The X-men run missions and work together with the NYPD, striving to maintain a peaceful balance between humans and mutants. When it comes to a fight, they won't back down from protecting those who need their help.
Haven presents itself as a humanitarian organization for activists, leaders, and high society, yet mutants are the secret leaders working to protect and serve their kind. Behind the scenes they bring their goals into reality.
From the time when mutants became known to the world, SUPER was founded as a black-ops division of the CIA in an attempt to classify, observe, and learn more about this new and rising threat.
The Syndicate works to help bring mutantkind to the forefront of the world. They work from the shadows, a beacon of hope for mutants, but a bane to mankind. With their guiding hand, humanity will finally find extinction.
Since the existence of mutants was first revealed in the nineties, the world has become a changed place. Whether they're genetic misfits or the next stage in humanity's evolution, there's no denying their growing numbers, especially in hubs like New York City. The NYPD has a division devoted to mutant related crimes. Super-powered vigilantes help to maintain the peace. Those who style themselves as Homo Superior work to tear society apart for rebuilding in their own image.
MRO is an intermediate to advanced writing level original character, original plot X-Men RPG. We've been open and active since October of 2005. You can play as a mutant, human, or Adapted— one of the rare humans who nullify mutant powers by their very existence. Goodies, baddies, and neutrals are all welcome.
Short Term Plots:Are They Coming for You?
There have been whispers on the streets lately of a boogeyman... mutant and humans, young and old, all have been targets of trafficking.
The Fountain of Youth
A chemical serum has been released that's shaving a few years off of the population. In some cases, found to be temporary, and in others...?
MRO MOVES WITH CURRENT TIME: What month and year it is now in real life, it's the same for MRO, too.
Fuegogrande: "Fuegogrande" player of The Ranger, Ion, Rhia, and Null
Neopolitan: "Aly" player of Rebecca Grey, Stephanie Graves, Marisol Cervantes, Vanessa Bookman, Chrysanthemum Van Hart, Sabine Sang, Eupraxia
Ongoing Plots
Magic and Mystics
After the events of the 2020 Harvest Moon and the following Winter Solstice, magic has started manifesting in the MROvere! With the efforts of the Welldrinker Cult, people are being converted into Mystics, a species of people genetically disposed to be great conduits for magical energy.
The Welldrinker Cult
A shadowy group is gaining power, drawing in people who are curious, vulnerable, or malicious, and turning them into Mystics. They are recruiting people into their ranks to spread the influence of magic in the world, but for what end goal?
Are They Coming for You?
There have been whispers on the streets lately of a boogeyman... mutant and humans, young and old, all have been targets of trafficking.
Adapteds
What if the human race began to adapt to the mutant threat? What if the human race changed ever so subtly... without the x-gene.
Atlanteans
The lost city of Atlantis has been found! Refugees from this undersea mutant dystopia have started to filter in to New York as citizens and businessfolk. You may make one as a player character of run into one on the street.
Got a plot in mind?
MRO plots are player-created the Mods facilitate and organize the big ones, but we get the ideas from you. Do you have a plot in mind, and want to know whether it needs Mod approval? Check out our plot guidelines.
The royal blue Chevy Colorado had been sitting in the same space for at least an hour without anyone actually getting out of the vehicle. Within the confines of the sturdy pickup, an epic battle of the mind was going on. The struggle to overcome embarassment and simply apologize as required was one that many men had faced over the years and while quite a few had failed the test, just as many had passed with flying colors. Throughout the annals of history, men were chearing for the brown haired police officer to make the right decision and apologize like he knew he should. The blond young woman deserved that much respect from him, didn't she?
***
Jacen slowly stepped out of his truck and, after locking it, made his way up the stairs that led to the New York City library's main branch. Dressed a touch nicer than casual in white sneakers, khaki slacks, a dark black undershirt and untucked white button up shirt Jacen didn't look at all odd approaching the library. At least, he wouldn't have looked at all odd if he hadn't been carrying a small bouquet of wild flowers in his right hand.
Stepping inside the doors of the library, Jacen scanned the area until his eyes fell on the signs that indicated the religious book section. It was not an area that he normally would enter but in order to find a certain young woman he had no other choice. Walking slowly into the area, Jacen's exactly continually flicked back and forth around the area, checking each aisle and each ladder to see whether Kealey was anywhere nearby. He had come to apologize but of course, that wouldn't work if she was nowhere to be found.
Posted by Kealey Shinbo on Apr 13, 2009 7:25:53 GMT -6
X-Men
Team Leader of the X-Men
[color=deeppink]
Straight
Married (Tetsuya Shinbo)
1,652
4
Dec 31, 2019 21:55:08 GMT -6
Jules
Twenty-five more minutes. Kealey checked her watch for what was probably the hundredth time since she’d arrived at the library that morning. It was her short day, she could go home and bury her head in the pillows that littered her bed…in twenty-three more minutes.
The problem with checking your watch while on a ladder, trying to shelve books, was that you kept forgetting what title you were on and where it belonged according to its call number and alphabetical order. It was a busy day too, and it was spring. Spring was Kealey’s favorite time of year, but in some ways it was also her least favorite. There were several class field trips in the library on this particular day, and they were restless. As a result, Kealey was restless. The day was never going to end. This week was never going to end… Her clothing reflected her mood. The jeans were simple, and the dark purple sweater was oversized. It had been a pain most of the day, slipping off her shoulders, but she’d worn a tank top underneath, so it wasn’t an insurmountable obstacle. Ash had taught her a lesson, and her shoes were the simple ballet flats that were much more conducive to climbing ladders all day.
Kealey sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose as she perched on the top of the ladder wishing for the first time in over a week that she could just be alone with her own emotions. That thought made a warm blush creep up Kealey’s cheeks and she sighed for the second time. It had been easier this time, dealing with all the emotions that came along with being more than a few feet away from a certain police officer. Kealey knew deep down it was because dealing with everyone else’s emotions was easier than admitting what had really made her run that day at the sea port. That was deep down though, and Kealey had taken to living with her emotions completely on the surface. Feeling what she could feel and not questioning.
Back to the books, shelving would make the time pass more quickly than just standing there and staring at her watch every minute and a half. Kealey pulled three more books out of the sling she’d fashioned to hold them so she could keep her hands free. She was just shelving, Breakfast with Benedict, a delightful book of daily readings written by the current Pope when it happened.
One second she was standing, ballet flats firmly on the highest rung she dare scale, trying to push away the emotions of the children and adults milling around her, the next she was doused in silence. It was a shock, as always, for Kealey to find herself alone inside her head and she dropped the books she’d been holding.
Cursing, and surprising herself by doing it, Kealey bent to try and catch them and lost her balance. She didn’t fall, but she did grab the side of the ladder. The shift in weight caused it to move towards the end of the stack and Kealey clung desperately until it hit the end of the track, jolting her to a stop.
Muttering to herself and slowly lowering herself rung by rung, Kealey’s feet hit the floor and she slumped back against the ladder, jaw clenched when the silence left and the emotions of all the people around her crashed back down.
He wouldn’t be hard to find, and Kealey knew it was him. How many other mutants who could negate powers would be wandering around in her section of the library. She rounded the next stack and felt the silence wash over her again. He was close…one stack further and Kealey found him, his back was to her, but Kealey was pretty sure…and she was irritated. For some reason, Kealey was irritated.
She leaned against the bookshelf behind her, crossing her arms across her chest, “You know…” she said to Jacen’s back, “You really should warn me when you’re coming around. I nearly fell off a ladder.”
Jacen froze as soon as he heard Kealey's voice. He had been searching for her but with no luck. Honestly, who would have ever thought that the religious book section was so big?! But now, instead of his finding her, she had found him and it didn't sound like she was very happy about it.
Slowly he turned back around, doing his best not to wince when he actually saw the expression on her face. Nope... she wasn't happy. In fact she looked down right ticked with him. Not that he could really blame her. After all, in her mind it probably seemed like he had used his power to get past her defenses and take advantage of her. Had she ever even kissed anyone before? Had she ever let herself be that vulnerable around someone else?
"Sorry, uh... I didn't think you'd take my call even if I did call." Jacen said slowly, watching the blond woman as he tried to think of what to say. All the rehearsed speeches and funny lines he had come with to try and break the tension had completely fled his mind during this moment of need. Instead he was stuck looking at Kealey as he tried to think of something that wouldn't sound completely idiotic.
"These are for you." It sounded lame, even in his ears but his mind still wasn't working right. Taking a step toward Kealey he held out the small bouquet of flowers, doing his best to give her some type of smile other than the sickly grin that kept wanting to appear on his face.
"I..." Jacen began before suddenly finding it necessary to clear his throat. "I think," he began again, "I owe you an apology. I didn't mean to cross any lines or push any boundaries you had set up."
Posted by Kealey Shinbo on Apr 13, 2009 14:21:58 GMT -6
X-Men
Team Leader of the X-Men
[color=deeppink]
Straight
Married (Tetsuya Shinbo)
1,652
4
Dec 31, 2019 21:55:08 GMT -6
Jules
She was irritated. Irritation. Something that Kealey usually only felt as a result of someone else being irritated. Or was it? Kealey recognized the feelings inside her as the way she usually felt under the tumultuous ebb and flow of emotion she lived in from day to day. Frustration, irritation, impatience…
Flowers. That was probably the last thing Kealey was expecting when Jacen turned around and instantly she felt contrite for the attitude she’d taken when she’d realized that Jacen was there. He pointed out that he hadn’t thought she’d take his call even if he tried and the flush she hadn’t realized was on her cheeks intensified. He was right. Avoidance was something Kealey Quinn was very good at, at least as long as the people she avoided weren’t as observant or persistent as Jacen apparently was.
The flowers were for her, the blush got darker and unbidden tears of embarrassment sprung to her eyes as she reached out and too the little offered bouquet. They really were very pretty, after all.
Jacen spoke again and Kealey let her eyes drop to the floor, absolutely unable to look at his face anymore as he spoke. He said he’d crossed some boundary, some line of some sort. Kealey shook her head and leaned her head back against the bookshelf, still not looking at Jacen.
”It’s not your fault.” she said a little miserably, ”It’s…I just didn’t…I never…” Frustration, Kealey was recognizing that one in herself quite well recently, she looked down at the flowers, ”They really are very pretty…” she said as she tried to sort out her feelings. She’d never realized she could have so many of her own at the same time.
There was still the embarrassment, pretty much overriding everything else, but there was also irritation, and frustration, and Kealey was happy to see Jacen. Happy that he’d come here to apologize for something that wasn’t his fault at all. It was overwhelming and Kealey felt her frustration starting to take hold.
“I hate feeling like a child…” she said finally, through slightly clenched teeth, ”I was so giddy and over stimulated with everything that was going on that I didn’t know how to deal with…with…that. That much was true, she hadn’t had a clue how to deal with it, she definitely wasn’t going to expound more though.
Finally, she drug her eyes back to Jacen, ”Do you have any idea what that feels like?” she said, ”Not realizing how you feel about something until it happens in an incredibly specific situation? Realizing that all the previous impressions you’ve had of something, whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing or something you like or dislike…weren’t your conclusions at all?” Kealey shook her head and took a deep breath, ”Some of these feelings are really hard to deal with when I know they’re mine. I'm twenty-six years old and I literally ran away from as chaste a kiss as any girl has ever gotten... So I guess what I’m saying is that you don’t have anything to be sorry about...thank you for this though.”
Jacen stayed silent as Kealey rambled on. He had brace himself for this. After all, she deserved to chew him out. She deserved every comment she might make about his being a piece of trash that was taking advantage of an innocent young woman. Yep, he deserved everything she wanted to dish ou....
"What?" Jacen thought as he finally began to pay attention to what Kealey was really saying. If he was hearing this right then she really wasn't angry at him but instead she was frustrated with herself. "Does that mean I didn't cross a line?"
"I don't know what you feel or what you go through every time you encounter a new emotion that's all your own." He replied quietly as he walked over and slowly reached a hand up toward her face. He movements were cautious, as though he were trying to touch a skittish deer or bunny rabbit but finally with a gentle touch his finger descended to her cheek while his thumb carefully brushed the tears away from one of her eyes, "But I am a friend that you can talk to. If you need to unload or vent or just chill away from everyone else's emotions you can still call me. I'll do my best not to abuse those privileges again."
Unbidden, Jacen suddenly found his mind comparing the two blonds that had entered his life. There were as different as night and day and yet both of them enjoyed his power because it gave them a break. Lori was this wild, vivacious young woman that was out to enjoy every moment of life. She wanted to be in control of every part of life and that included being in control of her sexuality as much as anything. Kealey was an innocent young woman that looked at the world through a child's eyes. She still saw things with a wonder that few adults could even remember ever having. She was attractive but at the same time there was a virginal innocence about her that made it clear she was different than most women.
Posted by Kealey Shinbo on Apr 13, 2009 16:58:52 GMT -6
X-Men
Team Leader of the X-Men
[color=deeppink]
Straight
Married (Tetsuya Shinbo)
1,652
4
Dec 31, 2019 21:55:08 GMT -6
Jules
Jacen looked surprised. Kealey couldn’t tell for sure because she couldn’t tell what he was feeling. She knew facial expression well enough though. Jacen was surprised by what she was saying. He really did feel bad about what he’d done. That was new, men were usually anything but sorry when she reacted poorly to physical advances they made. Now Kealey was even more confused. Maybe she was the one reading everything wrong.
Jacen moved forward and Kealey watched curiously as he reached out and touched her face. It was strange to Kealey, for someone to touch her so casually, but the touch really was comforting. Jacen spoke and Kealey sighed, looking up at him in the close distance. There was something odd about the way he was looking at her, but without her powers , Kealey was helpless to figure out what it was. He asked if they were still friends and Kealey looked away, staring into nothing while she thought, then she nodded.
”I’d really like that.” she said, then frowned slightly,"Though...I want to be a good friend too...you can also call me if you need someone to listen to...I've been told I'm actually pretty good at that...listening.
Jacen was so careful with her, so conscious of her feelings, that had to be what Elle had been talking about, that inherent naivety that Kealey had, she frowned slightly again at Jacen, ”You don’t have to handle me with kid gloves either though… she added as she thought, eyebrows drawing close together, restraint. That was definitely one thing that Kealey didn't know yet. Impulsiveness, that was another. Elle had told her in no uncertain terms that a girl as naive as Kealey was would end up 'getting it where she didn't want it.' She trusted Jacen as much as anyone in the city, and with his offer of friendship, Kealey wondered... ”I'm so naïve, someone I met told me that I need to broaden my horizons a bit…so don’t hold back. I need to learn.
Kealey cracked a slight smile at the thought, ”So, what do you think?” she said, looking up again, hope and her usual excitement back in her eyes, ”Can you teach me?”
As the familiar sparkle returned to Kealey's eyes, Jacen felt a sense of relief rush over him. He wasn't some jerk that was out to get what he wanted and damn the consquences... sure he liked getting what he wanted but he still cared about the people around him. Thankfully Kealey was the forgiving type that was able to forget past mistakes... or at least temporarily overlook them.
Dropping his hand from Kealey face, Jacen pretended he was taking off invisible gloves and then tossing them to the side. "OK then... kid gloves are off but as for the teaching, I guess that would just depend on what you wanted to learn." He said with a quick grin, "Are you getting off work anytime soon?"
Obviously the question about his teaching her was an intriguing thought. What would she want to learn? How to enjoy the night life of New York? How to handle the kind of emotions there were so prevalent among men? How to kiss better? There were so many possibilities but there was no way he was going to push things without at least having some idea of what Kealey wanted. He had made that sort of stupid mistake once to often already and he didn't particularly want to repeat history.
Jacen didn't particularly have any plans for the rest of the day so if Kealey was free and interested, he would probably offer to hang out. Heck, he could even wander the library for an hour or two while she finished up work. The sci-fi section was probably decent in a library this size as would be the thriller area. Heck, if there was enough time he might even wander past that romance section to see if he could get a glimpse of the woman Kealey had mentioned at their previous meeting. After all, she was supposed to be a hottie, wasn't she?
Posted by Kealey Shinbo on Apr 14, 2009 12:10:27 GMT -6
X-Men
Team Leader of the X-Men
[color=deeppink]
Straight
Married (Tetsuya Shinbo)
1,652
4
Dec 31, 2019 21:55:08 GMT -6
Jules
The pantomime helped, it really did. At least it made Kealey roll her eyes slightly and chuckle. ”Good, I’m not sure I could handle you acting like you’re taking a third grader on a field trip.” Kealey said, nodding her head slowly and thinking. That was the problem with impulsiveness, it usually caused a person to end up with poorly formed plans and ideas, ”Hmmm…subject matter.” she said, face scrunched up slightly as she mulled over the options.
An idea occurred to the blond and a slow smile spread across her features, ”You seem like a worldly type. Why don’t you set up the curriculum? From the male point of view, what should a girl my age know? I never had anyone to tell me, just a bunch of nuns.”
Kealey realized what she’d just said, and flushed slightly again. Where had the ungratefulness come from all of a sudden? It was part of the frustration she’d felt building over the last couple of weeks. They’d practically cast her out of the convent, told her to go and make a difference in the world, but hadn’t taught her any of the worldly things that a young woman needed to make her way. It made sense though, in a way, what would they have known to teach her? It still hadn’t really been fair though. According to Elle, some of the emotions she’d been taking as offensive were perfectly natural. Asking Jacen about that was absolutely out of the question, at least for now, but it was something Kealey decided she definitely needed to put more thought into. Then the last part of Jacen’s comment sunk in.
Work. Work?!. “Oh! The books!” she gasped, grabbing Jacen’s wrist and tugging him back towards the specific stack she’d been working in, flowers dangling in her other hand. They were still there, scattered on the floor where she’d slid across the shelf on the ladder. Breakfast with Benedict was half opened on the floor and Kealey winced, bending to pick it up, then gathering her sling and putting it over her shoulder.
”I don’t think any of the pages are torn….” she said, flipping through then slipping it back into her bag when she was satisfied. Jacen had asked her a question, when was she off? Kealey checked her watch.
Officially, I’m off in ten minutes. she said, then finished picking up the books she’d dropped when Jacen had shown up. ”With you here, though, I should be able to concentrate enough to get this done in about five. I should have had it done ages ago, but there’s all these school kids here…all I can think about is getting outside.”
The ladder was still at the end of the bookshelf, so Kealey walked to it and pulled it to where she’d been about to shelve the last book. Up she went two rungs and found herself eye to eye with Jacen, she grinned, ”If you want to wait here, I’ll be done fast…faster if you’ll hold these. she added, holding out the flowers.
"Think of you as a third grader? Never." Jacen said with a quick grin and a teasing note in his voice, "You're far to well developed to be mistaken for a third grader."
And then, with Kealey's next comment she completely threw him for a loop. She wanted him to pick out the subjects? How in the world was he supposed to know what guys wants young women to know already? Heck, for most men their minds went directly to the gutter and they immediately began to wonder about what sort of baser skills any attractive woman might possess. There was no way that Jacen would even think about teaching Kealey those types of things after what they had just dealt with so...
Suddenly Jacen's wrist was grabbed, interrupting his train of thought, and out of nowhere Kealey was pulling him back around the bookshelves. In all his thinking her had missed her comment about the books and so now his mind was racing. Was Kealey serious? Did she really want physical lessons or something? Was she pulling him to some secluded part of the library to...
"Oh... books. Shoulda known." Jacen thought to himself as Kealey suddenly bent over, picking up the various items that she had apparently dropped earlier.
As the young woman made her way back up the ladder, Jacen accepted the flowers with a good natured smile. "For me? Aaaaah. You shouldn't have!" Winking at the young woman quickly, he leaned back against the ladder and just watched as the blond made her way to the top and then set about shelving the books she had been working one earlier.
"What would a man want a woman Kealey's age to know?" The question continued to bounce around in Jacen's mind as he tried to come up with something. Even if men didn't want her to know about the more sexual side of things they would want her comfortable with a little bit of flirting and maybe even some leading comments. That would be a safe place to start. Maybe a bar or night club where Kealey could practice flirting with some of the more safe looking men while still knowing that Jacen was nearby to keep her safe. Yeah... now that was an idea!
"How are you set for club wear?" Jacen asked with a smile when Kealey finally descended the ladder, "And how do you feel about flirting?"
Posted by Kealey Shinbo on Apr 14, 2009 13:32:04 GMT -6
X-Men
Team Leader of the X-Men
[color=deeppink]
Straight
Married (Tetsuya Shinbo)
1,652
4
Dec 31, 2019 21:55:08 GMT -6
Jules
Kealey blushed when Jacen pointed out the reasons why he’d never mistake her for a third grader, but she shook her head, doing her best to take it in stride. ”You know, I might have heard that somewhere before. I meant maturity wise, though. In worldly years I have to be like…six.” Kealey matched the grin on Jacen’s face, ”I wonder how old you are.”
Work had to be completed though, even if the clock on her official work day had pretty much worn down. Kealey had taken that particular stack of books far to long ago to return without them all shelved. She laughed and shook her head as Jacen took the flowers back and climbed the ladder until she was back at the top.
Breakfast with Benedict was finally back in its rightful place between call numbers 304.55 and 304.58. Kealey felt just a little bit better about herself too. Part of it was Jacen’s presence. He’d handled things so smoothly that Kealey could barely remember what had been so upsetting about the situation in the first place. He said friends, Kealey had a very clear definition of friends in her head, so she’d trust him. How odd that was in and of itself completely escaped her notice because she was busy pushing herself this way and that on the ladder and sticking books back where they went. Concentration was a great thing, and it made work go by so quickly that Kealey barely noticed when Jacen asked her a question. She had to think for a moment to call up the exact words, then she laughed.
”Jacen… she said, pushing the last book into place before making her way down the ladder to the point where she was eye to eye with him again, ”The last thing I need your help with is clothes, clubbing or otherwise. They’re kind of my specialty. Not that you could tell today.”
There was still the other part of his question though, the flirting. Kealey was blushing again as she consciously tried to stop and think about it, ”The flirting…is probably one of those things that I don’t know how I feel…it never really just feels like flirting when you can feel the intention behind it…so I’ve never consciously done it that I know of.” Kealey tilted her head and looked at Jacen, ”I didn’t know that flirting was a conscious activity anyway.”
He laughed. He couldn't help himself. Even the very idea of his trying to help a woman like Kealey pick out clubwear was hilarious. Sure he knew what he liked women to wear... he knew the looks that would make a woman approachable, provocative, even down right sexy, but that wasn't something he had any interest in doing. No, Jacen King 'Fashion Consultant' was never to be.
"I wasn't asking about your clothes so that I could help you pick them out." Jacen said with a chuckle, "I was asking whether you had clothes to wear if I were to take you to a club tonight. You wanted lessons and I guess that's as good a place as any to start."
Kealey's questions about flirting were slightly more in Jacen's league. On the one hand, flirting was an unconscious action it was true, but at the same time an expert flirt knew how to turn it on and off like a switch. Obviously that was something that this particular blond had yet to master.
"Flirting is something that you do because you're attracted to another person. It doesn't necessarily mean you want to sleep with them, but it does mean you want to learn more about them. You laugh, talk, smile, and give them that extra sparkle that appears in your eye when you're honestly attracted to someone." Luke explained with a grin as he offered Kealey back her flowers, "I thought tonight might give you some practice since you know that I'm nearby and can scare off anybody that seems to be coming on to strong. I don't suggest flirting with everyone at any time. In fact I'd only suggest doing that kind of thing when you know you have a friend nearby that can watch out for you."
Posted by Kealey Shinbo on Apr 14, 2009 20:36:54 GMT -6
X-Men
Team Leader of the X-Men
[color=deeppink]
Straight
Married (Tetsuya Shinbo)
1,652
4
Dec 31, 2019 21:55:08 GMT -6
Jules
Kealey looked Jacen in the eye as he pointed out that he was just making sure that she had the proper clothes. Kealey thought for a moment, then nodded slowly, it made sense that Jacen would question that, from what he’d seen of her. Kealey already had several outfits in mind, though, depending on where they were going.
”I have a confession…” she said, a sheepish look crossing her features, ”I buy way more clothing than I could ever possibly wear. I’ve pretty much got a closet full of clubbing clothes and nowhere to wear them.” Then it sunk in. Jacen wanted to take her to a real club. A real club where people would be drinking and dancing and apparently flirting. Jacen would be there and Kealey wouldn’t be able to tell what they were feeling. "I've never been able to go anywhere like that...when people feel...tipsy...I do too...being in a whole room of people in that condition is...strange under normal circumstances. This is going to be great!
Apparently this was lesson one. Jacen was going to be there to…supervise. Kealey nearly laughed as she dropped down to the floor and took the flowers. She had to look up to talk to Jacen again, and she sighed sort of wistfully as he started explaining what were apparently the finer points of flirtation. Kealey giggled as she stood there, then checked her watch, ”I’m officially off work.”
Something Jacen said made Kealey frown slightly as she looked at him, ”All that you said about giving someone that smile, that laugh…that sparkle… she paused, flushing again as she struggled to find the right words. Oh yeah, that’s why she’d felt so awkward for the last week, those feelings. And now, Jacen was offering to go to a club and ‘keep watch’ while she flirted. He really was acting like some sort of chaperone, re-enter confusion. Kealey dropped her eyes, voice quiet as she toyed with her watch, ”How do you know?” she asked, ”You know…if you’re really attracted to someone?”
Wow... Jacen was only just beginning to realize that he would be teaching Kealey from square one. If she didn't understand what it was like to be attracted to someone then it would be almost impossible for her to flirt at all.
"Well... mainly you'll known you're attracted because you'll feel something different." Jacen said quietly as he began to lead the way over to the main check out counter. If he was correct about the layout of the building that would put Kealey in the right area to clock out, grab her stuff, or do whatever else she needed to accomplish for actually leaving. "You see something in that person that you've never seen before or only rarely seen before. It could be a purely physical attraction but most of the time its else that you can't quite put your finger on. Something that just makes a person stick out of the crowd."
It was really the best explanation that he could come up with. Jacen wasn't a trained psychologist that understood the way people thought and he didn't have a mutant ability that let him feel emotions or read someone's thoughts and intentions. Hopefully what little knowledge he had would be enough to help the young woman.
"I'm glad you've got options for the club wear." Jacen said with a grin, changing the subject to something a little easier to handle, "Pick something that shows off your figure without being to blatant. I can guarantee you'll get at least some attention so you can practice with your feminine wiles."
RIght then another thought popped into Jacen's mind and he glanced at the door before looking back at Kealey, "Do you want me to give you a lift over to your apartment so you can get changed and everything or would you rather I just pick you up later? I do have to run by my place to change as well so, you can either come with me and see my apartments or you can hang out at your place until I can swing over and get you. What sounds better?"
Posted by Kealey Shinbo on Apr 15, 2009 8:27:40 GMT -6
X-Men
Team Leader of the X-Men
[color=deeppink]
Straight
Married (Tetsuya Shinbo)
1,652
4
Dec 31, 2019 21:55:08 GMT -6
Jules
That was what Kealey meant when she said that she didn’t want Jacen to hold her with kid gloves. She sighed, but listened as he explained what he must have thought the basics were as they walked through the library. She wasn’t going to cut him off, after all, but he’d gotten the wrong idea with her question.
”Thanks for the clarification.” She said as she clocked out and moved behind the counter to grab her things, ”I know the feeling, though. I’m not explaining my questions well…” she paused for a moment and thought, then rephrased, ”What I meant was…how am I supposed to know. Not people in general. I’ve felt the feelings Jacen…probably more often than anyone else. I meant, how do normal people know.” she laughed at herself and shook her head, ”Listen to me…I’m acting like you’ve got all the answers.” Kealey paused again and thought, ”I’m just saying, you’re not always going to be there. How can I know it’s me?” She didn’t really expect an answer, how could someone answer a question like that?
Jacen’s fashion advice was well met and Kealey grinned, ”I’ve already got three outfits in mind. Just have to narrow down the options depending on exactly what our situation is going to call for.” That much was definitely true, something else Jacen said made her laugh though, ”You guarantee it, do you? And how exactly can you guarantee something like that? Are men in New York inherently attracted to wall flowers then?”
Jacen had his truck! And he was offering her a ride, and the option to actually get ready in a situation where she could concentrate on what she was picking out, and avoid an emotionally turbulent bus ride in the process. Um, heck yeah. ”Now that you’re here, if you don’t mind hanging out while I throw clothes around…I’d love the opportunity to miss out on the emotions of the whole New York bus crowd. Besides, this way you can tell me if the outfit I have in mind is going to work.” Kealey paused, wondering if her next statement even needed made, ”Only if you want to, though. Don’t feel obligated, I go home and pick out clothes without you around all the time.”
"You know because, no matter how loud the emotions are around you, you can still feel yourself." Jacen said after a moment as he turned to look at Kealey with a slight smile. "With your ability the emotions from everyone around you can make really distracting background noise but I'd be willing to be that with some time that's all it will be to you. Background noise."
It was an interesting thought that had just struck Jacen's mind and he spoke it without even really thinking about it. He hadn't dealt with or faced what Kealey saw every single day but at the same time he knew fundamental things about emotion. Everyone got confused by their own emotions but eventually you could learn to understand what you were feeling. Wouldn't the same principle hold true for her? Sure it would take longer because she'd have to learn how to sort out the difference between her own emotions and everyone around her but wasn't it still possible?
"And until that happens, I'll still be around. Most any time you want to get out and practice flirting and feeling your own emotions I'll probably be available. My social calendar isn't exactly full." Jacen finished with a grin.
"And I'd be glad to hang around... I'm curious to see where you live anyway." Getting to see the space that Kealey lived in might even give him a glimpse into how this girl ticked. Without him around had she decorated becomes of someone else's tastes or were the things she had in her home truly what she liked? It would definitely be interesting trying to figure out the answer to that. "You ready to head out then?"
(OOC: Feel free to GMod the drive to and arrival at Kealey's apartment.)
