Mono hadn’t realized for once that he had an audience, though he would feel rather proud of himself if he realized that Illyana was proud of him for what he was doing. He was sure his progress was thanks to her help, after all. She was really good at giving him the encouragement and ideas on how to proceed, and she understood certain… Aspects of his life that other people didn’t quite get, which meant she was pretty good at talking him through his own uncertainties involving himself and his abilities when he really needed it.

But because he hadn’t spotted her watching from above, he was more than a little surprised when his teacher and friend dropped out of the sky and onto the cobblestones below with a rather impressive thud. Usually, when she appeared, it was out of one of her portal things! “Illyana!” He started, mouth agape, both with some concern and surprise. “How’d you fall? Did your portal drop you from the sky or something?” Could that happen? Accidental portal mishaps where they opened up where you didn’t want them to? That could happen with TVs sometimes, he guessed.

Glancing at the pile of crates behind her, the kid felt a little embarrassed that she had appeared right in the midst of a mishap with his own powers.