Kayla's depression and lassitude had crumbled into what was virtually a waking coma. Her life force wasn't quite low enough to kill her outright, but her life force did not burn brightly enough to sustain anything like ordinary life. They had to summon Magik, the sorceress best known to the X-Men, in hopes that she would find a solution to their problems. Eventually, something of a solution had been found- but it required a rather complicated spell and the donation of accumulated life force from several people in order to patch up Kayla's own. 

There would be consequences from this spell. The people involved wouldn't feel quite right for a few days afterwards- nothing like Kayla's extreme case, but some fatigue and mild depression were likely. Diluted elements of their personalities could be reflected in Kayla for some time thereafter. After such a prolonged period of lassitude and depression, it was likely that Kayla would manifest, after a rather long sleep, a significant manic phase.

Right now, the girl had been placed into a full magical coma, looking just as serene as a modern day Sleeping Beauty. It would be time for the magic to work its course. 

Comments

[ngm_xmen]

There was a crackle in the air and a brief, baleful red glow in the infirmary as a stepping disk appeared. Illyana Rasputin emerged, with a bag over one shoulder, her Soulsword in hand, and something that was not quite a tree branch and not quite a tentacle in the other. The tentabranch squrimed and dripped some kind of sticky green fluid onto the floor from the end that had apparently recently been severed.

"Get me a basin. Something glass or enameled, it eats through most metals."

She sheathed her sword, tossed her bag onto a nearby chair, and began squeezing the blood-sap from the thing into the offered basin.

[talk_to_you]

Doug supplied the desired basin, placing it front of Illyana.

The mess on the floor could probably wait. Kayla was more important right now.

He knew better than to ask if she was sure this was going to work. He'd known what a capable sorceress she'd been, and had become again.

[seismic_shockwave]

Kayla for her part, continued to lie quietly on the table as she had the whole time thus far. She had an odd Sleeping Beauty look to her, something beyond sleep but not quite death. A state of repose that seemed peaceful but needed to be reversed, and soon, lest it become permanent.

It might have taken another few days, it might have taken a week, but sooner or later, without this assistance, Kayla would have slipped away into living death.

[ngm_xmen]

Illyana dropped the wrung out tentabranch on the lab table near the basin and reached for her bag. She brought out several small bags and a knife. She opened one of the bags, spilling out a handful of small round stones. Another bag contained a leafy powder, this she sprinkled into the basin. It hissed and sizzled.

She looked over her shoulder at Doug. "Where are the donors?"

[talk_to_you]

"I've got them waiting in the next room. I'll get them," Doug said, heading that direction.

[dolemeck]

Dolemeck sat in the room with the others. He volunteered to be help, after hearing some other students talk about what was going on. He knew what it was like to be in a coma, to be on the thin line of life and death... and it sucked. He was willing to offer whatever he could to help. It was just in his nature.

[seismic_shockwave]

There was a faint awareness in Kayla that registered that something was going on, but she would not have been able to give many details, other than that it was cold, and she was tired. And it would be so easy to just slip past the veil.

Illyana would have been able to begin sensing the specific dark presences around Kayla, the traces left by the greedy beings that had taken her life thusly. Selene, the Black Queen of the Hellfire Club, and a second being, not unlike that of Madelyne Pryor, the Goblin Queen ... but not exactly the same either.

Afterwards- Thread Open To Whomevers

[seismic_shockwave]

After the spell had been woven, Kayla had gone from a state of near-coma into normal sleep, and stayed there for the better part of twenty-four hours. When she awoke, however, she felt fantastic. And a little odd.

She kind of craved a cigarette. And cigarettes was gross. While she knew there was a good reason she was in bed, she also felt like she was wasting time. She had work to do. Hana probably needed help in the kitchen. Brianna probably felt all sorts of neglected with what had happened.

She also wanted sugary foods. And to catch up with Game of Thrones, but to be fair, she probably would have felt that way anyway. Actually, all of her feelings and cravings felt a bit like a patchwork at the moment, but- she felt alive. Actually alive.

The Doctor had told her they were going to keep her there overnight for observation purposes, but otherwise, everything seemed physically much improved. The euphoria of being free from .... whatever exactly had happened to her- they hadn't really told her yet tempered slightly when she looked in a mirror.

The colour had returned, but it was apparent she'd lost weight- and she wasn't exactly someone who had a lot of weight to lose. It would take a lot of exercise and hard eating to get that back, with her metabolism. Maybe they could deliver her three extra-large pizzas and a cheesecake right here in the hospital bed.

She certainly felt hungry enough.

But most of all, happy to be alive. Impatient at having to stay an extra night, but ready to bound out at the very shortest moment she could.

Re: Afterwards- Thread Open To Whomevers

[wild_child]

A polite knocking came on the door, followed by Rose barging in anyway, because that's what she did and at least she didn't have to pick the lock.

"Well, somebody's lookin' better," she said.

Re: Afterwards- Thread Open To Whomevers

[seismic_shockwave]

"You have no fucking idea." Kayla grinned. "I feel like a million bucks compared to before."

Though they'd told her that she should be staying overnight for observation, they didn't tell her she had to stay in bed. She was a little woozy getting to her feet, but she managed to walk up and give Rose a hug.

"So ... the doctor came in to tell me what happened just before you came in. Thank you, Rose." Kayla looked at her. "And damn you for being a smoker. Now I'm kind of craving a cigarette."

Re: Afterwards- Thread Open To Whomevers

[wild_child]

Rose smirked a little. "Please, Shake an' Bake. If that's the worst ya bummed offa me, then consider yerself lucky."

Re: Afterwards- Thread Open To Whomevers

[seismic_shockwave]

"Well, I'm already a hockey nut, so that's not going to change." Kayla laughed. "It's going to be interesting sorting out ... what exactly people gave me. I have this huge candy craving too. That might be Bobbi. And there's a little voice telling me I need to get something done today ... Ms. Shaw?"

"Either way, I can't properly express, really, how awesome it is to be back."

Re: Afterwards- Thread Open To Whomevers

[wild_child]

Rose shrugged. "Could be, I reckon," she said. "But good ta have ya back. Ya had us all worried somethin' fierce."

Brianna and Kayla

[kinetic_assault]

Brianna felt like a horrible girlfriend for not seeing what was going on sooner. When she heard Kayla was in the infirmary, she'd gone to offer up whatever help necessary to help in her recovery.

She waited until Kayla was alone to stop in and see her.

"Hello, beautiful." the Englishwoman said with a small smile. "Is it a bad idea to ask how you feel?"

Re: Brianna and Kayla

[seismic_shockwave]

Kayla also felt like a horrible girlfriend, because she hadn't had anything much to offer Brianna over the last month or so. She could only imagine what she'd put her through. It was definitely time to be making up for some of that absence.

"Heya, gorgeous." Kayla replied with a huge grin. "I was feeling okay, and then you walked in and okay turned into 'awesome'." She laughed. "I gotta stay here overnight for observation, but trust me when I say I feel like- I feel like I could conquer the goddamn world right now.

Missed you, Bri." Kayla made a little 'come hither' gesture with her hand.

Re: Brianna and Kayla

[kinetic_assault]

"I missed you, too." Brianna said, making her way over to Kayla as quickly as she could. She wrapped her arms around Kayla gently and kissed her forehead before kissing her on the lips.

"Are you quite done with making me worry? If not, let me know so that I can keep doing it. I've taken up knitting to help with the nerves though I've just stabbed myself with the bloody needle more often than not. I can handle a sword but not a knitting needle. Go figure that one." Brianna said.

Re: Brianna and Kayla

[seismic_shockwave]

Kayla for her part, did so with similar gentility, lest she accidentally crush her girlfriend. Though she was still a little skinnier than she should be, the colour had returned to her face. She returned the kisses happily.

"I damn well hope so. And knitting? All I know about knitting is that you stick the cloth with the pointy end." At least if Kayla tried it, the needle wouldn't actually stab her.

The last bit of it came out in a bit of a British accent. Kayla stopped for a moment.

"She warned me about that. The whole ... thing that happened with me. That I might kinda mimic other people for a bit." Again, in an accent more than slightly reminiscent of Brianna's own.

Re: Brianna and Kayla

[kinetic_assault]

"I never imagined you speaking the Queen's English. It's pretty hot." Brianna said with a smile. "In fact, I wouldn't mind hearing it more often until it wears off."

Re: Brianna and Kayla

[seismic_shockwave]

"Well, she's our Queen in Canada, too." Kayla replied with a grin, kissing Brianna again. "It probably won't be consistent, though. I'll probably get little bits of other stuff from other people.

Like this annoying craving I have for a cigarette. Cigarettes are gross." Kayla wrinkled her face slightly. "And candy. But mostly you right now, because Jesus fuck, it's been way too long."

A month? Six weeks?

"Looking forward to tomorrow night when I can get the hell out of this hospital bed and into ours." And her bed could remain suspiciously neat and collecting dust, just as was proper.

"We should do something, though. Road trip or something. Just us. Then afterwards, something with the gang. But some girlfriend time first."

[iced_cherub]

Bobbi came in holding one of her favorite stuffed penguins. She didn't say anything just hugged Kayla.

[seismic_shockwave]

"Snow Devil!" Kayla exclaimed, returning the hug fully but a little carefully. It wouldn't do to start crushing her best 'sister from another mister'. "Have I ever mentioned how awesome your stuffed penguins are?"

Now she wanted one. And candy.

This was completely Bobbi's fault. But she was also fully alive and that was also, in part, Bobbi's fault. So it was more than okay.

[iced_cherub]

She grinned at that. "They're the best dressed goofballs ever!" She held the toy out. "I'm not sure what you're supposed to get someone when well, you know full recovery from whatever happened to you, but I thought he'd make a good start." Yes she was giving her on of her precious penguins.

"But you can only have him if you promise not to scare us like that again okay?"

[seismic_shockwave]

"Such elegant little gentlemen!" Kayla grinned and then nearly gasped and just hugged Bobbi again. "For me? THANK YOU!"

"I promise. Fancy dress parties are not my scene. Especially Hellfire Club shit. I don't really feel like having my soul stolen again, trust me." Actually, the thought made the smile fade for awhile.

There was a lot of really horrible pain there that she didn't really want to dwell on.

"So .. I think maybe a little later this summer, we're gonna do a big camping trip, us girls. Maybe we could drag you along too!"

[iced_cherub]

She nodded. "I'm determined to get a penguin in every room of the school." She grinned. "And if they stay there after we graduate it'll be a little reminder of the fun we have."

"I don't like fancy dresses either. Parties where you have to dress up don't seem that fun. Give me a barbeque instead. With yummy finger food!" She grinned. "We should do that this summer. Though, I don't think we'd have enough people to have the kind I'm used to back home. We'd have Hawaiian themed parties on the beach." She had noted the sad look and hoped the idea of a beach party would cheer her up.

"I'd love to go! Though we'd have to ask Professor Rachel and Professor Ramsey though. I'm sure they'd let me go though." She snuggled into Kayla a bit.

[seismic_shockwave]

"We're gonna have to make this happen, then." Kayla nodded. "And then when we come back for a visit or because we're X-Men or whatever, we can see how the penguins hold up."

"Dressing up can be fun sometimes, but ... yeah, barbecues are way more my thing. With steaks and ribs and burgers." That just made her mouth water. It'd been awhile since she'd really had the ability to enjoy food and right now, she wanted all of it in her mouth. "You'd be surprised at how many people we could dredge up with some warning. There's tons of former students and X-Men floating around.

They should have no problem with it! I mean, you'd be in good hands."