Homecoming (open)

[Cyclops]

Scott Summers inhaled deeply as he stepped off of his motorcycle. He was in front of the X-mansion, a place he had grown to miss very much in his time away. He had participated in the war, he had to protect his country after all. He was a member of the Untouchables, and served diligently for quite a while.
He began his stride towards the mansion, helmet tucked securely under his arm. The place was in remarkably good condition, and for that Scott was thankful.

Still, he had to wonder who took over during his absence. Some of the other X-Men had joined him with the war, but some hadn't.

He smiled before he pushed the large doors to the mansion up and her peered around the room and up the stairs.
"Honey, I'm home..", he said with a grin as he stepped inside. "Anyone here?"

[catwoman]

"That depends on who you where expecting." A disembodied voiced replied to Scott's question before a black cat jumped up and sat on the back of the nearest couch staring at the man. Catwoman on the other hand was watching him from her hiding spot "Oh your a cutie." she said as she leaned foreword a bit to get a better look but not enough to give away her hiding place just yet anyways. She wanted to wait until he made the first move since she really didn't know what he could do and didn't want to get hurt.

[colossus]

Long and powerful legs carried the tall and well built Russian man down the empty road. A large and filled duffle bag was slung over his left shoulder, and it contained everything in his life that held importance. During the war, he had quickly learned that every single object that one had counted for more than one would originally considered. Many would think that the man known as Piotr Rasputin had very little to his name, but he thought himself lucky. In fact, he could not have considered himself luckier unless he had managed to hail a cab from the train station to the Institute.

Instead, the man dubbed Colossus was forced to walk the some five miles from the low-key train station to the infamous Graymalkin Lane wherein the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning resided. There was a slight kick in his step when he finally reached that wrought iron fence and slipped onto the drive, marching toward the front door with a smile on his face.

The motorcycle parked in front of the Mansion barely registered in his mind as he strolled through the front door and dropped his heavy bag upon the threshold. "Ah, it feels good to finally know that I am home!" he bellowed loudly, letting out a chuckle before he cocked his head to the side in slight confusion. While he had not expected a welcoming party, he had at least hoped that some of his old friends would greet him. "Nyet, perhaps no one is here."

[Cyclops]

Scott cocked an eyebrow at the sound of the voice. It was very smooth, and velvet-like, but he did not recognize it. He was immediately on high alert, you never know what could pop out of the shadows.

"A cutie, huh?", he peered around the room through his visor covered eyes. "And you're an...enigma" , he sighed. He was tired yet restless, and wanted to visit with his old friends. "Plan on coming out anytime soon?"

Then another voice reach Scotts ears. He stepped backwards into the entrance and beamed when he saw the man standing at the doorway.

""Good to see ya" , he said casually as he leaned on the wall beside him.

[colossus]

Piotr Rasputin smiled broadly as he noticed the figure of the fearless leader of the X-Men. "Ah, comrade." His booted feet carried him forward, where he stopped just feet in front of where Scott Summers leaned casually against the wall. "It has been a long time," his accent seemed a bit heavier than normal as he stood there, resisting the urge to offer the man his hand.

Colossus could not quite recall if the two had crossed paths since they'd both left the Institute during the beginnings of the war. But it seemed that they may have at one point or another, but they were in no way on the same squad. "It is good to see you as well, Cyclops. I have but just arrived, da. Any word on the others?"

[Cyclops]

Cyclops continued to smile as his collegue shuffled into the room. He hadn't realized how attached he had grown to the X-Men, but as a warm feeling overtook him, it was obvious.

He looked down at the mans luggage, but said nothing. It really was strange, a whoe life packed away and shipped off for over a year. It could make you feel used if you thought about it. But it just made Scott feel needed.

"I just got here myself" , he said pointedly. "My bikes probably still hot.." he remarked with a smile. "Haven't seen anyone. Shame. I expecting a welcome home parade.."

He looked around the room again. " Instead I'm greeted by a disembodied voice."

[catwoman]

While the men talked Catwoman made her way from her hiding place over to the couch where her cat Isis was at and gave her a scratch on the head as she watched the men. "Not as disembodied as you might think hansom." she said with a smile on her face but was also ready for anything to two men might try to do to her.

"Back from the war I see." Catwoman said looking at their duffle bags, she herself decided to stay out of the war killing wasn't her thing so she stayed behind fought crime and stole things every now and then.

[colossus]

"Da, a welcome home parade would have been a welcome addition," Piotr grinned at the thought. In fact, he had hoped that his friends would be gathered, ready to greet him with open arms. "Disembodied voice?" he echoed, dark brows furrowed in confusion.

But, before he could pursue the question any further, a figure appeared out of the shadows and stalked toward a couch where a cat rested. Slightly dazed, Colossus could only stare at her with shock written on his face before glancing over at Cyclops.

"Perhaps things have changed greatly while we were away, but I do not think this woman is an X-Man, nyet?" In fact, Piotr felt certain that this woman did not belong there, but it was not his place to say so. So, instead, he merely let his gaze wander back to the woman who, even from a distance, made a slight blush creep up his neck.

[The Juggernaut, Bitch]

Slowly a rumbling sound began resonating among the group of people sitting outside. It came like the sound of rolling thunder, or perhaps a teenager's stereo system....

Soon the beat became more defined. It had a distinct thud, thud, thud to it. A dust cloud was also forming. Something was running, and fast.

[colossus]

Before Piotr could properly address the woman, a strange rumbling sound began to reverberate through the closed front door. The floor beneath his feet seemed to quiver slightly, as if some sort've earthquake was beginning, though slowly. Intrigued, the large Russian stepped back toward the main door and pulled it open, stepping out onto the front walk and staring out at the gate.

A dust cloud seemed to be moving toward the Mansion at a rapid speed, as if some sort of storm was moving toward them without any particular destination in mind. Blue eyes narrowed in suspicion as the large man left the door open behind him and walked further down the walk, prepared to transform in a moment's notice. It took him a moment to realize that the billowing dust cloud seemed familiar in a way, as did the shaking ground.

"This seems strangely familiar," he murmured, almost to himself. Still, he stood there and waited, wondering if his suspicions were accurate.

[The Juggernaut, Bitch]

30 seconds later they saw the source of the rumbling and dust. A mass of a man, head held low and legs and arms pumping furiously, moving toward them. When the man came within roughly 100 feet of the estate he slowed to a walk. Nodding at the security station at the gate, he slowly approached the door.

"Hehe, hey there Pete." He stretched out his hand. "How ya been? Where's Charles?"

[colossus]

Piotr found himself smiling as he grasped the large man's hand in his own and pumped it furiously. "It seems that fate has decided we are to run into each other again and again, comrade!" Slowly, he pulled his hand back and shook his head. "I had not expected to see you again so soon, Cain. If you are looking for Professor Xavier, I am afraid that I am the wrong person to ask."

He glanced over his shoulder idly at the front door and wondered if Cyclops would come out soon to investigate. But, as he dragged his eyes back to the man that he had spent a great deal of time with during the war, he felt a sense of belonging that was unusual. "I am glad that you are here! It is as if the team is back together again!" It did not matter that the whole team wasn't there, but that his war buddy was where he felt at home: The X-Mansion.

Piotr crossed his arms over his well sculpted chest before letting out a sigh of sorts. "I am as good as can be expected. Thus far the only teammate I have come across is Cyclops. I was hoping to see all of the X-Men again. I've yet to explore the Mansion. Perhaps they are merely involved elsewhere."

[The Juggernaut, Bitch]

Cain nodded as his friend spoke and the two walked into the main foyer. It was great to be back at the Mansion. While overseas fighting, Cain had hoped nothing had happened to this place. It was a prime target and would have greatly affected allot of the mutants and other heroes fighting.

"Lets go see if we can find ol' one eye." He said and they both went walking through the main hall. As they moved, Cain made idle chatter.

"I stopped through Gotham on the way here. Its pretty sad things havn't much changed. Ran into some thugs. No big deal." He paused. "Oh, Ben says hi. He's busy with restoring the FF4 tower."

(OOC: I'm thinking the FF4 tower was attacked during the war. It was a well known place.)

[colossus]

"Da, Cyclops is right in here." Piotr came to a stop in front of where he'd left Scott and inclined his head in Cain's direction. "Cain was looking for Professor Xavier -er- Charles, Scott. Have you any idea where he could be found?"

Instead of waiting for an answer, he glanced over at Cain and grinned. "I don't imagine that a couple of thugs stopped you for very long, Juggernaut. After all, I have seen first hand what you are capable of doing." Then he thought of Thing and grinned. "It seems like ages since I have seen Ben. I hope that he is well."

[Cyclops]

Scott crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at the appearance of the woman in a tight catsuit. He had no idea who she was, or what she was doing here. "Care to explain yourself? , he prodded as he took a step closer.

Moments later, Juggernaut had entered and had began a conversation with Colossus. He shifted his eyes from Juggernaut and Catwoman, being on pretty high alert. You never knew. You had to be one your feet.

Then Scott hung his head a litte at the mention of Xavier. It was not quite like having the team back together. "Charles is...no longer with us..." his voice trailed off as he stared down an empty corridor.