Entry tags:

damage, magneto, poison, pyro, sway

Who: Damage, Sway, Pyro & Magneto; OPEN
When: Wednesday, April 2, 2008 (afternoon)
Where: Xavier's; front gates
What: a reunion
Status: in progress
Rating: PG-13

Their U.S. Army-grade Hummer pulled to a stop just outside the gates of Xavier's estate. The trailer it was pulling lurched slowly into place behind the camouflaged SUV and its interior contents shifted forward. The two individuals leading the miniature caravan were both relieved and apprehensive to see someone atop the guard gate.

Jonah Margaux turned his head toward his cousin who was beside him in the passenger seat and said in a low voice, "Keep your lip tight," he warned. "Lemme do the talkin' and maybe they'll let us by." Times were rough, and whether this place was still being run by Xavier or not, there were maximum defenses set up. Whoever was running the show was serious.

Myra, the cousin in question, simply rolled her eyes at the tired accusation that she rubbed people the wrong way. She shrugged and leaned her elbow out the window of her door, then ducked her head out to look around the long wall and property. You couldn't tell much. But there was, indeed, someone up in the guard tower near the gate. She squinted, but the sun was shining directly behind the individual - a man - and it was hard to see what sort of character he was.

On the opposite side, Jonah mimicked his cousin's action, but he cleared his throat and lifted up a greeting, "Hello!" It wasn't necessarily a merry tone, but it wasn't unfriendly. "I'm Jonah Margaux, I'm a mutant," the hand that was outside the vehicle gestured inward, "we both are. We're here to see Charles Xavier."

"Hola, mi amo es Pyro," a smooth, grinning voice responded, and the owner pushed himself forward and leaned clear of the sun's glare. "You finally show up and it's Xavier you wanna see? Shit, man. I've been missin' you."

"Son of a bitch! It's Pyro," he turned to Sway finally and repeated, "It's Pyro!"

She was grinning and had thrown her head back in a surprised, highly amused laugh. Well, at least someone had survived.

"Who the hell else is here? And open this gate, fool." Damage finally responded to the Aussie.

John was chuckling and leaned over to flip the switch for the gate. He spoke for a moment into his headset, letting those at the other towers know the situation, and whoever was wearing their ears in the mansion. "Everyone. We're all here." He motioned for Damage to drive, even though the gate hadn't moved. Once the tires hit a certain point, the gate began to swing inward into the property.

Myra had moved to sit inside the frame of her door's window, so her legs were the only part of her still left in the car. "John, jump down here. Lemme look at ya."

Jonah slowed long enough for the pyrokine to make a quick leap onto the massive vehicle, and when John hit the top that he was on board and had something to hold onto, they made tracks for the entrance of the school.

"You're still ugly," Sway told the man, grinning all the while.

"And you're still bitchy," Pyro remarked, smirking back to what he could see of the woman. "Where the hell have you two been? And what the hell happened to your head?"

As he followed the drive, Damage listened to the volley, "Everywhere, man. We've done so much shit, I don't even remember half of it. It's good to see a face that isn't hungry for mine, though." It was such a relief to know that they were about to see all of their old friends - and have food and a roof and lights. Jonah had had plenty of life on the road, and of dealing with Darkseekers. Their family was safe and they'd found the Brotherhood. It was time to rest a little.

Sway waited for Jonah to finish before pushing her free hand through her chopped hair and fussing it up. "It was getting too long. Too easy to grab onto." She made a grimace, hoping John realized what she was getting at without her having to go into detail.

"I take it you guys haven't been picnicking with granny..."

"Hell no," Jonah's voice rose up again. "But we came with a basket full of goodies," his arm slung out the window and he thumbed back to their trailer. For room and board, they had plenty to trade. Now they just had to scope the place out and see how welcome they really were.

---

When the trio reached the front door, there was already a welcoming committee.

Erik Lensherr stood, hands clasped together and with eager eyes at the top of the flight of stairs that led to Xavier's front door. When the massive vehicle and trailer came to a halt, he kept his place, but his hands fell apart and he spread them out to his sides in welcome. "You're late," his voice had a note of relief and amusement danced in his eyes. This was certainly a positive turn of events. What with Demon and Morro being of no use to him, and half the others behaving like school children, he was happy to see he had dependable fellows alive and near.

"I think our invitation got lost in the mail," Jonah responded, "sir." He was smiling with all of his face, except his lips. He shut their beast of a vehicle down and motioned for Myra to get out. He grabbed his bag from beside him and hopped down from the driver's seat. His legs stretched and burned for a few moments, before he turned and offered a hand up to Pyro.

John grabbed the other man's hand and jumped down from the Hummer's roof, landing behind Damage on the paved drive. "Should I-"

"They are aware. No doubt there will be a nose in our business within a few minutes' time. Your announcement was quite clear," Erik tapped his ear piece and smirked, slightly. His focus went the Sway, then, who had made it around the hood of the car and was standing near her cousin and John. "You've been keeping this one in line?"

Sway smiled her devilish smile and raised her chin, then lowered it again in a somber, sincere nod. "No doubt our Jonah would be in the belly of the beast, had I not been near," her tone was theatric, but her words were closer to accurate than she would have liked to ponder too long on.

A chuckle. "Good." He beckoned them forward, "John, make sure it is Sabretooth and Juggernaut who handle their things." He didn't want a troop of X-Men snooping around in whatever knick-knacks and goodies two of his brood had acquired. If they felt like sharing, then so be it. "We'll get you inside so you might clean up a bit, and eat," they looked miserably thin, "and tell me about what kept you so long." He motioned again, a final time, and turned from them to climb the few stairs he'd descended.

---

Once they had both showered, they had been visited by Charles Xavier while they ate a plate of hot food each. His man, who was introduced as Scott Summers, was standing behind him most of the chat. Jonah made a few mental notes during the talk.

A) Don't harm his students or staff.
B) Don't harm the grounds.
C) Don't mess with 'Cyclops', has stick up butt.

After both individuals had agreed to the terms Xavier set, he told them he was glad to help them and to have met them.

It was surprising, to say the least.

There was supposed to be bad blood between the two groups. Xavier was supposed to be fearful and paranoid - or at least that's how it seemed to Damage. The man had seemed calm and together. Stern.

At any rate, they were clean, fed and had been given the stamp of approval. There was plenty on both their minds - they wanted to sleep, to see the grounds, to see their 'friends'. One step at a time.

Jonah cast a sideways glance at Myra while she finished her meal, once they were alone again. Magneto had disappeared before Xavier had arrived and John was still outside. "I know he didn't say it," 'he' being Xavier, "but you keep to your own business." The man stood and moved to the sink, where he deposited both their plates and their silverware. "Just," there were many things he thought up to rattle off - a list of no-nos, but he settled for, "don't. Just don't."

Myra nodded, this time a blank expression on her face. The encounter with Xavier had left her feeling grateful to be allowed in. It was strange. But the place was so nice, and however stern he'd seemed, he also came off as a good man. And tired. She didn't imagine him looking that way. But she also didn't imagine herself ever looking this way. Her short hair was hanging wet around her face after her shower, and her clothes were a boho grab bag of random, unmatched pieces. But her butt was covered and her stomach was full, and that was what she'd been taught to be grateful for. She was. "I got this," she finally assured Damage. Piece of cake. Play nice.

"Good," he quirked a brow, almost like an afterthought threat, and moved back to his bag. "We gotta find that Scott guy again. He was supposed to show us where we're sleepin'. I wanna get rid of this crap and see this place."

DAMAGE, SWAY, PYRO & MAGNETO
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