Issue 1 Downtime

The 'lay of the land' walk, that's what they'd called it when they were working. You tossed your stuff in the place where you were going to stay and then went out to see how things were going. That was when she wasn't rushing towards some emergency site. She adjusted the scarf around her head and zipped up her X-Corp company jacket with the word "Fade" embroidered on front right. Not that she worked for them anymore, but she hadn't had a chance to do any shopping lately. She strolled around the grounds, stopping to look at this or that before stopping to regard the grand mansion.

((Open))

"Lemme guess... never thought a mansion was in your future?" asked Nick, from the sidewalk to her side as his path brought him near.

"You might say that. It isn't the first one I've been to though," she said, turning to face Nick. She scrutinized him with that look people get when they're trying to remember where they've seen someone before.

He recognized the look and smirked. "Picture me in a dark red X-Uniform, punching someone."

"Nick Varkan, from the Institute," she said. Her accent was undeniably British, though there were a few other flavors in there.

"That's the one," he smiled, his own accent undeniably that of New Jersey.

She tugged up the front edge of the hijab to reveal her red hair. "Rowena Mohsen."

Recognition flashed across his face.

"Ahhh... I didn't recognize you under the hijab."

He didn't want to say he wouldn't have remembered her name. However he didn't forget a pretty redhead.

"I get that a lot," she said, "Usually I just get stares."

"Not much of that here," he answered, "Not with a six foot tall lizardman about."

"I can imagine how that would draw the eyes," she said. "How's university treating you?"

"Oh this place is great," he grinned, "But then I enjoy hitting bad guys."

"But seriously, the people here are like family to me. Hell, turns out Professor Asters is family... even if through my evil dirtbag bio dad."

"That's... complicated," she said, tilting her head. "But family's a good thing to have. I'm glad to be back closer to mine."

"Busy with X-Corp stuff huh?" he asked, noting her jacket.

"One of the disaster recovery groups. Took an internship right out of high school."

"Good for you. I've thought about it, but I really am better at causing damage."

"There's room for those, even on a search and rescue team."

"I figured they wouldn't want anyone causing extra devastation," he smirked, "Granted I more than can do heavy lifting. So... well, okay, maybe I just prefer breaking things."

"Sometimes you just need to break the rock that's in the way."

"Sadly I can't break boulders by thinking about them just yet, but moving rubble is easy enough."

"I'll spare you the recruitment speech, considering I don't work there now," she said, smiling.

"And I won't give you the X-Team speech," he smiled back.

"That's probably just as well. I doubt I'll have time for it with getting used to school again."

"Not going for a double major and crime fighting at the same time like some of the insane overachievers here?"

"Not in my first year, no."

"Good. Those people are boring."

"Well, I have been accused of being dull before."

"Redheads can't be boring. It's a universal law," he teased.

"I think it had something to do with not drinking."

"Let me guess... called dull by some guy trying to get in your pants?"

"That was probably the ultimate reason."

"I may be a jerk occasionally but my Ma would probably find me and find a way to make me suffer if I was ever 'that guy'."

"My mother's disapproval has always carried a great deal of weight with my brothers."

"We've had our rough patches, but yeah I'm like that too."

"We girls just figure out how to wrap our fathers around our little finger and we're set," she grinned.

He laughed.

"Works with boyfriends too."

"I'll get there eventually. No rush on that either."

"Not here to ensnare anyone with feminine wiles eh?" he smirked. "If you were I'd suggest Trev. He strikes me as easy prey."

"I prefer pursuit to pursuing, but I've already probably expounded too much on the subject."

"Your turn to choose the topic then."