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Central Park is a big place, with a lot of traffic. There are places where a person can go in the park where it's almost like they're not in the city at all. Whole communities of drifters, homeless, and others sometimes taking up residence and claiming a grove for a while until inevitably they are made to move on by the police precinct that is devoted to /just/ the park itself. A whole precinct, for just the park, and yet it's still not the safest place in the city mostly due to just how much of it there is to try and cover, not a lot of streets or even paved walkways through much of it making it a haven for those who are trying to lay low or otherwise.
Doc Samson is out in the park, this time not wearing a lab coat, or even regular clothes. No this time it's a red and black leather suit that covers his torso from the shoulders to his waist where a gold belt is wrapped around it, the shirt giving way to leather pants of the same red and black motif with heavy duty black leather boots that are calf high. The borders of the colors are trimmed in gold, and across his chest is a gold lightning bolt horizontal for whatever reason. His green hair is in a long mane of loose curls as he moves through the forest, looking for his friend that Lorna said she had seen here in the past month. Not a lot of hope there, but it's better hope than nothing. He has a smaller, less sensitive, but more portable geiger counter in his hand as he tries to pick up any sources of radiation, not just gamma. Probably hasn't had time to build a more specific device yet since the last one went up in smoke.
*
Lorna had been up to her usual routine once more, and that required running supplies to Mutant Town that may or may not come from sources entirely legal. She no longer asked about those small details. She'd outgrown that worry for more immediate ones that impacted her day to day life. Right now, it was making sure a few crates of medicine were carted through the park to a drop point in the denser part.
A bit of bruising now dotted her forehead and into her hairline. But other than that she was much the same as she was before. Rugged and well worn jeans, a pair of beat up boots, and a leather jacket that looked like she'd snagged it from a thrift shop, were the sum total of her outfit.
Of course, it was happenstance that as she came around the corner, she ran right into the green haired man from the other day too.
Lorna stopped short, and cursed under her breath. A forced smile tugging at her lips. "Hey. Hope your search is going well…" She winced faintly, as she set the boxes wrapped in bent iron down with a wave of her hand.
*
That's the problem with forests, it's easy to get lost, or lose your sense of direction at the very least, or when rounding through underbrush or a big group of trees to bump into someone. Literally. Fortunately Doc is a pretty big guy, big enough so that Lorna doesn't knock him on his rump but he does let the impact move him a bit just so all the kinetic energy doesn't impact back into her fully out of reflex. It's a thing you get used to doing when if you don't move regular people might break something on you during regular sparring. He even reaches out his free hand to try and steady whoever it is just in case but when he notices who it is Doc Samson smiles and says, "Well, fancy meeting you here. You could have just called you know."
Looking over towards the boxes wrapped in bent iron he looks curious, "Shopping day?" He asks curiously. Giving the local area a sweep with the geiger counter before he turns it off, to save the battery.
*
Lorna grinned as he helped her balance herself, though it wasn't particularly needed, he couldn't have known that. She stepped back to give him some personal space back, and restore her own as she glanced to the boxes. "Drop off point is around here. A couple trades here and there for medical supplies. There's a few mutants with healing powers and what not, doctors that are mutants.. but it's hard to get supplies for when they're not there." She pushed her hair back from her features, revealing the hints of a bruise there.
"Like I said before, I cut through here from time to time."
*
"You know… if it's that bad… and I am not saying it's not I just don't have the experience myself to verify, then there's probably a lot I can do on that front." Doc Samson says after a few moments, studying the bruise that he sees on Lorna's head near her hairline. There is nothing but concern there too, in his voice, body language, expression. "I can set up a charity foundation where we can work to get supplies to you. I don't know why it would be difficult to keep the stores supplied though. Should be able to just arrange to have things shipped to a warehouse if not to the burough directly."
*
Lorna shrugged, "There's some charities. But it's harder for mutants on the run. And there's a few." She grimaced, "And we've lost a few safe houses from time to time. Suppliers always have a shipment that goes 'missing' or paperwork that gets 'lost' and the supplies have a habit of not getting there." She blinked up at him as he looked her over and she sighed, reaching up to brush fingers against the bruise of her hairline.
"A baseline took a swing at me last night. There was a gang that came through looking to attack some of the weaker kids still out. Smashing windows." She grimaced faintly. "Got rid of them though."
*
"I am sorry that happened." Doc Samson says softly, reaching towards the bruise but he doesn't try to touch at least. "I would think with your powers it would have been easy to stop them. It's lucky that you were there to help. I wish I was there, but unfortunately I can't be everywhere I want to be at the same time." He grimaces, "Wouldn't that be creepy, big green haired guys all over the place talking to much and getting all up in others business. One of me is probably enough in the world." He looks back over to the boxes of supplies, "What sort of medicines are in the most demand?" He asks, turning the conversation back towards that, since, maybe it's something he /can/ help with.
*
Lorna shoved her hands into her pockets, though she didn't back away from the hand that raised at least. She seemed to be slowly growing used to his concern and presence at least. It was an improvement from the cool distance she'd kept before. That or at least she was tired. Could be either one. Still another shrug pulled at her shoulders. "Yeah it wasn't really that hard. Just.. a bit out of practice with combat I guess." She scratched the back of her neck and glanced back to the package on the ground.
"I dunno. I just make sure the list gets to where it needs to, and then run the deliveries to make sure the supplies get to where they need to be. I'm not a doctor. So I don't know what's needed the most. Unless it's something metal, I don't really know what we need." She made a face.
"I mean there are obvious things but anything specialized is out of my depth."
*
"Find out for me." Doc Samson says, "And I will do what I can to get what is needed. I bet I could even get it subsidized by the government if I can get it put in as part of my research. Maybe get the government to help when it should be helping already." He doesn't sound happy at the idea of innocent people not able to get medical supplies, especially within his own country. "All else fails… I have some people I can get in touch with to get that foundation started. Do what we can. Hopefully it'll be enough." He looks back over towards Lorna then, "So, other than getting hit in the head… are you ok? Want any help getting those supplies where they need to go? I'm not really having any luck finding any trace of Bruce, but if we can get your supplies taken care of then will you show me where you met him?"
*
Lorna nodded, and glanced back at the little crates of supplies she'd been hauling about. "Sure. I'll ask around, can't hurt at least. Though I dunno if anyone will accept anything if the government pays for it. Mutant Town has a unique relationship with certain charities and how people accept or don't accept stuff." She wordlessly shrugged once more as she bent to lift the boxes up into the air with a wave of her hand.
One lifted up into one tree high above, the other into a tree opposite. "Done and done. I can show you where I saw your friend though. Sure. It was just around the next break in the trees and over to the left. There's a little clearing there and he was meditating."
*
"So don't tell them." Doc Samson says seriously, "It'd be coming from me. I'd just be using them to get what I want done. It doesn't matter /where/ it comes from, so long as it's helping people right?" He watches the drops being made and then looks back towards Lorna when she mentions how close it is to where she met someone who could be his friend. Could also not be, there's a lot of people in New York City after all. "So he was meditating? If that was my friend that'd be a new track for him. Wonder how well it would work. It might help, mental focus to combat the gamma fueled rage…" He looks thoughtful now, talking only half to Lorna, more like thinking aloud. "Thank you, by the way." He says suddenly while looking back towards Lorna again.
*
Lorna shrugged once more. It seemed to be reflex at this point in time as she started down the path she'd taken weeks ago to cut through the park. "Yeah, that's true. I don't see why they'd ask anyways. It's not like it matters. I mean, a lot it was coming from the Brotherhood before, and I know that was stolen." She knew a lot of what the Brotherhood had been up to, more or less because she'd worked with Raven on the side here and there.
She led him down the path, moving lightly through twisted brambles and fallen leaves and logs. "Yeah, he helped me get a better idea on how to meditate. Said it helps with anger issues—which I have by the way. My powers are connected to my emotions. It's why when I get pissed off or upset shit hits the fan. I've brought buildings down because of it." She muttered, wrinkling her nose.
"So you can see why he and I, if it was your friend, got along swell." She offered.
*
"Whenever I have to engage the Hulk or someone like him, I always do my best to get them out of any population centers." Doc Samson says, "There's just to much risk, we're just to strong. Even if we don't miss and hit each other the shockwaves can do serious damage." He sounds a bit sad about that, "Anyone nearby is in grave danger from debris, glass, or even things like thrown cars." He looks over at her then, "If it is tied to your emotions, it's one of two things. Adrenaline based, or focus based. Rage, and Fear, they focus us in ways that we can't do normally. They also blind us to things but, when we are not fighting the emotions they allow us to exceed our normal limitations as a survival reflex." He looks around the area as they get closer to the clearing she is leading them to. "Get them out of the way though, and learn to focus all the time at the same intensity and you gain greater control, and power. Unless it is adrenaline based in which case…" He lets his voice trail off there.
*
Lorna arched a brow as she glanced back over her shoulder toward the Doc, listening as she finally broke free of the trees and gestured to the clearing before them. It was small, but grassy. Covered with leaves now that fall had taken hold. A patina of gold, orange and reds littered the floor of the clearing along with a few broken branches here and there. But otherwise, it seemed rather untouched for the city.
"It's the rage and fear. I freak out, have a panic attack because someone that hurt me is suddenly there.. and my powers go off the charts. I rip up sewers, cars, almost a whole city block now. It didn't used to be that bad, but I started to use my powers more. They've gotten stronger. So does what happens when I'm angry or scared." She made a face.
"But that's what my father said happened to him too."
*
"Well, sounds like maybe you shouldn't have quit therapy then silly." Doc Samson says to Lorna with a smile, "Sounds like unresolved emotions are your enemies, and I know there's a lot of history that is holding you down too. Just from what you've told me already. Getting rid of some of those triggers, coming to terms with them, sounds like the key to your future and better control over your abilities. That coupled with meditation for additional focus and control…" He smiles over at her then, "You still have my card right? I'd think with your being the self-appointed protector of all Mutant Town, you might enjoy the idea of getting more control." He takes a look around at the clearing and then moves to take his geiger counter off his belt and turn it on. "Where exactly was he meditating at, do you remember?" He asks curiously.
*
Lorna grimaced and look less amused at the gentle chiding about quitting her therapy. Her therapist had been a telepath and talking it out wasn't particularly the key strategy that Emma Frost had used. More along the lines of poking and prodding until something unraveled and then telling the green haired mutant to toughen up.
Nicely.
"Yeah, sure. I still have the card. Not going to therapy though. I don't need another person poking around in my head. I've done that, it wasn't fun. And talking out my issues didn't help either. So again. Like I said. Pointless." She coughed and glanced around the clearing.
"I dunno. Somewhere around there. Toward the center." She glanced up at the sky and frowned. "I gotta get going back to Mutant Town."
*
"Hey, Polaris." Doc Samson says over towards her, "I don't know who you had as a Therapist before, but, I don't poke around in people's heads. Therapy isn't just about talking, there's all sorts of different methods that can be used. It's not about forcing a change, it's not about trying to become someone else, it's about becoming who you really are and being ok with that." He smiles, "Thanks again for your help, and… please… call me. Doesn't have to be an official appointment. It's not a charity case. I help my friends because they're my friends. Unfortunately for you, you're now my friend to." He offers a wave, "Have a good night Polaris, and see you soon." He then turns on the geiger counter to it's most sensitive setting and tries to find any trace of Bruce Banner.