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.
For a moment, Andy couldn’t think or even breathe. All he could do was stare, wide-eyed, as the snakes slithered down the steps towards him. With a burst of adrenaline, he spun around, ready to run in the other direction when he realized snakes were below him as well, also moving towards him. Effectively trapped and scared out of his mind, Andy cried for help, desperately.
“IGNACIO!!!!!”
Where the fuck are you!? Andy thought, fearful eyes darting around the stairwell in search of his powerful sun god of a boyfriend. If anyone could save him from an army of large, venomous snakes, it was him. Sure, the sun was down and they were indoors, but Andy knew Iggy had energy stored inside of him in case of an emergency. THIS WAS MOST DEFINITELY AN EMERGENCY.
>> "A-Andy! Leave now before something bad happens!"
Andy followed Ignacio’s voice to the bottom of the snake-filled stairs and saw him hiding in the corner like a coward. “I can’t leave! I’m surrounded by venomous snakes, you worthless piece of shit!” Eyes bulging and heart pounding, he looked down and realized, in that moment, that he was going to die.
Then, just as he feared, the snakes attacked him one by one, plunging their sharp, venomous fangs into his flesh, and Andy felt completely helpless to stop them. He screamed in a mixture of pain and terror as the large, deadly serpents worked their way up his body, coiling around each of his limbs. In a matter of seconds, he felt his legs and arms lock together and the next thing he knew he was falling down the stairs.
"OW!" Andy winced in pain as he felt the Chihuahua's surprisingly sharp teeth sink into his flesh, tearing through a number of veins, and instinctively pulled his hand away.
Seconds later, blood gushed out, pouring down the back of his hand and dripping onto Allegra's bed. "Shit! Sorry!" he quickly apologized as he scrambled to cover his bleeding hand with his other hand, bringing both hands to his chest.
>> "Oh my god. Andy, are you okay?"
Glancing down, Andy was hesitant to respond. Blood continued to rush out of his body, filling his white tank top with bright red spots that grew in size with every passing second, and he could already feel the area start to swell. Who would have thought a dog so small could do so much damage?
"Yeah, I'm fine," he finally said with a forced smile, trying his best not to let his panic show. He didn't want to look like a wimp, especially not in front of the pretty, popular girl. "But I take back what I said about your dog being the cutest dog ever..."
>> "Here, keep your hand elevated. I'm gonna get you some Neosporin so it doesn't get infected. Just keep your hand elevated. I am so sorry."
A look of worry flashed across Andy's face as Allegra wrapped his injury in one of her shirts. With a nod, he kept his hand elevated, but he couldn’t help but wonder if it would be enough. What if the bleeding didn’t stop? What if he needed medical attention? What if he lost too much blood?
And then, just when Andy was about to politely ask Allegra to take him to the infirmary, she kissed his tender, wounded hand (ow...) and ran after her new, clearly untrained dog like any loving pet owner would. But what about him?
“Stupid dog,” he muttered angrily under his breath.
Andy squeezed his boyfriend’s hand for dear life and sprinted down the crowded, violence-ridden corridor like a crazed linebacker, pushing and shoving anyone who got in his way with his free arm. What was a little push, anyway? He had just broken a man’s nose! He could have even knocked him into a coma or worse if Ignacio hadn’t pulled him away on time -- and it could happen again if he didn’t get out of here soon!
“Almost there!” Andy shouted as soon as the emergency exit sign came into clearer view. It hovered like a beacon of hope over over a door at the end of the corridor, next to two large elevators. Not wanting to risk being trapped in an enclosed spacer with a killer snake again, Andy pushed the stairwell door open without thinking twice and pulled Ignacio inside with him.
Stumbling to a halt, Andy couldn’t help but gasp at what he saw. Swirling black smoke covered almost every inch of the area, flooding the staircase from the ground up with an eerie darkness that made his eyes bulge and his heart jump to his throat. Almost instantly, he could feel the smoke’s shadowy tendrils creep up his legs and spiral around his body in a way a snake would to constrict its prey and started to panic internally.
He didn’t know where to go or what to do. All he knew was that he wanted to get away from the craziness-inducing black smoke before it was too late. He didn’t want to turn into a raging lunatic. He didn’t want to hurt anyone else.
He just wanted to go home.
But the odds were against him. They were on the fourteenth floor and Andy didn’t even want to consider taking the elevator all the way down to the main foyer, where he had last seen the large, yellow-eyed snake. He couldn’t go back there, but he had to if he wanted to get out of this hell hole.
Then, just when Andy was about to abandon all hope, he noticed the Roof Access sign posted on the wall with an arrow pointing up. “The roof! Fresh air! Let’s go!” With that, Andy bolted up the stairs and didn’t look back.
Before he could make it to the top of the steps, however, a sudden rush of fear gripped him to the core, stopping him dead in his tracks, and the next thing he knew he was surrounded by large, yellow-eyed snakes. They came at him from every direction, hissing evilly as they flashed their sharp, venomous fangs.
Tears prickled the corners of Andy’s eyes, threatening to spill out and make him look weak.
No, he told himself, wrinkling his brow as though in anger. He wasn’t going to cry. Not here. Not in front of an X-Man.
>> "You're right.”
Andy lifted his frustrated gaze from the still-wet (though not nearly as wet as before) carpet and sniffled.
>> “You probably won't be squeegeeing floors as far as trainee tests go, but everybody starts somewhere. The first thing I did was move leaves around. Like raking. The most inefficient way to rake imaginable, in fact."
“Really? That’s all you could do? For how long?” Andy asked, eyes wide with surprise before realizing that she could just be saying that to make him feel better.
Shrugging his shoulders, he added, “I’m not like you, though. I can’t move water in the same way you can move air… and I don’t think I ever will. Trust me, I’ve tried...” Andy lowered his head as though in shame, although he knew it was nothing he had control over. Even Mr. Cervantes said his powers, although water-based, worked much differently than his own.
>> "It's good to push yourself and to have goals, but it's not good to get stuck in a negative feedback loop and get down on yourself. You made some good steps today. You made a mess, yeah, but then you worked to solve your own problem with the resources on hand. Chin up, Andy. That's a good foundation."
No longer feeling like a complete failure, Andy picked his chin up at Ghost’s request and managed a small, hopeful smile. “So you think I can pass? If I keep training... How will I know when I'm ready? How did you know when you were ready?”
The two ran in no particular direction, their hands firmly linked. So hyped up on adrenaline, the thought of someone seeing them together as a couple didn’t even cross his mind. He was more concerned about not getting caught in the crossfire. “What is wrong with these people!?” Andy shouted over the sound of unbridled chaos that tore through the darkened, smoke-filled atmosphere. He barely could hear himself, let alone Ignacio, who suddenly stopped running, looked him straight in the eye and said, in a serious tone,
>> "Look, we have to get out of here or try and fight this thing. Are you with me?"
Andy bit his lower lip nervously, wide-eyed, as Ignacio asked him to do something he was not at all ready for. “Fight what thing? All these people?” Fighting complete strangers in the Danger Room was one thing, but in real life? Andy wasn’t sure if he could…
---
"No! Fight that black smoke! Now I know that we're out of our elements. If we were at the beach on a sunny day, we might be unstoppable, but we aren't." Ignacio's kaleidoscope eyes stared into Andy's beautiful brown ones. "We can do this, mi amor."
---
Andy gave Ignacio an incredulous look. He couldn't seriously be calling him mi amor at a time like this. "How do you even know the black smoke is causing all of this? Cafas said it was just mutant special effects..." Then again, how could it not be the cause? Why else would people be trying to kill each other at a Halloween party? Letting out a sigh of defeat, he added, "Okay, so we find the mutant responsible and then what? I'm not even an X-Trainee yet. What if something goes wrong?"
---
"Yeah, well...I don't know, okay?! I just know that I don't like seeing you so afraid!" Ignacio turned to look at the crowd. He knew it had to be the smoke or something that was in the air to cause all of these people to act crazy. Iggy was about to say something else when he felt a fist hit him in the back of the head. The young mutant tumbled forward, almost crashing into Andy. With a growl, he turned around to see who did it. "What the f***?! Who did that?!"
---
“Are you kidding me? If you don’t like seeing me afraid then why the hell are we planning to--” Suddenly, Andy saw a shady, masked figure in a long, black robe approaching Ignacio from behind and froze in a mixture of fear and uncertainty. On one hand, the Ghostface impersonator could have overheard their conversation and wanted to join them in the fight against the craziness-inducing black smoke; on the other, he was dressed as Ghostface. What if he had a knife?
“Iggy, look out!” Andy tried to warn him, but he wasn't quick enough. A gloved fist connected with the back of Ignacio’s head and Andy instinctively extended his arms to catch him when he fell forward. Ignacio was pissed, but not nearly as pissed as Andy, who balled his hands into angry fists and tackled the man to the floor without thinking twice. “Don’t touch my boyfriend!” he yelled as he punched Ghostface repeatedly in the face until his mask flew off.
---
Once Ignacio let the initial anger dissolve, he quickly bent down and tried to tear his boyfriend off of the guy. "Stop it! We can't act like this!" The eighteen-year-old mutant finally got Andy off of him and turned around. "It's not their fault! It's the black smoke! It's making them crazy."
---
Fearing retaliation, Andy continued throwing wild punches even after he felt the the man behind the mask’s nose crack under his knuckles. He could hear Iggy yelling at him to stop, but for some reason he couldn’t. Luckily, Ignacio grabbed him under the arms and dragged him away before he could do any more damage. Then his eyes widened as realization dawned on him. “I think it’s affecting me, too. We have to get out of here before it’s too late!”
Desperately, Andy looked for a way out and saw, at the very end of the crowded, violence-ridden corridor, a faint red light peering out from behind a cloud of black smoke. Hoping it was the emergency exit sign, Andy grabbed Iggy's hand and gave it a tight squeeze before breaking into a sprint. “This way!”
If Andy expected to pass his X-Trainee test, he was going to have to push himself harder than ever before. Train more. Not just in the swimming pool, not just in the workout room, but also in the ominously-named, technologically-advanced Danger Room.
For awhile, Andy hated the Danger Room--the place where he first realized how sucky his powers were compared to those of his peers, especially whenever the simulations were land-based (which they usually were).
It wasn't until he discovered he could do more than just run and swim away from threats that he started to see the Danger Room as less of a torture chamber designed to lower his self-esteem and more of a wonderful (okay, maybe not wonderful) opportunity to exercise both his body and powers in creative ways that could one day save his life or the life of someone else. He had even gotten used to wearing his student training uniform! Sure, it still rode up every now and then, but at least he no longer felt like it was suffocating him. In fact, it made him feel powerful every time he put it on. Like an X-man.
All in all, he had come a long way; yet, he still couldn’t help but feel nervous as he approached the room, always unsure of what to expect. Come to think of it, he couldn’t remember the last time a teacher ran the same simulation twice in a row. It almost never happened.
But that was life: unpredictable.
If he wanted to be an X-Trainee, he’d have to be prepared for anything. Which was why he was here, on a Saturday morning, with one of the X-Men finest: Mirror. Strangely, she was dressed in a blue, one-piece swimsuit, which told him the scenario she had chosen for him would have something to do with--
Water! Andy beamed in a mixture of excitement and relief, a wide, toothy smile stretching across his face as soon as he noticed what she was sitting at the edge of: an oversized swimming pool. The water wasn't as clear as he would have liked, murky and greenish, but it was still water.
“Hi, Mirror,” he greeted her with a quick wave before breaking into a light jog towards her. Stopping at the edge of the pool, he took a sharp breath and crossed his arms. “So, what’s the scenario this time? Should I be scared?” he asked with a joking grin as he glanced down at the mysterious water.
Huddling into the corner of the elevator, Andy looked frantic. He was frantic. How could he not be? A snake was in the hallway! A big, probably poisonous snake! Moreover, it had been looking directly at him with its slitted, yellow eyes, as though it was about to strike. Andy winced at the scary thought of its long, sharp teeth digging into his skin, filling his body with deadly, inflammation-inducing poison. Even if it wasn’t poisonous, the mere thought of being bitten or strangled by a snake made his heart race even faster.
Then he remembered he wasn’t alone and picked up his head. Other people were in the hallway, including his boyfriend. “Iggy, look out!” he shouted in a desperate tone before realizing that the snake was no longer there. “Oh, fuck,” Andy cursed, his back pressed against the wall of the elevator as he looked left and right and even up for the apparently fast-moving snake. It could be anywhere! He shouldn’t have taken his eyes off of it!
“Iggy, please. Get into the elevator. We have to get out of here now.” Why didn’t he want to get in the elevator? It was clearly much safer in here than out there. Did he want to get attacked by a snake? Maybe he hadn’t seen it? But there was no time to explain. “Iggy, please, I need you,” he begged, a look of pure terror in his eyes as the thought of losing him filled his mind.
---
Ignacio's heart was beating out of his chest and he wasn't sure what he should do. He had a boyfriend to protect and a X-Men impress. He couldn't let his fear take over and turn him into a pile of ash. Hearing Andy's cries for help, Iggy picked up his head to look at him. "B-but what if I accidentally....I don't want to hurt you, Andrew." Ignacio whispered. He could feel himself start to well up with tears.
---
Andy’s fear increased with every second Ignacio spent outside the elevator. He was in danger. They both were. At any given moment, the snake could come back and kill them. Their best bet was to go up to the very top floor, maybe even the roof, and wait it out until someone else caught the damn thing, but Iggy was afraid to get in the elevator for a reason Andy didn’t understand. “Hurt me? What are you talking about? ¡Sólo métete en el puto elevador!”
>> "Come on man, you gotta stick together and look after each other, get in for me."
Cafas stepped in to help, but it didn’t seem to be enough and Andy was quickly losing his patience. The thought of leaving without his boyfriend crossed his mind, but he just couldn’t do it. He cared too much about him. Letting out a frustrated groan, Andy said, his voice raised, “Iggy, there’s a fuckin’ snake out there and I don’t want to see you get hurt. Just, please, do me a favor and get in the damn elevator.”
---
Ignacio covered his eyes and let out a sigh of irritation. It wasn't at Andy for cussing at him (he'll deal with that mouth later) but at himself for allowing fear to cripple him. With a deep breath, Iggy balled his fists and stormed into the elevator. He glared down at the tile floor, sputtering out curses and R rated phrases in Spanish. "Whatever this is, I'm going to kill it!"
---
A wave of relief washed over Andy as soon as Ignacio stepped foot into the elevator. So much so that Andy couldn’t help but wrap both arms around him and pull him in close. He didn’t care who saw or how gay he looked. He was just glad Ignacio was okay. Besides, it was only a hug...
“What the hell!?” Andy spat out in a mixture of surprise, confusion, and fear as he watched the same X-Man that was supposed to protect him from whatever dangers lied ahead slip out of the elevator just before the doors closed shut. Instinctively, Andy’s finger moved toward the button that would open the door, but then he remembered a vicious, fast-moving snake was out there and stopped himself just in the nick of time. “He’ll be fine… right? He’s an X-Man...”
The question was, would they be fine on their own? And why wasn’t the elevator moving?
Terrified of the door re-opening while they were still on the ground floor, Andy scrambled to push every single button he could, repeatedly and desperately… “Holy shit, it’s not working! We’re trapped!”
And, to make matters worse, he could have sworn he heard an all-too-familiar hissing sound come from outside the elevator. “No, no, no, no, no!”
---
Ignacio turned his attention to Andy and immediately picked up and carried him away from the elevator buttons. "Stop it, Andy! You're going to break it!" Maybe staying at the Mansion was a better idea than going out to the Halloween party. "We have to keep our heads on straight!"
---
“No!” Andy protested, flailing his arms and legs as Ignacio forcibly dragged him away from the elevator buttons. “The door is going to open and the snake is going to--” Andy gasped when, all of a sudden, the elevator roared to life and begun lifting the two higher and higher. Andy breathed a sigh of relief and let himself fall back into his boyfriend's arms before realizing the elevator skipped the second floor… and the third… and the fourth… “What the hell? Why isn’t it stopping?”
And why was he hearing that hissing noise again if he was no longer on the ground floor?
Feeling something slither across his smoke-covered feet, Andy latched onto Ignacio for dear life and let out a bloodcurdling scream. "THE SNAKE IS IN THE ELEVATOR! THE SNAKE IS IN THE ELEVATOR! AHHHHHHH!!!"
Allegra’s entire face lit up when she saw him. How could he look her in the eye and tell her he never liked her? What if she never smiled at him again? What if she hated him? Ugh. Why did he ever agree to go on a date with her in the first place? He should have just made up some story about him already having a girlfriend or something.
>> "Oh my god! I'm sorry. My room is a disaster area."
“Don’t worry about it,” Andy said nonchalantly as he glanced around Allegra’s supposedly messy room. To him, as someone who accidentally flooded his dorm-room two weeks ago, it was hardly a ‘disaster area’, but that was beside the point. He wasn’t here to critique the state of her room, but rather to tell her the truth and beg for forgiveness.
But he really didn’t want to do that, either.
So what did Andy do? Instead of facing the problem in front of him, he shifted his attention to something else: Allegra’s new dog.
>>"Oh yes. You can pet him. He's a little skittish but he doesn't bite."
With Allegra’s permission, he walked into her room and over to her bed with an excited smile. It was even cuter up-close! And were those blue eyes? He had certainly never seen blue eyes on a chihuahua before, but he guessed even dogs could have mutations in their genes.
“Hey there, little guy...” Sitting down beside it, Andy reached his hand out to gently pat it a few times on the head and, if possible, lift it up and put it on his lap. “Aren't you the cutest thing ever?”
Andy’s eyes widened when Allegra stood up and stripped down to her revealing bikini, but not for the reasons she expected. Was he turned on? Not in the slightest. Was he scared? Slightly. Did he feel guilty? Very much so. She seemed to be trying so hard to impress him, and he was one hundred percent certain any other one of his male peers would have been drooling right now.
But he couldn’t drool, at least not over her, and he felt really bad about it. A small voice in the back of his head told him it was still possible for him to like Allegra in the same way she liked him, but it was a very small, insignificant voice that he knew would always be overpowered by the first cute guy that came into view. That wouldn’t fair to Allegra, that was, if they ever did become a couple.
But he also didn’t want anyone at the Mansion to know he was gay. And so, when she asked him what he thought about her appearance, he slapped a wide, toothy smile on his face and pretended as though nothing was wrong. “You’re the prettiest girl here,” he replied, choosing his words carefully. If he said she was the prettiest person here, he’d be lying. He tried not to think about any of the shirtless men walking around the beach, though... or the lifeguard.
Shit! Quickly, he stood up for fear of becoming too aroused by the idea of pretending to drown so the ridiculously hot, curly-haired lifeguard could give him mouth-to-mouth and pulled off his shirt. Taking a deep, calming breath, he glanced down at his board shorts, thanked God he chose not to wear his Speedos, and made a beeline for the ocean--the only real reason he had actually been looking forward to their date. If Allegra had wanted to go anywhere else, he probably would have dreaded it completely.
Without even checking the temperature of the water or caring whether or not Allegra joined him, Andy broke into a sprint and dove into a fairly large wave headfirst. The water, of course, bended around his head because of his mutation, protecting him from the impact and allowing him to continue breathing normally as he swam happily under the oh-so-refreshing salt water. By force of habit, he started using his powers to propel himself far out into the ocean before remembering he was on a date... with a girl.
With a reluctant sigh, Andy swam back up towards the sunlit surface and poked his head out of the water to check on Allegra. "The water's great!" he shouted, waving her over.
Andy internally cheered, trying his best to contain his excitement when Mr. Cervantes agreed to train him privately. He said his schedule might be a little packed, but that was okay. It was better than nothing! Even if they only met once a week, Andy would be more than happy. “Thanks so much, Mr. Cervantes. You have no idea how much this means to me.”
The thought of hitting the gym and running laps more frequently crossed his mind. He had to get back into shape. Sure, he was in much better shape than most of his peers at Xavier’s, since swimming was a great full-body workout in itself, but in order to get more of a competitive edge in the water he needed to start working out more on land.
“Okay. Pool is all yours.”
Andy could feel his heart racing as Mr. Cervantes pulled out his phone and set a timer. Quickly, he stripped down to his speedos and walked to the edge of the pool, where he commenced stretching out his arms and legs.
Oh, great, now he felt nervous.
Really, really nervous.
It had been awhile since anyone had ever evaluated his performance. Since being kicked off the swim team, the only person who cared about how well he swam was, well, himself. His moms supported his love for swimming one hundred percent, but neither of them understood the sport enough to judge his technique. Mr. Cervantes, on the other hand, could tear him to shreds on a whim.
He was nowhere near done stretching, but he didn’t want Mr. Cervantes to wait any longer. He just had to believe in himself, in his ability, and hope for the best.
“Okay. Ready when you are,” he said, glancing back at his future coach as he bent over to grab hold of what he wished was the end of a diving board. At the sound of the whistle, he dove straight into the the pool, hands first, and commenced swimming as best as he could to the other side. Although he didn’t have to worry about holding his breath or getting water in his eyes thanks to his mutation, he did have to focus on using his arms, core, and legs in unison, which wasn’t always easy to do, all the while making sure to finish every stroke. His old coach always used to yell at him for not kicking enough.
Am I not kicking enough?
In a mixture of determination and desperation, Andy reached the end of the pool, flipped as fast as he could, and pushed off the wall with his feet… and, although he didn’t mean to, his powers.
Andy torpedoed to the other end of the pool at a much faster rate than he was used to and he couldn’t stop. Fearing a head-on collision, he threw his arms out in front of him and-- Shit! Not again! Realizing he was in mid-air, Andy shut his eyes and braced himself for impact.
There was still some work to do and Andy couldn’t help but feel disappointed in himself. How did he ever expect to join the ranks of the X-Men if he couldn’t even clean up his own messes in a timely manner? He felt as though any other mutant at the Mansion would have been able to do a much better, much faster job. Just look at Ghost! She was doing most of the work and he was… pushing water. That was all he did: he pushed water and nothing else!
Andy tilted his head back and let out a frustrated groan before realizing Ghost was in his presence, observing his every move. His every slip-up. He had to be cool as a cucumber always, especially under pressure. Or at least that was how he thought all the X-Men were.
>> "You seem awfully hard on yourself, Andy."
Ghost looked at him as though she saw right through him and it made him feel very uncomfortable. Could she read minds, too? On top of all the other awesome, helpful things her mutation allowed her to do? Or was it really that obvious?
Taking a sharp breath to regain his composure, Andy picked himself up to his feet and folded his arms across his chest. “Not hard enough. If I want to pass my X-Trainee exam, I’m gonna have to be able to do more than just squeegee floors...” He averted his gaze in a mixture of shame and sadness. How stupid he was to even think he’d be able to pass. He couldn't even pass Chemistry.
>> "I was born in Atlantis. Not some uncultured seabed. We had air, anóitos."
Andy didn’t know what Kalos just called him, or if it was even a real word, but he could tell she was annoyed. Clearly, she didn’t like it when he questioned her Atlantean heritage, probably because she didn’t want to accept the facts: Atlantis was never an underwater city; it was a tourist destination, a newly discovered country that was no different from the United States. Perhaps it had a bit more biodiversity, but that didn’t mean it was overrun by mermen with tridents…or little girls made out of coral.
She was a mutant, just like everyone else at Xavier's, not an Atlantean... right?
“What do you mean, you had air?” Andy continued inquiring, even when he knew he shouldn’t. He really didn’t want to upset the little pink-skinned girl any more than he already had, but he also really wanted answers.
But then he called his feelings delicate and something inside Andy cracked.
No longer wanting to hear her voice or even look at her, he dropped his water repulsion field as he lowered his hand back to his side and averted his gaze. His headache disappeared almost instantly, but his entire body still felt tense, angry even. It was an awful feeling that he couldn’t seem to shake until he glanced back at Kalos and realized she was choking on water.
Eyes widening, Andy was both surprised and confused by the fact she couldn’t breathe underwater. A part of him even enjoyed watching her struggle as she desperately clawed her way up the side of the pool, or tried to.
Who’s the weak one now? he thought, a small, devilish grin forming across his lips before his conscience convinced him to rush to the little pink-skinned girl’s aid.
By the time he swam over, however, she was already halfway out of the pool. Feeling a twinge of guilt for not helping sooner, he sped to the surface and climbed out of the pool to check on her. She was coughing up a storm, her face much paler than before, but at least she didn't drown...
Resisting the urge to tell her I told you so, Andy crouched down and patted her gently on the back. Sighing, he asked, “Are you okay?"
>> "I am— sorry for your feelings."
Andy furrowed his brow at Kalos's apology. Did she think he did this on purpose? "Hey, I didn't know you couldn't breathe underwater... and, for the last time, I don't have delicate feelings." The anger he felt bubbling inside him said otherwise, but she didn't have to know that. He took a deep, calming breath to regain control over his emotions and crossed his arms. “Seriously, what kind of Atlantean can’t breathe underwater?”
It’s just mutant special effects, Andy repeated in his head as he took another deep breath. And even if it was more than that, Andy logically knew he wasn’t in any immediate danger. The shadowy stuff, as creepy and evil-looking as it was, didn't seem to be hurting him in any way and he was in the presence of a full-fledged X-Men who’d protect him if he were ever in danger, not to mention his powerful sun god of a boyfriend. Yet, he still couldn’t shake the really embarrassing feeling of being on edge, as though his body was preparing to run away… even though his brain had already decided not to.
More or less unconsciously, Andy gravitated toward Ignacio as he followed Cafas out of the main lobby and into a darkened, smoke-filled corridor, a look of worry plastered on his face. It was then Ignacio drew even closer and whispered,
>> "Not boyfriends? Tell that to the pool."
For a very brief moment, Andy managed to forget the unwarranted feeling of fear coursing through his body as pleasure-laden memories of the last time he and Ignacio had sex flashed through his mind, causing a small smile to creep across his lips. Seconds later, the fear came rushing back in the most unpleasant way possible as an icy chill shot down his spine and settled at the pit of his stomach.
Ugh. He hated feeling like this. Why was he feeling like this? I'm not in danger!
>> "I did really think you were together though. Pity, you looked like a cute couple in matching outfits."
Andy quirked an eyebrow. Did Cafas not have a problem with them being gay? Was he gay himself? He did frequently dye his hair pink... Even so, telling the truth was a risk Andy was unwilling to take, far too afraid of what might happen if the wrong person at the Mansion found out. "Well, we're not," he said sternly. "I just couldn't think of anything better to wear," he added before shooting a quick, apologetic look at Ignacio.
>> "Well lads, I'd say that means we have to go up. No clue what floor. Maybe there'll be something in the actual elevator."
Andy tried to put on a brave face for his boyfriend and Cafas, but it disappeared the second the elevator doors opened. A rush of thick, shadowy energy came pouring out of the elevator and Andy couldn’t help but latch onto Ignacio’s arm for protection as it flooded his entire body from head to toe. Instinctively, he held his breath so the strange, smokey substance wouldn't get in his lungs until he realized it was no less breathable than the rest of the air.
“Holy shit,” he breathed, his heart still racing as he glanced around the corridor in a highly paranoid manner. “Are you sure we have to-- AHHHH!!!” Catching a glimpse of what he thought to be a large, venomous snake behind him, Andy let out the loudest, most frantic scream he could muster and threw himself into the elevator.
“Iggy, look out! Don’t let it--” Andy yelled in a desperate tone from behind the reception desk, but it was too late. Shadowy tendrils collided with his beloved boyfriend’s feet and swirled around them deviously. Andy’s eyes went wide and his jaw dropped as he waited anxiously for something to happen to Ignacio. Something bad...
A few moments later, Andy released a breath he had not realized he’d been holding and placed his hand over his chest, feeling the tension seep out of him. As far as he could see, Ignacio was perfectly fine, not a scratch on him, which meant the stuff was harmless... right? Did that mean his Halloween wasn’t ruined?
>> "W-what the f*** is that..? No me gusta."
Wrinkling his brow with confusion and concern, Andy asked, “¿Cómo que no te gusta? Is it hurting you?” He felt his heart jump at the possibility that the damage may be internal, but the famous actor/X-Man didn’t seem to think it was dangerous at all, writing it off to be nothing more than a Halloween decoration. It certainly looked a lot more sinister than that, as though it had been trying to attack him... But maybe that was the point?
Before he could give it any more thought, some guy in a tux walked over and threatened to call security on him if he didn’t remove himself from the staff area in 3...2… “I’m so sorry,” Andy quickly apologized, a look of embarrassment covering his face as he scrambled to comply, “I didn’t mean any trouble, I swear. I just… got freaked out.” Unable to find the exit fast enough, he left the only way he knew how -- by climbing back on top of the reception desk and jumping over to the other side.
A thick layer of smokey darkness coated the floor on which he landed and Andy suddenly found himself unable to smile. His eyes widening with fear, he tried his best not to panic as he watched the stuff eerily weave its way up and around his legs. It’s just mutant special effects, he said repeatedly in his head as he took deep breaths that were supposed to calm him down. For some reason, though, he didn’t feel any calmer. A part of him even wanted to run away. He couldn’t run, though. That wasn’t what X-Men did… Plus, he didn't want to look like a wimp in front of his boyfriend.
>> "I think I'm still going to investigate though. Feel free to come with, if you can convince your boyfriend. They sometimes like to do these secret events, they're normally worth checking out, kinda like a VIP area for real Halloween lovers."
“I’m not afraid,” Andy countered, though the shakiness in his voice said otherwise. “And I'm not his boyfriend...” With that, he commenced following Cafas to who-knows-where, even though every fiber of his being told him it was a bad idea.
