Bantering was fun. Lily giggled. She didn't usually giggle, it being a not so polite form of cheerfulness... but she didn't really care right now. Fun was fun, and that was that.
"As far as I know he doesn't. But I haven't talked to him in a while. I don't really talk to anyone from my family that doesn't live here."
Oh. Her smile softened a bit, and she hesitated for a moment, not sure what to say.
"Oh... because of the mutant issue?..."
It was weird, to imagine how it would feel not being in contact with her family. True, hers was a very small one - Maman, Dad and Lily, with some relations who only showed up for big family gatherings once in a blue moon - but she did miss her parents. Even though there was a lot going on that kept her mind off being homesick. But she talked to them on the phone almost every day.
"I'd love to meet your sister... if she shows up." she glanced around "Or maybe later, if she is not coming to the wedding."
Finishing her drink, she set her glass down on the table, and rested her chin in her palm, deciding to lighten the mood.
"Till then I'll just do my duties as a sidekick and look at you in awe." she smirked, batting her eyelashes and assuming an authentic look of awe and admiration. And biting back a grin.

Verdigris took the arm offered to her, slipping her elbow through his she walked beside him towards where the bride was involved with a man in a way that could only be described as an infamous ‘snuggle-glomp’. Strange. As they got closer the bride slipped from the man’s back and began to shake his hand enthusiastically. Verdigris slowly removed her arm from the groom until she was standing beside him in a completely non-attached way. She would not be involved in any strange rituals between man and wife and wedding guests. The young man with bright blue eyes looked at her solemnly, as Sebastian introduced her, seemingly undisturbed by the actions happening around him.

~~“What kind of jobs do you prefer?”

The man sounded a little distracted and with the way the bride was pumping his hand like it was cheap gas it was no surprise. Verdigris thought for a moment. She had worked part time as a waitress back at home, but nothing permanent or even regular since she had been in New York. The occasional washed window or odd job for spare change didn’t really count, so she threw her mind to what she was good at. Stealing things that nobody wanted didn’t really seem like the sort of thing you put on a resume, neither was being a human shotgun.

“I’m willing to work wherever I would be of most use in whatever position you have available, Sir. I could touch type three years ago and I can read and write fluently once I get my glasses fixed. I know… some about computers but not a lot. I don’t mind manual work but I’m not great at lifting heavy things.”

She paused for a moment and considered the pros and cons of revealing her possession of an active x-gene to a potential employer. She decided there would be no point in trying to hide it and better to show upfront honesty than to lie and be found out later.

“I have a live mutation, the ability, to fire objects from my palm, but I have never killed anyone and I don’t use it except in self defence.”

And to find loose change or other small objects a homeless teenager could use… Pants? She took a long, slow breath in and decided not to make any comment, this was no normal wedding, she knew that. If the horn projecting from the grooms head was not enough of an indication the conversations were a bit of a give-away.

~~“I run Mondragon Labs. Also, I rebuilt a school in Colombia. I was attempting to go to high school at the Mansion, as well, but I failed all my classes.”

So he was not just a boss, he was a BIG boss. When Sebastian had offered to introduce her she was expecting someone the head of a lower division, not of the whole thing. She swallowed. Definitely underdressed for the occasion. Not wearing a dress, or even a skirt was fine for the wedding but now, confronted with this opportunity where first impressions were vital she was in bloodstained jeans and a tank top.

~~”Mind if I interrupt?”

Verdigris glanced from the groom to the glowing bride who beamed at her. The bride dipped and Verdigris bowed her head awkwardly, how do you reply to the bride talking openly about having someone else’s pants. She forced her mind to innocent images of the boss tearing the knee of his jeans and the pale bride offering kindly to patch them. The boss, dressed impeccably in a suit was difficult to cram into her mental jeans, but she managed it finally. She shook the brides hand nervously, this was her right hand she was offering to the clinging woman. She needed that hand in case of self defence or in looking for a non-stolen meal. The bride let go swiftly though, almost shorter than the average handshake.

~”How do you do?”

Verdigris smiled, she did not know this woman, had never seen her before, but she had a friendly face, albeit a little pale.

“I am well, thankyou, and congratulations.”

And now the conversation switched to cats. Verdigris smiled slightly, there was a cat that sometimes visited her behind her dumpster and demanded the scraps from her skimpy meals. Mostly she said no but occasionally, if she had found an amount of money greater than the occasional coin, she would share the small amount she had. The bride accepted the grooms offer to dance with a grin and Verdigris smiled, love was love, no matter who it was shared between. She felt a tiny twinge of jealousy but squashed it like a squirming spider. Her time may yet come, look at the wedding couple. They were not in their teens, they looked to be in their twenties at least and you could get married at almost any age now if you found ‘the one’, if indeed you wanted to live together and never get married that was also an option, although still frowned upon by some.

Music began to play as the bride and groom took to the area of floor, grass, whatever, left open for dancing. She looked at the boss- Mister Slate she internally corrected herself- and tried to judge his height without appearing rude. She had not danced since the compulsory lessons in year nine, but the memory of a partner a head and a half shorter than her played in her mind. Touching the bottom earring in her right ear nervously she glanced around. No other couples were dancing yet, so she wouldn’t have to unless she was asked.

“I also have two left feet.”

There was no harm in Mister Slate knowing that.

(If I missed anybody, I apopolgize. This thread is getting away from me.)


That giggle was music to his ears, that meant that she wasn’t just being polite and not ripping her hand from his clutches, that sound was a gateway into flirtation land.

~~"You know those people well I see. But at least I have a better chance of defending myself than most."

“Indeed you do, but again I doubt you’d ever have to.”



~~"Um dance? I don't...that is, uh, I don't think I'd be very good at dancing. No one's ever really asked me before..."

Pluto raised her hand lightly ensuring not to tug on her to hard at all , but he did manage to raise her hand above her head and spin her lightly, he ensured to give her enough space, for her tail to make the space between them. He appreciated her as she spun. “ Oh I think you will manage.” She was graceful, she would have seemed graceful with out all the melds, but the grace with the melds, in spite of the melds made her seem all the more graceful. He was now being forward, he had her on tilt and just might keep her there, he hooked his arm carefully through hers and started to lead her away.

~~"Koga." "Koga, come over here so you can meet my cousin! And give me that champagne. That's not fruit punch. Though, Kokoro here has fruit punch, if you,"

Koga walked over after breaking the look he was returning to Slate something was furrowing his brow about him and he didn’t care for it. “Your Cousssin! Champagne?” He glanced at the drink and flick his tongue over the air above the drink and his eyes widended, I sawre I had Ginger Ale a minute ago. Doc prof gave it to me and everything?” He sounded confused as to how the drink got into his hand. And then he started to blush. Shin wanted him to do what with the fruit punch now? He looked at His cousins dress and gave Shinbo a surprised look.

He offered Kokoro a traditional bow. “Nice to meet you, Koko-chan.” She was pretty, and punch happy.

And then Shin’s words hit him give me that drink, it isn’t fruit punch…Kokoro has fruit punch all over her….and? wait, what the heck was going on here?

~~"Kokoro, this is Kasumi. My girlfriend. Kasumi, my cousin Kokoro. The punch-covered lady in red."

“Hi Kasumi!” came another quiet bow.

He looked back at Slate again, he was getting a weird vibe off of mister I can give you your arm back.

Tarin’s eyebrow raised as Lee actually turned away to find the man she’d sent away with a word. Usually Tarin would have condoned the action, but something about the way this fellow was acting suggested that he wasn’t really much of a threat. Lee was Lee, too, and if Tarin had learned one thing it was that his jealousy was completely misplaced if Lee had anything to do with the situation. Other men might gawk and try to lavish attention on her, but for some reason she was only interested in his. Tarin had finally started learning to just not question any of it and go with the flow, so he followed a little behind his wife, still wondering if she had something special on under that dress.

Why the man was persisting with all the theatrics, Tarin had no clue, but persist he did. Tarin couldn’t really argue with the fact that Lee was a goddess, but this was all just a little bit over the top. At least the guy, Juka, understood the situation and Tarin nodded his head slowly in confirmation of the man’s guess. “Yup, she’s my goddess. I don’t mind sharing her for a dance or two though, if she wants. We’ve never been much for dancing.”

As to the rest of what Juka had said, “Believe me. I know every bit how lucky I am to have this particular goddess. Just don’t forget it. I‘m Tarin, Tarin Brooks, by the way” he added with a smile and offered hand, then looked around at the rest of the assembled guests. “I think I’m going to go mingle for a while Lee. There are a couple of people whose brains I’d like to pick about a few shop things.”

The pallid shock face plastered over Alexandra's face was priceless. Roland fingered the handle of the knife as his eyes absorbed and drank it in. Her eyes betrayed her, flashing off to his right. He began to turn his head to see what the focus was when he received a tap on his shoulder. Turning back to the left, he saw Miss Altair passing him, demanding a piece of cake be saved. " Sure thing, Vega. Of course, I thought the bride got the first piece." Perhaps thsi was a quickly arranged gathering due to a little unicorn on the way. That might explain the bride's appetite.

Returning to his initial point of focus, his head swiveled to find another old friend. The little tyrant, sipping punch and cavorting. Roland caressed the knife gingerly now, imagining a slice of slate being cut just about as easily as the frosting. His eyes returned to the buxom babe before him. " Are you a friend of the bride or the groom? I'm Vega's friend." His head tilted back in the direction of the dancing damsel. He imagined what words would be spoken now that she was off the clock. Or was she?

To say Meld was surprsied when Pluto guided her to a gentle spin was an understatement. People just didn't react that way towards her, although she was beginning to come to the very definate realization that Pluto wasn't just any person. He was unalike anyone she had previously met and that was nothing but posative.

Meld laughed, a sound uniquely joyous and not one to often come from her. In fact, she couldnt' remember the last time she had really laughed. She was pleased to not that she didn't fall dramatically on her face during the unexpected spinning, quite the contrary it seemed. She knew she had a natural grace; years of martial arts training had seen to that and her flesh meld's had only improved her natural agility, especially her tail. It struck her as ironic, suddenly that it had been Abyss that was the inspiration behind her forging a tail for herself at all. Dancing itself, however, was new to her. But, Pluto seemed pleased with how she had reacted so, for now at least, that would be enough.

"Why, of course I'll dance with you," Meld replied, smirking at Pluto's forwardness. She allowed him to hook her arm and lead her out to the dance floor. "As long as your certain I won't humiliate you." It was said jokingly although there was just a touch of concern in her tone.

Juka turned when she called him, and after he saw, and then started to talk to Tarin behind her, he didn't look nearly as upset as he had when she had first reacted to him.

And then Tarin responded, and Lee couldn't stop the slight blush from crossing her face as she heard Tarin's comment that she was in fact his goddess. That was definitely further than she had ever heard him take that sort of thing with her before, though she had heard on a number of occasions that Tarin knew just how lucky he was to be with her. Just like she knew how lucky she was to be with him. And how much she both wanted and needed to be with him. So Lee turned to look back at Juka as Tarin introduced himself.

And then say that he was going to go mingle as there were people he wanted to talk to about 'shop stuff'. Which meant he was leaving her alone with Juka. Not that that was a huge surprise since she had agreed to come apologize, and not that Lee had any question about being able to take care of herself, but with how he was just going this suddenly like this it was kind of surprising.

"Alright hon," Lee said over her shoulder as she assumed Tarin started to walk away. There were far too many people there at the wedding for her to have any idea for sure without actually turning to look. "And I'm Lee Brooks," she said as she fully turned her head back to Juka. But now what was she supposed to do?

Streak smiled at Lily's giggling. He hadn't heard her giggle before and it was cute. But the conversation soon turned serious with his mention of not speaking to his family. "Ya that's pretty much the reason. There's some other things as well, but it doesn't matter. I prefer the people here to them anyways." There was some other things that were part of the problem. What he'd said was only a beginning of the problem. There were some things that he didn't wan to discuss at the moment. And right now, his family was one of those subjects.

"Good so we've agreed that you're the sidekick. I'm glad we've gotten that out of the way." He said as he smiled at her. Staring at him him in awe was one of the funniest things that he'd seen her do. Streak looked around to see if his sister was there. He finally spotted her by the drinks with Dominic. "Oh there she is..." He said pointing in her direction. The silver eyed man finished his drink also and said, "Let's go say hi." Shawn started to get up and waited for Lily to follow him. He held out his hand and waited for her to take it before he made his way over to his sister.

"Good so we've agreed that you're the sidekick. I'm glad we've gotten that out of the way."
Lily stuck her tongue out at Shawn. It was Not Nice. But she enjoyed it.
"Oh there she is... Let's go say hi."
Bantering was forgotten in an instant as she turned to look at the girl curiously. She couldn't see her clearly with all the people moving around; she was young, and quite pretty, and looked kind of shy. Lily had seen the boy she was talking to before, but wasn't introduced to him.
Well, she will be now.
Smiling, Lily stood and took Shawn's hand, following him to the pair. Wedding guests talked and laughed and drank their drinks around them, mutants mingling with mutants. Lily chuckled. What a party.
Time to meet the famous sister.

Tarin was willing to let Juka dance with his goddess. Oh happy day. Juka grinned with boundless joy, barely restraining the urge to clap his hands together for the sheer happiness of it. "Oh you sweet, wonderful man Tarin," he accepted the offered hand exuberantly, "you truly are worthy of the deific woman you have found yourself. I am Juka Miami and I thank you from the bottem of my heart for allowing me this dance with your angelic wife."

Spinning to face Lee and still grinning like a little child on Christmas morning, Juka got down on one knee before Lee and offered his hand to her. "Oh my sweetness Lee, would you be so kind as to accept this one dance from myself, your most unworthy servent?"

A dance wasn't quite was Juka had originally had in mind, of course. No, he had been hoping for far more than a dance. But she had her prince all ready and didn't seem inclined to gain a princess as well and so he would be content with what he could get. If a dance was all that was offered him, a dance he would surely accept. He would never disgrace either Lee or her prince Tarin by doing anything inappropriate. Well, at least not unless she asked very nicely and he had Tarin's express permission but he didn't see that happen. All the more unfortunate and surely a loss for them.

Streak smiled at Lily once again as she took his hand. They moved through the crowd to get to Alison. Many of the people didn’t seem to notice them walking through their little groups. Most moved out of the way as Streak and Lily passed by. They headed back towards the drinks and food area, where they had just been a little while ago. This wasn’t the weirdest party he’d been to but it was certainly the most eclectic. There were more mutants here that didn’t live at the mansion then could ever be thought to be. Finally they came up to Alison and got her attention. “Alison I’d like you to meet someone.” He waited for her to give him her attention before he continued. “This is Lily. Lily this is my sister Alison.”

He didn't know how Alison would act to meeting her but he was thinking that she would like anyone that he introduced to her. She was very trusting of the people that he introduced her to and of people in general sometimes to a fault.

Ted hadn’t been in the Danger Room before this, and being in there now was something that was very cool. Twyla’s demonstration was really cool. Ted had to agree with Gawain. He’d never trained in the Danger Rom before. That could be a lot more fun than being at a wedding. Hide-n-seek; now that was something that he would be really good at. Especially if there was a room full of stuffed animals. Other than that he wasn’t sure he’d be that good, because Ted seemed to think he would stick out as a random stuffed animal in the middle of some place it shouldn’t be. Of course he could always find something small to turn into and hide. That would make him a lot harder to find.

The young boy took another drink of his soda. “It’s not often full of weddings is it?” Ted asked seriously. Since he’d only been there about a month or so he didn’t know how often this room was being used by others for things like parties and weddings. With so many people living in the mansion they were bound to have things like birthday parties on almost a daily, or at least weekly, basis. Otherwise he wasn’t really allowed in the Danger Room by himself. Although getting in with someone who was old enough would be a cinch since there were so many kids older than he is.

Gawain’s comment crushed the tag idea, but that was fine–she hadn’t really thought it through. Emerald would have a decided advantage on pretty much everyone except maybe Gawain if there were mirrors involved. If there were a lot of stuffed animals around Ted could probably hid for a while–unless of course he didn’t smell like a toy. Being almost invisible didn’t really cover smell or the sounds you made so she herself would be useless. The girl in green nodded in affirmation and shrugged at the same time in reply.

Danger Room time sounded fun seeing as Twyla had never been in the room for anything but jujitsu training with Shin. It would be fun to run a simulation or two as a group.

“It’s not usually full of wedding, Ted. This is the first time I’ve seen it full of anything besides training, actually.” She smiled at the younger boy before turning to the older one. “I’d go for a simulation in here. This room is off the hook.” A lame phrase to be sure, but it was the first thing Twyla thought off. She didn’t totally understand how the Danger Room worked, electronics not being her specialty, but she was pretty sure that it was one of the coolest things she’d ever seen–besides maybe the lights of New York City at night, that was way up there too.

Twyla took a drink from her diet coke and fidgeted with her skirt a bit. Standing up in it was one thing, but maneuvering around a chair was becoming a pain in the butt. Too bad she hadn’t worn slacks or something...too bad she didn’t own any slacks on this coast.

The smile faded away slowly; however a hint of it was ever so present on her lips. Quietly, she unwrapped her hand from Dean’s careful to let her fingers brush against his skin for a brief moment, apparently in an innocent manner. No, she was far from innocent but she needed distraction.

<<What is it?>>

Ghost passing past her and Dean with Sebastian and demanding a piece of cake allowed her to have her private conversation with Slate for the moment.

<<Do you remember the guy you teamed me up in Colombia?>>

She sighed, eyes shifting to Sam for a brief moment.

<<It’s the one I’m talking with.[/i]>>

There. Handle that genius.

Blue eyes returned to Dean, just in time.

" Are you a friend of the bride or the groom? I'm Vega's friend."

Vega? She blinked once, a bit confused. Oh. Ghost. “Yes. I’m a friend of Ghost.” She replied taking a small sip of her drink. Well, sort off. After all, she had met the bride like… once before? For now, probably ‘teammates’ was the best word to describe them. But, then again, Dean didn’t need to know that. At all.

Sip.

“I must say. Ghost… Vega has some intriguing friends.” She chuckled slightly as the glass traveled down.