Lil and Scott have a talk.

[x-diamondlil.livejournal.com]

Scott and Lil have a conversation in the garage on Thursday afternoon about her training.


Yes, that was a very, very tall blonde walking into the garage.
Scott smiled to himself, then waved a hand so that Lil would see him,
half-hidden as he was by his bike. "Sorry for not meeting you in the
office," he said easily as she came over, "but I thought we could
forgo the pseudo teacher-student dynamic." He gave her a crooked grin.
"Not that you're not here to learn, but you know what I mean."

More than a little amused, Lil tossed the long blonde ponytail she'd
taken to sporting over her shoulder and flashed him a comfortable
smile as she stuff her hands into the pockets of her jeans. "Yeah, I
got it. I'm just anxious to get started so I would have met you
anywhere you wanted to be honest. Nice bike," the Amazon complimented,
looking over the machine he was working on with envy. "I always wanted
a motorcycle."

"I've had this one for a while," Scott said. "Don't get to ride it as
often as I'd like, even now." He laughed softly. "I've gone a whole
six months without having to talk my way out of a speeding ticket.
Seems strange. So," he said, reaching for a rag to wipe his hands,
"why are you here, Lil?" He knew the official why; he wanted to see
what she'd say when asked directly.

She nodded her appreciation and took another long look at the bike
before turning her attention completely back to Scott. "I'm guessing
that 'because Heather told me to come' isn't the right answer," Lil
tried, feeling him out for the sense of humor that his little joke
hinted at. "I'm here because I know I need it; the training and team
experience before Alpha will even look at me and I want to make Alpha
when it's completely up and running again."

"I see," Scott said, his tone perfectly amiable as he rose. She was
very tall. Like, Nathan-tall - which meant she had a few inches
on him. "So basically, you're here to pick our collective brain, take
advantage of our resources, and then use us as a stepping stone to get
back into the big league up north?"

Pushing her shoulders back, Lil straightened up as if a pole had just
been slammed down her spine. "No, sir," she returned, trying to keep
any disrespect from her voice. "I'm here to learn from what many
people consider the best and then take that back home to help better
human/mutant relations in Canada." Flattery, she hoped, would get her
everywhere.

Scott repressed a smile. "You don't need to call me sir," he said.
"Cyclops, when we're in the Danger Room-" Or in the field, he
didn't say. "-but otherwise, it's just Scott." He tossed the rag
aside, a sigh slipping out. "Sorry," he said, before she could react
to it. "Just thinking of Garrison. He had his difficulties adjusting,
although I think that was as much due to him having the police
background as anything else."

All signs of any lighthearted and playful teasing that lingered in her
features faded instantly at the mention of her former classmate's
name; replaced with a wave of fleeting grief before an icy mask
slipped into place. "That would be Garrison's way," Lil answered,
somehow managing to keep her voice from quivering. "I am very sorry
for the loss of your people and know that Mac and Heather and the rest
of the Flight Program send their sympathies as well."

Scott, after a moment, nodded, but didn't say anything more until he'd
picked up some of his tools and brought them back over to the bench.
"The sort of enemies we make, the situations we become involved in
-we've had close shaves galore," he said, not quite as briskly as he
would have liked. "This sort of thing... was an inevitability, at some
point. I find myself wondering if you really know what you're
proposing to get yourself into. We're not Alpha Flight. We have no
official support from any government. Just friends in high places, who
may or may not disavow us the next time we choose to intervene in
something and don't quite pull it off."

Sliding her hands from her pocket, Lil locked them behind her back and
settled into an 'at ease' pose. "I know that while I like helping
people in times of crisis that I can do more. More for those who
aren't part of natural catastrophes but who face problems everyday
because of who they are. Beta Flight was a special time for me and I'm
sorry that I ever gave it up but I know can do more with my powers.
Even if that 'more' comes at a cost." She paused and took a deep
breath before continuing. "It's no secret I had problems before with
my teammates and my superiors but I've grown up since than and I'm
here because I know this is the best place for me to learn what I need
to know. To prepare me for the times when inevitability arises. I
would like very much to train with the X-Men, Scott." There were times
she could be completely serious. They weren't all that often but when
they came, they were sincere and heartfelt.

"Then we'll see how it goes," Scott said. "First step is to establish
a powers training program for you, which means establishing baselines,
first of all. As for team training..." Scott shrugged. "We'll cross
that bridge when we come to it. Honestly, I'm not absolutely sure how
to integrate you into what we do if you're not going to be working
with us out in the field." The corner of his mouth tugged upwards. "I
may have to go looking for volunteers."

The first hint of her smile returned. It wasn't exactly what she
wanted to hear from him, but it wasn't a direct order to catch the
earliest flight and head back to Canada, either. "Whatever you think's
best, of course though like I said, I really do feel that my powers
are better suited for situations beyond pulling people out of rubble.
Also, any volunteers you do find, make sure they have a thick skull,
or at least thick skin. Wouldn't want to be responsible for putting
any of them on the sideline."

Scott's smile was very slightly wry. "Lillian," he said, the use of
her full name clearly deliberate, "the X-Men you'll be working with
have stood up to tsunamis, traveled into space, fought the man who
just wrecked New York, tackled mutant terrorists of about sixteen
different stripes, fought brainwashed teammates - and, most
impressive of all, have to put up with me trying to kill them in the
Danger Room on a nearly daily basis. If you're lucky, I'll manage to
convince the more perversely-minded of them not to even think
of pulling 'welcome to the maximum-security ward of the madhouse'
jokes on you."

Chuckling, Lil let her body relax as she shook her head, causing the
blonde ponytail to swing back and forth. "No offense, Sir, but
I'm not one of the high schoolers, green and completely new to this. I
did spend five years with Beta Flight then another two married to a
man who had a giant toy robot he'd like to phase into and grapple with
me. I can hold my own... and none of your X-Men have ever dealt with
Diamond Lil before." An impish gleam sparked in her eyes and the
Amazon-like woman's smile spread. "I promise I'll go easy on them. At
first."

Scott met her eyes, unblinking. "But you are completely new to
this," he said, no rancor to the comment, but what she'd said -
and what he'd been told by Charles - about her 'problems' with
teammates very much in mind. "There's something to be said for giving
as good as you get, but make sure you stay on the right side of the
line. You're here to learn teamwork as much as anything else, or so I
understand - and sometimes that involves effacing yourself, rather
than proving yourself."

"You have my word that I will try my best to keep my hands to myself
and play nice with the other kiddies while I'm here." Lil couldn't
keep the smile from blooming even further as made the promise, going
so far as to show him that she had no fingers crossed like a good
little trainee. "You'll have no problems with me."

"Uh-huh. Reminds me of what my wife said when she headed off to Africa
with her training partner in crime, about how they would be careful
and not blow anything up," Scott said. "Anyhow. Finish getting settled
in, I'll talk to Ororo and the Professor about the first stage of a
training program, and we'll get back to you. Sound like a plan?"

"No worries about me blowing things up; I prefer more hands on
methods," she chuckled then nodded her agreement. "Sounds great.
Things are pretty much set on my end, 'cept for still being in a guest
room. Other than that, I've got no complaints." One shoulder lifted
then fell nonchalantly and she brushed back a few golden wisps that
had escaped her ponytail before a question came to mind. "Oh! Any
advice on where I can get a bike like that? Having my own
transportation would be nice."

"I've done so much work on this bike over the years that it doesn't
bear much resemblance to its original incarnation," Scott said dryly.
"If you want to pick up a bike of your own, I could give you some
suggestions." He patted the machine. "But there is no bike like this
one. That's the whole point."

"Men and their toys," Lil sighed, but not without humor. "If I find
one and need some tips, I'll let you know. Guess I need to get a job
first so I can buy the bike, though." Job. Right. Top of her list of
things to do. After grabbing another cigarette, that was. While this
conversation had gone far better than she'd imagined, she'd still
managed to work herself up over it enough that the ball of tension in
her neck wasn't going to go away without a smoke. Which meant she
needed to get out of here first. "Thanks again, Scott. I'm really
looking forward to starting this whole process." Despite sacrifices
already made and all the inevitables yet to come, Lil was certain now
that she'd made the right choice in coming to the mansion.