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 Pharoah Dynasty
An ancient sorceress is on a quest to bring her long-lost warrior-king to the modern era in a bid for global domination. Can the heroes of the modern world stop her before all is lost?
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.
Posted by Luke Jacobs on Oct 10, 2008 21:40:03 GMT -6
Omega Mutant
1,041
0
Sept 8, 2010 9:05:47 GMT -6
Many people would consider this situation strange... a burglar that could change into a tiger facing a blind hero that could actually sense better than most people could see. Well Wraith would agree... this was strange and seemingly growing stranger with every moment. Cat-boy had remained sitting in the hallway for several moments before suddenly moving farther down the hall and attempting to open another door. Without warning the cat was suddenly human again, opening the door and then backpedalling quickly as he tried to avoid the dog that was rushing forward.
Wraith tensed to rush in and keep the boy from being killed... he would arrive to late but he had to try but then the dog stopped. From this distance there was no way to be sure why but he was guessing that the boy was trying to talk to the dog. Concentrating as hard as he could Wraith reached out with his hearing, trying to catch what was being said but unfortunately only a few words filtered through.
Raising an eyebrow questioningly the shadow did his best to maintain focuse as he monitored the young man moving back into the bedroom. Apparently he didn't want to leave the house in cat form so clothes were a necessity. It had to be strange digging through someone else's wardrobe to find clothes but this is now what the young man was doing. After finally finding garments that were satisfactory the young man turned back towards his pile of stolen goods. Thankfully, with the window still open sound was a little clearer so this time Wraith had no problem picking up any words that were spoken.
"Alas, poor pilfered tea cup I hardly knew ye."
"He's not picking up the loot?" Wraith thought in astonishment as the boy turned and began to make his way back towards the bedroom door, "Was he really here just because of that dog? And a rescue? Is this some kind of animal crazy mutant that thinks everyone should roam free or something like that?" What was it you called someone like that? An eco-terrorist or something like that. That would be great for the reputation of mutants everywhere. But a question was now pressing on Wraith's mind... what should he do? Trying to stop the boy as he left with the dog would more than likely just mean another ruined set of clothes and more physical harm but it rankled him to just let a criminal walk away.
"Maybe there's more to the story... maybe I should ask him or something." The shadowy form thought to himself as he remained silent and still, crouched above the doorway, "And maybe I should just ask him to snap my neck. Great choice." More than anything it was coming down to a question of what a real hero was made of... would a real hero face odds that basically guaranteed his destruction or would he slip away in order to do more good at a future time?
Posted by Cheshire on Oct 10, 2008 22:30:16 GMT -6
Mutant God
3,233
18
Sept 24, 2018 19:41:05 GMT -6
Calley
This is not how he planned on things working. Granted that he hadn't had much of a plan to begin with: go to the house, find the dog, get the dog, leave. But that plan was simple in its... simplicity, and clearly contained no room for costumed crusaders or losing his clothes. Which he was in the bad habit of doing. Seriously. He'd even had two vampires see him naked, which had to be some kind of record. Note to self: stop breaking clothing. But moving on.
He returned to the hallway, leaving the bedroom door open behind him since he couldn't see it making much difference. The guy could be anywhere in the house by now. He wasn't much surprised to find the large dog exactly where he'd left it. Except lying down, this time, with its head on its paws. He couldn't blame it. But that was a bit of a problem. Calley moved to the stairs, and clapped his hands lamely. "Here... dog. Here, here. You know you want to come over here. Niiiiiice set of laborious stairs just waiting for you to stumble down. Gooooood set of stairs all bad for getting your heart rate and breathing up. Here, dog."
His stunningly convincing oration was falling on ears that were every bit as meh-minded as his own. The Rott had rolled his head to look at the scrawny teenager wearing its master's oversized clothes. That was about it.
Calley leveled with the dog. In quite a serious manner. "I can't get you to the Mansion unless you sort of cooperate here, dog. Com'on. DocProf is going to fix you. Maybe. So you should come with me. 'Cause I'm... Clearly workin' for the forces of good, here." Which was turning out to be an annoying change. He didn't recall any guys wielding batons and staffs attacking him during his spying missions. Really. What was the world coming to, that a hero of pure intent such as himself could get accosted by a no-good virtues-slinging meddler in the middle of an important rescue mission?
The dog yawned, then coughed wetly. It rolled its head away from him, clearly using the barest minimum of effort to do so.
"So it's gonna be like that, huh?" Calley accused. "Fine. Okay. Have it your way, Blobby. You just lie there." Calley walked over to the dog, and glowered down at it with his hands on his hips. "I'll show you." And then, in a move that was clearly well planned, he stooped down and stuck his hands under the dog's belly, and lifted.
There was much subsequent stumbling. He actually made it to the bottom of the steps before he realized he'd better A) sit down quickly, or B) face plant the both of them. Oof. Option A it was, then. Wuff, the dog protested. Or laughed. Calley was hoping it was a protest. The large dog lay in his lap where they'd both dropped, on the last step. Its stub of a tail gave an amused twitch.
"I hate you, too." He informed it. And now he had a Rottweiler on top of him. Why was he rescuing a dog, again? He didn't even like dogs. Being good sucked.
Posted by Luke Jacobs on Oct 11, 2008 7:09:34 GMT -6
Omega Mutant
1,041
0
Sept 8, 2010 9:05:47 GMT -6
Decision time was swiftly approaching once again only this time it was Wraith that was going to have to make the decision. The dog wasn't protesting about cat-boy being there and had actually layed back down causing Wraith to wonder if the dog was all right or if there were problems with the animal. "Maybe the dog is abused or sick and this animal lover is out to try and save it... but why start to steal stuff if all you want to do is safe a dog?" He silently pondered as cat-boy walked over towards the dog and then apparently tried to coax it over towards the steps.
Shaking his head slowly back and forth Wraith came to a decision... it was probably the stupidest think he could have decided since becoming some type of crime fighter but he was going to follow it through. Collapsing his staff again Wraith dropped lightly to the ground and then slipped inside.
Being back inside the house again made sound carry so much better... sonar had always been Wraith's strongest gift but his hearing was better than most although he did have to focus more in order to use it. with the house adding a touch of echo to the voices though, it was now much easier to him to hear cat-boy still talking.
"I can't get you to the Mansion unless you sort of cooperate here, dog. Com'on. DocProf is going to fix you. Maybe. So you should come with me. 'Cause I'm... Clearly workin' for the forces of good, here."
Good? Had he just said he was working with the forces of good? If both of them got out of this alive without being total enemies, Wraith was going to have to talk to cat-boy about his sense of right and wrong. Last time he had checked, burlary and some vandalism wasn't good. Crouching in the living area just in line of sight of the bottom of the stairs where the boy would see him when he came down Wraith waited... he wasn't huge on conversation but this situation probably did deserve done.
"So it's gonna be like that, huh? Fine. Okay. Have it your way, Blobby. You just lie there. I'll show you."
The next few moments were rather comical actually... when not in cat form, the boy was not overly big or overly strong by all indications as he struggled to carry the large dog down the stairs. Every step was labored with plenty of stumbling thrown in. Several time Wraith though he was goign to have to leap forward and catch them but the boy kept recovering just in time. Finally at the bottom of the stares it appeared to be to much and the boy sat down rather hard on the bottom step.
"I hate you, too." The boy told the dog somewhat wearily as he just sat there with the large animal on top of him.
"There's a couple of things I just don't get about you kid." Wraith spoke up, his voice as gravelly and rough as ever, "Why start steeling stuff when all you really want is the dog and why try to rescue that animal when you hate it? I bet you'd even give a shrink a run for his money."
For the moment Wraith was remaining as non-threatening as possible... crouched by the end of the couch with both of his weapons put away and simply looking at the young man waiting for some sort of answer. It was an odd situation but according to New York standards it probably wasn't even worth a second glance. "This city will probably give me ulcers later one... how does so much strangeness end up in one place?"
>> "There's a couple of things I just don't get about you kid."
You know what's really hard? Jumping out of your skin with a Rottweiler sitting on you. Calley's body tried anyway. And failed. The dog gave a wuff at the jarring that was, that time, definitely a protest. It rallied its legs under itself, and slothed off of Calley's lap to a seat on the floor. It looked down at its paws. Whomp. Sitting was too much trouble: it lay down again.
>> "Why start stealing stuff when all you really want is the dog and why try to rescue that animal when you hate it?"
You know what's really easy? Jumping to your feet when you weren't being pinned down anymore. Calley skittered a few jumping steps back up the stairs, making no great attempts at subtlety in his retreat. He balanced at the edge of a stair about halfway up on the balls of his bare feet, ready to run. Somewhere. He'd work that out later. There hadn't been shoes in the bedroom, so Calley wasn't wearing any--just the way he liked it. Down there in the living room, next to the couch, was crouched a lovely shadowed figure that he'd just been dying to see again. Really. It had a voice like it ate gravel and the bones of young baddies for breakfast. Fee-fii-foo-justice! Hark, how his life had been so clearly incomplete without that voice.
>> "I bet you'd even give a shrink a run for his money."
"Yuh-huh. You've got no idea." Calley replied warily, trying to make out whether the guy was still holding his staff. Not that he could tell. Baton? Didn't look like it. Small, easily-concealed-in-palm weapon of surprise pwnage? Probably. Why else would the guy be keeping his distance like that? Maybe it had a warm-up time. That would explain why he was stalling with speech. "So what? Round three, now? 'Cause I warned you the first time: I'll growl at you. Potentially even, you know, claw you or something." He tried to be intimidating while he gave that warning. Having the high ground helped. Breaking out into a cold sweat and shoving his hands in his pants pockets because they were shaking didn't. Not so much. "And for the record, hating something is a pretty crappy reason to leave it to die. And anyone who lets their dog get this sick can go ahead and complain when they find a few teacups missing and a few lamps unplugged. I'm pretty sure it's called vigilante justice. Ever heard of it?" He asked, looking directly at the hooded man in the costume. With the staff. And the baton. And the lectures. You know, on that note: "And I'm not on drugs, thanks. My power just hates me. Thanks. Drugs would be a lot easier to fix."
Posted by Luke Jacobs on Oct 12, 2008 7:06:55 GMT -6
Omega Mutant
1,041
0
Sept 8, 2010 9:05:47 GMT -6
Extending his palms slightly, Wraith opened his hands to show that for the moment at least he was unarmed. It had been rather comical watching the boy jump at his voice but he had kept his laughter and amusement hidden inside... deep inside.
"Yuh-huh. You've got no idea. So what? Round three, now? 'Cause I warned you the first time: I'll growl at you. Potentially even, you know, claw you or something. And for the record, hating something is a pretty crappy reason to leave it to die. And anyone who lets their dog get this sick can go ahead and complain when they find a few teacups missing and a few lamps unplugged. I'm pretty sure it's called vigilante justice. Ever heard of it? And I'm not on drugs, thanks. My power just hates me. Thanks. Drugs would be a lot easier to fix."
This kid was out there... way out there. His idea of vigilante justice would deffinately be giving shrinks something to debate and write case studies about for months and maybe even years. "I can't say I'm really interested in round three... all your doing is taking an apparently sick dog that seems to have seen MUCH better days. You left the loot upstairs, although you did break the poor guys teacup." Wraith spoke, his voice leveling out slightly although the gravel could still be heard a little. It was tough forcing your vocal chords to do things like that when it wasn't natural... out of costume he had a very smooth and melodious voice but to keep things different he forced the roughness in while in costume. "I need a cup of hot tea when I get home... as big as I can get." He thought as he fought of the urge to reach up and massage his throat. This was probably the most he had talked as Wraith for quite some time.
Slowly standing upright Wraith just crossed his arms across his chest watching the boy for several moments. "So what makes the dog so important anyway... you one of those animals lovers that thinks all of the city should be open and wild like the plains of Africa?"
"I might need to go talk to a shrink myself... I can't remember ever hearing about a hero that would stand around chatting with the criminal." He thought to himself, "Shrink would probably say I sympathized or wanted to be like them... not what I need to here that's for sure." Ok... so maybe there were two case studies that could take years to examine both standing in the same room. Just the fact he wore a costume probably would have given most psychiatrists fits.
Maybe he should think about a career change... this hero stuff might not be quite what he was cut out for. I mean the kid was still stealing whether it was only the dog or every darn thing in the house but for some reason Wraith drew a difference between the two situation in his mind.
Posted by Cheshire on Oct 12, 2008 21:23:39 GMT -6
Mutant God
3,233
18
Sept 24, 2018 19:41:05 GMT -6
Calley
>> "I can't say I'm really interested in round three... all you're doing is taking an apparently sick dog that seems to have seen MUCH better days. You left the loot upstairs, although you did break the poor guy's teacup."
The guy's voice changed a little towards that last bit. Calley's eyes narrowed. And why was that, huh? Something wrong with breaking a teacup? Something funny? 'Cause if moving from gravel to sand Masky's way of laughing, then maybe Calley should have mauled him. This was not funny. This was clearly very serious. Truly serious. This was a serious situation they had, here. The man who'd tackled him to the ground and tried to brain him with a baton should understand just how serious it was.
Annnd he was standing. Calley jumped. In the literal sense, that had him landing two steps further up with the unconscious balance that spoke of much practical practice. Cross his arms, would he? Well, Calley would... glare. That'd teach him. Several long moments passed. One of Calley's feet had landed half-on, half-off the step, so that his weight was resting on the arch of that foot. Oww. Oww oww oww. He tried to discretely shift all his weight over to his other leg. As for actually moving the foot in question: one did not move one's feet while glaring. It was not done.
>> "So what makes the dog so important anyway... you one of those animals lovers that thinks all of the city should be open and wild like the plains of Africa?"
A crisp burst of Brief 'n' Cynical Brand Laughter™ split the air. "Umm, no. I kinda like the city how it is." Rats and pigeons and mice and sparrows, alleyways and gutters and parks and apartments--this place was a haven for animals. Especially cats. Having spent two years as one before unwisely admitting to the rest of the world that he was a mutant, Calley wouldn't have the place any other way. And a nice house or apartment was good to be locked up in, for a bit. Kinda warm, kinda loving. Until the urge to run away grew and grew again. But it had to be a nice house. This? This was not a nice house.
"What?" He accused. "Would you need a reason like that to save something? Com'on, Mister Morals. The dog's dying. Or does your brand of justice like to stick to sneak-attacking teenagers in hallways and trying to club their heads in after you've blinded them with weird ghostie after-images? 'Cause that's real mature." Calley liked to say at least one ironic thing per minute.
Posted by Luke Jacobs on Oct 13, 2008 5:14:36 GMT -6
Omega Mutant
1,041
0
Sept 8, 2010 9:05:47 GMT -6
"Umm, no. I kinda like the city how it is. What?" Cat-boy said accusingly. "Would you need a reason like that to save something? Com'on, Mister Morals. The dog's dying. Or does your brand of justice like to stick to sneak-attacking teenagers in hallways and trying to club their heads in after you've blinded them with weird ghostie after-images? 'Cause that's real mature."
Ok... so the kid had attitude... lots of attitude... in fact he was pretty obnoxious. But what else could you expect from a kid that could turn himself into a tiger? Wraith could just picture when his dad had gone to punish him for something. Yelling for the boy to come to him so he could use his belt and then this tiger suddenly bounds in... would have been kind of comical except for the fact that the dad probably had a heart attack or something.
"My... brand... of justic sticks to abiding by the law." Wraith replied cooly, clearly unflustered by his smart-ass remarks, "So I can't say I've much thought about breaking into someone's home in order to save a dog I've never met. So obviously you must break into homes all the time looking for sick animals or, you've seen this dog before and knew that it needed some kind of help."
Oh yeah... they were both crazy... certifiable in fact. Why in the world was he still standing here debating with cat-boy about the way life shoudl be lived? He had to make a choice here and frankly, he didn't like the way he was beginning to feel. Was he actually beginning to feel guilty? He was wasn't he... the little punk was beginning to guilt trip him and he was doing a good job at it.
"I can't believe I'm about to say this." Wraith muttered under his breath as he continued standing there with his arms crossed before raising his voice up to a normal speaking level, "So if you're so gonna save the dog where are you taking it and how're you gonna get it there?"
>> "My... brand... of justice sticks to abiding by the law."
Calley realized that now was an excellent time to yawn discretely into his hand. "Uh-huh," he said idly, trying his hardest to invest his voice with a total and complete lack of effort. "I'm likin' the costume, Mister Law Abider."
>> "So I can't say I've much thought about breaking into someone's home in order to save a dog I've never met. So obviously you must break into homes all the time looking for sick animals or, you've seen this dog before and knew that it needed some kind of help."
He scratched at an itch on his elbow. "Uh-huh. Are you done reading into my actions, or should I give you a few minutes?" Maybe antagonizing the guy wasn't a good idea. But the day before last, Calley had survived a death match with his personal boogey man, and come within a whisker of frying his own brain out in the process. And here he was, feeling murky and miserable, but trying to do his first honest-to-goodness good deed. And what did we have here? A vigilante. Who seemed to be done attacking him, but wasn't done questioning him, apparently. So Calley's methods didn't make any sense. So what? Calley had spent the last year putting up with someone else's opinions about how he worked. He was done. Finished. Out of that, and never letting it happen again. Therefore: he was not putting up with this guy. It just wasn't gonna happen. He was his own cat-boy, with every bit of the personality that implied.
>> "So if you're so gonna save the dog where are you taking it and how're you gonna get it there?"
"Uh-huh," he began again, lifting up the foot that had landed badly to scritch at his other leg, and incidentally settling it down quite a bit more comfortably. "I..." It took a few seconds for the guy's actual words to set it. "Err." He shoved his hands in his pockets again. Not because they were shaking; just because. "I've got a car. I can sort of drive--I mean, it's not that hard. I'm not completely stupid, you know. I'm taking it back to the Mansion. There's a healer mutant there. I just... need to figure out how to get it to the car. I'm not completely stupid." He somehow felt the need to repeat that last line. "And what are you going to do? Wait 'til I pick him up again, and trip me?" He had a very high opinion of the man's actions, so far. They'd been ever-so-helpful.
Seriously, this was lookin' to be the last time he tried being good without some sort of clear reward. It just wasn't worth it.
Posted by Luke Jacobs on Oct 13, 2008 5:55:54 GMT -6
Omega Mutant
1,041
0
Sept 8, 2010 9:05:47 GMT -6
"Uh-huh, I'm likin' the costume, Mister Law Abider."
Total attitude... this deffinately needed to be one of the last times he worked around teenagers. How in the world did they expect to survive with that kind of attitude? "By being able to change into a large cat of course... how else?" Wraith thought to himself rather ironically.
"Uh-huh. Are you done reading into my actions, or should I give you a few minutes? Uh-huh, I... Err. I've got a car. I can sort of drive--I mean, it's not that hard. I'm not completely stupid, you know. I'm taking it back to the Mansion. There's a healer mutant there. I just... need to figure out how to get it to the car. I'm not completely stupid. And what are you going to do? Wait 'til I pick him up again, and trip me?
Wraith slowly shook his head... was he really considering helping cat-boy? "It's just because he mentioned a mansion and other mutants... I'm curious... that's it... everything... nothing else." He silently defending himself in his mind but he knew that wasn't all. The kid had managed to guilt trip him enough that combined with his curiosity, there was no way he could do anything but help.
Walking over to the dog Wraith crouched by it and began to gently stroke its neck and head... there was the slightest sound of a growl deep in its throat for several moments before it decided that the costumed man wasn't really a threat after all.
"How about you just show me where your car is." Wraith said quietly, doing his best to keep the voice emotionless as he lifted the dog in his arms and slowly stood up once more. The dog was heavy... yep... deffinately heavy. "Gotta increase my weight and reps over the next few weeks. This shouldn't be such a strain." He thought to himself as he felt the muscles in his back and arms working overtime.
"Can we get a move on here? This dog is a little heavy even for me." Wraith spoke, his head swiveling to focus on cat-boy once more. Seriously... couldn't this kid just accept help when it was offered?
Accepting help when it was offered was a difficult concept for Calley to grasp. It seemed to require some sort of experience with accepting help in the past, which carried the prerequisite of help being offered in the past. Calley's family was stocked with independents: no help there, or thought of help. The Sanctuary has been sort of helpful, in that Isabel had taken him in as a cat and kept her Kitten fed. The Kabal was so far from helpful that an orphan actually choked to death every time he thought about it. The Mansion was sort of helpful, sort of, if you were into that 'accepting help' thing. Which brings us back to the beginning: Calley wasn't too used to people offering to help him. No, not so much.
>> "How about you just show me where your car is."
But there stood the man, holding the dog. That, friends, was a picture of help fit for the dictionary. Calley couldn't help but stare.
>> "Can we get a move on here? This dog is a little heavy even for me."
"I, ah... umm..." Calley blinked, and slowly padded down the stairs. "It's just down the block. You can... follow me, I guess. Umm... thank you?" He led the way back out the door with the broken window, craning his head around every second step or so to check if the man was still following. A sense of minor disbelief built behind his eyes as the answer kept coming up 'yes'. "Err, why are you doing this? If that's not completely rude to ask. Answer optional, I guess. Umm..." He glanced back again. "And my name is Calley. I guess."
Posted by Luke Jacobs on Oct 13, 2008 6:54:56 GMT -6
Omega Mutant
1,041
0
Sept 8, 2010 9:05:47 GMT -6
The kid had to be in shock... completely and total shock... and how would Wraith know that? Because he was experiencing almost the same thing. Why in the world had he picked up the dog and offered to help? What in the world was he thinking?!
"I, ah... umm... It's just down the block. You can... follow me, I guess. Umm... thank you? Err, why are you doing this? If that's not completely rude to ask. Answer optional, I guess. Umm... And my name is Calley. I guess."
"Completely selfish motives Calley... you've got me curious about a mansion and healer mutant." He was probably coming across a little more gruff than he needed but he was still a little frustrated with himself. What in the world was he thinking? Maybe it was time to get out of this costume... maybe that was all he needed. A change of look and hopefully a change of mentality. He liked to help people but this still felt wrong. I mean, even if the dog was sick it was still stealing.
"And maybe you've got me wondering about my own motives." He finally admitted, hopefully taking away from of the gruffness from his previous motives. "And, in costume I'm Wraith. I'll introduce myself out of costume when I'm actually out of costume."
This was so stupid... maybe he did need to go see a shrink after all. Were there psychiatrists that specialized in mutant patients? He'd have to check the phonebook and internet when he got home.
>> "Completely selfish motives Calley... you've got me curious about a mansion and healer mutant."
The guy's voice made it sound like that answer was being dragged out over hot coals. With a wince, Calley went back to looking straight forwards as he led the way. The guy was helping, but it wasn't exactly a favorite hobby of his. Right. "So, ah," he attempted to make conversation, "you've never heard of the Mansion before? I mean, it's The Mansion. Xavier's School." Calley glanced back to check for recognition--and to check if the guy was still there, of course--then whipped his head forward again. This was just about the pinnacle of awkward.
>> "And maybe you've got me wondering about my own motives. And, in costume I'm Wraith. I'll introduce myself out of costume when I'm actually out of costume."
Calley spun easily on his heel, and grinned as he danced a few steps walking backwards. "Nice to meet you, Wraith-in-Costume. I look forward to hearing the supreme secret of your out-of-hood moniker." About-face! He started walking normally again. Just in time. "That's the car," he said, with a touch of pride. "It's my first." He felt the need to add.
They were coming up on a Volvo. It was approximately the brown of road dirt. Its shape was a result of its heritage: its mother had been a Russian tank, and its father a disillusioned shoe box. Its awkward teenage years had left it scarred along its paint with old acne blisters of rust. Then it had caught chicken pox. Later, ring worm. By the time it had that nasty bout of shingles, there really wasn't much paint left to touch. It hung heavily over its wheels, daring tow trucks everywhere to try it. Just try it.
"It's a 1981," Calley felt the urge to share, as he pulled at the handle of the backdoor. ...Pull. Tug? He set his foot against the side, and heaved. Scrreeeech! The back door lurched open. He stumbled back, brushing off his hands and panting just a little. "Which means it's actually older than me. By a lot. Isn't that cool?"
Calley had always laughed a little on the inside at Geo, and the people like him who could talk for hours about their ride of choice. But Calley had never had a car of his own before. They were awesome.
Posted by Luke Jacobs on Oct 13, 2008 7:36:32 GMT -6
Omega Mutant
1,041
0
Sept 8, 2010 9:05:47 GMT -6
"So, ah, you've never heard of the Mansion before? I mean, it's The Mansion. Xavier's School."
"No... I'm afraid I've never heard of Xavier's school. I've heard of Charles Xavier of course. I remember him be interviewed at different times when I was younger but I don't really know anythinga bout him or his school."
"Nice to meet you, Wraith-in-Costume. I look forward to hearing the supreme secret of your out-of-hood moniker. That's the car, It's my first."
Without real eyes there was no way to see exactly what condition the car was in. From the smell it had a slight oil leak... gas leak... anti-freeze leak... and maybe even brake fluid leak. As Calley spoke again and tugged at the handle of the backdoor Wraith could hear just how old this vehicle really was. Almost rusted completely shut from the sound of it.
"It's a 1981. Which means it's actually older than me. By a lot. Isn't that cool?"
"First car is always exciting... at least that's what I hear." Wraith replied quietly, his voice evening out a little as he placed the dog on the seat in the back of the car. Outwardly he was trying to project calmness but inside his mind was racing. What in the world kind of impression would he make if he showed up at this school in his work clothes? If he was really going to go see this mansion it would be better if he were in his normal day to day clothes but that would deffinately necessitate telling Calley exactly who he was.
"Any chance you can make a slight detour on the way to the school?" Wraith asked as he stepped away from the door and turned to face Calley, "I'd like to change into my street clothes if it doesn't bother you."
"What in the world am I thinking? Am I really about to show this guy who I am out of uniform? It'll probably mark me as the stupidest hero ever but for some reason I just feel like I should. What would a mutant school be like? Something just makes me want to see it... although not literally." He thought to himself as he waited for the younger man to respond.
>> "No... I'm afraid I've never heard of Xavier's school. I've heard of Charles Xavier of course. I remember him be interviewed at different times when I was younger but I don't really know anything about him or his school."
Calley gave a nod. "Yep, that's the right Xavier. It's a school for mutants. Two schools, actually--I go to the sister school. The main school is full-up, I think."
>> "First car is always exciting... at least that's what I hear."
Somehow, Calley sensed less enthusiasm about the car from Wraith than he himself had. But that's okay. Clearly, the man was just jealous. It was hard not to be jealous of the 1981 Volvo. He put his back against the door, braced his feet against the curb, and shoved. The door thought carefully for a moment, then banged shut. Calley stayed leaned against the car's side, getting his breath back.
>> "Any chance you can make a slight detour on the way to the school? I'd like to change into my street clothes if it doesn't bother you."
Calley tilted his head. Tiiiiilt. "Yeah," he answered simply. "No problem. You got a car around here, somewhere? Should I follow you, or should we just meet up some place?"
----
'Meet up someplace' it was. The place in question was a fairly arbitrary landmark: a little park just outside of the city proper, and a relatively short close drive to the school. It had a small fountain that hadn't yet been shut off for the year. Brightly colored leaves, silver and black in the moonlight, floated in the rippling surface of its pool. Calley had gotten there first, what with not having to go anywhere else or change into any other clothes (though he'd like to. Very much. There was a random stiff patch just below the left knee of these pants that he really really didn't think he could avoid thinking about for much longer). The 1981 Volvo was parked on the street about twenty feet away. Its backseat passenger had snuffled a bit during the ride, then laid down its head and set to staring out the window. Which was, for the record, cracked open.
As he waited, he balanced around the pool's edge, his bare toes neatly wrapping themselves to the thin ledge's curve. With his arms stretched out to either side for balance, he looked about what he was: a teenager who hadn't fully crossed the line to 'adult' yet. No crime, there.
Posted by Luke Jacobs on Oct 13, 2008 8:10:21 GMT -6
Omega Mutant
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Sept 8, 2010 9:05:47 GMT -6
As soon as Calley had driven off with his... precious cargo Wraith walked over to where he had stashed his motorcycle.
"I can not believe I'm doing this... I just can't believe it." He muttered to himself as he once again mounted the mashine and kicked it back to life. "What am I thinking?" The ride was rather short and in just a few minutes he was pulling the motorcycle up to a small storage building that was owned by the same parent company that owned the motorcycle he was currently riding. Turning off the engine he walked the vehicle in and carefully closed the large storage door, locking it securely before he set about his transformation.
As soon as the hood and visor was off, he felt like Luke once again. There was no multiple personality disorder or anything but he did feel like there was a completely different persona being in street clothes compared to being in his costume. In under five minutes Luke was dressed in what was probably his most common clothing choice... nice jeans that fit just a little loosely so he could move easily, a button up shirt of some color... from the stitching on the label that his tailor always added he knew it must be a silver color. Carefully rolling his sleeves up to the elbow Luke then grabbed a pair of nice black sneakers and slipped them on. He had never been big on dressy shoes that didn't have traction since you never knew what kind of action you might need to take. After shrugging on a dark gray blazer and slipping on his sunglasses all that was left was grabbing his cane.
"Well, Mr. Jacobs... I believe it's time to go meet young Mr. Calley." Luke spoke, stretching his vocal chords again as he tested his voice to make sure it sounded like normal once more.
***
The walk to the park had been accomplished brisky and efficiently so that he arrived only about eight to ten minutes after Calley had. Slowing his steps Luke walked carefully, his cane slowly tapping back and forth in front of him as he walked through the park. More than likely cat-boy would be suspicious of the blind man but Luke was curious whether he could surprise the young man at least a little. As the distance to the fountain closed Luke made his way towards the young man, finally stopping next to the fountain as though simply listening to the water.
"Nice night for a walk but I think a drive would be better." Luke spoke, his voice smooth and normal instead of the rough gravel he had been using throughout the night, "Shouldn't be on our way so we don't arrive at the mansion to late?"