13839/Reclaiming The Lost

Reclaiming The Lost
Date of Scene:	15 January 2023
Location:	Main Foyer
Synopsis:	Marie, Monet, and Tabitha make up a royal welcoming committee as T'Challa visits Xavier's! Marie returns the spear she was loaned, and accepts an offer she'd be a fool to refuse!
Cast of Characters:	Marie-Ange Colbert, Monet St. Croix, Tabitha Smith, T'Challa

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Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
Today is a day like any other, really. Late afternoon, a light dusting of snow is falling outside the building to make it continue to feel a lot like Christmas, even though the mecca of gift-giving that children around the globe count down until is well in the calendar's rear-view mirror at this point. The school itself is... pretty normal, classes have let out for the day, students are milling about, making their way from one place to another.

With one particular exception.

Marie-Ange Colbert has always been a peculiar young lady; able to glimpse the future through the use of tarot cards and almost always with her gaze in that direction. When you know what's coming, you tend to act a little odd. Which might explain why the girl is seated in the foyer, eyes laser-focused on the entryway, with what looks to be a spear -- freshly cleaned, no less -- sitting across her lap. She's dressed normally, and just humming to herself as she waits for... something. A coming intruder, maybe? It would explain the weapon's presence.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix is merely patrolling the front lawn. They tend to get the occasional interruption, and with the more active presence of SEntinels and the Friends of Humanity.. M is at least keeping a closer look around and being available in the foyer in case they hvae more interrupting 'guests' that require being dealt wtih. She can at least stall them until the rest of the team can survive and give the other students a chance to get to the lockdown areas for protection.

Tabitha Smith has posed:
Sometimes you don't need noise or bright colors to seem loudly dresses. Sometimes it just happens. This is probably not one of those moments. A yellow Xavier Institute sweatshirt that might have once been a hoodie. The hood cut off as is the midriff, leaving the school name barely there in a faded red while otherwise looking like an odd the shoulder croptop with three quarter sleeves. Red collar and rist cuffs in spiky leather adorned. Dark bluejeans with a belt matchin g the other leathergoods and some slight fraying at the knees covering the lowerhalf. Her glasses red cateyeframes with yellow tints helping against glare but making for a jaundiced view of the world.

In her lap and hands is a pencil and paper with a pencil case at her feet as she sits at the foot of the stairs under a bannister, Sketching away at uniform ideas for Marie.

There are plans to help Roberto that might involve disguise.

After the thing at the stadium, she might need a better disguise herself.

T'Challa has posed:
T'challa had come to the school as this is where he remembered the girl had gone as he had not only met her before, but been at this very school though it had been a while. A limo delivers him outside, as a tall man about six foot dressed in a fine threaded black suit with a purple tie with the black jacket over top though it wasn't made for the cold. He had come from work, at the embassy where he had to meet world leaders so look his best, though T'Challa took great efforts to make sure he was always the example of well kept. He stepped out of the Limo, and as he walked towards the school a single woman left the car following him in. Okoye was dressed in her red armor, though she had come weaponless at the Kings request. She followed behind him in step as he approached the building personally requesting she come with him... just incase. Though unarmed the look on her face was not a friendly one for she was here to guard the king, and it was her spear.

Seeing the someone outside, T'challa mearly gives them a polite nod, as he approaches the door. The king was here for buisness, so did not have time for niceties though he didn't want to be rude, and ignore them either. Coming to the door he stops, and is about to knock as Okoye says something in Xhosa, though T'Challa only sighs, and replies in english, "It is a door.. I think a simple knock is safe enough." he smiles a bit "Perhaps we should stick to english to not make the others nervious." turning to attempt to knock as the woman behind him replies in a serious "Yes. My King!"

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
The knock is heard, a card is drawn. The Three of Cups in the upright position signifies pleasant social gatherings, among other things. This is the moment she's been waiting for. The card is reinserted into the deck, the deck put back into the velvety bag that holds it, and the rope on that bag slipped around her wrist.

"That must be him." she says to herself. Marie rises to her feet with a practiced grace, taking the spear in her hands and twisting it so that the pointy end faces the ceiling. Without further words or warning, she makes her way to the door, pulling it open in such a way that from t he outside, it looks like it opened by itself. From the inside? She's tucking herself behind it.

It gives her time to change position, dropping into an elegant curtsey with the weapon held sideways, held out as an offering. Without looking up, once T'Challa and his escort have entered (Hey, she can see their shoes without looking up!), she speaks. "Your Majesty." Back to the formality. It's her default state, really!

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would glance over at Marie-Ange at the approach of someone. She goes to take a quick psionic sweep of the front door and entryway. Her eyes widen just a little bit as she deciphers who it is. Well, Marie-Ange has at least made some interesting confederates. Normally Monet might ask a bit more directly.. But well, now is not the time. She doesn't think Ororo is in the house and Marie-Ange is the one that has been waiting down here, so perhaps it's to be expected?

Whateve rthe cards that the girl was dealing with had been telling her, monet hasn't the slightest inclination or awareness as she turns her attention over. "WElcome to Xavier's Institute for Gifted STudents, your Highness."

Tabitha Smith has posed:
There's a big playful smile as the King of Wakanda enters with Okoye along with him. Having seen the spear loaned to Marie after the jaunt to Gotham. With Marie looking nervous and Monet seemingly about to get extra stick in but rigid at the arrival, Tabitha just lets out a chuckle.

When the man and his bodyguard enter the mansion the blonde girl at least sets down get art supplies for a moment and places them where footprints won't land on the work.

"S'up, how you guys been enjoying the New York winter? Probably a bit better than Gotham's. No raining ninja here. But if that happens it'll probably be Logan's fault." she says playfully. The blonde clearly fine treating royalty just like anyone else visiting. and T'Challa has been a guest more than once after all.

T'Challa has posed:
T'Challa smiles, and nods to her, and to Monet "We are at your home please just call me T'Challa." his accent still thick, as it was before though he stayed in New York a lot now that would never change. He looks down at her, and then looks over at the spear. He doesn't reach for it instead moves aside, and Okoye takes it from her slowly giving the girl a nod the angry face a little softer now. She looks at T'Challa the begins, her accent even thicker then his though she knows english well. "Thank you for returning this." she stops looking at the spear "It was carved by my mother, and it has been carved by her daughter." she looks at Marie then continues. "And one day it will be carved by mine. I can not give it out I am sorry for my rudeness." then she steps back aperently done.

T'Challa smiles, and looks at Tabitha he gives her a nod, "I do like the cold it is... very hot in the suit." and grins a bit maybe joking. "I just thought I would swing by and take it, but she wanted to come, and it is rare she asks for.." he quiets as he feels the look of Okoye her short talk done. He smiles, a bit and clears his throat, "I am glad you got home safe, and I this Douglas made it as well." he looks around not seeing him so thought he would ask.

"I came for two reasons.." he nods to Marie, "One was the spear. You did well keeping it." which gets a nod from Okoye in agreement, "I take fault I should not of given it, but for us taking back a gift is.. well rather rude. So we come to the second thing." he nods to Okoye, "Okoye is willing to show you how to use a spear. Teach you how to defend yourself if you wish." he looks at her, "It will not be easy she is a hard teacher, but you will learn from one of the best."

While he talks Okoye just stands stock still behind him, watching Marie with a judging eye perhaps to see her reaction herself.

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
Marie will generally give warnings when trouble approaches. Had a villain been on approach, she'd be Paul Revere riding through the streets of Boston on a pony.

Because Jerome, valiant steed that he is, is entitled to a life of luxury rather that ferrying French girls from teacher to teacher to warn of danger.

Monet's greeting of the King was to be expected. So was Tabby's, in her own way, even though Marie does shoot the blonde a bit of an uncomfortable look at the... familiarity without permission.

For her own part, once the request for familiarity is made, she relaxes somewhat, and even as the spear is taken from her by Okoye, her face starts to form a demure smile as she listens to the explanation. Letting the pair have their say, and maintaining a polite, if not outright welcoming expression the entire time.

"Believe me, Madame Okoye, I understand completely." she replies, her own accent thick -- but obviously different! "--and there is truly no apology necessary, as I knew it would need to return to you," Well. To someone. The cards weren't quite that specific and now she sees why. "So I return it with my thanks, for allowing me to borrow it in my time of need."

Now, the second part of the visit? That... even for Marie wasn't entirely expected. Granted, the cards have, very clearly been telling her for the past couple weeks that she needed to prepare for coming trials. This could very well be the method that they had predicted.

"While I do not feel that you should be beholden to me in any way for doing something that was certainly a kindness -- I feel like I would be foolish to decline such a generous offer, and I promise you will find me a more-than-willing, and extremely honored student should you wish to take me on."

Marie doesn't have the look of a fighter. She's pretty frail. But Monet and Tabby both have seen that she'll put the effort into physical training when it's called for!

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would note for a few moments, "YOu have clearly impressed quite a few, Marie-Ange Colbert." She would speak this overin flawless French with a Moroccan accent. "To be training now with the Dora Milage as well as the Amazons. They mus tsee great potential in you, as well as the friends adn contacts that you have made in the maneuver." She would bow her head over in thought. The girl definitely had her methods. That M would apparently now have to put higher on her radar if Marie-Ange meritted a visit from the King of Wakanda herself.

She would glance over at Okoye for the moment thoughtfully. Then over at the cards that held such importance to the girl. Far beyond her ken. She would muse over while going to take amoment to evaluate Tabitha's presence,and then to stay quiet. This is a moment for Marie-Ange to speak up for herself and make her own evaluations. It provides a rather interesting opportunity for MOnet. One doesn't often get to see royals being out and about on anything that is not formal.

Tabitha Smith has posed:
Tabby listens and there's that playful smile. "That is like a gorgeous level of work done there!" she points out. Her own designwork on paper is not as in depth. But what sets in a mind does not always come out on peper.

"I'd have considered it a 'loaner' your Highness. Some mechanics when they work on a customer's car sometimes provide one of their's so the customer can still get around as needed while the work is being done. I figure loaning a spear to keep someone safe is kinda the sdame deal." she explains the concept.

"Training huh? I'd go for it Marie, mix up a little Wakandan style in with the Themysciran we been picking up. And throw in the weapon training we get here. You getting badass Marie!" she encourages brightly.

T'Challa has posed:
If Marie is quick she might just catch the briefest of smiles on Okoyes face as she agrees the thought to even ask her had actually come from her. The king had given permission of course as teaching any outsider their ways could be considered treason. Their secrets were that important, but they had offered something in kind for how important the spear was, and for some reason Okoye connected with this girl. T'Challa's face does not change as he is not surprised by her answer it was indeed foolish to turn down such a thing. He clearifies, "Wakanda iis changing.. It was once cut off completly, but if we share our culture first then perhaps people will be ready for more later." giving her a nod as to why he said yes to the request. "Though I believe in Okoyes opinion especially when it matches my own. I will send a car, and you will set up a time as it can not be done here." he smiles a bit saying that, but looks at the two others as an example. "If you need to work it out with the Teachers, or admistration I will be glad to work out what is needed. Of course." he did remember this was a school, glad to change the topic as he would't like it if someone came to Wakanda and just offered to take them to learn something so he figured he would at least bring it up.

He then smiled a bit the hard part out of the way, "You have made the right choice I am sure she will help you greatly as she has many." then he looks around again at the other two, "I have spoken with the Amazons about our common cultures. If she has trained with Amazons this might be easier then I thought." though with a very light laugh it seems Okoye disagrees about the easy part. "I will be curious about the results"

When he stops Okoye turns to Tabitha ans suddenly talks up again "She was given the spear by my king, a promise was made, I do not take that lightly I honor itas that is showing honor to my king, and my family." she doesn't sound angry just more matter of fact in her mind. Though T'Challa does speak up interupting, "I am sorry I understand it might seem a bit odd, but it is our custom." hoping that she would understand. "Besides this is a good thing, and from what I can tell she has picked well."

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
Monet's comment? Well, Marie definitely understood it, and it's enough to bring a flush to pale cheeks. Her head dipping slightly, the girl very clearly unused to being the center of attention. Doubly so when that attention is praise, so when Tabby piles on? She's going even redder in the face. "I... I am n-nothing special, I assure..." she stammers out, letting her hands clasp and wring one another. Other people may, and do disagree, but it's how the meek French girl sees herself.

She would protest that yes, it was a 'loaner' like Tabby pointed out and that there was nothing to worry about... but she knows the value of custom, and especially in the face of royalty. "Americans have an expression... not to look at a horse's mouth as a gift?" Idioms, Marie's mortal enemy. "It would be my honor to learn more about your culture," She knows enough about Wakanda that she knows it's quite the honor to be given the opportunity! "Certainly. I... do not foresee it being an issue to go off-site, as we are allowed our freedoms and my classes only take up so much of the day." Although, the mention of the Amazons gets her blushing again. "It was once," Though she'd go again! "and I may have been over my head, but a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step... and few things worth having are ever easy."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would nod, "Tradition is tradition, and respect is respect. All cultures deserve such. Especially those in which it is passed down from family to family. It is a privilege to be acknowledge as part of it." She gives Okoye another look of evaluation, but there is no attempted mindscan. Monet has rather strong doubts she could even tickle the woman. Anyone thatguards a king will have a willpower that cannot be beaten no matter the cause. Sos he goes to glance over at Marie-Ange curiously while turning her attention over to Tabitha. More comments she might have over on training are cut off. "The Embassy does on occasion provide more extended training. The two of youmight be able to associate iwth it some more to a degree if you would feel it would benefit you. They are open to the public." They let M in so they couldn't be choosy!

Monet's comment to Marie-Ange is meant as a compliment. A rare enough sign showing her impression of the girl has gone up a notch. SOmething that is rarely given.

Tabitha Smith has posed:
"I wanna guess that his sister and or mom both got frowny disappoint face at the King, huh?" Tabby queries and hmms. There's a demonstration of the disappointment face. Okoye would know it well herself.

"This where saying something like. "I may need that back after." is handy to remember, future reference.If it helps, if we need to launch exoticmetals at someone, we have a mobile collection of adamantium coated in short hair Canadian. So we're not being left in the lurch." she states and chuckles.

"Monet's right about the Themysciran Embassy, safeplace for girls like us to get extra training in self defense. And all that inspo. I dunno what the Asgardian embassy might offer though. Mead I think. This is not a deal breaker!"

T'Challa has posed:
T'challa nods and smiles, glad he didn't pick up on Monet thinking about looking into Okoyes mind especially when she has a spear in her hands as all he could say would be nooooo! But T'Challa can't and it doesn't matter as that is looked over thankfully she just stands quietly spear in hand behind T'Challa again quietly not wanting to say more as she feels she had already said too much. Turning to look at Marie, she had the height though she seemed a bit frail though if she trained with Amazons that might just be a cover. He pulls out a card that is black with gold trim, and writing. It has T'Challa then a number, "When you are sure that if there is any permissions they are taken care of call that number. There is no rush here prepair well.." and he smiles a bit at that. "I look forward to seeing your progress. Do not forget why this is important it will help get through the first few days." he adds seriously as he remembers though he doubts Marie is going to be shoved out into the plains of Africa alone.

Looking down at her that thought does make a little smile cross his face, though he turns his mind to other things.

He turns to look at Monet first, "Thank you.. I apologize if we gave any disrespect." he also looks at Tabitha as she was the one that was talked to. "I understand sometimes here in America it can be easy to forget you have not been brought up around some of the things we have. So you view it differently." he chuckles a little bit, "We are so simmular it just seems like you would already know." noding to them.

THinking about that he considers that Amazons have an open training sharing a brief look into their culture to everyone while theirs was still shut off. Of course the Amazons lead the way, perhaps he too would get there one day, as he finally turned to Tabitha again, "And yes.. Mead and cups that do not break if you throw them. Thought that might of been Thor playing a joke one me. I... sometimes do not get his sense of humor."

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
"It did seem most welcoming, to be certain," The Themysciran Embassy that is. Despite the fact that the training was difficult, she didn't sense any malice even when she failed at things. They were stern to be sure, but they were teaching lessons of life and death. To say it was merited was an understatement, because those who ignored those lessons could be in for a world of hurt if ever called upon to use them!

Tabby's comment about the Institute's method of launching exotic metals? That gets a mirthful laugh from Marie as she pictures Logan sailing through the air with the greatest of ease. The daring Canuck who don't need no trapeze.

When offered the card by T'Challa, she takes it with both hands, reads it over quickly, and then tucks it into the little velvety pouch around her wrist that contains her tarot cards -- she doesn't put just anything in that pouch, so those who know her best would know that's a show of respect on her part. "Certainly, T'Challa," she replies, bowing her head respectfully. "I will do my best to make you both proud of the faith that you are placing in me." She really has no idea what she's getting into, here, but when fate calls her, Marie answers and abides.

Tabitha Smith has posed:
Tabby nods that blonde haired head if hers. "You've hung out with us enough to be pretty relaxed enough to think we're honorary Wakandans and think we know how things roll in your home. Then like 'Oh crap, they don't." and innocent mistakes get made that make for good sitcom plots.

The card with contact details for T'Challa gets a grin. "Marie, you're like twenty-ish. Long as like chores are done and you getting classwork in on time, no one is gonna stop ya getting extra curricular with the King's delightful bodyguard." Okoye gets a wink from the blonde through the yellow tinted lenses of those glasses. "We call launching people Maneuver Seven. Or a Fastball Special." she points out the name of the semi famous tactic the X-Men employ.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would smile over at Marie-Ange, "It sounds as if youhave some things to push yourself." MOnet is only aware of some of Marie-Ange's reputation passively. That the girl spends a lot of time over with her deck for reasons that M really can't fathom. But given she spends all of her time wit her nose in books she's hardly one to talk, after all. With how Xi'an occasionally shooes her out of the library.

She would shake her head at T'Challa, "No disrespect was taken. I'm from Morocco." Well, technically. Educated in Paris and by the finest tutors that her parents cared enough to buy. So relatively little of that culture to actaully come through her. Just enough to get that hint of European pretentiousness after all.

T'Challa has posed:
T'challa looks once more into the school, almost as if he is looking for... someone though seeing they must not be around today he gives the three one final nod. "We should go, as there is much to do on our end as well." he turns then stops thinking about it, "Do not wait long before you call. If you wait too long it will only be harder." he smiles a bit. "Though I don't think I need to tell you that. You have the loook of one that is ready." and gives them a wave as he turns.

"If you see Ororo, tell her.." he stops thinking about it, for a moment and seems like he might not finish but is elebowed by Okoye and it brings him back out of thought "Tell her I am at the Embassy. Thank you." and continues on his path to the car that had been waiting for him outside. Okoye opens the door and looks in before he enters to make sure it is safe, and then enters after him. She gives Marie a look though before she closeses the door she points to her eyes with two fingers the turns it to point at her. She was ready whenever Marie was, and she wanted the girl to know it.