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X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

Michelle Diggby

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Location: Red Guard Mobile Unit - Sydney, Australia
Skills: N/A

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Michelle gave an obedient nod to Agent Darkholme, message recieved, and a cheeky wink to Cass in return. Michelle propelled herself out of her chair with gusto and followed out, only stopping at the locker for essentials and to drop off her most precious book. Shotgun loaded with night-night rounds, a kevlar vest over her otherwise civilian clothing, a black "I work in security" cap and sunset aviators. Bad-ass Status: Certified. Michelle resisted the urge to chamber the first round, she'd save that +2 to Michelle's persuasion check for later. Michelle hopped off the jet ramp, landing with an exaggerated knee bend.

"Superhero landing."

Michelle circled round to the back where Mystique, Tinley and Kingston where already waiting by the now unlocked door. From here it wasn't very clear how successful the front team were, the door was closed but they were still talking. Michelle wanted to let them gain entry first, even if that meant a breach, with the focus on them it would make a clean shot easier. If they could talk their way in even better, let them ride with the crew, make them feel part of the squad saving the world from another massive threat because, truthfully should everything go to plan, they were. Michelle checked her watch, while Dr. Banner wasn't present the objective was really uncomplicated, get the boy in the jet, however it wouldn't stay this way forever.

"They've got 5 minutes to establish a rapport with the hostages," Michelle whispered, "failing that, I'm not going to ask so nicely."

X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

Michelle Diggby

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Location: Red Guard Mobile Unit - Sydney, Australia
Skills: N/A

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It really wasn't like they had anything better to do. It woud have been great to booze it up too then and there but she neither had the healing factor to recover nor the telekinetics to fetch it without leaving her seat. If her team needed aid, and they shouldn't, Michelle didn't want to be weak link because she was inebriated, it wasn't fair on the rest of them. They could get hurt or worse, Michelle didn't want to be in that debrief. Drinking could wait till atleast the trip to the Australian safehouse. Accordion however, might not.

Agent Kingston returned with a sit rep, which Michelle was pretty sure they didn't need delivered personally. She rolled her eyes. The talk with Wolverine had clearly done Agent Reed some good though, that or she just wanted to pass the chewing out along, but she was making quick work of Agent Kingston's decision making, which Michelle was in agreement with. In fact she couldn't have said it better herself.

Jumping back into the conversation she was having about capturing the Hulk.

"I have huge doubts about the green guy getting involved, I think as long as we have the boy and we don't make this a problem the Hulk can solve, Dr. Banner will come quite quietly. I think he'd rather rely on his wits and his deftness of touch, to guarantee his family's safety." she replied, adding, "if I'm frank, I'm much more worried about that."

X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

Michelle Diggby

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Location: Red Guard Mobile Unit - Sydney, Australia
Skills: N/A

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Michelle wasn't going to argue with Mystique's decision, it was a understandable set of sensible choices. If Mystique didn't feel the need to put herself on the ground team, Michelle didn't need to be there either. They were cast from the same die, stealthy characters, and while they could both reintroduce themselves to Lance and Banner as many times as need be, if a fight were to break out both of them would be better off not thrusted immediately into the fray. They were both, in Michelle's opinion, better suited to step in during the confusion to bag and tag the objective.

This is how Michelle satisfied her neurosis, the truth behind her faith in the plan was she looked up to Mystique too much. On TV, reading about her with Daddy in the paper, research projects through out school and lectures through out boot camp, Agent Darkholme had been an ever present figure in her life ever since she was a little mutant. Michelle was inspired most by her uncompromising, unapologetic nature, especially when it came to her mutantity.

As the other sub team filed out of the jet Michelle took advantage of the quiet cabin, setting her diary down in the seat adjecent, unfolding her legs and stretching in her seat, something about flights made her back stiff. The Inhuman and her partner in crime returned looking appropriately chewed out, but they'd regained their composer after a quiet computer search or two. Michelle was surprised though that Agent Reed wanted a drink so soon, considering last time. Classic Cassandra.

Michelle laughed, "How could we not celebrate the catch of the century?"

X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

Michelle Diggby

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Location: Red Guard Mobile Unit - Sydney, Australia
Skills: N/A

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Her warnings fell on deaf ears, even if they didn't take any notice of her suggestions, her observations were still true. It was rather like they cared more for the letter, and not the intention of job and would be happy to bring back Banner comatose and paralysed from the neck down. Michelle got the impression some of them were spoiling for a fight, that they wanted the Incredible Green Rage Machine ready to punch their lights out the moment they rap on the door.

Michelle's train of thought was disrupted when the weird non-mutant recieved a slap. It was not on, in Michelle's opinion. Embarassing for everyone involved, herself included. Michelle couldn't imagine any of her mutant colleagues being displined like that, mind you Michelle couldn't imagine any of them doing something to deserve it. The situation left Michelle feeling uncomfortable.

Discussion continued. More thought out plans were being proposed and they were moving away from absolute disaster scenarios. Michelle thought that perhaps she should have more faith in SHIELD negotiators. Her job wasn't to recruit him, it was to capture him so that he could be recruited. To that end, capturing the boy were excellent leverage and two of them turning up on the doorstep was less intimidating than all ten. She still had concerns, but she was going to have to compromise somewhere.

"So we scout out the place. If Banner is home we just wait until he isn't? Then we can safely send Agent Novikova and Abercrombie who between them should see enough thoughts and alternative futures to dupe Banner's son and his squeeze into coming with us." Michelle summarised, "My biggest concern is Lance knows not to trust us already."

X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

Michelle Diggby

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Location: Red Guard Mobile Unit - Sydney, Australia
Skills: N/A

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Mission Discussion encouraged Michelle to take her nose out of her Diary.

"You want to ransom the Hulk's son?" Michelle interjected, "and if that doesn't work kill Humies until he just gives himself up and spills the beans?" Michelle shook her head. "We need to be in his good books if we're going to get him to finish the Super Soldier Project with us. He can and will eventually outsmart us, him being a brainbox is precisely the reason we're doing this and I dare to think what a secretly vengeful Banner with SHIELD resources and the trust of those swooning nerds from R&D is capable of."

"My suggestion?" Michelle pre-empted, "We demonstrate to him why we need more good guys with powers to beat bad guys with powers. We manufacture large mutant-supermacist attack on Lance's campus to draw Bruce out, local law enforcement won't be enough to deal with the terrorists meaning, unless he wants to Hulk out and use his personal brand of hyper-violence on a University Campus to solve the conflict he'll have to choose between us or waiting for his league of super friends to show. Either way demonstrates that SHIELD was right all along. If that doesn't work then we can consider kidnapping."

X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

Michelle "Shelly" Diggby

Location: Sitting Room -> Operating Theatre
Skills:

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Shelly, consumed with the condition of her diaries, had barely noticed everyone march down to the infirmary, she wandered down behind them at her own pace, the Book of Sin clutched to her chest. She really didn't think she needed all that much seeing to, maybe a couple of stitches in her scalp and a drip, not much could be done about broken rib but it was best to check with a professional, the "right" kind of Mutant might be able to make her fighting fit again in an instant.

Locked and isolated inside the elevator Shelly's thoughts turned to the Puppeteer's motivations, surely a more covert approach would have been more effective considering he was only controlling a minority of students. Considering all the fancy tech that was here, why not use that to your advantage? Shelly wondered if she was overestimating the talents of the puppeteer. Maybe it was that simple though, to sow dischordance and doubt among those here. Shelly forgave Ayita, it was perfectly reasonable to not blame her for hurting her as she wasn't in control, but did she forgive her in her heart? Could she look at Ayita and not feel the pain she appeared to inflict on her? And Shelly got the shitless end of the stick relatively speaking, she was still walking around. Imagine having to put your life on the line along side that guy that knocked you the fuck out? Emotionally scarring.

Perhaps he didn't account for the presence of Psychics that could discern between people acting of their own accord and those that weren't. But at Xavier's Mansion? Surely he wasn't that stupid. The suspicious gears in her mind churned, somethin was fucky but she couldn't put her finger on it.

The Elevator doors slid open as did the Medical bay's revealing that everyone was pretty much in high spirits, everyone seemed pretty down to kick ass, just as soon as they got themselves out of the supine position. She ploped herself on a bed, legs dangling of the side, placing her precious remaining book on the pillow. She was happy to wait as long as needed to be seen, she could be upright if she wanted and was hardly a priority.

Shelly opened her mouth to voice her concerns,

"..."

Maybe not right now.

X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

Michelle "Shelly" Diggby

Location: Patio -> Sitting Room
Skills:

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Shelly threw open the double patio doors as best she could, which is to say, not particularly impressively at all. It looked as if a bomb had gone of in the Sitting Room. Books, timber and seat fluff was strewn everywhere in shocking contrast to the delicately well ordered form she remembered it being. Shelly orientated herself in the room hoping to find her bag much where she left it, only to find it flung to the side of the room near a rather soggy, half constructed version of the arm chair she was sat in earlier. The latches had yeilded and the contents were practically swimming.

It was a disaster. Weeks of daily records turned to pulp in her hands, melting away through her fingers, the grey ooze forming a sludgy pile of forgotten memories on the ruined carpet. Gone forever. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but eventually she'd have disuade herself of her own identity again and when she did, the contents of that book, that pile of wet fibre, wouldn't be hers anymore. It almost happened today, thinking about what could have come to pass made her feel sick to the pit of her stomach. Shelly thanked her lucky stars her heart wasn't really in it, she could treasure those weeks a little longer and get the important bits back on paper.

Despite its higher quality paper, the self help book no longer had the integrity to hold it in its bindings, its torn pages providing avenues for structural water damage beyond the ordinary capacity, the printed ink streaked down the page reducing it to a series of ultra-frail Rorschach tests. Unlike loosing her diary, this wasn't depressing. This was terrifying. One bad button push and all that Shelly was, could be gone, unrecoverable. This booklet was a failsafe and now the failsafe was disabled, using her powers wasn't just morally reprehensible, it was down right suicidal.

The protective manifolds of the Book of Sin appeared to kept out not just those that might pry in, but the water too. A quick dry of the covers and a pop of the key in the lock revealed, the sacred knowledge was safe atleast. A small relief, especially considering entries that needed to be made tonight. Shelly clamped the book closed again before anyone could see inside. She'd have to bring it with her until she got back to her room.

She'd need to get the Grimoire out as soon as possible, thats what the self-help book had made her memorize, but first the ER.

X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

Michelle "Shelly" Diggby

Location: Patio
Skills: Stamina

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Shelly had taken a beating alright, it hadn't helped her beating started preemptively, with gusto and by what was supposed to be her own side. Shelly ran the events through her mind, and thought what would have happened if she hadn't been ejected from the room. All four of them would still been in there, in the chaos Shelly would definitely come out worse than some bumps and scrapes and broken bone. On reflection Uncle had inadvertantly done her a solid, which made judging him for it a toughie.

What was worth noting the most was how being unprepared had endangered her. She had been pushed around because she refused to sink to their level, then an enemy struck and the moral highground wasn't exactly strategic advantage. It wasn't something Shelly was going to let happen again. She needed her to recover her satchel, something she could do on her way downstairs.

Ayita vanished in a flash of white feather, not even acknowledging Shelly's own apology. This was disappointing but not unexpected, Shelly was quickly getting to grips with Ayita's incredible social grace. She immediately winged off with a screech, undoubtably a warcry and a warning to Mesmero were he listening through a puppet's ears.

For an instant, the air vibrated with the energy of impending violence but this subsided awhile after the vanishing of the brandished weapon. Another new girl followed out from the sitting room, practically unscathed verifying what her own ear told her, the sitting room was safe at the moment. Unless her powers involved cigarettes and civil chit chat, Shelly was ok, not that she'd be able to do much about it if they were, but Shelly would have bet money on it had something to do with disappearing things. Shelly caught the glance at the window.

"Hah, that was a team effort, me and this motherfucker over here,"Shelly quipped, nodding in the general direction of Cyclops. "If you could grab big bird over there I'll escort you two down to the honeymoon suite personally." Shelly directed her gaze at Beth, still concerned about what she was capable of.

X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

Michelle "Shelly" Diggby

Location: Patio
Skills: N/A

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Much to Shelly's relief, Ayita had appeared to change tact, a decision that only scored her some minor scratches on the dude, ultimately resulting in her being suspended in thin air. Shelly would had relaxed, had she not been aware she was no longer the sole spectator. Shelly watched as a black figure recover from her own defenestration. Friend or foe? Foe didn't sound good, Shelly knew nothing about her and what she could do, it could have been glitter or instant death or something simply beyond comprehension, much like her own. Shelly assumed the worst, it was one of the dangerous powers that was making indoors sound like a pyrotechnic thunderstorm shreikfest. In Shelly's condition it was probably best to not engage, the new girl didn't seem too interested in herself and Shelly had enough individual attention for the time being.

The gravity defying child finally returned a form that could communicate, distracting Shelly. She apologising 'in part', which took Shelly somewhat by surprise. She fully expected no apology for her bloody scalp and broken ribs whatsoever, and not just because of Ayita's demeanour but because as far as Shelly understood, Ayita wasn't even responsible. It was tough to put aside the feelings the hurt and violation, but they were sated somewhat by Ayita's atonement and seeing Ayita helplessly hovering Shelly couldn't help but softly smile through the soreness. She forgave her, she had forgiven her ages ago. If saying sorry was building bridges, her advice was trying to establish boundries, boundries Shelly was going to cross whether either of them wanted her to or not. Now was not the time for a nuanced conversation the root of her vulgarity or about what limits Shelly wasn't going to accept on her speech. It was said and meant honestly, it certainly wasn't posturing, and didn't even seem particularly mean spirited, just some honest advice, girl to girl, and as such it deserved a simple, honest response.

"That means a lot to me, thanks Ayita." Shelly wiped a drip of sweat and blood from her forehead, "I'm sorry too."

Shelly's attention returned to the second mysterious stranger, she still didn't want to get involved, but she'd have to get past get her head checked out. Walking round to the front sounded like a good idea now Ayita wasn't stalking in the deep dark but strength in numbers was hard to argue with.

X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

Michelle "Shelly" Diggby

Location: Patio
Skills: Stamina

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Shelly backed off as asked. Shelly didn't care much what Ginger had to say about her language, the presense of an angry polar bear demanded her attention. Shelly however, was impressed by the display of intimacy. Shelly could not imagine neither daring to direct a blind relations eye beams towards a common enemy and more impressively, allow her eye beams be directed by a relation while blinded. While the goal of knocking out a crazed student was perhaps not the most romantic, it was hard to argue that the manner in which they were doing demonstrated a level of trust and deepness of connection Shelly had only a cursory relationship with. Ordinarily Shelly would have regarded this act of love with jealousy but it was saving her ass right now so she was glad for it.

Another concussive blast rattled the door and the intact window behind her, a great gust wind blowing a spattering of water out with it. The battle raged on indoors and Shelly didn't have enough gas left to navigate through it, she was running on fumes and she knew it. The trembling never was just fear, she was spent also. She had about a final "fuck off" in her, a button push and maybe not even that. There was no leaving though, the bear guarded the darkness and mutant puppets guarded the house. She was pinned to the patio. But she wasn't alone out here, she had her defenders here so...

The couple were pinned to her.

"God, how could I be so fucking stupid?" It dawned on Shelly that if she weren't still on the patio they could have retreated, inside was a death trap to her, but maybe not to them. Because they weren't a liability. Instead they fought the bear hamstringed by her and there wasn't much left she could do about it. It took all she had to just stand there. The cogs stilled turned in Shelly's mind however and they formed a final plan. She couldn't continue to endanger them both like this. She knew what this risked, It was danger with a touch of penitence.

Shelly pointed towards the Day Room.

"Uncle, seems like this potty mouth needs one last ettiquette lesson tonight, would you do me-" Her broken rib throbbed violently and Shelly couldn't help but clutch at her side with her spare hand and take a breath, "would you do me the honour?"

She'd be out, no doubt from either the impact with the blast, the window, the floor or the wall, but she was going to be out somewhere soon anyway and, as far as she could tell, it was her only chance at relative safety.

"Just don't forget about me, ok?"