Owner	Pose
Firestar	While Angelica usually draws a few looks when she enters places, right now her general presence tells most would be suitors to take a walk. It isn't so much that she is in a bad mood as much as she is in a don't have time for your attention mood. She makes her way to the back corner booth and settles in to wait for Betsy to arrive. She orders an iced tea and studies the menu, telling the waitress she isn't sure if she is eating or not.
Psylocke	The roar of a high performance vehicle is audible as it approaches the diner. The purple-colored Lamborghini Aventador is very unique -- not just for the high price of the vehicle, but the fact that on top of it the color is custom and an unusual choice. Strangely, though, not a single person in the diner seems to notice. Betsy Braddock steps out of the vehicle. She's wearing a long maxi dress in tan and green, purple sunglasses and tan two inch heels. There's an effortless sway of her hips as she strides towards the diner, like it was a runway in Milan rather than a generic roadside diner. One or two people glance up as she steps through the door, but they look away soon after. Propping her sunglasses onto the top of her head, Betsy's violet eyes sweep the diner and settle on Angelica with a warm smile as she walks towards the woman. "Hello, Angelica. How is the coffee here? Decent? Or will I regret my life choices?" It's clear she's never been in this diner before. Maybe not been in a diner ever.
Firestar	Settling some, Angelica watches people around her. She doesn't really seem too interested in things other than assessing the surroundings. The coffee arrives and she thanks the waitress. She notices the arrival of Betsy and the lack of attention. She makes a face as some people have all the cool powers. She takes a drink of the tea that arrives and immediately reaches for sugar...a lot of sugar. Glancing up to Betsy she indicates the seat across from her and replies,"Thank you for meeting me. If the coffee is anything like the tea, I'd suggest it will probably lead to regret. It might even grow hair on your tongue I don't know. I am new to this neighborhood so I am still feeling places out."
Psylocke	Betsy makes a humming sound, though her mouth curves upwards with amusement at the honest answer on the coffee. "I think I'll pass then." The waitress starts to walk towards their table, but then at a glance from Betsy is seemingly distracted and walks back to the counter without completing the gesture. Setting her purse and sunglasses down on the table, Betsy turns her attention to Angelica with an easy smile. "Any time. You can speak freely here, Angelica. None will hear our conversation, or even remember we were here." She somehow looks utterly at ease on the vinyl seat.
Firestar	"Probably a good idea." she replies and stirs more sugar into the tea. Another taste and she sighs, pushing it aside. Lesson learned. She rests her arms on the table and settles into things. A nod at the mention of free speaking and she replies,"All right then. To the point. Last night Jean and I had a pretty good arguement over the fact I received this." She lifrs a metallic looking card with the Justice League logo, her name, and the phrase Probationary Member,"She wasn't overly happy that I was willing to go to them. Things got tense." she explains to start.
Psylocke	There's a lift of brows as Betsy sights the card, displaying her surprise. "Jean was upset that a mutant was invited to the Justice League?" A beat, as her gaze flickers over the card, and she smiles warmly. "I think it's great. The more we are recognized, the wider we're known -- the more beneficial for all of us. Congratulations, Angelica." "I hope you are ready to be... seen. It is different, being in the public eye. It takes some getting used to." Betsy speaks with the voice of experience. While she's not as recognized in this body, in her past one as a model being famous was one of the reasons she developed that almost instinctive ability to conceal her presence from the minds of others around her.
Firestar	"We were back and forth a little. She was upset I accepted though I haven't been offered a place in the X-Men." she explains,"I was willing to teach and stay out of the light as it were, but I see this as a chance to get positive attention for mutants and it is an opportunity to stand next to some of the most incredible heroes in the world." She shrugs and admits,"Maybe I was a little too fangirl getting a chance to meet Diana and then Superman and Batman. It was unreal and when they offered me the card I couldn't say no." She places the card back where it came from. "That said, being part of X-Force might be something I should not do. Being in the lime light. Couple that with the fact that before we had our disagreement Jean told me Sinister and literally Lucifer are involved with the team. I don't have that good of a moral compass and I was never overly comfortable being on a potential wetworks team, but after finding that out...I'm sorry. I can't be true north against the devil or the son of the devil, whatever the case."
Psylocke	"I wasn't aware you were wanting to be part of the X-Men," Betsy says. "I know Scott has been busy. But he spends almost all his free time, as it were, in the base anyway... working." What she thinks about that isn't visible on her face; instead, she's busy studying Angelica's as she admits to fangirling over the most famous of the Justice League's heroes. What follows might not be that much of a surprise to the telepath, given what's come before. "Angelica," she pauses, clearly picking her words carefully. "You said to me with clear certainty you could take the role of a moral compass. Now you say you wouldn't be good at that, and you weren't comfortable at all. So were you lying to yourself then, or are you lying to me, now?" Betsy, in truth, doesn't look upset. She's a keen study of the human condition even apart from being able to read the minds of those around her. Her hand lifts. "I accept your resignation. But I'd like to tell you a story, if I might."
Firestar	"I was at first." she admits,"It seemed to be back burnered enough times that I more or less started losing interest. I gave up a while back. Jimmy and I went up to Canada to find one of my dearest friends when she was in trouble and I remembered what it was like having Alpha Flight with me while we were there. They weren't there, but I remembered." She nods and tells her,"When we started this idea I was sure I could. The spat I had with her pointed out I have a lot on my plate. Additionally, finding out Sinister was in a relationship with Lucifer and that they were associated with the team, even if loosely changes things. I can handle an angry mutant, even Logan or you for that matter. Dealing with what amounts to a pair of demons...I am admitting now that I am out of my depth. I might not be a church mouse, but I understand the name and his position in existence." She nods to the other woman and replies,"So I was sure I could then. Now, beinging placed into something so in the public eye and learning that X-Force is legit in contact with the great tempter...I am acknowledging I am out of my depth." Another nod and she adds,"By all means, tell me the story."
Psylocke	"It is good to understand one's weaknesses. It makes you stronger." Betsy says. "Some years ago, I had cause to fall into the hands of the... Hand. You may have heard of them, you may not have. They are a group of deadly ninja assassins." Betsy doesn't bother to go into the depths of the Hand's intentions; it's irrelevant to the story. "This is not my original body." She gestures down at her appearance, her Japanese form sometimes at odds with her deliberate British intonations. "My consciousness was placed into this body, the body of the lover of the leader of the Hand, and I was brainwashed to believe I was his, that I was the Hand's assassin." "Under their aegis, I killed. I took innocent lives. Any X-Man, facing me, would be well forgiven for believing me an enemy, for ending my life. Some wanted to." Betsy smiles, and the smile is warm, and aware. "Logan did not. He put himself in danger. He allowed me to hurt him. And when I stabbed him with my psychic knife," her expression is complicated, a mix of emotions too swift to decipher clearly. "-I saw myself through his memories, and I remembered. With his help, I was able to break free of the brainwashing." "I have been in Nathaniel Essex's head. He has been truthful to me. He himself has admitted that I should not trust him. And yet he has saved people, saved children, saved lives. Those who were wronged by him the most -- Scott, and Warren -- have conceded the necessity to work with him. It wasn't a choice taken lightly. But I need the help of people like him. Like Lucifer. Because the world /will/ die, Angelica. All of us, in despair and destruction. And I mean to stop it." There is a passion in her voice. A certainty. Maybe the edge of an obsession; though Angelica doesn't know Betsy well enough to discern it for sure. "I want you to understand my reasoning, even if you don't agree." A beat. "And I want you to understand, because if I -- we all fail -- perhaps you or others will take up the cause."
Firestar	Angelica is quiet, listening to Betsy. She comments here and there, short answers,"Spidey told me about the Hand. I don't know much." she admits,"Being Spidey he snarked about meeting the hand instead of the Foot, but he's complicated." she admits. There is a nod as she considers Betsy's story. She winces when Betsy talks about mind swapping and brain washing. She shakes her head and admits,"I had wondered about the accent and your appearance, but I never got around to asking." Her eyes look pained at the mention of Logan and his involvement,"That sounds about right." she comments softly,"He puts himself in the way for the worst things to protect those he cares for. I never asked why his costume is yellow, but I suspect it is to draw attention in a big battle." She is quiet for a long time, really struggling with this situation. That Betsy, Scott, and Warren are all willing to concede makes her pause. She considers and asks Betsy directly,"Given his legend, one would think a world on fire would be ideal for Lucifer. I am all for stopping the world burning, I just have trouble especially with him." Thoughtful again, Angelica rests her chin in the heel of her right hand, fingers strumming on her cheekbone,"I understand where you are coming from. I understand being willing to do whatever is needed to see your mission through." she admits. She is definately divided. She wants to help, but that card rests in her pocket really heavy now,"Let me talk with Diana. I can't give up the idea of being with the League. She and I have a good rapport. I want to prevent the world burning too. I mean I might be all about fire, but I have to breathe and eat."
Psylocke	"No one person, or being, is all one thing. We grow up thinking evil will be obvious to us, in the same way good is. But it is never, ever that simple. A good person can do evil," Betsy gestures to herself. "Whether intentionally or against their will. And the same can be true of a so-called evil person." A pause. "Some time back, as I understand the story, Nathaniel Essex sought out the X-Men. And they -- Jean -- removed a part of him that contained his Hatred. It has changed who he was. I know the stories, from before. I sought them all after I met the man, seeking the truth. But the truth is, as always, far more complicated than we want." Betsy smiles, in understanding. "You shouldn't trust him. He says it himself. As for Mr Morningstar..." she hesitates. "I was present when Lucifer was tempted by... a thing greater than anything that lives on this earth. He resisted. These people are complicated, as are we all." The telepath reaches out as if to touch Angelica's hand, to seek to give it a comforting squeeze. "Your path is clear, now. You belong with the Justice League. There are many ways and many paths to fight what's coming. Making the world less distrustful of mutants is a powerful tool indeed, that may help us. Don't give up on that dream, Angelica."
Firestar	"When I was first brought into this life, it was with the Hellfire Club. I didn't know what that meant. My dad thought it was a good school and the problematic mutant daughter would be out of the way for a while." she admits,"I realized what Emma was up to, she just wanted me to take out Selene. I was just a weapon. Ignorant of her intentions, I burned down her school when I found out. I threatened to take her too. Eventually, we buried the proverbial hatchet as it were." She listens to the story about Essex and nods, still unsure yet willing to take Betsy's word for it. A nod finally and she tells her,"All right. I will do my best to accept that he is on the level." she tells her. The story about Lucifer is a little harder to get her head around. She listens and raises a brow hearing him resist great temptation,"That must have been a sight to see. The great celestial prosecutor tempted by something." Maybe she knows a little more about religion stuff than she lets on. When Betsy touches her hand, Angelica looks down at it a second and then back to her. She smiles and nods,"Then I will blaze the best trail I can and work as hard as possile to get mutants more trustworthy. Hank McCoy has done a lot in the past. I will do my best. If I can furthur Xavier's dream despite never standing at his side I will." Lastly she hands Betsy a piece of paper,"My number and new address. If you need to go to ground reach out. It's an apartment complex, but sometimes we can hide in plain sight."
Psylocke	"People grow and change. Sometimes they become worse versions of themselves... and some better ones, for what they have been through," it's clear from Betsy's emphasis she infers the latter, for Angelica's story of how she came to be in this life. The smile Betsy gives Angelica is both warm, supportive, and more than that: proud. "Keep the Dream alive." The way she says it has meaning. Some people just echo the words: she /believes/ in it. With a last squeeze of Angelica's hands, she takes and folds the paper. "Thank you." She levels her gaze back on her fellow mutant. "I know we don't know each other that well, but if you ever need an ear to bend, you have my number." She gives a quiet laugh. "And if you need a good press agent -- I highly recommend you get one -- I can make a few recommendations."
Firestar	"Yeah." she mutters softly at the growth and change,"Alpha Flight came along at just the right time before I went off the deep end. Canada is a beautiful place full of its own dangers, but it's nice to go back once in a while and good to be home." The smile is returned and she nods a little,"I will give it all I have. This dream has to live if we are going to have another generation." Those words sting her, eyes betraying something. Her smile fades a little, but not a lot. Hearing the tone in those words helps Angelica's smile warm back again. The mention of calling any time gets a nod and she admits,"I will keep that in mind. I don't know that I burned bridges necessarily, but I might have caused some structure damage back there. Friends like might be a little shorter for a while." She hmms thoughtfully and pauses,"I never thought of needing a press agent, but that makes sense. Once I am in the spot light I will need all the help I can get. I would appreciate all the help I can get in that respect. Thank you."
Psylocke	"I will look through my rolodex and text you some names," Betsy assures, with ease. For her, this is just another day, not some life-altering change. "Pick someone you think you can work with. You'll probably grow to dislike them, but they are invaluable, believe me." The violet-haired telepath's gaze seems to soften. "I think they'll understand. Xavier's is a place you start at, but not always the place everyone ends at. It can be hard for people like Jean to watch others grow, and depart. She cares a little /too/ much. Which is not a criticism -- it makes her perfect for the role she's in. Don't, for a moment, feel any guilt for leaving. You will be where you are needed." The paper is tucked away into her purse as Betsy smiles. "You're welcome. I look forward to seeing you on the news, Angelica."
Firestar	The two women have a little light conversation after, nothing too deep. Angelica tells her the invite to come and visit doesn't have to be a dire situation, Betsy is welcome to come by for coffee and a talk, assuring her that coffee is one of the few things Angelica is adept at. Her phone buzzes after a time and she glances at it. A frown and she huhs softly. She sends back a message and apologizes as she is needed elsewhere. She winks at Betsy and offers,"I don't think we ever know what a day off is. Thank you for meeting with me. Sorry to break and run." She covers her tab and starts for the exit. In a few seconds Firestar is flying out into the sky from an alleyway.