xp_logs | Ororo and Amanti | Thursday afternoon

The headmistress is honored with a visit by Marius' mother, and even manages to get a few words in edgewise.

"Hmm, so you are indeed rather younger than one would expect. I see that regardless of the changes in his physiology my son's very particular astuteness in some matters remains unchanged. If I may inquire, is the colour natural, or simply a product of being daily subjected to your students?"

Ororo glanced up at the unfamiliar voice, vaguely wondering if there had been a beginning to the conversation that she had somehow participated in but missed absorbing. "As far as I know it is completely natural," she replied easily enough to the handsome-looking woman standing before her desk. Ororo stood as well and offered her a hand, her expression curious. "I am sorry, I do not think we have met."

"Oh, how careless of me. I am rather ahead of myself." One olive-skinned hand extended to the headmistress, palm-down. "Amanti Laverne. And one supposes you to be Ororo Munroe, who I've been told has had ample dealings with my son the idiot."

"One would be correct," Ororo replied, barely surpressing the laugh that came at the oh-so kind moniker Marius' mother had bestowed upon him. "I had heard you were here, Mrs. Laverne, but I am sorry we did not get a chance to meet earlier. I am sure Marius is thrilled to see you." The pause in the middle of the sentence was minute, but there nonetheless.

"Ms., if you please. That would be the most accurate approximation of my relationship to Cartier. In an ommission that I can only refer to as obscene, I have found society lacks an economical term of address for 'mistress of seventeen years'." The other woman slid into one of the more comfortable chairs that graced the front of Ororo's desk and crossed her legs beneath her tailored skirt, hands resting lightly on the arms. "As for Sami, well . . . if we had continued to respect his wishes in this matter I would even now be enjoying the considerably warmer climes of the southern hemisphere. Unhappily for my seasonal preference, it has become increasingly apparent that those wishes are idiotic."

Amanti cocked her head, brown eyes fixed on Ororo's. "Tell me, Ms. Munroe. How, in your experience as headmistress, does one begin to address such situations? Or is my son so deeply exceptional that his transgressions have gone far beyond the pale even in an institution such as this? My question is purely one of curiousity. Rest assured I have already made my opinion of my son's actions known to both Sami and his father. To their regret."

I like her, was Ororo's thought as she sat once again, the paperwork on her desk long forgotten. "We have had... many exceptional students," she began, lips pursed. "In an establishment such as this one, you are bound to find young people whose acheivements rise far beyond the norm. Of course, this also means that their lapses can occasionally be of equally momentous magnitude... but that does not mean they are beyond hope. Despite what Marius has been through, it does not condemn him to be written off by anyone here at the school."

The headmistress folded her hands on her desk, her gaze steady as she looked back at Amanti. "There is always a chance to redeem oneself. The difficulty lies in finding it, and moreso, doing what must be done to accomplish it. I cannot promise that things will be completely easy for Marius, but I can assure you I believe this is the best place for him to find that chance and make the most of it."

"So, a diplomatic way of saying 'why yes, such transgressions are indeed not unknown,'" Amanti said with a small smile. "How very reassuring. I have tried to find it within myself to muster appropriate shock, but to be frank such an astonishing lack of good judgement is so utterly my son. To think, the debatable abduction of a classmate was the least heinous offense. One shudders to consider the depths to which he might have plunged had it not been for the obviously stabilizing influence of the Stavros girl, and had that been the case I would have had to inflict upon him considerably more than my scathing criticism."

Amanti paused for a moment, eyes still on Ororo's. "I confess, there are moments I look at him and cannot help but wonder what became of my son. And for reasons other than those he seemed to believe would matter to us more than, say, trafficking in human slavery. Cartier ponders removing him from the school, for his own good. That it cannot fit his needs, regardless of good intentions. I, happily, am blessed with a clarity unsullied by such curious ambivalence. My son was lost. I cannot fathom what Cartier feels can be gained by separating him from those who have found him, twice."

Again the woman paused to cock her head at Ororo, quick and sharp, like a bird. "Assuming this is an acceptable arrangement, of course, which I supposed from your words. Comprehension of nuance does not number among my many virtues. Normally I simply progress directly to financial pressure. Regrettably in this instance I find my son's talent to dismay has far outstripped the speed with which I can cultivate connections necessary to compensate."

"Marius is welcome here as long as he wishes to stay," Ororo replied, inclining her head. "I am glad that you still feel that Xavier's is where he belongs, and I assure you we will do everything in our power to make sure that your son's experiences from here on are positive and beneficial to all involved." No compensation is necessary... just please do not go spreading the news of our grevious mistakes.

"Let us pray the lesson penetrates," Amanti replied cooly, "as with this regrettable summer it seems that of Cartier's five squamous progeny only the twins hold any hope of reaching adulthood unafflicted by some dire flaw of character. His daughter demonstrated a certain imperviousness to the school's valiant efforts, and he is already quite bereft of legitimate male offspring. It would be nothing short of tragic if he were forced to disown yet another son."

Marius' mother rose smoothly to her feet and flicked her head, sending dark hair falling behind her in a curly wave. "Well then. Come to Cartier, perhaps I should inform him of our conclusion. In my boundless generousity I allow him some small illusion of influence over the boy's life. He does cherish it so. Sami as well. I'm sure he will be ecstatic, although of course his say in the matter is even less."

"They are fortunate to have such an equitable and benevolent person on which to rely," Ororo said, pushing back her chair to stand once more. Her smile was genuine as she regarded Amanti, though inwardly she couldn't wait to tell Scott about her encounter with the multiloquent woman.

"And as always, if you have any concerns or questions, feel free to approach me with them. I am glad to do all I can to keep you informed, so that you can continue to help Marius make the right choices." Not as if it seems there is any choice at all remaining to him. "We here at the school would like to see him succeed as much as you would."

"Yes. Which is still, to my shock, a great deal. Somehow." Amanti smiled brightly at the younger woman. "It was a pleasure, Ms. Munroe. I am sufficiently satisfied with your competence. Indeed, I even feel a slight pang that you and this institution shall now be inflicted once more with my son. Perhaps I can offer some small condolence that should the need arise to punish him again, I give whatever you deem fitting my unequivocal blessing. Feel free to do so. Often."