1963-07-31 - Kitty Returns
Summary: Kitty returns after a harrowing escape and brings another victim back to the Institute
Related: If there are no related logs, put 'None', — please don't leave blank!
Theme Song: None
kitty xavier 


The trip to Westchester after gaining the Cheshire Cat's trust was quick. Ironically, Kitty's trust wasn't so easily won, meaning that she only opted to have him drive her so far before she and her child-companion walked. Which is how the pair come to the gate. Thanks to spending years living here, and having a deep sense of family at this place, Kitty's presence set off no obvious alarms, save for her appearance.

The front foyer beckoned her in, hand-in-hand with her newfound friend. Familiar feelings in the pit of Kitty's stomach almost nauseate her, and a distinct sense of disappointment creates a horrible sinking feeling somewhere below the surface. The little girl in tow, with curly hair and caramel-coloured skin, could be no older than twelve. While oddly paired with her temporary guardian, nothing about the girl sends off automatic alerts — she looks healthy, and, relatively, happy. Kitty, on the other hand, looks worse for wear. Her hair is matted. Her skin pale. Her eyes bloodshot with dark circles.

Upon arriving, she'd made one request and one request only: to see the professor as soon as possible. Which is why the pair had been ushered into the library to wait. At once being surrounded by books, Kitty managed to get Macy (her small friend) engrossed in one; occupied. Meanwhile, Kitty hasn't stopped moving since arrival. She paces along the back wall, silently trying to make sense of what must be conveyed.

*

When he is interrupted, Xavier is somewhere else entirely. He sits over the astral plane, somewhere in the Potala Palace, deep within Tibet, conversing with the Dalai Lama over tea. Their talk has mostly centered around the philosophical questions surrounding the recent self immolations of monks in Vietnam. Needless to say the events have troubled both men greatly.

But as a student interrupts, Xavier opens one eye. "Kitty? I shall be there in just a moment." Back in Tibet, Xavier gives his apologies and returns to the world within Westchester. He moves quickly toward the library, a look of concern on his young face. He'd only been given a few of the details, but he wanted to hear everything from the young woman herself.

"Kitty. It's good to see you. I wish I could say it was under different circumstances. Tell me everything; leave nothing out."

*

"Professor," Kitty breathes rather than speaks the name. "I'm so glad to see you! I didn't know if we'd make it!" A glance is given to her young cohort now buried in a book. "We've been travelling for days to get here. It's bad. It's — " Her shoulders hang lower, her body slumps forward, and her hands press against her ears. "I'm so sorry. I'm so so so sorry. I couldn't. I tried. I tried… I …" she takes a deep breath and releases it slowly, opting to let it steady her nerves and the conflicting emotions that swirl about her presence.

The instructions to convey everything prompt her to finally sit down, taking one of the library's many easy chairs as she fights the tremble that creeps over her body. Her shoulders curl inwards towards one another, and her arms retreat further into her leather jacket. "I went to Louisiana like I told you I would. I have been working with the people there to bring about change. Real change." Her teeth play at her bottom lip.

And then, in earnest, she finally offers, "I don't really know what happened. Just what I remember before." Her eyes turn towards the girl reading the book. "And where I woke up," the weight of her gaze speaks volumes, even as Kitty struggles to make sense of what's happened.

*

Charles looks worried as Kitty doubles over and puts his hand on her shoulder in a measure intended to comfort. "Sorry? You have nothing to be sorry for Kitty. Just take a moment." When Kitty moves towards a seat, Xavier takes a moment to nod at the young girl along with Kitty to try and avoid troubling her. He then takes a seat so that he can sit across from Kitty.

As she speaks his mind wanders. Was she the victim of some sort of attack? He does not pry into her mind, especially at such a sensitive time. "It is okay, Katherine. You are safe now."

*

There's a small nod. The safety of the mansion isn't lost on her, and years in this space have bred a distinct sense of safety amid imminent turmoil. Even when all else had been a storm, this place acted as both lighthouse and harbour; a safe place to call home. Kitty rubs her eyes.

"I — " a glance is given towards Macy, the still-relatively ignorant girl in Kitty's company " — tried to help them all. I couldn't even get out of the room." She rubs her face again, and forces a tight smile akin to a grimace, "I think. I think I was at a rally." She swallows hard. "Maybe." She sucks on the inside of her cheek.

"And then I was here. Like I'd never left. There was this glorious smell of gingerbread, but it wasn't gingerbread. It was sweet, and — pungent. But in my mind it was gingerbread. But something felt off about this place, so I walked around. Explored. Nothing was right. It was eerie. Like it was supposed to be right, but it wasn't right." Her jaw tightens. "It wasn't real."

Her lips twitch again. "I woke myself up. I was restrained to a table. There was a tube in my arm. People on either side of me restrained. Unconscious."

Kitty lifts a single finger and points towards the girl in her company, "She was one of them."

*

Charles nods and smiles softly at Macy, "We're very happy that you are okay." His blue eyes go back toward Kitty. "Katherine, I would like, with your permission, to view these memories from your perspective. I want to search for any hints I might be able to use to find this place or these people."

The terror of what this implies hits Xavier hard. Sure, just last week the team had witnessed something not too different, but this was one of theirs. This hit home.

*

Slowly, calmly, Kitty runs her tongue over her lips. She manages a small nod. "Professor, I've played it over in my mind, and have come up empty. Any help would be very appreciated. I need something to clarify these thoughts." Her eyes drift closed and she takes a few more deep calming breaths.

*

Charles nods and closes his eyes. His hand comes up to his temple as he begins to search out into Kitty's mind, replaying the events from that time, and seeing if he might be able to pick up anything extra. He looks for signs that might be helpful. Areas of town. He doesn't know many people from New Orleans that he could ask, but any bit of information might help.

*

The images are weirdly spotty. The haze of Kitty's brain displays like a drug-induced near illusion, but some images linger.

WAKE UP KITTY she yells in her mind, and her eyes open to the white room. Her heads turns to the side, spying unconscious bodies of various colours, shapes, and sizes. Her eyebrows draw together as her arms peer at the tube in her arm. Bruising lines her arm. Her body aches. She phases to pass through the restraints only to stop a moment later. She hears paces. Someone is there. Swallowing hard, she waits, squinting through nearly shut eyes to spy them before they come.

The man with the needle tends to each of the bodies like a giant science experiment. And a woman on her left groans in her sleep as the fluid is registered. The man finally makes his way to Kitty, hovering over her a few moments while measuring out the fluid. It's then that she phases through the restraints, knocking him to the ground in one fell swoop, and crumpling moments later. Weakness has overtaken her. A quiet hum overhead even in her pseudo-waking dream seems to reflect about the area, bleeding into the room lined with unconscious bodies. She pulls herself up, and tugs on the girl next to her — still asleep, and she attempts to walk through the wall, only to fail. Thick reflective walls line the space, emitting a faint pulse that makes it nearly impossible to phase through. The dazed Kitty tries multiple times. A resounding alarm rolls over her mind. Her head shakes as if to erase the sound, but if it's just an illusion, she can't loose it.

*

The memories of this space aren't sequential, and hardly make sense, almost spliced together like something else. In fact, her memory jumps, perhaps because of the drug that coursed through her veins or something else. All over again, a very out of sorts Kitty lays strapped to a near slab. The space is different. The same lights remain overhead, still humming irritably. But the quiet buzz of electricity spans, and zaps. She recoils — the distinct feeling of something coursing through her veins pulsates. She flickers. And for a moment, she feels as if she's everywhere at once and paradoxically nowhere at the same time. Weightlessness throws her conscious self off balance. But the distinct smell of bleach fills the air. Hanging there. Sickly. Disgustingly.

The chatter between people in the background is fuzzy, indiscernible save for the occasional chuckle, the kind of conversation between workmates accustomed to simply doing their jobs mundanely; almost like this has no bearing on their current situation. Overlaid a voice echoes distantly, "Code Red."

*

Xavier pays special attention as they go through the vision, but cannot seem to pick up any deciphering information. He withdraws from Kitty's mind and taps a hand on her wrist, letting her know that it is over. "Katherine, we will send a team to New Orleans by nightfall to investigate. I also am going to ask you go go to the Sick Bay and undergo a full battery of tests. I understand if you will not want to head back down there again." He looks to Macy, "Additionally, I will prepare a room for our guest, and see if we may find any information about her parents."

*

Kitty emits a small sigh of relief as it comes to a close. It was painless from her perspective, but knowing that it's over is somehow relieving just the same. "Th-thank you, professor." There's a long pause. "I appreciate your taking this on." Her eyebrows knit together tightly, "But I can't walk away." She blinks hard. "I left them there. I left all of them there. I've never left someone behind. Not like that. Not in a place like that." Pause. "I have to go back. I have to. Every time I close my eyes I see them. All of them." She rubs her eyes again. "And there's something else — " she peers at him curiously, " — a young man, who looks like a cat, gave us a ride here. He got us here quickly because I told him a bit about… everything. He wants to help." There's a pause. "I wouldn't let him take us the whole way, I know that this place is sacred — it needs to be protected — but I want to honour his help so far. I think… I think he could be helpful."

*

Charles ponders this idea of assistance and sits back in his chair. Kitty knows people; she's sort of an everywoman and always has been. It's important to her. So is the secrecy of the home. "We shall bring masks then. As we embark, we will rendezvous with him at a place of your choosing. We'll leave after the tests, and after you have had a chance to rest."

*

There's a small nod at the thought. "Sounds fair." Because masks are useful. "I am okay though. Truly. I feel fine." Mostly. Kitty inhales another deep breath and rises from her chair. "Thank you Professor. I knew you'd come through." And then, despite her sometimes more awkward self, she reaches to throw her arms around the professor in a quick hug. "Thank you."

*

Charles hugs her back, "You are welcome, Kitty. I am just so pleased that you are safe." As she pulls back, he looks at her directly, clearly not joking around. "You may feel okay, but you will get rest. I shall tend to Macy, get her something to eat and somewhere to stay. Will that be alright, Macy?"

*

Macy nods, "That sounds great!" There's a chipperness to the kid. Whatever she went through is anyone's guess.

Kitty shrugs in response. "Alright. I'll rest. I'll undergo tests. I just.. I feel okay. And they're out there — " her eyes well with tears "…but I'll go to Sick Bay. Make sure everything is fine. And try to sleep."

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