Nightcrawler teleported about the Institute hoping to find that strange and intriguing girl that he, somehow, upset. He found her in the Danger Room.

"There's a strong chance they'll come at me with everything they've got, Logan," she said. "So don't hold anything back."

"Not a problem, Little Elf." Wolverine was not usually known for holding back, anyway, his fondness for Kassandra notwithstanding. "What would you like?"

"Try to surprise me."

Logan chuckled. "Is that even possible?"

Kassandra drew her sabre and saluted Logan. "Well, you saw it happen once or twice."

She then turned to Kurt, saluted him with a smile, and took her en garde stance.

The very way she saluted, just sharp enough, profoundly respectful, and devoid of any extra showiness, made him more uncomfortable. She was definitely a veteran fencer. He could see her looking quite fetching in a white canvas jacket and knickers. Or maybe he had. Verdammtes déjà vu. At any rate, she wore black now – what appeared to be a modified X-Men uniform and trench coat that made her look like some anime heroine. Not fetching. Stunning.

Kassi regretted that she would not be dueling with Kurt this time. But preparing to finally go toe-to-toe with this doomsday cult seemed a perfect occasion for music anyway. A requiem, in fact. And nothing less than all the driving rhythm, percussive thunder, orchestral fireworks, and the operatic style of Verdi would do for the upcoming Dies Irae.

"Mutant signature detected. Terminate immediately," the robotic voice boomed.

"One sentinel, Logan?" she said, as she began dodging and deflecting its various bolts and missiles. "I thought you'd give me something harder."

No sooner had she said that than two more appeared. Her eyes gleamed, and a ghost of a smile appeared.

"You're still in normal time!" said Logan "Want a bigger challenge?"

"Bring it on!" She leapt, dodged, and parried, biding her time until she could put her power to use against a real threat. Then grinned widely as six more began firing upon her.

"Oh ja! That's more like it!" she shouted.

"Ist sie verrückt?" Kurt thought. The girl must be suicidal. And his suspicions appeared confirmed when she cut a missile down, and took several pieces of the flying shrapnel in the side. He leapt up in alarm. "Ja, Himmel noch a 'mal!"

"Easy, Elf," said Logan. "Kassi, you okay?"

"Gut, danke!" She did not even slow down. The sentinels closed in. And then, with eyes ablaze, she transformed. Kurt's own golden eyes widened in shock. All he could see of her, a bright, transparent human cyclone, looked like a woman transfigured. Or possessed. She did not seem constrained by laws governing time or velocity. Und was ist das? Teleportation, and bilocation? Perhaps she was an angel incarnate. But what kind?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The television was on CNN. "This just in, the President will give an address regarding this morning's sentinel attacks on Arlington, Virginia and Washington DC from an undisclosed Air Force base…"

"He will deny all knowledge of how it happened, blame it all on faulty technology, promise that changes will be made in the Secret Service, and make no mention of mutants in the government, if he wants to stay in office," said the new FBI intern who now sat next to Kurt.

"Kassi?" Kurt turned his shocked gaze to her. She had only just turned up again at the Institute this afternoon. "Did you have anything to do with this?"

Kassandra folded her arms. "Alles."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The whirlwind took down all nine sentinels before the Tuba Mirum ended. She stepped back into time, resumed her normal appearance, and saluted again, then walked up to Kurt. "I've seen your thoughts in your timeline, Herr Wagner, and I daresay I am insulted."

"I did not intend to compound upsetting you with insulting you, Kassandra. I was not familiar with the scope of your abilities. Well, not entirely. I do feel like we've met before." And as Kassandra sheathed her sabre, Kurt made note that not only was it a live blade of unprecedented strength, but it had an engraving on the flat. "Hebräer 4:12."

Kassandra decided to take a chance. "Then give me a regular fencing sabre, and I'll prove upon your body that everything you suspect about me is true. Except for the part about me being crazy, a demon, or possessed. You of all people should know better. What's more, I shall prove that I once was and shall again be your favorite fencing partner."

"A bold claim, Liebchen. Why would I enjoy dueling someone against whom I clearly have no chance?"

"Because you're always up to a good challenge."

"Well, now that you put it that way…"

"You Elves may need to save buckling that swash for later," said Logan. He was pleased to see the two of them up to their old stuff, but… "Kassi has a meeting."

"Very well. Wenn wir uns wiedersehen," said Kurt.

"When we meet again," Kassandra concurred. She tried hard not to think "if."

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