| Please Don't Be Possessed By Shadow King |
| Summary: | Amanda and Pete Wisdom run into each other by coincidence near the Met. He requests she work with MI-13 as a consultant on occasion. |
| Date: | (2016-07-16) Around 8:20 PM Eastern |
| Related: | http://marvelreborn.wikidot.com/log:2016-07-17-pokemon-and-bamfs |
| NPCs: | None |
| Scene Runner: | NA |
| Social/Plot: | Social |
| Players: |
 .. .. |
What better way to acclimatize yourself to New York again after having been away than to spend a day walking the city. So it is that Amanda ends up in Central Park headed for the Metropolitan Museum of Art after a long stroll through the city.
Central Park? Near the MET. That's around 80th st and 5th avenue. Wisdom just so happened to be walking along Central Park, opposite the wall between it and Museum Mile. Where there were stalls for food, art, touristy stuff, etc, before the enormous expanse of the MET. He looked annoyed, as he often did.
Amanda Sefton stops at a food stall to get an evening snack since she hasn't stopped for dinner yet. Mainly because she's not gotten her first paycheck from her new job yet and isn't entirely sure the money in her wallet is going to pass muster on this earth. No time like the present to find out. She gives the vendor a charming smile as she passes over the bills.
Pete Wisdom walked past one of those food carts, before slowing down to a stop. He turned. Double-taked. Even lowered his sunglasses. He approached, with purpose. "Ahem. Evening. Amanda, right?"
Amanda Sefton murmurs, "Keep the change," and turns away from the vendor with her food as she hears her name. She smiles as she identifies to source. "Last time I checked that was me."
Pete Wisdom lifted his eyebrows. "It is you. Been a long time," he said. "Er. Sorry. I know I cleaned up over the years. It's Pete." Another pause. "Er… Kitty's ex." Awkward enough, right?
Amanda Sefton nods and gestures toward the Met, "I was just going to sit on the steps while I eat. Would you like to keep a girl company for a bit?" She turns smoothly to head toward the steps. "How long has it been, Pete?" She gives him a long look as if to renew a memory (or make one).
Pete Wisdom whistled out a sigh. "I'll be happy to join you. Been quite a bit. I've no idea about you and Kurt these days. Goodness, when was Excalibur?" It almost felt like the nineties, or something. But that's not right, they'd be so much older if it were true. "Sure, let's go to the steps. It's closed now, of course. But the steps are free." He'd wait for her to get her food, and once she'd start walking he'd make stride alongside her.
Amanda Sefton doesn't react at the mention of Kurt other than a slight hitch in her step, "So long ago it almost feels like it never happened." She takes a bite of her dog as she walks since that gives her an excuse to let him talk more than her.
"Could well not have. Here I am in New York and there's been all this recent interdimensional to-do. You might not be the Amanda I know. You could be an android. Or a Skrull. Or possessed by the Shadow King - please don't be possessed by the Shadow King. Or you could just be you from another here. Er, another reality. S'really common these days, eh?" He said this with such… laissez-faire that it might be off-putting. But then, he was British.
Amanda Sefton swallows then nods, "I noticed there was something odd going on. I can thankfully assure you I am neither an android nor a Skrull. And if I was possessed by the Shadow King, I would be a lot less pleasant." There's a beat pause. "Of course that's what I'd say if I was an android or a Skrull or possessed by the Shadow King too."
Pete Wisdom shrugged. "Dealing with a Shadow-King possessed alternate-reality Xavier was pretty rough, I admit." What Wisdom said may sound surprising. "Of course, I had help. It was after your time, though." And there it was, the fountain, and beside it, the steps up to the MET. He'd gesture for her to either climb up to get to a spot she'd like to sit at, or just take a seat. "So. Your turn. I realize this is a classic example of me revealing all due to my… oh-so-friendly nature." A wry grin followed. "Spill, Sefton."
Amanda Sefton winces a little at the thought of Xavier possessed by the Shadow King. She walks up a few stairs into the lights then casually sits and brushes down her skirt. "I've actually been possessed by the Shadow King before I'm sorry to say. I cannot imagine dealing with the professor that way. What he turned me into was frightening enough." She smiles at him wryly, "What would I spill? I'm back to being a flight attendant now. I live a boring life."
Pete Wisdom nodded. "I guess what I'm asking is, are you you? Well, of course you're you. But is this home, for you?" That was a better question. "Are you from this reality?" Now you're getting it, Pete. "Sorry. It's my job to know these things, and to try to help get those lost, home. It's like sodding Quantum Leap. Only with skintights." Skintights being superheroes.
Amanda Sefton arches a brow at him, "That's your job? To get people home across multiple dimensions? I'm not sure I'm qualified for that job and I can open my own pocket dimension. How did people even start getting trapped here from other realities anyway?"
"I dunno the details. And you're a slippery little eel. Not answering my questions and responding with your own. Come come now, no respect at all." He scoffed, before looking down at his very nice shoes.
Amanda Sefton takes another bite of her dog and chews thoroughly before saying, "What happens if I say I'm not anyway? I mean the id in my purse says I live here."
"The ID in your purse is probably hers, anyway. And if you say you're not, it does something for the both of us. It helps *me*, because it's my job. And it helps *you*, in case you want to go back to the reality you remember. And it helps us *both* because it sets up… well, at least a founding of trust. Get it?" he looked at her, sliding his sunglasses off, folding them and putting them away. Now he looked at her properly, dark blue eyes focused on her expression.
Amanda Sefton smiles, "Well now that's true enough. My id definitely matches the documentation it's based on. If I ask you not to tell anyone, how does that affect your job?" She finishes off her dog while she waits for the answer.
"It's fine," Wisdom said. "I'm the person that needs to know. Your business is your business. But if you're not from here, your business is my business, too. If you wanna get back, I can try to help. If you don't… I guess I can try to help you acclimate."
Amanda Sefton nods thoughtfully, "Do you know where she went when I got pulled here? Is she out there needing to get back home somewhere? I just arranged to get my job at the airline back."
"That's the other part of my job. Finding the missing people and bringing them back home." He sighed, furrowing his brow. "If we can. World's weird. Multiverse is weird. Omniverse is weirder. But that's MI-13. Weird happenings, petal." He reached into his coat pocket, handing her a business card. "Just in case. But truthfully, I've no idea where those of us from *here* ended up, if they have AU counterparts here, instead."
Amanda Sefton takes the card and slips it into her purse after a quick glance. "Weird happenings. Well that describes most of my life, Pete. Hers too I'd imagine." She pauses, "Do you know where he is?"
"I think 'weird happenings' describes all of us, in one way or another. Big mess." Pete furrowed his brow. "How's your dog? And who're you askin' about?" he wondered.
Amanda Sefton blinks, "I have a dog? Odd. I don't remember having a dog. I took care of Kitty's dragon once but that was a very long time ago. I mean Kurt."
Pete Wisdom shook his head, gesturing to the hot dog. "No. That. Kurt? Kurt is… I haven't seen him. I heard he died. And came back. Again. Though I could be wrong." He wasn't lying. "And pardon me, luv, but the you from here tried to kill him, some time ago. You might still be bearing that grudge. I dunno for sure." He didn't want to sound rude. But he had to be careful.
Amanda Sefton glances at the remains of her hot dog then shakes her head, "I can't imagine that." She sighs and pushes to her feet, "That's fine. I don't need the help to find him. I've always been able to find him if I wanted to. This won't change that."
"Last I heard, Sentinel arm through the chest. But I can't be sure. We keep dying and coming back…" He sighed. "I don't mean to put you in a sour mood," as she stood up. "Heading off, Amanda?"
Amanda Sefton nods, "Getting dark. After dark isn't a good time to be in the park last I checked. You're welcome to walk with me if you want to keep talking. I haven't pulled a flight yet so I don't have to turn in right away."
"Pff. We're not in the park anymore. Now we're technically in the Upper East Side. No danger unless you trip over an old lady." He pushed himself up to his feet, and dusted off the back of his pants. Can't be too careful. "Lead on. I'll follow."
Amanda Sefton laughs softly, "Close enough. I can always go home the easy way if I get tired of walking. I've been wander tourist style most of the day."
"Then you must be sticky," Wisdom observed. "Very humid today," he added. "And if you go home the easy way, where'll that leave me?" he joked.
Amanda Sefton points a finger at him, "I've been places with far worse weather than here. I fly around the world all the time. And I would imagine it would leave you standing alone, but then you were alone when you noticed me right?"
"That's right. I'd be alone. All alone in this big, scary city," he teased. "And I'm not bothered by heat. The humidity though," he grimaced. "Anyway. Let's keep walking. East, or south? North is Harlem. So."
Amanda Sefton turns to face south along the sidewalk. "South it is. Fifth avenue is a nice walk. So if you don't know the details of how it happened, how do you go about getting people home anyway?"
Pete Wisdom followed along, matching stride as before. "Well. We've got people slowly working on that. Richards. Braddock. Strange, when we can find him. Contact with Man-Thing has been… successful, if non-productive."
Amanda Sefton has heard the names even if she doesn't know them personally so she nods, "Well put me on the list in your head but don't put me on anything official. If she's tried to kill Kurt, maybe she's better off gone. For her and for him."
"You never did?" he furrowed his brow. "I know you'll say no, but do you intend to?" he asked. "I don't want to get into family affairs, but… Kurt's a mate of mine." Even if they don't get along. He walked along with her, his shoes clipping along the pavement. "So. Tell me about yourself. Your world. What you're willing to tell, anyway."
Amanda Sefton frowns, "I haven't seen Kurt in a long while. In fact the last time I saw him was right here in New York before things end very badly between us. I was hoping to find him again but he wasn't where I expected him to be. That's what I get for not scrying to see if he was home first."
"Can I ask what happened?" he asked, anyway. "Uhm." He paused before kneeling down to tie one of his shoes. "You could try to scry for this Kurt, if you like," he said. "I admit I'd like to see him. And if you do try to kill him, he can just teleport away."
Amanda Sefton laughs at that, "I can track Kurt's teleport signature and follow him. It's not that easy to get away from me. I'd need time to scry for him. It would help if I had some idea where to find him. Last I knew he was in England or supposed to be."
"…It's hard to guess where in the world a teleporter is. My guess is Westchester, New York," Wisdom added. "But that's just an assumption." He looked Amanda over. "So…" a pause. "Did you and Kurt date? In your reality?"
Amanda Sefton smiles faintly, "He joked about making me settle down from my wandering ways once. But that was before." She turns her gaze toward the park beside them. "They dated here didn't they?"
Pete Wisdom nodded. "Though. She was also Jimaine Szardos. Kurt… accidentally killed her brother. She tried to kill him for it." Sure, Pete. Just REVEAL HUGE SECRETS.
Jerk.
Amanda Sefton frowns, "Well that's odd. I definitely don't remember things that way. He must… not remember her fondly at all."
Pete Wisdom paused. "Wait. No. It was your mother. Margali. Damn it. I'm getting my Szardoses mixed up." Wisdom rubbed at his face. "Bugger me sideways, sorry. It was Margali."
A flash of relief crosses Amanda's face, "Ah. Right. That sounds more familiar. Couldn't convince Mother of the truth before she acted against him."
"You two were pretty happy for a while. Look." Wisdom reached out to touch her shoulder. "My first instinct is to flirt because you're a pretty bird. But I know better. But I want to… ask… for your help. I dunno if you were a part of Excalibur where you're from. But the you from here was. Excalibur's not a team anymore. But… you're welcome to work *with* me. Not for me. If you still do the hero thing."
Amanda Sefton smiles, "If you dated Kitty, you must have a few redeeming qualities other than being charming and nosy." There's a wink for his compliment. "Who else works with you?" She stops and turns her back to the park so she can face him fully.
"Technically speaking? Every British super hero in the world works *for* me. Well. For MI-13. Excalibur doesn't exist anymore. Instead there's another government agency, blah blah blah… but here's the kicker. I'm the boss. So. Nobody to distrust." Now that was funny. "Recently it's been, oh. Spitfire. Captain Britain. Blade. The Black Knight. Excalibur - oh, she's new. And sometimes Union Jack. Time was we also had some others."
Amanda Sefton laughs softly, "So no one I know then." She purses her lips then turns back to walk, "I did get my job as a flight attendant back. I can ask for some flights across the pond initially before working back up to the wonderful round the world jaunts I used to do. I don't mind doing you the occasional favor if it's for a good cause. Goodness knows I did enough of them for the X-Men back in the day."
"The only immediate favor I might ask is… uh. I might be in a little deep in something." He swallowed. "And you're a sorceress. Is there anything I can do to have you help me out, defensive wise? I'm sort of dealing with a very old, very powerful sorceress. And I could use any protection I can get my grubby little paws on. I *swear* I won't abuse it." Which… may actually be true.
Amanda Sefton chuckles, "Oh is that why you were so interested when you recognized my face. What sort of trouble are you in with this sorceress? Some things I can do and some things I can't."
"I'm just asking for some kind of… I dunno. A charm? An enchantment? To resist two things. Telepathy, and magic." A long pause. Then he said, "I'm investigating the Hellfire Club. To see if they may be exploiting the alternate-dimension folks. Or may have some of them in their ranks. Both the White and Black Queens have their eyes on me. So I need to be careful."
Amanda Sefton winces, "So you're investigating Emma Frost?" She shakes her head sadly, "I don't make the kind of charms you are talking about. I can make you a restorative potion to carry with you that will help you recover from negative magic used against you. I could even cloak you against detection if I were there." Her eyes twinkle, "Or change your appearance, but that wouldn't help you against a telepath. I can't do anything against telepathy."
Pete Wisdom nodded. "Yes. I'm in against one - two - of the deadliest sodding people on the planet. And all I've got is this," he raised a hand, and his fingertips glowed orange, thin spikes sprouting from the tips. "And. Well. I have *some* magic resistant stuff. Maybe I can design a telepathic static emitter."
Amanda Sefton nods, "I helped the X-Men against the Hellfire club once, but that only worked because they didn't know I had powers that couldn't be suppressed by a power dampener."
Pete Wisdom nodded. "We've all helped the X-Men one time or another. Just like how we've all fought Wolverine one time or another." He scoffed. "But I know you've got talents. Just thought I'd ask. Protection against magic would be useful against the Black Queen. I really wouldn't want her turning me into a lifeless husk."
"Understandable." Amanda looks past him at a sign in a store window. "Alas I am more of an on-the-scene kind of sorceress. Much of my magic requires me to be able to see or touch my target. I could scry you when you went in and help from afar that way but short of that, I'd need to be with you."
"That's just too dangerous. I wouldn't risk you normally, let alone an AU you who has no real stake in this place." Wisdom sighed. "There I go again. Getting sentimental."
Amanda Sefton nods, "Well if you need someone to scry over you and cloak you from being detected by the sorceress, I can do that. Won't stop Emma from sensing you, but I've blocked powerful magic senses before."
Pete Wisdom nodded. "Well. It's the Black Queen. What do you know about Selene?" Wisdom asked. "If you know anything, you should know it's not good." He said 'it,' as referencing Selene. "Anywho. Where are we headed?"
Amanda Sefton murmurs, "I know who she is, but I've never had the displeasure of meeting her." She nods toward a building down the street. "I was heading to my apartment since we were going that direction. Not that I'm inviting you home or anything. You're east on the eyes, but I know better." There's another wink as she echoes his words back at him."
"Too right you do. My history with women isn't the best. And goodness knows how much older I am than you," he added. "Besides," he said, "I'm…" he paused. "I'm seeing someone." Wait. What!?
Of course he is. There's another long look at him from Amanda. Hey. She's a gypsy. She can look even if she doesn't intend to touch. And it is the gypsy who rears her head briefly to tease, "Well of course you are." Another beat pause then, "But can she dance the tiganza?" Her eyes twinkle with laughing mischief as she gives just one suggestive sway before dropping back into a normal stride.
Wisdom can look… and maybe touch, too, but he wasn't going to push it. So he looked. "She can. She can do anything," he said, and… it was almost dreamy. "Well, no. She doesn't quite have superpowers like you or I do. But in her own way, she's bloody perfect."
Amanda Sefton smiles, "Well good for you. It's good when you find someone to care for like that. No gypsy love potions for you then."
Pete Wisdom laughed. "Well. We're not in love. Dunno if she even can. Just… involved. Besides. Love and I are a bad thing. Got a few headstones to visit over that." Ouch. "But hey. I'm across the pond. Sway again," he teased, giving a grin. "I'd ask what sort of Gypsy are you so I could encourage in that particular language, too."
Amanda Sefton actually seems to regret mentioning the love potion briefly before the flicker of emotion slips away and her smile returns, "Do you speak Romani, Pete? It's actually been a while since I have a change to speak it."
Pete Wisdom shrugged. "I'm mildly conversational," he said. "But gypsies are from all over. Lots of languages." Then he said something. Well. Sang. It was part of an old Roma folk song, or lullabye.
Amanda Sefton softly sings the song back to him in its entirety. "Lots of gypsies but more similarities than differences. Still, I don't often indulge in that. Margali always wanted me to."
"Well. I don't want to appropriate your culture," Wisdom said. "That's all the rage these days, anyway. And… well," he smirked. "I'm gadje. Not Rom." He at least knew that much. "Lovely singing voice," he said. Was he attracted to Amanda? You bet. But it'd be oh-so-wrong of him to try anything with her when she's from another reality, and he's looking for Kurt, and…
"You sure you don't want to invite me to yours?" Pete!!!
Amanda Sefton smiles, "Amanda Sefton isn't Rom either. That's Jimaine Szardos." She winks then stops and lifts her purse so she can pull out a pen and paper. She quickly jots down her number then offers the paper to Pete. "We barely know each other, Mr. Wisdom, but here's my number so you can find me again without having to open a major investigation." She glances down to her building. She already nodded to it so it's not like he doesn't know where to go looking if he wants to find her anyway.
It's hard to find teleporters. "I've got your number. So at least I can text you when I need to be scried on for protection," he said. "Can you teleport, uh, remotely? In case a situation goes tits-up with me, and I need a little help?" An honest question. "And if you need anything. Information, a friend, whathaveyou."
Amanda Sefton murmurs, "I can teleport you with me as long as I can see you. And I can teleport to you if I can see you, but it's easier if I know where I'm going. As long as I'm not being blocked by someone more powerful that is."
Pete Wisdom frowned. "I've got no idea if that's what's going to happen. But word is I may slip in there again." He sighed. "I'm glad to know your capabilities, at least." Of course by now his hot-knives have vanished.
Amanda Sefton nods, "Just know… my teleport announces itself very loudly. I don't sneak around that way." She turns to walk again, "If you happen to see Kurt… you can tell him Amanda might be looking for him."
"If I find him, I'll give him your number. Is that a better idea?" Wisdom offered. He smiled.
Amanda Sefton nods, "Deal. And if I find him first, I'll give him yours. I was going to retire from super-hero stuff, but maybe just maybe, I'm not supposed to. Let me know if I can help. If I'm not on a flight, I'll do what I can." No mentioning that Kurt used to pull her off flights to help the X-Men all the time.
"I'll keep you updated, petal. Cheers," he said, giving a soft wave in farewell, before he slipped his sunglasses back on, and walked off into the night.
So cool…