Seriously, the PA, what, was he being called to the principal’s office? He hadn't done anything wrong... lately. Oh crap. Was he being kicked out? Was this in relation to the massacre at the anti mutant stronghold? It shouldn't be, he had his balaclava on the whole time, plus most of the evidence had been destroyed, or cleaned by fire, so there really wasn't much in the way of proof he had been there. Was it about Christmas? Surely others would have accompanied him in that case, they had all played a part, most of them likely more than he had. Was it the fact that someone had said something about his room during that little phase? That may be awkward. Or was it the whole thing with the mildly assaulting a girl to restrain her? So many things it could be, he hadn't listened to the announcement at all.

'Then again, it could be good.'

There it was, the office he needed. He approached the door, took a deep breath, his eyes shifting from a rather apprehensive green to a calm, almost sky blue. He knocked on the door and waited for the instruction to enter. He didn't usually worry this much. It didn't seem necessary, except for that whole killing people thing, but that was pre-emptive self defence, and self preservation in the company of the two less morally inclined mutants. That would not plague his conscience; he was, after all, justified. He just should have thought it through better.

'Here we go.'

December 24, 2009 was an interesting date in New York City or so he had seen, Sam didn’t have the chance to be there and make sure the giant clay monster didn’t cause any damage, which would have been relatively easy for him. All clay was, was a bit of dirt mixed with some water, he could either freeze and shatter it or freeze the air pockets in the clay causing it to explode, both he had done before with a teenage rock mancer.

No Sam was stuck in the camps on Romania in fact he might have lost his eye that night, the exact date was difficult to remember, when there aren’t any clocks, or calendars, the only way he could tell what time it was or if it was day was if the sun was out or not.

Even though he and his team were preoccupied elsewhere the city still wasn’t destroyed thanks to a group of mutants he knew and didn’t. Katrina, Gawain, and Koga were all now students of his ones that he decided in due time were X material however there were a few others he wanted to take under his wing, some as a student others as a trainee. Cafas happened to be one of those, he had trained with Ghost, so said a log in the danger room, and he wanted to confirm this with Ghost but didn’t really have a chance to. So deciding he would ask Cafas in person he paged him down to the office.

There was a knock on his door and he looked to it from the folder of files he had on Cafas, it was standard residence information, age, mutation, full name, anything he filled out Sam was now aware of.

”Come on in!” Sam called out to the knocker on the other side of the door. When he spotted the young man in question he smiled and closed the folder, ”Ah! Cafas have a seat, we need to talk!” Sam said his tone happy with a warm smile on his face. Sam was currently trying to offset the intimidation that often came along with the eye patch.

Cafas steadied himself and entered. This was it, zero hour on whatever this thing big enough to page him via the entire PA system was. His fist wraps were on today, he had been planning a walk in New York until moments ago. In fact he actually looked respectable, for which he was glad, in his buttoned down shirt and jeans. Fair enough they were pretty baggy and his boots were in desperate need of polish but those were minor things. Then again...

”Ah! Cafas have a seat, we need to talk!”

'Okay, he's being friendly. Hey, epic, eye patch. Wait, don't comment, it could be a sore issue.'

Relieved that it seemed he was not in fact doomed Alchemist dropped into the chair he assumed was for visitors. It was after all facing the desk, although at a relaxed angle. He pulled off his trench coat as he did and folded in half before hanging it on the back of the chair, his sword, sheathed as it was, now exposed. He would explain that if it came to it. Was the ball now in his court? Was he supposed to speak?

'You could, you know, try...'

"Sure. Uh, what is this regarding?" Cafas was rather relieved to find his voice didn’t quite show the level of fear he had been experiencing in the past few minutes. Now the calm was settling in, his eyes maintained the blue colour. Well, they didn’t stick out like his hair at least. He was mystified as to why he kept dyeing it in the style he did. Perhaps it was just habit?

'Subtle...'

Clearly the eye patch was more intimidating that the smile he was trying to counter acts it with but the meeting had to continue. Sam’s eye locked with Cafas’s blue ones for a moment before he cleared his throat and continued. ”Interesting…” Sam said as he gestured to the sword, ”Not many people carry around a sword, they usually need a really good reason to have one on their person…” Sam said waiting for an explanation.

Realizing he was getting sidetracked Sam cleared his throat again, ”Ah right, anyways, the reason I called you here was because I was noticing you were getting a little face time with the media, an event in particular around Christmas in central park seemed to get the most attention…” Sam grinned and then continued, ”I would like to first thank you for helping the city, no doubt the clay creature would have destroyed half the city till it was stopped, I would have been there but I was half way around the world.”

”I’d also like to thank you for helping a few of my students in stopping the beast, not sure if Koga, Kat, or Gawain could have done it on their own.” still smiling Sam turned his chair slightly and folded his hands then brought them to his chin, ”It is a relief knowing their are other mutants out their to do good when they can…” he was beating around the bush now, he had little time to beat around the bush, time was of the essence.

”Guess I might as well come out and say it, I was wondering if you wanted to take your do gooding into the major leagues. You see I’m current captain of the X-Men and I felt you might be interested in becoming apart of the team, but there are some questions I would like to ask you first, if your interested…” Sam said hoping that he was indeed interested.

”Interesting... Not many people carry around a sword, they usually need a really good reason to have one on their person…”

Okay, so even for mutants it was odd then, funny, he'd never had a comment before, oh well, really good reason, heh, no. "It's kind of a security blanket I guess is the term, it gives me a sense of control over my situation no matter what it is. It remains the sole reason I wear my coat, the full length kind of hides it." Well, he was being honest, even if the other mutant didn't like it. That was just a part of life.

'Shoulda said something smart like, I dunno, perhaps that it frightens off most would be attackers without a fight."

”Ah right, anyways, the reason I called you here was because I was noticing you were getting a little face time with the media, an event in particular around Christmas in central park seemed to get the most attention…I would like to first thank you for helping the city, no doubt the clay creature would have destroyed half the city till it was stopped, I would have been there but I was half way around the world.”

So that explained the lack of experience their little group seemed to possess, although mostly it was him that was inexperienced. Cafas smiled and nodded, looking everywhere but the eye patch. He was worried about offending the other mutant, which would be unwise, it seemed. But wait, there's more.

'There has to be a point to this meeting...'

”I’d also like to thank you for helping a few of my students in stopping the beast, not sure if Koga, Kat, or Gawain could have done it on their own. It is a relief knowing there are other mutants out there to do good when they can…”

Alchemist blinked. Once. Twice. Wait. He had heard talk at the mansion but really, this was starting to seem all rather obvious as to why he was there. On the topic of good doing he decided to omit things that weren't necessarily common knowledge that it was him. This interview might be going a direction that he simply hadn't expected. Perhaps the rumours were true...

'Don't get your hopes up on that...'

”Guess I might as well come out and say it, I was wondering if you wanted to take your do gooding into the major leagues. You see I’m current captain of the X-Men and I felt you might be interested in becoming a part of the team, but there are some questions I would like to ask you first, if you’re interested…”

Okay maybe it was. Cafas choked slightly from the shock before regaining his composure. The rumours had been true. And here he had thought the mansion kids were just getting a little too presumptuous about their own importance. Now this was something he'd have to think very carefully on...

'If you don't do it you're an idiot.'

Careful thought it was. "Um... Yeah uh... I mean... I'd be honoured. Wow... I thought the other kids had their heads in the clouds about how important this place was... Wow. Yes, I mean yes of course I’m interested, you guys are the single best known group fighting for equality! Wow... Just wow." A shocked Australian was not what one would normally call a common sight; they had a reputation for being down to earth and not caring who you were, treating stars like normal human beings. Granted there had been a shift amongst the young girls on that front but the guys had stayed firm on that. So Cafas' stuttering reaction was a dead giveaway of his shock. Well, that and the light pink eyes, but he doubted anyone knew him that well yet.

'Sure make a tool of yourself that was the best thing to do.'

Sam laughed, his reaction was defiantly more than Sam could have expected or hoped for, it seemed Cafas had an idea about what the team was, which was a good start. ”You didn’t know the mansion also housed the X-Men?” Sam asked curiously his left eye locking on Cafas’s. He thought it was common knowledge with all the gossip going around but then again there was so much of it, it didn’t always sound real, which could be the reason Cafas sounded so surprised.

”Glad you sound so interested but again just because I approached you about the idea of you joining doesn’t mean your on the team, like any organization there needs to be a requirements that need to be filled out first,” Sam paused and pulled out a sheet of paper and started jotting something down. ”So if it’s alright with you I’d like to conduct the basic interview, if your up for it.”

Not really giving him a chance to deny the offer Sam asked his first question, ”Now tell me a little about what you think the X-Men are around for, our purpose in your own words.” this was always the biggest question he had to ask in the interview process (which started quite recently). His pen quickly jotted down some known information about Cafas and how he presented himself, just by first impression his hand fell down to the next section where Sam would jot down exactly what Cafas would say so he could re read it later down the line when tryouts were taking place.

Wait, how common was the knowledge, did he seem stupid just from that? Oh he hoped not, he decided a good response was a quick response. "Well, the others around say a lot of farfetched things, I just take it all with a grain of salt." Or the entire dead sea for some things, who were they kidding, with their secret societies and conspiracy theories.

'Apparently no-one, cos they seem to be true.'

Cafas would have accepted the interview, but not really being given a choice made him twitch slightly inside. He didn't let it show though; it wasn't like he had the best of manners. Smoothing his shirt a little with his hands from nerves C.J. paid all of his attention to the interviewer. Wait, he'd been asked a question. Well, what DID he think? He'd heard a lot but not really given it much thought, it had always been one of those things that he took for granted he'd never need to worry about.

'Like flying into space.'

Alchemist, for what felt like the hundredth time since the announcement was made, was thinking hard. It took him a couple of thoughtful seconds but he did come up with what he honestly believed. "To be honest, with all the different information, I don't know what exactly you do, except for help people, no matter who they are. Of that I'm sure. The kids talk about amazing fights, the politicians talk about peaceful negotiations but there's one thing they all agree on and that is that you work for equality." He wished he could have known more, but sadly he didn't. Aside from a few specific situations he couldn't claim to know that much about them.

'This is what happens when we don't talk to people.'

A small laugh escaped Sam's lips as he nodded to Cafas's comment, rumors were often spread like wild fire but in all reality most rumors start and form around a truth, which was the main reason he never discounted them, at least not all of them. Rumors that he had the ability to split himself into several different people so he could go on a few dates in a day with several girls was one he was afraid would never be able to live down. The memory of that day, no month would always be remembered as date month.

”That they do, just try not to ignore everything from now on, I have a tendency to follow up a few rumors myself, they sometimes pan out.” said Sam as he nodded and then continued to listened to Cafas and jotted a few things down but then decided that there wouldn't be a lot to recall from, so he set his pen down on the desk next to the paper and leaned back in his chair.

”Well that's a fantastic start, if I was to sum up in what we do in one word it would be along the lines of peace, or maybe equality.” he paused and placed his hand on the side of his face to scratch his left eye scar which was still irritating him even this distant in the future from when it happened. ”Recently we started working with the police, in order to help them gain control over the city, people need to be protected and how can the protectors protect when they end up getting slaughtered when they run into mutants they can't handle?” Sam smirked, ”We are there to give them a hand till later down the line they have their own fully capable trained police force containing mutants to help them keep crime in check.”

Sam smiled, ”I don't mean to stray from the initial topic but this in fact has to deal with the second question, you wouldn't happen to have any criminal records would you?” he asked curiously hoping that Cafas's record was clean as a whistle, ”Mind you this is only so I can give the police your information when you start training with them, and all records will be known only to me and the commissioner of the police.” Sam picked up his pen and pressed it up on his paper ready to jot down his response regardless if Cafas had any past history or not.

This was something he was going over with all his new potential prospects for the team, he just wanted to know if he should watch out for anything, even if he was a firm believer in second chances.

Following rumours just tended to land Cafas in trouble. Then again, when you followed the rumours of notorious people in the area that tended to happen. He'd just wanted a place to stay and everything. He nodded to indicate understanding and left it there. He'd keep it in mind.

'Sometimes rumours are more trouble than they're worth.'

Now he was being told he was correct, well good, he wouldn't want to be wrong. Though really they were little more than glorified vigilantes from his view point, they did a job that needed doing. Now the eye patched mutant was talking of... Police? Oh dear. Well, he hoped a mutant crimes division would be set up quicker than his selection process if he got in, police and him had a long history of not being best friends. Perhaps it was his will to live but lack of alternate identity to escape his rap sheet. That thing was pages long, and most of them weren't ACTUALLY his.

'Please don't ask, please don't ask, please don't ask... D'OH!'

So they can have his information when he starts training with them? He'd be sent to jail. furthermore would he like that list chronologically, alphabetically, from most cases to least, least to most, perhaps by associated prison sentence? Well, it wasn't getting any more said by his silence. "Ah. That list is... Extensive. Please though, understand, where I come from, if a mutant can be blamed, a mutant will be blamed, no matter how feeble the evidence. Back home I'm up on one manslaughter, over ten assaults, two assaulting a police officer, about sixty thefts, two B and Es, three armed robberies and a few others that I forget, but those are minor."

'So this is going well.'

Cafas took a breath in before offering an explanation of the above. "However, as I said, if a mutant can be blamed, they will. Only two of the assaults I was actually involved in, oth were self defence, I never laid a hand on a cop, they made those up, I'm assuming from false evidence. The thefts, they are pure speculation that it was myself, there is no evidence to link me, the break and enters were both to my own place, armed robberies were times my coat failed to cover my sheath." Now came the hardest part, the thing that of all of them he regretted most. "The manslaughter I would have sood trial for, but they weren't giving a 'dangerous mutant' that opportunity. It was a car accident caused by a truck almost driving into me, I swung away instinctively and had a head on with another car, the driver of which died. But had I not run, I would be dead, or so I am told by a few other mutants I ran across on the run."

'You should have lied, just told him the American stuff...'

Cafas blinked back tears and continued onto the US of A. "Here, I am wanted for involvement in a case of grievous bodily, the true culprit of which was a mutant named Meld. However, the label got put on me because I sealed his wounds with the gun he pulled on us. I tried to save his life, he likely would have bled out otherwise." There was nothing else he was actually wanted for, oh, except that fire truck, but he assumed they respected it was a service to the city. He also had no qualms ratting out Meld, he still had nightmares. Cafas looked at the older mutant and, in response to what he thought was the inevitable "Why are you telling me this?" though, shrugged. "You would have found out anyway, not too many pink haired metal manipulators around."

'You sir, are an idiot.'

Cafas hoped to hell the strategy of absolute honesty would work, he didn’t want to blow his only chance. He also didn’t want to end up in prison.

Sam blinked, that was all he could do as Cafas reveled his extensive history, although honesty was appreciated he didn’t fully expect to hear as much as he heard. He blinked again with one eye making it a wink as his pen reached up and scratched the side of his left eye. ”Ummmm…” Sam said at first still thinking about what he said, it took him a moment but Sam regained his composure.

”Right, alright!” Sam said as he started jotting a few words down on the paper, ”Alright, understood, but damn usually no one tells me anything like this… I do appreciate this honesty though I really do, it makes things a lot easier for me to investigate so thank you.” he made a note about Cafas’s honesty, and added a few more notes. ”I understand how rough it is for mutants, so I’ll take a look into a few of the more serious crimes, however the police might want to ask a few questions themselves… mainly regarding the case in the states.”

Sam paused and set his pen down, ”The ones back home I’ll talk to the commissioner myself so you won’t be treated like a criminal, however like most of us the police will want to be weary of us seeing as the Police in New York don’t have the best track record with mutants. The camps then the every time a police officer was slaughtered we keep taking an eye for an eye and so far it’s leaving us blind, the commissioner and I want to shed some light onto this city, to prove that both mutants and humans can work together.”

He took a breath then continued, ”As regards to that,” Sam pointed to the sheathed sword, ”I understand your need to carry that around, but if your going to be working with us, you won’t be able to carry it around, you see I think it might cause more problems than solve them, for now at least, once your on the team fully, I’ll vouch for you and see what I can do about allowing you to wear it… only when your on duty, alright?”

As it was right now Sam couldn’t condone anyone of his potential members, walking around with a sword that was easy to see if it wasn’t being covered, what he would allow was his potential members being creative with their mutation, ”If you were to have a smaller knife I wouldn’t have a problem with you carrying it around but you carrying around a sword makes it a little more difficult. You think you can help me out?” Sam asked hoping that Cafas was willing to compromise and wield something smaller that draws less attention.

Basically what Sam was trying to say was that he was indeed on the team as long as Cafas could draw a little less attention to himself mainly by not getting into trouble and by extension not wielding a sword, that others would view as a weapon that could be drawn at any moment.

Sure he'd have to go through the system, Cafas'd pretty much expected that the second he'd opened his mouth, so he was prepared for that. He wasn't quite prepared for the level of acceptance there. Had he just... thanked him? C.J. had almost expected to be kicked out of the mansion and told to not come back, now he was being told as long as he could tolerate the questions it would be fine? Well that was... good.

'I should likely say something here...'

"Sure, I understand, no worries mate." Cafas then felt like taking it back. His smile became obviously more strained an he half considered saying no. In fact, he fully considered saying no, but the decision came up negative. Stop wearing his sword? It was blasphemy! It was madness! But he would go with it. He understood the reasoning behind it he guessed, the obvious blade had gotten him into a lot of trouble before. Then the pirate redeemed himself before his yellow guts were spilled on the deck to be swabbed by the deck hand. The on duty thing was even perfectly acceptable. Then, the comment about a smaller knife. He could throw together one of those in less than a minute, and admitted to himself it would at least be lighter.

'So, can we help him out with that?'

Something about actions and words ran through his head and Alchemist reached to his belt, slowly, so it didn't seem like he was about to kill anyone. He undid his belt, pulled it back through the loops of the sheath and placed it on the desk in front of him. "I reckon I can handle that, as I said, it's just a security blanket." He did up his belt again to avoid odd looks.

'Going better than you expected? Sure going better than I did.'

He agreed and Sam agreed good they were making fantastic progress, other than that everything else on the interview would be a breeze standard stuff, where do you see yourself I ten years, what do you want to do with your life, how would you use your powers to help the X-Men it would take time but Sam had confidence in Cafas if he could bare with the amount of time needed he would have completed what Sam thought was the hardest part of the tryouts.

An hour passed and the sheet was filled out before him, a warm smiled on his face as Sam eyed the sword on his desk and lifted it off the desk and unsheathed it. It was a good make; not an ice blade but never the less it was a fine make. ”This is a fine tool, I hope the next time you wield it it’s to aid the X’s…” Sam put it back in it’s stealth and then lifted it for Cafas to take the blade.

Really Sam said he didn’t want him carrying it around when he was in public but if he felt the need to use it in the danger room or another safe location then he would be free to use it. ”It was nice meeting you Cafas, you’ll be hearing from us soon, be ready for the call!” Sam smiled and extended his hand to the man. ”If you have any questions regarding anything don’t hesitate to ask!” Sam said with a warm smile.

Cafas sat. And he sat. And he sat some more. He got some standard questions, he answered them as best he could. It was all quite tedious, he sort of wished it didn't have to take so long, but it apparently did, and he sat through it, even managing to stop his attention wandering too far beyond the topic at hand, despite the glaring absence of his interviewer's eye. Well, he had to admit, it at least looked cool. When the questions were over, which they seemed to be, the other man lifted Alchemist's sword from the desk He inspected it, complimented it, made a comment and offered it back. By that stage C.J.'s brain was running on auto. That snapped him out.

'Well, at least someone appreciates my work.'

Cafas nodded and smiled, taking the weapon back and holding it "Thanks, I made it meself, years ago, when my mutation was just getting its self under control, Back when I was still living with my family." The family remark hopefully had not given away how much it still hurt him, he'd tried to be nonchalant about it. Cafas was then informed he would again be called, apparently soon, and that he should ask any questions he had. He didn't have questions, it was all pretty clear, they'd have to check if he was physically apt, likely how he worked in the field, give him a trial or something, it was all pretty basic stuff.

'Well, I think we're done here.'

Alchemist smiled, shook the offered hand and grabbed his coat as he stood. "Will do, it was a pleasure to meet someone from such a worthy group, and to be considered to join. I don't really have anything to ask, so I guess I'll see you later." With one final friendly smile Cafas turned and left the room, taking note, for the first time, of the name on the door. Sam Johnson... HAHA! Cafas liked that coincidence, but kept walking. He decided his room was now the best place, New York just lacked the wonder of meeting a genuine X-man.

'Best. Day. Ever.'