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[x-snowflake.livejournal.com]

Today, daytimeish. Amanda and Illyana have a, well, a lovely chat after Amanda finishes renewing the protection spell on the mansion. It becomes clear how much they dislike and distrust one another. Snark is had, and Amanda borrows some of Jamie's slang.


"This doorstep with its welcome ways, be guarded by a shield of rays
To guard this home by day and night, protect it with a door of white
Let nothing enter that is not good, and those within do as they would
The aura left by herb and spell will safely seal this entrance well."

Amanda reached into the bowl she held, sprinkling a handful of sweet-smelling crushed herbs onto the front doorstep. She'd already done the back door, and half of the various French doors and entrances on one side of the mansion, with just the other side to go. And she had to admit, she'd feel much better when it was done. A wall of white light briefly shimmered in the doorway as she said the last words of the chant, and she nodded in satisfaction and moved towards the next door.

Illyana leaned against a doorframe, just out of Amanda's line of sight; her eyes were sharp, and shaded with interest. She wasn't familiar with the spell Amanda was using, but she was curious as to how much the girl could do in this realm, and as to the extent of such an odd spell's reach. Obviously, it hadn't lasted through Belasco's attack, but she couldn't imagine what kind of protection spell would, not at the height of his power; the scent of foreign herbs reaching her faintly from the door, and she tilted her head, sending gold-blonde hair over one shoulder, considering the combination. Interesting, she thought, shrewd eyes following Amanda's movement.

Still quietly chanting, Amanda continued her rounds, until she was satisfied the mansion was protected against magical threat. She'd spoken with Lee, explaining the spell and its intent, and the security chief had been more than happy to allow it. Especially considering what had happened with Illyana. She didn't believe for a moment the spell would stop a demon lord - it hadn't last time - but it would give her plenty of warning should something happen. And there were always Rack's followers, although she wasn't sure how much the magician had shared of her location. Better to be safe than sorry.

At last the last ward was set, and Amanda drooped slightly, worn out from the effort. Her magic was getting stronger every day, but her body was taking a lot longer than she liked. "Bloody Rack," she muttered to herself. "Even dead you like t' make me life difficult."

Though she strained to hear the words, Illyana wasn't able to catch more than 'bloody' and 'dead'; she raised an eyebrow at the change in Amanda's posture, and wondered if the magic was tiring for the other girl. If so, she sympathised, already feeling the strain of the spell in effect. She shifted slightly -- silently -- and took a look around, noting the faint glimmer of magic at the doorways. She blinked to clear the magic from her vision -- seeing it took energy, and she didn't necessarily want to waste any of that if she could avoid it.

The slight movement caught Amanda's eye, and she stiffened, wary. "Who's there?" she called, sounding more like the tough street brat who'd arrived at the mansion than she had in months. She couldn't explain why, but something was putting her on edge, and she remembered Romany's advice to trust her instincts.

Illyana froze, thought quickly, and then fell back into a casual -- but guarded -- posture. She stepped forward, striving to look like she'd just stumbled in, rather than having watched for a while. "Just me," she said, putting as much innocence into her voice as she thought the other girl would believe. "I was watching you do your -- " she waggled her fingers expressively, a look of vague confusion on her face -- "your spell. Sorry if I startled you," she added with such false sweetness that the implication that she was not at all sorry is pretty clear.

"Oh. You." Amanda's voice was flat, it abundantly clear she wasn't happy to see the other girl. "I was just doin' a protection spell on the place. Guards it against harmful influences." Her look made it clear she thought of Illyana as one of those.

"How useful," Illyana said, ignoring Amanda's tone blithely. "Does it work against all -- harmful influences, or just magical ones?" She smiled, but her eyes were slightly too expressionless for sincerity.

"Magical ones, mostly. Lee's got the rest of it covered, an' I figured bein' the 'resident expert on magic', I ought t' make sure I'd done me bit. Won't stop everythin' out there, but it'll let me know if anythin' tries t' take advantage of the people here." The warning was obvious - Amanda wasn't in the mood for subtlety. The girl gave her, to quote Jamie, a wiggins, and the fact there was no real reason for it just made it worse.

"How lovely," Illyana said admiringly, the quirk of her lips indicating her amusement. Certainly such clear sentiment did not worry her, but she was interested in how far she could take this before the open hostility began. Sympathetically, she went on, "Is it tiring, doing your magic here? You looked a bit put out."

"Not normally, but it's been a shitty few weeks," Amanda said shortly. "Still ain't up t' scratch after Mexico. It won't be much longer, but I wanted t' get the spell back in place sooner rather than later. I was sort of... distracted after yer mate broke it last time."

"Even less my, ah, my mate than yours, I think," she said dryly, with very little actual humour in her voice. "Mexico? You had an -- unfortunate encounter, as I recall. Drained you, did it?"

"I had a run in with someone who's my mate as much as that demon lord was yours. Came off the worse for wear." Amanda shrugged. "I'm recoverin'. I'll be good as new soon enough." In a not-subtle-at-all attempt to change the subject, she went on: "So, yer out of medlab for good now? System's gotten used t' our bugs?"

"Yes, I'm adapted to Earth as much as I can, according to Dr. Bartlett. I'm glad you're feeling better, too," she said, in a way that insinuated she'd have been happy if Amanda had spent the rest of her natural life in the medlab. "Encounters of those kinds with such very close friends are rarely fun."

Amanda flinched almost imperceptibly. "Yeah, well, the bastard got what was comin' to him, an' you won't see me cryin' over him. Just wish it had happened a lot sooner." She recovered her casual attitude, shrugged. "Medlab ain't the most entertainin' place in the world. Guess yer glad t' be out?"

Illyana felt a surge of well-hidden jealousy that Amanda had been able to do what she hadn't, and wasn't, able to. Given the consequences, best not to think that way, she thought resolutely, and smiled, although it was a little bit colder than it had been. "Good to know we won't be hearing from him," she said mildly. "I'm very glad to be out of the medlab. It's not exactly where I'd choose to spend too much time."

"I think they make it that borin' on purpose, t' try an' encourage us t' stay out. Amanda didn't miss the hardening of Illyana's eyes, the iciness of her smile. "I know I'll be doin' me best t' avoid the place again - been there enough t' last me a lifetime."

"I think I've reached quota of infirmary time, to be honest," Illyana said with a wry smile, forcing herself back into role. Going around showing how you actually felt sounded like an extraordinarily bad idea at the moment. "Although some people seem to wish to make it their semi-permanent residence. The dorms have a much better view."

"Yeah, well, there ain't any chores down there an' they bring you yer meals on a tray." Amanda shrugged again. "An' I think Nate's givin' Ange a run for his money far as medlab time goes. Can't beat a heart attack for some quality hospital time."

Heart attack? she wondered, and put it on her mental list of 'things to ask Kitty about later, in privacy if possible'. Avoiding the subject, she continued blithely on. "Ange -- that would be Angelo? Such a nice fellow," she smiled. "People here do seem to find themselves in harm's way quite often." She shaded the words with vague innuendo -- It does seem to be people you're close to, doesn't it? -- and tilted her head to one side, as though very interested in the angle.

The implication didn't miss, and Amanda frowned. "'S a dangerous wordld out there, an' sometimes shite happens," she said, with another of those non-committal shrugs. "Ain't quite the same as growin' up in a demon dimension, but we can't all have that."

Illyana rolled her eyes. "What a pity," she said, full -- and sincere -- sarcasm weighing down the words. "We should all be so lucky."

"Well, those of us lemmings that ain't been lucky enough t' have the kind of teachers you did will just keep muddlin' on regardless." There was open hostility in Amanda's voice now. "An' if there's anythin' I can do t' stop people windin' up in medlab, I'll do it. No matter what it is - 'm sick of seein' me friends hurt." She didn't add 'on my account' to that last, although there was a note of defensiveness there.

"How very noble," Illyana murmured, the edge gone from her voice and the mask firmly back in place. With Amanda's tone someplace she could categorise it, her job was that much easier. "Anyone would be lucky to have you looking out for them. Especially with that magic you do."

"Well, it ain't all pullin' rabbits out of hats an' pretty lights." Amanda cradled the bowl of herbs closer to herself, aware that somehow she'd taken a wrong step, but unsure where. "Just ask that bastard in Mexico. An' I gotta go - I gotta class t' get to."

"Oh, I'm sure it's not," Illyana said, with a smile and a shrug that said, 'I wouldn't know, but I'll take your word for it'. A gleam of satisfaction flashed in her eyes for no more than a second, replaced with mild, artificial sincerity. "It's been lovely talking to you. Have fun in class."

"Yeah, likewise," said Amanda, muttering under her breath as she turned: "Yeah, fuckin' right it's been lovely." She glanced over her shoulder at the girl as she hurried away, and shivered. Yep, definitely a wiggins.