2010 11 24 Chance Encounter

Log Title:
Chance Encounter

Characters:
Warbird and Karma

IC Date:
11/24/2010

Location:
Salem Center - NYC

Brief log summary::
A chance meeting between two heroes

Rating:
g

There is no TS in this log::
Yes

Post your log::
While normally in Madripoor, Xi'an has come back to the states on business for her Uncle Coy. Unsavory business. Business she really doesn't want to do, but in the interest of hopefully finding her lost brother and sister, Xi'an will abide but what her Uncle requires of her. Abide it but not like it, nor does it stop her from perhaps using his expense account for more personal business as well. The personal business has brought Xi'an to Salem Center, visiting the old haunts of her teammates. Shops, stores, hang-out spots, and really anywhere the New Mutants might once have called 'fun'. This of course brings her closer and closer to the Mall, as many of her ex-teammates loved shopping and all the trappings with it. A few small bags of purchases already dangle from her fingertips as she casually strolls down the street.

Well, Carol just had a visit with her mother and father. Dad's not doing well and she didn't feel like going back home to the penthouse in Manhattan. She really doesn't connect with family anymore, ever since the whole memory loss incident. Sure, she knows intellectually who they are but she has no connections of knowledge to emotion. Even though Dad is in Boston dying slowly of Cancer, she really can't seem to feel anything either way. This is what bothers her today and what drives her to land somewhere in Upstate New York and try to just… forget about all that by doing something totally different than the norm. Hat on her head, old Walter Payton jersey on… she puts on her sunglasses as she walks out of the alley between buildings, her hair being pulled back by her hands as she walks.
A pause and she glances about the mildly darkened city streets and slows to peer into a store where she spots something baseball related. She knows her dad loved baseball… maybe she oughta spend a few bucks on the family this year.

At first Xi'an is content to simply watch the people as she walks down the street, her dark gaze idly hopping from one person to another. She's only just stepped a few paces past the store that holds some form of sports memorabilia, when Carol steps out of the alleyway and onto the sidewalk proper. Perhaps it's that flash of blonde hair out of the corner of her eye, that causes Xi'an to pause and turn, but the young woman does so and as she turns her features brighten for a brief moment at the thought of seeing one of her friends. She even goes so far as to start a greeting, "Bonj - " , the greeting however falls short as she immediately realizes Carol is not one of her former teammates.

"Hrm?" asks Carol as her attention is snapped from the baseball card collection in the window. She reaches up and lowers her shades and reveals those crystal blue eyes. "Can I help you?" she asks, her voice showing a hint of a Boston accent to it. Just the last telltale signs of it to get into details. She offers a grin at the young lady and inclines her head to one side.

Xi'an's features tinge faintly with a blush, as she immediately realizes her error - she shouldn't have assumed, but she couldn't help but think possibly she would find one of them here. If she were brave enough she'd go visit them, but as it is, she's not. Clearing her throat quietly the young Vietnamese woman says, "Excusez-moi, excuse me, I had thought you were someone I knew." A hand reaches up to touch her own dark short locks, "Your hair - I had thought .. " Realizing she's babbling, at least babbling for Xi'an, she can't help but shake her head and adds a quick, "Excuse me again for disturbing you."

"My hair.." murmurs Carol as she reaches up and wraps fingers about her blonde ponytail. "I'm sorry to be someone else then." she adds with a bit of an understanding grin. "But I'm just Carol. You are?" she asks, quite the approachable and personable person when she turns on the charm so to speak. That sort of skill was always an asset in her Intel days.

Since it would be impolite to leave when someone is speaking to you, Xi'an of course stays rooted to the spot, since she is hardly one to be impolite - even with the embarrassment. Clasping both hands around the handles of her small packages Xi'an offers her own name, when asked, "I am Xi'an Coy Manh. A pleasure to meet you ma'amselle Carol. Again excuse me for interrupting your .." She glances sideways towards the window and the wares being showcased there, ".. shopping? I had thought old friends were near. Illyana and Amara would shop here every chance they could." She smiles faintly at that particular thought.

"Not so much shopping and the pondering of the potential thoughts of planning potential shopping." replies Carol as she offers a hand…. only to realize your hands are full. "Oh, but I apologize, you were merely trying to say hello in passing, and likely need to get back home to unload all that junk." Yeah, she was a tomboy growing up and nothing ever changes on that note. Not even a purse for her… just a wallet like a man might carry. "Illyana you say.." she remarks softly, inclining her head to the left. "Now -that- is a familiar and yet unique name to these parts. I'm from out'a town myself if you hadn't guessed.. but would that be the Ilyana, sister of Piotr you speak of?" she asks

At Carol's explanation of her master shopping plan, Xi'an can't help but tilt her head to the side, perhaps puzzling over the wording of that sentence. At the offer of a hand Xi'an is quick to try and shuffle her bags around to return the gesture, before it seems a moot point when Carol talks of Illyana's brother, Piotr. Eyes widening slightly Xi'an can't help but stare for a few seconds, "Oui, yes, Illyana Rasputina is the sister to Piotr. You know of them? I have not seen either of them for many months now." And longer, in reality. "I had hoped to perhaps see some of them before I went back 'home'." Though by the way she says home, perhaps it's really not the home she would prefer. "Like you I am from out of town as well, and have not been here in many many months. "

With a vague gesture, Carol shakes her head a bit. She tucks her shades into the front left pocket of her jeans and grins. "I never actually met her, but Piotr talks of little else given the chance if one asks about his family." She chuckles and shakes her head, "He really is a big teddy bear, isn't he?" There's a pause as her instincts scream at her from the back of her brain. Maybe something about your tone of voice. "I would've thought you'd head up to the estate to say hi. I was thinking of popping by to say hi to Chuck." Yes, she calls Professor Charles Xavier… Chuck. "If you want, we could stop in together?"

When Carol mentions Piotr and how he speaks of his family, especially Illyana, Xi'an can't help but offer a faint smile. "Oui, he is surely devoted to his family." Which in Xi'an's words translates to, yes, Piotr is a large teddy bear when it comes to his family. At the mention of visiting the estate that however causes Xi'an's expression to shift towards a more shuttered look, and a slight frown as well. "I would not wish to disturb them." And no, Xi'an cannot call Professor Xavier's by the nickname Chuck, not like Carol can at least. "I know how terribly busy the Professeur's life can be." She hesitates a few seconds before adding, "I will visit them another day, perhaps when we all have more time and it is not so late - merci, thank you for asking." Xi'an hesitates again for a brief moment before she asks, "They are all well though, oui?"

"You are here now. What's the harm in a quick visit? I was thinking of buying a couple dozen donuts before showing up there. I know Hank'll try to mug me for'em though." she offers with a chuckle. Yes, she's trying to guague the reluctance you might have and all. "As for them? I honestly assume so. I've been…. out of town and occupied for quite a while…. so this is my first chance to visit since coming home." Yeah, Starjammin' about Shi'ar space is quite a ways out of town… but she can't exactly talk about that.

Dark brows pinch downward at Carol's question - what would the harm be in it? It's clear she's considering what the best course of action will be, but in the end, the young woman shakes her head. "Non, I cannot." Xi'an wants to it's quite clear, but for now she cannot. There are too many factors against the visit - what if her Uncle found out, surely he'd be angry and who knows what he'd do. What if her former teammates were still angry with her? She left with only a note - a note. Such a cowardly way to leave.

And then this dealing with the underworld here in New York for her Uncle, she would hate for them to somehow get wind of the school and its purpose and do something against Xavier's Institute..

With that final thought her actions are definitely decided and with a second shake of her head Xi'an says, "Non, it is not the time." At least not yet. "Ma'amselle Carol it was a pleasure to meet you. Please do not let me delay you in visiting with the Professeur and everyone. I am certain they would be happy to see you tonight especially when one bears gifts of donuts." Shifting her bags to one wrist, Xi'an frees up a hand this time to offer it to Carol.

"H'okay.." offers Carol as she takes the hand. "I'll tell'em you said hi then." she offers. Of course, that could mean that Cerebro will be knocking on your brain here in short order. "You take care of yourself Xi'an.." She does a good job of pronouncing the name at least. She's had some experience in such matters it seems. That said, she turns and starts wandering off.
Of course, now she has a whole new investigation to pursue. It's time to start putting Xi'an Coy Manh… into the databases and see what they spit out. Perhaps do some shadowing and find out what it is that has her so reluctant and almost -afraid- to visit her former collegues. As far as Carol knows, the only people the X-Folks wouldn't be fond of seeing… who'd been there before, are those who've gone over to the dark side, so to speak…. and that worries her.

When Carol mentions that she'll tell the group Xi'an said hello, that almost causes the young woman to open her mouth to say no, but self-preservations causes her to close her mouth shut. It would probably sound too odd to ask Carol not to mention the fact that she was here, so all Xi'an can do is now accept that. "Merci beaucoup, I will." Take care of herself, that is, "You as well, ma'amselle Carol. Have a pleasant evening. Bonsoir." Turning away as well Xi'an continues down the street, though now she is definitely heading away with a purpose, heading back towards her hotel and then eventually she will head back to Madripoor as well, once her business here is complete.

The End!

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