The confusion didn't cease with Lily answered his question but he at least understood she was trying to say. Shawn was a little more glad when Lily moved to his side and put a hand on his arm. He still wasn't sure what he was getting himself into here but it seemed like whatever it was Lily had found a way to get him out of it. For that he was thankful. Although Juka was definitely not happy about the reaction he'd gotten from Streak. But Shawn wasn't about to change his opinions or stance on things just because he was at a wedding. He felt her fingers connect with his and he relaxed a bit. Maybe it was the feeling that, oddly enough, Jewel was protecting him instead of the other way around for once. He wasn't used to that feeling either. Apparently weddings brought out things in people that they didn't normally show.

Once Juka decided to leave without answering Lily, Streak thought it best to ask her something. "Ok what the hell just happened here? I'm so lost." he admitted to her. "Or did I say something that he... she? didn't like?" He thought Juka's reaction was normal for someone who wasn't used to not getting their way. Streak looked to see who had gotten Juka's attention and saw someone that he'd seen the X-Men went to King Pharmaceuticals to destroy the Haywire virus. He didn't know what her name was but both her and the guy she was with had been there fighting with them. "I hope I didn't offend your friend to badly." Streak finally said. He didn't want to make a bad impression on her friends because it was something that girls usually took pretty serious. Then again he wasn't normally introduced to someone like Juka who was so forward and... upfront, with him.

Lily grinned a very un-lady-like grin as she looked at her b.f.f. walking away.
"Juka happened. He does that a lot." she chuckled at Shawn, amused by the whole situation "One of these days he's gonna get himself beaten up by an angry girlfriend. Or boyfriend."
The crisis was thus averted, and Lily let go of Shawn's hand. It was nice, holding hands with him, but unfortunately she didn't have an excuse to continue doing so.
"I hope I didn't offend your friend to badly."
She shook her head, still smiling.
"Nah, I don't think so. Juka's a sweetheart. He's just addicted to attention."
Lily decided wherever - or to whoever - Juka was headed next, she would be better off if she didn't look, so she turned away and looked up at Shawn.
"Don't worry about it, he's harmless. And I swear he didn't get that dress from me." she added with a smirk.

”Officers, glad you all can make it, even if it might be required you attend. And I have met Ms. Fletcher, wasn’t the kind of meeting one remembers to fondly however though I am glad I can say that with a smile, if things happened differently I might not be here today. I hope your feeling better Ms. Fletcher.”

Elli smiled shakily, and shook his hand briefly before quickly dropping her hand back to her side. She didn't want to have to talk about her previous meeting with the man, but as the officer in charge had brought it up and the man had just compounded the issue, it would have been plain rude and socially inept to ignore it. "Well, I could say the same thing. I just hope nothing of the sort happens again. How have you been?" Elli hoped that she was smooth enough to avoid the question of her feeling better without him noticing, because the truth was that she wasn't. She was still beating herself up on the inside for what she had done, and she didn't want this man to know it.

”That was Maya, the belle of the ball and these two are my brother Dom and my girlfriend Alex, they are also part of the X team so more than likely you will be running into each other soon.” The man introduced the two people that had been hanging around in the background, and Elli politely shook their hands and nodded in greeting.

"How do you do?" Elli stood back to allow the rest of the delegation to take their greetings. After a few seconds, the group dispersed, as they were recommended to do. The commissionar wanted them to observe all parts of the wedding, and also not to look like big brother was getting in on everything. Elli chose to stay near the man, as he was pretty much the only person she knew. She hung around, akwardly, not really knowing what to do.

Taken aback that Alex had just called him baby he watched her walk away slightly surprised, ”I will” said Sam as the music continued to play as she walked off. Figuring that the first dance should probably come soon so he could dance with Ghost and whoever else wanted to dance Sam as soon as he got a moment he was going to scoop up Alex to the dance floor.

”Been alright…” said Sam simply as he looked around to spot all the people he knew. Spotting Calley off in the distance being pounced by Kat and Ghost heading in that direction Sam turned his head slightly and spotted Lee and Tarin. Lee he liked… Tarin not so much. It was clear that more and more people he knew were starting to show themselves as he spotted Alex chatting with some man. Shrugging slightly not giving it much thought Sam looked back to Elli and then motioned for the buffet of food then said, ”Why don’t I help you find your table after we grab some food?”

As he walked over to the food tables Sam spotted the cake being threatened by a young woman while Slate seemed to be talking to her. Frowning slightly Sam figured he should hand off Elli so he could go wag his finger in some ones face. Looking further down the line Sam spotted Shin and Kasumi and grinned at the happy couple. ”Hey Shin, Kasumi!” making his way over to the couple Sam smiled and clapped Shin on the back and gave Kasumi a warm smile, ”You two are looking sharp!” Sam said with a smile.

Motioning towards Elli who had been tagging along Sam cleared his throat, ”Shin, Kasumi, this is Elli Fletcher a police cadet and my own personal hero, she saved my life.” not often could he say that about people so when they did save his life he wanted to make sure everyone knew it.

((ooc: Paralleling Kat’s thoughts in Mission! We’re not dead!))

Circe approached, her green dress sweeping the floor; Slate blinked at her with no particular recognition, by way of greeting. She, in turn, paid him no mind. Idly, he wondered how his other spy would have reacted, in a similar situation—images of Giant’s Bane giving him a drunken pat on the back briefly danced in his had. Where was Giant’s Bane, again? It occurred to Slate he hadn’t seen the man in quite some time.

Oh, yes. He was still in jail.

That was good, then.

Good afternoon, Ms. Kettler, Slate greeted, unobtrusively. He did not stop to question whether she had known he was a telepath. She did now.

Both Circe and Kitra worked to defend the cake, clearly upholding the Kabal’s sense of justice and order; Circe put out her hand towards the girl like a teacher towards a kindergartener running with scissors, and Kitra manifested colorful intervention means. Also, a man came over to hit on Circe, during this. He did not seem to notice the large knife. Or the cake. Or anyone else, for that matter. Slate had heard an expression for males once. While it was unfairly sexist, and had no doubt been created by feminists who made a point of wearing shoes as they cooked their husband’s dinners, it struck him as appropriate in this case: “one-tracked mind.”

For himself, he took a cup of punch from the table as his employees dealt with matters. Delegation. It was what team leaders did.

And you missed my birthday.

...He blinked, his gaze still towards the cake girl, but somewhat unfocused. Had that been Katrina? ...Had he missed her birthday? (Yes, he was fairly certain he had. By default that he did not know when it had been. Ah. That was not good of him.) He tilted the punch cup, getting somewhat more in his mouth than intended. Drinking was not the solution to life’s problems, he had once heard. Nonetheless...

>> "Wouldn't you agree?"

The cake girl was speaking to him. Slate blinked back out of his own mind—

And my first kiss.

--and spit a small fountain of bright red punch in the cake girl’s direction.

Slate, you're not listening to me are you?

...Not intentionally, he replied, to the fourteen year old across the room who had just earned a background check for some lucky boy. (Or girl.)[/color]

”Why don’t I help you find your table after we grab some food?”

Relieved, Elli smiled a little sheepishly, aware of the fact that she had been milling about like an aimless sheep. In fact, she had no clue what she would have done, had the man not directed her to the food table. She was feeling lost, as she had never before been to a wedding, especially not as a part of some sort of police delegation. "That sounds wonderful," She said, "Thank you."

Elli was lead to a table piled high with delicacies and cakes and treaties oh my. Pausing to grab a small plate of food, Elli continued to follow the man to a group of people that she did not recognize from anything at all. Still, Sam greeted them like old friends.

”Shin, Kasumi, this is Elli Fletcher a police cadet and my own personal hero, she saved my life.”

And now Elli was blushing, her pale, pretty face turning a brilliant burning scarlet. She didn't think of the situation that way: if he hadn't come along, she and officer Gonzales would both be dead. Still, there was a response needed. Some response. Any response... "Naw, really he saved mine."

The speed at which things developed in front of her eyes was a bit too much for her. First a shield appeared. White and pink bunnies starred at her. The molecule manipulator starred at them as well. The purple heart in the middle was not important. Bunnies were starring at her from a shield that came out of nowhere.

Is this freaking Sailor Moon or what?

<<Good afternoon, Ms. Kettler.>>

And Slate was inside her head. The blue-eyes Kabal leader received a blank-stare. One that was carefully disguised under the pretense of a casual glance while waiting for the Asian girl to answer. The thought of sending that shiny looking knife in the Kabal’s leader direction started to be appealing soon after. Did minor details like telepathy were always forgotten?

Then… someone offered her a drink. For God’s sake she had one in her hand!

Too much, too much.

The molecule manipulator blinked slightly as the girl who had threatened the well being of the cake started to babble something about zombies…

ENOUGH.

Alexandra frowned as she tried to put everything in her mind in order.

Number 1: Teens. Never try to understand them.

Her nostrils flared slightly as the position of her hand changed. “Well miss, I have good news for you. During this wedding, you do not have to worry about zombie attacks and if something happens, there are plenty of people who can defend you.” The molecule manipulator took a deep breath as metal and plastic molecules rushed from the Asian Cake Threat to her hand. “So I will take this, if you don’t mind.” A stern look appeared on her face before she turned to the next matter at hand.

Number 2: Men. Don’t try to understand them either.

Alexandra turned her body to the side. A glass filled with Champaign was visible in one of her hand. In the other, a large knife. On her face, a rather unhappy expression as she starred at the man. Was that glass invisible or what?

Number 3: Kabal Leaders running trough your head. Watch out for the moment when they drink punch.

The sudden thought of yelling something into Slate’s head turned into a mental chuckle.

<<That was classy, Slate.>>

“Is there something wrong with the punch mister?”

She barely could contain a laugh as she turned her attention to Kabal Leader, the knife held tightly in her hand.

There were so many people that required a nod or a word or a smile that walking anywhere was like wading through mud. Her skirts swished and eventually she made it to her intended target.

"Calley!" Ghost snuck up behind her fellow mansion adventurer and scooped him into a hug that, had she been strong enough to lift the scrawny boy, would have lifted him up and spun him around. As it was, Ghost ended up securing her arms around Slate in a cozy hug that put the front of her dress against the back of his suit and her chin cheerily on his shoulder. Not that she didn't attempt to tug him off his feet... a little.

"I didn't know if you'd make it, but I'm glad you did." Ghost didn't hug a whole lot of people, but she did give "Calley" a little squeeze. "You look kind of uncomfortable in your suit." Or maybe it was the hair that made his seem different? Either way Ghost was grinning.

Ghost waved from under Slate's arm to the red-head who had been in the direction of his punch fountain impression. "Hi... friend. I'm Ghost." She was happy, but lacking on the names.

As for cake drama, who cared? It was only a cake. She wasn't so big into wedding traditions that she had to be there when it was cut.

Alchemist observed Shin interact with his girlfriend and smiled politely. He was about as subtle about it as a fluro pink tank. Not very. "Hi." He then turned to observe the... apparently un Calley talk to him, apparently the two spoke about him, for he was already known. Well, that was slightly unpleasant. "Yeah, Alchemist is right. You talk to Calley often then? He felt a little awkward about it. Meld left to talk to the non-Calley, who just so happened to look like a clone, so he felt he would talk to Shin again. But what about? Perhaps his girlfriend? No, way to personal for some-one he didn't even know.

'All round a rather frightening experience.'

Events unfolded around him. The cake appeared to decorate itself in a nice little lights show, although who was doing it he couldn't tell, Non-Calley (as he would remain named whilst Calley was around) spat a fountain of punch and was promptly attacked from behind by Ghost. Such behaviour from one who looked like Calley was to be expected, although the formality he put on with his speaking had made alchemist expect something a little more refined. win some, lose some.

'Make conversation before it gets awkward.'

C.J. Blinked and turned to address Shin and his friend some more. "So, you a mansion residents? I haven't seen you before but that doesn't mean much, given the size of this place. The grounds are like a small country to themselves." Ah, where they lived, such a lass private topic than their relationship. Knowing his luck he'd find out something about said relationship in for a package deal. He felt his embarresment rising. It manifested itself as a light pink and green The colour combnation left something to be desired but then his eyes didn't think much of looking nice it seemed.

'I bet they look gross, embarresment... don't know that one, I should find a mirror. Would that be rude? It'd likely kill the emotion anyway.'

>>>“Verdigris. Congratulations on the wedding-ness…

“Thank you,” a grateful bow of his head accompanied his words. Sebastian hadn't meant to embarrass the young lady, though it was perfectly understandable that a situation like this might be awkward. He would try his best to make her more comfortable, and perhaps a little more at home when it was very possible she didn't have a home at all.

>>>“I, uh, don’t actually know you or Maya but, er, I found an invitation and I thought maybe it would be nice to come.”

Now, how to tell her that it had been him who had left the invitation for her? He parted his lips to respond, but she wasn't quite finished speaking yet, so he didn't interrupt the disclosure of her suspicions up to this point that mutants were innately evil, nor did he interrupt her apology and vindication for her statements.

He smiled and shook his head gently to allay her fears that she may have offended, “I don't think that anyone is innately evil. It's the choices that we make that are either good or bad. Unfortunately, it seems that the bad choices people make get the most attention, especially when they are mutants.”

Sebastian looked down for a moment, “I suppose we all have our little eccentricities, though.” His tail twitched once behind him as if to say, out with it already, and the unicorn shifter again met Verdigris' eyes. “I hope you don't mind that I left you the invitation like that. I wanted to talk to you, but somehow it didn't seem like the best idea to startle you awake.”

The groom tilted his head, trying to gage her reaction, “Please don't think me rude, but I know of some places to stay that may be a bit more comfortable for you to stay that are in the same price range.” Meaning free. Not long ago, he had also been searching for a place to reside and hadn't found much luck when he had first moved to the city. Now that he knew the city a little better, he knew of numerable places that offered free lodging, employment and lodging, or schooling and lodging, which ever her preference might be. But perhaps he was sticking his nose where it didn't belong. If she was offended by his offer, he would not bother her with the details.

"Juka happened. He does that a lot."
"One of these days he's gonna get himself beaten up by an angry girlfriend. Or boyfriend."

“Oh I see. Well if that happens a lot I’m glad you’re used to him doing that cause I certainly wasn’t.” After a slight pause he added, “He is a he right, and not just a really creepy she?” Streak smiled at her. He was a little disappointed when she let go of his hand but then again they weren’t a couple and he figured that she only did it for his protection. To stave off the current and future flirting by another guy, it was probably the best thing that she could have done short of telling him directly to leave Streak alone. “Well that’s good then.” As long as Juka wasn’t super pissed and start stalking him then he was good.

“I figured the dress was his because you have better fashion sense than that. You look beautiful by the way.” He added. Streak thought that perhaps it was better to compliment her than to not and just let her think it. Streak looked around at the people that were at the wedding. “Let’s grab some food.” He said taking her hand again. It would be better for people to think that they were a couple than for him to keep getting hit on him from by some other guy. He started walking towards the food when he froze mid-step. He’d just seen what he’d never expected to see.

Members of the Order were here. What were they doing here? Did they really know the groom? I seriously doubt that Ghost has any good ties with these Order members. This throws a huge question mark over the groom, which I know little about anyways. If he was friends with these Order members, which had willingly and viciously attacked the mansion, then what kind of person was he really. Where do his beliefs and morals truly lie? Streak quickly thought. As hard as he tried to push these thoughts out of his head he couldn’t help but to have them.

It was Dominic who was talking to her. Relative of Sam who seemed to be a high figure at the mansion aswell as somebody with a reputation. The unfamiliar women who seemed to accompany Dominic left quickly after she talked to her. She had no time to react to her and only followed her with her eyes. She turned her head back to dominic who wanted to interact with her. Strange that he wanted to do that since most people in class ignored her or looked at her weird.

She looked at Dominic and let the question sink in and simply replied with: "Yes... Yes i am." She examined him. She recognized him surely from the mansion and maybe a class or two. "You are Dominic, correct?" she asked. It was fair enough to retord the question like that. She was a tad cautious with things like this. She had a hard time comunicating as it is and she didn't want to have a fake friend that only talked to her to make use of her. She thought things through ike this before she eventually would open up to people. The only one that she would do that too is her brother right now.

She looked at the drink again and mumbled. "It reminds me of apples." She mumbled to herself. This was one of the quirks that made her look weird to "normal" people. She wasn't considered a normal person by herself to begin with so she was ok with the idea already. It was just that people avoided her for it.

“He is a he right, and not just a really creepy she?”
Lily couldn't help but giggle at that. "Yeah, last time I checked he was a he... um. Not like I, y'know, really checked..." she hurried to add that "But he used to wear normal clothes, back when we were kids."
"...You look beautiful by the way.”
She blushed. She usually blushed pretty easily, having pale skin and all... she tended to do it more when Shawn was around. Go figure. She dimpled too.
"Thanks."
She let him take her hand once again, and followed him to get some food. Most people (especially guys and Mansion students) tended to move towards the buffet; what was still left on the plates after the first few minutes was still plenty and looked delicious.
Shawn stopped so suddenly, Lily bumped into him. And frowned. Not graceful. Following his gaze her eyes once again fell on Meld.
"I know." she whispered to him "Weird, right?"

~, “I don't think that anyone is innately evil. It's the choices that we make that are either good or bad. Unfortunately, it seems that the bad choices people make get the most attention, especially when they are mutants.”

Verdigris nodded slowly, it made more sense that a being, human or mutant, could choose their allegiance to one side or the other. She still had some faith in the human race, and the mutant one? Well, it had yet to personally attack her. There still harboured some fear and loathing due to the death of her brother’s friend but after the manifestation of her own X-gene, who was she to judge. She glanced down at the swishing noise. The long silver tail reminded her of the holiday posters so often splayed about, advertising Hawaii, her home. She had never personally ridden a horse along the beach at sunset, but she had seen other people doing so.

~“I hope you don't mind that I left you the invitation like that. I wanted to talk to you, but somehow it didn't seem like the best idea to startle you awake.”

So that was how the mysterious invitation had appeared in her jacket. It was not sinister, or a warning. It was the act of a kind man, taking pity on a sleeping girl with green tipped hair. She wasn’t disappointed. In truth she was relieved that she had a reason to be here now. The fact that no-one had damaged her power was a relief also. A tactical mutation such as hers was bad enough on it’s own when she could control it, if something had of happened which could have robbed her of that there would be no way for her to continue living in the general society.

“Ah, yes thankyou, a swift awakening is really better to avoid I’m afraid. Rampant genes and all that. I’m glad I came though, it’s nice to meet friendly people in this city of greys.” She flushed a little and glanced at the plate of small treats. “The food is delicious as well, way better than anything I’ve had in ages, I’m glad you left the invitation. I was a little freaked out at first, but I figured I should just come and see.”

~“Please don't think me rude, but I know of some places to stay that may be a bit more comfortable for you to stay that are in the same price range.”

She tilted her head, subconsciously mirroring the man before her. It would be brilliant to be living in a proper area again but at the same time warning bells were sounding in her ears.

“If you mean the Sanctuary, thanks but I kinda got there and chickened out. Stupid huh, to judge based on appearances when of all people I should know better.”

She reached a hand up to touch the earrings in her right ear gently, an unconscious sign of thought.

“It would be nice though, to have a proper place to stay of a night, instead of having to move on each morning before the garbage trucks arrive. Do you know of any other places that would dare invite a street kid, a mutated one at that, in for free? Sounds crazy to me. Crazy to offer, crazy to accept.”

The jingle of warning faded a little, but did not pass wholly, you catch more flies with honey or something, and she was wary of kindness from unknown forces, especially when they were offering mutants free board. She had heard of mutants being captured and experimented on, thankfully she herself had never been directly affected.

Tarin was distracted. Probably about as distracted as they both had been the night of their own wedding. He was looking at her, but Lee knew that what he was thinking of at that moment had nothing to do with the question she had asked. Well, maybe something to do with her question, but what thoughts were running through his mind, Lee was sure they had been there before she had asked. She had had to almost drag him out of the apartment so they could simply get to the wedding, after all.

Finally, though, Tarin was answering her, and Lee couldn't stop the slight blush from crossing her cheeks as Tarin leaned in to kiss her cheek. It wasn't the kiss, it wasn't even really what Tarin had said, calling her the most beautiful bride in the world (though Lee wasn't sure that was something you were supposed to say at someone else's wedding), it was more the memory of how Tarin had looked at her as she had walked down that aisle, how he had looked at her as they had stood sipping champagne with their siblings.

And then as Tarin was pulling back, Lee heard a voice, one that was not her husband's, talking beside her. Confused, Lee turned her head and saw...someone kneeling in front of her. And then blinked, at a complete loss for words. Someone, and not Tarin, was kneeling in front of her, calling her a goddess.

"Uh, what are you doing?"