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.
The rapport between Nate, Devon, and Svetlana was reassuring. Svetlana fit right into the conversational flow the two men usually carried. She was not Natalie; she had her own unique voice that fit the Inner Echelon in a different way. Nate was going to miss Natalie, but he was interested to see how the group dynamic fair when the dials for bickering and sexual tension were turned way down.
They would figure out the details of Svetlana's business role during business hours, but all three knew SUPER was the topic of the night. Nate was able to utilize his position and skillset to give them information. Svetlana had knowledge and insight into the program few on their side of the rift had. They gave Devon the tools to make things happen, and the young man had a long-standing record of making things happen.
And make things happen, Devon did. He was going to drum up political support for their bold move before ever taking the stage. Influence was going to be important, because they were always going to be working from a disadvantage. They could get some politicians on their side, but fear of mutants had a way of bringing the parties closer together. Of course, that may have been tinted by Nate's feelings toward most politicians.
There was also the matter of protecting sources. Protecting Haven would be harder, since Devon's plan was to take center stage, but they could not put people in the cross-hairs who had already helped them. He had some thoughts on the matter, but Svetlana had a better idea of how SUPER operated and he genuinely wanted to know what she thought might be best.
There were things Nate felt like he could coast through in life, but Haven and the work he did with the organization would not follow that pattern. He took his work seriously because he saw the vision Havenwas trying to pursue and he actually fely connected to it.
He wondered how much of his reformation and less selfish outlook came from Quin. He made his choices for himself, but it was undeniable that meeting her played a huge role in changing him. She was a detective because she was born to help people, and when she lost her job, she joined Haven because she would not know how to stop. She was a good person, and Nate wondered if that was just something that rubbed off when you got close to someone.
Nate flipped through the folder, listening as she explained the challenging position of a family with recently manifested mutant children. His brow notably furrowed at the news of their upcoming eviction. It was tragic, but it was only made worse by the knowledge that it was still upsettingly common. People always had biases and bigotry, but the "threat" of mutants made them even harder to protect than some other oppressed minorities because people could justify their hate and fear.
It was fortunate there were people like Quin out in the world, looking to provide the protection and assistance no one else would. So many situations that could slip through the cracks if not for someone who gave enough of a damn to pick them up. "Buncha bastards," Nate grumbled, his eyes still finishing up some reading in the folder.
Quin mused on her own upbringing and how lucky she was to be accepted by the people around her. "You're not wrong; that was lucky. But it's good. There needs to be the hope out there that the world still has good and tolerant humans. I'm glad you got that, even if some of us didn't." Nate did not stick around the children's home when he turned, but he was bullied long before he was a mutant, and knew it would only be worse. That was not to say the streets were any easier; there was a reason Nate grew up so fast.
"Those folks might not have been lucky to end up in their situations, but they're lucky to have someone like you fighting for them Quin," he assured her, finally closing the folder and placing it down on the table.
Nate felt surprisingly comfortable in the party setting, and he was sure part of that came from being surrounded by people he trusted and cared about. He might not have known everyone in Haven, but he could look in most directions and find familiar faces. Good friends. Best friends. And Quin, whatever role she was taking in his life.
Nate was ready to grab a drink, but Devon did not give him an option. He would consider resisting, but he was not going to complain about being left with Quin. ”Go be a social butterfly then. I won’t say no to a Jack and Coke.”
Left alone with his favorite redhead, Quin had nothing but good things to say about Devon. The Founder was definitely something special. ”He’s a natural at this. He cares about people. He was actually the councilor I was meeting with after my release.” It was crazy to think of how far things had come from there. ”I wouldn’t have brought you into all this if I didn’t have a lot of trust in the man at the top."
Quin was still adjusting to the world of Haven, and Nate wanted to take it upon himself to make her feel like she belonged. He slid scooted his chair over so he was sitting beside Quin and he placed his hand at the small of her back. ”Well, I know some better than others—it’s a big organization and all— but I can give you the rundown.”
Nate pointed to the two women in the club he was probably closest to after Quin. ”You already pretty much know Noel. I don’t break out the phrase ‘best friend’ often, but she’s it. The blonde woman she’s talking to is Svetlana. I work with her pretty closely. If you ever need to trust someone in a pinch, I vouch for her.”
Subtly guiding Quin by moving the hand on her back and the hand he gestured with, they switched focus to a group of three, including one of the youngest members in attendance. ”The pair are Lee and Blaine. They’re new, so I’ve only seen their names in documents, but from what I understand, they’re a package deal.” Between those two, Noel and Michael, and potentially Nate and Quin, Haven could probably double as a dating service.
”The young woman they’re talking to is Celestina. She’s a recent Mansion graduate and we have her set up with an internship in one of the local political offices. That girl’ll do great things.” Nate was confident about that fact; he’d be hard-pressed to find a pupil he was prouder of than Celeste.
Finally, they ended up at the most vibrant member of the evening’s festivities. ”You know The Ranger, but the colorful shelled-woman he’s speaking to is Jack. She’s part of the security team and worked security at the Mansion.” Almost throwing Nate out on is ass on his first day back. ”Jack’s good people. Really, we have a lot of good people here.”
Nate turned back to Quin, grinning. ”It’s a unique bunch, but I think you’ll fit in fine. How’re you holding up?” With everything on his plate, Nate didn’t get to spend nearly as much time as he wanted with Quin. He would, of course, ignore for the moment what was implied by that desire to spend most of his time with her.
Nate took thing in stride. Devon was not making a big deal about him and Quin, so Nate saw no reason to on his end. Taking things in stride also made for an apt summary of Nate and Quin, whose "casual relationship" often had a habit of just feeling like... well, a relationship. He took a seat next to her and his hand ended up resting at the small of her back like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Quin assured him that he did not keep her waiting. She knew how things still were for him adjusting to being the primary parent for Norah. "I wouldn't not show up after convincing you to come out. Think I would have missed how you look in that dress?" he asked with a grin, before looking back to Devon. "Or him in that suit? Not many men can work a look quite like him, tie or no tie."
In truth, Haven had a host of attractive members. Looking around the room, it was hard to deny. Hell, Jack was a physical mutant, but she had a strong muscular build that was hard not to admire. Indeed, they might have hosted one of the sexiest organizations in New York.
Nate looked around, realizing Quin already had a drink of her own. "Oh darn, I really should go grab myself something to drink. That's half the fun of company parties, right?" He begrudgingly stood from his seat. "Can I grab y'all anything?" Sure, Quin had a drink, but if they were going to be stuck at a party all night, he doubted it would be her last.
Being part of Haven made life feel weird and disjointed at times. On the one hand, they were preparing to take major stances against SUPER and the threat they posed on two New Yorks. On the other hand, the secret keeper was arranging some kind of themed party for the Havenites. It was the odd world between being an activist and a socialite. It was an odd new life, but Nate was just going to figure it out as he went along.
That being said, if he was expected to make an appearance at the party, (and as a member of the Inner Echelon, he was,) he was not going to suffer alone. When Quin asked if she had to show up in a text message, Nate made the very conscious decision to tell her she did. To his knowledge, the event was not mandatory, but it would sure be more fun if he had Quin around.
Nate’s closet had grown to include plenty of suits thanks to his work, to the point where he considered a party a chance to dress down a little bit. His neck got the night off from ties and fully buttoned shirts, which was a nice change of pace. Nate thanked his babysitter for coming by on short notice, gave Norah a goodbye kiss on the forehead, and left for what he hoped would be a good time.
His arrival was a bit past seven because he knew better than to arrive on time. Arriving early meant being one of the first ones at the party and subject to people gathering around you. He could scan the room and decide where to go, and sure enough, his eye was caught by a familiar gorgeous redhead in a cute black number. She was already sitting, which meant she beat him there, realized she was roped into a party, and he likely had a lot to answer for.
No time like the present to start with that! Nate casually strode over like he didn’t trick her into making an appearance, bending down when he arrived at the table to give her a kiss on the cheek. ”Quin! I hope I didn’t keep you waiting long. I had to tell the babysitter that…”
Looking up, Nate realized Quin had not been alone when he made his approach. She was evidently chatting with Devon, otherwise known as Nate’s friend and pretty much everyone’s boss. Nate froze for a moment. He definitely told Devon that Quin was his ex-girlfriend. Good foresight. Did he mention that they were currently sleeping together? His memory was hazy on that front. He could feel a stern talking-to with HR in his near future. ”Evening, Devon. The party looks great, right? I see you’ve met Quin.” Smile and keep talking and everything will work itself out; Con-Man 101.
Devon was young; that much was undeniable. Nate made it a point not to discount someone solely on the merit of their age. Devon was a smart, driven young man who had resources and a vision. Nate was not looking to be the top dog on the pile, but he did respect Devon's ideas enough to serve, more or less, as his right hand. Sveta treated Devon with the same kind of respect; his age was irrelevant if he knew what he was doing.
Svetlana was his age and had the baggage that came with over thirty years of hard life. She had divulged some of her past to them, and Nate was not beyond assuming there were still skeletons they were unaware of. They took all those things into account inviting her into the Inner Echelon. "Trust me, as a leadership team, we work best with some degree of anonymity. The public doesn't need to know a convicted conman is helping to call the shots with our organization. We're looking out for Haven and we're looking out for ourselves." He nodded his head to Devon and grinned. "Let him worry about public appearances." Last thing Svetlana needed during her recovery was the public eye analyzing her.
Unsurprisingly, Devon had plans to do just as Nate suggested, making a public statement against SUPER. Nate liked the plan; they had been slow about making Haven a clearly mutant-friendly organization. They had mutant outreach, but they did not want to jump right away to being under the banner of the mutant cause for the sake of avoiding the suspicion that came from being a "pro-mutant group."
Nate nodded, sipping at his champagne. "I think you're right. This is the time to really take ownership of the mutant cause. This will put us on SUPER's radar, so I hope we're ready to take on additional security we'll need going forward. As for the X-Men... it's amazing what you can overhear as a shadow on the wall..."
The LIE was a secure space, but even still, it was hard not to be a little wary when talking about sensitive information, so Nate instinctively looked around the room. "They're generally careful about talking shop in the classrooms, but I've overheard them name-dropping SUPER. They know about the threat. I'm sure they're working on things in the background, but I can't confirm anything. So I think you're right; maybe it's time we touch base with our friends at the Mansion..."
Nate was glad to see Celeste understood the magnitude of the opportunity he was offering. He could tell as her face became more serious and she realized her teacher was not just idly praising her. It was a new prospect for Haven to recruit someone as young as Celeste with such a specific purpose. Most of their recruits were intelligence gatherers, discrete enforcers, or mission personnel. None of that was the goal with Celeste, though time would tell if she fit those roles as well. Nate was less interested in having a mini-nuke at his disposal as he was with fostering a bright young mind to become one of the leaders of the future.
Celeste still had some doubts in herself, but she was still ready to jump at the opportunity to be part of something and help people. That, in particular, made Nate smile. "Your desire to help people is a big part of why we were drawn to recruiting you, Haven. We're an organization that wants to shape the future into a more inclusive place for everyone. We have wide, grand goals, but we're already making great initial strides as a force for those who start from a greater point of struggle. We work hard for oppressed or marginalized groups: people of color, members of the LGBTQ plus community, and of course, mutants." Haven did not necessarily advertise their mutant goals publicly since they needed to garner public support without the veil of suspicion from the mutation-wary folks on any side of the aisle.
"Devon and I have more we will need to talk to you about, but if you're really interested..." Nate extended a hand out to the young woman, "You can consider this your welcome to Haven."
Nate had an inkling of what might be going on in Svetlana’s mind. Part of what fostered their friendship was a shared identity; they were both people who spent most of their lives as the outsiders. Finding a true sense of belonging was rare, and when the opportunity to really find your place somewhere came up, it was almost hard not to doubt it.
Sveta was surprised, but Nate and Devon made no decisions lightly. Haven was too important to cut corners with. ”We wanted to give you whatever time you needed to get back to full strength,” and perhaps not to panic in the presence of teenagers walking too closely to her. ”That being said, there’s no such thing as a ‘junior’ member of the Inner Echelon, so going forward, you’re our equal and we expect you to bring your best for the sake of Haven.”
Nate took a sip of the bubbling beverage, savoring the taste before returning to business. Devon clarified Haven’s new top priority and it was a name Svetlana would be all too familiar with. ”I said you’d end up being a big part of our fight to deal with SUPER, and I meant it. We need to start working on ways to get the information out there. The threat here is substantial because SUPER works with a high degree of anonymity, keeping mutants from looking out for themselves. There are plenty of ways to go; subtle, direct, through media contacts, or we could even just throw his pretty face on a news conference.” Nate gestured to Devon. ”We just can’t let SUPER be an unknown in our world anymore.”
Suits were an element of Nate’s old life as Stephen, which very notably did not overlap with his time in Quin’s life. For that reason, when he approached her for business reasons, he always felt himself to be overdressed. And not in the “I want to tear off my clothes” way; rather, in the “I got very used to being around you in a t-shirt and jeans” way. He could feel casual with Quin in private, which meant professional in public still felt new and unfamiliar.
Knowing the dynamic they now shared, Nate did some very casual probing of company dating policies. He and Natalie had done their due diligence, but she was a member of the Inner Echelon. Nate needed to discreetly get information out of their HR rep about dating between ranks. The key was not offering preferential treatment. If they had other PIs on payroll, Nate had to distribute cases, and more specifically, good cases evenly. It was something he was pretty sure he could manage, which meant he was less concerned about what could plainly be called fraternization.
They would learn how to make their professional relationship as easy as their personal one in time, Nate was sure. Quin was not exactly a problem case, especially when compared to some of the Havenites they had in their ranks. She worked her ass off, she knew what she was doing, and she got results; really, he just had to make sure he was not a terrible superior, because she had her s**t on lock, jumping right into business.
Entering business mode himself, Nate took the seat across from Quin. ”Of course. Niceties later,” he agreed, watching Quin grab a folder. He was used to seeing her fill her workspace with papers, assuming she just preferred to work with tactile documents rather than digital text. There were benefits to going digital and he was glad she would archive her copies on a company server, but sometimes, things were just easier to work with on paper and ink.
Nate relaxed in his seat, mulling over the options. ”I’ll look over the files, but I’d like you to give me a rundown of what you’ve been working on. Hearing it directly from your perspective might give me a more accurate understanding of what I’m seeing in the files.” Not every thought made it onto a page, after all.
Svetlana settled in, clearly curious about what she had walked into. Nate handed Sveta a flute of champagne, content with grinning to himself and letting Devon take the lead in explaining their purpose for the night.
It was a huge step, bringing in the first new member to the Inner Echelon. The founders had been the only members of the elite tier of Haven since its inception, and letting someone in involved a major degree of trust. They had methods to ensure secrets were kept, but nothing was foolproof, and they dealt with some classified information that did not necessarily get passed down the ladder.
Devon’s eyes shifted to Nate, giving him the go-ahead for his turn to say something. He might not soliloquize quite like Devon, but he had his own things to say ”It’s a big step up, but I think it’s the right fit. We want you with us, making the decisions and determining the direction of Haven. We’ll do great things together, Svetlana.” He held up his own glass and tilted it in her direction. ”Welcome to the Inner Echelon.”
It was crazy how one person could affect Nate’s life on multiple levels. Natalie was gone, transferred to Chicago for a new opportunity. It was good for her and he supported her, but it felt like a lot shifted in her wake. They had been slowly working through issues and getting closer to the point where their relationship might have become something real, but they were both realists. What they had was promising, but not enough to dismiss a great career opportunity.
Beyond the many professional implications losing a member of the Inner Echelon had on his life, Nat's departure changed Nate's personal life in major ways. After a very long discussion, they decided it made sense to let Nora finish up the rest of the school year in New York before they decided on how to proceed. Natalie was not incredibly keen on the decision, but Norah would stay primarily with Nate, visiting Chicago on long weekends and school breaks. Being a full-time parent changed up the entire dynamic of Nate's life, and it was an adjustment he was still learning to handle. It was enlightening to realize how much Natalie handled on her side of the parenting.
Parenting aside, without Natalie around, Nate realized his sex life was unexpectedly narrowed down. Natalie was one of his ongoing "casual" partners, (if you ignore their struggles with the word casual,) and with Norah in his life full time, Nate was not exactly filling his nights with one-off affairs. Really, that just left Quin. Somehow, the only person Nate was currently sleeping with was his ex-girlfriend and, technically, his subordinate in the Haven structure. I was a dangerous line to tread and Nate should have honestly known better. Instead of learning lessons, he would just make some effort to balance friendship, sex, and work appropriately.
His visit to Quin's office was a work trip that day. Nothing crazy; he would get a status report on her current projects and provide her any leads or new projects Haven wanted her to work on. Having a talented Detective-turned-Private-Investigator on retainer was very useful when your organization wanted a hand in everything coming and going in New York.
Nate knocked and awaited permission before stepping into the office. Since he was on business, he wore a buttoned shirt and a tie, along with a coat he was pulling off his body. After so many years, New York still got too damn cold in the winter. "Hey there, Quin. Just your friendly neighborhood overlord. I was hoping to drop in for a report on ongoing investigations." He hung his coat near the door and turned to her, grinning because he could not resist. "And to see that face again. I've been so busy, it feels like I haven't seen you in too damn long." If his workload with Haven continued to grow, he would eventually have to consider resigning at the Mansion. He did not need the money, necessarily, and likely would have left already if he had not loved his work so much. Now that he had Norah full-time, his hand would probably be forced eventually. Parenthood came with tough decisions, after all.
It was crazy how one person could affect Nate’s life on multiple levels. Natalie was gone, transferred to Chicago for a new opportunity. It was good for her and he supported her, but it felt like a lot shifted in her wake. They had been slowly working through issues and getting closer to the point where their relationship might have become something real, but they were both realists. What they had was promising, but not enough to dismiss a great career opportunity.
Beyond the many personal ramifications that decision had on his personal life, Nat’s departure effected Haven in a significant way. She was still a resource from a distance, but they could not keep someone in the Inner Echelon who could not be present, especially when so much of their work focused on New York. Without her, the IE consisted of Nate and Devon. The two men were competent, but they could do with another perspective.
Fortunately, Nate had been advocating for a particular Havenite to fill the role for a while. Even before Nat’s departure, Nate thought Svetlana had the drive, the motivation, and the unique perspective on SUPER and other mutant issues they could use. With a pressing need on the table, Devon agreed with the recommendation. All that was left was to offer Svetlana the role—and quickly, since they had much to discuss.
Waiting for the new arrival, Nate stood behind his seat in charcoal grey pants and a light blue button-down shirt. He had a flute of champagne filled and waiting, but he did not sip it yet—not until the woman of the hour arrived.
They were not left waiting long. The door slid open at Devon’s prompt and Svetlana was there, waiting to enter. Nate grinned from wide, excited to see a new entrant to the LIE for the first time since they began things with Haven. ”Good to see you again, Svetlana. Feel welcome to take a seat.” Knowing Svetlana, she had no clue what she was being summoned for; they talked about her desire to take a more active role with Haven, but Nate did not give her a warning or tell her she was essentially getting “promoted.” Why spoil the surprise, after all?
Things with Natalie were too volatile to focus on. They were entrenched in messy, undisclosed feelings for one another, yes, but that was not the only matter. Nate was told not to tell Devon or anyone, but Natalie was up for a potential position in Chicago that would be a tremendous opportunity. Things seemed to have potential between them, but at the end of the day, Nate knew to be careful with people who might have to move their lives at a moment’s notice. It was his M.O. once upon a time, after all.
For the time being, he could focus on the very pretty friend he was hanging out with for the night. Devon was not going anywhere, after all. ”Let’s just say my old lifestyle involved a lot of temporary companionship.” Hence, his introduction to Natalie. ”And I’ve always considered myself pretty open-minded when it comes to my companions.”
Typical of Devon, he viewed the world through psychology and philosophy. It was part of his charm, honestly. Sure, he had the kind of cheekbones you could cut diamond with, but it was equally attractive to know someone could converse with you on the deeper topics of the world. ”For me, personally, I might not say developed affection plays much of a role. I did not exactly spend much time building attachments over the years. Though, in recent years, I think I’ve learned the appeal. Not everything is about animalistic attraction and sexual encounters that nearly break beds,” he mused aloud, giving Devon some playful insight into the more sordid side of Nate’s life.
”But maybe that’s it for you? I’m sure a man like you would have no problem picking a bedmate. If we did not know each other so well, I am sure I would be susceptible to your fashion magazine good looks,” he teased. The thought had crossed his mind, but Devon was truly a friend, and that would affect how Nate saw him in other ways. ”Maybe you just need to find the person you click with before it all falls in place.”
Nate watched his character die on screen yet again and set his controller down with a frustrated sigh. ”I don’t think this is our forte, friend. Why don’t we just relax?” Nate leaned to the side, wrapping an arm around his friend. ”Snacks, a movie, and some friendly and entirely innocent cuddling? How does that sound?” Friendship did not have to be without some degree of affection, right?
Gwen seemed to take issue with Holly’s lifestyle and the way she seemed consumed by work. It was funny to see the modern world through the lens of a person from a different era, (while simultaneously having a person from a different era viewing the modern world through her lenses.) ”Even nowadays, being a woman in a position of power in business is not easy. It is hard for anyone to balance work and life, but for a woman to truly succeed, sometimes that means giving up a lot.” It was sad but true; in most instances, women still needed to work twice as hard as men to achieve true success.
After rifling through a closet that was neat enough to make Stephanie question her own life and general upkeep, Stephanie slipped out of the apartment and descended the wall to reach ground level. It took seconds for her to shift back into her natural form. In the pseudo-privacy of the alley, she grabbed the clothes she had taken off before her transformation and slipped them over her catsuit. It was inconvenient that her clothes did not all come along for her metamorphosis, but she counted herself lucky that her skintight bodysuit shifted and kept her from being totally naked upon reversion.
Returning to Gwen, Stephanie held out her spoils: a datebook, the photograph, and a whisk from the kitchen. (The last was a desperate attempt, since Holly did not seem like the type to have time to cook or bake often.) ”So, I guess these are our best bets. Want to give them a spin? If nothing works, I can probably head back up at least one more time.”
When Nate initially met Celeste, he might not have expected to see her in a role of power and leadership. She was commonly timid, stayed out of her classmates’ ways, and acted like she did not belong. Most politicians were, at their core, the popular kids of the class who were used to being in charge, for better or worse.
Nate watched Celeste carefully as she perched on her desk, downplaying her successes. She still needed to work on her self-worth, but she was young; there was time for that. What mattered was the raw materials, and they were all there. She had passion, she could articulate, she had a vision for the future, and she could command a crowd under pressure. With so much potential, there was plenty to guide, and Nate knew a group who could put the girl on the right track.
Despite the success she had as the organizer of a major event, Celeste still seemed surprised by the attention she might or might not have been receiving. ”Celeste, it’s the internet age. People are always watching these days. Especially political groups, organizations, and parties. Politics never ends, so everyone is always keeping an eye on up-and-comers.” And no one was doing so as aggressively as Haven.
As expected, and much to Nate’s delight, Celeste was already considering a possible future in the world of politics. She still had her doubts, likely due to her more passive nature, but the seeds were already planted. ”It’s not crazy at all. Honestly, I’m glad to hear it. I think you have real potential, Celeste. Not just that; I think you have the kind of perspective and goals the world needs. And I’m not alone.”
Nate got to his feet, sticking his hands in his pockets. ”Beyond my work here, I also work on the board of a sort of humanitarian group in the city. It’s a huge organization with many facets, but politics ranks highly among our interests. We know how important influence in the political sphere is to achieve our goals. We want to make New York and the world a better place for both mutants and humans.”
Returning his gaze to the young woman, Nate continued, ”We have several connections already, and we are interested in helping the next generation of world-changers grow into their roles. I think you, Celeste, fall into that category,” he said sincerely. ”We think there is a spot for you in our organization. As a member of Haven, we would help provide you with opportunities and resources. With the right calls in place, and with the good name you’re already building for yourself, we could get you a great internship to develop your experience and your connections. Maybe a politicians office or a lobbyist or advocate group. Something to get your feet in the door.”
It was a lot to drop on a girl Celeste’s age, but that was the goal really: getting young new talent and bringing them into the Haven mindset early. ”This is, of course, if you’re interested.”
