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.
Booker was dumbstruck. When he had been presented the idea he instantly said yes. If only for the fact that he got to hang out with the cool mystics again! God his life was turning out to be gosh darn amazing! Sure! He went through a traumatic experience and of course he was still physically healing, but this was just about and awesome as the real dragonzord dagger he had hanging on his wall at home!
Witnessing the ritual had been an even greater treat. Watching all the mystics gather and partake, it was something he would trade in all the world. He loved mutants, yes, but mystics he was growing to appreciate as well because his adapted aurs didn't affect them! That meant he could see and even experience all the great things they can do.
This included.
Booker looked around the Astral Library in wonderment. It was stunning, beautiful, everything he could have hoped for. As the Keybearer he would do everything he could to keep the place up and organized...if that was okay with the coven, that is. He wasn't a mystic so he didn't know if he could access it without them, but he hoped so.
Booker grinned as he looked at all the empty shelves and the items being brought in to be cataloged. He was giddy with excitement and truly hoped he would get to work more with the mystics rather than just hold onto their key.
The librarian leans forward, following Javi to look out the window. He watches as one of the mutant girls is attacked by a mystic and immediately nods as he steps back, watching Javi jump out the window. Booker can only watch as the tailor runs forward and punches one of the mystics and sending them hurtling away. Unable to control himself, Booker shoots his arms into the air and shouts.
"Yeeeah!! You got 'him, babe!!" He laughs.
As he shouts this, though, there is a swirling dark vortex around him as another mystic seems to be sending summoning forth something inside the mansion. By the time Booker turns around he blinks in surprise as a pair of imps growl and sneer at him. The trio stare at one another closely before the imps suddenly shout and jump scare him.
Booker screams and brings down the baseball bat as hard as he can onto their heads.
He shouldn't be here. Everyone told him no but he managed to convince someone to let him in. That someone being Javi. And by let in, well, Booker want going to let his favorite people get hurt. Not if he had anything to say about it.
Being an adapted made this dangerous, and a liability, but again he was willing to do his part. So now Booker was patrolling the inside of the mansion. He may not have had fancy powers or an arsenal of weaponry. But he was smart. He read a lot of books. And he had a baseball bat.
And he was scared.
But he would not be deterred. Instead he patrolled and did his best to stay out of the way. But as soon as the fighting began he could feel his nerves growing. Was this the right call? It was too late now. The sound were getting louder. He gave his bat another experimental swing and waited, silently hoping danger would not find its way to him.
Honestly? He wished that he had an explanation. Booker knelt down next to his sister, looking up at the growing crowd. Those that had been trapped in the dark, shadowy place were not running off, given their freedom. But those who were on the outside were now drawing closer to investigate. There were a lot of questions milling about in the air but the most important one had been the one that fell from Nessa’s lips. To that, he had absolutely no answer.
”I...I know…” he said, his heart pounding at the idea. ”L-Let’s not think about that right now, okay? Plenty of time to panic later.” He smiled, took his sister’s hand, then gave it a comforting squeeze.
He was terrible at following his own advice. How could he just forget it? How could he just look the other way when everything he knew about himself seemed to be so up in the air. Over the years he had gotten used to the fact that he was unaffected by mutant powers, good and bad. What happened here was decidedly strange and mutant adjacent. But if that were the case, how the hell did his abilities fail him? Was he losing his adaptedness?
Or worse...was that whole thing decidedly not mutant related?
Booker gulped. Already he could feel his mind racing and trying to find some way flare up his anxiety but he had to maintain control. Nessa was here. His younger sister and she had just saved his life. The more important thing was getting her to safety and away from anything that happened here.
While Booker would rather have not spoken to the police he knew it was a necessity. They needed to know what happened so it could be passed along to the right people. He nodded his head, offering his hand to help Nessa up.
”Of course,” he said. ”Least I can do. You saved us both. Let’s find a cop so I can get you out of here. I think I’m done with conventions for a little while and could use a stiff drink with my sister.” With that, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and slowly guided her away. It was time to put this night, and the shadows, behind them.
A lot happened and a lot happened fast. Booker stood defiantly against the bastard cultists, staring them down as he had inflicted all sorts of pain against one of them. While Booker was normally a gentle soul, when his sister had been so thoroughly attacked, he felt it only fair to respond in kind. He wasn’t going to let anything bad happen to her; that was a promise he made long ago and it was one he had every intention of continuing to uphold.
But it seemed that whomever these jokers were, they didn’t seem to be scared of his skill -- and proved as much by decimating them in kind. One of the duelists sacrificed their life to give his partner the advantage, a powerful monster the likes of which completely overshadowed any champions Nessa and Booker had on the field. Things did not look good.
The pain was harsh. Booker watched as his Grifighter was demolished in the attack, sending him down to his knees as blinding pain raced throughout his body. To make matters worse, the librarian could have sworn that he saw streams of red smoke wafting off of his body, only to be eaten up by the shadows all around him. It did not feel good. And to make matters worse, it wasn’t even the end of that duelist’s turn -- and Booker still had another champion on the field.
It was Nessa who had turned to save him. She goaded the man into attack and, in doing so, activated a champion’s effect. It turned out to be his undoing. Booker struggled on his knee, watching as an army of Riot Girls stood by Nessa’s side and completely undid the machinations of their opponent and draining the last of his health.
Truly it was a sight. Booker snapped his attention back to the robed man as he had been too blinded by his arrogance to fully plan the ramifications of his actions. It cost him dearly. Booker watched as the man shouted and tried to escape from the field. However the shadows held him back, unwilling to release him as they began to eat away at his body. He had seen such things in cartoons and comic books -- it was far worse to see in person.
When the last ounce of the duelist vanished (the shadows saved his terrified eyes for last), to everyone’s relief the shadows began to dissipate. It was slow at first, just outlines and shapes but soon the rest of the convention center came into focus and, before long, they were all standing under the fluorescent lights again.
Booker gulped, looked around at all the shocked faces, and then towards his sister. With the shadows and the duelists gone, Booker struggled to his feet and then ran off to his sister’s side. ”Nessa? Nessa! You okay?”
Booker was all grins as he watched Javi approach and joined him in song. He didn’t know what had gotten into his boyfriend. Javier was so reserved. There were a few times that Booker had walked in on him singing, whether washing dishes, doing laundry, or when he was in the zone, tailoring.
But out in public? That was strange and unusual for him. But he wasn’t going to question. Whether Javier was inspired by the fun of the date, being bold, or simply in love, Booker didn’t know, but he was not going to waste the opportunity.
Standing from his seat, Booker returned the lyrics in kind, grinning and dancing in place for a few steps. However, as soon as Javier reached their table, the realization of his outburst seemingly struck hard. He stumbled, fumbled out an apology and attempted to place a drink on the table before it tumbled to the ground.
”Oh sweetie,” Booker said as he walked over. ”Are you okay?” Javier still looked a little flustered so the kindly librarian offered him a warm smile. ”It’s okay! You sounded awesome. No need to be embarrassed. And don’t worry, I’ll get a rag for the spill. Be careful of the glass.”
Wrapping his big arms around Javier’s shoulders, he gave him a warm hug, a pat on the shoulder and walked towards the bathroom. There should be some towels and rags around there somewhere, right? He didn’t want to disturb the bartender serving drinks so he would go on the hunt for cleaning utensils himself!
Booker was all smiles. Though wasn’t watching Javier the entire time, he could hardly be blamed for wanting to. Javi was probably one of the best relationships Booker had had in recent memory. He was sweet, he was kind, he was oh so sexy, and it really seemed like he liked the librarian. That in and of itself was a pretty sweet notion. And, to make matters even better, it didn’t seem like Booker’s adapted aura had any harmful effects of the tailor.
Unlike other mutants he had dated, it had always been a tense time for the librarian to watch his S.O. struggled with how to manage powers around someone who could effectively turn them off just being in the same living quarters. Javi was unsure of his abilities, especially with how finicky they can be. But with Booker, that was one thing that the tailor didn’t have to stress about.
Booker was more than happy to help with that.
As the drinks were being poured, he offered Javi a million watt smile from across the room before his gaze swept back to the rest of the bar. It was fairly nice. Even as the music came on, Booker found himself swaying a little to the beat. Oh how he loved the Lion King.
Strangely enough, the words weren’t coming from the piano player. Listening to the song drift through the air, Booker found himself grinning as he turned and found that Javi, his sweet, shy, loveable boyfriend, was actually singing! And so good too!
Booker’s offered a beaming smile before he stood up. He could hardly resist a duet, especially if Javier was leading. So well before Javi re-entered his aura, Booker belted out the next lines:
"And can you feel the love tonight? It is where we are It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer That we got this far And can you feel the love tonight How it's laid to rest? It's enough to make kings and vagabonds
Booker wasn’t impressed. That wasn’t a bad thing! Oh no! Stores, shops, bars, restaurants, they had nothing to prove to him. He wasn’t one of those types that went around bad mouthing an establishment because things weren’t a certain way. Far from it. But when compared to what his coworker said, Booker half expected celebrity musicians around every corner and angelic persons handing out gold leaf covered candy bars.
But, for the most part, the place had a nice, comfortable quality. It just didn’t have the pizzazz he was expecting. Oh well, maybe the drinks would be worth it! Rainbow Paradise’s were pretty yummy!
At Javi’s observation that they needed to get their own drinks, Booker plucked up the menu and quickly began to scan through it. He was certain he was going to want a Rainbow Paradise, but what was Javi going to get? Booker handed the menu back to him, getting ready to get up so that he could go order their drinks when his boyfriend granted him a surprise.
Javi was going to get the drinks? That was admittedly a surprise. Sometimes the tailor’s anxiety meant that Booker was the first to go order drinks or food (unless they were sitting at the same table), but this was a nice surprise. Booker, his lip jutted in impressed appreciation, nodded his head.
”I like the way you think, babe. I’ll hold down the table!” Booker said, taking his seat again.
As Javi arrived at the bar, the bartender, a sweet looking woman with mousy brown hair and large eyes, offers him a bright smile.
“Hi sweetie,” she says with a melodious voice. “What can I getcha?”
Booker winced. This was definitely not like any duel he had been a part of before. Sure he had gone up against his fair share of overly eager duelists but never to this capacity. And it wasn’t even that which freaked him out the most, it was the fact that he was being affected by something that most certainly seemed mutant related. What was that about? Over the years Booker had been privy to tons of mutant effects, but never had experienced them first hand. He was an adapted, he wasn’t supposed to.
But this? This certainly felt real and Booker didn’t know how to feel about it. He was excited, he was scared, he had no idea where things were going to go from here. It was such a whirlwind that at times Booker felt those old anxieties attempt to rear their ugly head. He could feel the shaking in his limbs and the tightening in his chest. Booker was brave, or at least acted brave, most of the time, but this...was scary.
As the battle waged on, Nessa trying to claim some ground the disturbing duo, Booker watched in awe the way that she played. She always played beautifully, but right here and now? She very much looked like the hero that she embodied. He would have applauded her! Cheered her name! Then he saw the wince of pain and watched her life points draining dramatically.
”Ness!” he called out to her. But no. This was how she played. She always played fast and loose with life points, trying to get her heavy hitters out there to decimate her opponents quickly.
It was a good strategy in a game, but quite different in reality.
Booker’s role was more conservative and, seeing as either of their assailants took his obvious bait, it was time for him to flip the tables.
”Alright, you bastards. Maybe it’s time to pick on someone your own size!” He drew a card, looked to them, and then winked. ”Try this on for size. I play...polymerization!”
Slipping the card into spot, the card he had face-down turned over to reveal a round and furry guinea pig of brown and black. From his hand, Booker turned a card over and a yellow and beige, fat canary fluttered onto the scene.
The two robed duelist stared, gawking, before breaking out with laughter.
“BAHAHAHA! This is who challenges us!? Who bothers to collect Lil Petshop Champions? What do those cards even do?!!”
“HAHAHA!!!”
Booker smirked. ”You’re going to find out!” he shouted and held his card up. ”I fuse Lil Petshop Guinea Pig and Lil Petshop Canary and bring forth…” He slapped the card on his disc. ”...Lil Petshop Griffighter!”
In a burst of smoke and cartoonish stars, the two pets vanished into the Grave and, in their place, was another cute monster -- only this one had a more menacing edge. The brown feathered, winged creature marched onto the field, eyeing the two, now exposed duelist with a snarl.
”And that’s not all! When I destroyed Lil Petshop Guinea Pig, I activated his special effect…” He pulled a card from his hand and set it on the field. ”...and I can summon, Lil Petshop Newt!” A big-eyed, orange lizard appeared on the scene, licking one of its massive eyes. ”...and in summoning a Lil Petshop champion from my hand, I can active Lil Petshop Guinea Pig’s second effect, and draw a Magic card from my deck!” Booker pulled his deck, flipped through for the card he wanted, smirked and set it back in place after shuffling it thoroughly. ”Boys...welcome to the pet store. I play the Field Magic, Lil Petshop Around the corner!!”
As he did so, the field altered and instead of the beat up streets, the space around them was filled with high shelves filled with pet food and toys, a glass door with a bell over it, and a window box filled with shredded paper. Booker cracked his neck to the sighed and smirked as his two monsters seemed to grow in size a look...stronger.
”Lil Petshop Around the Corner has a great effect,” he said. ”So long as I control a Lil Petshop champion, all champions on the field swap Attack and Defense! Now, with no champion to defend you…” Booker pointed at one of the duelists. ”...Griffighter! Newt! Take ‘em to the pound!!”
Booker shouted as the two monster ran and flew forward. With no champions on the field in attack or defense mode, the two slipped back, Newt climbing onto the duelist’s face, licking his eyes, while Griffighter delivered a powerful swipe to the duelist’s exposed body. Their combined attack power delivering a devastating 3000 attack against their unprotected enemy.
As both monsters returned to Booker’s side, he smirked and bowed his head to them.
”You still wanna go?” he threatened. ”Because no one, and I mean no one,” his voice grew darker. ”Threatens my sister.”
Booker was all smiles as they finished getting ready for their date. He didn’t know what it was about Javi that was just so lightening. He really was the greatest relationship he had ever been in. And, because of that, he wanted to make sure that things went as perfectly as they could. Of course he wasn’t a fool. He knew that things couldn’t be perfect all the time. There were things he was going to do that were going to annoy the tailor, and vice versa, but Booker was in this for the long haul. He only hoped that Javier felt the same way.
But now wasn’t the time to think about that. They had a date to go on, a good meal to have and good music to listen to! That was all that mattered right now. So once his nice shirt had been buttoned, his vest adjusted, and his bowtie, tied, Booker took the other’s arm and they headed off into the night.
The trip wasn’t long. Before they knew it they were standing, side-by-side in front of the bar. Javier immediately called out the obvious -- there was no music. That was weird. Booker was certain that his friend said this place had great music. He wondered what the deal was. He shrugged his shoulders softly as he shared a warm smile with Javi.
”Maybe they are just between sets,” he beamed. ”Come on,” he said, his hand slipped into Javi’s and giving it a tight squeeze. ”We won’t know until we go in.”
Inside the bar it was fairly nice. It would be nicer with music, but Booker wasn’t going to be rude. Instead he looked for a nice quiet corner for him and Javi to claim for themselves. He knew that Javier didn’t like to be out in the open too much so when the perfect little intimate, darkened table was found, he pulled his boyfriend over.
”Here, this looks like a great spot. Get a good view of the entire bar, right?” He grinned as he pulled out a chair for the tailor, and then claimed a spot across from him. ”This is nice,” he said as he looked over the drink menu. ”Ooooh, they make Rainbow Paradises here!”
This was it. This was actually happening! What was going on in his life!? Booker couldn’t make heads or tails of it. Whenever he had been privy to mutant abilities, whether from a significant other, a sibling, or a stranger on the street, Booker was never affected by it. He knew he was safe. It was a little disappointing in some respects but it others it was a godsend. Now, however, he was in the midst of what could only be mutant abilities, but...why was he being affected? He really didn’t know if he should be excited or terrified. Probably a little bit of both.
But that excitement quickly turned to terror when he realized what was happening next. Nessa was volunteering. Did he really think they would be sent to the shadows if they lost? Maybe not, but those two duelists really seemed like they meant business. Who knows what they had planned if they failed.
Booker wasn’t going to let that happen to his sister. He tried to reach out to her, to tell her to stop and he’d handle it himself. But before he could pull the words from his mouth there it was -- that gut-punching feeling of another tether being pulled from his sister’s chest. He watched enough of the cartoon to know that this was, in fact, too late.
”N-Nessa…” he started to say. Sadly he didn’t get much more out. Their opponents seemed pleased with having a fully table and immediately announced that the duel was going to commence. Grinding his teeth, Booker slipped his deck into his duel disc and turned forward. There was no going back now.
The duel was off to a start. Booker admittedly watched with a little bit of excitement as the cloaked figure set down a pair of face-down cards. It was Nessa’s turn after that. She immediately set the precedent that this wasn’t going to be an easy fight. Her “Riot Girl” deck was amazing to behold. In one move she managed to summon one of her most powerful champions and destroy the opposition’s face-down card.
”Yeah! you got this, sis!” he triumphed.
But his victory lap was shortlived. As the champion vanished from the field and effect was put into play. They all had to discard a card from their hand. He frowned. That was not cool. However, when Nessa offered him her apologies, he merely shrugged and gave her a thumbs up.
”Don’t stress! Just the opening moves. Plenty of time to turn things around.” He sounded confident as he pulled a champion from his hand and slipped it into the graveyard. He hoped he could keep it up.
The came to his turn and he gulped. After drawing he glanced down to the cards in his hand and a plan began to form. Lil Petshop Guinea Pig should help to mitigate any damage once the attacking began -- plus it could help with his plan further down the line.
”I place one champion in facedown defense mode,” he said. He glanced at “Lil Petshop Neuter / Spay Appointment.” ”And I set one Surprise card facedown”. He sucked in a breath as he stared the opponent across from him. ”You’re up, Chunky.”
The rotund duelist grumbled. “You’ll pay for that remark!!” He snarled. “I summon Fiendish Mime in attack mode! I also set two cards face down.” His backrow was filling. With a glance to the slimmer duelist his nodded. “You ready to claim more for the shadows?”
Booker looked between them before he turned and gave Nessa a comforting nod and smile. They could do this. He knew they could.
Booker still couldn’t believe what he was seeing. The darkness was encroaching on all sides. There were seemingly monsters sprung to life. And all around, people were screaming in terror before stopping, seemingly unable to escape the surrounding horrors. But that wasn’t what was most disturbing. What was most disturbing was that Booker himself was in the midst of it and his adapted field did nothing to halt the onslaught.
It was a terrifying prospect to say the least. Booker had gone his entire life looking at mutant abilities from the outside but never had he been privy to them. Now that he was staring at something that could very much be like that, he didn’t know if he should be excited, scared, or a little bit of both.
Scarecited? Could he make that a word?
He shook the thoughts away. He could feel the anxiety folding over from his sister. She had a look about her of terror and a desperate need to escape the confines of this realm. With no idea what to do, Booker thought it best to just focus on her and whatever he could do to help.
”Hey, don’t worry,” he smiled softly, turning her face to look at him. ”I’ll get you out of here, okay? I’m going to go talk to them, maybe figure out what’s going on. I’m an adapted, remember? I’ll probably just cancel them out as I get closer. Probably just out of my field.”
He flashed her another warm smile. God he hoped he was right.
The duo of robed duelists demanded a challenge from the cowering crowd. Booker took a deep, calming breath and stepped forward. He probably looked fairly comical in his cosplay attire but he hoped that whoever the two mutants were that they would listen to reason before he was forced to walk over there and knock some sense into them.
”Hey guys! Listen. I know we all love Cho-no-Joo but there’s not reason to carry this on farther than it’s gone.” He spoke firmly and with authority. ”So let’s just all take a breath, step back, an--”
“The first challenger has stepped up!!” one of the duelists shouted. He cackled menacingly. “Who else? Or shall we defeat him two on one and send his pathetic soul to the Shadow Realm?!”
”Hey! I wasn’t volun--” He doubled over for a split second before he straightened up again. Standing there, confused, Booker blinked, unsure of what just happened until he looked down. There extending out from his chest was what seemed to be a tether made of pure, magenta colored energy. The chord extended outward disappearing into the ether around them. Crap, he remembered this from the show. How...was it possible?
As Booker looked dumbfounded, the duelists all peered about, cackling at the remaining ship. “Time’s running out! You really want to trust your fate to a single man? Fools! If no one else volunteers in the next twenty seconds, the duel shall commence and you’ll all be sent to the Shadow realm!”
Booker was glad that Nessa had found a cause and, essentially, picked up where she had left off. That was good for her. Nessa (no matter which age he knew her at) always loved to be involved and having her voice heard. This was a good sign that she was reclaiming a piece of herself that had been lost when she deaged. It was encouraging, to say the least. He had heard of Haven, too, and hoped that they were certainly all that they were cracked up to be. And they better make sure his sister didn’t get into trouble.
Of course that wasn’t the conversation that Booker wanted to have. She had just recently come back from Europe with her bestie and, apparently, it seemed more had happened. Really it wigged Booker out a little bit, considering that the girl Nessa was hanging out with just so happened to be the deaged girl that her last girlfriend cheated on her with. Talk about a soap opera!
But Nessa was still a little unsure of how much she wanted to say. Fair. Instead she wanted to focus on something else, namely Booker’s own admission of love for her latest relationship, Javier.
It was true. Thinking of the tailor brought a smile to the librarian’s face and a little flutter in his heart. He was happy. Truly happy to have someone like Javi in his life and sincerely hoped that this was really and truly it. His own heart had been broken many times but it didn’t seem like that would be the fate between he and Javi.
”Thanks,” he said with a soft smile. ”It’s a good feeling to be treated so well. I hope he feels the same way,” he admitted with a blush. Quickly, though, he cleared his throat. He needed to focus. There was a game to win after all!
And, of course, enter the screaming. Really, at first Booker wasn’t going to think much of it. Cosplaying / anime / card game tournaments were bound to bring out the dramatics in some of the more rabid fans. People shouting in defeat, cast to the dark world because of their loss. It was all in good fun, mostly. But this sounded more fearful; less high school drama club. Considering this was New York, that was a bad sign.
Then Nessa pointed it out. The Archfiend of Lightning. Booker whipped his head towards where she pointed and, sure enough, he saw the towering, skeletal demon encased in lightning as it stood menacingly in the room.
”Whoa…” he said in wonderment. ”T-They...kinda went all out on the decoration and animatronics for this tournament. Didn’t they?” He was grasping at straws. Not surprising considering he was staring at card art come to life. Could there be another explanation?
Ugh. Nessa started talking about Champion cards and Booker immediately heard static. It wasn’t that he didn’t know how to play those aspects of the game, he just chose not to. After all, there was nothing wrong with the classic way of playing! It was even better when he came across other like minded players who went with the truly classic version and just made shit up as they played, like the anime it was based on.
Really? Stabbing a Field Card with a Monster? Made perfect sense in the anime. And so long as you could bullshit your way talking, it could be a fun way to play.
Alas, that wasn’t the way anymore. Booker had resigned himself to being on of those last bastions of true gameplay and would represent as best he could. Even if now or days it took two minutes for your opponent to make an opening move. Ugh. Sickening.
Anyways…
He snickered a little at Nessa’s comment as they wandered the floor. The odd looks he received weren’t as numerous anymore but pointing them out to his sister immediately lit a fire under her. He chuckled. ”Ever the activist. Some things in you, my dear sister, are timeless.” He gave her a crooked grin as they continued on.
Flipping through his Secret Library deck (surprising, no?) a final time he sighed readied himself for the games that would be had. He didn’t know how the games would develop today but his sole purpose was to have fun. Of course he wanted to meet Nessa on the battlefield but it would depend on how they do. He would cross his fingers nonetheless.
A smirk instantly flew across his lips thinking of Javi. ”Oh we’ve been great! Finding a good vibe together. Definitely not like anyone else I, and of course we’ve, dated,” he snickered. ”He’s sorry he could come to cheer me on. He had a bunch of work he was behind on. And, you know, crowds.” He said, gesturing about. ”So I said I’d give him a free pass. But he’s been...amazing…” Booker said with a grin. With a dreamy sigh, he continued. ”Pretty sure I’m in love with him.” He paused for a beat before continuing. ”And yooouuu? How was…Europe?”
Booker was all smiles as he pulled on and buttoned his shirt. He was excited for this bar. He didn’t know why. There was just something about going to a musically inclined place and enjoying a drink and a song with someone that he really cared about. Cared? No, that wasn’t the right word. It wasn’t powerful enough. Huh…
He was shaken from his thoughts when Javi pulled him back to know, hoping that he wouldn’t have to sing at the establishment. Booker jutted out his lip and shook his head. ”Nah, Crystal didn’t say anything about having to sing. But you know these kinds of places. They’ll probably try for some audience participation but you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.”
With a charismatic wink and a nod, Booker returned to getting dressed. If there was anything their relationship was built upon, it was trust. Booker had always told Javi that he wouldn’t make him do anything he didn’t want to do and if there was the slightest whiff of discomfort on Javier’s part, Booker would move things along to more equal footing. He liked Javier. A lot. That was why he was willing to do whatever it took to ensure the other man’s comfort.
Before long, Booker finished milling about the room, collecting his shoes and his patented bowtie, and a vest, before returning with a brilliant smile to the other. Arms outstretched, he did a little turn for Javier before meeting his gaze again.
”Look good?” he asked. ”Not embarrassed to be seen with me in public yet?”
