A Reunion

[367]

What's Up?

It's been a month since Professor Charles Xavier fell into an enigmatic coma, leaving his institute and his protégés to continue on without him.

It's been three days since the mark that had appeared on Xavier also appeared on his first eight students, the original X-Men. While none of them have followed their mentor's lead into oblivion, word of this strange shared circumstance reached them all quickly and they've agreed to gather and discuss the situation.

For better or worse, it seems that they're in this together.

It's dark, cold, and snowing outside when they gather in one of the mansion's parlors, a large room with double doors (which they close behind them) and a lit fireplace. The flames inside crackle and dismiss the worst of the night's chill as they arrive one by one, taking positions on two couches and three chairs scattered around a low table. The antique furniture and built-in bookshelves make the space reminiscent of Charles Xavier's office and the man's presence seems to hang over the gathering.

...But at least the bar cart is well-stocked.

Volunteer Slots

Scott Summers had the foresight to prepare a snack for the group before they met up. Or maybe they just needed a distraction. Regardless, they arrive armed with enough deviled eggs for everyone!

During the discussion, Kitty Pryde says something about themselves or their life that is just...not true. They don't know why they said it or where the thought even came from. How strange.

Near the end of the discussion, Kurt Wagner's mark begins to glow, bright enough to be visible through or around anything that might be obscuring it. One by one, the others' marks follow suit, ending with Emma Frost. The glow of their mark persist for several long moments after the others go dull and seems to pulse within their skin...before they suddenly collapse back with a gasp and fall unconscious.

When Emma wakes, only minutes later, their friends are around them and they recall nothing but a blinding light.

ARRIVALS ⮾ DURING THE TALK ⮾ AFTER THE TALK ⮾ OOC

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ARRIVALS

[367 367]

Introduce your character! Let us know how they're looking, how they're feeling, where they're coming from, and the like. Any pre-discussion scenes can also go here.

ARRIVALS: Scott Summers

[seeingred scott summers ⊗ cyclops]

Scott lives in the mansion, in the same room he was granted when he was fifteen, so he had time to take over the kitchen before the meeting. For hours. Making four dozen deviled eggs that look so perfect you'd expect them to have come out of a magazine.

Anyone who observed Scott in the kitchen today will know that he immediately put aside any flawed creations, which means he actually made way, way more than 48 deviled eggs. And in case you ask, he's fine. He's completely fine. If you don't want eggs, he also brought veggies and dip. All of the veggies are cut to exactly the same length.

As usual, he doesn't show much emotion during all the reunions, but he's quietly happy that they're together again.

ARRIVALS: Scott & Kurt

[blauerdamon kurt wagner ⚔️ nightcrawler]

Kurt admires the spread of alarmingly perfect deviled eggs with bewilderment. He was wondering where Scott was all day, and now he has his answer. They're uniform down to the amount of paprika topping each little yolky swirl.

"You have been busy," he observes, picking up one between his fingers. It almost feels criminal to destroy one piece of the set, but it's not as though they're going to run out. "Have you ever considered becoming a caterer?"

ARRIVALS: Scott & Kurt

[seeingred scott summers ⊗ cyclops]

"I only know how to cook five things." This morning it was four things, until Scott set himself the task of making snacks and looked up "best appetizer for a small gathering." He continues piping eggs as he speaks, having made enough now that he has a feel for the exact motion and pressure for optimal results. "And I'm not sure I have the temperament for it."

ARRIVALS: (A Kitchen Gremlin)

[hotfrosty bobby drake ❄️ has a perfect attendance rate.]

(Scott's flawed creations disappear throughout the day.)

ARRIVALS: (A Kitchen Gremlin)

[seeingred scott summers ⊗ cyclops]

At first Scott thinks he's losing his mind when he realizes the egg count is off, but soon puts together that these miscounts correlate with Bobby's appearances in the kitchen. Scott starts putting the plate of reject eggs in different places to make theft more challenging, as a training exercise. (Hi Lockheed. Would you willing to guard these appetizers?)

ARRIVALS: Scott & Jean

[totalities marvel girl]

"Hi," Jean says from somewhere about five feet behind Scott's left elbow as he's setting out his magazine-worthy snack spread. She's not above continuing to ignore Scott in group conversations when she's in one of her moods, but to be perfectly honest she doesn't remember why she started avoiding him in the first place anyway. Sometimes it's just easier for her, when things get too dire.

No need to make things awkward for everyone else, though. Her body posture is not particularly friendly, with her arms crossed tightly across her chest. It's not even entirely clear she's speaking to Scott, except for the fact that nobody else is nearby them.

ARRIVALS: Scott & Jean

[seeingred scott summers ⊗ cyclops]

Attuned to the various moods of Jean Grey, Scott drops all egg-related obsessions when he takes in Jean and her somewhat frazzled air. (He's so distracted he forgets to correctly align this latest platter in a straight line with all the others.) He hasn't been avoiding Jean, but he hasn't sought her out either. With a school this size, it's too easy for them to get through the day without speaking to each other.

"Hi," he echoes. He spends several seconds struggling not to ask her if she's alright, and finally says, "You look nice."

ARRIVALS: Kurt Wagner

[blauerdamon kurt wagner ⚔️ nightcrawler]

Kurt also lives in the mansion, and he's taken it upon himself to be the host. Welcoming people when they arrive, taking their coats to the closet, making drinks, and generally teleporting excessively. He barely takes five actual steps the entire time people are getting settled, a pretty sure sign of either eagerness or anxiety. Maybe both.

He seems mostly like his usual gregarious self, but any time he sits still even non-telepaths and empaths can sense a forlorn uneasiness in his smile. He's genuinely excited to see everyone again, but his thoughts keep wandering back to Xavier or the marks or just the general state of the world.

ARRIVALS: Evie

[stroboscopic dazzle 'em]

Evelyn is in the process of moving back into the mansion at the moment, and today, all that's left after a couple weeks of sporadic effort are a pile of bags and bits and bobs that she immediately disappears to assimilate into her lair. After a while, she cheerily emerges to join the others, dressed down in plush baby blue athleisure and fuzzy slippers. Sleepover vibes! It's like she never left at all.

Once in the parlor, Evie sets about making honey and whiskey cocktails and projecting ambient mood lighting to match the glow of the fire. Obviously they're going to have to do some serious talking or whatever, but why not make it cozy?

ARRIVALS: Evie & Manny

[empata Manuel de la Rocha (Empath)]

As a rule, Manuel doesn't drink much. With his powers, a lapse in control or judgement can have devastating repercussions for everyone involved. But tonight, well, he thinks he deserves it. He doesn't plan on overdoing it and even if he does, Emma's here to keep him in line, so there's no real problem. More importantly than any of that, though, when Evie's concocting something it's always worth trying.

So he temporarily abandons his spot on the sofa before the discussion begins and heads her way. He reaches out a hand toward one of the cocktails but pauses before actually picking it up, meeting her gaze and nodding toward the glass instead in a silent request for permission.

He offers her a dry smile.

"...Nothing ever fazes you, hm? Are you planning to turn this into a party?"

ARRIVALS: Evie & Manny

[stroboscopic dazzle 'em]

Evie grins and gestures with a (sparkly, light-lined) hand. "All yours, babe."

Actually, Manuel, some things phase her. She writes songs and bass lines about those. But honestly, things get weird a lot around here. A girl can't be fretting constantly, it's bad for the skin. ♥

"Just softening the landing," she chirps, winking. "Coma talk. It gets serious."

ARRIVALS: Evie

[hotfrosty bobby drake ❄️ has a perfect attendance rate.]

Look, it's a potluck! Whenever Evie makes a drink, Bobby offers a bespoke ice cube in the shape of a little animal.

Re: ARRIVALS: Evie

[stroboscopic dazzle 'em]

Evie lights them up in pastel colors. They're ART and they're BEAUTIFUL.

ARRIVALS: Emma Frost

[frost_queen Emma Frost ♕ White Queen]

This is Emma's first day back after a whirlwind of trying to pack up to move back to the mansion - she had planned a slower reentry after Xavier had fallen comatose so she could finish up some business, but with the appearance of the mark her timeline had moved up to 'immediately.'

Dressed in a nice, fitted white dress and heels (what snow?), she's a little flushed with travel as she arrives not long before their discussion truly starts. She makes sure to sit next to Manny on one of the couches, and will shoo someone to a chair if there's not initially room for this. Outwardly, Emma projects relative calm, but she is very displeased about their current situation. Still, at least it's nice to have everyone together again.

ARRIVALS: Emma & Kurt

[blauerdamon kurt wagner ⚔️ nightcrawler]

"Settling in well, meine Freundin?" Kurt walks over to Emma with two of Evie's cocktails in hand, holding one out for her to take. He's finally stopped rapidly teleporting from one side of the mansion to the other, settling for walking now that everyone is present and mingling. He holds his thoughts back carefully, though, just so that he doesn't immediately ruin Emma's mood with his own worries. He can save that for the discussion, but right now it's about reuniting with his team.

ARRIVALS: Manuel de la Rocha

[empata Manuel de la Rocha (Empath)]

For most residents of the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, today is just another day and immersing himself in that stable monotony, keeping busy, makes it far easier for Manuel de la Rocha to get through the long hours until the gathering. He spends the day teaching. Grading. Practicing Prokofiev's Suggestion Diabolique with (perhaps unwarranted) intensity. Working out. Showering and making himself presentable again. And, eventually, it's time to meet the others.

He arrives just on time and not a minute before, taking a seat beside Emma on the sofa nearest the fire and looking between his friends. He doesn't see them enough anymore, even the ones that are always close at hand, but he's in no mood to appreciate the reunion just now. There's too much happening. There's too much that's beyond his ability to understand, let alone control. And, to add insult to injury, now they've been branded like chattel.

Maravilloso.

With an impatient sigh, he brushes back his still-damp hair and waits for things to get underway.

ARRIVALS: Manuel & Emma

[frost_queen Emma Frost ♕ White Queen]

The moment Manuel is by her side, Emma slips her hand into his and interlaces their fingers. Her hands still haven't fully warmed from the outside, but she figures he won't mind all that much.

To cut some of the tension, she decides a little mental gossip is in order.

« Scott keeps getting hotter, but the egg thing is undercutting it a little tonight. »

ARRIVALS: Kitty Pryde

[passingthru KITTY PRYDE]

Kitty has never moved out of the mansion, though she did switch rooms from the one she used to share with Jean to a private suite with an office. She's actually spread herself about the mansion considerably in those years, between those quarters and her in-the-wall hideout that very few know about, the place she prefers to work when the work's top secret. It's from there she descends through the ceiling about five minutes after the agreed upon meeting time, still sitting cross-legged from working on her couch, still holding her laptop. She does, at least, set that aside immediately. Lockheed of course is also in attendance. She's wearing sweatervest over a yellow t-shirt and very baggy pants that she can almost guarantee will make Emma and Manuel's eyes bleed. That is of course the point.

Despite her tardiness and lightly disheveled appearance, Kitty is almost just as bright as she's ever been upon seeing her friends, with warm welcomes for each of them. She's just a little more quiet and ready for the meeting to get underway than she'd normally be, perching on the back of a sofa nervously rather than sitting all the way. Also she already ate what feels like sixteen reject eggs today, but takes a few more to be polite.

ARRIVALS: Kitty & Emma

[frost_queen Emma Frost ♕ White Queen]

"You look atrocious, sweetheart," Emma helpfully tells Kitty, purposefully out loud because she figures she'll take it as a compliment.

ARRIVALS: Kitty Pryde

[totalities marvel girl]

Stop eating the eggs, Jean (nowhere nearby) texts Kitty after her fifth reject.

ARRIVALS: Bobby Drake

[hotfrosty bobby drake ❄️ has a perfect attendance rate.]

It's a short commute for Bobby, who moved back in the spring. He tries to be helpful by rearranging the couches and chairs until they had just the right amount of space between each, something his mother always had opinions about — it takes all morning and a workout's worth of vacuuming but he found $4 in change so who wasted their time now?! Not Iceman, that's who!

He got the cozy memo and flops onto an armchair in jeans, a bright blue UCLA sweatshirt (did you hear he went to college? because he went to college–), and no socks. He's not trying to make light of everything but he's still trying to keep the mood light with a smile and jokey asides.

ARRIVALS: Bobby & Kitty

[passingthru KITTY PRYDE]

At a point in the mingling, Kitty floats on to the arm of Bobby's chair. "So how many eggs did you eat?" She asks, hushed. She'd seen him in the kitchen at least twice, and therefore Scott cannot hear the true breadth of their crimes.

ARRIVALS: Jean Grey

[totalities marvel girl]

Jean also lives here, but has been spending a lot of time this past month jaunting around the astral plane looking for solutions to the Xavier Problem (and also spying on everyone else). She has the general energy of someone emerging from a haze of hyperfixation. She's wearing a pretty typical outfit/look for her and is physically very put-together even if she's clearly in mental disarray.

ARRIVALS: Jean & Kurt

[blauerdamon kurt wagner ⚔️ nightcrawler]

"Jean," Kurt carefully rests a hand on her shoulder, tilting his head to one side as he looks at her with a slightly concerned smile. He understands she's been preoccupied, been elsewhere, and racks his brain for the words that will plant her feet back on earth.

"You have been working too hard, come have some... eggs." He gestures to the spread, and narrowly resists laughing a little. "Or maybe a drink instead?"