7278/Magical Beginnings

Magical Beginnings
Date of Scene:	19 April 2019
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Doctor Strange, Shadowcat, Black Alice, Thor

---

Doctor Strange has posed:
    There was a hell of a mystical maelstrom last week in the Sanctum, such powerful magics at work that Stephen has had to do a bit of time adventuring in order to make sure that nothing went wrong on a scale he couldn't forsee. That's why Stephen steps back into the front doors of the Sanctum with a cowboy's outfit on. A red heavy poncho hanging from his shoulders, a large brimmed brown cowboy hat, heavy with age and dirt. There's some iron on his hip that anyone that knows him hasn't been moved from the holster since he bought it.

    The wizard steps into the foyer and sighs. He's beat up from the past few days. It's been one thing after another. Stephen is beat and out of breath even just walking home.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde steps out of Narnia. That's become her nickname for the room she's staying in at the Sanctum. Not because it looks like Narnia, but because her travel there and back usually has her emerging from a closet. If not a wardrobe.

She's wearing a Cubs sweatshirt and a pair of jeans, and boots, and has her laptop with her and another device in hand which might be recognized as portable scanner. Though it looks like it's been taken apart and some extra components stuck on it.

"Evening," she says as she spots the Sanctum's guardian. Looking over his apparel, she asks with a soft smile, "Costume party? Or just finish driving the cattle in from Tucson?" Moving in further into the entryway, she perhaps spots the signs of Doctor Strange's fatigue. "Seriously though, everything ok?" Kitty asks, stowing the laptop under an arm.

Black Alice has posed:
There is a good loud knock at the front door to the Sanctum.

Which is nice right. I mean whoever is out there must be able to see through the various veils on the residence. Yet they are respectful enough to knock. Manners and all that right.

Then there is the "Hellooo.. come on this has to the the right place. The glamours... the imposing window which.. is not at all a normal window on the front." it sounds like a young woman really.

That is followed by another knock.

Okay so marginal manners, but there is knocking.

If/when the door is open, well Alice is Alice. The young woman is dressed in her usual goth attire, that could really be a uniform all of it's own. Pigtails. Jewelry. The works. Also a skeptical look, and a folded up parchment in her hand.

Doctor Strange has posed:
    Stephen reaches up and takes off his hat and lowers it to his side and just like that the hat is gone, as is the poncho that was on his shoulders, somehow changing in the motion of his arm back into the familiar red cloak he wears all the time. The wizard looks to Kitty and sighs. "I'm alright. Just had to talk to a man about a timestream." Strange tries to give a smile but it comes out as a half hearted smirk-cough.

    The door opens itself after the second knock with no one behind it but the door does invite Alice into the house by the very notion of opening inwards. Stephen however stops talking as soon as the knock echoes loudly into the house via mystical accoustics put in place to make sure Wong didn't miss his deliveries. "You expecting guests?" Stephen asks Kitty as he turns towards the doorway and now in his usual gi and wrapped feet and wrists, "Um... Can I help you?" Stephen asks, having not met Alice in person yet.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde takes the answer about timestreams in due course. As her friend Ellie likes to say, their lives are weird. Though maybe 'strange' would be a better adjective for the moment. "Hope it went well," Kitty replies to the sorcerer. As the knock comes, Kitty gives a shake of her head. "Not expecting anyone, no," she says.

Kitty glances over towards the door but stays over nearer to the door to her room. In case it's someone dropping in unexpected that Doctor Strange might like privacy with. A lady friend. Perhaps a demon from another dimension. Kitty tries to be accommodating in such matters.

As she sees the young goth woman at the door, Kitty's eyebrow goes up in just a little bit of curiosity. She lingers there, leaning against a corner where the hallway opens up, to listen to who it is.

Black Alice has posed:
Alice looks Strange up and down and then up again, before flicking over at Kitty and finally returning to Strange.

"Well this definitely looks like the right place." a pause "Are you the Sorcerer or the butler?"

The parchment still folded up is held up. "Because this was some super Hogwarts level shit. I mean sure this was on my dresser when I woke up and not delivered by an owl. But still...." a shake of her head. "You can call me Black Alice... and obviously someone here must know who I am to send me a letter with an offer like this."

Doctor Strange has posed:
    Strange looks from Kitty back towards Alice and shakes his head, "I am not the butler, though he is a sorcerer as well, so you should be a bit more thoughtful in your words." Stephen says, warning that Wong doesn't much like the word butler as he does way more than that. The former surgeon steps closer to Alice. "Hogwarts, yes, that's the tone we were going for." Stephen says, almost as tired of the Harry Potter jokes as he is of having to deal with actual magical threats.

    "I'm going to call you Alice." Stephen says bluntly. "This is Kitty." He then motions towards the other woman in the house and nods, "Kitty this is a young witch who Wong has told me I will be teaching how to properly use magic."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty gives a smile over towards Black Alice, and raises her free hand to give a bit of a wave towards her. "If this were a sitcom I'd be the normal roommate who serves as the straight girl for all the weird stuff," Kitty says. Then seems to reconsider. Her life is pretty weird.

"Well, at least I don't do magic," she clarifies. "But he seems to really be good at it, so I imagine you'll be in excellent hands," Kitty says, giving a warm vote of confidence for Doctor Strange. "Want me to get out of your hair? I was going to go scan some of the older tomes," Kitty says, hefting the laptop and scanner.

Black Alice has posed:
"Well someone is a ray of sunshine." is muttered softly at the blunt Alice business. Which well Black Alice is her codename and not even her real name so shortening her codename is a bit odd to her. Still. Sorcerers are odd.

"So a whole lot of sorcerers around here, and I wasn't calling a specific person the butler... I mean really you did that. I don't even know who this Wong person is, other than they are a sorcerer right." a light shrug from her and she tucks the parchment back into a pocket folding it up.

"Nice to meet you Kitty. Black Alice." she looks around. "So this whole offer to teach me is legit and not some sort of lure me in and then try to trap me so I stop doing grave harm to the balance of mystic forces in the world.. or some such crap?" okay that sounds like she is speaking from experience not hypothetical.

Doctor Strange has posed:
    Stephen looks to Kitty with a sidelong glance, "There's no rush, the tomes aren't going anywhere, or they shouldn't be." Stephen remarks and smirks briefly before he turns back to Alice as to him, he isn't aware she would be using a codename, so he figures it was her actual name. Sorcerers are weird.

    "The offer to teach you is 'legit' yes, but you're also right in that this is a way to keep you from doing grave harm to the mystic balance in the world." Stephen says rather flatly and with a stoic face. "Novice witches with your capabilities could do incredible harm. You think we send out letters to every warlock and wizardess in the world?" Stephen asks as if he was the nerdier Morpheous.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde listens on. At the end her head kind of bounces along as she repeats, "...stop from doing grave harm to the balance of mystic forces in the world. That -does- kind of sound like him." Kitty flashes a little grin and a shrug, as Stephen then confirms there was some element to it. See?

Kitty sets down the laptop and scanner on a table rather than continue to hold them. She glances back over, being the proverbial peanut gallery today. "I'd guess not -every- one. I mean, the postage alone..." Kitty muses, continuing to play the straight man for the time being, it seems.

"By the way, when you do meet Wong? A pint of ice cream," Kitty offers to Black Alice as advice. She gives a knowing nod and a smile to the new arrival. "Especially ones with fudge or chocolate in them."

Black Alice has posed:
"I mean.. how should I know what Sorcerers do. Maybe. This could be some giant extradimensional space full of school children all learning to use their gifts to benefit the world .. or become magic police or something." a slow shrug. "I mean... I doubt it. I've heard about you Dr. Strange, Sorcerer Supreme." and she wisely doesn't comment on how haughty that sounds.

"Also, I've been doing pretty decently okay on my own, though I admit learning somewhere people won't glare at you because of your reputation does sound promising. There won't be a lot of haterade here right." a pause "I mean sure I may have borrowed Dr. Fate's helmet once to get a thing done that needed doing but I still feel everyone over reacted there." she trails off, with a look like she probably shouldn't have said that.

Cough, subject change. She looks around and landing on Kitty with her gaze. "Is digitizing magic tomes even safe... I mean some of those books are practically sentient and some spells might consider a scanner reading them?" pauses a beat "Ice cream does sound safer than scanning mystic tomes."

Doctor Strange has posed:
    Stephen was just about to brush everything Lori said but then she mentioned something outstanding. Incredible! UNBELIEVABLE!

    "You borrowed what exactly?" Stephen almost lifts his finger to his ear to clean it but the cloak on his shoulder seems to get a hint of a twitch at the hem. "No, you're not going to worry about the tomes in this house and how sentient or not they might be, you're going to go into some detail on that helmet." That helmet, one thing Stephen actually will respect and fear on this plane. He fears a lot, but that thing is no joke.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty glances about the old mansion. "Haven't noticed any extra-dimensional spaces filled with kids from The Wall, yet," Kitty mentions. "Though I was curious who put the Kermit the Frog nightlight in the upstairs hallway. Good taste, there," she comments and gives Stephen a thumbs up. If he doesn't know what she's talking about? Probably Wong then.

Kitty leans back against the corner that she was using earlier. She doesn't mention more comment on the tomes either. "One benefit to studying here, though?" Kitty offers towards Black Alice to be helpful. "The parking. You can -always- find a spot out front. It's like other people even know the spots are there." Sort of exactly like that, actually.

Black Alice has posed:
Lori knew she probably shouldn't have mentioned that. Her eyes flick over to Kitty as if there may be an escape conversation. Then again Dr. Strange seems very focused. "That Helmet... right." she sounds like she bit something sour.

"It is a pain in the ass, it definitely does not want to be bent and used.. very domineering as far as magical artifacts go. Don't worry I won't be borrowing it again. We did not get along at all." she just shakes her head. "It was years ago anyhow. Before I hit the road on my own." she is what eighteen. "So .. no worry I won't borrow his powers again if it is such a big deal."

Okay maybe people are nervous and the reputation is for good reason. Unbalancing the mystic order of the universe and all.

To Kitty. "I usually snag a teleportation to get out of Gotham like I did today .. I mean.. I don't even have a learners permit or drivers license really." witches.

Doctor Strange has posed:
    Stephen seems to blink several times before he lifts his hand and presses it against the wall. "I may need to lay down." Stephen says flatly. He's obviously shaken. This girl is unbelievable. He's going to need a moment to recover his composure as he keeps mouthing the word 'Borrow' and 'big deal'. The wizard is flabbergasted. Then with a glance to Kitty, Stephen's wide eyes start to recover into something more natural. "What do you mean by 'snag' a teleportation?" He's curious about how the girl works and he'll have to be in order to teach her magics.

Shadowcat has posed:
Despite having a best friend who is one of the better sorcerers on Earth, Kitty knows she only knows enough about the topic to scratch the surface. So when she sees how Strange reacts to this helmet, it makes her take pause. That, and that the new arrival had wielded something that makes Strange react that way.

The mention of teleportation from Kitty gets a curious look. If she had some inkling of the truth she'd probably be more concerned, so it's just a curious look for the moment as Kitty stays quiet for now.

Black Alice has posed:
"Well.. " and Black Alice trails off thoughtfully. "Eh what the hell..." it isn't like her reputation isn't already out there in dark parts of the mystical world. The Oblivion Bar. The like. I mean sure she doesn't really go out of her way to explain it to the amulet and tome crowd because the last thing she wants is them all to come gunning after her. Still the Sorcerer Supreme said this wasn't a trap. Right.

"So yeah Snag a Teleport... " thoughtful look and then magic wraps around her, leaving her transformed, her hair a bone white, still in pigtails, and even gothier skin, clothes almost a black and white monochromatic look all said.

To Strange there is a sudden heavy feel of Death Magic, and if he ever encountered the Silver Banshee it feels like that.

Black Alice though "Snagged." and then she evaporates vanishing from where she is standing, and reappearing up on the landing above. "Teleported." and she releases the magic letting it snap back to the Silver Banshee.

Black Alice has posed:
Which leaves Black Alice back in her usual goth attire, the transformation reversed. The young woman does look a bit apprehensive down at Dr. Strange and Kitty though. Jumpy even. Probably ready to rabbit if said Sorcerer Supreme freaks out.

Doctor Strange has posed:
    "Oh." Stephen says quietly enough that only Kitty could hear it. "I see why Wong wanted her here." Stephen says before he looks up to Lori's new location. "That's a rather ... interesting." Stephen says, the facts of how incredibly dangerous and powerful this girl is washing across the sorcerer like a tsunami. "Yes, you have a lot to learn here Alice." The wizard says her half code name as he still doesn't know it's incorrect. "Kitty, do me a favor and show Alice to her new room. It will be the one next to your room." Stephen says and looking towards his assistant with a kind smile though there is something a bit worrysome in his eyes.

Shadowcat has posed:
It is surely lost on Kitty the implications of what happened. Black Alice's magic seems to involve her going all bone white and her hairstyle changing, to Kitty. But then sometimes Illyana becomes the Darkchilde, so changing forms doesn't really tell Kitty where that form came from him.

It's pretty clear that Strange caught something meaningful in it though. Kitty glances between the two. She'd normally be chatty because she's probably figured it helps Strange's dynamic in conversations. Whether or not he has reached, or shares, that conclusion. But Kitty is also smart enough to know when she's out of her element, so doesn't interject this time.

"Sure thing, I can show you the room," Kitty offers after Strange makes the request of her. "I call mine Narnia. We'll have to come up with a name for yours," Kitty says, offering Black Alice a friendly smile.

Black Alice has posed:
Yeah Black Alice can tell he gets it. "So yeah Black Alice is the codename, not like Alice is my real name or anything. It's .. well it sounded good when I was thirteen." a roll of her shoulders in a teenage shrug.

She looks between strange and Kitty and back again. "I won't be here all the time, though I appreciate the offer of a room in a magical house in New York. I've got a place in Gotham that I stay at with some friends." which is a whole other story. "How are these magic lessons going to work?"

To Kitty "Love to see it. Why do you call yours Narnia.. did you know that isn't actually a place. There is a place called Myrra .. it is in the sphere of the gods though. Place is basically all magic. The Nightmaster protects it, fancy sword. Good natured bloke if a bit sensitive about his sword." she stays up on the landing.

Doctor Strange has posed:
    "First I'm going to determine if you can use your own magic at all or if you're something else entirely." The wizard remarks and then crosses his arms as he looks to Kitty and gives the mutant a nod. "Thank you Miss Pryde. I have other, matters, to attend to." Strange says with a nod before he seems to compress into a singular point suddenly and is gone in a poof of reality.

Shadowcat has posed:
"It's a pretty sweet room. Assuming they are all the same. Takes whatever form you'd prefer," Kitty explains to Black Alice. She motions towards the hallway whose corner she'd been leaning against, to indicate where it is. "Oh, Narnia, it's kind of a joke. Came out of the wardrobe and it looked like the interior of a forest..." Kitty explains. Which alludes to the reason if leaves out certain details like there actually is a passage in the wardrobe. Closet.

Kitty looks over as Doctor Strange disappears. "Well, that happens from time to time," she says of his disappearance. "Still not sure if he's busy or just not good at conversation closers," Kitty kids with a friendly grin towards Black Alice.

Black Alice has posed:
"Interesting magic, adaptive room.. or is it more that the house is mildly sentient?" Black Alice will look around now and then after Strange. "Honestly I think he is either not very good with people or maybe just the subset that is teenagers." there is a pause. "I mean or maybe he had to prevent a Mystical Invasion from some hellmouth." another shrug.

Lori waits for Kitty to get up the steps "Also I can do my own magic, it is just... ritual magic and application of spells like that takes longer." she twists her hand and draws an arcane sigil in the air and a small globe of light pops into being. Very simple cantrip as it bobs there. "The really hardcore stuff takes tons of practice and is tiring, borrowing is a lot faster."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde comes up the stairs, and finally it looks like Kitty maybe has an inkling of what went on, at the talk of 'borrowing'. After all, she's got a rather good friend who is capable of doing that, so maybe the same can happen with magic?

"Wait, 'borrow'?" Kitty repeats after the explanation that suggests the teleporting was not Black Alice's own magic. "So did you what, like take that ability from someone else?" Kitty asks.

And then she gives a sudden shiver. "Wow. That seems like it could be really dangerous. What's it like for the borrowee? And... I mean, some magic comes with a price. Prices that can have lasting effects on person," Kitty says, as if she thinks she has some knowledge about that area. And boy, does she.

Black Alice has posed:
Lori makes the little ball of light dance a bit from fingertip to fingertip wiggling her fingers under it. "Yeah, I mean in that case if was the Silver Banshee.. who is a real Banshee. Criminal really but still a magical being. Bit of a jerk with her Death Stare and killing people and all." she watches Kitty shiver. "and there is the look."

"When I borrow it they lose it. It isn't copying their power.. it is legit borrowing it." another word for that is stealing but "I can't keep hold of it forever though, it goes back to the owner." so borrowing.

"Magic does have a cost, which is why I prefer to not do my own spells but skirt around it all in that grey area where neither I nor the owner are actually doing the magic in the strictest sense."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde probably continues to have 'the look' to some extent. "Well, criminal, I guess that's not as bad," Kitty says in a reluctant tone. "So do you choose who the person is? And do you only chose bad guys? Because... someone losing their magic at the wrong moment..."

Kitty trails off. Her face is very troubled. Very. But then she's been worried for awhile now about her own borrowing of Illyana's magic, knowing Illyana won't pull it back to her even if she needs it, for fear of stranding Kitty without it in a bad moment. And that borrowing hasn't even happened yet, it's just planned. But the topic is quite germane.

"Well, and some magic... makes a connection inside of you. Sort of. And... how do you know that won't be left behind. A bad connection?" Kitty asks of Black Alice as she reaches the top of the stairs finally.

Black Alice has posed:
Lori continues up the steps after Kitty.

"I know who I am borrowing it from, otherwise I might just end up with some hedge witch that can only do cantrips when I need fireballs. That would be super awkward and maybe deadly for me really." the other questions get an actual pause from Lori. "Also no I borrow from where I need to borrow.. it is usually just like a couple spells or a minute or so in a pinch. I'm pretty sure most of them never even realize it is gone." which well sometimes people are sleeping.

"It isn't my magic, it rubberbands back really so I am pretty sure there aren't any traces of it left behind. I've borrowed from demons and angels.. just not high host or lords.. those.. yeah that doesn't work very well." a shrug "Gods are risky because they just don't think like we do down here in the mortal plane. So getting an understanding of how their powers work.. is a bit.. mm overwhelming."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde's expression is still troubled. "It sounds like it might be good to study here, to me. I mean not that I know much about this stuff. But, I hear things and... it just sounds incredibly dangerous all around. That," Kitty says, looking over to Black Alice with an expression that seems meant to not look judgmental, but instead be friendly and amiable.

"So you mentioned using a code name. Are you out there doing things with your powers? I mean are you a crime fighter or something like that?" Kitty asks as she leads the way over to the rooms. "That one's mine," she says of the one door. "If you change your mind about taking him up on the offer, this one would be yours," Kitty says. "Take a look?" Kitty isn't even sure if the room has the same magic on it. But it would stand to reason it would.

Black Alice has posed:
"I haven't said I won't.. I mean I'm cheecking out the digs and all..." she looks t the door and then the other one. Not opening it yet.

"It isn't dangerous for me really, well unless it snaps back when I am still using it and leaves me in the lurch." which evidently can happen. "Code name... I guess yeah. It was a goth coven name and when I ended up in this world for real I kept using it. Not really a crime fighter though I guess some stuff I do qualifies. Saved magic one time in Shadowpact. That was like mystic crime fighting and I didn't get much credit. I rolled with the Secret Six but we were more mercenary or vigilantes really. We foiled some bad guys though." another teenage shrug. "It is good to not use your real name, Silver Banshee's trick for instance.. if she knows your real name she can death gaze you. So code names or pseudonyms are good in magic."

At this point she opens the door and peers inside, the room revealed is a fairly normal looking room. It probably would fit in at any suburban home, though the decor is pretty goth. Posters. Decorations. A Skull and Antlers on a dresser. "Huh... it looks like my room at home. Nifty trick." and she looks slowly around now like she is trying to see the trick.

Shadowcat has posed:
"I think it stays with a setting until you want it to look like something else," Kitty says. She leans against the door jam as she checks out Black Alice's ideal room. "I know someone you'd probably get along with," she comments.

Kitty says, "So, Stephen can be kind of... stiff. But overall I think he's a pretty good guy so far. I've only been staying here for a month now. I work over at Stark Industries, and this is better than commuting into the city a lot. Though I'm in Gotham a lot too, seeing someone over there," she says. "But if you want to grab food some evening or just shoot the bull, whatever, and I'm about, feel free to stop by," Kitty says.

Black Alice has posed:
There is a swirl of magic and Black Alice is in a magicians outfit, Zachary Zatara's specifically and she flicks her arm and an honest to god magicians wand pops into her hand from the sleeve. "Part eht laever" and pauses a moment as nothing happens in the room she still hasn't stepped into.

A Moment later she is back to her usual self, no outfit other than her own.

"Legit." she looks over to Kitty. "I'd love to hear how you came about having a room in the Sanctum of the Sorcerer Supreme really and working for Stark. That has to be some sort of story." a smile, not all dour and mean comments like some goths. "But yeah I can see how the commute is easier from here than Gotham... also sure food sounds great."

She gestures down the hallway. "As for the Sorcerer Supreme, I imagine he is a bit stiff because he is charged with protecting the world from magical threats. Hard job. I wouldn't want it."

Shadowcat has posed:
"I wouldn't either," Kitty agrees at the mention of what Strange has to deal with. "Oh, probably not the most exciting story. I've got a degree in Computer Engineering and signed on with them. I was looking for a place in the city already. But I have a friend who used to be an Avenger. Lived here for awhile," Kitty says.

She glances at her room. "Was still her room, and empty, as Stephen put it when she brought me by. So I agreed to help out with his tomes in exchange for the place to stay. It's worked out really well, though I'm mostly here in the evenings on work nights," Kitty says.

Black Alice has posed:
There is a Mhmmm from Lori at the statement that Kitty has a friend who was an avenger and it is just her degree that got her hooked into all this. I mean she doesn't know that isn't true but it isn't the best excuse really. Still she doesn't press.

"I wasn't kidding about some books actually being pretty sentient and some magic wanting to be read... I just have this picture of a magical spell released into the internet going through my head now."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde and Black Alice are talking up near the top of the stairs. "Well, he's the one picking the tomes I help with, so hopefully he's taking that into account," Kitty says. "But if any of the pages start winking at me, I'll maybe double check with him," she says with a soft chuckle.

"Seriously though all this stuff," Kitty says, looking around the museum part, "Is about too much for me to wrap my mind around. I can't even imagine how he acquired the knowledge he has to do all of this."

Black Alice has posed:
"Yeah and really..." Lori will look around the museum portion and the various artifacts, not approaching any of them. "You really have no idea probably exactly how weird all of this can get. I should totally take you to get a drink at the Oblivion Bar sometime... there is a talking chimpanzee there that is really grumpy."

"As for how someone becomes Sorcerer Supreme.. not sure at all. I imagine he has spent a whole lot of time practicing and studying. Probably reading most of the books he has you scanning. I doubt he is as young as he looks." which well Strange has spent a lot of >time< doing this. Cheater.

Shadowcat has posed:
The brunette gets a thoughtful look. "Never considered how old he is. I suppose looks can be deceiving with someone like him," Kitty relents. She gives a soft chuckle at the mention of a talking chimpanzee. "That would be pretty interesting to see. And, just being around here can be interesting as well," Kitty says.

She consider starting in on how the way the place looked when she first arrived. But then it seems like Black Alice really could a bit of responsible mentoring, given what Kitty has learned of her power. And she doesn't know how Black Alice would take hearing about the blood stains.

"Well, overall it's been a good experience," Kitty says, going with a summary rather than getting specific. "I hope you find it that way as well. Just don't let his crankiness at times throw you," Kitty says with a warm chuckle.

Thor has posed:
    In the depths of the Sanctum Sanctorum there is assuredly little fanfare in the arrival of someone at the door. It is an arcane dwelling that does its best to protect its denizens from intrusions borne from the mundane world. It is a place that casually redirects attention, turning away wandering eyes and unwanted approaches. But then there are other visitors that special contingencies are likely in place.
    The first surprise might be that the sound from the knock on the door is actually heard. A sharp series of rapping knuckles upon the wooden facade beyond. The fact that the sound carries inside might give some hint as to the importance of whomever is on the other side of the door.
    But then for those magically savvy, they might sense the tension entering the mystical auras of the centers of power within that dwelling. How suddenly things are on edge and aware, as if a concentrated manifestation of arcane power had brought itself to the brownstone's attention. Which it has.
    Yet outside the Sanctu,, it's simply a tall blonde man in a hoodie and carrying an umbrella. Though the strapless eyepatch might seem a smidge out of place.

Black Alice has posed:
Honestly Alice gives the impression of someone probably not at all disturbed by blood stains or violence. Maybe it was the talk of Death Stares and demons earlier.

"Which is good.. I mean so far there aren't any traps. The room isn't designed to dump me into some sort of magical oubliette while he and the other Sorcerers decide what to do with me. Which is positive." she gives Kitty a thumbs up.

"Are you expecting company?" is directed at Kitty mirroring what Strange asked her earlier. "Maybe he did send out a fleet of owls with people who need to learn to master their magic." with that Alice is walking back downstairs towards the door.

Shadowcat has posed:
"I'm not, though a friend or two know of my room here," Kitty says, heading downstairs. "Though most know to call ahead and see if I'm actually here," she says. Kitty descends the steps, glancing back over her shoulder for signs of Wong. "Hmm. I think he was... well actually I don't know what he was doing. He had on armor and was carrying a... probably a magic thing. So I'm going to call that 'occupied' for lack of a better status for him," Kitty decides.

So she heads over to the door, opening it up and figuring it probably wouldn't open, or even let them hear the knock if it was something dangerous. She glances at the tall man in the hoody. "Oh, hello," Kitty offers. "How can we help you?" she asks for lack of a better way to greet someone who shows up at a magical sanctum.

Thor has posed:
    The hoodie is pushed back and the blond man with the one good blue eye looks at Kitty, then past her towards Alice, then back to Kitty. He leans forwards a little with one eyebrow quirking as if trying to make sure he has the right house, then he says with a rich and deep voice, "Good e'en. I seek the Sorcerer Supreme."
    It's a familiar voice for some who might follow the Avengers of course, and that profile is hard to mistake. But he /is/ wearing a sweatshirt and jeans, which is half a disguise right there. "Is this his..." A moment passes then he decides on, "Lair? Or have I troubled you on this stormy evening in error?"
    As he speaks he's closing his umbrella, lightly shaking it to the side and trying to clear the fabric of some of those rain droplets before drawing on its strap and looping it around to secure it with a faint click.

Black Alice has posed:
Black Alice crosses her arms and studies Thor from behind Kitty. Her eyes narrow a little bit as he asks his questions two, not three.

"Is that Thor?" okay yeah she follows the Avengers and just about every other group fairly closely. Not like stalkerly close but she doesn't live in a hole in the ground. "I mean.. if he didn't show up here and walk through the houses don't look at me spell.. and also wasn't asking if this was the Sorcerer Supreme's lair I would think maybe he was just a guy who looked like Thor.. but.. you know." vaguely gesturing.

"Also I am pretty sure it is a Sanctum not a lair. Villains have lairs." trust her, she knows.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde's eyebrows went up pretty quickly. Not only are the Avengers one of her favorite groups to read about, but she'd actively studied up on them before she began working with them. Not wanting to embarrass herself in front of them. "Oh my lord. You -are- Thor aren't you?" she asks in confirmation of what Black Alice said.

"Doctor Strange is... well I'm not sure if he's in or not, but he is quite possibly occupied for the moment," Kitty says, and then pausing and looking around as if giving the sorcerer time to prove her statement wrong. After nothing happens. "Ok, yep, seems occupied. It's hard to tell what is sudden leaving because of 'something' versus... that's just how he leaves sometimes," Kitty says.

And Thor is still standing there. "Oh, sorry, would you like to come in?" she asks, moving aside so he can enter. "This is Black Alice, a new student of Stephen's. I'm Kitty Pryde. A friend who is staying here. But, I know some of your team. Janet's a really good friend," she says. Kitty doesn't go into things that would reveal herself further in front of Black Alice. Though if Thor was thoroughly reading the Avengers reports, he might recognize the name as being Shadowcat of the X-men, as she just unmasked to the Avengers a month and a half ago.

Thor has posed:
    The Asgardian smiles pleasantly over Kitty's shoulder towards Alice, "Aye, I am Thor Odinson." He offers that casually too her, but then meets Kitty's gaze as the smile broadens a touch. Though her words spur him onwards to once again consider the rooms of the sanctum beyond them, his good eye lifting upwards to peruse the ceiling, then to the side to look upon the various displays of artifacts and artwork.
    A small 'hm' sound comes from him, "This does seem to be the place." But then she speaks to the master of the sanctum and he gives a nod.
    "Lady Alice, Lady Pryde." His smile warms, "A pleasure to make your acquaintance." He tilts his head to the side and seems to hear somthing distantly but then shakes his head. "Do you have any idea when he might return?" He steps in, passing that threshold and perhaps causing a small mystical fluctuation of power. He stays there just a step within, hands upon the umbrella. "I am loathe to intrude and will stay but shortly."

Black Alice has posed:
"Nailed it." about the whole identifying Thor, in his civilian disguise no less. She does step further out of the way though when Kitty invites the Asgardian inside. "Hopefully it isn't Loki." is all she mutters under her breath there.

"Lady Alice.. gods...literally. Black Alice works, it's a codename like Captain America or Ironman." a smile to the Lord of Thunder.

"As for the Sorcerer Supreme.. he sort of .. teleported out a bit ago. I mean like Kitty said he could be in some room in the Sanctum or another plane of existence. I could check but he might be cross about that."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty's nod at the mention of Strange having teleported out adds weight to the statement. "I would imagine he would have returned for you if he did not have something occupying him," Kitty offers. "He tends to like to meet people at the door I think."

Kitty glances out at rain clouds outside. "If you'd like to stay for a bit and see if he returns, I could grab something to drink if you like? Coffee or tea or... I don't think I have anything stronger," she says, looking thoughtfully towards where her room is. The sorcerers probably just whip up their own food so she doesn't bother checking their kitchen.

Thor has posed:
    "Curious you should speak of my brother," Thor says, though those last words drift off a bit near the end there. He simply gives a single nod and holds up the umbrella then slips it under one arm. "Never you mind, I shall seek him another time."
    The tall man rests a hand upon the ornate handle of the door and hesitates for a moment, as if half-expecting Dr. Strange to appear out of nowhere with one of his smart-alecky comments. So he holds position, waits a span of a few heartbeats, then lets a small sighs lip from him.
    "Bah." He then looks to Kitty, "If you would do me the kindness of passing along a message?" He looks between the two of them as if for agreement and should he see it from one or the other or both he'll add, "Please tell the good Doctor I would speak with him at his leisure. The matter is not time sensitive."
    That said he backs to the door. "But thank you for your offer."

Black Alice has posed:
"Honestly more in the abstract I don't want to deal with him sort of sense..." a shrug from Black Alice but at least she is being honest.

"I .. think we can do that." she looks to Kitty who has been living here longer. I mean she has no idea why they couldn't pass that message on from Thor to Dr. Strange right.

"Also this house is going to be a hoot."

Shadowcat has posed:
After watching Thor's pausing at the door and then asking for them to relay the message, Kitty nods to Thor and Black Alice. "Absolutely, will pass the message along," she tells Thor with a friendly smile. "Sorry that you missed him."

As the Asgardian moves towards the door, Kitty adds, "It was really nice meeting you, sir." Kitty wracks her brain for if there's a proper way to say goodbye to an Asgardian. Proper goodbyes in Japanese, Russian, and Shi'ar all run through her head, but none are likely any better than a simple English, "Safe travels to you," and a wave of her hand.

Kitty looks back over to Black Alice and says, "Yes. I think you sort of never know what's going to happen here. And it's hopefully mostly good."