Owner	Pose
Clarice Ferguson	"No, that makes sense," Clarice remarks, leaning in against Mystique's desk with her head on her hands and her rump sticking out behind her, as her gaze stays locked on Mystique's screen. "I'll try to keep that in mind for next time," she agrees. She just hopes that 'next time' is in the distant future, since Mystique was unlikely to relinquish too much control without another dire circumstance cropping up.     "Anything else?" she asks, pushing herself up and turning to sit on the edge of the desk instead.
Mystique	Mystique looks over the notes she took, they were brief, just a few minor things that needed to be addressed. Over all Clarice has done an amazing job. "Stixx stays where he is," she comments, that being the last thing on her list. "He's called my cell a number of times, and the Asteroids emergency number, but he's staying there for at least another two weeks with no funds, no support, no contact. After that, I might go talk to him. You did the right thing with him too."
Clarice Ferguson	"Can't tolerate that sort of nonsense, not with the people we have up here," Clarice remarks easily. And Doctor Hathaway had been able to set him back to right after his //brief// sojourn in the vaccum of space. It didn't pay to permanently damage valuable resources. Even if they were a bit... tetchy.     This would normally be the point where Clarice would push herself up off Mystique's desk and leave her to her work - but she remains seated on the desk, her foot bouncing idly as she tries to order some thoughts in her mind. "Raven..." she finally remarks quietly. "When you said you think of me like a daughter, I- I mean, I'm sure you know that means the world to me, yeah?"
Mystique	Being prepared for that to be the end of the conversation, Mystique was just about to turn back toward her computer screens but stopped. Looking back to Clarice, with one brow slightly raised she says, "I know. It's not something you have to talk about though, if you don't want to. I've been trying to be less..." she pauses, trying to find the right word. "... mothery."
Clarice Ferguson	"I'm not entirely sure I know what that means," Clarice admits in a wry tone. "I just- I don't know. I wanted to let you know that I really don't mind if you do think of me as a daughter. I mean- it's not like I can change how you feel even if I wanted to, yeah?" She frowns slightly as she adds, "I do think of you as family, I suppose, I'm just- I'm not sure mother is the right word? Maybe it doesn't need a word?"
Mystique	Mystique shrugs slightly, "Things don't require labels or names, so long as you acknowledge the feeling and don't try to hide it." She turns a little more in the chair and crosses her legs up Indian style. "I don't need to be your mother, or a guardian or anything like that, family is enough. That won't stop me from trying to mother the shit out of you at times, but it also won't stop me from mentoring and training you. It's just another hat to wear."
Clarice Ferguson	Clarice nods in acknowledgement. "I just - wanted to make sure it was said. Lydia said there wasn't a real need to answer, but it seemed better to me if I did. You, and Mister Creed, and Lorna - now Dyani. You're everything to me, the four of you, and I wouldn't ever want you to think that what you said - that it didn't mean the world to me, 'cuz it did. So... So I guess that's what I wanted to say, really," she concludes, pushing herself up from the desk.
Mystique	Unfolding her legs, Mystique stands up to give Clarice a light hug, not one of those move in and pull the person close to smother them hugs, a light one that gives Clarice the chances to escape quickly. "Thank you for that," she says. "I had pretty much figured it out, but was nice to hear. We're family, no titles beyond that needed, agreed?"
Clarice Ferguson	"Family," Clarice agrees quietly as she returns the hug, quietly content to linger in that moment for several breaths before she finally takes a step back. "Anyways. I guess I should leave you to it. I bet there's stuff I didn't even know about piled up, waiting for you..." She says in a wry tone, as she starts to make her way to the door.     "I'm taking the day off!" she adds brightly.