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 Metation Guild The Spellsword Guild Mansion English Teacher
Witchblade
palegreen
Bisexual
Married to Mirror
1,797
299
Nov 15, 2024 15:26:23 GMT -6
Aly
It was hard not to think of the power dichotomy between Rebecca and the Senator. Yes, she had magnetic powers he was still unaware of, but he was the one on his home turf with political sway and control of all the security in the ballroom. She could almost feel nervousness creeping in, but Juliette backing her up reaffirmed her bravery. In for a penny, in for a pound.
A large man, who in the context of their evening, could only be part of the security team, asked if the two X-Women were being a disturbance. Wanting to get her word in edgewise, she hastily replied, ”Nae disturbance, jist tois invited guests having a chat with th' senator abit policy,” just before the angry older man could point them out as problems.
It was ironic, because the girls were the ones with problems, as Rebecca cooled her temper enough to focus on her surroundings and realize they were, in fact, surrounded by guards of similar stature to their leader. Her heart was trying to race, but Rebecca was seeking a spot of calm in herself like Emerald once taught her. Anger had its place, but she needed clarity.
She was strong. She was smart. This was not the Ragman—these were just brutish humans posing a threat to her and Juliette.
It was the other girl she was more concerned about; Rebecca was unsure how much combat training Juliette had, and beyond that, it was Rebecca’s loud mouth that put them in a situation like this. She could trust Firefly to have her back, but as far as the feisty Scot was concerned, keeping Juliette safe was more important than her finding her own way out of this mess. She could only imagine how Cold Steel would react if her carelessness put a member of the team at risk.
Rebecca focused on the gravitational field around the table, and the disturbances being carried by each guard: guns. A dangerous variable, but one she could negate if necessary. Reaching for their firearms would result in a surprise where the guns would slip out of their hands and fall to the ground, refusing to be recovered. No one knew what she could do, she was sure of it—and that was her advantage.
Of course, some guards were already opting to pull out batons from their belts. Those… were a bigger problem. They caused no disturbance in the fields, so they were not metal. She had to be careful. She wished she brought her marbles, or a baton of her own, or even her shield, (though it would have clashed with her dress.) She had a gun of her own, but the last thing she needed was to be seen as an armed political terrorist. These were humans; she could handle this. Probably.
”Jules…” she muttered quietly, backing toward her only ally in the room. ”Sorry fur th' mess. Dornt know if yoo're much ay a fighter, but if nae, jist stick close.”
Her eyes were watching vigilantly for movement from the men gathered around them, but her hand reached behind her, reaching for Juliette’s hand. She might have just wanted affirmation that Jules was still there, or she wanted to reassure her new friend that she was there. Maybe she just liked holding someone’s hand as a creature comfort before getting into a full-on brawl. There were a lot of things on Rebecca’s mind.
”Nae need fur force, lads,” she cautioned loudly, trying to keep any wavering out of her voice. ”Consider us peaceful protesters, ready tae leave withit incident.”
The guards seemed suspicious, but a few of them softened in their body language. Maybe they were not huge fans of beating women with sticks. The tide of the evening felt like it might turn, but suddenly a hateful voice intruded again. “They are not peaceful, they are dangerous! Just by being here, they are dangerous! Who knows what will happen if we let them leave?”
Her eyes darted behind the guards to Senator Mandell, issuing the command dripping with cruelty. “Deal with them.”
"Oh, **** a duck," Rebecca muttered to herself, steeling her nerve and preparing her body.
The Metation Guild The Spellsword Guild Mansion English Teacher
Witchblade
palegreen
Bisexual
Married to Mirror
1,797
299
Nov 15, 2024 15:26:23 GMT -6
Aly
While it was weird to see herself on camera, Rebecca was enjoying herself, especially with such a fun, lighthearted video where she even got to play around with a few costumes and characters. If Agnes did not already know her better than most, she now had access to all the nooks and crannies of the woman Rebecca had become in their time apart. It was hard to call it intimate knowledge when she made her life more or less publicly available for the world, but she wanted Agnes to have free reign of her soul splayed out in ten to fifteen minute segments.
Rebecca was expecting some witty comment from Agnes about the video, but instead, she was surprised by a name. Nessa. She had mentioned her moments earlier in passing, but she forgot that the gamer girl was a brief topic of conversation the last time they were together in the apartment. Rebecca had bowed out at Gotham’s Lost Lady by mentioning her date, so naturally Agnes was a little curious who the girl might be, as would be any friend, probably. Rebecca made it clear that the two ViewTubers were enjoying a first date that night, but it was nothing serious. The wine might have encouraged her to add the stipulation.
Well, now Rebecca was unsure if Nessa was something serious, but she had to be working herself into the conversation with how much time and body heat they were sharing together. Agnes was asking her about Nessa because she was now officially a reoccurring name, and while the thought made her nervous, Rebecca had to deal with knowing she had no good reason to be dishonest. Agnes was a friend asking how things were going with a girl, and nothing more.
”She’s… guid. We’re guid,” she admitted, before adding, ”If we ur a "we" at thes point. We've bin... spendin' mair time together lately.” It felt like an unnecessary detail to explain what kind of “time” Rebecca was spending with her possible paramour. She would keep that detail quiet to most friends, let alone one with the kind of history she shared with Agnes. ”We huvnae hud "the talk," ur whatever it is fowk dae, sae ah dunnae know if we're jist havin' fin, ur... ye know.”
Rebecca looked down at the half-empty glass of pop held between her hands, before apologizing. ”Ah’m sorry, it's probably weird tae gab tae ye abit thes, reit?” Not knowing where she stood with Nessa was a loaded topic of conversation because Nessa was not the only one avoiding “the talk.” Both girls were probably procrastinating because, deep down, neither of them were sure where things stood between Becca and Agnes, and where the redhead wanted them to stand.
The Metation Guild The Spellsword Guild Mansion English Teacher
Witchblade
palegreen
Bisexual
Married to Mirror
1,797
299
Nov 15, 2024 15:26:23 GMT -6
Aly
Rebecca thought having her student there filming and leading the discussion would make her more nervous than her typical videos, but she was surprisingly comfortable so far. Maybe seeing Leo a little flustered put her at ease, knowing they were both figuring this out together. She was curious about the questions he might be seeing and not sharing, however…
He asked about the exact definition of her powers and she clarified, having given the matter much thought. ”It's probably semantics, but Ah usually say magnetokinesis coz Ah dornt manipulate metal, Ah manipulate th' magnetic fields. Which... ye know, manipulate th' metal.” As she said: semantics.
Leo gave her a vote of confidence she appreciated. “The right amount of corny.” That was probably what she was aiming for, as a teacher and an entertainer. When she was sappy, she wanted it to be in a way that was not obnoxious.
New questions rolled out and Rebecca tried to handle them politely, but the first one made her laugh since it was a question she answered so often. ”Ah can tryst ye, thes is hoo Ah gab, sae feel bad fur mah friends an' students. When Ah was livin' in America years ago, it softened, but bein' surroonded by British accents in London, mah inner Scot got bolder in protest.” Of course, Rebecca rarely spoke about the politics between the British and Scottish on her channel, but it was easy on the internet to make a “Scots and Brits are always at odds,” joke.
She was already in a giggly mood, but the second question caused a loud, ”Ha!” to escape her lips. The “Wild Haggis” was a fictional creature the internet liked to joke about, and she was not about to deny their existence now. ”Ay coorse! Ah was a wee lass, an' it is a coming-of-age custom fur every yoong Scottie tae go it tae th' hills an' bag a haggis of 'er ain. Ne'er seen a golden haggis thocht. That's one fur th' buckit list,” she added with a grin, wondering how many viewers were Googling the golden haggis now.
After an obligatory Monty Python reference, a question of substance was asked. Her parents and how they felt about her. ”Mah parents ur wonderful. Ah feel loch Ah keep havin' tae come out tae them,” she half-joked. Her life had been full of such change after she left Scotland, she had to keep her parents updated every time she realized she was a new person. ”When they foond it abit mah powers, they waur concerned fur me mair than anythin'. They looked up th' best place Ah coods go tae gie th' support Ah needed an' foond a way tae send me thaur. It wasnae easy lettin' me go, but they alays dae reit by me.”
”’En comin’ it as bisexual, she continued, regathering the story in her mind. ”Ah hae a whole comin' out story oan mah channel, but lang story short, mom was immediately supportife, an' she helped mah auld skale faither process th' news.”
Thinking of her father’s turn to accepting her as a queer woman reminded her of her first return to Scotland with Belladonna Honey in tow. ”When Ah brooght mah first girlfriend back tae Scotland tae meit mah parents, mah pa gae 'er th' sam hard time he woods hae given a lad. He was sae intimidatin', she drenk th' scotch he offered, an' he laughed his arse aff as she went intae a coughin' fit.” It was hard not to chuckle and smile at the memories of her time in Paisley, but she calmed down; given recent events, it was best not to dwell on the past.
”As fur th' channel, while mah parents dinnae git it at aw, an' they want me tae make sure Ah am pickin' a stable path, they support me followin’ mah heart as alays, an' mah mom watches th' videos when she can. Ah've got naethin' tae hide frae her; she's mah oldest friend.” Her father was too much of a stuffy Englishman to spend much time watching online videos, but she knew she had his support. Her relationship with her mother was more friendly, and she did not mind a little silliness in her day if it meant seeing her daughter’s face more.
The Metation Guild The Spellsword Guild Mansion English Teacher
Witchblade
palegreen
Bisexual
Married to Mirror
1,797
299
Nov 15, 2024 15:26:23 GMT -6
Aly
Rebecca felt guilty admitting it, but she was having a hard time of understanding the securityperson, (whose gender she would be careful not to assume until further evidence was gathered,) partially thanks to her inebriation, but mainly due to the way they spoke. As someone with a heavy accent, Rebecca always made an effort to listen closely to those she struggled to understand, being polite when asking for clarification.
This time, however, she was in no condition to ask probing questions, so instead, Rebecca nodded meekly. She gathered that the guard might want her to keep her harasser at bay until udders?—Oh, others arrived. The request sounded doable, even though her focus was questionable, making her magnetic grip on his toes noticeably shaky. She was doing her best.
Until suddenly, the phone she left on the bar next to her buzzed. Knowing the message might be coming from Agnes, looking to talk about what happened that night, much of Rebecca’s focus went to grabbing the device and checking her text notifications. She was not so unaware she dropped the rude, swearing, upside-down man, but he did slowly drop a few inches as she diverted her attention, until his shaved head was pressing against the floor of the club.
Rebecca could not be bothered to care. She was disappointed. Her friend Nessa was checking on her, knowing she was upset and at the bar. It was very nice of her, but it was not a message from Agnes. She had her phone available for that purpose, so anything else could be put off until the morning, including well-meaning friends.
The drunk young woman’s attention snapped back to reality when a new guard appeared, smiling and offering to take her burden for the evening away from her. ”Gladly,” she replied, instinctively releasing the man. Thankfully, the guard had the reflexes to catch him before he crumpled on the ground, evidently with some kind of telekinetic power. Or maybe it was more specialized; maybe he had the ability to control garbage, which the man clearly was.
The first guard, the one who originally saved her, asked if she would mind sticking around to talk to the cops. Honestly, Rebecca had no issues with the police, but she did wonder how much help she would be to them, or anyone really. ”Ah mean, Ah guess. Ah dornt want tae press charges ur naethin',” she admitted with a heavy slur impacting her diction. ”Ah jist wanted th' dooche canoe tae gettae away frae me.” To that end, she had been surprisingly successful.
Likely as an incentive to stick around, Rebecca was offered a drink or something to eat. She should have been taking the altercation as a sign to call it a night, but the sound of free treats was tempting. Slipping back into her seat, she cheerily replied, ”If yoo're offerin'... a daiquiri soonds guid.” There was a brief pause, since she was struggling to think and speak at the same time, followed by an enthusiastic exclamation. ”OOH! Ur mozzarella sticks. Diz thes place hae mozzarella sticks?”
The Metation Guild The Spellsword Guild Mansion English Teacher
Witchblade
palegreen
Bisexual
Married to Mirror
1,797
299
Nov 15, 2024 15:26:23 GMT -6
Aly
Becca was happy to see she was not the only one pleasantly surprised to find the other in the Mansion. The longer she was back in New York, the more she kicked herself for falling out of contact with so many of her old friends. As both Maya and Gawain, they had been a positive presence while Rebecca was in America; after Rebecca’s breakup with Agnes, after the Ragman incident, and just as her friend through the college years before she left for her Masters in England. She was sad to leave a friend like that behind, and downright crushed to return and find out Maya had herself left the state.
This was why it was such a good feeling to have Maya meet her with a warm hug. Rebecca wrapped her arms around her friend’s waist and squeezed tight, glad they could finally be in the same place at the same time for the first time in years.
Once she felt the hug had lasted a sufficient amount of time, (or at least as close to “sufficient” as was acceptable in public, since she could have been fine hugging Maya for the next few hours,) Becca broke away, still smiling uncontrollably. ”Ah finished skale an' moved back lest month!” It was surprisingly easy to explain her coming and going in and out of the states, but there was more mystery surrounding her friend. ”Ah was disappointed ye werenae aroond, but nae a body coods quite explain whaur ye went. How hae ye been, hin?” On sight, Maya seemed in fine condition, but there was more to being okay than looking physically intact. "Ah must hae missed sae much."
The Metation Guild The Spellsword Guild Mansion English Teacher
Witchblade
palegreen
Bisexual
Married to Mirror
1,797
299
Nov 15, 2024 15:26:23 GMT -6
Aly
Rebecca laid out the options and made the rules clear, yet Agnes still seemed dead-set on ignoring the parameters for choosing the ViewTube option. Maybe her ex just had selective hearing allowing her to assume Rebecca was just offering her videos up for consumption. As much as she wanted to roll her eyes, it was flattering for Agnes to show an interest in her content. It was going to be painful watching her own stuff, especially from the early days of her channel, but it was also an experience she did not get to share with many people. Agnes was the right person to do this with. ”Fine,” she agreed begrudgingly, ”Under protest, we can watch mah channel.”
There was definitely some moments where Rebecca had to struggle with cringing at herself. The quality of her content and production value, some of the lame jokes she made while she was still finding her voice as an entertainer, and some of the things she was willing to do for views back in the day. She still remembered asking another popular Tuber for advice, and got the honest suggestion of, “Buy a Push-Up Bra.” Which she did, begrudgingly. And it worked, disappointingly. She was happy when she realized her fanbase was loyal and dedicated enough that when she stopped, there was no major loss of subscribers. Not that there was not a benefit to having a miracle-worker bra on hand, but it was tiring feeling like every video she did, she needed her chest pushed up to her chin.
Rebecca was being smart about the videos she was choosing. Embarrassing videos were fine and even worth a laugh, but she knew some videos might touch upon the topic of her love life and her ex-girlfriend. She did not mention Agnes by name, but the violinist was not dumb; she would recognize when she was a topic in a video. It was not that Rebecca cast Agnes in a negative light, but the evening was so stress-free, she figured it was not worth throwing a spotlight on their past.
Why bring up a serious video when they could watch Rebecca struggle with one of the hottest confections known to man? She was being called out for the questionable life choice, but she needed a moment to catch her breath after laughing so hard at her poor, beet red past self. ”It wisnae mah faut! Ah was called it by Nessa an' 'er team tae dae th' challenge! Mah honur was oan th' line! Ah cooldn’t jist say no; she woods hae given me sae much grief!” Challenge culture on ViewTube was serious business, especially when you were called out on a video with thousands of views on it. She certainly did not want to be outed as a chicken to her fans; Pixelbecky feared no treat!
After defending herself, Rebecca realized her comment was the first time she had thought of Nessa all night. It was not bad; she was hanging out with another friend, and Nessa was not her girlfriend (yet,) and as such was not entitled to a constant spot in her mind, but there was something about being with Agnes while Nessa went about her night somewhere else that caused the vlogger to blush. ”Anyway, oan tae th' next video,” she said, switching over to a rant about the worst kinds of people on social media, which was always a crowd pleaser, and one of her top viewed videos after it was shared by some other channels and went viral.
The Metation Guild The Spellsword Guild Mansion English Teacher
Witchblade
palegreen
Bisexual
Married to Mirror
1,797
299
Nov 15, 2024 15:26:23 GMT -6
Aly
Rebecca was growing to love her role as a teacher at the Mansion, but there was still something oddly nostalgic about walking the halls. Most days she took the same path through the halls to and from her class to ensure she stayed on schedule, but there were occasional days where her classes ended and she had a window of free time. Nessa had plans and Agnes was working, so there was no urgency for Rebecca to return to her apartment for the night.
She felt akin to a ghost, drifting through hallways she navigated as a teenager, passing through the kitchen where “the honey incident” happened with Agnes, and the lounge where her first American birthday was celebrated. It was almost surreal being back, as if she was flipping back to a past chapter in her life, writing over the old pages.
Of course, she was not flipping through solely metaphorical pages; as Rebecca walked, she had a copy of Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit she was skimming through. She was encouraging her students to find a novel they could connect with, and she was not so hypocritical to assign work she refused to do herself. It was a novel she enjoyed regardless, and it took her back to her first years in America, coming to terms with who she was and how that fit in with who she always had been.
The building she walked through was filled with memories, but not quite the same people. Of course, many of her classmates had moved on, and residents came and went with life. It was disappointing to come home to a place she loved missing some of the voices from her past she wished to hear again.
"Hello?... Anybody home?..."
Rebecca was stepping into the foyer of the Mansion, preparing to leave for the afternoon, when one of the voices she found herself missing called out from the doorway—or one of their voices, at least. Rebecca looked up from the book cradled on her forearm, spotting a young woman around Rebecca’s age with black hair cut just above her shoulders.
She smiled from across the room, her nostalgic trip through the Mansion making her more vulnerable to such an unexpected reunion. ”Maya... it's sae guid tae see ye again.”
The Metation Guild The Spellsword Guild Mansion English Teacher
Witchblade
palegreen
Bisexual
Married to Mirror
1,797
299
Nov 15, 2024 15:26:23 GMT -6
Aly
Rebecca handed Agnes her pizza and did her best not to make a face. While they were dating, she never judged Agnes for her love of pineapple on her pizzas. Out loud. It was something the woman she loved really enjoyed, and she did not have the heart to call her out for her terrible taste in pizza toppings. If anything, she was an amazing girlfriend for occasionally accepting a bite offered to her by the enthusiastic pizza heretic. Her father told her, (in a piece of advice he probably did not expect to be sharing with his daughter,) that the key to a good life was keeping her woman happy and appreciated. Rebecca appreciated Agnes, terrible taste and all.
”At leest ye hae a plan B,” she responded with a smirk to Agnes rethinking her career choice. ”if ‘famoos, talented violinist’ gits borin', Ah'll happily help ye open a pizza shop.” Rebecca would just be in charge of vendors and inventory, so she could conveniently miss certain orders so she could spare more poor college students from the tragedy of overly sweet fruit ruining their late night meals.
Rebecca took a sip of her cherry cola, feeling the bubbles popping on the surface of the liquid filling her glass to the brim. She could feel the popping and fizzing tickling her nose, making it scrunch up as she drained enough out of the glass to make it safe from accidental spilling. She followed it up with her first bite of pizza, letting out a soft, ”Mmm,” at the satisfying, nostalgic taste taking her back to college.
Yes, they were no longer together, but even when they were romantically involved and living together, Agnes was Rebecca’s best friend. Not every night involved intimate cuddling and steamy sex. Well, most nights did, but there were plenty of nights where those things were not the focus of the night. With all the rigors of work and school, it was most important to take the time to relax and do nothing with Agnes so they could recharge their batteries and enjoy each other’s company as they watched some silly comedy or trashy telly drama.
Things felt familiar, but she knew they were not the same. Looking past the delicious pizza in front of her, she found herself watching Agnes as she looked ahead of her, unfocused and troubled. It was clear what was on Agnes’s mind; River was away, but in a way, she was there with them that night. It was a sad thought, but not because Rebecca wanted Agnes unfettered by her ties to her fiancée. She wanted to be there for her friend to keep her mind off of her struggles. ”Aggie…”
Fortunately, Agnes finally came out of her trance and asked about the evening itinerary. She was behind on television, but thankfully Rebecca was equipped with a WebFlix account and a Wuhu account for optimal catching up. (Both services were sponsors of her channel now, so she got to enjoy the perk of free membership, not that she would brag about that.)
Rebecca decided to sidestep the comments about the superhero shows on The W.C. because, for any of their flaws, she was addicted to them. ”Ah pure mean, they micht nae be everybody's cuppae tea... but, Ah mean, some fowk jist hae bad taste in tea.” And pizza.
”Sae ye’ll choose.” Rebecca grabbed the remote for her Smart TV, (which, to her, felt like a justifiable expensive purchase,) selecting the shows Agnes mentioned so they would pull up a background image and a short description. Of course, Rebecca knew the shows well enough to provide what she felt was a more accurate description.
”Chess ay Crowns. Medieval fantasy politics an' dick measuring—sometimes literally, wi' plenty ay drama an' death an’ plot twists and… weel. lots ay sex.” Rebecca glanced over at her ex-girlfriend, trying to picture what it would be like to get through gratuitous sex scenes involving all combinations of men and women. They could die of embarrassment or die of laughter; it was a coin toss. ”Next!”
“Beautiful Big Fibbers. Hink mystery suspense story ay high skale girls bein' manipulated by a nameless stranger, wi' plenty ay relationship drama, cattiness, an' betrayal. Probably th' pinnacle ay guilty pleasure trashy telly.” It was Becca’s guilty pleasure show, but she wondered if Agnes would be helped or hurt watching relationship troubles and breakups play out on screen. It could possibly make it easier to distance herself from the reality of what was happening to her by watching cliché, overly dramatic characters go through it.
”Paranormal… We’re nae watching Paranormal.” Rebecca considered it, but the show did not appeal to her, despite having so many elements that, separately, sounded like it should. The fanbase did not help; she still remembered losing a small group of followers when she voiced her opinions online.
”Ur we can watch ViewTube. As lang as it's nae mah videos. Eh'd spend th' whole nicht anxioosly watchin' ye watch me,” which was specifically the situation the wanted to avoid that night. ”Pick yer poison, Aggie.”
The Metation Guild The Spellsword Guild Mansion English Teacher
Witchblade
palegreen
Bisexual
Married to Mirror
1,797
299
Nov 15, 2024 15:26:23 GMT -6
Aly
The scent of the pizza wafting through her apartment was enough to get Rebecca salivating. When she was an American, she spent time experimenting with her pizza orders until she found the right order for her. Pepperoni satisfied her primal need to have an animal-based toping that added spice to the pizza, and the banana pepper added a flavorful, tangy taste. There were other good pizza toppings she might occasionally switch to, but this was, in her opinion, the God-Tier Pizza Combination.
When she was not adoring the pizza, Rebecca was sneaking glances at her guest. There was no ill-intent in her peeking; she wanted to be sure Agnes seemed comfortable being back in her apartment. Both women were aware of what transpired the last time Agnes came over, and if she was not careful., she may just ruin the apartment permanently. It would be easier having Agnes as a friend if she could come by when the mood hit her, so making her feel unsafe there was not an option.
Agnes made it clear that she did not foresee forgetting the redhead’s pizza order anytime soon, and it was hard to argue. Rebecca still had an encyclopedic knowledge of Agnes’s favorite foods, preferred shampoo, and guilty pleasure shows. They had too many memories to forget the little details that were such an innate part of their relationship.
Details like Mr. Mario and his wife. It was the pizza place the girls relied on through their last years of college. They were walking home from a date to the movies, and a rainstorm hit. Giggling, they ran under a nearby red-and-white stripped overhang to escape the rain, and were hit with the tantalizing scents coming from within. A nice older Italian couple, they let Rebecca and Agnes hang out in the shop until the rain calmed down, and they in turn bought two delicious large pizzas, (accompanied by an order of Peaches’s cappuccino cake on the house.) Fans of kind people and delicious food, the spot became their regular destination whenever a craving hit.
Rebecca was glad they had not forgotten her, even if they were curious what Agnes might have told them. Secretly, she hoped they would have felt disappointed to hear Agnes was engaged to someone that was not her. It was petty, but she liked the parts of their past to remain theirs.
Watching as Agnes returned from the living room where she left their sodas, (including Rebecca’s cherry cola, another favorite,) Rebecca smiled at her question. She grabbed the pizzas she plated and reminisced about the slightly less healthy aspects of their old diet. ”We waur tois gals in college. It's a requirement 'at ye mair ur less bide oan pizza, Chinese food, an' late nicht drife thru runs.”
Rebecca handed Agnes her plate and stepped toward her armchair in the living room. ”Nae ‘at Ah minded.” Of course, there were nights where one of them would cook, but they were both so busy, most nights it was easier to bring food in to the apartment, so they could save as much valuable time for one another.
The Metation Guild The Spellsword Guild Mansion English Teacher
Witchblade
palegreen
Bisexual
Married to Mirror
1,797
299
Nov 15, 2024 15:26:23 GMT -6
Aly
As much as Rebecca loved her channel on ViewTube, she loved the community she got to build more. Some people saw her as a place for advice, or they would chat with each other in the comments, and then there was fanart. There was a sense of pride that came with people finding her special enough to spend their artistic talents on.
It could be time consuming, but Rebecca did what she could to look through messages sent to her account, and if she had the time, reply to some of them. Maybe a message that caught her eye, or a cry for help, or one of her regulars who made a habit of reaching out. She wanted the people who let her into their lives to feel like she had room for them.
It was lucky Rebecca was not the type of vlogger who stood above her onlookers, too good to spare them a moment; if she was, she would have missed it.
Sender: GargoyleGrrl Subject: Do you know a gargoyle named Gina? CUZ THAT'S ME.
Dear Pixelbecky,
This may sound weird but I'm 95% sure I know you. This is Gina! We went to Xavier's together? (Gosh, I hope you aren't so famous that you don't answer your messages anymore. That would be awkward!) If you happen to be the Becca I think you are and you happen to have the time, hit me up! I'm still in NYC too!
My number is XXX-###-@@@@.
Hopefully hear from you later!
-Gina
It took a moment for Rebecca to process the message, but when she did, the squeal of joy caused Domino to skitter across the hardwood in surprise.
Gina, one of her oldest and best American friends, was reaching back out after so long. Like with Agnes, the two of them drifted away when life got busy. There was no wedge driven between them; it was just… life happening. She thought she had heard Gina had left New York as well, but if the message was correct, (and what a coincidence if the message came from a different Gina,) they were both in the state again.
Grabbing her phone, Rebecca punched in the number provided and started on a text reply.
GINAAAA. It’s definitely me, Becca! We need to get back together like yesterday. Life has been so hectic for so long, I miss you. Can we meet up soon? Pretty please?
After a friendly and emoji-laden series of text messages, the women set up a meeting the next day in the afternoon. Rebecca approached the door to a large home, taking a step back to take it all in. Gina explained the concept, but it was still interesting for Rebecca. A large home split up between a big group of tenants occupying shared spaces, with each tenant having their own room. It was a perfect setup for a social butterfly like Gina.
Rebecca pressed the button to page up to Gina’s floor, triggering the buzzer for her to know she had company. When she heard footsteps coming down and approaching the door, Rebecca smirked and called through the door, ”Awrite, lass! As alays, Ah’m Pixelbecky, an’ Ah’m ready tae see ain ay mah best friends again, sae lit me in!”
She certainly hoped it was Gina approaching the door now.
The Metation Guild The Spellsword Guild Mansion English Teacher
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Nov 15, 2024 15:26:23 GMT -6
Aly
As ready as Rebecca was to go all in on Senator Mandell, she did feel some guilt hanging Juliette out to dry with her actions. She was representing the X-Men, which was bad enough, but Juliette was going to have to deal with the repercussions of her teammate causing an incident.
Maybe that was why, when Juliette doubled-down on Rebecca’s comment, taking the honor of outing them as mutants. She felt so proud of the beautiful brunette, she was tempted to kiss her right there and then. Sadly, there were more pressing matters, like the stunned Senator standing before her.
“Mut—Alan, you brought mutants here?” Flabbergasted. Verb. To be greatly astonished by the unexpected. In that moment, the word was working its way into Rebecca’s list, along with aghast, (adjective, filled with horror or shock,) which perfectly described the look on Alan’s face.
Grinning, proud of herself for garnering so many curious eyes in the room, Rebecca spoke just loudly enough to be heard by anyone who was interested to listen. ”Ah can see hoo it would have been toogh tae tell. You know, since we ur like anyain else. People. Just folk.”
“With all due respect—”
”You sure aboot ‘at?”
The Senator cleared his throat, clearly not pleased with being interrupted by anyone, let alone a mutant. “With all due respect, you are not ‘just folk;’ you are dangerous.”
Rebecca laughed a short laugh. ”Ha! We’re dangerous? We arenae the ones who use narrow-minded, reactionary policies tae set people against ain anither.”
While the loud and proud mutant was enjoying her time having an impromptu debate with a bigoted senator, unbeknownst to her, undercover security people were slowly moving themselves into position.
The Metation Guild The Spellsword Guild Mansion English Teacher
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palegreen
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1,797
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Nov 15, 2024 15:26:23 GMT -6
Aly
As her antagonist got to his feet and was clearly preparing to get aggressive with her, Rebecca felt her body flinching, trying to anticipate what the man’s next move would be. She could feel herself doubting her reaction time, which made it clear she was not a fan of drunken bar fights. The whole reason she could hold her own with someone bigger and stronger was because she was quick. Maybe drinking when her mood was sour was a mistake.
She saw the man’s arm pull back, but her body felt slow in responding. Rebecca was taking a step back, but she was sure she was too late to properly protect herself. Luckily, a massive, shelled arm intervened and grabbed the man’s forearm. It was hard not to be in awe of the guard coming to her aid, standing far taller than anyone else in the club, with a colorful, armored body.
Before Rebecca could make a snarky comment toward the man’s situation, he had pivoted and struck her savior, evidently on a weak spot based on the visceral reaction. ”Oy, rude git!”
There was a call out for backup, but Rebecca did not hear it; she was too annoyed to be aware of anything but the man she was ready to take her frustration out on. Focusing closely on him, she was able to notice something she missed initially due to her condition: the presence of his steel-toed boots.
Hoping the shoes were tied securely to the ruffian’s feet, Rebecca focused her magnetic control on the small blocks of metal and yanked upward. Before he could understand what was happening, the man yelped and found himself hanging upside-down by his shoes, suspended in midair.
The man was swinging his arms wildly and trying to wriggle himself free of his shoes, but if Rebecca kept her distance, she should be safe. Still, not content with what she had done so far, she shouted, That's wa bein' an arse tae braw girls an' security fowk is wrang!” Pulling her hand back she moved in with a quick punch to the guy’s stomach. It was unnecessary of her, but she was offended by his crass behavior, and she had misplaced aggression, making him the perfect candidate.
The Metation Guild The Spellsword Guild Mansion English Teacher
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Nov 15, 2024 15:26:23 GMT -6
Aly
After the last time she invited Agnes over to her apartment, Rebecca would have expected herself to be in a fit of anxiousness knowing her ex-girlfriend was going to come back. Much to her surprise, she was awaiting the reply to her phone with excited anticipation. She knew none of their old sexy shenanigans would be taking place that night, but that was not what Rebecca was thrilled by this time. Something felt so normal about Agnes and Rebecca spending the night eating pizza, hanging out, and just being there for one another.
The phone barely got to start with its Hey, Li— before Rebecca opened up the message eagerly.
God. I look like I’m ready to be put in the ground at a luau. You delete that right away, Rebecca Grey. Otherwise I’m sure my career will be in jeopardy.
Pizza it is. I will drop my Mario’s Mushroom Kingdom on my way over. Give me about an hour, okay?
Laughing at Agnes’s first message, Rebecca scrolled back up to the image, vividly picturing what she was talking about with the apple wedged in her mouth. She might delete the picture later, but she had to let Agnes sweat it out first.
I’m sorry, are you talking about my new contact photo for you? And wallpaper for my phone? And the picture on my new favorite t-shirt?
An hour and not a minute more, young lass! I’ve started the clock.
Rebecca returned to her outfit selection process, trying to decide where the line was between being too nicely dressed and too much like a slob, but as she was weighing the options between a tank top or a t-shirt, her phone called out to her once last time.
#hashtaggingdoesnotmakeyouright
Rebecca snorted, glad Agnes was willing to roll with her millennial sense of humor despite her technical aversions.
The hour would pass more slowly than Rebecca anticipated. Once she picked out a ruffled purple camisole, a pair of relaxed jeans, and her flats, the soon-to-be hostess had surprisingly little to do. After spending most of her day cleaning her apartment, there was nothing to tidy up for company. Agnes was bringing the food, so that was one less thing for her to take care of, and after their last get-together, Rebecca knew better than to prepare wine for the evening.
Rebecca was watching one of Nessa’s most recent videos on her phone, thinking about her… whatever Nessa was to her. She did not feel guilty, because she had done a good job convincing herself there was no reason for guilt. When she saw Nessa in person, she would explain that Agnes was the friend in need. Over text, it might get misinterpreted, so she wanted to have the power to provide context.
Finally, through the door, she heard the shouting of a familiar voice claiming to be immigration. Like a snarky jerk.
Rebecca opened the door and delicately grabbed Agnes by the arm, pulling her into the living room, laughing and shaking her head. ”Ha ha, yoo're hilarioos, Aggie. Lest hin' Ah need is mah neighbors questionin' wa bonnie immigration officers ur bringin' food tae mah flat.”
Gesturing inward, she invited Agnes to make herself comfortable, taking the pizza boxes from her and leading the way into the kitchen area. She set the box down and grabbed plates, directing Agnes to the drawer where glasses were for the pop.
Opening one of the pizza boxes, Rebecca was hit by a satisfying, familiar scent. The pizza was covered in pepperoni and banana peppers, cooked well done so the pepperoni was slightly crispy. Smiling, she turned and looked back to her friend. ”Aww, ye remembered mah favorite pizza.” It was comforting having a friend around who had put in the time and effort to know the little things about her. However this was going to work, she was sure having Agnes in her life would make it better.
The Metation Guild The Spellsword Guild Mansion English Teacher
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Nov 15, 2024 15:26:23 GMT -6
Aly
Juliette started replying to Rebecca’s inquiry, but she was cut off by the man who was clearly growing more weary every time one of the women decided to speak. It was a reminder of how foolish he was not to do his research, since Rebecca was outspoken as a career.
For all the work the redhead had put into frustrating Alan, she felt his ire was now focused on Juliette, which made her wonder what the feisty X-Woman had said in her absence. It was probably for the best; had Rebecca been around for Juliette’s reminder that they could walk out whenever they wanted, she may very well have took that as an opening, grabbed her teammate’s hand, and walked them out the impressive doorway.
She grumbled to herself, ”Loch Ah caur if yoo're havin' fin,” as she sat down. Alan glared at her, but her voice was quiet enough that most of the table’s occupants would have missed her comment. At this point, that must have been the line he was drawing for what was and was not a salvageable, acceptable situation.
Following the lead of her colleague, Rebecca did her best to remain silent on any topics of conversation, not because she was accepting a role as a “quiet, submissive woman,” but because she wanted as little involvement with the party as possible. Rebecca had a base knowledge of politics, but she had her select passions and was not afraid to get vocal in their defense.
While she was trying to remain quiet, Rebecca was catching the looks men at the table kept giving Juliette, another thing she was ready to defend. The thought crossed her mind of turning all the forks and knives at the table on their owners, but she was still putting up her last lines of resistance against starting a scene.
All Rebecca could do was sacrifice herself to take some heat from Juliette. As nonchalantly as she could, she tugged down on her sleeveless dress, shimmying the bodice uncomfortably down just enough to expose a little more of her befreckled chest. She was not sure if there was much overlap at the table when it came to her admirers and those sneaking looks at her gorgeous bombshell of a friend, but every little bit had to help.
The night was moving along, which was the most positive thing Rebecca could say about the event, but things were on the verge of getting worse. She spotted Senator Mandell, the host of the evening, approaching their table, and of course, specifically to Alan. Their “date” stood from his seat and gave the Senator a firm, warm, but decidedly heterosexual handshake. “John, it is great to see you. Thanks for inviting me here to celebrate your many successes, past and future.”
Rebecca rolled her eyes out of the sight of both men, as they got through their introductions. She leaned over Alan’s empty seat to mutter to Juliette, ”Ye knae, Ah hink John has a metal fillin' if ye want tae see me yenk it out an' shet it at Alan's—“
Her inappropriate suggestion was cut off as the Senator brought the conversation back to the women at the table. “And these must be your dates for the evening. If I wasn’t a married man, I’d be jealous. Ladies, it is nice to see two young women who recognize a catch like Alan, here.”
The urge to scoff was strong, but Rebecca thought better of it, not because it was a rude thing to do… but because she felt there was more fun to be had…
The corners of her lips curled into a sly smile, and she could see Alan already getting nervous as she stood from her seat. She outstretched her hand for Mandell to take in greeting. She summoned the abilities she had honed as a voice actress to neutralize her accent enough to ensure she was properly understood, while leaving enough lilt to make it clear she was an immigrant to the states. ”Rebecca Grey. Charmed. It is good tae hear you feeling sae receptive tae us, given... well, you know…”
The Senator looked at her inquisitively, and the last remaining pigments of color were draining from Alan’s face.
It had been a long time since she heard the little voice reminding her not to make a scene…
The Metation Guild The Spellsword Guild Mansion English Teacher
Witchblade
palegreen
Bisexual
Married to Mirror
1,797
299
Nov 15, 2024 15:26:23 GMT -6
Aly
Rebecca was grabbing the pan to brush the collective of dust and hair into so she could toss it, feeling the mental comfort of knowing her floors were clean. She was able to rationalize her choice to go on a cleaning spree, figuring Nessa might appreciate that her... whatever Rebecca was… cleaned the house to prepare for her. It was important for her to remember how much she was enjoying her time with Nessa so she didn’t fall completely into old habits.
Still, when the phone alerted her from her pocket, Rebecca was quick to reach for it.
Thank you. I appreciate that. I’m going to check into a hotel. Maybe sleep for a few…days. I’ll text you later, ok?
Rebecca understood the feeling Agnes was dealing with, and could only offer her sympathy. It was refreshing to know that Agnes understood her intention was to be a friend if one was needed. Heartbreak was hard to go through alone.
Do that, and whenever you wake up from hibernating, let me know. Enjoy the hotel! #treatyoself2017
Content with her message and the effort she was putting into getting things right, Rebecca set aside her phone again, but used the momentum she had already built to continue tidying up the apartment. If she was already up and out of bed, it might have been worth milking this productive mood for all it was worth.
What she expected would be a lazy weekend afternoon had led to her floors being wiped clean and shiny, her stray clothes washed and put away, her furniture vacuumed of cat hair, and despite her failing to see the point of the act itself, her bed made. It was refreshing to let the cool air filter in through the window, swirling around the lemon scent of cleaners, but Rebecca felt exhausted after her nonstop cleaning and organizing. She took a long, steamy shower, washing the sweat and dirt from her skin and only left the water when she felt as cleansed as her apartment.
When she returned to her room, she toweled her body off and wrapped her hair before looking at her now folded and cleaned clothes. Her hand hovered over a tank top before she assessed her day. She was alone in her apartment, set to relax for the rest of the evening, with her likely company for the night being Nessa. Nothing about that evening summary required actual clothing, so Rebecca grabbed a comfortable but lacy bra and a pair of underthings that complimented them and lounged on her cat-hairless loveseat, (while Domino sought to undo her work, curled up on the armchair.)
Content to flip through a comic book on her tablet, Rebecca heard the familiar Hey, Listen! of her phone harken from her coffee table twice. Much to the woman’s surprise, the messages came from two senders.
Finally done for the day. Praise your friendly neighborhood deity of choice. Still wanted me to come by?
Hey. Um…I know it sounds weird but you want to have dinner? I kind of don’t want to be alone. I can bring a pizza if you want? Spicy buffalo wings? The milk of a virgin goat?
Life was just like that sometimes. Rebecca had a nice quiet day alone while Agnes and Nessa went about their own activities for the day, however different they may be, and yet everything converged as both girls vied for her attention at once.
Making a choice was not simple. It was not that she was choosing between Nessa and Agnes, (she kept reminding herself vehemently.) The situations were different: Nessa was a fledging romantic endeavor she had seen every day for a week, and Agnes was a friend (now) who was going through a challenging time, and who Rebecca had just that day offered to be available when she needed support. As much as her plans with Nessa existed first, that was an unfair basis to make a choice on since all plans with Nessa had thus far been made as one woman left the other’s apartment in the morning.
She was not choosing Agnes over Nessa. She was choosing to help a friend in need rather than hang out with the girl she was interested in, and that was the right choice.
I’m so sorry Nessa, a friend of mine reached out and is having a really rough go of it. I think she needs someone around for support tonight.
Rebecca did feel bad sending a text that was intentionally vague, but she saw no good coming from naming Agnes as the friend in need given all Nessa knew about their history.
When Rebecca opened Agnes’s message properly, she noticed something that was hidden when the message was living in her notification: an attachment. It took a moment for the phone to load the image, but when it did, she could not help but laugh out loud, startling Domino. Agnes had never been tech savvy, and while some might have seen the bathrobe-clad photo as an attempt at seduction or teasing, Rebecca knew that the apple-munching musician was completely unaware she was taking a photo of herself.
Rebecca had to respond with a picture of her own, but she had to do so tactfully, keeping the camera high. She was not going to put on a shirt just for this picture, but she did not want to send a shirtless picture to a technically engaged woman. The shot only caught the tops of her shoulders upward, betraying only the smallest amount of bra strap which, in the image, could have been passed off as a tank top strap. Her hair was still wrapped in a towel and she scrunched her nose and stuck her tongue out at the camera.
Aggie, I’m so glad I’m back because someone needs to teach you how to handle your phone.
Really though, come over, pizza sounds divine. And there is nothing wrong with goats who make the choice to embrace their sexuality! #nogoatslutshaming
Both texts were sent in quick succession, and Rebecca bounced off the couch to go pick out clothes. While answering the door in her lingerie would be a great way to greet Nessa, it would likely just cause more problems with Agnes.
