Later that day

Later that same day, in Peregrine, Noelle meets with Puck outside an office building.

Noelle Frost: Hey Puck.
Puck Bunny: Hiya Noelle....so...how are are doing Sweetie?
Noelle Frost: I don't... it just... it's not real, right?
Puck Bunny: I don't know, I was going to have our lawyer go down with records and see if it is really him.
Noelle Frost: It's him.
Puck Bunny: You know for sure?
Noelle Frost: I saw him.
Puck Bunny: Yes...but have DNA records...just to make sure.
Noelle Frost: I know it's him, Puck. I just don't know how.

Noelle Frost looks drawn out, tired.
Puck Bunny hugs Noelle tightly
Noelle Frost pulls away, not wanting to break down on a street corner.

Puck Bunny smiles...
Puck Bunny: want to go somewhere and Talk for a bit Noelle?
Noelle Frost shakes her head.
Noelle Frost: No. I can't. I have to keep busy.
Puck Bunny: Ok sweetie...
Noelle Frost: Do you need any help?
Puck Bunny: Yeppers...Tina wants me to take out some guy named Anti-matter.
Noelle Frost: Big stuff. Let's go.
Puck Bunny: Ok. Let me give Melville a call and have him go down to the Morgue and make sure.

Kinetica and Psi-Clone join them at Portal Corp.
Noelle Frost: Hey Kin.
Puck Bunny: Hiya Erin!
Noelle Frost looks down.
Kinetica: Hi hi!
Psi-clone: Greetings, folks.
Puck Bunny: Hiya Psi!
Noelle Frost: Hey Psi-Clone.
Psi-clone: Noelle, I like the look on you.
Noelle Frost looks over at Psi-Clone, and then quickly away.
Noelle Frost replies softly, "Thanks."
Psi-clone smiles. "No problem."

Psi-clone: So, what's the sitch?
Kinetica humms the Kim Possible theme for a moment very badly.
Noelle Frost smiles very very briefly.
Psi-clone chuckles.
Puck Bunny: Some Guy Named Anti Matter is causing some fuss for Tina...
Puck Bunny: Shall we?
Kinetica tilts her helmet to the side, "You okay, Noelle?"
Puck Bunny: It's Kid Erin...
Kinetica: Uh... Huh?
Noelle Frost: He's dead.
Kinetica: Er... What?
Puck Bunny: His body was found this morning in Sky...Melville is down there right now with some DNA seeing if it really is him.
Kinetica sighs and shakes her helmet, "I think I missed the training class where they taught you want to say at times like this."
Psi-clone: I saw a news story about that. I was ... shocked.
Puck Bunny: Yeppers....
Noelle Frost: I just... need to keep busy, ya know?
Puck Bunny: Yeppers.
Psi-clone: Yes. I ...
Psi-clone chews lip for a moment.
Psi-clone: Is there ... um ... anything we can do?
Noelle Frost shakes her head.
Psi-clone nods.
Kinetica: So.. Uh.. Beatings time?
Psi-clone: Well -- we should -- go then. Go take care of business.
Noelle Frost smiles slightly at the phrase.
Puck Bunny: Ok...let's keep Noelle busy!

As they cross through the portal, Noelle’s comm buzzes on the Storm Knight frequency.
[SuperGroup]Kessa: Hello.
[SuperGroup]Noelle Frost: Hi Kes.
[SuperGroup]Kessa: What's going on? Saw the paper ??
[SuperGroup]Noelle Frost: Yeah. Kid's... I went down to the morgue this morning.
[SuperGroup]Kessa: And? It has to be a clone, right?
[SuperGroup]Noelle Frost: Puck's sending someone down with a DNA test, but I know it's him.
[SuperGroup]Kessa: ...I'm sorry Noelle.
[SuperGroup]Noelle Frost: Thanks.

Facing a number of groups of Praetorian clockworks, Noelle rushes in carelessly, and comes back to consciousness shortly afterwards amidst her concerned friends.
Psi-clone: Noelle
Puck Bunny: Noelle...no Kamakazi'ing...
Noelle Frost wraps a freezing cold air around her.
Psi-clone: What you do affects everyone, Noelle. Not just yourself. Because we're not going to stand by and let you kill yourself.
Kessa: Right on the spot there Noelle, stay upright
Noelle Frost: Right.

As they wait for Noelle to recover, Agent Seven and Kessa join them.
Psi-clone: So, Agent. How have you been keeping yourself?
Agent Seven: Busy. You?
Psi-clone: Busy. Extremely.
As they make small talk, Noelle rushes forward again, and is helped by her teammates in clearing a room. Afterwards, she looks around blindly, "More?"
Kessa: Not here, maybe upstairs
Eventually, they encounter Anti-Matter, and Noelle blankets the area around him with ice, but is unprepared when he strikes back. Revived by Seven, who mutters "Reckless," and then again, she stumbles through the rest of the fight.

Afterwards, she wraps her arms around herself and keeps away from her friends as they celebrate.
Puck Bunny: Thank you Love....
Psi-clone: Drinks are on me, people.
Kessa smiles slightly
Kessa: Drinks on you could be fun, where is the little umbrellas?
Kinetica: Belly shots?
Puck Bunny: Yes....boat drinks!
Amorpha: or coconuts
Psi-clone: And, har-har.

Back on Peregrine, Puck Bunny holds her comm to her ear...
Puck Bunny: Hmmm....
Puck Bunny: Melville says the DNA matches Noelle....
Psi-clone: Noelle?
Noelle Frost looks up at Psi-Clone
Puck Bunny: Sorry....
Noelle glances down again.
Puck Bunny: Would it be alright if Kessa has a look?
Kessa: DNA would be the same for a clone
Kinetica: Huh? It matches to Noelle or... Oh.
Psi-clone whispers, "Dammit."
Kinetica sighs and shakes her helmet again.
Noelle Frost: It's Kid. I know it.
Agent Seven watches on passively
Puck Bunny bites her lip and wipes her eyes.
Kessa presses her lips together and just watches Noelle's face.
Puck Bunny: But...weirdness happens...we might as well exhaust all possibilities.
Psi-clone folds his arms
Noelle Frost: Sure.
Puck Bunny: Ok. Thank you sweetie....
Noelle Frost: It feels...
Noelle Frost breaks off, unable to say.
Agent Seven arches an eyebrow
Kinetica: I just don't get it.. I mean, I saw him shrug off getting hit by a Buick-on-a-stick.
Kessa incants and gestures
Psi-clone shakes his head.
Noelle Frost: I saw him do so much more...
Agent Seven punches some buttons on his wrist-com
Psi-clone: We should -- he would have wanted -- dammit.
He lapses into silence again.
Kessa: Most of us are not immortal, much as we like to believe. But to continue and remember is the hardest part for those left
Psi-clone snorts lightly. Nods.
Kessa: He is alive, in the heart and in the mind
Noelle's lips are pressed tightly together, holding back.
Kinetica sighs again.
Noelle's face is paler than usual.
Puck Bunny reaches out and holds Kessa's hand "That's right Kessa..."
Psi-clone: Noelle. I know there's -- nothing that doesn't sound trite right now. But -- well. If there's anything we can do ...
Kessa squeezes Puck’s hand and holds on to it
Noelle Frost: Thank you, Psi-Clone.
Psi-clone: Graham. Please.
Noelle Frost: Graham.
Noelle Frost looks up at everyone staring at her, and wipes away her silent tears.

Agent Seven: Heard it was Carnival work.....if it's any consolation.
Psi-clone frowns.
Puck Bunny: Clownies?!?
Agent Seven looks back at his comm and nods.
Psi-clone: Not a consolation. But a target.
Noelle Frost nods
Kinetica: Carnies? Damn... How in the heck could they pull that off?
Puck Bunny: Don't they know I like tossing things at Clownies?
Kessa: And information to be found.
Puck Bunny: Yep.....
Agent Seven: Information can always be......extracted.
Psi-clone smiles unpleasantly to the Agent. "Indeed."
Psi-clone: But first -- Kin, you said there was something that needed doing?
Puck Bunny: yes...we need to keep Noelle Busy...
Kinetica: Oh... Yeah. Marauder. Tyrant's lap-dog. Word is he is in town not far from here setting up a base. Which, well, would be very bad.
Agent Seven: Agreed
Psi-clone: What say we register our disapproval with him. Directly.
Puck Bunny: Yeppers...
Kinetica: Sounds like a plan to me!
Psi-clone: Noelle?
Noelle Frost: Let's do it.

Again, afterwards, as her teammates celebrate, Noelle stands alone in a pocket of frozen air. Eventually, she interrupts.
Noelle Frost: ...I should go.
Kinetica sighs.
Puck Bunny: You sure Noelle?
Psi-clone: Are you going to be all right on your own, Noelle?
Noelle Frost nods.
Kessa talks into her comm quietly.

[Tell]Kessa: Call if you want to talk. And Noelle, your dying won't bring him back.

Psi-clone: Don't do -- well, don't do anything he wouldn't have wanted you to.
Puck Bunny: You sure...I am sure any of us would be glad to have you as a guest if you do not want to be alone sweetie...
Amorpha: You will call if you need anything - right?
Noelle Frost: I'll be fine. Just going home.
Kinetica: Yeah. We are here for you Noelle.
Psi-clone nods.
Agent Seven looks down at his com
Psi-clone: Hrm.

Noelle Frost walks off alone, and appears several moments in Kid’s empty apartment in Founder’s Falls. From his closet, she pulls out his spare gold lame jacket, and slips her arms into it, pulling it tightly around her as she curls up in his bed and sobs herself to sleep.