At The Gate (Pietro & Typhoid)

[Pietro Maximoff]

::They were nearly through the kitchen when they passed Rossignol. Pietro was not prone to sighing, but he was tempted; not that he expected any gentle treatment from fate, but this was worse than usual. He moved to stand between the woman and Rossignol, lest a fight break out; he was prepared to snap her neck.:: "Security business."

[skids]

Skids peeked her head out from behind the cop, who had responded to the name Pietro. She had to keep from smiling at the silly sounding title; she had a feeling Pietro wouldn't like it if she made fun of his name.

In front of them was a young woman, older than Skids, but not by much. No more than ten years, anyway. Maybe her mid to early twenties. She had long, red hair that made Skids think of flames. Having never met Typhoid, Skids had no idea that this was the woman she had come to meet. Still, she looked nicer than the cop, so she said, "Hi." She was pleased to find her voice was only slightly tremulous.

[Typhoid]

"Looks like a small problem to me," Ty replied to Pietro, taking a good look at the girl standing behind him. "She's scared enough to run and hide but I doubt she'll fight." It was her heartbeat combined with Ty's long experience in dealing with people like this that gave her the insight. Not to mention the fact that she looked like Pietro could snap her in half.

[Pietro Maximoff]

"Problems of all sizes," ::Pietro replied, glancing back at the woman who had spoken up. She had yet to recognize Rossignol, which was perhaps the best bit of fortune to happen recently. He told her,:: "This is not a social call."

[skids]

"I'm Skids." It might have been bold, but Skids didn't like being spoken of as though she weren't standing right there. "I'm looking for someone."

[Typhoid]

Ty trusted Pietro, but the school was also meant to be a sanctuary for mutants. By the moniker, this girl obviously was one, and so she chose to question and see what happened. "Who are you looking for?"

[skids]

"A woman named Typhoid," Skids replied, much more apt to answer this woman's question than the same one posed by Pietro. "She's a Morlock. Well, she was, and that's why I need to find her."

[Typhoid]

Typhoid tossed a significant glance at Pietro, then her gaze shifted back to Skids. "Why do you need her?"

[Pietro Maximoff]

::Pietro did not react to the glance. If a Brotherhood member came looking for the shapeshifter, he would have beaten him into submission before hauling the shapeshifter off for questioning. It was that he knew and trusted Rossignol that he only assumed a Morlock's ill intent.::

[skids]

Skids almost missed the look the woman gave the cop. Furrowing her brow, she stepped out from behind the man and put her hands on her hips. "I heard a rumor that she was here. I need to find..." The girl's voice trailed off when she caught sight of the woman's face. There, on her cheek, was a tattoo, the same tattoo that was branded just below Skids' own wrist. She blinked and asked quietly, "Typhoid?"

[Typhoid]

Ty glanced at Pietro again when the girl spoke her name, this time with a look of resignation and apology. It would have been better had she not been here. "Again...why do you need her?" she asked the girl.

[Pietro Maximoff]

::There was little that could be done now, as the young woman, self-iproclaimed "Skids" had identified Rossignol. He would simply be on guard to stop her, and he took another step closer, prepared to act should this explode.::

[skids]

This was Typhoid. It had to be. Excited now, Skids held up her right arm to show her tattoo. "My name is Skids," she said, her words rushed. "I'm a Morlock. I mean, I was a Morlock, before Masque banished me for..." Here, her words slowed in shame. "For being indiscreet. I was told that he and some of the others attacked you several months ago, and that you survived. I didn't think that could happen; Masque is...well, scary when he's angry." She took a breath, shuddering at the memory of what she had seen Masque do to those he considered traitorous or unworthy. She'd been lucky banishment had been all he'd done to her.

Realizing she was probably wasting time, she came right out with it. "I need your help."

[Typhoid]

Ty's eyebrows rose. "I'm not a Morlock anymore. I'm not a street fighter now, or an assassin. I'm not sure what I can do for you."

[skids]

Skids swallowed before continuing, not meeting Typhoid's eye. "The Morlocks were the only family I had," she explained. "And now, with the cops," here she eyed Pietro, still in his police officer uniform, "looking for stray mutants like me, I don't have anywhere to go. I wanted to talk to you, to make sure Xavier's place was safe for someone like me." She was careful not to group Typhoid in with the Morlocks again; it seemed she didn't like it. "Were...I mean, can we talk?" She eyed Pietro again. "You know, privately?"