Arms Wide Open

Posted on Mon Apr 17th, 2023 @ 12:16 by Cynhelm Warden & Ji-an Yun & Claire Cavendish
Edited on on Mon Apr 17th, 2023 @ 12:30

Chapter: All Hallow's Eve
Location: Castle Grounds
Timeline: Night of Sunday October 24th, 1992
1612 words - 3.2 OF Standard Post Measure

There was nothing quite like the pitch black darkness of a new moon.

For those who treated the night like a refuge, the lunar phases mattered. The immediate area around the castle reaped some benefit from the overflow of dozens of internal lights spilling through the gaps in partially-closed drapes but one didn't have to wander too far for the shadows to bleed together into one all-consuming veil that made navigating the grounds somewhat treacherous. Wander too far in one direction, and you'd end up in the loch. Discombobulation in another direction rendered it possible to wander into the woods that framed the town-side boundary. There were curfews for a reason and careful monitoring to ensure they were adhered to in order to prevent unnecessary risks. Even mutants could get up to mischief in the dark.

On this particular night, the nocturnal security protocols left only a smattering of owls to bear witness to the slow trudging of a singular figure, now left to wait in the middle of the field just behind the castle's sports oval wrapped warmly against the weather. It was an odd place to stand, alone and slightly damp, being perhaps one of the least interesting landmarks to attract sneaky investigation even on the cusp of Samhain. Diligence and a desire not to be late left the watcher lingering well past the point of shivering but, eventually, as anticipated, the night's offering started as a thin blue line drawn in a slowly forming oval that flared into a coalescence of blue energy once the two ends were joined.

In a burst of chaotic heat, the portal roared, spread itself outwards in a lick of tendrilled flames, and then stabilised.

A dark figure stepped through.

As was typical any time he breached considerable distance under the blessing of his gifted teammate, Warden took a moment to bend and press a hand to the ground, deference for safe delivery and an apology, of sorts, for such cavalier appropriation of divine advantage. The rosary in his hand dug into the soil, pressed beneath his thumb to leave an indent, and he kissed the beads as he rose and tucked them back inside his belt to approach the lone figure waiting.

"Any sign of unwanted interest?"

"Outside interest in the Institute has waned in lieu of the worsening economy." The light of the portal had thrown a stark shadow against the outside wall the waiting woman had pushed herself off of when the air began to ripple with the energy. "You're late." She looked around for other clues but came to the conclusion that the man was also not transporting the precious cargo she was here to receive. "And you're empty handed."

"Covering tracks through untraceable dimensions takes time." The explanation was all that was offered, the man's attention better spent on his primary objective of making sure the landing zone was clear. "Sneaking a Cat 1 under the radar makes arrival times a little difficult to estimate."

Warden made eye contact briefly and then turned back towards the open portal. If there was a signal sent, it was done without any obvious instigation on his part. The liquid surface rippled again and two figures stepped forward; one entirely shrouded by her outfit so that only her dark eyes peered out, the other a much smaller bundle rugged up in layers that protected both her identity and her acclimation to the weather. The silent mutant's hand lingered on the child's shoulder before giving her a gentle push forward towards Warden's outstretched hand, and the man clasped a tiny mitten carefully as he directed his attention first to the next portion of the extraction process.

"Lay cover, as many as you think it will take."

A single nod from his accomplice saw her turn, stopping only long enough to share a waggle of fingers with the solemn child tucked against Warden's side, and then she disappeared through the portal, pulling it closed as she went. The plunge into darkness was stark but lasted only a second or two before the more subdued glow of a blue orb settled against an outstretched hand. Warden, crouched beside his ward, held the creation outwards enough so that it illuminated Claire against the backdrop of inky oblivion.

"That was the last one," he assured the child, his voice curbed to a tenderness Claire had heard on only a handful of occasions. "You will be safe to stay here now."

Claire allowed a bit of room for the young girl to acclimate to her surroundings without being immediately ambushed by the likes of her. Her hands were tucked into her coat and she took another moment to look around, making sure there wasn't anyone or anything that would've spotted their arrival there. While the head teacher had been on the opening end of such portals before she had never travelled through them.

The purple woman waiting in the dark gave a slight respectful bow, "Annyeong haseyo Yun Ji-an." Her pronunciation was a bit stilted, but at least it showed her effort in trying to welcome her. "I'm Claire Cavendish." She reached out a hand to offer in greeting.

The face trapped between the woolen hat and impossibly large scarf was obscured enough that its expression was hard to interpret. Experience would soon determine that full visibility did very little to improve the odds in this regard, the little girl seemed in possession of a deep and abiding introspection that made it very hard to know what she was thinking just by looking at her. It was a gentle face, however, it's default repose one of absolute serenity and dominated by a pair of large eyes that fixated on Claire without blinking. Tucked away behind the beguiling innocence were nuances of fear and hesitation but that was better translated by the way the child huddled instinctively towards the man whose hand she held in a vice.

A murmured word in her ear from the one who had brought her across immeasurable distance encouraged bravery, however, and with a little encouragement, Ji-an left the shelter of Warden's side to slowly approach the head mistress, glancing over her shoulder only once before casting her eyes to the ground and bowing. "Annyeong haseyo. Mannaseo Bangapseumnida." Her voice barely rose above a whisper, as if even now, despite the assurances, she felt the need to mask her presence.

"The pleasure is all mine, I can assure you. Welcome to Avalon, Miss Yun." Claire straightened up and looked at Warden who had remained at a bit of a distance to give the two of them some room. "Will you escort us back into the keep, or are you expected elsewhere?"

Having risen once again to his feet, Warden transferred the blue orb in his hand to the other so that he could check his watch. His frown deepened as his gaze settled on the small figure stood between them. It was decidedly resolute by the time it lifted to meet Claire's.

"You'll need to settle her tonight. I will check in when I can but there are a few places I need to make sure I'm seen first." Creating plausible alibi had never been more pertinent. "Contact me if you suspect anything."

Claire stepped forward to give Cynhelm a big hug, doing so too swiftly for him to be able to avoid it. "Thank you for everything. If something comes up, you'll be the first to know." she softly spoke while holding on to the embrace. As she stepped back she offered a hand of guidance to the small child, all wrapped up in her layers, trying to keep out the Scottish autumn air. "Let's find your room."

As always, the posture beneath his uniform was as rigid and distant as the man himself. It took a moment for Warden to relax enough to hook an arm behind his friend's back and pull her back into a returned embrace, coaxed into the rare display of connectedness by the understanding of what was at stake. This was no ordinary child and the risks associated with accepting her would have been considerable had the Institute not already found itself far too often under the microscope of late. It was an impossible task, almost certain to evoke eventual backlash, and yet there had never been any need to question who was best suited to embrace the challenge whole-heartedly. Claire was, for all her love of the shadows, the brightest source of light Cynhelm knew. Certainly brighter than anything he could cast.

Pressure against his leg caused him to look down and settle a hand on the back of a small head, an arm looped around both of them as Ji-an pressed into the hug as if to cement herself at its centre. Neither were her parents, one of whom was dead, the other left behind in the only place she knew as home to cover her disappearance until such time as its discovery inevitably lead to his demise. She had been prepared, however, as much as a child could be, and was not as young in an intellectual sense as her appearance suggested. The world had needed to change, and these new guardians had been entrusted to ensure it happened in a way that kept her safe. She didn't resist as Warden bent to pick her up, clung to him only for the seconds that he would allow before transferring the clutch of her arms to Claire's neck.

She kept her face buried as they moved across the field. It stopped her from watching as the darkness consumed the faint blue glow of a guiding light snuffed out.