Setting up shop

[Michael Asters]

The telepathic ripples followed him down the hall as he walked up to the office, a couple trunks floating after him. And I actually missed this, he mused as he unlocked his office door, sliding the name plate into place as he entered.

Anyone who looked at the cracked door, be it a student passing on the way to a teacher's office or another staff member, might see him unloading a variety of high-powered energy weapons from the trunks into a secured cabinet behind his bookcase.

[Samantha McManus]

"You know," a familiar voice came from the door, "we do have an armory."

[Michael Asters]

"Oh come on, armories have no sense of history," Mike said with a grin as he looked back to the door. "I mean, come on, you go into the armory when you have to say 'I need a gun,' not 'I need a rifle that was used to shoot Stryfe in the face.'" He set the one in his hand into the cabinet. "Hiya, Sam. Looks like the old country agrees with you."

[Samantha McManus]

"You were intending to fend off undergraduates?" She smirked, stepping into the doorway. Seeing as it was during office hours, she was dressed fairly formally.

"Been awhile, Asters."

[Michael Asters]

"Oh come on, you never know when you're going to need a multi-phase graduated pulse plasma rifle. There's just so many uses!" he joked, closing the cabinet and the trunk. "Yeah, too long. What was it... few weeks after Valhalla?"

[Samantha McManus]

"Well, I did appreciate the congratulatory flowers at Avengers Mansion."

[Michael Asters]

"Well, I thought about dropping by for a visit, but we weren't exactly the most... popular people at the time. Something about 'SHIELD's most wanted' and 'international warrants.'"

[Samantha McManus]

"There was also Hawkeye wondering aloud if he could shoot an arrow into the barrel of Cable's overcompensation."

"Often."

[Michael Asters]

"Yeah, well, that's what happens with boys who have to have their big phallic stand-ins for a fight," Mike shrugged. "And now we've given up daily world-saving and global gallivanting for... more world saving. Go figure."

[Samantha McManus]

"Can't say as my life here's been particularly dull."

[Michael Asters]

"Well, if a girl needs some more spice in her life..." he said, smirking as he sat down in the chair behind his desk and leaned back with his feet up on it.

[Samantha McManus]

"She could do worse than minding a school full of hormonal superbeings."

[Michael Asters]

"Yeah, I didn't even need to ask for directions. I just got within a few miles and honed in on the biggest mass of chaos and drama I could feel."

[Samantha McManus]

"Not all that different from when we were in school, aye?"

[Michael Asters]

"I don't know. Do they have evil counterparts yet? We get bonus points for having evil counterparts."

[Samantha McManus]

"You don't want to know what we found in that spatial rift."

[Michael Asters]

"...Sam, you're talking to the guy who mind-probed a valkyrie just to see what would happen. Of course I want to know," he said with a grin.

[Samantha McManus]

"That one you might want to take my word on," she said with a faint frown. "That was a particularly disturbing world."

She recovered quickly enough.

"Suppose it all comes with the territory, aye? Our lives were never going to be normal."

[Michael Asters]

"All you can do is embrace it," he agreed. "Besides... I don't know that any of us would've been happy with a normal life."

[Samantha McManus]

"I wouldn't, especially of late."

[Michael Asters]

He looked her over appraisingly again. "I was expecting an arguement there," he said with a grin.

[Samantha McManus]

"Did some re-evaluating, due in no small part to what happened there."

[Michael Asters]

"Hm. I thought something felt different," he said, nodding. "You look good without the denial on," he added teasingly.

[Samantha McManus]

"Is that what we're calling it?" She smirked faintly.

[Michael Asters]

"Well I'm open to other suggestions. But yes, that's what I always called it."

[Samantha McManus]

"Would you believe that's not the first I've heard that sentiment?"

[Michael Asters]

"Anyone I know? Because... No. It doesn't even slightly surprise me."

[Samantha McManus]

"Don't think you've met her. She's a mutant like most of the staff, but she didn't go to Xavier's. A bit new to the brightly colored tights life, aye?"

[Michael Asters]

"And now she's thrust into the heart of it. Now there's reality shock for you..."

[Samantha McManus]

"Aye. She's wonderful though. You'll probably meet her before long."

[Michael Asters]

"I certainly hope so. I feel like I've been out of the loop for ages."

[Samantha McManus]

"It's like riding a bike, Asters."

[Michael Asters]

"Riding or falling off of?"

[Samantha McManus]

"Whichever you'd prefer it be," she smirked.