10/1 Instance: Common Ground

[Svartfreja]

Current.


<Shaw> It wasn't unexpected that his classroom had been rearranged, but he was somewhat surprised that on some level it irritated him. Sebastian poked through the desk, read a hard copy of a lesson plan he ran across, then started on the student projects. He looked over something that had to be Broo's since he couldn't tell how the hell it could possibly work, yet its head... he thought it was a head... kept turning to watch him.

<Pietro> Pietro returned from a candy run and stopped in the doorway, surprised to find his classroom occupied. He stared at the back of the head for a moment, waiting to see if this person was familiar to his brain but nothing came to mind. "Can I help you?"

<Shaw> Sebastian turned around, not at all surprised. "Perhaps, Mr. Maximoff, but that remains to be seen." He smirked and slowly strolled back across the room before offering the younger man his hand. "Sebastian Shaw."

<Pietro> The face was familiar, and the name, once he turned around and Pietro shook his hand, "Oh I know. And you obviously know who I am too. I didn't know you were coming back or I would have attempted to tidy up in here..." he could do that right now, he supposed.

<Shaw> "It's quite all right." He appraised his replacement. "I've found it interesting."

<Pietro> Extracting a candy bar from his shopping, he went to the cupboard behind his desk, "We've been looking at this thing mostly," he opened the door, the lifeless Sentinel standing inside.

<Shaw> "Well, well, most interesting." Sebastian stepped closer to look at the thing. "And what have you discovered?"

<Pietro> "It's really easy to take out all the bits that are dangerous to us as long as you're quick. It helped a lot when they went to get Danger back," he pointed to where they would have been, "I took them out in the first week it was here - people were freaking out about what if it magically turned on all by itself."

<Shaw> "Perhaps a valid concern, considering," he said, reaching in to tinker himself. "This is an excellent idea, Maximoff."

<Pietro> "Well I figured it was better to just buy one so we could know what we were dealing with rather than try and figure it out in the field. It's not like I need the money... and I wouldn't call it a waste anyway." He gave a shrug. Mmm chocolate.

<Shaw> "I'm afraid they weren't as available in the first months... before my personal life descended into chaos, at any rate." He turned and gave a rueful smile. "I do owe you a thank you for taking over while I was... indisposed."

<Pietro> "Eh, I was bored," another shrug and a grin, "I took over Monet's classes too. I think everyone was just glad for the help - they didn't know if you were coming back or not.... are you?"

<Shaw> "I may." He sighed. "My wife is pregnant and due after the first of the year, and there are other... complications." Sebastian tilted his head. "Would you be opposed if I did?"

<Pietro> "I'd have to find something else to do but it was your job first. Pretty sure my wife would be thrilled... better hope yours doesn't have twins."

<Shaw> He laughed. "No, she's only having one, thankfully." Jessica's paranoia if it was twins would be unfathomable. "Perhaps we could share the duties for a time, if you wish."

<Pietro> "You don't know how lucky you are to have dodged that bullet... but you could if you wanted to babysit." He would try anyone these days.

<Shaw> Sebastian gave the younger man a curious look. "You said they recovered Danger. From whom? And who handled the recovery? The X-Men? SHIELD?"

<Pietro> "OsCorp had her, Carol took a team of X-men in... SHIELD were aware but not if anyone asks them. The press have no idea what happened so we're all in the clear."

<Shaw> "Osborn." Sebastian shifted to stare at the sentinel again, shaking his head. Oh the things he'd let slip through the cracks lately. Vaguely, he recalled seeing reports on the news of an explosion. "Merciful Hades."

<Pietro> "Explains a lot about how he was able to get the Sentinels off the ground so quick. Just before Christmas there were rumblings that he was in a hole with them and, all of a sudden, mega launch... bastard."

<Shaw> The question, of course, was if Osborn had simply taken advantage of the situation during the clean-up operation, or if he'd made a deal with Sarkissian. He ran his tongue across his teeth, staring at the sentinel.

<Pietro> "From an academic standpoint... they're kind of impressive," Pietro offered, following his gaze, "Aaaand they come with a remote control."

<Shaw> He smirked. "Of course."

<Pietro> "If I didn't think it would get destroyed by flailing students, I'd have played with it... but we don't need it anymore and I could just order another one..."

<Shaw> "Perhaps you can use it to send a modified code to other units. Give those encountering them in the field at least one opportunity to escape, if nothing else."

<Pietro> "Maybe... but I still like the idea of playing with the remote controls..." He could get several of them and teach them to dance... and then mail them to Osborn so they could perform. He liked this idea.

<Shaw> Sebastian was suddenly certain Hope got along well with this young instructor. And, he was yet another graduate of Xavier's. Along with his ....other... qualifications. "So, you've taken this class, and engineering, and Monet's language classes. What else do you do, Mr. Maximoff?"

<Pietro> "When I'm not at home trying to stop the crazy people that live there from demolishing the place by accident?" He gave a grin, "Obviously, I'm also a dad so that's pretty time consuming - toddlers with superpowers are scary. But, when I do get time to myself I draw, work in the lab... garden. I have a lot of hobbies. Sort of goes with the territory of never sleeping and functioning at high speed."

<Shaw> He filed away the information that the man's children had abilities so young. "In the lab. So, do you follow your father's research?" Sebastian's tone was conversational, but he hid his intent behind another poke at the sentinel.

<Pietro> Pietro pulled a face and gave a half shrug, "Yes and no... in the same sort of vein but less of the experimenting. I've been working on mapping the mutant genome and categorising mutations, watching the ones that run in families, learning all I can about any new ones I encounter. A couple of the students have been sent to me by staff as a result so I'm doing what I can for them too."

<Shaw> "I see." After a moment, he turned to face Maximoff. "And what have you learned about inheritance of abilties?"

<Pietro> "Well there's three possible outcomes, broadly speaking... barring the ones where the kids beat the odds and come out with no mutant gene at all." He leaned against the desk, "Some kids get powers that exactly replicate their parents' abilities, some get powers that are similar but more... evolved, if you like... and others get powers that don't seem to have any exact correlation."

<Shaw> "Indeed." While his infant daughter's future abilities were a cause for wonder and concern, right now his thoughts followed another track. "And is there any precedent for the abilities of clones of mutants?"

<Pietro> Pietro raised an eyebrow, "Not to my knowledge - cloning of humans is illegal... unless you know something I don't?"

<Shaw> He tilted his head and smiled. "Oh, come now. We both know a great many things are illegal in this world."

<Pietro> He laughed, shaking his head, "I can't say for sure without studying any potential clone first hand but, logically, they'd have the same DNA as the 'parent' so their powers should be identical unless there was something that triggered a secondary mutation separately."

<Shaw> "A secondary mutation," he repeated, considering this. "And what if the clone is a... blend. Not just a copy of the parent," and that word gave him pause, "but an artificial amalgam of two subjects?"

<Pietro> "Then the addition of a second DNA source would be kind of a wild card... just like having a kid any other way. But, if any of the parents were mutants there's a strong likelihood that their powers would at least resemble each others."

<Shaw> He realized his moment of silence as he thought about this was stretching to uncomfortable proportions. "Fascinating," he managed.

<Pietro> Pietro hated long stretches of silence in conversation, even the little ones made him impatient. Of course, the line of questioning was odd and he eyed Sebastian curiously, "Something I can help you with, perhaps?"

<Shaw> Sebastian bared teeth. "Perhaps."

<Pietro> "Well, when you decide, you know where to find me."

<Shaw> "Indeed I do." His brow furrowed. "Did they give you my office as well?"

<Pietro> "Nope, I don't need an office here - have a perfectly good one at home.... Sure, sometimes people get assignments back with brightly coloured handprints on them but I make it work."

<Shaw> He smirked and then chuckled. "Well then, I suppose I should check on my office." Politely, he inclined his head to Maximoff, prepared to leave, then paused.

<Pietro> "You're, uh, probably short anything edible or drinkable you had in there - stuff like that has been going for walks lately." Pietro decided to check on his bought candy while he thought about it - their backs had been to the bags after all.

<Shaw> "Lately?" He snorted. "Actually, perhaps there is something you can help me with."

<Pietro> "Yeah... tiny naked blue demons have been stealing everyone's stuff.... yeah that sounded just as weird in my head." He shook it off, "What's that now?"

<Shaw> Distracted for a moment by this news, he narrowed his eyes at the man. "The Hellfire Club."

<Pietro> Pietro's eyebrows went up, "What about it?"

<Shaw> "You have heard about the Lord Imperial?"

<Pietro> "Yeah, of course... some people are freaking out, I think he got what he deserved. Creepy asshole..."

<Shaw> "Indeed he did," he said with a devilish smile. "And as he had several rather unsavory intentions for our kind, I believe it is time for a drastic change of leadership, as you may have also heard."

<Pietro> "There have been some rumblings but I try to stay out of the politics, don't want to risk the family, you know? Too much anti-mutant feeling going around lately so I don't want to give them excuses. Of course, if the rumours are true, I could be pursuaded to get involved."

<Shaw> Sebastian moved a little closer, as this was precisely the answer he'd hoped for. Of course. "You are teaching my courses here because our former Lord Imperial believed, as a mutant, I was his exclusive property. For a time, he altered my memories and took me from my wife and our unborn child."

<Pietro> The eyebrows went up again, "Seems like death was too good for him at his point."

<Shaw> "Yet death was granted him." He bared teeth again in his predator's smile. "Never again will I fall victim to his ilk, and I seek support to take and hold such position to protect our kind from exploitation. It's time we remake the Hellfire Club into something new."

<Pietro> "Then count me in. I want to be in a position to make sure that nothing like what's happened to students here will ever happen to my kids. The Hellfire Club is as good a place as any to start."

<Shaw> Sebastian held out his hand to Pietro once again and smiled, this time the expression was far more genuine. "I couldn't agree more."

<Pietro> Pietro smiled back and shook the hand again, adding quietly, "Just don't tell my wife."