7951/Tag. You're It.

Tag. You're It.
Date of Scene:	19 June 2019
Location:	Xaiver Student Garden
Synopsis:	Black Alice manages to chase down an artifact she lost to a demon without being smote by the X-Men who mostly seemed confused.
Cast of Characters:	Black Alice, Nightcrawler, Wolfsbane, Magik

---

Black Alice has posed:
Once upon a time there was a girl in a castle on a dark spire from which she could see the whole of the world and creation. Guarded by a terrible dragon under the command of a dark wizard. Only through combining the three parts of the ancient seal would a young hero be able to defeat the evil wizard and dragon to rescue the girl in the castle.

That is not This Story.

This Story takes place in three different places.

The park near the Sanctum of the Sorcerer Supreme where Lori took a borrowed sextant from the locked glass cases and a map of reality. The stupid sextant wasn't working right in the Sanctum due to the wards. Swear to god she had no idea a stupid demon would swipe it during a small battle that ripped up the poor park.

The second location was the realm of Limbo where the demon fled with it's prize, chased by Lori who at this point was hot on it's tail (literally throwing fireballs, hellfire not mystic flames) and causing one hell of a ripple because the magic feels a bit like Belasco's and Limbo sourced.

Finally though that wyld ride ends in the Garden of a mansion in upstate New York. Where the walls between Limbo and the Mortal plane are a bit weaker than usual.

The demon bursts forth first, a scampery little thing with a.. sextant clutched in it's claws and looking frantic. Bigger than a Bamph but a bit similar in appearance really, if yellows and red scales weren't present.

Nightcrawler has posed:
    Kurt is in the carrots, humming to himself as he picks, washes with one of the houses, and proceeds to crunch. He is looking very pleased with himself as he goes along, not bothering to bring things in, just having chow right where he is, periodically throwing one to one of the Bamfs as they pop in, giving him big eyes.

Wolfsbane has posed:
Wolfsbane is up to other business in the gardens, though she's keeping Kurt in view. She did a little weeding the other day when Rachel was out here, but there's always something to keep up around this place, whether it's in the gardens themselves or somewhere else on the property.

Truth be told, she's probably giving the Bamfs a wide berth as well. So far, they haven't bothered her or tried to make her life any more troubling.

For now, she's just smelling a few of the summer flowers, some in bloom, some yet to come. An interruption comes when an actual demon of some kind appears seemingly from nowhere. Spinning in the direction of the sudden awareness she has of it, she calls out, "Kurt..problem!"

Magik has posed:
Even when not directly in Limbo there was some aspect of it that was tied to Illyana. A thread of essence that it had infused inside her soul making her ever aware of the hum of power she had at her disposal if she only chose to reach out for it, to come back to it, to give in to it. It was a constant battle not to always give in to that temptation, but she had made Limbo her own. Fought for it, won it, claimed it as her own. She would not let it be in charge of her.

When the familiar feel of Belasco sounds through that chord tying her to Limbo she snaps out of her current task of catching up on Gilmore Girls and relaxing. That was not just his power, but a portal from Limbo opened that the Queen had not approved.

A slash of light rips the air in the garden as a furious Illyana steps through weilding her Soulsword in hand. The passage of coming one place to another sets her long blonde hair fluttering around her as she moves purposefully forward, sword slicing a line in the ground in front of her, to declare, "You will STOP, demon!"

Black Alice has posed:
The small(ish) Demon skids to a stop when Rahne declares there is a problem! Its eyes get comically wide and it hisssssses and then starts to scamper carrying the large sextant as fast as its small legs will carry it, right through the greenbeans!

It skids to another stop though when Illyana appears with the SoulSword in hand and declares that the small demon, scamperer class, petty thieves and villains, really personifications of greed the little bastards.

And yet.

It profers up the Sextant to Illyana as it throws itself on the ground prostrate and placating, no more hissing.

Which is right about when there is another rip in reality and Black Alice, aka Lori, steps through.

Goth is the word for this girl, though a whole lot of pentacles, and right now her eyes have a tinge of hellfire and her right hand is wreathed in it.

Which all flickers out in a heartbeat of crossing through the portal "OH COME ON!" shouts the girl and there is a jerk of magic and she goes from Gothy Satantic to Gothy Magician... her clothes just .. changed.

She points at the small demon .. oh look holding still that is convenient. "!em ot tnatxes eht nruteR" and the small metal magical artifact jerks free of the demons claws and sails into Lori's outstretched hand.

Nightcrawler has posed:
    Rahne calls out, Illy moves in, and now there are little demon things, and goths. BAMF! Kurt disappears for a moment, appearing again with an identical BAMF! and cloud of smoke. Leaping from the smoke with twin cutlass style sabers in hand - still dressed in a button down and khakis, half crouched and holding the weapons in a mid-guard and high offensive posture.
    He sees the item in the goth girls hands, brows raising and the Bamfs around him, holding wrenches, a slinky, a plush horse, and half a sub-sandwhich at combat ready,
    "Gott in Himmel!" is delcared, looking between the unfamiliar figures, tail lashing and fanged teeth bared. "What is going on here!" eyeing the demon with a distinct hatred.

Wolfsbane has posed:
For her part, the commotion has Wolfsbane at an immediate loss for how to react. Eyes go larger when Illyana turns up to confront the demon, which probably isn't all that surprising, but when someone /else/ shows up dressed in a whole lot of black and looking like she's got an attitude to go with it, not to mention speaking in a way she can't figure out yet, she crosses herself quickly before growling.

"Who are ye an' whit's this all about?" she demands to know, sinking into a partial crouch, at the ready to attack or evade if attacked first. Those features betray a hint of something that goes beyond her appearance, which is already visibly different than normal.

Magik has posed:
If there were any uncertainty about the origin of this demon, the second it goes down in front of Illyana, she knows. She merely stands there staring at the sextant offered up to her in obvious tribute with eyebrows raising. Then the goth girl follows using magic she was unfamiliar with to tear the item away. There's a flash of anger, hatred, posessiveness in Illyana's eyes. That was rightfully HERS as offered to her by one of her own...

No. Illyana's eyes shut to inhale a slow deep breath. That posessiveness and greed for power was not her. It was unnecessary.

"It's one of mine," she explains to Kurt and Wolfsbane even as she keeps the point of her sword aimed down toward it. She *could* just kill it. "Though I don't have the slightest idea what it was intending to do by stealing that thing... Or who this other girl is."

Black Alice has posed:
Well shoot. More demons.

I mean really with Kurt and his crew of Bamphs.. is that a stuffed horse and slinky... and Rahne and the big sword lady.

"Look. I am not here to kick all of your asses. I'm really not. I just needed to get the Sextant of the Cosmos thing back from that little asshole."

Which is funny coming from a young woman in what looks for all the world like a formal Magicians outfit, tophat, suit, though somehow gothier. It's an odd look.

"I have no idea why you had your demon steal this thing from me, but my boss is going to be very pissed if I don't bring it home and he is painfully anal about these things."

In her head she is running through the roladex of what to do if this goes south. Maybe Etrigan. Swamp Thing. Hm.

Still Dr. Strange should be proud she hasn't started anything but jumping off half cocked yet. She even resorted to parlay.

Illyana would see a very stoic ArcanaSphynx behind Lori there observing silently and with such judgement. Observing Lori that is. Also Ilyanna is the only one who can see it.

Nightcrawler has posed:
    Kurt just stands there, looking somewhat confused, head tilting to one side as he listens, for now. Demons! Ha! Interdimensional beings and half-being, thank you.
    "Vas is das, the outfits that you magicians wear? And why is everything ancient technology turned into magic?" shaking his head, "What's next - The Sundial Eternal? The Horse-Plow of the Ancients? It's a dizzying asthetic at best." still watching the demon, not liking it in the slightest.
    

Wolfsbane has posed:
The interplay between Illyana and the demon leaves Wolfsbane frowning openly, but she bristles as the intruder speaks up. "Ye could try. This is our home ye're barging in on, so mind yuir manners an' yuir place," she warns, and yes, the bristling of fur is visible. Yes, she's being protective and territorial.

Still, she's not quite up on how the woman, or girl, or whatever she is based on her age, did the trick from leatherclad goth to magician goth, but it has her actually more focused on Black Alice than the demon itself. "Before anyone here does something we'll all regret, whit's going on? Illyana, how did it get away from Limbo? Can they even do tha' on their own?" She's advanced closer now, still guarded.

Magik has posed:
"There are ways. My portals aren't my mutant gift. Being able to *control* them is. They are from Limbo, and reside there as well." Or perhaps her ability simply mimiced the portals that were already there through familiarity... She'd never thought much of it. "Though they are forbidden to do so. This one must have sought to seek favor from me and increase his station by bringing me a powerful gift." There's a glare cast at the demon which doesn't falter. The sword edges downward, until with a note of disgust she flicks the sword up and away to instead rest the blade over her shoulder. "Begone."

Beneath the demon a portal opens sending it back to it's plane of origin. Only then does she fully look over at Black Alice with a stern frown of her own. "I didn't send it to steal anything. Apparently I've been gone from my kingdom too long. Who is your master, that he's set you here with a guardian, girl?"

Black Alice has posed:
Lori's clothing fades and shifts, the tophat lost along with the suit. Leaving a very gothy girl in a mesh and black leather top and black miniskirt.

She doesn't seem to really register the change in reality around her.

"Uh what." then she looks over her shoulder and lets out the most exasperated sigh and looks back to Ilyanna. "I said boss not Master. I would take his ass on if he started actually calling himself my master or anything." sassy.

"My name is Black Alice and I'm Doctor Strange's student. He is like the Sorcerer Supreme, Protector of this plane of existence. Lots of other pomp and circumstance on his business cards I am sure. Also this little peeping Tom isn't his.. they are spying on everyone with magic."

Of course Rahne and Kurt can't see that.

The young woman keeps a firm grip on the Sextant. "The walls between here and Limbo are pretty thin... did I catch that right.. your like .. Limbo's ruler?" she looks at Rahne and Kurt and all the little Bamphs. "Are these your guards or something.. royalty-ly?"

Nightcrawler has posed:
    "I am familiar with Doctor Strange, ja..." the clothing shift causes Kurt to blink, look at Alice, then at Wolfsbane, and then back to the magical girl. Resting the blunt edges of his blades on his shoulders, looking to the Bamfs.
    "They're just the Bamfs, they exist in the dimension I can travel through... I'm not royalty, but many have said I'm as handsome as a fuzzy blue prince." tipping a cocky wink.

Wolfsbane has posed:
"I've heard o' him," is all the wolfen mutant says for the moment, squinting as Black Alice's attire once again changes. Is she even aware of...? No, Wolfsbane's not going to bring it up for now. "Who's spying on us?" she questions, whether it's connected to only magic-users or not.

Illyana's explanation doesn't do a whole lot to reassure her when it comes to what's going on, and she rubs the back of her neck briefly. "Whit is tha' even for?" comes another query, a gesture made toward the object now in Alice's hands. "I'm naebody's guard."

Magik has posed:
Illyana Rasputin tips her head to her friends with eyebrows raised up only to look highly amused at the suggestion by Alice. She looks back toward the girl with a solemn, serious nod. "I know of the Sorcerer Supreme. I am Illyana Rasputin, Sorceress Queen of Limbo. But, no these are not guards of mine, they're my friends. This is my home... My real home. Likely the barrier is thinner here due to my presence and frequent passage." Something she adds to the list of 'fixes' she needs to make around the school soon.

"The sextant allows an individual to navigate and traverse multiple planes. It is not something you would wish to do blindly." A pause, and she adds, "And I suppose you wouldn't be able to see the other... Nevermind. It seems it's been a misunderstanding as to what brought us together tonight. The demon was not working on my bidding."

Black Alice has posed:
I mean Lori is still wary, she also keeps that tight grip on the Sextant.

"Uh.. right. What she said. You would want to have knowledge or a map... a map that I left back in the park... guhd damnit all..."

"Right.. so Ilyanna Rapsutin... that name is known to me and yes asking if you ruled Limbo was a bit of a test to see what you would say." maybe.

"Sorry for barging into your home... it is .. very nice.. manoresque even... not like our place which is really one of those bigger on the inside than the outside deals... it is nice I think to meet you and your friends." she squints at Kurt and the bamphs and then Rahne "Are they from Limbo too?" I mean really fair mistake or assumption. But she asks it as a question.

Magik has posed:
Illyana Rasputin draws a deep breath which she lets out in a single puff as her smile turns almost amused. "Go home, Alice. You've fallen down the rabbit hole, yes?" Without having to be the stern Queen of Limbo her Russian accent slips back in easily and she shakes her head. "We're all from Earth. Well, except those little Bamfs," she gestures toward Kurt's side with a shrug.

Wolfsbane has posed:
Whatever is going on here, it can't be comforting that portals to and from Limbo can simply open up without Illyana even being responsible for them, and Wolfsbane bites her bottom lip as that thought is brought to the front of her mind. "Tha' sounds like a problem, Illyana," she states in no uncertain terms.

Whatever the purpose of the sextant is, it's beyond her scope of understanding. She wouldn't be able to use it. However, eyes roll at some of the questions from Black Alice. "Do I look like I'd be from a place like Limbo?" she remarks, hands at her hips. Don't ask the same question, Kurt. Just don't. "But, a' th' least, we have tae ask ye tae be verra careful about whit ye've seen here. Most people dinna know about where we live, an' with some o' whit's oot there noo, ye understand th' sort o' trouble ye could bring us by being reckless wi' talking about us tae others."

Nightcrawler has posed:
At the drawled Blasphemy, Kurt frowns at Alice, "Language" it's definately not a request either. "They are from the Brimstone Dimension, Miss. I have connection there." BAMF! He disappears into a cloud of smoke, the echo of the sound behind Alice as he reappears, while the Bamfs remain in place watching.
    "Ja. Mein Dame." said in a non-threatening tone. "Silence is needed, for the safety of others."

Black Alice has posed:
"And like clockwork mild threats and ... I live in a magic house in New York and you know my boss.. I won't be up and telling anyone about your country manor house and cute little garden demons... I don't even know where on earth I am and let me tell you the accents... I could be anywhere in the western hemisphere I think at this point." she shakes her head.

"Okay.. well nice meeting you all... I'll be headed out now... as the nice Demon Queen asks lets see..." she reaches out with her free hand and then her clothing changes again. Still kind of gothy but definitely wizard robes, purple, highlights of gold, symbols arcane. Still a spikey haircut and piercings.

Felix Faust's powers to be precise.

Which now that Ilyanna has a closer look at what Lori is doing it becomes clear she just yanked someone elses, and not a weak magical users, powers away from them and bent them to her own purpose without breaking a sweat. That is breaking many laws of magic.

She twists her right hand in an arcane gesture the air burning in front of her as a sigil appears and with a collapse of space she is gone.

Back to try to find that damn map in the park in New York... with cops already combing over the damage.

Dangit.

Nightcrawler has posed:
    Frowning, "No threat from me Mein Dame..." Kurt frowns a little and looks to the others when Alice suddenly disappears, brows knitting together, looking to Illy and then Rahne. "Magic..." looking to the sky and then at the ground. "Illy, I assume we're going to be safe now, with that thing and her gone?" taking a long breath and then looking to ms. Rasputin.

Wolfsbane has posed:
Wolfsbane is left to stand there looking a little dumbfounded, but it seems safe enough that Alice doesn't even appear to know where she is in her prior pursuit of the demon thief. "..she sure does have a lot o' different outfits," is all she says for the time being, a frown stuck in place. No, she's not especially happy about this encounter. Not happy with any of it.

"If anyone needs me, I'll be doon by th' lake for a little while," she adds, turning to stride out of the garden. "See ye later, both o' ye." Chances are she needs time and space to think about what she's just witnessed, and sticking around isn't going to help with that.

Magik has posed:
Illyana Rasputin gives a little grunt of acknowledgement to Kurt's question though she gazes where the girl had gone a long lingering moment. "Yes, it's gone with her too." Whatever 'it' was that she had seen hovering over and watching the girl so intently. For just a moment she turns to glance over her own shoulder suspiciously. Thankfully there's no reason for it. Lifting her hand she dispells her sword from existance with a sigh. "I was just on season two of Gilmore Girls too," she complains with a sigh. "But I will instead return to Limbo to see to it that there are no other unexpected interruptions. I apologize for your evenings being disturbed."

Nightcrawler has posed:
Kurt Wagner smirks at Illyana's comment and when Wolfsbane starts to go he makes sure to be on her way out. "Call if you need me, Rahne, ok?" tail moving to pat her on the back as he leans to try and give the wolfen a peck on the cheek.
    The Bamfs, watching, erupt in a chorus of 'awwwwws', several lifting up a placard in each hand. Judge's scores? 9.5, 9.4, 9.6, 8.9" the other Bamfs boo the obvious French Judge and begin beating Mr. 8.9 with the plush horse and the sub sandwhich.