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.
Ashley noticed the slight shift in the mood as she let that little confession slip out. Well, to her it was normal; she'd always liked girls more then guys. It just wasn't brought out in others as strongly as as did with Isabel. Maybe it wasn't something she should just go be advertising, but she didn't want anyone to think she was ashamed. Liking woman was as natural to Ashley as breathing.
>>“Maybe one day you could bring her to visit?”
The only answer Bentley got for this question was a scoff followed by a dubious look. Even IF Isabel was he girlfriend, and IF she was a sociable as her attitude implied, then Ashley doubted very much that they would ever step foot in Bentley's home. Still, she felt bad for giving such a strong response and ended her line of actions with a noncommittal shrug.
>>“You’re so…Your own? I mean to say…You’re unlike anyone I’ve ever met before.”
The redhead smiled as she looked to the smaller girl and shrugged again. “I'm different? Never noticed.” Ashley lightly kicked a small rock that was on the ground before she continued. “Wanna compare? You different. Wanna know secret?”
Ashley nodded, a matter of fact look on her face as she turned to the girl beside her, then took a quick look around them as if she was looking out for spies. When she stopped looking she then leaned in slightly, her slightly deep voice going lower as she whispered into Bentley's ear.
She heard the goings on around her but really wasn't paying attention. Her sole focus was on the fact that her vision was gone, gone and was she ever going to get it back? The conversation being held with what she assumed was the Latina and whoever the other girl was got louder (somehow) in Ashley's ears and she gently held out a hand that contained the purse (or whatever) the thief had attempted to pilfer from the Latina girl. How absurd that she wouldn't get it back, blind or not. In the art of pickpocketing she had more finesse then a simple grab and run.
Ashley slowly wobbled to her feet and shook her head, as if that would help bring her sight back. Of course it didn't, but she really hadn't been expecting it to. She reached out and grabbed onto the nearest thing to her, an arm of one of the girls around her. Either it was the Latina (more likely because the arm was a tad more muscled) or the little white girl with the robe she had spotted trying to help as well. She steadied herself, still holding out the purse.
“Got it.” she muttered. “Sanctuary...please. I...go there. Sometimes.”
Well, once anyways. Last time she was there didn't end so well for her at all. But desperate times and all that. Being blind, Ashley really didn't have a sense of direction and the feeling of panic and bile rising to her throat was getting stronger the more she contemplated her situation. She suppressed these feelings if only to keep her head cool and she closed her eyes (more out of habit then anything) as she nodded. Was she sure, though? Was she sure she wanted to go back to a place that had broken her in more ways then she could count by a single person?
“Please. Let's go.” Ashley almost whispered, as if afraid of the words coming out of her mouth. “To Sanctuary.”
Maybe Isabel wouldn't even be there. One could only hope.
Well, the night was just filled with multiple blessings, one in the form of Bentley being a talker. That meant that Ashley herself didn’t have to say much as they continued to walk, now past the edge of the park and into the actual city itself. In truth, Ashley liked to listen to Bentley talk, so very animated as she was about topics like her hometown, and how different the people in New York City were then from anywhere else. In that, Ashley had to agree. People in New York were very proud about their place in the world, very haughty towards out of towers and it was an attitude Ashley found amusing at times.
>>“You’re nice though. I really appreciate what you’re doing for me.”
Just when Ashley thought that maybe she'd gotten over the blushing, the girl would say something else and it would start all over again. Perhaps by the end of their little walk Ashley would end up a tomato for the rest of her life? She wouldn't doubt it. But it would be worth it, really, just to see this girl safely home and secure in her own place. Ashley responded to the question with a half smile and a meek shrug before looking away. Bentley made er feel like a little schoolgirl. Also, clumsy. Very, very clumsy.
>>“When we get to my apartment…do you want to come in? I have a pizza in the fridge and I definitely can’t eat it alone.”
The redhead's face went 'Urk!' for a moment before she stopped, looking away from Bentley. There was that feeling of loneliness from the pit of her stomach again, like her insides were being wrenched in all different directions at once. It was almost the same feeling she had when she left the Sanctuary the last time, when Isabel had brought her over. Sure, she decided that thinking about the incident probably wasn't the best idea, but going up somewhere alone with another woman made Ashley feel like...like she was cheating somehow.
“Ummm...” Ashley stuttered for a moment before looking Bentley in the eye. “I, ummm...can't. Not good. Idea, I mean. I...have girlfriend...”
Well that was a bold faced lie, but it would have to do. The wounds Isabel had left were far too fresh for her liking, far too near the surface of her emotional exterior to be able to hide much should Ashley let the feelings overwhelm her as she did on that night when Isabel had stolen he heart. The last thing Ashley anted to to break down in front of a new friend (right?) before they even got a chance to know each other...well, even if they DID know each other better, Ashley wouldn't wanna break down in font of them. Ashley toed the concrete slab wit the toe of her boot and twisted it a bit before peeking up at Bentley, hoping the smaller girl wouldn't laugh at her.
It was odd. Her whole situation felt so odd and Ashley didn't know why. She felt strangely detached, like all of this was happening to someone else. And, in a way perhaps it was. For some reason she felt like a completely different person then the last time she was in this very kitchen. It seemed like a lifetime ago, really. She stood there, holding a bottle of alcohol (vodka, she saw now) that had unleashed this torrent of emotion Ashley had inside of her. Now it was gone, and all that was left was this cold numbness that the redhead would have given anything in the world to make go away. She gripped the bottle harder in her right hand, harder and harder until it cracked, gashing her hands as it blew to pieces, sending glass all over the kitchen floor.
She felt, rather then heard, Isabel coming a minute later. The bloody hand that had turned the bottle of vodka into pieces pressed against her heart and she felt her eyes burn yet again. She closed her eyes, letting that feeling wash over her for just a moment until she head the door to the kitchen open. She heard Isabel slide in, clearing her throat to...what? Get her attention? Ashley didn't bother to turn around, not wanting the person who nearly claimed her body (but had already claimed her soul) see her in such a state. Isabel was strong, and strength is what she was wanted to see in her friends, or her enemies. Not knowing what she was at the moment, Ashley just stood still.
>>"I'm sorry. About any confusion or whatever. I didn't really think things would head in that direction. Please don't cry."
The last part seemed a plea, like Isabel wanted to get off scot-free for this. And Ashley wanted nothing more then to have the woman pay for her actions...or lack there of, if you really wanted to get down to the brass tacks. Ashley closed her eyes, the scent of cherry blossoms already reaching her, wrenching her heart to turn around and beg. Beg for forgiveness, beg for anything. But she wasn't pathetic...right now. She'd be pathetic later, when no one was looking and she was sure she could clean herself up before anyone ever saw her in public again.
Ashley always knew that, somehow, her speech was always directly linked to her mutation and how it manifested. It also had o do with how she relearned HOW to speak, because she always THOUGHT in complete sentences, they just always came out...broken. It was her job to figure out how to say what, and in the end her speech came broken and, in some cases, cute. She always rolled her eyes at this one, because how could someone who sounded like a blithering idiot ever sound cute? She pushed that train of thought aside as she turned slightly, only half her face actually visible, her tears leaking without permission.
And finally, maybe just this once, the words came out right.
"I can't pledge to always be good but to be good to you. I can't promise to do what's right but do right by you. I can't offer you my heart because it already beats inside of you. Deny me now if you must because the path much taken is the path most clear. But don't betray your own heart because your soul will never forgive you. Tell me today, just once, what we both know to be true so that the sound of those words from your voice can resonate in my ears and echo through my soul forever."
A second. Two. A minute, two...three.
Silence.
And with that, Ashley had her answer.
She didn't look back as she walked out of The Sanctuary.
That was the only thought that seemed to ring through her mind the more she explored the woman under her. How could Isabel be so soft? It just HAD to be against the law to be this soft. The sounds, they were a weapon that assaulted the redhead's senses, the smell a siege against her normally tight, rigid defenses. It was warfare that Ashley never thought she'd be engaged in but was fighting all the same and for god's sake she was losing ground every minute she spent in this woman's embrace. And for all her talk, Ashley never wanted to lose a battle so badly in her entire life.
>>"Uhm, I...Boyfriend!"
The sudden words made Ashley’s actions come to a screeching halt. It was as if water had been splashed on her and her blood was now freezing. She slowly lifted her face up from the cleavage it was buried in before the proclamation was made, her eyes burning with anger. The hand gripped around the back of Isabel's head tightened for a moment before she let go, her head collapsing next to Isabel's as she breathed hard for a moment. She wanted to screw in frustration but refrained, only standing up before she looked at the disarrayed form of the woman who almost became her first lover.
“You...don't mention this? Till now?” Ashley literally growled out the words. She blinked her eyes rapidly for a moment, the irrational tears coming but she fought them off like a pro. Right now, this was a fight, and Isabel was just another opponent. And god damn it, Ashley didn't cry. Ever. “I...see.”
She choked the words out, letting a tear slip out and fall to the floor completely by accident in view of the brunette as she stalked to the door. Well, this was a bust. The effects of whatever she had been drinking seemed to suddenly wear off, the emotional shift in her demeanor sobering her up more then she would have liked. Still, she stumbled a bit and made it back to the kitchen to retrieve her stuff. Almost like an afterthought she looked into the fridge and grabbed some fruit and a jar of mayo, figuring that would last her a bit before she had to throw it away.
Ashley knew, honest to god KNEW she wasn't the smartest person on the planet. But all the priced were right there, right freakin' THERE!! All she had to do was put them together but no...she didn't even bother doing that. Ashley was a freak of nature, physically deformed in the eyes of other because of her chosen martial art. And Isabel? Isabel was just someone she had met THAT DAY and had gotten so attached to. Because, yeah, maybe Ashley felt like she could be like her someday; strong, confident, smart.
Because being with her for those brief few moments felt So. Damn. Good.
She's been around Lydia and Circe...she'd seen other woman that were strong as well, confident and able. But none of them lit a fire in Ashley's soul like Isabel did.
She doubted she's find anyone that ever would again.
Thankfully Bentley was more of a doer then a sayer. It gave Ashley a greater appreciation for what the small girl had just demonstrated. And the display was quite impressive, though Ashley really didn’t know why. She just knew that if she ever attempted that she would fail miserably, and that was saying a lot considering the one area of confidence she had was her physical prowess. The redhead whistled as Bentley came bouncing back, brushing their shoulders as she did so. Ashley tinged a bit, but not too hard this time.
Ashley figured the girl had to be a mutant. No one can be this friendly and thaw out someone like her without having that be a mutant power of some sort. Ashley considered grilling her (lightly) for an answer but decided against it. Let the girl have her secret. If there was anyone in the world that could understand it was Ashley herself. People needed their secrets. It's usually what kept things interesting.
>>"I'm glad that you're walking with me then. If it is dangerous it makes me feel safer that you're with me."
Well, this time she couldn't stop the full on body blush that came out this time. She fought it, really, but it was there and for the whole world to see. Suddenly she felt even MORE vulnerable because her trenchcoat was on the girl she was escorting home. She cleared her throat, embarrassed and slightly (only slightly) ashamed that she had stared at her companions ample yet...tight derriere. She shook her head vigorously, both to shake the thoughts form her head and do dismiss the ballerina's comment.
“It's okay.” she said, her whiskey on the rocks voice masking any of the previously felt emotions. “Fells good, you know? Maybe saving you. Like, you do things. Dance, make smiles appear.” Ashley shrugged. “Least I can do.”
The reaction only fueled the desire, really. Ashley was gripped in a primal form and she was loving every second of it. She loved the cute noises Isabel was making (I mean, really?! Since when do cop killers even know HOW to make such noises?!), she loved the slight stuttering, and most of all she loved how Isabel was almost like complete putty in her hands. She was fighting to be sure but at this point Ashley was fairly certain that she had the upper hand. Various items fell to the floor and Ashley didn't even bother to check on what they might be. Isabel stumbled out a bit, her hands on the waistband of her pants, trying to distract Ashley from her current course of action.
As if.
Ashley shot up and grabbed Isabel behind her thighs, lifting her up into the air. Instinctively (perhaps) Isabel's legs seemed to automatically wrap around Ashley's as the redhead went back to the wall, the impact jarring them both as Ashley pressed her lips against Isabel's with bruising force. They fought for dominance for awhile before that battle ended in a draw, both pulling back for air as Ashley went into the neck again, nibbling and biting along the surprisingly smooth skin Isabel had. Ashley couldn't even begin to fathom why the state of Isabel's skin set her spin on fire, why that delicious smell of cherry blossoms made her mind go blank...
Why the eyes she was now staring into made her heart hammer in her chest with such resounding force she wondered if the brunette could hear it.
Still carrying the bonemancer, Ashley shuffled off to the left and hoped the door handle she gripped was one to a bedroom of some kind. She opened it an thanked whatever gods were looking down upon her as she kicked the door behind her, hearing the gratifying sound of it slamming shut. The beeline to the bed was a short one and Ashley flopped both f their bodied down on the soft mattress, Ashley taking only a moment to grab the back of Isabel's hair, her teeth bared and eyes bright as she growled again, her whiskey on the rocks voice coming out hoarser then she'd ever heard herself before.
Ashley barley heard a word the buxom brunette said, content with just the bottle in her hand and following those sashaying hips to wherever they were going. At the moment Isabel was the snake charmer and Ashley was the snake; she was utterly and hopelessly hypnotized by Isabel's every move. However she DID hear Isabel tel her to claim a room, so long as it was empty, so she could crash out for the night or some such thing. Ashley giggled. Isabel was such a silly girl if she thought Ashley was going to sleep anywhere but next to her little murdering goddess tonight.
It was then that Ashley observed something that seemed to click that button in her head to “Go For It”. Isabel, apparently in the same boat as Ashley in terms of feeling slightly hot, began to unbutton her shirt from the bottom up. Ashley only caught a glimpse of Isabel's form stomach, a literal growl ripping from her throat as she somehow regained enough of her equilibrium to stalk to her prey (Isabel? Prey? What?!) and wrap her arms around her, her hands immediately going to the brunette's stomach and rubbing her stomach, relishing the contact more then she could have ever imagined.
It had been awhile since her music had played and so the side effect of that power wasn't in play. No burning, no pain...nothing. Pure, unadulterated contact with another human being was a high for Ashley to which the likes she thought she'd never feel again. How could she? Using strength she didn't have Ashley turned Isabel around and pushed her, slamming her against the wall and diving into the brunette’s neck, growling like an animal as she suddenly fell to her knees, her forehead resting on Isabel's stomach and hands on the bonemancer's oh so lovely hips.
She could have stayed like this forever, and gods only knew why Isabel hadn't fought back at this point. But if Ashley's life had taught her anything it was that if something good was happening, don't take time to ponder it. Grab it, take it and enjoy every last second because before you knew it...it was gone, and nothing was ever as bad as regretting something, TRYING something, taking that bloody chance and saying 'Screw it!' to the rest of the world. Ashley lifted her head up slightly, her face pressed gently against Isabel's stomach, her lips kissing it for a moment...
Before, with a glint in her eye, Ashley's teeth found the zipper to Isabel’s pants and began to pull it down.
A ballerina? Rhy crinkled her nose in a moment of thought. In truth she'd only heard the term in reference to mixed martial artists that were insulting other martial artists and nothing more then that. Thankfully Ashley knew there was probably something more to such a profession (was it a profession?) but never really bothered to delve deeper into the subject to find out. Whatever being a ballerina entailed must certainly require one to be flexible and graceful, because looking at Bentley from this particular angle made Ashley fairly certain the tiny dancer was both.
“Julliard...” Ashley said to herself, thinking. The word sounded foreign but Bentley had said it like it was a place one went to learn how to be a ballerina...or something. A whole school of people that looked like Bentley? Ashley put a finger to he nose to make sure it wasn't bleeding at the thought before she turned her attention back to the girl at hand, who was now speaking to her.
>>"What about you? Why are you here...i-in the park? If it's so dangerous?"
Ashley let out one of her rare smiles as she took a sidelong glance at the girl. She swung her arms, her huge headphones securely in her hands as she contemplated how to answer. She didn't know the girl's stance on mutants, so she refrained from saying anything about that. Not that she was ashamed, she just didn't want Bentley (as unlikely as it was) to scream and storm off. Well, a half truth was in order, she guessed. She was a terrible liar (punctuated by hiccups if the lie was a particularly bad one) but if it was based on truth then she could usually pull it off.
“Take care of myself.” Ashley said, putting on a fake smirk as she raised an arm, fixing it a flex as she patted her bicep. “Trained. Muay Thai. 'Sides, like walking. At night, I mean. Refreshing.”
Ashley felt the sudden need to pull the smaller girl closer but refrained. Instead she kept talking, something she normally didn't do but Bentley power seemed to make people wanna talk.
“Ummm...not as graceful.” Ashley scratched the bridge of her nose. “Effective. Quick, take down people. I could teach. You, I mean. But...no.” Ashley shook her head mournfully. “You get muscle...not so good. With how you are. Pretty, right? Don't want this.” Ashley pulled up her wife beater to reveal her toned six pack abs. Truth be told she was very vain about them, but not in this instance. “You need to...stay...hmmm...” Ashley thought about it for a moment before she snapped her fingers. “Smooth, yes? You're smooth. And soft.”
Her thoughts jumbled around her head and she could barley keep them straight. One of those thoughts was that maybe chugging the bottle of whatever alcohol Isabel was drinking probably wasn't the brightest idea she'd ever had. Of course Whistler had always told Ashley that she was a few forks short of a fondue set, so she paid that thought no mind. Besides, she wasn't drinking for her, no sir! She was drinking with her new friend in her time of need. Was there no greater, no more noble cause? Ashley didn't think so. Or, rather, she didn't know. Or care!!
The second thought was that she was warm. Really warm. The trenchcoat came off in seconds, haphazardly tossed aside as she took the bottle from Isabel and took another swig, her hazy gray eyes still locked onto Isabel's chocolate orbs. After she (blindly) put the bottle back in Isabel's hand she decided that, hey!! They were friends right? And it wasn't like she was going to be naked or anything. So off went the wife beater. Her sports bra was still on, and it kept all the important parts in place so no one could see much. Besides, she was (in her mind) far too muscular for anyone to really look at her seriously to ever even CONSIDER taking her.
The third thought was god DAMN Isabel looked good. Well, she knew that before. She was a strong woman with a ferocious personality and quite frankly whatever guy ended up with her would be lucky. Sure, she killed cops and maimed people, but everyone had their quirks, right? Ashley nodded, her lidded eyes staring straight into Isabel's as she took the bottle from the brunette and began to drink, her eyes still zoned in onto those cocoa colored eyes as Ashley inserted a thumb into her overly baggy pants and began to fumble with her belt buckle.
Ashley blinked a few times before shoving her hands into her pockets and looking to the ground with a slight blush, saying nothing. She felt slightly vulnerable without her trenchcoat but it would have to do. Besides that she felt slightly...well, frumpy next to the obviously thin and graceful girl. Despite their earlier accident (Ashley figured she just wasn't paying attention, because she wasn't either) Bentley seemed to be very fluid on her feet, like she was walking on clouds. She looked from the girl next to her to herself. The wife beater she sported (as usual) left little to the imagination, and her muscular, very unfeminine arms seemed like unwieldy clubs next to the smaller, thinner arms Bentley had.
And that was saying nothing of their chests, stomachs and legs.
>>“I was actually headed to my apartment. It is a few blocks away.”
Ashley nodded, showing that she understood and let the little girl take the lead. She kept her eyes sharp, but at the moment they were clear. Where DID she get this sudden heroic streak from? First that whole thing with Spikes and now this? She blamed Andrew because...well, Andrew wasn't around to defend himself. She argued with herself that the fact that she had jumped in because of Lydia during the Spikes incident was a coincidence. Andrew must have had on extra Hero cologne or something.
She chuckled at her own joke before thoughts of the girl next to her slammed into the forefront of her mind again, this time because Bentley's slight lead left Ashley with a clear view of the smaller girl's...back. Her mouth opened a bit as if to say something, but as it turned out, just going with whatever was on the top of her brain never seemed to work out well for Ashley.
“You're graceful.” Ashley blurted with all the dignity of a...well, something with little dignity. Her lush intensified, almost feeling the puzzled look of her walking companion. “On your feet, I mean. I thought that, ummm...you seem like...hmph.” Ashley coughed a bit, her embarrassment and shame growing as she couldn't seem to string together a sentence. “Like...you walk on clouds.”
Small talk wasn't her strong suit, anyone that had ever spoken to Ashley in the history of ever would know that. She found that repeating her own thoughts, as she just tried, was damn near impossible. Sure, she could think the thoughts in normal sentences well enough, but spit them out...well, that was another matter entirely.
If the brunette was anything like her, she'd never admit to it. Isabel was the type who would rather drown in her own misery then have to tell anyone about anything regarding their own personal feelings. Ashley thought that was a bit unfair, really. Sure, it all started out with Ashley stealing from the girl in front of her, followed by an awesome foot chase leading into an battle that Ashley honestly thought she was going to lose, but that wasn't something that Isabel seemed to be taking into consideration at the moment, and instead seemed to be the furthest thing from her mind.
Instead, it was the pictures.
For a brief moment Ashley wondered how the current path she was on would be different if she had never let the curiosity inside get the best of her. Maybe Isabel would still be slightly warm and pleasant, as Ashley was sure she was when minimal people were looking. But no, she had to go look and Isabel now was looking more and more like one of the homeless people Ashley saw on a regular basis the more she drank. Yeah, it was kinda hurtful, she thought to herself, because she knew Isabel was above all that if only she could find someone she could lean on.
So it was without a moment's hesitation that Ashley snapped her hand out just as Isabel was going o take another gigantic gulp. She put the bottle to her lips and tipped her head back, taking a few huge chugs before slamming the bottle back down on the table, her throat burning to the point of tears burning in her eyes. She slid the bottle a bit away before she slowly put her hand up to her head, taking off her headphones and laying them on the counter. She was dizzy, oh so dizzy but instead of being panicked Ashley felt...good. Oddly good. Maybe there was something to this drinking thing after all.
She slowly looked up and into Isabel's eyes, her cheeks slightly red from the sudden rush of alcohol and a unexpected blush. “Heh...indirect kiss.” She giggled.
“Rhythm.” Ashley answered blandly. It didn't occur to the redhead that maybe she would seem less...weird if she gave her real name, but she shook the thought a moment later. At this point she was far too used to telling everyone the alias she had came up with herself to the point to change. Besides, the less people knew about her the better.
Still, the little girl looked like someone that could be trusted. If she was a mutant she didn't show it and neither did she have the confidence that would usually entail a mutant power that encouraged a bigger ego (for some reason she thought of Isabel at that moment). It was only at that moment when Ashley saw the girl (Bentley) in her coat that a sense of pride filled her and she really LOOKED at the girl.
And it was...good. Very good.
Well, the look, while intensive, was brief. She didn't want the girl (Bentley, damn it!!) to feel uncomfortable or anything. After all, it was nighttime in a park in New York City. And while Ashley usually felt confidence in damn near anything she did right now she was escorting a potential victim back to her...whatever she lived in. Sociability wasn't Ashley's strong suit, so she did the only thing she could think of; she started to trudge off in the direction the woman was heading before she crashed into the redhead.
It wasn't until a moment after she began walking that she began to walk backwards and scratched the back of her head as she looked at the other girl. “Ummm...which way, now? Or, I mean...you running more? Go somewhere?”
Ashley only half listened to her partner as she was led to the Sanctuary before being brought inside. In truth she really didn't have any expectations for the place but it was rather impressive. Of course, anything that provided shelter for her was good in her book and this was no exception. They walked for a short time before Isabel led her directly into the kitchen, and in that instant Ashley almost cried her hunger was so great. And even though she felt like devouring everything in the fridge, she contained herself. Eating with one's eyes was a bad thing. Her usual diet wasn't all that much anyways, and eating something drastically different would probably be worse for her body in the long run.
So she watched calmly as Isabel reached up into the cabinets, a slight whimper escaping her lips as she observed Isabel searching for food that wasn't anywhere near the fridge. Her hopes dropped even more as she saw the bottle in Isabel's hand. She recognized the bottle, having spent much time around the homeless who drank their nights away and raised an eyebrow. Isabel certainly didn't seem the drinking type. Well, Ashley corrected herself, she didn't seem the drinking type because she was already angry enough as it was, and anger was the only emotion Ashley saw when it came to the beverage Isabel was holding.
“Ummm...Isabel?” Ashley questioned, putting a finger to her lips before cocking her head. “You...drink? Why?”
After her mind was wiped after her mutation took effect, Ashley knew damn near nothing. Whistler had taught her the ways of Muay Thai and martial arts in general, and one could say that Ashley grew up in the art. So while Whistler never forbid her from any kind of alcohol, she just never felt the need. Your body is your temple, he repeated over and over, and Ashley never wanted to disappoint him. So, she stayed away. He also said that none of his fighters ever drank, preferring to respect their bodies as well. That wasn't to say they NEVER partook in the drink, just not everyday, all the time.
Isabel was a fighter like nothing Ashley had ever fought up against, not even that metal mutant. So maybe she was a little disappointed when she saw the brunette pull that bottle out with the clear and obvious intention to drink a glass, if not the whole thing. The girl was still radiating anger and frustration, and Ashley could also tell that her inability to find the person/mutant that took those pictured in the calendar was making her even angrier. Warrior or not, the girl needed to let off some steam, and who was Ashley to argue?
>>“Um, why do you ask? Is…Is it dangerous here in the park…at-at night?”
Sure, there were moments in time when Ashley was dumbfounded, but never before had she ever reason to wonder if her face was all skewed up like those cartoon character did on television when they heard something completely outlandish or outright ridiculous. It actually took a few moments for Ashley's brain to restart from it's fizzle and she did nothing but blink for a few seconds before she took another look around the park, trying to figure out if she was still in New York. Upon figuring out that yeah, she was still indeed in the place she was five minutes ago, Ashley shook her head.
“You, ummm...not from here?” Ashley asked, feeling a bit stupid in asking. It wasn't like too long ago she wasn't from here either, but when you lived on the streets you grew up a bit quicker then most.
The redhead took off her headphones and paused the iPod that was in them. She contemplated a moment on what to do and decided that the only way this innocent little dove was going to get back to whatever palace she flew from was with her help. Sure, there was also a possibility that she could get home all by herself but there was also a bigger chance that she would NOT get home okay, and Ashley simply did not want that on her conscience. She suppressed the heavy sigh and shrugged at the girl.
“You going home? I'll take.” Ashley nodded, a determined look on her face. She felt that cool breeze on her face before looking back at the brunette that seemed to incredibly naïve about the world...well, at least New York. She took off her trenchcoat and held it out to the girl. “Cold? Here, take. Also, your name?”
