bakerstreet | thursday pic prompt

[Oh geeeez University-level. I wish you amount a million tons of luck on that. Also, your partner sounds like a smart person. Thumbs up for them.]

"...use us. Test on us. There's plenty of things they might want us for. Combat, that's a big one. Everyone seems to want to get any sort of useful mutant into their military or police force - makes the world more afraid of us. Some want to test on mutants, to find out what makes us tick. After all, healing at the speed of thought, changing their skin, stretching muscles... all things humans want to know how to replicate. Some want to know how to do even more disturbing things." He shook his head, frowning down at his food.

"I would say it's already come to war," he said quietly, sighing. "I know Charles... he wants peace. Peace where mutants can live openly as who they are, without having to hide themselves, without living in fear or harassment, side by side to humans instead of somehow segregated off. Maybe a little bit of an irony given our fenced off school in the middle of no where, but he wants to get the right ideas into these children and make their lives better."

[/THIS_IS_FINE.jpg (It really will be though.) And yeah, my partner is fab. He's also the person responsible for Aurus's former student, Hakkyuu, who's come up once or twice in this thread. So in a way Aurus is all his fault, because Hakkyuu needed a past mentor, so I made him one. lol]

"Some must fight so that all may be free." Aurus took a sip of coffee and then set in on his own sausages, keeping the conversation as casual as possible despite the seriousness of the topic.

"That is the slogan used by The Vigil, a group in my world dedicated to fighting the elder dragons. I find it a hard sentiment to argue with. I think, though, that when it comes to battle, it is harder than ever to identify the wisest course. Always in a posture of defense, living in constant anxiety or fear, or else venturing attacks the ultimate consequences of which are always hard to see--it's precarious either way.

"I believe Charles is a good man. But I also believe"--and here, though Hank wouldn't know it, Aurus's words were part of a long-standing discussion with Ventari in his mind too--"that pacifism is not always the wisest act. Fraught though the other choices might be, there must be someone who fights. You need people--mutants--who will keep you all free. Reason cannot always win the day."

This was just his opinion, of course, and since Aurus knew nothing of either the X-Men or the particulars of Charles' and Hank's pasts, he could not know that they were already part of just such a group, however incipient it might now be.

[Awwwwww!! That's so sweet!]

The very corner of Hank's mouth lifted, because really, that was what they were. Did Charles have any idea how similar Aurus was to himself, in the way he thought? Perhaps that was why Charles had seemed very okay with allowing Aurus access to the school and being around the students despite how shortly the other had been here. It made quite a bit of sense, like minds understanding one another. Which made Hank say, looking up to Aurus, "you should tell Charles that. I think he'd be interested to hear it." The X-Men were a secret and would remain as such, with very few having any idea that they existed, even those that lived right above the lair hidden under the school.

Hank glanced up quickly towards a clock set on the far wall, then swallowed his last sip of coffee quickly. "Almost time for me to be at class. I need to get things set up for the lab for today. If you want, I can drop you off at Charles' class since he'll be finishing up, or you can feel free to come with me?" Offering either way before he wiped his mouth.

Perhaps it would be clear, both in Aurus's expression when Hank suggested that he share this view with Charles and also in a certain fleeting look at the proposal of dropping him by Charles' class, that there was some subtle and complex interest there that stretched beyond mere fraternity.

At any rate, Aurus likewise finished his last bite and last swallow of coffee, declining the invitation to go along to Hank's class. "If this has been any indication," he gave a general nod of his head to indicate the dining room and the student body at large, "I think I'd better not--not unless you want your class hopelessly distracted, at any rate. Besides, Charles and I have a conversation to continue." One which Aurus was clearly looking forward to.

"And you and I will have a volcano to make later on." Don't think he'd forget.

Hank didn't assume what some might have, mostly just believing that Aurus and Charles, as much as Charles had suggested, had started to bond immediately, which was a surprise and a pleasant one at that. Charles really needed more to himself, just once in a while, since he started to get more closed off after what Erik, and in part, his sister, had done. Still, even with that connection, Hank planned to keep an eye on Aurus. The last thing Charles needed was to be hurt again.

"Lunctime," Hank said quickly at the reminder, a small smile on his lips. "I'll be ready in the lab; Charles can bring you down there." They were walking slowly through the mansion, but since it wasn't quite time for the younger children to have their class yet, there was still some action in the halls. Aurus would spot a little tabby cat go darting by, then nearly end up bowled over by a dog as it ran down the hall, leather handle bobbing up on its back without someone holding it. Hank looked over in surprise as a boy came running after the dog, panting. "Jeremy, what happened?"

"Kairi turned into a cat and Pebbles is trying to catch her!" The young boy - no more than tweleve - complained.

Hank groaned quietly and looked up and down the hall, then called out to what seemed like another one of the staff. Quickly she took over Jeremy's problem, leaving Hank to look to Aurus apologetically and leave the little mess in the hands of someone else. "Sorry about that."

Cut off mid way through whatever it was he was about to say, which was most likely his agreement confirming their meeting place and time, Aurus just managed to step out of the path of this motley cavalcade, thankfully managing not to tread on any of them as they ran by. He did, at times, manage a sort of resemblance to a tree which made it easier to avoid getting too rustled.

Obviously he was a bit surprised, his eyebrows raised high as he watched Hank deal with the situation (mostly by getting someone else to deal with the situation). Head cocked to watch the cat, followed by the dog, in their scramble down the hall, he rather got the impression that this sort of thing might happen around here on at least a semi-regular basis. Was this what it was like being around children?

"Is Pebbles a student too?" he inquired mildly in answer to Hank's apology, clearly not actually bothered, and also not really trying to poke fun. (Names were, after all, the sort of thing that did vary quite a lot across cultures and Aurus wouldn't have been shocked to meet a person named Pebbles). "I assume this is all another ability, and not the result of the children drinking some sort of transformation potion, as it would be in my own world."

"Technically, yes, he is a student but no, he isn't a human or a mutant," Hank let on, chuckling a little and shaking his head in amusement. "Jeremy is blind, but can see through the eyes of his guide dog - Pebbles. Kairi... she can change into a cat. Only a cat. Sometimes, this just... happens, putting so many together in one place, but we've gotten mostly used to it."

Hank paused outside of a door, his voice soft as he told Aurus, "this is the library - and Charles' classroom for the moment. Feel free to slip in the back quietly. The students are used to people coming in to use the library so they might not notice you as quickly." He gave a small smile. "His class will be over soon."

[I did it. I made it through the intro and the first lecture and am done for the week. \o/ BRING ON THE WEEKEND and all the tags (I say, as though Friday doesn't even exist).]

Of all the answers Aurus had possibly been prepared for, that perfect-cat-and-dog-storm was certainly not one of them. It was peculiar and this time quite unlike anything he knew--the boy who saw through his dog's eyes in particular. That was fascinating. What it meant about the bond between the child and the animal for that sight to be not just metaphorical, but literal. And as far as getting used to it went, Aurus smiled, "Then I suppose it's not really a surprise that you've accepted a talking plant with such ease."

It was, to be fair, the first time he'd spoken about himself in precisely that way or put exactly that fine a point on the matter, but he definitely wasn't doing it just to shock Hank or provoke a reaction from him. In its way the remark was slightly self-deprecating. Maybe, though, he wouldn't have been totally surprised if he happened to surprise Hank a bit, since he didn't think that the extent of his species difference had fully settled on anyone here yet. (Or else maybe they simply didn't care.)

At any rate, he nodded his thanks as the reached the library door and said, in a low voice, "I'll see you later then," as he quietly stepped inside.

He was more than happy to wend his way quietly through shelves of books, waiting for Charles to finish...and maybe listening in a bit. He was interested to hear Charles teach, especially since philosophy, much more than science, was a topic that felt natural to him. Being a proverbial fly on the wall for a few moments suited him just fine...though he did try to make his way to a place between the shelves where Charles, but not his students, could see that he was there, hanging back so as not to interrupt.

[*CHEERS!!!!!!*]

Well Aurus managed to stun Hank with his words. He blinked slightly, eyes going wide, and a thousand questions instantly sprang up in his mind before Aurus excused himself and stepped into the library, leaving Hank there staring. ...Talking plant? Was that the strange feeling when they shook hands...? Those questions would have to come later, after they made a volcano together. What a strange day today was turning out to be, which was saying something in a school full of mutant and children!

Charles had a class of slightly older children, and from the sound of it, they were disceting a book. In fact, they were discussing 'Lord of the Flies' and currently, what was civilization? Charles' rich voice filled the library without being too loud, centered in the middle of his children who were all comfortably seated around in the open part of the library, gesturing as he took suggestions, encouraged the children to give more. Eventually, he did catch that glimpse of blue and noted it, but made no gesture or look towards Aurus. It wasn't long, though, before he wrapped things up.

"Good! Tomorrow, I want everyone to come up with a one sentence statement of what they believe civilization is. No looking it up in the dictionary! This is your own idea of what civilization is. Class dismissed." Charles gave a smile to the students, who gathered up their bags and books, happily chatting with one another as they made their way out of the room. A few caught sight of Aurus, but they didn't come up to him, while Charles waited until the last student left before he came around to where he had spotted Aurus before.

"Good to see you made it through breakfast." His smile grew with that, amused.

Aurus had to admit that he felt a little self-satisfied about that flash of realization he saw in Hank's eyes. More of that later though.

For now Aurus turned his attention to the class. He was watching the students' body language, the attentive ways in which they kept their eyes turned to Charles, some leaning forward towards him here and there.

Of course Aurus had never heard of Lord of the Flies. He easily caught on that they were discussing a book, but it was far less clear that it was a work of fiction and not of history. Nonetheless, the core question being asked, the question of civilization, was an idea that (like so many things here) he wondered if he and his kind didn't rather complicate. It was something perhaps he and Charles would come to discuss in a roundabout way.

Stepping out from the aisle of books as the students were dismissed, Aurus waited for Charles patiently, a warm expression in his eyes. "Hank was an excellent host. He demonstrated the electricity in your walls, and I have been promised a volcano this afternoon. He seemed to think that the students would like to meet me--they do seem curious. But I imagine you will decide when you feel that is appropriate."

A beat and then, "I hope the revelations of last night didn't keep you too long awake."

Comparatively, Aurus thought, things all felt somewhat different this morning than they had the night before. In part, he supposed, that was not merely the new day but the fact that he was not, for the first time in many months, dressed or armed for wandering.

Hank, of course, had had no reason to remark on what Aurus now wore, not having seen him the night before in his armor and weapons. He wondered, though, what Charles would think of this new apparel made of leaves and the fact that Aurus now, as requested, didn't look like a warrior or even especially dangerous. Actually, he looked like he belonged in the Grove, where most sylvari dressed much as he was now.

'Promised a volcano?' The words were clearly mimed, not sure where on earth that would have come from given that the volcano incident had happened several years back when he was first learning to teach. What had Hank promised? "AH- yes, I'm sure that the students would be quite interested in meeting you. For now, it's a question of who to begin with and exactly what should be done to handle that. I've been thinking on that this morning, but it will be something we need to discuss."

Charles gave a small dismissive wave of his hand. "No, but it certainly had me up early this morning." He studied Aurus for a moment, then with approval in his voice, said, "I appreciate your effort to wear else this morning. Seeing an armed and armoured stranger around the school might have provoked a few issues that frankly, none of us would have wanted to deal with. ...Really now, though," Charles leaned forward in his seat, studing closer. "Are those leaves? Or merely fabric to suggest as such?"

Aurus could have clarified about the volcano, but he didn't. He was sure it would become clear sooner or later, and until then he was also sure the fleeting confusion wouldn't do Charles any harm. A bit of confusion from time to time was, in Aurus's opinion, good for people.

Likewise with his clothes. He watched Charles take a good close look at him, knowing that closer inspection might easily reveal the places where the thicker stems mimicked the blue of his skin (though nowhere near as clearly as at the back, where his current clothing seemed practically to sprout from somewhere near his waist, and where his partially bare spine showed a uniform line of flat, pale nodes, as though buds or leaves might once have grown there as well).

"Yes of course they're leaves," he said just a little coyly, knowing both that it wasn't nearly as obvious as all that, and also that they were now quickly approaching a topic they'd circled clear of the night before. "I grew them myself."

"Oh yes, of course." Charles' voice was dry as he looked up, giving a pointed raised brow towards Aurus that suggested he wasn't taking a lick of that coyness. Still, it dissolved into that curious smile of his as he didn't hold up his sarcasm long. "You grew them? You'll have to explain more, given that we showed you are electricity in the walls." Teasing, just faintly, before he looked around the library. With his class dismissed, and a quick mental sweep, it seemed that they were alone. However...

"It may be better if we continued our conversation in my office, for privacy's sake. Otherwise, who knows what little ears may decide to peep in when least expected." He chuckled quietly, backing his chair up slightly before starting towards the door. "Also, exactly how did you convince my second in command to show you a volcano?" Because he wasn't quite following the volcano bit!

"Lead the way," Aurus inclined his head to indicate he would follow Charles to his office or wherever else he would prefer they talk.

That didn't mean for a moment that he was going to easily relinquish these threads of light fun he was holding though. "If we're going someplace more private I might even let you examine them more closely if you'd like." (Ok, so he was seriously just saying that as a bit more teasing, to see what kind of reaction it would get, really not as a proposition.)

And as for the volcano... Aurus got the door for them as they moved into the hall, and then explained, "Oh, I just told him that I required a demonstration if I was going to believe that there hadn't been any magic involved in that incident with you and a classroom of children covered in baking soda and ketchup."

[*falls over* The crazy is finally done... my girlfriend's mother came up for the weekend. Guests are stressful - the mom is 10x more stressful since it was the first time we met. Sorry for the lack of replies!]

Aurus' vague statement of possibly suggestive nature earned him a raised eyebrow from Charles. The 60s had been a time of revolution for certain relationships in this country, but it wasn't something that rested easy. Most of Charles' interest had lied with women, though a certain someone had gotten in closer than any ever had and that was... a very strange relationship to begin with. So, after a moment or two, Charles decided it was innocent in nature and chuckled. "I have to admit, I'm quite curious." Unthinking on how that sounded in return.

He started leading Aurus out of the library, turning down the hall towards his office. !!! Charles' eyes briefly widened as Aurus explained what the volcano meant, then he ended up laughing. "That traitor! Telling that story around... it was when I was teaching for the first time and got a little too overzealous! You'll enjoy the less explosive version of that experiment, I imagine, though it might not be nearly as impressive as you might be imagining."

[Congrats on making it out alive! You have all my sympathies. In-laws are a special kind of stressful. Even the not-so-bad ones are a recipe for instant high blood pressure--I know objectively that my partner's folks aren't bad, but staying in one house together is like a recipe for family conflict. I hope you got on well with your girlfriend's mom though, and of course no worries re: tag speed! RL's gotta RL.]

Not that Aurus was to know it, but American culture of the 60s (or even the 70s, 80s, or 90s for that matter) could hardly have been more different than sylvari culture, particularly when it came to the topic of sex. Inevitably, at some point, this matter would come up between the two of them, and probably it would be soon. Not because of any innuendo or suggestiveness though. They were, after all, going to talk about what sylvari were and where they came from. There were a number of reasons why sex and reproduction would be natural topics.

But the crux of the matter was this: sylvari had absolutely no preconceived sense that any one sexual taste or proclivity was more or less natural than another. It mattered to them not one whit. They did, however, know that humans sometimes considered it to matter quite a lot. Not all humans. And comparatively in Tyria even to the humans it mattered relatively little.

Whether or not mutants technically constituted a new race, Charles was clearly much closer to a human than anything else, and it would have been hard to miss that momentary glance that Aurus had earned himself. For now he stored it away. They needed to start with the question of species difference first. Whatever developed after, whatever curiosities, whatever ventures...well, bridges to be crossed if and when, and all that.

For now, as they walked, Aurus reached up to his hair and plucked a leaf off one of his long fern-like fronds. As he did, he casually told Charles what he'd thought when Hank first told him the volcano story earlier: "I might not be too difficult to impress. In my world, making a volcano would be the purview of an elementalist--a lava font, they commonly call it. They're often used on the battle field. Quite deadly. One safe enough to make with children--a lava font without the lava? It's rather impressive already."

And then he passed the leaf to Charles. It was small, no more than an inch in length, and deep purple, the color of Japanese maple, but softer in texture. "Here. Something to tide you over." He smiled, "And to prove that I'm not judging you too much for whatever early mishaps you might or might not have had with your students." All lies. In truth he wasn't judging him at all. If Charles knew half the mishaps that Aurus had had with Hakkyuu he'd have probably had a good laugh too.

[She was a very nice woman! I liked her a lot. I just get stressed whenever I have guests over... want the house to be perfect, for them to be comfortable, and just- bah. XD I go a little Martha Stewart-y sometimes.]

"Then I imagine you'll enjoy it quite a bit," Charles said as the leaf was offered over to him. His brows briefly lifted, but he reached up and took it gently, wondering if it was any different for Aurus as for him to pluck a hair from his own head. Did it hurt, even momentarily? Would it regrow? Would it wither like any normal leaf from a plant? His gaze dropped to the leaf itself as his mind pondered over these many questions, studying the shape and the vein structure before his thumb brushed across the surface. It was almost more fleshy, or perhaps a bit like the lamb's ear plant, but nothing he could have put his finger on. His eyes came back up, meeting Aurus' eyes before saying, "thank you. For both this," a little twirl of the leaf between thumb and forefinger, "and the lack of judging. I'm deeply grateful that Hank doesn't have photos of the ensuing crimson version of myself from that experiment, though." The corner of his mouth came up in a briefly self-deprecating smirk.

They made it to his office, and once inside, it was very much Charles' little sanctuary. There were several photos around the room, revealing a wide variety of people - a younger blonde girl standing beside someone who was definitely a younger charles who was definitely without a wheelchair, Charles, Hank, and a group of children in front of the school with a year, a group of people, some younger, some Charles' age, and one slightly older man standing close together, looking proud. Books were up on nested bookshelves that went to the ceiling, a broad wooden desk with wooden chairs, a table with a built in black and white chess board... in fact the overriding feeling of the room was wood, with the fireplace capping off one end. Charles gestured for Aurus to make himself comfortable.

"So where do we begin?" A quiet but amused sound, with him gesturing out towards the door they had just entered through. "What do you think, so far?"

[I can sympathize with that. I get house neurotic when people are coming over too. I try and clean everything within an inch of its life. At least it sounds like you got to enjoy meeting her as well as stressing over it though. That is good!]

Aurus could have made some remark about finding another occasion to repeat the crimson--he'd just have to discover something that would make Charles blush impressively; it would be a fun sort of challenge. He did think it. He didn't say it though. Subtlety and understatement felt more appropriate.

When they arrived in Charles's office, Aurus gave himself a moment to look around the room. The photographs in particular interested him, and he leaned in to look at them more closely. "These are amazing likenesses," he glanced between Charles and the younger version of him in the picture. "Every detail is exact but there's no so much as a brush stroke." Tyria had many things, but it did not have photography.

He didn't linger too long before taking a seat in one of the chairs though and directing his full attention to their conversation. Art and its methods of production was a topic which he figured could wait. He considered the question of his thoughts so far for a moment, and presently answered:

"The blind boy who could see through his dog's eyes was a bit of a surprise." He gave a wry half-smile before offering a more serious reply.

"Hank has told me how much hate and mistrust there is towards mutants out in your world. To me it sounds like absurd, obsessive in-fighting between groups of people who are more alike than they are different, but one doesn't stop conflicts merely by judging them to be silly and obtuse.

"This school, though--everything about this place--feels safe. Even I can feel how like a sanctuary it is, and I have nothing that I particularly need to take haven from. It's a great kindness to offer that to people. And it's a shame that kindness alone will never be enough. But I'm sure you already know that. For all the differences between our worlds, there are some consistencies. Ideas, I am starting to gather, are one thing actually translates fairly well."

[HAHAHA Someone who understands the house neurotic cleaning thing! That's me to a T @_@ It was still good! I'm super happy I got to meet her (she lives about 8 hours south of me so it was a bit tricky.]

"Photography," Charles commented in respect to Aurus' words about a brush stroke. "I'll show you later, if you're around for a time. Perhaps you'd like a photo to take with you." Briefly, an idea cropped up into his mind on the idea of letting Aurus travel with a poloroid camera and some negatives for him to use. Something for the back of his mind to remember for later.

"Ah yes, Jeremy. We've recently been attempting to see if he can accomplish this feat with other animals, but it's been without success. As for the rest..." Charles gave a small shake of his head. "People fear what's different from them. This entire concept of mutants is not new, I don't believe it is, but never have we been in a time where information can be passed so easily and knowledge spread. However, Hank's recently suggested the mutations may be cropping up faster than in years before but that may be due to the growing population--" He hesitated, then gave a quick laugh. "Apologies, always a topic I could ramble about for hours. I wanted this school to be a sanctuary, to make it so that children could grow and live in peace and perhaps we could start the movement forward of peace. It may never be enough, but at least there is someone willing to do something about it."

He leaned back in his chair, his weight on one elbow, watching Aurus' reactions to all of this closely. "Unfortunately, there are some out there, on both sides, who chose to take things to the extreme. It's made some things harder, but it has also backfired for them."

[At least that means she won't be dropping by unannounced. My in-laws live on the other side of England, a fact for which I am SO glad. Means there's always some degree of warning. lol]

Seeing how Aurus was already hoping that he would stay around for at least a while, he was happy to add 'photography' to the list of things which would be revealed in due time. (A polaroid would make quite the stir in the Grove...and would probably bring every asura in Rata Sum nosing around in the spirit of scientific inquiry.)

There was one point on which Aurus did not wholly agree with Charles though: "People here fear what's different from them. But I believe you're wrong if you presume that's inevitable or inherent. You'd be basing a general principle on the fairly limited perspective of humans having been the sine qua non--what is and what has been, as you told me last night. But that would be merely to repeat their mistake in perspective all over again. If it's inevitable that humans fear those who are different, then my race would have been dealt with harshly by them right from the beginning.

"Perhaps people here have simply grown used to encountering too little difference instead of being submersed in a world of it every day. They see small variations and amplify them to the nth degree, make mountains out of molehills.

"Of course I don't know--I'm an outsider, after all, this is merely how it seems to me." Aurus was relaxed as he said all this, sitting back comfortably in his chair, feet crossed at the ankles. He could easily see Charles' passion for this topic, and he wasn't merely going to humor him. For his part, Aurus would also talk about this sort of thing for hours, but while he already respected Charles a great deal, he was not going to simply defer to him.

The two of them had lived very different experiences, and they would inevitably have some different perspectives based on them. That, as far as Aurus was concerned, was one of the things that made this all so interesting.

[Wait do you live in England??]

(Wouldn't that be fascinating? Or would it be introducing a foreign product to a system not ready for it yet? Potentially dangerous in some fashion, if Charles thought on the subject longer.)

First, Charles' brows lifted in surprise at the latin term in Aurus' words, but given that the man had traveled through time and space, quite literally, perhaps it wasn't so much of a surprise. So Charles spread his hands, not quite a sign of defeat but at least to his point. "You are correct, in that respect, that it is people here, but regardless of the situation elsewhere in the universe, this is our situation here. Time and time again humanity has shown that when it fears, it fights, even when it is foolish or even harmful to do so. Our very existence is questioning the very existence of humanity - what is it to be human? That uncertainty and lack of understanding causes fear. The fear of not being able to control something even more so. Humanity struggles to control the world around it, subject nature to its whims. They fear volcanos and tornados and tsunamis and hurricanes becase of the destruction they bring and the inability to control that destruction. Unfortunate, I believe they think of us in the same manner."

He paused, and shook his head. "Not all, not all. There are good people about there who understand, who do not fear us but only the madmen that every society has. Over all, one person is intelligent, understanding, and thoughtful, but when in a group, or subject to a group's thinking, they become foolish and easily panicked like a herd of horses."

[Yeah, I do. I'm originally from the states though. (I grew up in Westchester county, ironically enough!)]

(Not as dangerous by half as many of the things that people might bring into the Grove. Or, for that matter, the things that they invent in Rata Sum.)

"Perhaps," Aurus suggested, "it just needs to be the right group. Strange for me to say, maybe, given the solitary life I've lived for so many years, but groups--I think here of the three Orders of Tyria, each with their own methods, their own philosophies, and yet focused and purposeful. They may not all be uniformly wise, but neither are they foolhardy. A group might just as well be assembled to defend your interests as to threaten them.

"It's the latter that sounds most dangerous to me--not the mob or the panicked stampede, but the coordinated, deliberate attack. There is always, in my experience, at least one madman or zealot on every side of anything. If the good humans fear only mutant madmen, then what are the good mutants to do with the human ones?"

[West Chester County as in up in NY? I'm from and still live in PA! ^_^]

"I've been working on that. Right now, the government is pleased enough to have somewhere that they can hold up as an excellent school for children that otherwise could become potentially dangerous in most schools. Hank and I have helped them on a few occasions as well in other areas." Not going to talk about how many held up Raven as a hero. As far as madmen go... we've been handling it one case at a time. We've already had to deal with it once. It was... a trial, but we pulled through it and I'd like to think in the end, we did a service in the eyes of many which has helped our situation."

Little did he know that down the line, not all that long from now, hell would practically come to earth thanks to a madman of their kind.

[Yup! I grew up in the town of Hartsdale which is the southern part of the county. I always pictured the Xavier school to be a bit farther north, like Briarcliff Manor area. And hey, PA! We would once upon a time have been almost like neighbors!]

Aurus considered this for a moment before speaking again, and when he did, his answer was at first oblique: "'Never leave a wrong to ripen into evil or sorrow.' That's something that Ventari tells us.

"I hope, for all your sakes, that the conflicts to come will pass with a whisper rather than a bang. But from the rest of what I've heard--from both yourself and from Hank--it hardly sounds like either of you really expect your situation to improve quickly or smoothly. I wonder what malice might ripen while you wait." He shook his head, recognizing the situation for the complicated skein it clearly was.

Presently, he continued, not with the tone of someone making a suggestion, but more as though he was advancing a philosophical point. "I believe that when you hope a battle will never come, that is when you must train for it the hardest. Not because you anticipate fighting it though. Admittedly, Ventari and I rather disagree on this point. I think in his opinion I still carry too much anger."

[According to their address, they're up in the NE corner of the county, I believe? What got you across the pond to England, then?? Heck of a jump!]

"You and I have that same hope. I... we have seen what happens when a small group of hated people try to rise up and make their voices heard, in this world. It's a very slow process, difficult and tiring, but... I cannot sit in silence and allow nothing to happen. We've become a voice, a rallying point, and I wish to see that continue. We can show people that there is nothing to fear in the average mutant, despite our gifts, no more than they fear their neighbor. I'm not afraid of that uphill slope."

"As for Ventari... I would have to agree with you, rather than him." The corner of his mouth lifted slightly. The X-Men remained a secret thus far, and he planned to keep it that way. "If your mind and body are trained, you are more likely to avoid the battle to begin with as well."

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/has no issue with the MIB reference she made in this tag

There is never any issue with MIB references, truefax.

<3

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