To Rise, First You Must Burn.

[nohoundsallowed]

((OOC Note: This immediately follows this post and continues it on.))

Consciousness came back slowly to Headmaster Rachel Grey-Ramsey. The pain hit her faster. She groaned softly as her head and shoulder throbbed. She could sense all the chaos happening around the school, but her mind was too muddled to make sense of it. She reached up and pulled books and cracked shelving off her head and shoulders.

She knew she needed to be up and moving to protect the children. She wasn't helped by a cascade of wood and paper into her lap.

Comments

[nohoundsallowed]

She grunted a bit getting to her feet. "What hit me?"

Rachel glanced around the room. Her built in bookcase looked to be the worst casualty. Though the bullet hole through the window only partially answered her question. She shook her head. Foggiheadedness was a bane to someone with mental powers.

[talk_to_you]

"Probably part of the Purifers initial attack," Doug said. "They got past the defenses... and they brought Sentinels."

[nohoundsallowed]

"Puri-flonq." She closed her eyes to will her mind clearer. It worked partially. She was distracted by the throbbing in her shoulder. Rachel concentrated on the pain and why her body was screaming bloody murder at her.

"The children?" She asked distractedly. She was less worried about the staff and X-Men. All of them could handle themselves and had countless times before.

[talk_to_you]

"We got lucky. Most of them were inside and in class. We got them to the safe rooms. There were a few outside, but they've gotten to safety. They barely breached the walls before the team started turning them away."

And a few, like Rose and Topher, had gotten out instead, of course. There would have to be talks about that later.

[nohoundsallowed]

Her brow furrowed. The skin around her bullet wound rippled. There was a very soft, wet sucking sound coming from the non-natural hole in Rachel's body. The redhead clenched her jaw as she ignored the pain.

She nodded like she had heard her husband as a blood-covered slug popped out of her wound. It had been buried in bone and had hurt like hell coming out.

"Mmf. Remind me to not get shot again." She took a breath as her wound started to close. "Are there still intruders on the grounds?"

[talk_to_you]

"I've heard pretty bad things about getting shot," Doug said, forcing a bit of a jesting tone. "Can't say I recommend it."

"There are," he said. "The team's holding ground and I've got the security system on-line, but there's still a bunch of them out there."

[nohoundsallowed]

"Sorry. Bad joke." If Rachel had been more with it, she would have avoided the joke. At least with him. Kitty on the other hand... would have reminded Rachel about Doug. That wouldn't work either.

"I need to get outside," she said as she opened her eyes. She rolled her shoulder to make sure the wound had closed and she had deadened the nerves there temporarily.

[talk_to_you]

Doug frowned. "You're still injured. You can't go out there like that."

[nohoundsallowed]

"I have to. This is my school now. I'm a little... angry." Her hound marks momentarily appeared. Though they were quickly replaced by a faint phoenix appearing around her eye.

[talk_to_you]

He shook his head. "We've got Lorna, Monet, and Anna-Marie out there already. I.. if something happened to you..."

[nohoundsallowed]

Rachel reached up and caressed Doug's cheek. She understood his feelings; she felt them through their psychic rapport. "Something already has. I was the first shot for them. I will be the last shot for us. Even if I have to do nothing but gesture grandly while the other adults clean up."

[talk_to_you]

Doug managed a small smile. "Go get 'em, babe."

[nohoundsallowed]

Her hand dropped away, and Rachel gave Doug a quick peck on the cheek. "I'll be back. I promise."

With the best of assurances that she could give given, the Headmaster of Xavier's headed for the door. She took in a deep breath and focused. The redhead was unaware of the physical thrum of power starting to emanate from her.