"Well they gotta be awe-inspiring," Bailey enthused. "I mean, they're powers, after all, right? So that means that they're automatically cool! I mean, there are some powers that are a little weird, but I'm sure that yours aren't like that. Does your hair have anything to do with them? That would be cool."

"I have to admit, though, the food and people here seem to be much higher quality than other homeless shelters, what's the occasion?"

Jax did everything he could to not acknowledge Bailey, instead staring intently at Sidestep. "It's a charity event here at the Sanctuary. It's great for gaining donations and interest for the centre, as well as serving as a good way for potential residents to get a good look at the place." Cue the dazzling grin. "Plus, I mean, there's the food."

"Yeah, it's really good!" Bailey agreed through a mouthful of cheese.

Jax ignored him as much as possible, only giving a brief wince as any indication that he was even aware of the other boy's existence. 

While the conversation still wasn't going anywhere productive, Istrid did see any harm in divulging a bit more information.

"Well, my blue streaks are actually naturally colored this way, and they glow when I use my powers. What about you, you said that your powers weren't technically powers. How's that even possible?"

"Woah, so your hair just, like, naturally made itself red and blue? Patriotic," Bailey nodded with his eyes slightly squinted as he took in her appearance again. He wondered if anything would happen to the less-than-natural colouring if he spent too long around her. From what he had read on the internet (and was therefore abso-tutely, without a doubt, the truth), people with physical mutations often took on a normal form when around adapteds.

"What about you, you said that your powers weren't technically powers. How's that even possible?"

"Well, you see," Bailey began as he finished off a cupcake, "I have this really cool power." He leaned in closer to Sidestep and glanced around to make sure no one else was listening in, "it's very useful. The thing is, I can turn invisible, but only when no one is looking."

Bailey leaned back in his chair and made an explosion sound effect while making a 'mind blown' gesture with his hands. He stayed solemn for a few more seconds before laughter overtook him for nearly three times as long.

"Sorry, that was a joke. I'm an adapted. I make other peoples' powers disappear. Poof, gone, nada, nullified." The boy grinned and shrugged, "I'm technically human or something, just with a little extra gumption. Dunno how it all works; I just know what the internet told me."

"That's just wonderful." Jax rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. "Did you want to hear about Utopia or not?"

"Sure," Bailey nodded. He didn't mind one way or the other, but it seemed as though he had really annoyed Jax, so he didn't want to be any more of a bother. Simply agreeing to it seemed like the best way to do that. But at the same time, he wasn't quite finished with the topic. "But only after Sidestep here explains her powers."

"Well I guess I could tell you my powers," Istrid relented, not seeing way out of the question. "I would normally give a demonstration, but seeing as you negate powers, I'll have to explain them."

"So, my enumeration of the X-gene provides me with the capability to fabricate two proton projectiles that linger in the atmosphere and then expand to create two interconnected points in quantum space akin to an Einstein-Rosen bridge, thus permitting an object to permeate through one end of the connection to materialize at the other end. The reason my hair emits a phosphorescent luster is because the entirety of my physical self is generating the energy required in order to construct the expulsed projectiles."

As Istrid finished, she reveled in the bewilderment that her speech usually gave. Not wanting to give Bailey any time to recover for another possible tangent, she queried, "So, Jax, you said that you knew what Utopia was?"

If there was ever a moment in which the internet-created word 'welp' could accurately describe an expression, it was in that moment, about Bailey Benvolio Bishop.

He had sat silently through Istrid's spiel about her powers, neither eating nor talking for the first time since he had sat down at that table. English may have been his first language, but science was not, so many of the words went right over his head. He blinked at her in a slow manner, trying to pretend that he had understood even a little of what she was saying. However, it was clear that he did not.

"So, Jax, you said that you knew what Utopia was?"

"Yes," Jax nodded eagerly, clearly enthused by the idea of talking about something other than Bailey. "I don't know if you saw any of the announcements with Mr. Jagger, but Utopia is a mutant-only nation. It's currently being built Antartica, but don't worry, there will be year-round climate control." Dazzling grin. "There will be a place for all mutants, and there will be no need to worry about prejudice or hatred there. Hence the name, 'Utopia'."

"Sounds nice," Bailey said, his sentence free of qualifiers. 

After the dumbfoundedness that ensued, Istrid had successfully steered the conversation the way it was originally going. She made sure to keep her advantage and get as many answers as she could

"I'll admit that I haven't heard many announcements from anything. Traveling cross-country for a while will do that to you. But as far as Utopia is concerned, what's to make sure that it doesn't become a place to send mutants who mean harm and cause a tyranny."

While Istrid was interested in the possibility of going to Utopia, she didn't want to commit to something that would come back to bite her.

Jax gave her a well-timed minute so that it didn't look like he had pre-approved answers to give her. With practiced charm, he gave his answer in stride, "we'll have all the same judicial and law systems at Utopia as we do here. The same idea of democracy; the same idea of a a free country. The thing is, everything will be run by mutants, so your best interests will be what people are fighting for. It's going to be a bit of a shift from the META bot scanners that we have here, but we're hoping that it will be a smooth one, and one that benefits everyone."

Bailey nodded silently to himself as Jax spoke. It certainly sounded interesting to him, although he knew he wouldn't be allowed to go. A few weeks ago, he would have thought that he would be able to, but after new information surfaced, he knew that he would not be welcome in a nation just for mutants.

"Sounds like it'll be the place to be," he said somewhat regretfully. "Sorta wish I could go, but I guess New York is pretty cool too. Plus housing might go down if that many people leave." His mind began to whirl as he considered all the possibilities that might occur if a good percentage of the New York populous up and left.

While Bailey was busy thinking in his own little world, Jax turned to Istrid. "So, what do you think? Does the idea of Utopia interest you at all?"

Istrid listened as politely to Jax as she could, not wanting to miss a detail. While the small speech did sound rehearsed, it did do it's persuading well.

"While the system here isn't perfect, no system is. And whileI would love to try and change the social standings of mutants, there's not much that one can do living on the streets. While I understand that I may be incapable of helping, I would enjoy to know more so as to spread the message to those like me who haven't heard the news."

While Istrid was definitely entertaining the idea of joining Utopia, she knew that in any society, she would need to defend herself from something.

Aura entered the dining room and stopped at the entrance. Sanctuary had changed so much since she had been here last. For one her blood was longer decorating the floor. She had been unsure if she was going to come to the party fundraiser at all but had decided it was for the best intrest of her people. That was what matterd most and why Aura got out of bed each morning and killed each person she did, for her people.

It was for that reason her hair was in curls, she was in heels and a dress that while low cut, was modest. She was having to wear such clothing far to much in recent times. She looked around and reminded herself not everyone here was a mutant. The thought sickened her but, she took a deep breath and coated her skin with a faint, thin pink aura that would at least keep their germs off of her, she hoped. She really hated touching humans, it was creepy and felt unclean.

She found a table by herself and claimed it before getting food. She had grabbed silverware but only to take her food, once at the table she used her aura to form her utensils. She knew this made her stick out but old habits died hard. She shook her head looking around, maybe she it would have been better to mail the check. Their would be x-men here and maybe even cops and a handshake and a nice cute, sorry i murdered half your department" was probably not a good conversation starter.

“Perfect,” Jax grinned widely. “I can definitely get you set up with some more info, but maybe in a pamphlet form. I’m sure you don’t want me talking your ear off the whole night. Besides, I’m sure that you’ve got plenty of interesting things to say yourself.”

Bailey sipped a glass of water through a straw obnoxiously.

“Oh! I nearly forgot,” Jax added while shooting Bailey a death glare, “there are tours beginning of Utopia. I can totally get you set up with a date! Completely free for mutants. Don’t ask me how they got the funding - I have no idea.”

Bailey had all but tuned out the conversation out. He knew that Utopia wasn’t for him, given his lack of an x-gene, so all of the information being shared was completely useless to him. Jax may as well have been going on about sealion migration. Actually, that might have even been more interesting. Did sealions even migrate? That was the sort of thing that Bailey could have been spending his time finding out about rather than a mutant community in Antartica of all places.

He eyes glazes over and glanced lazily around the room. That lasted for a good minute and a half before he spotted someone he recognized. Her face, her stance. She was definitely familiar…

Bailey’s eyes grew wide and he threw himself under the table suddenly. The tablecloth moved with him, sliding everything on it a good two inches forward, and the table scoot across the floor with a horrible screeching noise.

“What the hell?” Jax called down to the boy who was poorly hiding.

“Shh,” Bailey hissed. There was no way he was coming out. That was Aura up there for god’s sake. Murder of hundreds, maker of bone furniture. And she was using her pink formations as cutlery.

With all of his time spent on the internet researching his own condition, Bailey had come across some interesting things. Specifically things about mutant killers like Aura, and he had not intention to die that day.

He had just come for the free food!

And here Istrid thought she could finish the day without any more problems.

As she continues to talk to Jax, she enjoyed the idea of going to Utopia more and more, even if it might not be ideal. It would mean a roof over hey head and a place to call home. But suddenly, Bailey dashed under the table, looking like he'd seen a ghost.

"What is going on?" Istrid wasn't sure what could scare Bailey. After all, he could negate any mutants powers. She took a quick glance around the room. While no one seemed to be immediately dangerous, Bailey's commotion had certainly drawn some eyes.

((OOC: Cross posting from Spasm's Table))

"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to introduce myself. Hopefully you can give me a moment," he looked to Cold Steel with a slight frown, "The police or X-Men swarming Sanctuary likely would cause an escalation and some unpleasant ramifications." He gave a simple nod, his smiling returned, and then turned to head for the Pink Lady.

"That's Aura," Bailey hissed to Istrid, as if that would explain all of his actions. He stuck out an arm towards the woman who had just sat down not too far away.

He watched her intently from his perch under the table and tried not to let himself be noticed by the woman. There was a man approaching her that he had never seen before, but he hoped that he knew what he was getting into. 

Jax turned around and studied the woman being referred to. "Wow," he raised an eyebrow. It was clear that the name did hold some connotation to him. "It looks like she's being civil."

"For now," Bailey hiss-whispered. "But a few minutes from now she could be killing all of us and making our bones into furniture!"

"Oh my god, you're a mental case," Jax leaned back in his chair and shook his head at Bailey.

After failing to piece six and nine together, Istrid had to ask the invite question. "Who's Aura? She can't be too bad if your can negate her powers." Even if Aura was a violent criminal, there was no way she would rebel herself easily and be planning on killing someone. There was never a moment where Istrid regretted being out of the loop more than this

Devon did not avert his gaze or make any play at pretending to only be casually aware of Aura. His attention and path was toward her and her table, his blue eyes studying her. She was of middle height with chestnut brown hair in curls though her pink aura gave them a reddish tint. She wasn't much older than he, even if. It was hard to tell considering her youthful, stylish appearance. She was dressed as a svelte young woman might, classic skirt and in heels no less. While Aura, and many others, could easily kill in heels, it's not something you likely planned around.

She had fashioned her Aura into her silverware. That was an interesting touch. Devon wondered what had led to that trick. Rarely at home? Worried about poison? Didn't trust silverware for fear of germs?

Devon, meanwhile in his gray pants and short-sleeved black cut-collared shirt, felt fear as well. He knew Aura's reputation, the stories they told, but it was more out of fear for what could happen here than something personal. Sanctuary needed to be a safe, neutral place. If violence broke out here, now, it'd all be over.

"Good afternoon, I'm Devon Hadden," he bowed his head a bit as he neared the table, "Would you prefer I call you Aura or do you have another name you'd rather go by? I could share my own if you wish, but Devon is fine."

((OOC: Devon will be resolving his conversation off board. I'll follow up with Aura's player later what if any convo they had.))