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.
What was the appropriate amount of time to spend in a relationship before one asked his extremely hot librarian boyfriend to mosey down a runway as a last minute favor? The question was in no way theoretical. And the answer probably was: A lot more.
Javier hated asking favors. It was awkward to begin with, and it made him feel like he was being a burden on someone else. Doubly so on Booker, because he was a sweetheart, and there was no way he would say no. Javier even considered just canceling the whole event, and waiting for the next one... except as usual, his emotions were written on his face, and Booker noticed. There was really no way back from there.
At least the suit was nothing too outrageous. It was a little more high-end than what average people would wear on the street, even in New York City, but as far as fashion shows went, this one was more craftsmanship and design than outrageous, boundary-breaking style. Javier was not that kind of a designer. And Booker was just the right size. And the right look. Then again, he was the right look for everything.
"Have you done anything like this before?" Javier asked as he adjusted the jacked on Booker's shoulders. They were behind the scenes of the runway, along with dozens of other designers and bored-looking professional models. "You can still say no if you'd rather not go out there."
Even though he was getting used to the idea of working on the costume of one of the (in)famous X-men, Javier still felt more than a little intimidated as he crossed the threshold of the (in)famous Xavier's mansion for the first time. It was a school for mutants, sure. It was also center of operations for the X-men (which was an open secret, really). But Javier himself had never really been one for superhero teams. Or mutant communities. His own powers being barely reliable, he liked to live as simply one of many New York residents. Until the opportunity came along, and in a moment of weakness he refused to pass it up.
Maya's new costume must have drawn attention among the other team members. That was the only logical explanation. Javier did his very best to make it comfortable, functional, and stylish. He did some inspired planning with the materials and the design, and the end result was much worth it. But still, he was an outsider, dabbling in the X-men's secrets. His professional pride told him he was invited to the mansion to be complimented. His anxiety told him he was invited because he was a liability. And as usual, the latter was louder.
Javier was let in at the gate, and pointed to the office where he was supposed to go. Knocking on the door, he waited. Should he walk in? Should he turn and run?...
Some tailoring jobs were more glamorous than others. Javier made costumes for vigilantes (that was a recent development), and costumes for cosplayers who cosplayed vigilantes (also a recent development). Sometimes he designed things for local fashion shows, although he never really aimed as high as his father with his creations that boosted his mother's modeling career. Javier was way too anxious to fight it out in the fashion industry. Plus, he had learned early and long ago never to look down on normal, everyday work either. He was just as happy working on uniforms for a catering business as he was fixing things for cosplayers. Work well done was work well done.
He spent the afternoon taking measurements of the catering staff, talking to them about the uniforms and their possible uses. He wanted them to look good, but also feel comfortable, and no one knew better what was needed than the people who were actually going to work in these outfits. Several of them came and went; glancing at his list, Javier could see that there was only one name left. She was late, but he had time. And patience. The young tailor sat in the small dressing room, drumming his fingers on the desk, waiting for the last person to show.
When the door opened, he looked up with a smile.
"Hello! I'm Javier. I'll be making the uniforms for you..."
Booker was clearly fond of his sister, whatever sibling-rivalry banter they managed to put on for show. Javier had his own brat of a little brother, full of sass and love, and it took one to recognize one. His shyness usually kept him from fighting too much with Ignacio, but, strangely enough, it was a familiar enough experience that he did not feel awkward in the middle of the Bookman banter.
>>”Hey, I’ve already accepted I’m the evil sibling. Pretty sure if we polled our parents and our friends, it’d be a unanimous vote. Doesn’t mean I can’t sling a little mud on the golden boy. Oh, and let him get dinner ready alone, since someone decided to screw with me tonight,”
Javier arched an eyebrow in Booker's direction. Had he been messing with his sister at his expense? Probably. Even though he couldn't know Javier and Nessa already knew each other, he probably tried to relieve the tension with some kind of a joke. Javier was all too glad to move on to talking about other things. Like how they had met.
>>”Yeah that Bandit shirt I was telling you about? Javier was the one who was working on it. Did an amazing job too. I found a trenchcoat that matches it perfectly.”
>> ”Right, the bandit shirt! So you’re the genius behind that one. You know, you’re not making this easy for me, Javi. If you already know what a massive dork my brother is, that takes away a lot of my ammunition to tease him with.”
"I know what a dork he is" Javier admitted with a small smile. Honestly, he liked that about Booker. Being a fanboy meant that he could be openly, purely, and unashamedly excited for the things he liked. It was kind of endearing. That opinion was probably clear on Javier's face as he glanced in Booker's direction.
>>”So that’s what you do, then? A tailor and fulfiller of geek dreams? Do you do any cosplaying of your own, or are you mainly the man behind the scenes?”
"Well, I don't only work for cosplay" Javier admitted with a chuckle "In fact... that part's kinda new. I don't think I would have done it if Booker hadn't brought it up. But I am a tailor." he paused "How about you? What do you do when you are not keeping your brother in line?"
If Booker had mentioned that his sister Vanessa was also a mutant, Javier might have put two and two together. Or might not. What were the odds, in a place like New York City? As they shook hands, he furiously tried to recall all information about her that she had shared, and the conversation they had, to see if there was anything he, or she, needed to be embarrassed about. Or rather, anything that he needed to embarrassed about knowing.
>>”I mean, where would I have found the time to squeeze in that factoid? So much more I can use to talk about her behind her back?”
>>”Oh, be careful if you don’t want me to lead your boy here through a PowerPoint of Booker’s greatest embarrassing hits. I’m not above embarrassing you.”
"I have a younger brother. I know how that works." Javier noted with a smirk. Booker moved over to work on the food; Javier glanced his way to make sure he did not venture out of range. He did not trust his surprised thoughts to pull themselves together just yet.
>>”Nice to see you again, Javi. Really. So now tell me, how did you and my goofball of a brother meet?”
At least she was being nice to him, even if she was being mean to her brother. Kind of.
"We... met at the farmer's market" Javier admitted with a smile "And then Booker came over... to work on a cosplay. I have a tailor shop." he added, to clarify what all that really meant. Plus he could not remember if he'd mentioned that before.
Booker looked a little surprised when Javier and Nessa greeted each other. It must have been strange, being all prepared and excited and maybe nervous to introduce Javier to his sister, just to find out they already knew each other. Not that either of them could have given him a heads up...
>>”You’ve...met?”
>>"Hey you!... So your boy and I may have crossed paths at a mutant gay bar once upon a time. Small world, right?"
Javier felt a mixed flood of relief and worry. On the one hand, he'd already met Nessa, and she was a nice person. Combined with what he knew from Booker, he had no reason to be nervous. On the other hand... he was dating someone whose protective sister was a mind-reader. Mind-reading made him nervous to begin with (no one needed to read that mess), and he was not sure a sibling would keep from taking a peek, just for preemptive defense... Also, mutant gay bar.
"I was... trying to get out of my comfort zone" Javier muttered with a smirk, then held out a hand to Nessa "Nice to see you again. Your brother didn't tell me you were a mutant... Otherwise I might have guessed?"
Honestly, who would expect an adapted to have a mutant sibling?
Javier could vaguely hear Booker's voice, and a girl answering, before the door opened. For a second he really hoped the sister was not going to open the door; being introduced was always nicer than having to introduce yourself. He smiled a little in relief when he saw Booker in the doorway.
>>”Hey Javier. Glad you could...make it? Come on, dinner is almost ready.”
Javier smiled more as he got a peck on the cheek, and followed Booker into the apartment. He seemed a little... nervous? That was unusual for him, especially in his home. Javier wondered if his sister meeting his... Javier was really such an important thing to him. He decided to do his best not to make things awkward. By all accounts, Nessa was a cool person to know.
Except... he already knew her.
Javier realized that the moment they walked into the kitchen, but it took him several long seconds to place the face and the name. When he did, he could not imagine how he did not put these two together before. The girl who came out twice in one night to him at the bar, hesitant about her mind-reading powers. Wait... Booker's sister was a mutant?...
Booker's sister could read his mind?!
Instinctively, Javier shifted a little closer to Booker, to make sure he was in his aura.
The promise of being introduced to family was definitely not good for generalized anxiety... but as Booker explained it, ultimately, it was the lesser of two evils. According to the cute librarian, it had become somewhat of a family tradition between him and his sister to accidentally walk in on each other's dates... and as he (very correctly) concluded, introducing Javier to his sister was going to prevent a whole lot of awkwardness in the future. Which made Javier think two very distinct thoughts: One, that he was dating (sorta) an incredibly considerate and therefore adorable man, and two, that said adorable man was considering it a possibility that they would be spending time together in compromising situations. In the future. But first, he needed to meet the sister.
Javier had heard a lot about Nessa from Booker, but now, finally, he was going to actually meet her. He had to admit, he was curious. She sounded like an amazing person, and also (for better or worse) protective of her brother. Javier put on his best look, and got a box of (good) chocolates, and, after some hesitation, knocked on the door of Booker's apartment. He was as ready to meet family as he was ever going to be.
Javier realized a little too late that his words could be taken in... a different way than what he was thinking when he said them. It was not the first such instance of the night; he and Booker both made comments that they immediately regretted, but so far, it seemed that they were both willing to forgive the other for the unintentional... innuendos. That did not make Javier feel any better though, as he blushed and waited for Booker's reaction.
>> ”Haha! You know, there are easier ways to take off my shirt.”
Javier swallowed hard at the comment. It was... too fast, for a first date, and definitely too fast for his normal pace, which was very, very slow. And yet, the idea of Booker's shirt coming off did send an electric pulse down his spine. They already had their sweet goodnight kiss for the evening... and yet, very uncharacteristically for Javier, there was still some tension between them. Not 'straight to bed' kind of tension, just...
Booker was clearly ashamed of himself. He looked embarrassed, and blushed, which made him look vulnerable, and therefore more adorable, at least in Javier's eyes. He clearly realized at the same time what he had said. Javier took a breath, a placed a hand on Booker's chest.
"That... sounds like a plan for another date." he said softly, with a smile. He was looking forward to that date. "But you can kiss me again if you want?"
The shirt was where they had left it, after the first awkward moment of the night: On the table in the living room, next to the wonderful bouquet of threads that Booker had given Javier as a present. Javier walked over, picking up the carefully folded shirt. It was light, since it had been designed to be flexible and resistant, rather than a piece of armor, as per the requirements of the Bandit persona. He turned back to hand it to Booker. The date had officially ended, but they did agree in so many words that Booker would take his present home. As he should
"There you go" Javier smiled "It should fit better than the last one. And if not, I can just rip it off of you again, right?..."
The moment he heard himself, he trailed off. Jokes. Why did he try to make a joke?...
Javier finally got the door open, which was a relief. He felt a little nervous again, although he had no idea why. The date had gone splendidly, Booker was perfect, they made it home without any super awkward moments... maybe that was the problem? maybe he was just waiting for something to finally go wrong?... He took a deep breath as he turned back to look at Booker. Instead of getting lost in his own thoughts, actually looking at his amazing date was a much better option. He noted the look in Booker's eyes as he leaned closer. Allowing him time to react.
>>”Wouldn’t dream of it. I...had a really...really good time…”
Oh. Right. Goodnight kiss.
"I did too" Javier leaned forward, pressing his lips softly to Booker's. It was touching to be allowed the decision to do so, and another small moment to show him how considerate Booker really was. The kiss was sweet, and warm, and just as amazing as the rest of the night had been.
Javier he smiled when he pulled back. It was... a strange moment, standing in the doorway. He finally cleared his throat.
Perfection seemed to be the theme of the evening. Not literally - they had both confessed and stumbled, and then laughed. Perfection was usually something that caused Javier a great deal of anxiety, but for tonight, somehow it was achieved without trying, and together with all the mistakes that were, from an outside point of view, small and kind of adorable. They had dinner, they walked, they talked, and they spent time in the wonderful rooftop garden Booker had found. It really was the perfect choice for a(n official) first date. It was not completely empty, but it was quiet, and spacious enough for them to feel like they were spending time in their own private little garden.
Even perfect dates could not last forever, though. Eventually, they left the hotel (now with the understanding that Booker had not, in fact, reserved a room), and took an Unter back to Javier's apartment. Booker had his cosplay shirt to pick up, after all.
"So, here we are" Javier announced, completely unnecessarily, once they got to his door. Because sometimes he still felt like a teenager. "Don't let me let you leave without your present." It had been a point of misunderstanding earlier, before they left for the date, but he was not going to let that keep Booker from actually taking his gift home. Javier fiddled with his door keys. It really was too bad the date was already over.
Jack seemed a little surprised at the suggestion, and Javier immediately wondered if he had said something stupid. It made sense in his mind that jack would be better off with a wardrobe designed specifically for her. But she seemed to have some tentative questions first.
>>"Would it really 'e easier den altering duh clothes? I'd sink dat designing sings 'd take longer..."
"Initially, yes" Javier nodded "But if we found patterns that work best, it would be a lot easier after. And they would fit better, too."
They would have to re-imagine how clothes on Jack worked. But once they had a few outfits figured out, it would be a lot easier to replicate them.
>>"What would duh diss-erence in cost look like?"
"Well..." Javier paused "There would be some difference because of time, and depending on the kind of fabric you want. But given the original prices and the alterations... I don't think it would be much. Besides, design is a lot more interesting, as a job, than alterations." he added with a grin.
It was good to talk to someone who was interested in his work. Gina had a reason to be interested in working with clothes for mutants, but Javier could tell that her curiosity went beyond her own necessities.
>>“I have to wear a lot of low-cut jeans and mostly fitted shirts. Loose blouses tend to sit weird around my wings, or will ride up… if it was always summer I'd probably wear shirts with open backs all the time."
"I can imagine the fabric makes a whole lot of difference" Javier nodded at the comment on blouses. With the movement of three extra limbs, the fabric had to be able to keep up too. And she was right, while open back shirts probably made her life easier, she could not wear those all year round.
"So... where are you studying?" he asked, curious to hear more about her plans. "Do they actually teach... stuff that is specific to mutants? Or it that something you are just interested in?"
Booker tensed up for a moment, and Javier was instantly worried that he had crossed a line his date was not comfortable with. But after the first moment of tension, Booker hugged him back, and they stood silently for a bit, sharing the warmth without saying any words. They had similar experiences, and they had to deal with similar emotions. But talking through all that was for another time. For now, it was just the comfort of holding each other, until Booker decided to pull back.
>>”You know...you really are far sweeter than I deserve. But I’m grateful.”
"The feeling's mutual" Javier chuckled a little, leaning into his touch. He did think Booker was far better than he could wish for, so it was both amusing, and touching, to hear him say the same. "Something tells me that neither of us believes the other..." he added with a small smile. It was always easier to see the good in someone else than to believe it about yourself. "But that's also perfect, in a way."
