2012-12-18 The Caviar Branch

Scott Summers is hard at work behind one of the desks reviewing some tactical information on some foreign threat or something. He's put out a call to many of the students, alumni, and X-men to get reaquainted after his recent absence. Notes given to everyone request a moment of their time when they're in the area or when they have time. That sort of thing.
Most people knock. Call ahead. That sort of thing. Not Illyana. She's got good excuses too! Her phone's reception is spotty at best. It seems that they've get to invent one that doesn't mind the dark magics of Limbo as it's mistress keeps hopping in and out. And time runs odd in Limbo so, well, Illyana is rarely on time. Instead, as Scott's hard at work there's the flare of light from Illyana's stepping disk that winks in and out, leaving the blonde sitting across the desk from Scott, leaning back with her feet on the edge of his desk. "That one should get a D." She says, giving a sage nod. Even though he's going over tactical reports and not grading papers.
"You're right," Scott says as he leans back with a slow grin upon his face. "It's information about Modric, a warlord in Eastern Europe. I think maybe a D might be generous." Scott lifts one leg over the other and slides the information off to the side. Giving an upwards nod, he asks, "How are you, Illyana?"
Illyana folds her hands in her lap, elbows resting on the arm of the chair and tilts her head in a nod. "I'm alright." She's been kind of absent since Sam died... but then didn't. She used to stop in around the school to at least see her brother and whatnot but since she made that call to the school to let them know that Sam was dead on a mission with her... Not so much. "What's with the roll-call? Something up?"
"Not much, really. I'm just looking to get reacquainted with everyone. I've been out of the office for a few months and wanted to touch base. See where everyone's at. That sort of thing. Just see how life is going." Scott exhales and his face falters a bit. Alright could either mean good, or bad. Depends on what kind of mood Illyana's in. Shockingly, it could also mean alright. "How did your semester go at NYU?"
Scott's seen Illyana as that bright, happy little six-year-old, and then had to get to know the older, must less bright and shiny woman she grew into. But he's been around her for long enough to be used to her often mercurial moods. "Well, I managed to pass my classes even with having to..." She falters, just a bit. "Deal with that Adg guy trying to bring about the end of the world."
"Well," Scott says with a soft chuckle and a raised eyebrow. "On behalf of the rest of the world and...myself...thanks." He pauses for a bit before adding. "Is it alright to ask you about the Titans?"
Illyana wrinkles her nose a bit which oddly enough makes her look kind of cute. She draws a breath and lets it out in a sigh. "Nightwing." She says with a shrug. "I wasn't going to stay on a team where someone felt I was there to do what they say." Oddly ehough, Illyana can be a solid team player. But only if she feels she's respected.
"I see." Scott nods, "I'm sure you won't be surprised that there are some people who don't really like my style either. If you can't get along and respect the person who is supposed to lead you, it makes life very difficult. Yes, I realize the irony of that statement coming from me." He chuckles a bit before going back to being a bit serious. "Just know you always have a place to hang your hat and come back to. We care about you here, Illyana. You're part of our family. If you ever need anything, please don't hesitate."
"It started out with him not even really there or wanting to have anything to do with 'the kids'." Illyana says with a narrowing of her hard blue eyes. "I basically had to slap him to get him to stop whining and do something and even then it was friction with folks. Eventually he finally decided OK, he was going to lead and then it was all 'my way or the highway'." Her lips thin. "I don't take ultimatums well." Her annoyance eases a bit and she gives a wan smile though that falters. "Thanks Scott, I just... I don't know that I should be here." Her lips press down into a thin line again. "Did Sam tell you what happened?"
Scott shakes his head, "No, I haven't seen Sam in a while. And to be honest, I hadn't seen him for a while before I left. What happened?" He sighs, "I'm sorry you had a bad experience with them; it seems like you were right to move on. As far as here, you don't have to /be/ anything. I just want you to know you can /be/ here."
Illyana lifts her feet off the edge of the desk, setting them down on the floor as she sits up and leans forward a bit. "It was a huge, elaborate set-up. To get my sword and my power away from me to open the gates to let the Elder Gods out. He would have managed it too, but I'd been helping Sam with something and so my magic jumped to Sam. I didn't have my magic to do the spell to stop Adg so I tried to teach it to Sam but..." She just shakes her head. "Not something you can really learn in a few days." Her eyes go even colder. Empty. Empty of pity or compassion. "So I killed Sam. To get my magic back so that I could do the spell." She lifts that frosty gaze to Scotts, not flinching as she admits to killing one of her family.
"You killed Sam?" Scott asks. His tone is not angry. Confused. Shocked. Needing clarification. "How would I talk to Sam if he's dead?"
Illyana nods. "I'm.. not sure what happened there." Illyana had called the Institute to let them know Sam was dead and she was returning his body. And then Sam showed back up alive a few days later. With quite the scar across his throat. "It's not my magic. Trust me, I checked." Because that would be some Monkey's Paw stuff right there.
Scott's eyebrows ruffle, "I'll try talking to him and making sense of it. It seems he's pretty healthy for a dead guy." Scott's understanding of the whole half of Illyana's world is limited. It's confusing and dark and, frankly, sort of scary. After a long pause, he asks, "Does he forgive you?"
There's no hesitation, just a small nod. "It's Sam." She says with a small, almost sad smirk. "Of course he did." Most of the Xavier types have done their best to ignore Illyana's other life.
Scott nods, "Well, I hope you don't mind that I intend to ask him about it. What's in the past, is in the past, of course. On the other hand I still need to be sure there is nothing lingering. Fissures in the team will pop up at the most inopportune times."
Illyana hitches a shoulder in another shrug, not seeming to be bothered by Scott doing follow-up. "Forgiven or not, I still don't know that you want me around your students Scott."
"Of course you do," Scott says with a soft smile, stands, and moves over to rest his hand on Illyana's shoulder, should she let him. "Because I just told you I did." He gives a nod toward the exit. "I know I'm probably keeping you from a heavy metal concert or something. I just wanted to touch base and let you know that you're not by yourself. Whatever happened with Sam...well, there's a reason for it and it seems like fate was smiling down on us in the end. We'll move past it."
Illyana tilts her head back so she can look up at Scott as he moves over, and she doesn't flinch away from his touch. They may not be close, but they're still family. She looks at him for a long moment, as though she could see past those ruby lenses to his eyes and the soul behind them before she finally nods and stands up. "By the way. I have... a few friends. If something comes up and the X-Men can't be there or shouldn't be there... Lemme know."
"Seems to run in the family," Scott responds dryly. "Who are the friends?"
Illyana can't help but drin a bit, ducking her head for a moment. "Most of 'em no one knows. Mutant I met who could really use a codename. That mutant I called you guys about a while back? The one that I helped the Martian Manhunter calm down because he's from some post-apocalyptic alternate reality and he was freaking out? Superboy. Woman goes by Ravager and a new guy's been on the news a bit. All in green. Calls himself Sentinel."
"Intriguing," Scott says with a nod and pursed lips. "I'll definitely store that information away for a rainy day." He seems to be thinking a bit deeper on it.
A stepping disk appears beneath Illyana's feet, but lingers there as she sets hands on hips with a smirk. "Piotr's happy because at least it means I'm spending time around humans." Instead of demons. "Take care, Scott. Lemme know if you need anything. I may not be an X-Man, but I'm still an alumn." She gives him a wink and then teleports out.
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