Logs:Fix What's Broke

Fix What's Broke
Dramatis Personae K.C., Kieow, Tomas Ferris (Old)
In Absentia	2020-10-15 "I'm scared."
Location <XAV> Conservatory - Xs First Floor
Tall panes of glass and a many-gabled glass ceiling protect this large indoor garden from the elements, while welcoming in sunlight to keep it warm year-round. Adjoined to the southern face of the venerable mansion and surrounded by more conventional gardens beyond, the conservatory is all Old World elegance from the outside. Within, however, it is lush and green and in certain corners--whether despite its careful tending by the groundskeeper or because of it--seems practically wild. Footpaths and a burbling artificial steam wind through the space, connecting its disparate parts. Benches are scattered throughout, thorough soft grasses or mosses under certain trees also invite rest. The outside wall is lined with tropical and subtropical plants. The ferns and cycads and epiphytes are kept moist by artfully hidden misters that also give the place a sort of magical ambiance, dense foliage wreathed at times with drifting patches of mist. Nearest the building is a desert in miniature, with a few impressively sized cacti as well as palo verde and other trees adapted to arid climes. Between these, and by far the largest section, is dedicated temperate zone plantlife from around the world, the beds growing more carefully manicured and the pads less winding as one approaches the center, where a clearing with a small ring of seats is a popular spot for some teachers to hold court. By now, word has spread throughout the school that one of the X-Men was killed on Tuesday. Reactions through out the school vary, depending on how well the individuals knew Dawson Allred, leading some to take time off and time away from the school while others tried to gather the community close to help with the dread and fear caused by the simple facts of a case. The school counselors were trying their best to walk those struggling through their feelings, but they were still very much in the thick of it. Kieow is seated on ground in the tropical area, near the path where she can be clearly seen. She's shoved her feet into the rich soil up to her ankles and leans forward on her thighs, staring left and right, watching for anyone approaching. She's wearing a light pink coat suited for colder weather, a long sleeved tee in black and dark jeans. Her fingers are dug deep into the root clump of the plant she pulled out to make room for her feet, picking it apart like a Gordian knot. The leaves on her head are drooping and withering, many falling to her shoulders and the ground dead. Sitting on the stone beside her is a vivid purple backpack, crammed full of clothes. At length, she reaches into her pocket and pulls out her cell, having to swipe a couple times to unlock it before checking her text messages for the millionth time. Still... no response. K.C. is preceded into the conservatory, as she often is, by her large pitbull; Suga Mama pads before her, quiet and quietly wagging. K.C. is quiet as well, head down, hands at her sides, fingers tapping lightly at the air. She's dressed in baggy jeans, baggy black hoodie, sneakers; her eyes only barely lift when the pitbull stops in front of Kieow. They don't lift for long before dropping back to the ground in apparently intent examination of the toes of her sneakers. For a moment she sways, slow, back and forth in her place. When she does speak it's in her usual flat monotone. "... sorry." Just that. Tomas was distraught by the events of the last week, an explosion, death of an X-Men, even thou he didn't know who they where, it still hurt. He was dressed in a pair of cargo pants, chains hanging off them, and a black t-shirt with a yellow car eye and mouth on it. He kicked at the ground as he walked into the conservatory, not really paying attention to anything but a vedio on his phone. Not noticing her on the ground he trips over Kieow and falls to the side of her. When he hits the ground a nearby light glows bright and shatters. He lets out a small groan as he rolls onto his back. When K.C. speaks, Kieow's eyes begin to well up with tears again, for perhaps the twentieth time that day. She offers a little nod in acknowledgement and glances in K.C.'s direction before looking at Suga Mama, lips parting to continue the exchange in some way, but how is lost to the ages as another student walks directly into her. She tries to put her arms up to protect herself, but there is already a body in the way, so she lands hard on her side, wrenching one of her feet painfully from the soil. Broken roots as thick as a finger snap off, letting off a sharp green odor. Where she initially tried to stifle her tears, she now lays on the ground, crumpled and sobs. "L-l--leaping lizards." K.C.'s eyes open wider, her fingers halting in their rapid twitching motion. Her jerky snap-kick is reflexive -- she does not actually kick Tomas, not aiming at him at all, but does scuff a scattering of dirt clods straight towards his face where he lies on the ground. "Are you stupid." She drops to her knees at Kieow's side, hesitantly reaching a hand towards the other girl but then dropping it to the earth again without touching. Her shoulders sag, brows rumpling. "... sorry," again. "Do you need -- help. You -- broke." Tomas lets out a sigh as he sits up and rubs his temple. His phone is on the ground, as he rubs his forehead his phone says " HURt HEAd, it die.." then emits static. Tomas just points at the phone and sighs, before picking it up and brushing the dust off it. Kieow slowly gets up, crying still, but the sobs have let up. She looks between K.C. and Suga Mama before Tomas demands attention again. She sniffs, and swallows hard, fingers curling into the dirt clod and plant material in her hands, the spray of her own leaves getting caught in the mess. She just stares at him out of the corner of her eye, the hot tears stinging her cheeks. Eventually, she just lifts the organic mess between her fingers and smashes it gently into Tomas's face. "Go Away." Shove, shove. "Med bay is down stairs." K.C. slumps down to sit in the dirt, resting a hand on Suga Mama's back when the dog returns to her side. Her brows are still creased, deeper still when Tomas's phone speaks again. She doesn't look towards him, eyes just fixed on the ground in between the three of them. "You need help," comes again, still toneless-flat. "Don't know how to fix. That." Tomas shakes his head when Kieow shoves dirt at him before brushing it off his face, giving her a saddened look. He then looks briefly at K.C. before pulling out his phone and typing, the phone dictating: " YES, yes yes I SHould get Get...." the phone stops dictating even thou he's still typing. The phone then loudly says "HELP" before turning off, Tomas then squints his eyes and rubs his head, nodding a bit. "I... can't do this." Kieow grabs her leg and starts pulling it upward. The visible roots start desiccating and falling off, some breaking off the same way as the first. With one foot free, frees the second one with more frantic tugs. "I really just want to pet your dog but I can't be here right now." She pauses, hunched over as she gets her feet underneath her. "Can't be anywhere right now... but here is worse. I'm sorry. Thank you. I am sorry." "Yes," K.C. agrees; for the first time there is more of a tone to her voice, sharper and clipped, "you should. Get help." It evens back out to her previous flat neutrality as she scoots slightly back in the dirt. "Sorry," she says again. "Sorry." Her eyes dart up quickly, then back down. She presses her hand to Suga Mama's back, pushing herself to her feet. "He was -- good. Taught me --" Her head shakes quickly. "I'm sorry." Tomas stands up and brushes himself off still visibly in pain. He stands still for a few moments before groaning again, causing another light to flicker but not shatter. He then turns and makes his way to the med bay. Various lights flickering and PA speakers glitching as he makes his way. "You knew him?" Kieow's voice shatters on the second word, making the last hard to make out. She freezes where she is and searches K.C.'s face, brows knitting up. Her shoulders slump as she lowers herself again. "Thank you. I... thank you. Can I hug..." She sniffs and reaches a hand out, but pauses, remembering K.C.'s earlier movements. "...your dog?" "Yes. Hug her." K.C.'s eyes flit up again, watching Tomas go. Then returning to the dirt. Her fingers flick at the air again, head bobbing repetitively. "He taught me. Woodworking. Taught me. He was -- he was good. Made pretty things. Didn't -- yell. I'm sorry." The hitch of her shoulder is a little jerky. She's looking down at the disturbed clumps of earth, her eyes wider. "Don't know how to fix that." Kieow leans forward and presents her hand to Suga Mama in greeting, waiting for a favorable response before attempting a few pets. "He was so good. So good. It's not right. He gave so many good hugs and I miss him... so much." Suga Mama is happy for the attention, wiggly and waggy and shoving her blunt head forward into Kieow's hand, weight leaning up into the petting. "Good," K.C. agrees again. "Some teachers were -- not patient but." Her head shakes quickly. "Sorry. Sorry. Not right. He was helping. On the internet people are lying. He was helping." "He was always helping," Kieow admits in a small voice. She showers Suga Mama with the the attention the dog she previously held back, planting her face against the pit bull's shoulder while continuing to rub the dog's short fur with her hands. "I know they are lying and I know it's not true... i just ... it hurts so much that anyone would believe that." She draws in a ragged breath, then admits, "I can't reach my brother. I'm scared." "Your brother," K.C. echoes this with a small shake of her head. "Your brother..." Her fingers flutter again, then her eyes open wide. "Oh. Other brother. Other brother. Not answering. Not answering..." Her jaw sets, her eyes drifting sideways. "Your brother." She dusts her hands against the seat of her pants, and then offers one hand to Kieow. "Come. I can help. Very good finder." "Bua... Hive." Kieow supplies when K.C. starts mentioning finding him. She takes her hand readily, not really bothering to dust herself off, but she does snag her backpack as she follows. "Thank you."