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.
Posted by Twyla Ashby on Apr 22, 2012 8:38:10 GMT -6
Beta Mutant
736
0
May 1, 2012 13:42:06 GMT -6
Twyla wasn’t really sure what was happening but a moment later Gawain was asking for a second and hustling out the door like the building was on fire. The blonde did nothing but shrug—she had nowhere to be. Slowly her body turned to lean against the doorframe, or as much of a lean as her large gray pack allotted for. Brown eyes watched curiously as the young man jogged towards the gate. It opened. Brown eyes caught the sight of a girl with a bike.
Why would he…? A better look at the girl. An eyebrow shot up. A light bulb went off. A smirk broke out across Twyla’s face.
Just when you think things can’t get any more uncomfortable—Ta-Da! Meet my new girlfriend. The ridiculousness of the situation was comical. What were the odds of running into not only her only ex-boyfriend in the world but his new girlfriend at the same time in a school of several hundred students? Well, they may have been decent but this was her first day back. The universe obviously was having a case of the giggles at their little plight and the hilarity of the situation was not lost on the girl in the doorway.
Turning back towards the foyer her body began to shake in quiet laughter. This was too good. Even if she wasn’t Gawain’s real girlfriend she’d obviously been important enough to deserve some kind of run-down on the situation and from her vantage point Twyla had deemed the girl to be all of the right kinds of cute. If the puzzles didn’t fit together like the blonde had assumed, she sure hoped they did. If she could survive the process of getting a new room at the school with both her ex-boyfriend and his female friend of unknown attachment-level, she could do anything.
The smirk was still on her face when she turned back to wait for them walk up the drive. Her mouth didn’t look like it was mean and smirking, it merely looked amused. This amusement filled her eyes as well. If she was just another student he wouldn’t have ran away from Twyla to go talk to her and if she was new someone else would have come and helped her; the situation had changed and the twenty year old could feel it. Twyla was dying to know if she’d been right. It. Was. Just. Too. Good. She coughed down another laugh.
Posted by Twyla Ashby on Apr 21, 2012 22:45:02 GMT -6
Beta Mutant
736
0
May 1, 2012 13:42:06 GMT -6
[[Note: This solo thread takes place in April 2011, Twyla has just arrived in California with a group of other mutants her age.]]
Everyone had wanted to go to the beach. Common sense told Twyla that the weather probably wasn’t warm enough yet for comfortable swimming but she’d rolled with the group’s frenzy. They’d headed straight for Malibu upon arriving in California. The excited feelings of finally reaching their destination had been contagious and Twyla found that she could finally lose herself to the craziness of the small young adult mutant tribe. Their numbers had shifted throughout the journey but stayed at a stable three guys-two girls from the day that they reached the state until they saw the first waves crashing across the sand.
As she looked out across the rolling blue grey expanse Twyla thought back on how she’d fell in with the motely band. Their whoops of joy caught her ears as she remembered being at the bus station ready to buy a ticket to Anywhere when she’d been approached by Lighter, the ‘leader’ of their little troupe. She’d been pretty upset and he’d seen her hurriedly shake the camouflage out of her legs and asked her where she was headed. She’d told him that she needed to get as far away as possible. He’d complimented the pink in her hair, smiled a crooked smile at her, and told her they were going to Cali. Twyla found out a moment later that he was a pyro-kinetic when he used his power to set off the fire alarms in the station. Later he’d told her that he’d set fire to the newspaper stand on a whim. That should have set off alarms in Twyla’s head but it didn’t—at the time she hadn’t been thinking remotely clearly and he’d offered her to ride with a couple of his friends all the way to the west coast. She’d gotten into the beater of a van with barely any questioning.
The other four mutants were splashing like small children in the waves. The group ranged in age from fourteen to twenty one. Lighter was the oldest and Flicker, his younger brother with skin that glowed in the dark, took up the rear of the age train. Lighter had ‘rescued’ Flicker from their parents. The idea had sat oddly with the nineteen year old but she’d been too concerned with fitting in with the group and internally combusting to really ask about their family history. Brown eyes watched them play as strange feelings sloshed like the waves before her in her stomach. This was what she wanted wasn’t it? She was about as far from New York as she could get without swimming across the Pacific Ocean and there was no one around telling her to be anything. On that chilly beach she wasn’t anything to anybody—not a college student, trainee, part-time worker, daughter, or lover. She just was. All the stress she’d let build up inside her started to melt into the sand. It was freeing but also emptying. A wind whipped through her light sweater and she shivered.
“C’mon, Wallflower!” Lighter called to her from down the beach, waving his hands wildly. He insisted that everyone call each other by something related to their powers. At first she’d thought it was stupid but now she responded to the name out of routine. In a distant way she supposed that the older man was cute—he had curly dark hair and tan skin and a runner’s build. It was the way he smiled that made her trust him; even though he was older he had the lopsided grin of a child. There was no way she was interested in his attractiveness but she did notice it. Twyla carefully removed her sneakers to heed his command out of habit. Everyone listened to Lighter and the ones that had problems with his authority were left in cities along the way. She had no reason not to listen to him and Twyla followed his instructions with a shrug usually. Ever since they’d left New York she’d been a robot running on autopilot, occasionally becoming sentient to contribute to the conversation before shutting her systems down again. This is what I want. She repeated this to herself over and over like a mantra. That simple sentence had lulled her to sleep at night like a lullaby. She was in control. It was what she wanted.
When she made it to where the group was still splashing she was greeted by a handful of cold water. It stung upon contact with the claves that rolling up her pants had made bare. Flicker ran off before she could retaliate; he looked like a smaller version of his brother. “So, is it everything you expected?” The older model stood next to her, surveying the view of the ocean and nearby boardwalk. There was a tint of content laughter to his voice. His good humor was another reason Twyla trusted him. He was charming, a fun figure. Turning to Lighter she replied: “I’ve never been this far west before and all that beach…” Brown eyes scanned the waterline.
“Hey—we’re going to scrounge up some food! Meet you at the van!” Another boy from the group called to the pair, leading the other girl and Flicker towards some promising looking stands on the boardwalk. “Wallflower, I need to tell you something.” Lighter’s face was all seriousness when he turned to her and looked into her face directly. “We’re running out of money.” The group had pooled resources to pay for gas and food along the cross country trip. It cost a lot to feed all five of them but they’d managed. In the back of her mind a bloom of worry blossomed. “We’re going to have to get some more soon.”
Something in his tone…a burning pile of paper…alarm bells…
“Maybe we could pick up odd jobs or something—get enough to get settled.” Twyla’s words were careful and slow. For the first time in a long time she took a long look at the twenty-something before her. There was something cagey in his eyes that prophesized his negative reaction. “We could try but…I doubt that’ll be enough.” Their conversation was cut short by Flicker returning; his face was smeared with ketchup from a street vendor hotdog and he was throwing another handful of water at the young woman.
Glancing nervously at his older brother, Twyla shot off after him down the beach. She tried her best to laugh off the strange feeling of dread that had settled in her stomach for the rest of that afternoon.
Posted by Twyla Ashby on Apr 21, 2012 21:33:30 GMT -6
Beta Mutant
736
0
May 1, 2012 13:42:06 GMT -6
The collision knocked the wind out of the blonde woman. It also knocked her grocery bag to the floor, spilling a bottle of shampoo, a bag of kit-kats, new socks, and other random drugstore goods across the wood. It was a feat for the young woman to remain on her feet after the crash—whatever she hit had been Solid. The Solid Thing spoke a moment later while Twyla was still disoriented, expressing anger before radically changing tone and saying her name. At first the twenty year old was too out of sorts to process the familiar voice. She held a hand to her forehead, blocking her vision for a moment so she could catch her breath once more.
Deep breaths. The last few seconds flooded through the young woman rapidly. She blinked. ”Twyla? What are you doing here? It wasn’t hard to hear the hurt in Emerald’s voice. Emerald… The hand fell to her side and she took in the sight of her old friend. The wolf girl looked different—more beast-like than she’d been before Twyla left but the red hair was unmistakable.
Em, I can’t really explain this right in a note and I’m sorry but I’ve got to go. I can’t be in New York anymore. It’s all too much for me to handle. Just know that none of this is anyone’s fault but my own. By the time you’ve gotten this I’ve left. I’m sorry. Promise we’ll still be friends? Twy
The note she’d left for her friend flashed in Twyla’s mind. She’d abandoned the wolf girl just like she’d abandoned everything else in New York. This reunion, while it still made a guilty flush stain Twyla’s cheeks, didn’t startle her nearly as much as running into Gawain on her first day back had. She didn’t hesitate and maybe it was inappropriate, but she flung herself at the taller girl and wrapped her arms around her in a hug. Twyla’s hugs were no match for Em’s bear-wolf-hugs but she did her best at conveying as much honest emotion into the gesture as possible.
“Em! I’m so-so-so-so-so-sorry. I missed you so-so-so-so-so-much.” And she had. A million times she’d thought about calling the friends she’d left behind but…the young woman had been dealing with her own demons. She’d been selfish, knowing that it would hurt to hear how others felt about her leaving. It prevented her from calling. She’d been weak and she knew it but wallowing in past mistakes wasn’t productive. All she could do at this point was listen to what everyone had to say, try to explain herself, and do her best to rise from the ashes of immaturity to make a new life for herself. Silently she hoped that this chance encounter wouldn’t be as awkward as running into her ex had been. Regardless, Twyla was prepared to handle whatever Emerald threw her way—she deserved whatever was coming to her.
Posted by Twyla Ashby on Apr 21, 2012 8:56:10 GMT -6
Beta Mutant
736
0
May 1, 2012 13:42:06 GMT -6
She didn’t like it, this sweeping things under the rug business but Twyla had spoken a fragment of her piece already and it felt weird to broach the subject of her abandonment and destruction of their relationship like it was the weather or something. ‘Great day, isn’t it? Hey, would you help me get settled in—want to talk about how I took a sledgehammer to your heart and then ran off to California? How are you feeling about that?’ It wasn’t really the best conversation starter in the world. Sure, sweeping things under the rug lasted for a while but she was fairly certain that the pile of Icky Things beneath that rug were going to spill onto the rest of the floor in the near future. The young woman bit her lip once more, staring off at the grounds and not focusing on anything in particular.
Maybe I could suggest that we talk at…some other time? Like, after we’ve both gotten over the surprise? She wondered to herself silently as her brown eyes roamed over the greenery of the front lawns. Twyla made the mental note to mention it, see if he was interested in some kind of catharsis. The mood between them in that moment was so awkward and murky that she doubted she’d be forming any cohesive sentences that articulated anything she’d felt in the last few months.
He responded in the affirmative to her request and she did her best to smooth her face into something pleasant. A small smile lit up her cheeks and she mentally tried to shake off the uncomfortable feelings thrumming around her body. “Awesome.” She nodded a few times, still softly smiling with a tone that was toeing the line between friendly and forced. When he asked her if that was all she had she shifted beneath the bag’s weight. “Yeah, I wanted to make sure that I could stay here before I brought anything else.” She followed him when he headed for the building. “I know they always said that people could come back when they left but I didn’t want to assume anything.” She was thankful that they were walking now so she didn’t have to look at his face while she spoke. “My parents are going to send a box of clothes and things after I give them the go-ahead.” The words were carefully positive but aloof.
And then, in the simplest way she could think of, Twyla took the opportunity of being Gawain’s shadow to ask: “Maybe we should talk about, er, everything? Not now, obviously, but soon or whenever you’re ready.” The young woman tried to keep her voice steady but it became very quiet. Brown eyes bored holes into the front door and then they were ascending the front steps and crossing the threshold into the Sister School. Despite herself, Twyla stopped to marvel at the familiar sight of the foyer. Tears that she couldn’t identify the nature of welled in her eyes but she managed to keep them from spilling over. A green jacket sleeve came up to dab at them furiously before they could make tiny streams down her face.
Posted by Twyla Ashby on Apr 20, 2012 23:37:28 GMT -6
Beta Mutant
736
0
May 1, 2012 13:42:06 GMT -6
Things started rolling. The ball was still pretty much deflated but they seemed to both be trying their best at nudging it down the hill. Twyla was grateful that things were going…as they were. She was certain that there were much more awful things that could have colored her afternoon. Awkward and sort of clinical she could handle no problems. The blue blush on her cheeks faded to a more natural color before her skin became its usual pale shade. There was no sense in wasting energy on blushing when it seemed like they were getting down to the business of getting her situated at the school once again. A few months ago the flush would have stayed but she was getting better at making is disappear faster. Sometimes Twyla wondered if the amount of blushing that her body did was part of her mutation…
The vestiges of her initial embarrassment crept to the back of her neck and stayed there, unpleasantly warm, red, and itchy. She shouldn’t have said anything—should have just pretended like nothing had happened or something, pretended like they hadn’t been friends and more than friends. Maybe then…no, that wouldn’t have been better and it wouldn’t have been Twyla’s style anyway. Why say nothing when you can say it all at once? She was a born rambler and anything less would have gone against her nature.
At the word ‘Good’ she nodded resolutely. Once again Braver Twyla took ahold of her face and body, making her seem less the awkward apologizer and more the determined whatever-she-was. She thought about the offer of her old room. All of her things had been collected by her grandmother after she’d basically run away so she’d never assumed that it would be open for her to return to. Was it really a fresh start if you went back to everything old? There were probably too many memories in that space for her to really move one from all her past mistakes and before she said anything Twyla was shaking her head. “I think I’d rather go wherever I’d be placed if I was new, to be honest.” A casual shrug accompanied this answer, while there was still some tension in her hands the girl seemed to relax a bit. They were getting somewhere and soon all of the awkward would be over. Probably.
“It’s…Thank you for helping me get situated—is there anything in the office that I need to sign or anything?” She nodded towards the school, impatient and nervous about crossing the threshold once more.
Posted by Twyla Ashby on Apr 20, 2012 23:17:52 GMT -6
Beta Mutant
736
0
May 1, 2012 13:42:06 GMT -6
The girl held a large paper bag of assorted toiletries in front of her and the large backpack slung across her back was open and held another bag filled with all the supplies that someone needed to take basic care of themselves. She couldn’t see from behind the bag as it was rather tall. Another Mansion resident had helped her with the front door of the school but she was having difficulty maneuvering the hallways back to her room. A bell had run a few minutes after she managed to get up the stairs. Twyla had forgotten how fast traffic could move during the day and she’d been buffeted on all sides by students rushing to their next classes. Lucky for her it seemed like things were slowing down and she could blindly and slowly meander back to her new living space.
It was odd being back at the Sister School and not being a student. She’d barely been back a day but already Twyla felt out of place. Many of the people she’d expected to see had been replaced by other students. This wasn’t a bad thing of course, it had just been unsettling to go to breakfast early that morning and not see a familiar face. That, and she felt so old. Her new roommate was two years younger and most of the students were a lot younger than that. Being twenty put Twyla in an awkward in-between space—what was that (shudder) Brittney Spears lyric? ‘I’m not a girl, not yet a woman’? Despite the awkward age gap the young woman was certain she’d made the right choice. She had to believe that the Mansion was a good starting point or she’d never get anywhere in New York.
As she bumbled along Twyla silently hoped that she didn’t accidentally run into someone with her bag. It wouldn’t really be her fault if she did as her vision was obviously impaired but if she remembered correctly the Mansion was full of blind corners that could easily cause an accident. Spilling her new shampoo and things all over the floor didn’t really sound appealing. ‘Hi, I’m back—I made a mess.’ She shuddered at the thought and quickened her pace, hoping to stash her things on her bed before taking a private tour of the grounds or something. It had been oddly comforting to get out in a room with someone else. Twyla hadn’t shared a room since her older sisters had still been in high school but she remembered the feeling well. There was something that reminded her of her childhood home about knowing someone else was sleeping in the same room. She hadn’t minded the feeling at all.
In any case, the blonde was fairly certain that her roommate was in class so she’d need to find something to do solo for a few hours and reacquainting herself with the grounds seemed like a fair plan. All she had to do was get back to her room, drop off her things, and be on her merry way. Her speed picked up once more as she wildly turned a corner…
((OOC: Feel free to make the ensuing crash as big/small as you see fit!))
Posted by Twyla Ashby on Apr 20, 2012 16:43:35 GMT -6
Beta Mutant
736
0
May 1, 2012 13:42:06 GMT -6
The young woman swallowed hard in an attempt to quell the sloshing of her stomach. Approaching the young man hadn’t really done much to ease the tension she felt and swallowing didn’t seem to help much either. She tried one more time. Gulp. Twyla was fairly certain that she wasn’t going to literally vomit but that didn’t mean she didn’t want to run into a bathroom to avoid the…everything. To her credit she didn’t even turn away from her ex, just stood squarely in front of him like the brave, honest person she had tried to force herself to become. He’d already seen the worst of her—she wasn’t about to give him any more reasons to think poorly of her. Twyla reminded herself that this was a test of sorts; defeat the BIG AWKWARD DRAGON, gain access to the castle. This wasn’t something that countless literary figures before her had done. No complaining, just dealing with consequences she’d created.
Suck it up, buttercup. This isn’t the worst thing that could have happened here, Ashby. Scenarios of ‘the worst thing’ danced in her mind. This certainly was not the worst thing—the school was still here and Gawain wasn’t dead, two very good things. Besides, what was the worst he could do? Get angry at her and turn her away? Anything he said to her wouldn’t be new to the world of awkward reunions because the world had been there, done that a million times over. So no, there was no turning back now. Twyla had to see this thing through and figure out what she’d do if things got to awful when the time came…if the time came.
She didn’t notice him checking her over, was too enveloped in her own internal pep talk to do more that superficially gaze at the world around her. Her body jumped slightly when he spoke. “Are you okay?” The question surprised her—he’d dodged whatever expectations she hadn’t admitted to herself. Wasn’t she the one who always asked that? Twyla’s cheeks went a deeper pink before turning sky blue once more. What did I say…? A quick mental recap of the last few minutes explained it all. I probably sound like I’m in some serious trouble..
Duh.
Her left hand came up to adjust her backpack strap and Twyla bit her lip. One the one hand…no, she was not okay. The last few weeks in the hometown had been awful but…no, she didn’t want to talk about it, least of all with the one person she had hoped to avoid as long as possible after getting back. Brows furrowed and her brown eyes flicked to the side to drop eye contact. Her need for honesty and to defend her vulnerable parts fought for a moment subtly on her face before she let out a sigh. “I’m sorry. I probably could have…chosen my words better. I’m…” She looked back to his face but focused on his chin. “I’m fine, really. I just thought New York sounded, er ,right for where I’m at…” Her words sounded forced, even to herself. Technically she wasn’t completely lying. “It’s just, not as bad as I made it sound—I’m not in any trouble or anything.” There, she quickly and honestly tried to amend her words—no use in sounding like some runaway cat coming home after being chased by the junk yard dog.
Posted by Twyla Ashby on Apr 20, 2012 11:11:46 GMT -6
Beta Mutant
736
0
May 1, 2012 13:42:06 GMT -6
Twyla had thought she’s covered her bases—she’d talked herself into going back to New York, she’d made it to the school, she’d managed to convince herself that it was a good idea to go in…but she’d left home plate glaringly open. Strike! You’re out. The young woman had never considered who would greet her at the gate. She’d assumed that it would be someone she barely knew or something…Mild awkwardness had been expected when she explained why she left and all that but there was nothing that could have prepared her for the young man standing in her path to the school. When the gate had opened she’d hesitantly walked inside of it about halfway to the front doors. Twyla had fully intended on marching right into the building and getting down to business but then…
…Gawain was standing in her way, looking for all the world like she was a ghost come back from the dead.
A handful of stones sunk into her stomach and for a panicked moment she wished that she really was some kind of phantasm so she could phase right back out of the grounds. I need to leave. Copious amounts of guilt washed the girl over in varying shades of pink that glowed in embarrassment for a moment before her powers acted up in the largest display she’d done in a long time. One second Twyla was standing clearly in the drive and the next she was ‘gone’, her skin dappled in the shades of the gate behind her and the greenery of the grounds. The clear blue sky behind her formed her face and hair. She was a painted lady—all but invisible to her ex-boyfriend. I’m going to throw up. The queasiness swelled in her gut, totally drowning the happy feeling of being ‘home’. The urge to flee was first and foremost in her mind. In another life she would have turned to run but she was different now—at least that’s what she constantly reminded herself. This was a test of her will and her new braver parts.
Twyla was in her camouflage for maybe fifteen seconds before she dropped it suddenly, reappearing like the ghostly figure she must have seemed like. Squaring her shoulders, she looked Gawain straight in the face and began to walk towards him. While her face hadn’t aged all that much in a year, her facial expression was much less hesitant than it would have been when she was still nineteen. Her gaze was direct, a rarity when she first came to the Mansion. Twyla had no idea how to deal with this situation…there were no guidebooks about being Mansion-greeted by your ex-boyfriend a year after you’d basically stomped all over his heart in an immature fit of “I-can’t-do-this-anymore, not-any-of-it”. She had no idea what she was getting into but it didn’t matter—she needed a place to stay and she needed to…apologize to Mirror for what had happened. He’d been one of her first and best friends in New York and he deserved anything that she could give to him and more at this point. Thinking about how she must have hurt him brought the threat of camo-blush back but she managed to keep a firm grip on her powers.
The only hesitance that showed on her face was a quiet sadness in her eyes as she stepped determinedly closer. Stopping a few feet in front of Gawain, she subtly looked him over, looking for any clue as to what was going on in his mind. He looked a bit older but so familiar that it almost hurt. Her eyes wandered for a moment to the side, glancing at the large door behind him. When her brown eyes settled once again on his face she cleared her throat and wetted her lips. “Um…hi.” The most ambiguous greeting ever hung in the air for a moment, ridiculously inadequate. Normally it was hard to get Twyla to shut up when she had important things to say but…she had nothing prepared. Any speeches she written in her head were lost to the months of being away. But then…this was Gawain and if she couldn’t talk to him, how did she think she could start over in New York?
“Gawain, I…I didn't expect it to be you.” Brown eyes trailed the ground before bravely coming back to his face once more. She tried her best to catch his eye, so he’d know how serious she was. “It's been a long time but...I’m sorry about how I left things and I’m not here to mess up what’s going on here--” She waved a hand to the grounds and to him. “You don’t have to believe me but I want you to know how sorry I am for the things I said and for leaving. Know that it wasn’t your fault—I was just not ready to grow up. That’s not an excuse and I’m not here for excuses. I couldn’t think of anywhere else to go and I need a fresh start. I just…I need a place to stay and the Mansion was home.” A deep breath was needed to replenish the air reserves that Twyla’s hurried speech had depleted. Her hands, which had been held up in the space between them dropped to her sides; her posture was open and honest.
“I’m…still not good at explaining myself.” A small smirk quirked her lips as she waited for…any kind of reaction. It probably wasn't appropriate to think that any part of her current situation funny but Twyla couldn't help but internally roll her eyes and laugh at how stupid and awkward she sounded.
Posted by Twyla Ashby on Apr 20, 2012 8:45:41 GMT -6
Beta Mutant
736
0
May 1, 2012 13:42:06 GMT -6
((For Mirror and Ami!))
Twyla Ashby had forgotten just how beautiful the Mansion was. It took her a few moments of dreamily gazing at the brick building before she remembered that she wasn’t just there to enjoy the view. She’d had the cab she’d taken from JFK drop her off a few blocks from her old school. She’d told herself that it wasn’t because she was scared of what would be waiting for her in that old brick building but she had been lying. The walk should have taken her less than five minutes but she’d instead taken as many random side streets as she could find to skirt her destination. The flight that had taken her from the airport in Madison to New York had landed midmorning but now it was almost midafternoon—she’d dillydallied for almost an hour (almost getting lost several times) before bucking up the courage to cross the familiar street and approach the large gates. The young woman had realized that she probably looked like some kind of creep while she’d been scoping out the edges of the school in her walk and the danger of getting picked up by the cops her first day back in the city had outweighed her nerves and forced her to approach the entrance to the grounds.
Besides, how unpleasant could it be anyway?
Sure, she’d basically been awful to everyone she’d been close to at the Mansion and abandoned not only her goals of becoming an X-Man but her friends and…more than friends…but really didn’t everyone do that at one point or another in their lives? No. Probably they didn’t and she knew it. Most people dealt with their problems in other, healthier ways like drinking habits or soap opera addictions. Twyla had dealt with the daunting work of growing up by running away—an immature response to problems that could have been dealt with through communication and…stuff like that. It made the twenty year old queasy to think about some of things that she’d said before she left for California all those months ago but she took comfort in telling herself that she was different now. Maybe she was even a little bit better than the scared little girl who constantly wallowed in her own cowardice.
Maybe, just maybe, she was ready to grow up.
Twyla certainly hoped that she could make some kind of amends for her previous stupidity. While she didn’t want her old life at the Mansion back and didn’t expect anything from anyone except hurt feelings and anger she was still hopeful that she could carve herself a new niche at the school for gifted youngsters. Maybe it was too much to ask but after what had happened in her hometown, she had no excuse not to try and gain herself a fresh start in a familiar place. The young woman was almost positive that New York was where she needed to be—Mansion or no. She needed to be around a large population of mutant kind in a city that she could be safely anonymous in. New York fit into her goals perfectly, all she needed was a place to stay and a steady job and she could start to make something of herself. Part of her was still hoping to become an X-Man so she could do some obvious good in the world but…if that ship had sailed she’d do something else worthwhile with her life.
A deep sigh escaped her chapped lips before she pressed the security buzzer on the gate. Looking up at the place where she thought the camera would be she said in a tone that revealed her nerves: “Um, hello. I…probably should have called first but I’m…Twyla Ashby—I used to live here and I was wondering…if there was any room for me?” She scratched the back of her head and took a step back from the gate, brown eyes taking in the impressive fence and the perfectly manicured lawn behind it. She looked like a combination of her old and new selves in a pair of dark skinny jeans, sneakers, and a green leather jacket. The pink was gone from her blonde hair but her face hadn't changed much--she was still Twyla Ashby, just a little older and (hopefully) wiser.
Something happy swelled in her chest for a moment as she stared inside the fence—even standing outside of it like she was Twyla could still feel the aura of home that emanated from the school. Adjusting her large backpack on her shoulders, she awkwardly shifted from foot to foot waiting for someone to respond to her buzz and silently willing her feet not to turn the gray color of the sidewalk beneath her.
Posted by Twyla Ashby on Apr 19, 2012 20:15:20 GMT -6
Beta Mutant
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May 1, 2012 13:42:06 GMT -6
Hello all!
Some of you might remember Twyla and some of you haven’t met her because I stopped posting on this site about a year ago when my freshman year of college got rough. I’m now a sophomore in college and I think that I’ve balanced out my life enough to include MRO once again. ;D
I wanted to apologize for the plots that I messed up with my absence and was wondering if anyone would like to start some new plots with Twyla. Namely I would like for someone to greet her/get her a room again when she comes back to the Mansion (after running away for a year like an immature jerk) all awkward and nervous. Really it could be anyone, whether she'd met them when I was still active or not--I'd just like for her to get set up somewhere.
I’m really excited to get back into things on this amazing site so if you’d like to help me out with a plot of some kind reply here or PM me! Also, if you have any questions or anything feel free to PM me as well.
Posted by Twyla Ashby on Apr 15, 2011 15:24:36 GMT -6
Beta Mutant
736
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May 1, 2012 13:42:06 GMT -6
It almost felt to Twyla like they were Hansel and Gretel, walking through the forest to find the house made of candy. Only Hansel was currently another Gretel and the forest was made of skyscrapers. Oh, and they didn’t find an edible home made of sweets.
Chinese. That was the only explanation for the smell. The restaurant looked very New York on the outside, like it was a random pocket of China town cut off from the rest. It was much more inviting and less austere looking than the modern restaurant. And the smell…
Twyla’s stomach gurgled in anticipation of large, cheap protions. Her free hand went to her stomach. “Sounds great to me.”
The pair made their way inside and were greeted by a smiling hostess . Lucky for them, there was no wait for a table and they were quickly seated. This place was a bit more formal than the place they’d gone to when they first met but it was still a lot more comfortable than their actual reservation for that night had been. Businessmen and women in their work suits sat at tables next to NYU kids who were arguing politics and music and a family in the corner spoke rapidly to each other while laughing together. There was no posturing here, no pressure. Twyla liked it much better already and she let herself relax. A smile. Another stomach gurgle.
“Take two. Let’s try this again.” She laughed and then brought her attention to Maya across from her. A shy smile spread across her flushed-from-the-cold face. “Happy anniversary.”
Posted by Twyla Ashby on Apr 14, 2011 14:06:52 GMT -6
Beta Mutant
736
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May 1, 2012 13:42:06 GMT -6
Twyla never managed to let herself become embarrassed because Maya also found the food funny and together they got some looks for their sudden loud laugher. Without pausing to think, the blond took Maya’s hand when it was offered and allowed herself to be led past the waiter and past the rude host to get outside. The cool air felt good on her warm cheeks. She was kissed mid laugh, killing the laughter quite effectively. If there was any glaring, Twyla didn’t notice, she was only focused on one other person. Especially not when she was kissed again; Twyla leaned into it more the second time, a hand reaching out to gently grasp the other girl's top, and when it ended she blushed and looked at Maya.
This was a bad plan… The dark haired girl across from her looked shy about leaving the restaurant. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize I picked the wrong restaurant.” Twyla rolled her eyes at herself . I hope I didn’t ruin tonight… The night was still young, and they were far too young to be deterred by a too-old restaurant.
Grabbing the hand she had dropped during the kiss and wedging herself closer to the other girl, Twyla spoke: “I’m hungry too—what sounds good? All I know is that I don’t want anything that comes in blobs and is ‘drizzled’ with anything or has a garnish.” Twyla grimaced, her nose wrinkling…
What is that smell? Heaven. It was greasy, salty, spicy, and wafting in the air like a taunt at the pair. Her stomach gurgled in response and the blond checked the nearest street sign, trying to figure out how close they were to the source of the smell.
Posted by Twyla Ashby on Apr 14, 2011 9:41:43 GMT -6
Beta Mutant
736
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May 1, 2012 13:42:06 GMT -6
The restaurant was one of those modern looking storefronts that were sometimes seen at the base of larger older buildings. Glass covered the front and from the street one could see the diners inside. It was kinda swank and even though it was modern and supposedly ‘hip’ (according to a few websites) it felt to the blond like she was playing at being an adult.
A kiss on the cheek ”Nice start. Twyla blushed (her cheeks were acting up with the butterflies). “I hope so.”
They made their way inside and to the host. “Name?” The man behind the little podium thing looked like he should have been an Abercrombie model and he regarded everything around him with a cool stare of vague distaste. He made the blond nervous. “Uh, Ashby. I have a reservation for two?” Question?
“Right. This way.” He led them to a table near one of the large windows. “Today our special is…” Twyla had no idea what he was saying and she tried her best to smile and blink a natural number of times. He left them with menus that were printed on recycled paper. Looking down at it with a shrug, the blond looked up to try and gauge Maya’s reaction. “It’s supposed to be an up-and-coming place…” Her gaze drifted to the tables around them, all full, all surrounded by late twenty-or-thirty-somethings. Not quite their demographic, but it was the closest thing she could find. What did other people their age do for anniversaries?
A hand toyed with the straps of her purse. Twyla was feeling uncomfortable, the idea that she was playing at being an adult still present in her mind. She felt silly and uncomfortable in the crowded room. Beneath the table, her flats and calves began to take on the colorings of the refurbished wood floor. And then, as if things needed to get more off, she saw a waiter walk past with a tray of…food? She watched him place the plates around a table and she distinctly heard him saying something about enjoying their meal. That constituted as a meal? Random tiny blobs of color and leaves on a plate? It was artfully presented, sure. But…a look at the menu…for that price she could eat every meal at a decent Chinese place for a week. Another waiter came out and paused in front of their table so that he could serve the one next to them. Both Maya and Twyla got an eyeful of their neighbor’s meal. So many little blobby things…
Twyla couldn’t help it, she started to laugh. It started with a splutter and then she lost control and let herself go. This should probably be embarrassing.
