The BH return to Genosha

[deadman]

After the ten hour flight, the plane touched down on the small Airstrip on Genosha. As it was rolling to a stop, Dead Man ignored the seatbelt warning and strode into the cargo hold without saying a word. One of the more awesome benefits of not being among the living was the lack of muscle cramps, or other physical discomfort. A small blessing, but amazing when one thought about it. He'd literally spent the last 8 hours exploring his internal workings, feeling out how his body ticked... and he was impressed.

As the plane stopped fully, he lowered the back ramp, and opened the cargo container that held the animates. They complained, more about how horrible it was being what they were, and he silenced them again.

He walked down the rampway onto the small strip, Animates walking behind him dragging huge pallets of McDonalds supplies.

Considering the difference in time-zones, it was as if they'd lost maybe an hour of daylight, even though technically it was a day later. The same afternoon sky greeted him on the wonderfully deserted island.

From here, he'd go with the animates, putting up the food into the kitchen storage. There'd be plenty of time for a greet with Pyro and the others, and an explanation of his circumstances later.... though the first person he wanted to talk to, of course, was Jane.

[Nightingale]

The memory of the dream still bothered her, though Angie hadn't quite been able to capture all the details. It was more of a feeling that disturbed her, something about Dead Man and Mystique stealing her favourite necklace. Which just didn't make sense, 'cause Angie's favourite necklace was back home in Australia.

The fact that she'd managed to nap in the same cabin as the Dead Man was a feat in itself, Angie felt, but her sleeping pattern had been odd because of the nine hour time difference and she hadn't been able to sleep properly the night before.

Two nights before, now that they were back on Genosha.

She'd managed to be fine throughout the flight, but she'd gripped the armrests with white knuckled force as they landed.

Angie didn't do too well in planes.

But now she was all stretched out and she'd gathered her new bag full of shopping up and had strode out after Dead Man and was trying her very best to ignore the animates.

'Cause they were just gross.

Though she did appreciate not having to lug McDonalds herself. She wondered if she'd ever actually eat it.

It was good being back. As she looked around at the island, though, and the group around her, Angie's stomach churned for a reason entirely seperate from the dead men walking.

There was a figure approaching.

Pyro.

She really didn't want to be around for the reunion with Mystique. The young Australian was utterly convinced that John had wanted to go to New York to pick her up himself, obstinately ignoring what he'd said about moving on in their short conversation before she'd left. Obstinately ignoring the possibility, as well, that he could have been talking about anyone other than the metamorph.

"I'll be in my bunk." Quoting Firefly, which she totally loved and had bought the box set of while in New York, Angie's pace quickened and she drew away from the group, walking straight past Pyro with a small, shy smile.

She really didn't want to be around for this.

[mystique]

Mystique gave Sy a quick run down of the basics of the island- they were in the Indian ocean, it had been adapted from a development that was previously destroyed, most of the climate was tropical though there were peaks leading up to the mountain and quite arid areas as well.

She had a languid, easy smile on her face as they stepped down the little stairway to the landing strip. The weather was beautiful, and they were lucky it had been as the cargo plane was not that big, and could often get tossed about when the weather was turbulent.

"Ah," she said, only the subtlest change in her facial expression indicating anything. "Here he is now. Let's introduce you straight off, hmm?"

Walking casually in Pyro's direction, letting him meet them a bit closer to the plane, Mystique pointed out to the beachline and said something about the tides. As Pyro reached them, she looked at him with an expression he knew well. She often wore it when regarding anyone outside Magneto's inner circle.

"Pyro, I wanted to introduce you to our newest recruit. His name is Poseidon," she touched Sy's upper arm, sounding almost proud. "And he's come to us from Xavier's. Poseidon, this is our leader, Pyro."

[Pyro]

John had seen the plane approaching whilst he'd been out working with Dharma. Shielding his eyes against the sun, he had picked up his t-shirt which he'd removed whilst he'd been working and slid back into it. Heading up from the beach towards the airstrip, he had a very definite spring in his step. It would be good to have Angie and Aurora back: he'd strangely missed Angie's company whilst she'd been gone.

By the time he had made it up from the beach, the passengers were disembarking to the landing strip. His hand still up shielding his eyes, he squinted against the sun.

A few moments later, Angie walked right up to him.

"Hey, Angie," he said, cheerfully to her as she approached.

Then he was talking to her back as she retreated up the beach away from him. His brow furrowed. OK, he was pretty grubby and a tad on the sweaty side after working in the sun for a few hours, but he didn't think he was that bad. "I'll - uh - catch you later then, huh? Y'know, for a report? Debrie..."

Nope, she'd gone.

Puzzled, and even a little hurt, John turned back to the plane and continued up to the others standing there.

"Pyro, I wanted to introduce you to our newest recruit. His name is Poseidon. And he's come to us from Xavier's. Poseidon, this is our leader, Pyro."

Afterwards, John would swear that some inner sense had clambered up into his brain, kicked out his consciousness and temporarily taken him over. Whatever it was that had happened, he remained eternally grateful that he didn't react the way that he instinctively wanted to act - which would have been to gape like some sort of moron, possibly even with a trickle of drool running down the side of his chin.

Mystique?

"Ah, Poseidon. Another one makes it out the demon's lair."

Mystique??

John nodded politely to the new mutant. "It's always good to get new recruits, particularly ones who have been brought to see the light and the true way forward. Mystique and Magneto did the same for me - I'm going to guess she did the same for you."

Mystique???

When John took painkillers, the sensation was much the same as what he experienced next. He turned his head to Mystique, but it felt like aeons before his eyes followed suit to focus on her.

He'd definitely changed since she'd seen him last; physically he was looking healthier, with a slight deepening of his skin indicating he'd spent time outside. His hair was longer and he had stubble on his chin - which was quite a difference given his obsession with being clean shaven. His eyes were clear and focused, not the vague disoriented and confused young man she'd last seen.

MYSTIQUE?

John's inner voice was running out of punctuation.

"Mystique," he said, and his tone was pleasant and natural, with nothing forced about it. "I am very glad to see you back on Genosha. Thank you for bringing Poseidon to us. The cause is definitely starting to gain momentum again."

[sy]

If Genosha was nearly what Sy was expecting for a Godly Paradise, Pyro was not who he had been expecting as the man in charge. He'd never actually seen John, although from the tales the X-men told and the destruction at Baltimore he had gotten a picture of Adonis-like grandure in his head. This man was anything but an Adonis. He was small, a bit dirty around the edges, and although Sy could certainly see a little fire burning behind his eyes, he didn't give off the same edge that Mystique did. He certainly hoped she was right in turning to this man as leader of the Brotherhood.

Still, head God he was, and so Poseidon gave him a respectful bow as they were introduced. "It is my pleasure, Pyro." That name, that name didn't seem nearly formal enough either, for a God. Nightingale, Aurora, Mystique, they were all such intriguing names, while this puppy was simply 'Pyro'.

"I have come from Xavier's, and hope that my gifts are better appreciated here. I have been told much of the Brotherhood," and expect much of it he left unsaid. If the man could deliver, then that would be shown in time. And from what he heard, the little Pyromaniac could deliver.

[Pyro]

"I have come from Xavier's, and hope that my gifts are better appreciated here. I have been told much of the Brotherhood."

"Trust me, my friend, you'll think all your Christmases have come at once," said Pyro with a surprisingly infectious grin. "At Xavier's, you're encouraged to reach your potential. Here, we encourage you got beyond that potential. It's not always an easy ride and the fridge isn't always as well stocked, but where the so-called 'X-Men' stumble blindly through life not really knowing which side of the law line they're walking, we have a purpose."

Pyro's green eyes shifted to Mystique very briefly. "The Brotherhood believe in the cause. Mutants are superior to the human race in every respect. And we will do whatever it takes to make them see that." He looked back at Poseidon. "Welcome to Genosha," he said, simply. "There's plenty of rooms inside the compound. It's practical and functional rather than comfortable, but anything you need, see me or Gill - I'll introduce you later."

He was a good speaker; clear and eloquent, with an underlying passion to his words that gave them buoyancy and carriage. He gave off the impression of a cool, controlled young man who was very, very much in control of the unusual situation in which he had found himself.

MYSTIQUE???

[Aurora]

Aurora had been tempted to go with Angie when she had left, but had hung around. It wasn't as if there was anything she needed or particularly looked forward to doing inside, so she might as well stay and be a spectator to any drama that might unfold.

But there was none. Mystique and Pyro spoke as though they'd parted on perfectly civil terms. Anyone unfamiliar with them, such as Sy, wouldn't have had a clue that just weeks earlier Pyro had literally set Mystique on fire. Aurora couldn't help but feel a bit dismayed that no drama was going to come of their reunion, but she knew that the fighting was just going to tear their group apart anyway. Their last argument had left Pyro locked in a cell, out of his mind. If The Brotherhood kept on that way, they'd never get any messages across to the homo sapien world.

[mystique]

Mystique's eyes sparkled as Pyro spoke. A lot had changed. How much had Emma done to his mind? It was likely the most intelligent thing she'd ever heard him say... and far from the chaos and melancholy she'd left him in.

He believed in their cause- or at least, sounded as if he did and Mystique didn't credit Pyro as being the best liar- but was he saying this for her benefit? Had he given the same speech to the girls when they were brought in?

She quirked a little, barely letting on that what he said was anywhere out of the norm for the young leader.

Turning to look at Poseidon, she smiled a bit. "I have to see that the plane is looked after." She then addressed Pyro. "Did you want to show him around?"

[Pyro]

"I was going to ask Aurora if she'd be good enough to show Poseidon to a room first, there's all the time in the world to do the guided tour." He ran a hand through his sweat-dampened hair. "I've been working and could probably stand to shower off some of the grime." He looked at Aurora. "That OK with you?"

Oh yes, this was definitely a much better Pyro than Mystique had left on the verge of complete and utter insanity. It was almost as though he'd gained five years of maturity in the weeks since she'd been gone.

That he had been working outside came as interesting news: he certainly looked as though he'd been doing regular exercise. No doubt all part of Emma's careful restructuring of his thought patterns and ability to deal with the everyday, mundane things in life that other people took for granted (sleeping and eating being amongst them).

[Aurora]

Aurora turned her eyes onto Pyro as he said her name. In response to his request, she nodded, her straight black hair swinging slightly as she did. "Sure," she said, dropping her hands from being crossed over her chest to her sides.

She looked to Poseidon, smiling warmly. During the plane ride, her high-and-mighty routine had slowly been toned down until she was nearly acting normal. "Right this way..." she said with a gesture, stepping off toward the building.

[sy]

Christmas had never been an affair that Poseidon was particularily fond of, the holiday taking on a whole new face when you lived in a jungle with missionaries and no Toys R Us' nearby, but he smiled at the referance anyways, assuming it must be a good thing in America.

Pyro certainly was convincing - speaking from the heart as it were - and Sy appreciated that. It sounded like it wouldn't be a bad time at all in fact, and he personally prefered funtional and practical to comfortable. And the environment here... he would enjoy this island immensly.

As Aurora stepped forward to lead him to the room, he gave Mystique a smile and a bow, bowed to Pyro as well, and then nodded at the girl to lead on.

[mystique]

Mystique looked at Pyro once more, letting her expression- or lack thereof- do the talking. With a trademark pivot and sway, she walked back towards the plane without another word.

[Mysty out]