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.
When Kyle saw Sam relaxing his stance, a bit of the unease that had been growing in the back of his mind slipped away with it. While it was a good sign that the man was at least willing to listen to the possibility that he was wrong, Kyle didn't relax his form quite yet. It was one thing to believe that there might be a peaceful outcome in the near future; it was another to lower your guard when the possibly of violence was still floating in the air. Tracking Sam with his eyes, Kyle shrugged his shoulders again, opting to let Sam inspect and come to his own conclusions first.
It didn't take him long and any hope of the man thinking outside the box was quelled when the temperature started to drop again. Kyle arms still throbbed with energy, his whole body ready to spring into action should this contest continue once more. But, seeing as how this man wasn't thinking of anything other than "you killed a guy, you must be bad", Kyle realized he would have to explain instead.
"For someone concerned with the law, you're rather quick to judge. I've seen others who've killed many more wandering free and no one seems to bother them.
In any case, if you're going to demand I start talking, perhaps you should start thinking. Did it never occur to you that I was, in fact, trying to stop a robbery from being committed. Following that train of thought, what if one of the robbers attempted to physically remove me from their path, with weapon in hand and I simply killed him in self defense? No..you simply assumed I was at fault and decided I needed to be dealt with.
Now, unless you're planning on continuing this little distraction, the other three men that were working with this one are likely on their way back to whoever sent them. I would have had them had you not wanted this fight, and I'll admit, I thought I could win faster and be back on their trail. Now that its apparent that this would be drawn out, I politely request you either get out of my way...or you assist me if you want the truth."
The element of surprise was one of the best tactics to bring when engaging in combat. In close contests between serious competitors or during life or death situations where one misstep could be fatal, having a secret hand to play, figuratively speaking, could mean all the difference. It was because of this key fact that Kyle always tried to hold back a little when he fought, to have a surprise he could spring if the opportunity or situation required it. It ranged depending on the situation, but in this particular case, Kyle had held back using his power until two key things came into play.
He needed to use it to gain an advantage or peel himself out of trouble.
And when he could perform it without showcasing in great detail what he could do.
He managed both. His sudden bolt to the chin caught the man dead-on, momentarily stunning Sam and making him step back. That was all Kyle needed to drive his fist into Sam's gut, the whoosh of air that was the air in his lungs signalling just how effective the strike had been. Against a normal foe, that would be the end of them, especially since Kyle usually followed it up with a strong blow to the head. He wasn't so lucky with this foe.
Before he could attempt his followup, Sam managed to regain enough of his air to counter-attack. This time, the full weight of Sam's body was behind the pull motion, so not even Kyle could resist being pulled forward. It was obvious what Sam was going for; a knee to the gut to return the favor. But Kyle didn't have enough time now for a proper block...instead, he managed to redirect the blow with his forearm, taking the brunt of the hit there before shrugging it sideways to clip his side. In moments, both of them were steps apart again, Sam struggling to regain breath, Kyle nursing his bruised side.
Kyle wondered if Sam noticed that despite all the action, Kyle wasn't even breathing hard yet. Hopefully he'd just think that he was winded, hence why he was breathing hard while Kyle was not. It was a good chance at least. Snorting at Sam's words, Kyle shrugged, his eyes never leaving the panting form of his enemy. He wasn't about to lay it all out on a silver plater for the man; if he didn't have enough of a brain to check a fallen man before accusing someone, why should he have to...
The thought was stalled in a flash as Kyle realized what was happening around him. Expression bland, Kyle watched as the ground at his feet started to frost over. They say that when you're facing a truly dangerous foe, there is something in their manner, their aura, that can speak volumes about how strong they were. In that instant, Kyle realized that not only was Sam strong physically, but the true depths of his power were yet to be unleashed. The same could be said of Kyle...but even he wasn't sure he could win the fight if it came to that. It was a lose-lose scenario for both of them...at least at this point in time.
Calm as a summer day, Kyle shrugged, never letting his stance waver. "Feel free to inspect him all you like. Maybe start with his ID badge; I'm sure you'll find a slight issue in that area." Which there was; Byung Lee certainty wasn't a white man's name and that's what the man was; pure bred white. Energy ran quietly into Kyle's arms, his muscles readying for trouble if this man didn't find that evidence enough to withhold his frigid storm.
It was an odd situation one could find themselves in, Kyle was certain. To be dating someone who was man AND woman? How could that ever be considered simple, even if one form was preferred to the other. Still, such an ability likely had its uses and despite the twinge of his heart strings that the thought created, Kyle couldn't stop his mind from wondering little things about such a person. Things such as did they retain the same personality when they changed from man to woman and if so, how did one cope with knowing they could be either gender at their whim?
He buried those thoughts for later, as the growing spike in his chest told him it was not a matter to dwell on in present company. After all, she could hear everything he thought, or mostly anyway. Watching his thoughts, both the normal and the...well, the more private, was something he'd have to work hard on if he intended to try and spend more time around Evelyn.
Back in the present time not in his head, Kyle turned to follow Evelyn towards the great outdoors, his arms lazily drooping at his sides. "Perhaps the trick is to find a way to slow your thoughts to keep up with your body, at least until you're ready to try a higher level. They may never perfectly align at maximum efficiency, but by gradually working at it and increasing the thinking speed as your body grows...apologies, I'm rambling. I tend to do that when something intrigues me."
He chuckled at the very mature response he got from Evelyn for his little trick, shrugging his shoulders by way of answer. His mind froze, momentarily, at the mention of the man known as Cold Steel, a man Kyle had recently had the...pleasure of meeting. It had been a rather chilly reception, that was for sure. Again, there was the brief worry that if Kyle was caught here by certain people, the end result would not be good...for him or for Evelyn if she was found with him. Pushing that aside, Kyle focused instead on the thought that had come to him earlier. It was a much warmer thought.
"Well, there are mutants out there that could turn into giant bears or owls and have mastered the use of sai's...never hurts to be prepared. In any case, I see by your expression that my mention of an experiment has caught your attention.
It's not complicated much. I'm going to throw a light blow your way and I want you to block it. The trick I will reveal when I'm doing it, however, not before. Otherwise it wouldn't be an experiment. Willing to give it a shot?"
Kyle could not have stopped the look in his eyes as his brain tried to register that. He might as well have been a deer in the headlights for the surprise that bloomed on his face, his eyes widening slightly as his brain tried to compute what she had just said. Did that mean she was seeing two people at once? A man and a woman? No, she didn't strike him as that kind of person. But then, she hadn't struck him as someone who liked other women like that either. But what then...she hadn't spoken as if this person were...
The realization, or at least the most logical explanation, hit him like a brick wall. Enough so that he gave his first real smile in response, as his amusement at the situation derailed his disappointment. The person she was dating...somehow, in some way...was both man and woman. A mutant, perhaps? Possibly...especially when she referred to this Gawain as if she already had before. A most interesting situation indeed...and he wasn't going to tease her with it. Not at all. Yet.
"Well Evelyn, again you surprise me...I suppose having a half girl, half boy for a companion makes it interesting when you fancy one gender or the other. Which side do you enjoy more though, I'm curious to ask."
Okay, so he lied. He was teasing her now.
Her response to his strike was better than he had expected. Had he followed through, there was no doubt his blow would have landed ruthlessly against her. Instead, his finger managed to just tap her cheek, the sudden momentum that was so dangerous before slowed in an instant to a little flick. Chuckling, Kyle brought his hand around and tapped her on the nose before withdrawing it. "Decent response. A little slow, but as you said, you've only just begun. With enough practice, I'm sure your body will soon react with your mind in tune.
But tell me what you've been taught so far; I might have some insight into things they might have missed. And let's do this outside where we might have more room to experiment and enjoy the sun."
He indicated with a hand for her to lead the way, pointing towards the open light of the windows where she'd pointed before. If there was a pool out there, there might also be some free place to roam and for what Kyle was possibly planning, more room was going to me a much needed factor.
Even Kyle couldn't remain perfect in the dodge/block department forever. Sooner or later, some of his opponent's blows would get through, whether by skill or dumb luck mattered not. So far, Kyle had been on his toes while his foe seemed to be faltering at times...but like said, eventually something was bound to get through. Both of them were simply too skilled for it not to happen and it had already become clear that a spinning dance wasn't in order tonight. Tonight was for a fight.
Kyle's blows had rained down on the man to a somewhat satisfactory degree. His back hand caught meaty flesh as Sam lifted an arm to deflect the attack from his face, the arm taking the painful damage rather than his brain. His kick connected as well, although once again, it was too where Sam shifted the damage to an alternative target. rather than where Kyle was aiming. His foot met Sam's thigh and once again, the man suffered but not as much as he could have.
This time before Kyle could react, Sam reached out and took a hold of the arm he'd used to backhand him with, pulling Kyle forward. With a quick pivot, Kyle suddenly found himself spinning as Sam tossed him away, struggling to keep his balance and remain standing. If Sam had launched himself after him right there and then, he might have found several openings to exploit. Instead, the man held back, stretching out his wounded ligaments, giving Kyle ample time to regain his balance and stance. Watching Sam carefully, Kyle shifted his body to prepare for the next attack, even as he answered the man back.
"How does one tell a guard is a guard? For I've killed no guards tonight. Take a closer look and maybe the truth will reveal itself."
He wasn't going to apologize for killing the man, but people really needed to take stock of the situation properly before simply accusing someone of something. Putting that aside, Kyle focused on what came next, as Sam was already back into the fray, launching himself at him. This time, the uppercut came sharp and quick and for a brief moment, Kyle saw stars as the blow rattled his brain and head. He wasn't so rattled to be taken down so easily though, so when Sam attempted to pull his head down, Kyle's entire body went rigid as he fought it. That left him almost face to face with Sam and despite himself, a small smirk twitched at the corner of his mouth.
Using his left hand, Kyle snapped his fingers as he pointed them upward, a small bolt of energy launching out towards Sam's chin. It wasn't a fairly strong one, but it would smart and hopefully stun Sam enough for Kyle's real attack to hit; a snap punch to his solar plexus that Kyle followed through with, aiming to not only hit hard but to dig in for a moment to inflict more damge.
Though she tried to cover it quickly, Kyle caught the sudden change in Evelyn's facial expression after he'd seemingly brushed off her comment of dating someone recently. Inwardly, he cursed himself. He thought he had hidden that disappointment better than that; apparently that wasn't the case. Kyle truly could not blame her for having found someone; she was a pretty, smart, fairly knowledgeable girl. What she lacked in power she made up for in determination and boldness. Or insanity. The two could easily be confused for one another. Still, there was no reason for her to try and cover up or explain why she had done it. It was logical and fine...mostly.
When she mentioned the person by name, however, even his disappointment couldn't bury the curious twitch that entered his brain. The words were out of his mouth before he can think them and a small mischievous smile quirked at the corner of his mouth. "Maya, did you say? Evelyn, I knew you were interesting and had your share of surprises but...even I didn't foresee that one coming." Which was completely fine with him too. He had to fight hard to keep any imaginative thoughts from bubbling to the surface thinking of Evelyn dating what sounded like a woman...it was a lot harder than expected. "You can relax about it. I did mean to call, but when the riots hit...I found that calling someone for a date was the least of my worries at the time. There were people, mutant and human alike, that needed aid that others wouldn't give. That took priority. No matter how much I wanted to call."
Eager to jump into another topic himself, Kyle tilted his head towards the pool while she talked, taking in every word even as his eyes studied the mansion around him. He'd never fully explored it when he'd been here before, so some of the things he was seeing were new to him. A shame he hadn't stayed longer. Turning his mind from such thoughts, he folded his arms across his chest and peered at Evelyn inquiringly.
"I see you do a fine job of getting yourself out of trouble as much as you get yourself into trouble. At least in the case of that story."
Sighing, he paused a moment before his eyes flickered with that slight hint of his older self, of the chaotic being that, at his core, he remained to this day, despite his collected demeanor. "You said you were learning self-defense, yes?" Without any physical warning, Kyle's arm snapped out from its folded position, coming around in a sharp backhand for her shoulder; he intended to stop it just shy if she didn't react in time. But hopefully, he had buried that thought deep enough that her echoes wouldn't catch it right away. He was curious to see if the damsel had become the hunter.
"Unfortunately, it's not something I have a lot of control over. I can try my best to direct the echoes elsewhere, but they seem to have a habit of remarking on whatever they want to."
Kyle spared an eyebrow to raise as he followed Evelyn into the mansion at her words. It wasn't surprising that Evelyn wasn't fully in control of her powers; from what he'd learned at the museum, it seemed as if she heard far too many echoes at once. But from what he "saw", she had managed to focus them on him or others when she needed to. Or at least, managed to filter through the echoes to find the one's coming from the person she was dealing with. Still, for her to not have complete control of them...
"Really? Then perhaps it is best you came to the mansion then. From what I've heard, they help mutants to better control their powers. Being here could be beneficial to you. If you ever need help outside the mansion, though, don't hesitate to ask."
Kyle had barely even realized he'd simply stepped through the door into a place where he was likely not wanted. By the time he'd registered that fact, he was already standing in the grand entrance hall, keeping to Evelyn as she was his guide in this place. Turning back was simply something that it was too late to do, so Kyle kept his feet moving and his eyes cast towards Evelyn, although he was aware of any changes to his surroundings. Not that he truly needed to worry; most the times he had acted, he'd been in his outfit, his disguise, his cover. Out there, he was Forte. In here, only Kyle was present. Only one man in this building was aware of his identity...and luckily, it seemed that he was not present. So far. Nor was many others for that matter, another fact which Kyle was thankful for. It would make this visit far more...quiet.
Evelyn babbled on about the lack of proper art supplies, a fact that made Kyle smile inside. She certainty hadn't changed...her circumstances had, however. If Kyle had been anyone else, the mention of her dating someone might have caused a misstep. Kyle, however, took the knowledge in stride and continued on as if it were the most normal thing to say. Of course, Evelyn would likely sense the slight disappointment that wormed its way through his mind, but he tried hard to surpress that fact.
"Hmmm...well, it does seem you've managed to stay out of the worst those riots dropped on us all. It's good to see you weren't too caught up in that madness. Although it does sound as if you found enough new kinds of trouble...a sewer monster, truly?
Yes...the mansion is rather impressive but without a decent populace inside, it does seem kind of...droll. I imagine the places where the X-men are located here, however, are likely to be far more exciting. But I doubt you'd be able to show me those things...right?"
Kyle hadn't even started walking up the steps to the mansion's door when a familiar voice brought a slight smile to the corners of his mouth. Tilting his head up to its source, Kyle took in Evelyn's presence with the ease of someone who had expected it all along. Tucking his helmet under his arm, Kyle made the short journey up to meet her face to face, tipping his head slightly in greeting.
"Saved me the trouble, yes, but also stole away the adventure. No worries though. This was likely the best course of action."
It didn't surprise him that she knew he wasn't comfortable being here. Although he had done his best to conceal his unease in coming to the mansion, there was the very real chance that he had let something slip in his voice or hesitated a moment too long before answering her question. Or, of course, her echoes were reading him, letting her know just how much he was ill with being near the mansion. In truth, he was that way at times around Sanctuary as well; there were times when even it had its bad moments.
Shaking his head, Kyle waved off any further worries of his being here. He was here now and he wasn't going to make her worry about something as trifle as this. "It's not something I cannot bear, so put it out of your thoughts. Although you might do better not to read me; you might find things you don't like. Or like too much." It wasn't arrogance or anger or anything like that when he said those words; merely truth.
"In any case, I see you've been doing well. I'd say you've kept yourself out of trouble by coming here but then...I doubt someone as bold as you stayed out of trouble entirely. Come...show me around a bit. We can update one another as we go along. You first, of course."
For once, the city of New York was enjoying the touch of the sun and her warmth and not despairing under a heavy cloud of muggy rain as usual. It was an odd twist of fate, Kyle mused to himself, that such a lovely day would be matched with the predicament he was about to find himself in.
The riots had kept Kyle busy while they ran their course, having to move to and fro in his efforts to do what he could in derailing trouble between mutant and human. To him, there was no sides in the riots; both human and mutant were capable of doing wrong. At times, he found himself defending young or helpless mutants from the angry mobs; others, he found himself defending those humans who had no part in the riots(children, for mercy's sake) from the violent actions of his peers. He was enemy to all, friend to none at times, or the savior that vanished as quickly as he appeared.
In all that, it was no wonder he'd not managed a chance to meet Evelyn again.
With the riots quieting, however, Kyle finally took the opportunity to make use of her hard earned phone number to see if she was in the mood to meet again. He hadn't expected her to accept, not as easily as she did. He had been hoping, though, for not only did he find her physically appealing, she seemed like the kind of person one would never be bored around. So when she had told him that she had no problem meeting with him again, Kyle had almost smiled on the other end. Almost...until she told him where she was living currently and if he could meet her there.
The mansion. The X-men's mansion. Considering the way the riots had made many mutants feel unsafe, it was not surprising that she had relocated to the mansion in order to hide from the mobs. What was surprising was that she had stayed afterwards. Kyle had frowned at first upon returning to that place; he wasn't exactly the kind of person that would be welcomed there. In the end, however, he'd relented and told her he would be there the next day.
Dressed in jeans, a t-shirt and a black vest with red stripes, Kyle pulled up the mansion's long driveway, his bike announcing his presence to any within earshot. Kyle had not been even close to the mansion since his initial arrival into the city; not much seemed to have changed from his brief visit. Rolling his bike to a stop, Kyle killed the engine and removed himself from the bike. Lowering his helmet, Kyle took a long look at the second mutant haven in the city.
Removing his helmet had been a serious risk, Kyle knew. Without it, his face had been exposed to this man, who obviously was on the side of the law when it came to criminals. Whether Kyle won or lost this fight mattered little in the long run; unless he convinced the man that he was not behind the robbery and that the guard at his feet wasn't really a guard, Kyle would likely soon find himself as hunted as others were.
But the risk had been one Kyle had to take. Normally, his helmet provided not only a way to conceal his identity, but also as protection against an unforeseen blow to the head. He might be rattled but such a blow, truly, but that helmet could be the only difference between a mild headache and a shattered skull. However, in this circumstance, the helmet was only a liability if his foe targeted it specifically. Plus, this man was far to skilled to take on without his full range of vision available...hence why it rested on the rooftop now.
Kyle's counterattack had been what most people might have called a textbook counter. It was perfect in form, the decision had been made with good intel to back up the move. And it had connected solidly with the man's chest. That should have been it for this foe...if he hadn't revealed his ace in the hole.
"Ice? So he's a mutant. This just got much harder," Kyle mused to himself. In quick order, Kyle had created distance again as he assessed this new shift to the game. If this man was a mutant and this fight was no longer a simple battle of brawn and skill, then it had become grossly more complicated. But in that same notion; if his foe intended to use his powers whenever he saw fit, then the same could be said for Kyle. The extent of his capabilities was still up in the air, but Kyle knew one thing that he had the advantage in. Endurance.
"Considering I don't know who this Maya is, excuse me if I'm not insulted by that. Besides; even the smallest rib broken still hurts."
Then the man was on him again and the game was afoot once again. This time, the layer of complexity to it had obviously taken a step up the ladder, as the man's attack towards him was not longer a simple one-two combo. And he was speaking to Kyle as he did so, so Kyle replied even as he moved to counter the incoming attacks.
"I learned...", he began as the first attack came. The first blow was simple enough to handle; much like his counter earlier, Kyle simply used his arm to deflect the blow away from his body. ..."the hard way." The roundhouse was harder to deal with and when it slammed into Kyle's blocking arm, it sent a shockwave of pain through it. Pain that Kyle was already familiar with, so shrugging it off was almost second nature to him. It still hurt like hell though.
The elbow was the most dangerous blow however. With his free arm that didn't throb with pain, Kyle caught the elbow inches before it would have made contact with his ribs, his muscles tightening to resist the man's strength. "Trial and error." Kyle didn't wait long after that block to move himself. With his open arm, Kyle snapped a backhanded fist at the man, trying to push him back from the elbow at the same time. After that, his leg came up again in an attempt to drive his foot into the man's knee.
All the while, his hands were slowly beginning to gather energy to his fingers and palms. If this man was going to use his powers, then Kyle was going to use it as well.
"Hmmm...there are plenty of situations programmed into the system that utilize either of those concepts, whether singularly or collectively. Let me just bring up the choices."
Reaching over to the controls, Kyle entered in the key phrases of "escape", "retreat", "close quarters combat", and "exercise". The last one wasn't really necessary, but it would at least bring up maybe something less insane like a marathon. Nevertheless, the computer began displaying a list of scenarios that consisted of one, two or many of those keywords. Kyle's eyes watched the screen closely as the scenarios, both pre-programmed and even some of the ones he'd created appeared as the list grew.
"If we were to work on what I was aiming for specifically, these sessions would be quite intense. For now, something simple would probably be best, until we familiarize ourselves with each other's pace."
Scrolling through the list quickly, Kyle found what could be considered a simple scenario. "An escape through an apartment building. The scenario requires the participants to escape through a house filled with gang members or police. Your choice, obviously. You have to escape as quick as possible but you'll also have to face enemies in close quarters combat. A fair combination of both. Does that sound like enough?"
As expected, a single one-two punch to knock this opponent out was not going to cut it. Nor would any simple plan of attack be enough to catch him with any blows. Both Kyle and this man were simply too familiar with close range combat to be taken in such a way. In other words, in order for either of them to get the upper hand, they had to do something slightly more complicated.
Or, as his opponent was attempting, try for a possible weak point when attacking.
Kyle's blows met air as his foe ducked the first of his swings, then turned away to avoid the following uppercut. That brief moment that followed gave Kyle enough time to balance his stance and prepare a guard, but he was a second slow in that regard. The man's hand came up just as he did, its course without fail to bring it into contact with Kyle's helmet. Kyle was in the wrong stance, the wrong position, the wrong state of preparedness, to dodge that blow. So he did the next best thing he could; he turned his head into it and shifted his head aside just as it made contact.
His head rung briefly for a moment, as expected, but Kyle's efforts had not been as foolish as it might seem. By moving into the blow and then adjusting his head at the moment of impact, he'd avoided taking a much heavier hit. Also as a result, his helmet stayed firmly where it rested on his head. Creating his own distance as the man hopped back, Kyle shook his head to ward off the slight disorientation before snapping a release on his helmet.
"It would be far worse, if a woman didn't hit harder than you do." Kyle caught his helmet on his foot and rolled it off to the side just as CS came in again. His attack almost made Kyle smile. A jumping kick was a good move, in practice. But it was also a very bad one to use on a ready opponent; once you jumped, you were committed to that attack. In essence, Kyle now knew what path CS would be forced to take and as such, how to counter it.
Your average person would dodge the kick or attempt to catch it. Kyle, on the other hand, merely stepped in, used his forearm to deflect the kick to his side and lashed out at the man's chest with his own kick. Not a flying or running kick, but a solid kick aimed and powered by his stance. His foe had chosen to come rushing in like that; Kyle would introduce him to what a wall felt like.
"While I can't say you've ever went there to visit me, I am quite sure that you've been to the Sanctuary before. If you don't remember, its not a problem; we can always refresh your memory." Truth be told, Kyle wasn't even certain she had actually been to the Sanctuary. It was an educated guess born simply from the fact that most people at one point or another knew of Sanctuary's existence. Even if they never visited, they knew of it. Noel likely had erased her memories again and forgotten. Probably.
With a nod, Kyle started off down the road, staying level with Noel for the short trip it took them to reach the Sanctuary. There it stood, in all its glory, one of the few places mutants could go that offered refuge from the criticism and hatred that some humans had for their kind. The X-men manner was another, but mutants that went there were usually good seeds. Sanctuary accepted all and as such, was the reason many wanted mutants took the place for a home.
Kyle led Noel past the massive golden doors that were the main entrance, then navigated the winding hallways until at last they came to a door that lead into their intended destination. Another small door lead up to the control room, where one could program their sessions however they saw fit. Scenarios could be called out from inside the room, pre-entered simulations set to a variety of different scenarios. Stopping just outside the doors, Kyle turned to Noel and inclined his head to the smaller door.
"Well, here we are. So...what kind of session would you like to do? There are plenty entered into the computer that we can simply activate on demand or we can program an entirely new one by going through that door. What do you feel up to today?"
"Hmm, now you're just making me curious. How important must you be, for you to have a man on hand that is both bodyguard and driver? I think the robbers almost stole the most valuable thing in the museum and weren't even aware of it."
Kyle didn't comment on the fact that her family was likely in the right to give her a protector, considering what he just had to save her from. Evelyn's heart was in the right place back at the museum, but it had been a foolish thing to do. Him taking on armed men was one thing; his power was bred for it and Kyle did daily training to ensure he was physically capable of such things. Experience came to mind as well; Kyle had done this many a time before. But Evelyn was not a fighter, at least in the physical sense of the term. Her power was gifted, truly, but she herself was not made for that kind of fight. Not yet, anyway.
Kyle noticed the change in her demeanor almost as soon as the words left his mouth. Her smile was gone and the look in her eyes would have frozen the lava in a volcano with how could they became. "Apologies if I brought up something unwanted; I was merely curious. Sanctuary would have mutant healers on hand that could take a look at you and remove any possible damage without having you be exposed to them for too long.
That is all I wished to express. In any case, I've kept you long enough." Smiling, he tipped his head towards her before turning to leave. He hadn't gone more than a few steps before a message would appear on Evelyn's phone. -I'll be in touch. Call if you ever need a hand.-
"Hah, a cure. Its amazing what people will think is possible when faced with something they don't want to acknowledge is happening. But if that's what you want; you should get checked out somehow though. A head injury is nothing to scoff at."
They walked for a while in the crisp chill of the night. It had to be late by now; what with all the excitement that they had been through, remembering the time hadn't been a concern. With any luck, by now the police had arrived on scene and would be taking care of the criminals that Kyle had left behind. So long as none of them had gotten up and run(which would have been hard because Kyle made sure to break a bone somewhere on each of them), then that part of the night ended on good note. Bad guys dealt with, girl in peril both saved and met, priceless items protected. Not bad at all.
It wasn't long before the museum was coming into sight, which was about the time that Evelyn mentioned a Jensen worrying about her safety. Briefly but throughly, Kyle considered who this Jensen could be. A brother, perhaps, or a stepfather? They usually called those people by their names, not by father or dad. A friend perhaps? Take that a step further, perhaps someone that was more than a friend? That lost thought troubled him a little, in a way words often cannot explain, for the speaker does not know himself. Something to ask into, perhaps?
"Well, based off tonight's events, I could say you are perfectly safe from mugging walking. But perhaps you shouldn't stay so late at work. He gave her a little smirk at that before motioning to the museum with his head. "The museum is within sight and I can see enough lights from here to know the police are still around. I think this is the time we part ways; you at least work for the museum and I well...have a knife wound that would take some explaining. Return your art pieces. Then get yourself checked out, if not now, then tomorrow, right away."
A thought occured to him then and that little grin returned, a flash of insight glowing in his eyes. "Tell me Evelyn...have you ever been to the Sanctuary?"
