2140/Kitchen Musings

Kitchen Musings
Date of Scene:	17 June 2020
Location:	Main Kitchen
Synopsis:	Kurt and Lorna get a chance to catch up.
Cast of Characters:	Lorna Dane, Kurt Wagner

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Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna was tired, and hungry. She'd lingered to crash a few more nights at the Mansion, thanks in large part to Clarice's ability to portal her to and from Genosha. It left her jet-lagged in an odd out of time sort of way, the time zones so vastly different that her sleep schedule was a torrid mess.

Still, food was something easier to solve. And she'd gone with a pot of instant mac'n cheese. She was stirring the powdered cheese into the pot, with a waving of her hand directing the spoon as she twisted about to get some shredded cheese from the fridge to add to it.

A hum escaping her as she moved. The joys of missing the official 'dinner' hour at the school, such as it was as Summer Vacation took hold. She wore a pair of jeans and a simple black tank, her hair left free to hang about her shoulders.

Kurt Wagner has posed:
To be sure the school is a somewhat different place during the 'summer break' such as it is. They are hardly a conventional school afterall, despite the effort put into providing their students a conventional education to go along with the more specialized approach. So even if there is still a student body presence here year round, there is definitely not that same regimented feel. No early morning classes and far more free time. It is not just the students who enjoy that.

Certainly Kurt is one of those who doesn't hesitate to take advantage of the greater flexibility in the hours. He tends to default towards being a little more of a night owl -- perhaps understandably. He seems to literally have been made to live in the dark, whether it is the natural color of his fur, or those yellow eyes that catch every last little gleam of light and magnify it to the point that he can see clearly in all but the pitch black.

Walking through the door to the kitchen, those footsteps light, almost a sort of a dance -- or the footwork of a sword duel -- the indigo-furred mutant hums away to himself, lost in whatever he is doing. A hand flicks, as if parrying an imaginary attack and it is only then that he notices that he is not alone. "Ahhhh, my apologies. I did not expect anyone elsein here right now," he says, offering a smile to the green-haired woman.

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna blinked against the darkness of the rest of the kitchen, she'd hardly bothered to do more than turn on the over head light and the momentary light from the fridge had been bright enough that her eyes had had to adjust to actually spot Kurt against it. She recognized his voice though, and she flashed him a smile. "Hey, it's been a while. How are you doing Kurt?" She asked as she dumped a handful of extra cheese into the easy mac concoction she'd made on the stove top.

"I got hungry, my schedule is all over the place and I figured I might as well make something hot. Want some?" She offered, gesturing to the pot as she twirled her other finger around and the metal spoon continued to stir the mixture for her in her magnetic grip.

Kurt Wagner has posed:
Naturally the dim light in the kitchen doesn't bother him in the least, just as home in it as in the bright sun. "It has indeed, but then I suspect that you are quite busy these days," the dark-furred mutant says, inclining his head ever so slightly and offering a faint smile. HIs features may have a faintly devilish caste to them, at least to some, but that edge is certainly softened if not entirely banished when he smiles. "I cannot complain. Certainly I am enjoying the semester being over and a little normalcy back in our lives," he adds, smile dimming only slightly. For most of them at least. Some of their number carry scars that are not easily banished by the warmth of a summer's day.

"That is very kind of you. If it is not an intrusion, I would be most glad to join you," he agrees at once. "I had not decided on what I would make myself, but yes, I think the evening most definitely calls for some comfort food," he allows, moving at once to the cupboards to fetch what he can to help. "And how is everything with you, Lorna? Besides the wears and tears of all the travel you are called on to do?"

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna didn't seem the least bit bothered with Kurt's appearance as anyone that might not know him could be. He was a long time friend, even if they hadn't been particularly close recently. She flicked her hand out, and the drawer opened and clean forks spun up into the air to rest on the counter top. "Grab yourself a bowl," She murmured, pouring herself a portion from the pot and then waiting for him to grab said bowl to fill his next.

"How was your semester? I know Bobby has been stuck teaching math. He's still working through his college classes to get the certification." She murmured, the question on whether or not Kurt had his was implied in her pause as she would set the now empty pot in the sink and turned on the water to let it sit.

Her focus returned to Kurt as she made her way over to the bar stools that lined up against the counter and breakfast bar. She sat, digging into her late meal. "You're not an intrusion Kurt, we haven't had a chance to catch up in how long?" She smiled and at the question of how she'd been she heaved a long, drawn sigh.

"I'm.. surviving. Some days better than others. Genosha occupies a lot of my time these days..We're working on getting farming up and running."

Kurt Wagner has posed:
One would think, with all the phenomenal displays of power that he sees on a regular basis that he would more or less be innured to it. Old hat, been there, done that, bought the t-shirt. But he still, somehow, managed to retain a certain wonder at even what could be common place. Like just how much control over magnetic fields can help with cooking and setting the table. There is a certain bemused smile on his face as he watches the utensils casually float across the kitchen and settle on the counter top even as he fetches himself the bowl.

"I mostly did history this past semester," he says with clear enthusiasm. He might be glad for the break, but clearly he has a certain affection for teaching. It might not be quite as action-packed as his other 'job' but it is just as rewarding in it's own way. "I certainly wouldn't recommend it, but being nearly gutted by the Marauders certainly gives one an opportunity to devote one's self to getting those necessary certifications. My time in England was good for that, among other things," he says with a wry smile.

Ladling out a healthy portion of the gooey mac 'n' cheese he circles the raised island breakfast bar and nimbly hops up on one of tose same stools. "Mmmm, it may have been just before Kitty and I were evacuated to England to recover," he muses, giving a little shake of his head. "Time flies. And things change," he offers up, dipping his head her way a little more soberly. "Things progress in Genosha then? You are managing?"

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna did everything with her powers that she could, it was an extension of her senses, as natural as moving a hand out to reach for something. Her time spent with her father had worn away the chidings of the Xavier's institute, and she openly used her powers no matter where she was... Which would doubtlessly lead to further issues in the future.

"History? Cool. I don't know how you and Bobby manage it. I think I'd lose my mind if I was put in charge of teenagers." Yet she was somehow in charge of a country... broken though it was. "But I'm glad it worked out. How was England? I didn't you'd gone." She murmured, pausing to shovel a few spoonfuls of the cheesy noodles away.

"Managing in terms of Genosha is the kind way to put it. Trying to not cause World War three is more apt. And Scott will never let me forget it either.." She grumbled, the incident on the beach where she'd destroyed several Magistrates' ships had been pretty well broadcasted at this point. "Half the time I feel like I'm trying to spin a bunch of plates and as soon as I get one going the others crash."

Kurt Wagner has posed:
Certainly Kurt is no shy about demonstrating his powers either. But then some of his 'powers' are of the sort that are impossible to turn off or ignore. There is no pretending that he is anything but what he is -- a mutant. And he really doesn't have any interest in doing otherwise. Of course, he is also a pretty considerate individual and since his teleporting tends to leave the lingering hit of brimstone coloring the air from where he departed he does try to moderate his use of that particular advantage.

"It is something of a natural fit. I do love a good story and history is certainly the great story there is," he agrees with a broad smile, diving into the mac 'n' cheese. Any meal that one doesn't have to prepare for themselves is extra tasty and current is no more immune to that truism then anyone else. "And I'm glad I had the chance to spend some time abroad again. A change in perspective does us all good sometimes, Ja?"

He falls silently, half turned on his stool to watch her as she discusses some of her trials and tribulations, head tilted ever so slightly to the side. "You shoulder a heavy burden Lorna. As does Scott for that matter," he says quietly. Each the heir apparent of the two most powerful legacies in mutantdom. It certainly cannot be easy and Kurt does not envy either one of them. "Mmmm, that is indeed a tricky thing to manage. Seeing as you are unlikely to grow any more appendages to help, I hope you have found others that can lessen the burden, even if just a little," he says with a gentle smile. "But what of you yourself? Beyond managing Genosha. Are you well?" he asks earnestly.

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna propped her chin up with a hand as she idly twisted the fork in her bowl around, her other hand lit up with the green energy of her powers as she made the metal flatware dance about. Her gaze thoughtful as she considered Kurt's words. "History is certainly one of the most intricate stories, yes, I suppose that's true." She mused, a smile forming on her features as she considered the truth of it. No matter how painful history was, it was certainly stranger than fiction.

"I hope none of the kids gave you too much of a hassle. I know not all of history is interesting to teenagers." She'd been a good student.. but not everyone that attended Xavier's was. Bobby had certainly been the class clown.

"Whereabouts in England did you end up?" She tilted her head and as he spoke of her burden's and Scott's her smile faded away, replaced with a small purse of her lips. She and Scott didn't agree, not on her actions, or her reasonings.. But they had at least repaired some of their working relationship. He wasn't likely to stick her with comm duty again, or at least, she hoped.

"I trust Scott as team leader. Even if I disagree with his political arguments and Genosha," She finally admitted. "Bobby has been trying to help where he can. But well, everything got a little side tracked with everything here." She bit back a sigh. Sinister had shaken most of their number.

"Beyond Genosha? I dunno I haven't had much time. The Professor is making sure I make time for therapy though."

Kurt Wagner has posed:
There may be no magnetic powers at work, but Kurt practically wields that fork like it is a sword, the utensil practically dancing in that oddly shaped hand of his. No enemy to attack here, just food to be conveyed from bowl to mouth. But in his customary /style/. "Mmmm, history is like any other subject. Some are eager and thrive, some try hard, and others are disinterested. I can understand their feelings to some extent. With everything else they face in the world, how much value is there in learning about what may have happened hundreds of years ago, on the other side of the world? All I can do is hope to make it come alive for them as best I can," he says with a small shrug of his shoulders, seemingly entirely unphased by the burden of the task -- only focused on the positive. For someone genetically designed to fade into the dark he has a very sunny outlook.

"Much of the time was spent in London. That's where I attended school to get my certifications," he says with a smile. "But Kitty and I fell in with some other powered types while there so we got to see quite a bit of all of Britain. And beyond, for that matter," he says, a faint smile sliding across his face -- rememberances of that time.

Again, he falls silent, giving her a chance to express a little on the subject of Genosha and on some of her differences with their team leader, only occasionally blinking those brilliant, golden-hued eyes. "Fortunately we can count on our true friends, even when we may differ with them. Even, I suspect, your different views for the proper course of Genosha," he says, smiling once more. "Good. So long as you have someone to talk to. Saving a nation. It is a great responsibility. Even if it is something you have chosen to dedicate yourself to, it cannot be easy, Ja? And no person is an island. We all need someone to talk to, to listen to us from time to time. Those of us with the greatest burdens more then most, perhaps."

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna's expression softened as she considered Kurt and listened, taking the chance to eat while he spoke. She made a good dent in her late meal, but quickly realized that she needed something to drink too. She half twisted, a hand outstretched and the fridge popped, a can of soda floating over to land in her hand. "Want one?" She asked, as he paused in a break in his story. She cracked open her drink, taking a sip before she rolled his words around to consider them.

"I think you could cheat a little with history. I mean, we have access to people that were alive way longer than most. Like, I bet if you asked the Avengers.. we could Steve Rogers to come talk to them about America in the years leading up to War." She could tap Pietro and ask what he thought of it.

Shifting to his commentary about England, nodded. "That must have been fun. I've never been to England. I've always thought of taking a trip through Europe. See the sights.." But she'd never had the time. And now? Now she had too much responsibility to consider leaving Genosha for any extended period of time. The days of freedom to move about as she wanted were gone.

"Yeah.. I don't think I would be able to do what I have without friends. I would've been long gone at this point." she murmured, her gaze turning distant as she looked down at the mostly finished bowl of mac n cheese. "Even then.. you're right. It's not easy. Not by any stretch of the imagination. I'm unprepared in so many ways.."

Kurt Wagner has posed:
Again he flashes that ready grin that lights up even his devilish features, a hint of fang exposed for just an instant before he dips his head her way. "You might have little desire to teach but you have a certain instinct for it nonetheless," he says airily, eyes brightening once more as that can of pop floats over from the fridge just as casual as can be, a little nod signalling his own acceptance for the same. "There are those amongst us, and those we can count as friends who have seen more history then any other person. And of course access to holographic technology certainly lets one to bring other details alive. Walking down an ancient Roman street brings it alive more then merely describing it, or discussing it," he enthuses. Just a little. "And of course, teleportation, to go and see anywhere on the globe. What are a few indifferent teens in the face of all of that, Ja?" he notes slyly.

"It is worth it. Travel, I think, broadens us all," he asserts with another smile. "Not always an easy thing to do, admittedly, but then you could argue that we have all but saved the world a time or two. In the face of that, compared to that, where is the real challenge in carving out a few months?" he points out, the corners of his mouth curling up a little more. "Ahhh, Lorna, we only get to live one life. It should be the life we choose."

He does grow a little more serious once more, smile dimming but not vanishing from his features. "So long as you do not feel as if you need to do it alone. Expectation can be a terrible thing to live with, I would imagine. I know so many must see great ones within you," he says with a solemn nod before smiling once more. "If you were prepared for it, it would no longer be a true challenge I suppose."

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna twirled her fingers and a second can of soda floated over to her grip to be passed over to Kurt, the fridge door shutting softly behind it with a magnetic nudge against the steel rivets in the door handle. She turned back around to catch Kurt's grin as he spoke and she shook her head. "The Professor already tried to get me to agree to teach something. I'd lose my temper within ten minutes and I'd be throwing power tools at kids when they start to complain about learning physics." She drawled, and her lips pulled into a smile. "I don't have the patience to teach Kurt, you're a far better person than I am for it." She added, nodding in the dark skinned mutant's direction.

She sighed as the topic shifted back to travel and a wistful look crossed over her features, her green eyebrows knitting together as she looked down and scraped the bottom of her bowl with the flatware in her grip. "I had always thought that I'd have time." She started, and stopped, trying to order her thoughts. "I never.. in my wildest dreams thought my father would die before I reached thirty. He.. he'd lived so long. And no one ever truly thought we'd suffer an attack like we did.. I mean, my father did sometimes.. I know he did. But I always thought he was paranoid." She whispered, and glanced side long at Kurt.

"I always thought I'd have time to go out and see the world. To ... to figure out myself before I had to step up. Before I had to... to rule Genosha... and I never thought I'd have to do it among rubble.."

Kurt Wagner has posed:
"Mmmmm, well just as history is not everyone's thing, there is no reason to expect that teaching would be either," he freely conceeds with a little grin, finishing off his own bowl of the cheesy comfort food. "While some of them could probably use a good threatening from some hurled power tools I am lead to believe that is frowned upon," he adds wryly. Not that he has been tempted by such things. Of course not. Well, probably not. He's a good man, all in all. He's never claimed to be a saint.

Change. And Choices. And Legacy. He has never had to worry about the last. He effectively has no family, no shoes to fill. His foster monther might have a dalliance with magic, but she has his foster sister to follow in her footsteps. Kurt has neither inclination nor gift there anyway. No, there is no legacy to live up to. Except that which he chooses to take on. A luxury perhaps. But a responsibility as well. Certainly there is no one to blame but himself if the path he walks is anything but what he chooses it to be. Thus far at least, he seems comfortable with his choices. And far more comfortable in his own skin. Time overseas really did do much for him.

He gives a quiet sigh in answer to her own, sympathy and understanding in that simple sound. To whom much is given, much is expected, right? Few ever consider the cost of some of those gifts. "Why would you? It is hard to believe at all," he conceeds quietly, slipping from his stool at last. The bowl in front of him is plucked from the counter and after making sure that she too is finished his tail stretches out, wrapping around hers as he turns towards the sink. "I do not envy you Lorna. I am not sure if the responsibility is entirely fair," he admits, gathering up the dirty dishes and beginning to rinse them. "I hope you do not let it totally subsume what you wanted, to let the weight of that responsibility bury your hopes and dreams. Perhaps, given time, you can find a balance between what you hoped to do, and the requirements that have been placed on you," he says quietly. "I am confident that I speak for all of your friends in letting you know that we are here to help."

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna laughed softly as Kurt spoke of hurling power tools at students being typically frowned upon. It was, he wasn't wrong. Which was why she didn't actually step into a classroom these days. Despite a great many offers and gentle reminds that she had a place at the school if she wanted it. But teaching had never been her calling. She'd never found joy in trying to spread knowledge nor in the concept of being stuck in a room packed with sweaty hormonal teens.

Kurt and Bobby were in her book, crazy, and far too good for the world and the kids that sat in their classrooms.

The greenette smile gently as Kurt picked up her empty bowl and took it to the sink. She twisted around to watch him with a murmured thank-you on her lips. Her soda can wrapped in a hand as she picked at the tab on top. Even as her smile faded as the rest of Kurt's words sunk in. "I chose to be in Genosha the past few years and learn at my father's side. I knew what that might entail.. eventually. I agreed to be his heir..." She trailed off, her gaze falling to her soda can in her grip as she bit back another sigh. "I suppose I just assumed I'd have my PhD.. and have traveled.. and I dunno. Figured myself out beyond being 'Magneto's daughter'. I never really had that chance, not since my powers manifested. It's been one crisis after another." She nodded once at his comment that her friends would be there to help. She knew it. They offered constantly, and it was one of the few things she knew she could depend on in life.

Even if that help might put her friends in danger. She knew they'd be there.

Kurt Wagner has posed:
Hey, she made the dinner, the least he can do is clean up afterwards. Perhaps Kurt has a somewhat easier time with the chaos that inherently comes with their living conditions in part because of the unconventional way in which he grew up. No one would ever be tempted to claim that growing up in a circus would qualify as normal. Certainly it was a pretty communal existence, with everyone contributing where they could, no matter their 'standing' in the circus. It was the only way it could work. And despite the many challenges of living at a shcool, it is still a heck of a lot more comfortable a life. So the dark-furred mutant sets about his task, humming just under his breath rather cheerfully, having the dishes rinsed and put in the dishwasher in short order.

"Mmmmm, timing is everything," he conceeds with a small nod. He would have a pretty good idea on that score. The trapeze is all about timing. Well, mostly. Not that there is ever a good time to lose a parent of course. He has a little bit of knowledge on that front too. "So long as you are comfortable with that choice," he agrees with a hint of a smile. He doesn't feel the need to urge her to take on one path or another. And while he admires Scott greatly, he certainly isn't going to tell her how to go about running her own nation. Even if he had the faintest clue of where to start. "Still, I would not resign yourself to missing out on all those things you had hoped for. The time might be wrong now, but that doesn't mean that it will be forever," he points out.

Ahhh, that little beacon of hope.

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna remained sitting, watching him as he handled the dishes in short order. She'd missed having the simple closeness of the school around. A place where she was just Lorna. One of the many and where her parentage was known and not particularly remarkable in terms of what that made her. A place where she could simply be without having to worry what people might think.

Which at the end of the day, was what kept her coming back through Clarice's portals when she should be sleeping. Splitting her time between two different worlds and trying to find a balance in it was hard in the best of circumstances. Never mind the trauma of Genosha's destruction.

At least she had friends.

A smile crossed her expression again and she sighed softly. "I would never feel happy if I walked away from Genosha when it needed me. So.. I guess that answers that question.." She mused, and sipped at her soda. "If my father's life span of nearly a century is any indication.. there's a good chance if no one kills me off I'll have the same chance. Maybe someday.." When that someday would be? She couldn't see it, not in the long stretch of years ahead of her if she made progress in rebuilding Genosha.

But then, a few months ago she'd never pictured where she was now either.

"Thanks Kurt, for the dishes and the talk. I needed it. And you're a good friend."