1963-06-26 - Cookout at Xavier's
Summary: Several Mutants enjoy a cookout at Xavier's
Related: None
Theme Song: https://youtu.be/vWwgrjjIMXA
darwin erik alex warren nancy crystal bobby jean logan 


The sun shines down overhead on the grounds of Xavier's Institute, fairly hot on this slightly muggy 79 degree day. Despite the heat, around the back and away from the drive the smell of a variety of grilled meats and vegetables starts to waft out over the grounds. While one might not expect Warren to be one of the ones out here cooking, he is manning grills like a boss. While he's never seen in a kitchen, he apparently has at least some skill with charcoal.

While it isn't entirely clear out and there are a few clouds overhead, none of them have the dark and ominous look that threatens many a summertime cookout. There may be kitchen staff out here as well. Having cleaned himself up, Warren is now wearing a Yankees t-shirt, a pair of long red shorts that almost reach his knees, and a 'Kiss The Cook' apron over them both. He whistles to himself as he flips burgers with a spatula and prepares a pot with beer for cooking bratwurst.

He's got a beer for himself that he's happily sipping away on as he works the two grills.

Crystal is not a familiar face at the manor. Far from it, the young woman arrived earlier in the day, spoke with Charles and Erik, and then promptly found herself involved in preparations for the cookout. She's a little out of place still in a green dress a good ten years out of fashion, but she's at least kicked off her heels and left her purse inside, walking barefoot through the grass as she brings out a plate of watermelon.

Logan apparently isn't prone to being shy, coming out in a pair of sandals and a pair of shorts and nothing else. His back and shoulders are as hairy as one might expect, his muscled, stocky upper body on display. He has a six pack of beer under his arm and a cigar clenched in his teeth.

"Beef and brats, huh, rich boy? Whatcha makin' fer everybody else?" he snorts playfully, grabbing a plastic lawn chair and settling in, kicking up his feet on the cooler he dumps his beer in.

Jean well, at least she was dressed for the summer. High rise tank top in red, shorts green and yellow which doesn't match but well? What can anyone say? She wasn't the pinnacle of style here nor good looks. But she has the last of the bottles of coke wrapped within her arms, carefully kneeling down by the cooler to place bottle after bottle into the ice. It was going to be a fun time indeed. And she was hungry!

"Is there any cheese? Did we forget the cheese? I'd like to have some cheese.." Said everyone ever. "I think I'll go back in and get some cheese.." She -really- wants cheese. "..we -have- cheese, right?"

For his part, Alex is in a pair of shorts and a thin white tank top himself, and he wanders out of the school, and immediately heads over for Warren. He quirks a brow at the man, "Hey, Warren. You know I didn't finger you for someone who knew his way around cooking. Need some help? I'm known to have certain talents."

Armando, too, has made an effort to come to Xavier's School- another new face, albeit one who seems as if he belongs due to his grey skin, and long arms. He's in a pair of tailored shorts, along with a short-sleeve shirt: This, too, has been tailored to fit his odd frame. He's only just arrived, bringing a six pack of beer and a six pack of cola along with him. He gives a wave towards Warren, grinning at seeing the man outside of a business suit.

The 'rich boy' catches his attention, but Warren seems fairly nonchalant about it. Instead, he glances back to Logan and raises a brow at him. "I was thinking gruel or hard-tack," he replies without even skipping a beat. "But there's plenty here. How's it going, Logan?" He reaches down into one of the coolers and hands the man one of the fairly generic bottles of draft beer bottom-first.

The large, dove-white wings that extend from his shoulderblades are not kept in a cramped harness this afternoon. When Crystal passes by, he lifts a hand to beckon her over. "Brats will be a bit, but I've got some burgers made." A long table is set up outside with a white cloth over it. A variety of buns, condiments, and flatware can all be found as well as a plate with some brugers already stacked onto it.

The beef on the grill sizzles when Warren flips it again to send a plume of white smoke into the air. "Hey, Alex," he greets him with a quick upnod. "Already got some stuff ready. How's it going today?" Armando's approach as well has him shifting his gaze. "Armando! Glad you could make it. What do you like? Burgers? Brats? You're lookin' sharp there, my friend."

Logan grins at Jean, "Pull up a seat, kiddo, let wings over there handle the cheese. Ain't no reason fer you to play waitress today. You want a beer?" he says.

He sniffs the air at Crystal's arrival, another new one that he isn't familiar with, but, then, it ain't like he makes folks sign in. Sure, he was sort of doing security on the place, but mostly thtat just consisted of being willing to kick the shit out of anyone unwelcome.

Crystal does a little bit of a double-take when she first spots Jean. The young telepath can probably sense the surge of hope and the following disappointment for just a moment before Crystal pushes it away, setting the watermelon down on a table and looking around at the assorted residents with a small smile. She may be a new face, but she seems to be surprisingly at ease with the range of appearances at hand. "It all looks wonderful," she assures Warren, absently arranging the condiments and paper plates into something organized.

Hope. It comes in spades. Just when she was about to turn away to head right back into the house, it hits her. It was there! Cheese! Oh for the love of god there was cheese and it was GLOR— wait..

The wide eyed stare towards the table seemingly lowers, her nose scrunching up as she looks towards everyone present. It wasn't as if she could pinpoint -who- just yet, but the new face in the crowd actually draws out a very genuine smile and a wave, topped with a tip of her toes to make her seem a little bit more bouncy-bubbily.

And then there was Armando who, she had never seen before was offered the same bouncy-bounce wave and a genuine grin, and Alex an all too cool upnod as she begins to prance towards Logan. "Ahh.. no thanks. I shouldn't drink. I mean it's tempting? But I shouldn't. Think I'll just grab a burger." With that said, path corrected, and right towards the table where she begins to -pile-.

"Hey, is it an either-or question?" Alex grins suddenly, "Burger and brats sound excellent. In fact I might slice some brat and put it on the burger." Still, he goes over and settles against the table briefly, watching Warren at the grill, "But everything's been going real good lately." The smile that ends up plastered on Alex's face is very self-satisfied and maybe even a little smug. Then he looks over and gives a friendly nod to Logan and Jean, but there's some new people! First, to Darwin, he heads over and offers his hand, "Alex Summers. Nice to meet you."

"Well, I took your advice and talked to that tailor. I got a few outfits made up." Armando replies to Warren with a grin, "Its nice to have clothes that fit right, and look nice." he says, with a nod of his head. He puts the beer with the coolers, along with the bottles of cola. He takes a moment to look out over the others- a smile there at all the diverse types of mutant here. It was surprisingly comfortable.

"Glad to see you've got a place you can be yourself, too, Warren." Armando offers as he gives a friendly clap to Warren's arm- careful not to send him into the grill. He looks towards Alex, taking that hand to shake. "Armando Munoz, a pleasure." he says, with an easy smile.

Bobby arrives from Institute - Foyer.

The beer is presumably handed off to Logan from Warren and the grills are maintained. The sight of Jean is caught and the blond man raises a hand to her to wave in greeting. "Hey. Get you anything?" he asks her with a cheery sort of smile. "I haven't seen you in a little while." There's a glance between Jean and Logan then at their exchange about the beer and he points the spatula helpfully to the cooler.

"Thank you," he replies to Crystal. "I mean…the kitchen staff," he admits their involvement and gestures in the hard-working peoples' direction. "You should come meet everyone. Umm…" Warren starts to work it out in his head how he'll point everyone out and cook and comes to a bit of a dead end for the moment and returns to watching and flipping where necessary.

Warren glances up to Alex and his smile broadens a bit more with the good news. "Glad to hear it. Been keeping busy, I take it?" As Armando greets Alex, he smiles a touch more and nods in particular to Darwin. "I'm glad you like them. Beware of ketchup, though." A wink is conveyed then before he goes back to working.

"Beware of ketchup?" asks Alex with a slow blink. They're having a barbeque outside, with Warren and Crystal seeming to do all the cooking, and everyone else just arriving to settle in. "What's wrong with ketchup?" he's in shorts and a fitting, thin white tank-top, but he smiles at Darwin again, "Welcome to the Institute. I think you'll find we're all pretty relaxed here." That said, he heads over to Crystal, "Need any help?" he asks, introducing himself a moment later, "Alex Summers. I haven't seen you around either, but if you're here I assume you've met the Professor?" Its not like a stranger is getting near without the master telepath figuring out something is up.

Logan calls out to Darwin from afar, "Hey yo! I'm Logan, this here's Jeannie if you ain't met her yet. Feel free to be friendly like," he says. He figures the fella must probably have it rough, being all funny lookin' and everything. Not everyone could be a handsome bastard like the ol' canuck.

"Glad there are a few more civilized types around to keep ya company so you don't have to spend all yer time roughneckin' with me," he says to Jean.

Crystal smiles swiftly back at Jean, stepping over to get a soda for herself. "I'm sorry for staring," she apologizes. "I only thought for a moment you were someone I knew. The hair," she explains, smile rueful as she shakes her head. Reaching for a bottle opener, she pops the cap off of the soda, then seems to pause for a moment. As she does, though, a cool line of condensation climbs up the bottle as the drink chills.

"I'm Crystal," she introduces herself, nodding to Logan and Alex as well, casting a brief smile over her shoulder at Warren. Apparently she can handle introductions herself. "I did meet with the professor, yes," she adds to Alex. "We are considering a few courses of action at the moment. A pleasure to meet you, Alex."

Three burgers. All topped with fixings of the various sorts. Soon a lawn chair was drug behind her as she crouches, sliding it up into spot then carefully settling into place. She sighs a little, then takes up a spot near the cooler. As Crystal approaches, Jean watches her with interest, then looks down at her hair with a slight frown. "Oh! Who did you think I was? And I'm Jean.. by the way.." She'd offer a hand to shake, but they both were busy. Crystal, with her chilling her soda and Jean with a burger ready to be devoured. "You're really pretty.."

She lifts her plate in Warren's direction to show that she's alright, there was food to be had! "Want a burger Alex?" She calls out, gesturing towards her plate. She takes a bite of her own, then shrugs her shoulders at Logan. "I can say the same for you too, you know. Everyones swell here, though!"

From around the side of the mansion, Bobby walks sniffing the air. "I smell food!" In just a pair of gym shorts, he's glistening with oil for that perfect tan that's guaranteed to produce skin cancer in thirty years or less. "I smell burgers! I smell… strangers. Umm, hi!"

At the offer of the burger, Alex nods and grins, "Yes, please." And he heads over to collect one, "Thanks." Then he grins over at Bobby's arrivala, "Bobby, meet Crystal and Armando. Everyone, meet Bobby." He stares at the young man a moment, shaking his head and laughing finally, "I think you lost all your shirts, man." And with that, he goes for a beer. Glancing to Crystal he wonders, "Courses of action? Is there some trouble?"

"A pleasure to meet you, Logan. Jeannie." Armando offers as he goes to grab a cold beer, using a nearby bottle opener to pop the top. He takes a slow sip, as he looks over the others with those odd eyes of his. White. Featureless. It made him difficult to read- it was difficult to tell where he was looking.

Armando then turns towards the food and takes a moment to set up a burger for himself. The grey-skinned man smiles to Bobby as he appears, but returns to his burger set-up. Cheese, of course, some tomatoes, mustard and mayo- but no ketchup. Strictly speaking, Armando didn't really need to eat- but he does enjoy it. "A pleasure to meet you all, truly." ARmando offers, lifting his beer as he finds a seat to begin enjoying his meal and the drink.

Warren is grilling near where Crystal is. Burgers, brats, corn, and so on are already prepared on the long table nearby and it looks like there's more to be cooked. The smile from Crystal is returned as well of course. With a smile to Alex then, he seems intent on explaining. "Beware of ketchup dripping on clothing," he completes the thought for Alex with a grin and then a look towards Armando. "Hey, Bobby," he calls out to the newly-arrived Iceman. "Cooler could use some help when you've got a sec."

"My sister, actually," Crystal answers Jean, smile crooked. "Wishful thinking, though. A pleasure to meet you, Jean, and thank you." Taking a sip of her drink, she considers Alex's question for a moment. "My sister is missing," she explains. "And Dr. Xavier has offered to help me find her. I had hoped she might be here, but I'm afraid I had no such luck."

At Warren's call for help with the cooler, she's already turning toward it when she realizes he's referred to a Bobby…apparently the latest arrival. Curious, she quirks a brow and looks over to see just how he's going to help.

"It's summer, man!" Bobby counters. "Shirts are for winter." Except he doesn't get cold so not even then. Okay, the grey guy? Mutant. Which leaves the girl in question. Warren's comment gets him a look which shifts from him to Crystal and back. "Sure Warren. You uhhh, want me to go get more beer?" But the guy's not hiding his wings. And there's the grey guy so…?

Jean grins as Bobby makes his rounds, lifting up her burger in the form of a wave and even keeping her plate upright when Alex takes his own. She settles it into her lap, her head bobbing lightly to some unheard music. Crystal was looking for a sister.. a sister with red hair. Hm.. She could use a brat.. With that thought in mind she turns her chair, inching it to put the table of food into view. With a lift of her hand.. the table begins to rattle, knocking over a bottle of mustard in which Jean immediately stops. Whoops! Bad idea! She gets up to make herself a brat instead.

Armando can't help but overhear Crystal's predicament, looking over to her. "Sorry to hear about your sister." he offers simply, "I hope Professor Xavier can help you find her." he says simply. "He seems a good man." the young, gray-skinned mutant offers from which ever seat he's found for himself. He returns to eating, then, watching as a bottle of mustard seems to decide for itself that being upright is not in its best interests- the table shifting under it. "Huh." he says, reaching up to scratch his cheek below the eye. "Odd, that." he returns to his cheesburger before too long, though.

"I'm sure the Professor would have warned us if a person was on the grounds who we needed to hide from." offers Alex to Bobby with a grin, watching him for a moment with a tilted head, before he looks over to Crystal, "Yeah, I'm sorry about your sister. The Professor might be able to help. He's got a particularly good talent at finding people, especially mutants." He lifts his sandwich up and dives into a bite.

"Crystal's good people," Warren says with a nod. "She's met with the Professor." It's good enough for him at any rate. The man with the enormous dove-white wings gives a shake of his head to the other question, though…the one spoken. "We're good on beer for now, but I might run out in a while depending on how long people are out here." He does also nod his head in agreement to Armando's words for Crystal as well.

"I'm quite certain he will do as much as he is able," Crystal nods to the others, taking another sip of her drink. "And yes, please. There's no need to hide," she assures, moving toward the cooler herself. "This is your home." And as a polite guest, she holds a hand out toward the cooler, spinning her fingers in a gentle circle until bottles clink against each other with the formation of ice inside.

Logan is pretty much half-asleep in his chair at this point, a cowboy hat pulled out from underneath his plastic chair and draped over his eyes as he sits back a bit.

"Jeannie, wake me up if we get attacked by the Venusians or some shit," he says, soon blissfully snoring with a half-empty beer propped on his belly.

Assuming the Prof knew she was here. Bobby doesn't like to assume certain things. But since Warren says he's met her, that changes everything. "Well, okay then." He heads over to the cooler, looking at Crystal curiously as she makes with the fingers. Then his eyes widen as he sees what's happening in the cooler. "You do ice too?"

Brat in hand, Jean decides to remain at the table, keeping quiet and out of the way. Because she's eating. While the others were mingling and generally happy, she was monopolizing on all of the good feels around her, until Logan makes his quip which nearly makes her choke with laughter.

Alex blinks in surprise as Crystal wiggles and ice appears, his eyes turning to look at Bobby for a moment before looking back to her, his expression echoing his question. But for the moment he'll focus on eating the burger.

"Too?" Crystal echoes Bobby, then smiles swiftly. "Elemental, actually. Earth, air, fire, water. And with the proper training and focus, yes, that includes heating and cooling. Also electricity and a small amount of magnetism, though the last is considerably more difficult in larger amounts," she waves a hand. "Ice is your power?" she asks, looking genuinely interested. "Would you mind showing me?"

Another sip of beer, and a few more finishing bites of his burger before he gives a sidelong look towards Logan. Looking as Armando does- like the 'Aliens' people have claimed abducted them from their back-country farm fields- does leave one with a certain bit of sensitivity. Sill, better to let it slide than ruin an otherwise fun day. He leans back in his chair, and finishes his beer. Just taking a moment to watch curiously as Bobby is asked to show off his inborne ability.

Warren seems content to let folks mingle up until he's finished cooking what he's going to cook. Finally one of the chefs gets to eat. Moving over to the long table, he starts making up a plate for himself. Crystal is watched with a great deal of interest as she seems to have some ability involving ice as well. When she begins naming off what she can do, he gives a slow rise of one brow and then laughs. "Wow. That's something else. All of that?"

Bobby looks impressed at the laundry list of things Crystal can do. "Sure." Ummm. Holy performance anxiety Batman! After a moment's thought, he points at the ground and ice shoots out of his hand, forming itself into a lawn chair. "Never short of furniture with me around." he jokes.

"Or cases of frost bite!" Jean kids, and by such she lifts a potato chip in the air to lightly hurl towards Bobby. Just because.

Crystal waves a hand at Warren's response, smile easy, as she watches Bobby. "Spectacular," she approves of the lawn chair, holding a hand out slightly in a testing motion, head tilting slightly as she measures out the change in humidity in her head. "And very fast. Interesting that you go to ice first." She takes a sip of her soda, grinning at Jean's potato-based assault. "Do you find yourself more comfortable in cool environments? Or is it rather that you never find yourself overheated?"

"Impressive." Armando offers towards Bobby, as he stands to go and try a brat. A bit of cheese, mustard, onions and sour kraut. All in all, a good bit of food. "That kind of thermokinesis is exceedingly interesting." he offers, simply as he now takes a cola from the recently cooled cooler. Odd how even in the heat of summer Armando shows no discomfort- not even a sheen of sweat. Dry as a bone. He opens the cola with the nearby bottle opener and takes a quiet sip before refocusing on the beer-boiled brat.

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with freezing your ass off for a nice place to put it." quips Alex with a quick grin, tilting his beer back for a long drink, "But there's very little our Iceman can't do with ice, he's rather creative."

Bobby grins over at Jean then asks curiously "First? How would you make a chair? I never get cold. And while I can get hot, I just lower the temperature if it's actually uncomfortable." Hey, he didn't get food yet! Moving over to see what's available, he gives Armando a smile. "Don't think I heard your name. I'm Bobby."

"Isn't it, though?" Crystal agrees with Armando. "And almost necessarily complicated. There has to be water first, but it goes directly to ice." As Bobby introduces himself, she reaches for a piece of watermelon for herself, looking very much at ease with the mutants around her.

With a smile over to Bobby, Warren gives a nod of his head. Clearly impressed with the rather rapid formation of the chair, he gives him a broad grin. "Ever tried making an ice slide for the pool?" Looking to Crystal and Armando then, he does wonder about Bobby's power. "Standing water?" he asks, looking from one to the other. Because he's never seen Bobby need actual standing water around to make ice.

"Armando Munoz." Armando offers, as he offers a hand to Bobby with a quiet smile. "A pleasure." he says, before looking towards Crystal. "Well, I can see two physical methods for such thermokinesis- it could be that he skips the phase shift from gas to liquid, going straight to solid through some unknown physical method. Or, perhaps he creates the liquid water in a super-cooled state, lacking a nucleus around witch to form ice until such a point that he desires- along with some sort of protective barrier that only dissipates once Bobby desires ice nucleation." Well, that was a list of science terms, to be sure. "That's just conjecture, though."

Bobby clasps Armando's hand then continues over to the table to get some food. "Nah, I draw moisture right out of the air. And there's always enough in the air no matter where I am. Once, I went to Death Valley and had no problem at all. Earth is very wet I guess." He has absolutely no clue what Armando is saying so just lets it wash over him.

"The ice is coming directly from water in the atmosphere, I believe." Crystal takes a bite of watermelon with a nod to Warren and a swift smile at Bobby's confirmation. "It's also possible to create water directly from the hydrogen and oxygen in the atmosphere, but it's considerably more complicated. But I can feel the difference in the air, from where that," she points to the lawn chair, "Was pulled out of it. The instant phase shift would explain it, though." She nods to Armando. "Utilizing the excess energy from shifting from gas to solid in the actual manipulation…very efficient."

Clearing her throat, she turns an apologetic smile on Bobby. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to treat you like an experiment. It's just been a long time since I was around others who- Well. Suffice it to say, it reminds me of home."

There's a cookout going on out on the lawn, complete with grilling and a new ice lawn chair.

Warren doesn't seem shy about showing his nearly incandescent white wings this afternoon, but he's also rocking a Yankees t-shirt and a pair of long red beach shorts. The sorts that those surfers wear. He'd been manning the grills, but is currently making a plate of food for himself with all of the cooking done now. A wonderful layout of burgers (with cheese and without), bratwurst, potato salad, corn on the cob and a variety of other staples for the Great American Cookout have all been arranged. When Crystal theorizes about Bobby's power, he lets out a long, low whistle. "Damn," he utters and looks to Bobby. "You can flash freeze air moisture, basically?"

As it turns out, Nancy had spent most of the day indoors.

No doubt doing mysterious Nancy things.

Regardless of the truth of the matter, food was a universal draw. And she kinda sticks her head out of the mansion, noticing the gathering. Dressed in a modest green dress with white piping, she makes her way from the door, to the crowd at large - bringing up a hand to tuck a lock of her hair behind her ear.

"Is this food for everyone at the mansion?" she asks, to no one in particular. It wasn't stuff she was particularly used to eating, but… she had been more than willing to try new things. The burgers, in particular, seemed to be drawing her attention, as she makes her way that way, lifting her hand in a wave to the gathering.

"Interesting." Armando offers, with a nod. "I'm afraid I lack the senses to tell." he notes to Crystal, "However, its all very interesting." he agrees with an easy smile. His attention turns, "Reminds you of home? Where is it you're from?" he wonders with easy curiosity. He takes a bite of his bratwurst.

When Nancy appears, Armando is quick to offer an easy wave and smile. Someone he recognizes.

"There's something like nearly forty million billion gallons of water in the atmosphere,…" ventures the geophysicist Alex with a slight smile even as he finishes off his hamburger, offering over to Bobby, "So I don't see you running out of any soon." Turning on the bench, he spreads his legs out and crosses them, leaning back to rest his elbows on the edge of the table. Its sorta a sprawl. "The cool thing, Warren, is not that he can freeze it— its that it stays frozen indefinitely. And it doesn't seem to take almost any effort at all." He grins suddenly, "I'm jealous, as you can see." He nods over to Nancy, "Sure, welcome."

Bobby grins over at Crystal. "Hey, no problem. You get used to talking about powers around here. Not just what they do but how they do it. So where's home? Another place like this full of mutants? I didn't know there was another." Grabbing a plate, he puts everything on it: a cheeseburger, a brat, all the sides, till everything is touching each other and piled high. He's a growing boy!

All of this hubaloo had Jean's eyes cutting from one person to the next. She had -no- idea what they were talking about, but a small guess was the way Bobby's powers work. If there were a translation into something a five year old could understand, Jean would be all over that conversation. But alas, with Bobby nearby, Jean lets out a little smile, drawing close to him to give him a slight little nudge. The nudge doesn't say much, just a quiet little hello and glad to see you doing well, in her own kind of way.

"If no one minds, I'm going to go to my room now." Everyone was fine, the chatter was great and all of the feelings were nothing but good. And the food. Which was soon quickly piled upon her plate. Her favorite show was coming on the radio. With a stop at the cooler to pick up a few glasses, she quickly hurries off because the time was soon growing close!

"Somewhere very far away, I'm afraid," Crystal answers Armando and Bobby vaguely, smile faint. "Similar, but…Different. We've been rather isolated." Which is the understatement of the year in regards to the secret city full of Inhumans. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Jean," she calls after the girl before going back to nibbling on her watermelon, looking between the rest. Barefoot in the grass, she seems perfectly content to lean against the table.

He'd intended upon going straight to the cookout, but Charles' slipping away to try and contact Dr. MacTaggert provided Erik Lensherr with the ideal opportunity to corner his friend.

The German has managed a change of clothes, and when he rejoins the others on the grounds, he comes wearing a pair of slacks, a light red, short sleeved polo, and a straw hat to shield himself from the setting sun.

Once outside, Erik pauses to gauge what's going on, observing the smiles and generally good aura. A glass of iced tea is raised and sipped on in a leisurely fashion.

"Armando," says Nancy to him, glancing between him and Crystal. "Good to see you again," she says. Their conversation sounded deep, so she didn't offer too much of a reply so far. Glancing towards Bobby, Nancy can't help but grin - that seemed a excellent idea. "Are you really going to eat all of that, Bobby?" she asks.

Another moment. "Alex - hey - what would you recommend?" asks Nancy, picking up a plate, and taking a cheeseburger to set right atop it. "Or Warren too," she says. "Did you cook all of this?" she asks him.

Bobby mm-hmmms. "Hungry! Been busy the last couple days. Works up an appetite. And I'm a growing boy still!"

"And you, Nancy." Armando offers with an easy smile. He turns to Crystal, nodding again- not pressing the issue. He takes a bite of the brat- enjoying the mixture of flavors with onions, kraut and mustard. "I heard there was to be a cookout, and thought it the best time to see the school for the first time." he offers simply. "It really is nice to be among other mutants, though."

Bobby mm-hmmms. "Hungry! Been busy the last couple days. Works up an appetite. And I'm a growing boy still!" He takes his plate over to the ice lawn chair he made and reclines on it, not bothered at all by the cold. Shifting position a bit, he half stands and a mound of snow appears on the chair that he then sits on. Ahh, much better. Soft and comfy.

There's a moment where Crystal eyes Bobby's ice chair with a decidedly mischievous glint in her eye, one finger starting to twitch, before she stops herself. Be an adult. Instead she finishes her watermelon, throwing the rind into a trash bag at the end of the table. "Are you all from the immediate area, then?" she asks, looking among the crowd. "Or have you traveled to gather here?"

Warren looks impressed all the more about Bobby's powers when he hears Alex speak up again. "Wow again. See, that's way more than just 'doing ice', I think. That's…some serious stuff." He doesn't have any other descriptors for it really or any basis for comparison. When Nancy comes out, he lifts a hand to wave to the girl with a large smile on his lips. "Well, Crystal and I did the cooking parts. The kitchen staff handled some of the sides and all." He gestures to the table once more while holding his plate with one hand. The burger is taken with the other and taken a bite of. "So my reccommendation's biased," he says, food still in his mouth. "Everything is good."

"The burger's are great, haven't tried the brat yet, Nancy, maybe you can give it a try and let me know?" Then Alex laughs softly, giving Bobby an amused sidelong glance, before tipping his beer back again for a drink. "I'm from around here, but the Professor finds people from all over."

A grin upon Nancy's lips at both Alex and Warren's suggestions. "Well, if you and Crystal both worked on it, then it must be good," she says, with her eyes tracking towards Crystal then.

"Everything is good. Alright," says Nancy. Biting her lower lip, she turns her eyes from burger to brat, then back again - and with a laugh at Bobby at his reply, and she takes both a burger /and/ a brat. Turning back again, and balancing the plate on her gauntleted hands, she takes three steps away from the table, and takes a bite from the brat. A little one. With that, though, she gives Alex a thumbsup and a grin. It was during that motion that Nancy glances up towards Erik and his tea, and pauses. Lifting up a hand, she waves to him.

"Hello, uhm, professor," she says. Anyone as old as he hanging around here defaults to a teacher, you see. "Won't you join us for food?" she asks.

"I've lived in New York all my life- I've never even left the state." Armando offers simply. "I'd like to travel, but given my look- and the general world tension with the upswing of mutants it seems ill advised. Perhaps, one day, that won't be an issue anymore." Armando doesn't seem bitter about it, although its difficult not to hear the disappointment in his voice. "I've always wanted to see if there was a language I couldn't learn just by hearing it, or seeing it written."

Armando gives a friendly wave towards Erik- a face he's yet to see. "Hello. I'm Armando Munoz- nice to meet you."

Bobby smiles over at Warren before biting off a large chunk of burger. "I'm from here too." he answers. "Out on the island. So it was easy for the Prof to find me." Taking another bite, he nods his agreement. "Mmmm, burgers are good." Though it comes out both muffled and garbled.

"My main contribution was keeping the initial kerosene start from burning down the manor," Crystal assures Nancy with a wink. "There may have been a…few adjustments to the grill temperature." She nods sympathetically to Armando. "The outs- This world can be difficult for people who are different. But for what it's worth? My people believe that every power exists for a reason. Because there is a need for it in the world."

Once some of the students have noticed him, Erik realizes that his precarious position upon the outskirts of socializing is at risk. With a quiet chuckle, he heads out to meet them.

"Hello there," he says to Nancy. "I'm… not a professor. Just a friend to Ch.. Professor Xavier. I'm Erik." He'd offer a hand, but things look a bit precarious as is, what with all of the food.

His attention then drifts toward Armando, to whom he smiles and nods his head. "Nice to meet…" Suddenly, his demeanor shifts. "… you. You were there."

"Curious. I'd wonder what your people might take my abilities for, then." Armando begins to Crystal, before his attention turns again to Erik- "I was…where?" he wonders. He hadn't seen Erik during the massacre- his attention was solely on the horror of the happenings. Trying to step between others to protect them- to stop them from the madness. Armando, however, survived. He survived being shot. He survived the crush of people- held them all back, even, without seeming to spend much effort. He was there, certainly- but without context, he still seemed confused.

Warren looks over to Erik as well, lifting one hand to beckon him over. He's still by the table himself, so he sets down his plate with food on it so that he can lift an empty plate and wave it in Erik's direction with a bright smile. Indeed, everyone seems to be having a good time here around the back of the manor out of sight of the long drive.

He also flashes a smile to Nancy. "Oh, we absolutely worked ourselves ragged over it. Days of preparation and strategizing for the perfect dishes. You have no idea. No idea." Nevermind that it was Professor Xavier that came up with the idea himself not a few short hours ago.

Nancy laughs at what Crystal says. "Well, I personally think that's important. I'm growing rather fond of the mansion, so I would prefer for it not to burn down in the pursuit of hot dogs and brats, however noble that must be," says Nancy. The brat was just a little spicy for her, in spite of how she gave Alex the thumbsup, so she takes just one more bite to throw off the suspicion of not liking it, before she moves to the burger.

But before she takes a bite - Nancy smiles at Warren. "Well - I appreciate the sacrifice and hard work put into… …" Nancy cants her head to one side a bit, narrowing her eyes towards Warren. She decides to err on the side of polite. "…them," she says. She seemed suspicious.

But it was Erik that draws her attention last. "Oh - I apologize for that error. Do be welcome to our party, nonetheless," she says, although at that demeanor shift, she pauses, her eyes flickering between him and Armando. Lips purse.

Bobby waves to Erik, swallowing his current mouthful before saying "Hey Erik. Come have some food. It's really good. That's Armando and Crystal and Nancy." indicating them each in turn. "And uhh, Warren if you haven't met him yet." Both he and Alex are long time residents so have met him over the years even if they haven't gone out drinking with Erik. Has the Prof? That would be a night out for sure.

Erik remains transfixed for a moment upon Armando, before his face falters. A forced smile comes to him, and he reaches out to put a hand on the young man's shoulder. "Pay it no mind, young one. I am clearly mistaken."

His eyes linger for another moment upon Armando, before they drifted back to Nancy. "No need for apology, Nancy," he tells her, before casting a look to Warren and then Bobby. He chuckles a bit and walks over toward the two, clearly pleased to see them. "There's a case of imported Bitburger hiding in Charles' office," he murmurs quietly to Bobby, before glancing around a bit. "Is Alex about, as well?"

Just then, Alex is coming down from the mansion, as he slipped away briefly to go take care of something. He's brought another six pack of beer, just in case. Pulling it out as he does, he hears his name and grins over at Erik, "Magneto." by way of greeting.

"Well, that depends," Crystal replies to Armando, smile flickering. "What is it that you do?" She reaches for her bottle of coke again, adding a little extra chill to it now that it's been sitting out in the sun for a while warming up. Alex's greeting to Erik gets a brief look of curiosity and an arch of her brow, but it Armando who has the focus of her attention at the moment.

"Sure…" Armando offers, hairless brow-ridges coming together a moment in quiet curiosity. "Whatever you say, friend." he offers to Erik- before his attention turns back to Crystal. "I am in a constant state of evolution." he offers simply to Crystal. "I survive- put me underwater, and I evolve gills and more efficient methods of water-based locomotion. Put me in the dark, and I evolve a method to see without light. I never stop evolving, always changing in some way to meet the current conditions of my life to an end of survival. I've recently discovered that evolution extends beyond simple environmental factors, as well, and allows me to evolve methods to survive even things such as bullets." he explains to Crystal. "It is not, perhaps, as impressive as the abilities of others."

"Mm," Warren sounds in response to Erik's words when he comes over and speaks of Armando. He also glances at Bobby and manages a smile, although it's a sad one. "We've mey." A nod is given to Erik and then a gesture to Armando. "Meet my new marketing and technology liaison," he says in regard to Armando. "Brilliant man." Armando's already introduced himself by name, after all. "Imported Bitburger…?" The gears do start to turn, but he perishes the thought.

To Nancy, he offers another smile. "Oh, endless toiling I assure you. The logistics of it alone…" Another smile is given to Nancy as he continues to tease. "How've you been, Noriko?" This time, the inflection on the 'i' is -very- close to perfect.

Bobby looks up at Erik at his murmur. He doesn't actually know what Bitburger is but it meets all the requirements for being interesting: imported, stashed away in the Prof's office, and Erik is telling someone he knows will be more than happy to go steal it. "Well." he says, standing up and setting his plate down on his ice chaise. "We have to show the Prof's guest proper hospitality. I'll go find something suitable for you to drink, Erik. And it would be impolite to force you to drink alone, right?" Right. Nodding to the man, he heads inside. Also, very cool power Armando.

Crystal's brows rise at Armando's explanation. "It's incredibly impressive," she disagrees, shaking her head. "Imagine, for just a single example, that there was a message that must be delivered. In order to save a city, a kingdom. Even just one, very special person. Or critical information that had to be preserved. By entrusting it to you, it could be saved from something that would destroy anyone else."

She smiles faintly, though there's genuine warmth in the expression. "Never doubt your worth to the world, Armando. Sometimes great power or impressive displays aren't what's needed."

'Magneto.' Indeed it was Alex who had branded him as such. Erik smirks ruefully at the Summers boy. "I much prefer 'Erik', you know," he answers. "Unless we are in uniform." With that comes a bit of eyebrow waggle. Perhaps he's secretly growing accustomed to the moniker?

Bobby receives a dubious look, one that is then cast over to Warren. He keeps half an ear trained upon Armando's voice, however, and eventually turns his eyes that way. "An impressive skill, indeed," he agrees.

Crystal earns his attention next. "It would seem, my dear, that you've made yourself quite at home." A nod of approval is given, before he moves off in search of food. Let's see if these folks know how to properly prepare wurst and kraut.

"I will say, however - impressive displays of power are a great deal of fun," tacks Nancy on to the end of what Crystal says. Between Erik and Armando, she bites her lower lip - finally taking a moment to take a bite of her cheeseburger, her eyes widening just a touch. Another moment, and another bite.

Nancy - Noriko turns her eyes towards Warren. "You've been practicing still. You are saying the name perfectly," she says, even if her eyes go downwards a moment, before she lifts them back up again towards Warren. "Life has been beautiful. I am grateful for the opprotunity to read, study, and learn in preparation for what comes next," she says. A grin. "Whatever that might end up being," she says. "And with you? In spite of your current labors - do you feel relieved to have well-earned rest, then?" she asks, wryness on her lips still.

"Bah, that's your human name." Alex settles onto a bench, "To the humans you're Erik, and that's a fine human name, but here, between you and me, I know you're really Magneto. Isn't that more who you really are? Sometimes I think so. Now, if only I could get people to start using Havok more…" He pulls one of those beer-top-remover-things that have a name, and uses it to pry off the top of the beer and then takes a gulp.

Armando gives a quiet shrug, "Perhaps." he offers simply, "But its a quiet kind of impressive. Not kind of showy thing that others do." Still, Armando smiles quietly. "Still, thank you for your kind words." he continues, as he finishes up his bratwurst. "We will see yet how I fit into the world. I admit some worry- if I survive, endlessly, what will I become in the future? What will life be like a thousand years from now when I continue to exist, but the world around me has changed so much?" he shakes his head, taking another long sip of his cola. "I guess I shouldn't worry so much about the future when the present has enough to worry about."

"That is also true," Crystal laughs to Nancy, though Erik's comment gets an apologetic look. "I apologize if I've overstepped my bounds. I'm afraid being here…" She looks around the group, letting out a contented breath. "It's the closest thing to home I've felt in a long while. I'm even more sad my sister wasn't here. I think she would have been happy here."

Clearing her throat, she looks to Alex with a quirk of a smile. "Havok, then?" she nods. "Noted. It's not uncommon among my people to choose a new name after t- after one's powers develop."

"Domo," Warren nearly chirps in a warm and cheery tone to Nancy. Smiling, he listens as she speaks of how things have been. "That's great news. There's got to be more to it than studying, though. We should plan a field trip sometime." There's a thoughtful look to him then as he considers what all that could entail. "Or something. Things have been good for me. Complicated, but that's about par for the course." The winged man gives a subtle roll of his shoulders then to her last question. "Define rest?" he asks playfully before digging back into his food.

Looking to Erik then, he gives him a curious sort of look and lifts his brows. "Hey, Erik? I really do need your advice on a matter that might be a bit delicate. But, ah…concerning my public identity and Worthington Industries."

Erik smirks a bit wider toward Alex. "So long as you don't go calling me 'Magneto' in a room full of angry bigots," he quips, before trying a bite of bratwurst. Eyebrows lift, just so. "Mmm. Nicht schlect. Could use a bit more browning on the skin."

A meaningful look is given to Armando. "Wise words. Live your life for the present, my friend."

At Warren's query, Erik steps aside, moving closer to the winged mutant. "You sure you should trust my advice with such things?" he asks, jesting with the subtleties of self depreciation. "Here and now, or… sometime where we're granted the benefit of privacy."

"Havok." Alex nods in agreement with Crystal, grinning, "Back then when I first got here and some of the first class picked names, we hadn't worked out how to aim me yet, so I kind of brought devistation all around me. Havok seemed to fit. Now I can aim. Sorta. But I still feel like a Havok. My power is kind of one note: well, two notes. I drink the sun and the stars, and then make things blow up with what I drank." Then he grins at Erik, "Of course. Unless they're angry bigots with you know, guns. Or pens. Or spoons. You know, bigots you could handle in your sleep if you were having a cosy dream." That said, of course Alex dosn't Magneto him off out of uniform in public. But at the school? Different matter.

Nancy - working on her burger, her brat woefully neglected upon her plate - casts a grin Alex-wards. "Havok - you really want to be called that? I thought you were just kidding," she says. Crystal is given a return of the smile, Nancy's so wide it shows her teeth and lets her nose crinkle.

"I would not mind that - I make time to go into the city - I've visited Mutant Town so far, and I intend on going to the Village - on Armando's recommendation, next," she says, gesturing towards Armando proper at that point. "What has caused things to become complicated? Your business life?" she asks Warren. A beat.

A moment more. "I define rest as an activity that makes you feel happy, healthy, and rested enough to take care of more of life's… grind, yes?" she says. Quieting again, at that point, to nibble on burger.

"I should, certainly." Armando agrees with Erik. The grey-skinned man goes to sit again, quiet now, thinking. He enjoys his cola and settles to listen in quiet to the others as they speak. He smiles towards Nancy when she mentions him, nodding in quiet agreement- the Village is rather nice and somewhat more inclusive than other places in New York. "A lot of nice off-broadway shows, and the people tend to be more willing to forgive cosmetic or genetic differences. The people there are pretty weird, and love being so." he says, "Some great blues clubs, too, if you're into music."

Crystal laughs to Alex's explanation, dipping her chin in a nod. "Such is often the way when we're new to what we can do," she replies, amused. "I'm glad to know that you've gained some measure of control." She takes another sip of her drink, watching the little gathering with a contented smile.

Bobby comes back out of the mansion carrying the case of Bitburger. "Here we go!" he calls, carrying it over to sit down on his lounger. Neither the ice nor snow have melted at all. "So who wants?" Opening the case, he pulls out a bottle, pops the top off with a bottle opener, and chills it till it's ice colf and frosty. "Erik." he offers.

"Nope, totally serious." Alex nods to Nancy with an easy smile, "What does 'Alex Summers' mean to me anyways? I have no idea who my parents were, they died when I was a kid and I was adopted, and those parents want nothing to do with me now that I'm a mutant. I work here, to help our people, that's my job— my life, really. Helping our people. My mutant identity means more to me then my human one does. I just wear the human mask to go out to clubs and watch shows or catch a meal at a nice restaurant."

"Nope, totally serious." Alex nods to Nancy with an easy smile, "What does 'Alex Summers' mean to me anyways? I have no idea who my parents were, they died when I was a kid and I was adopted, and those parents want nothing to do with me now that I'm a mutant. I work here, to help our people, that's my job— my life, really. Helping our people. My mutant identity means more to me then my human one does. I just wear the human mask to go out to clubs and watch shows or catch a meal at a nice restaurant." Then he smiles over at Crystal, "To be perfectly honest it is still tough. It takes a lot of concentration to control without my suit. But I'm getting better. We help eachother with that sort of thing."

Warren smile at Erik and lets a soft laugh escape his lips. "Well, in the end it will be my own decision. I'll ask Charles as well, of course. I mean…different viewpoints…" With a wave of his hand then, he finally just shakes his head. "The thought is…to make a stand. To come out publically as a mutant and make Worthington Industries an equal opportunity employer. A /real/ one." There's a pause then as he waits for Erik's reaction. "Now, I know how dangerous it is. I've thought of all of the angles."

With a look to Nancy then, he gives a shake of his head and smiles lightly. "A little from column A, a little from column B," he explains and seemingly with a good sense of humor about it all. "Sadly, I have been tiring myself out trying to suck all of the poisong out of my company and replace the poison with good, intelligent people." There's a nod then to Armando then to accentuate that point, perhaps.

Crystal quirks a brow at Warren's suggestion, looking to the others for their reactions to the idea. "It's a very brave thought," she offers for herself.

"Yes. Guns, and pens, and anything metallic," Erik answers Alex. He fails to mention the ceramic bullet that still has his shoulder bandaged, safely hidden beneath his polo. Warren and Crystal would have seen it earlier, of course; he'd redressed the wound after getting it dirty.

Now his attention is fully upon Warren. He considers the young man heavily for a few long moments. "I think… if you're going to make this decision, you'll need the full support of your board of directors. A good lawyer, as well. And you'll need to be ready. For anything."

He reaches out to accept the properly chilled Bitburger from Bobby, and tips his head in thanks. The bottle cap pops off, seemingly of its own accord, though anyone who knows of Erik's power will know he was behind the trick.

"To Worthington Industries, I suppose?" For, you see, Erik believes that he can see in Warren's eyes; he's already made his decision.

Nancy looks towards Alex - inclining her head, once. "I can understand that. I juggle three identities, it seems - but I am not as certain that I enjoy 'Surge' as much as the others. Perhaps if I could be rid of these gauntlets, there might be more pride in it, but as it stands…" A roll of her shoulders. She lets that drop.

Although the pride in his voice was encouraging. Armando draws her attention then. "Well, perhaps I wouldn't mind being someplace a little weird - and I don't mind groovy music, whatever its form," she says.

A beat, at what Warren says, and she considers. "Many people may boycott your products, I would think," she says, finishing her burger, and placing her plate in a convenient trash can. "But many more may choose to support your stand…" she begins to say, but she lets that draw out. "That will take time. And many more intelligent people to replace the capable, if poisonous, ones you lose. I hope that that is not something that will cause you too many grey hairs, Warren," she says.

"The way around any business issue in a capitalist society is to product the product that everyone needs." Armando offers, towards Warren's particular problem. "I, personally, would start quietly. Luckily- your wings and otherwise human-normal form fit what most people see as 'Angelic', and not so far outside the spectrum of things people believe, or see. At the same time, you might need to prove that your inclusive workforce somehow makes our products better." Our- because Armando works for Warren. He turns his attention then to Alex/Havok.

"I'm afraid that I have to disagree with you regarding the vast difference between human, and mutant kind. Fear is what motivates them to distance themselves from us. Our genetic differences are minute compared to the similarities we maintain. I, too, was abandoned by my parents and had few, if any friends, at the school I attended. I don't have the benefit of a mask- of being able to hide what I am. Its only through showing non-mutant humans that I am not so different that we make a real, and positive change. Since I can not hide who, or what I am, I must go forward and show that I am not worthy of their fear- but rather, just another one of the guys. More like them, than unlike them. I truly believe that if we want to move forward, as a joint people, we must show that despite our often frightening abilities that we- in our souls- are just as human. We experience the same world, the same feelings and thoughts and emotions. We are different, but the same- and that is exceedingly human."

Bobby looks over at Warren, surprised by the plan. "That could lose you a lot of money, Warren." he points out. He opens another bottle, chills it, then offers it to the winged mutant. Another gets chilled for Alex and he continues till there's one for everyone. "It would be awesome though."

Alex looks to Armando, though he accepts the glass from Bobby with a quick, warm smile, but he looks to Armando again, "Can they actually understand, though? I'm not sure they can. What binds human society— in the west at elast— is the fiction that all men are equal, that every man has as much power as every other, and the state exists to create this equality. Even in human society that's pure fiction, look at the negros. But enter us? Men always fear those with more power then them, and there's nothing we can do to make ourselves seem equal to them. Human society will never accept what it means to have true titans of power walk among them and just accept that power differential." He gestures to Magneto, "He practically makes armies irrelevent, all by himself. I could destroy almost anything. How can people feel safe around us? Consider us peers? Bobby?" He nods to Bobby, "He's more powerful then I am by a fair margin." He shrugs, "I have nothing against humans, but I don't think our kind will ever be able to integrate as peers with them. We'll always have to keep ourselves like this. Apart. Self-contained. Secret."

"They don't always fear," Crystal chimes in quietly at Alex's words. "Fear isn't born of…It isn't a matter of being afraid that you'll hurt them. It's born of knowing that they can't be like you. That's why America flourishes. It flourishes because - whether or not it's true - people believe that all men have a chance to rise to the top. To be great. They don't fear mutants because you have power. They fear you because they have none, and no way to earn it. The same way they fear royalty."

Warren does take all of this under advisement, looking from one person to the next. He slowly bobs his head in a nod while considering each opinion very carefully. "It would be a big stand," he says. "One I really doubt that I could make alone. Your input on whether or not I should actually do it is valuable. I don't know whether it could make the atmosphere more volatile for everyone else. The risks are big, but maybe something like this will bring out the better natures of others." The playfulness is gone and he takes a more sober tone now…despite being on beer number three. At least it processes through his system faster.

There's a nod to Nancy. "Very true. And yes, this could lose me a lot of money. I…definitely know the ramifications. Perhaps I should be quieter about it until a more opportune time. But that brings me to thing number two. Planting spies in my own company and treating it like…monitoring the KGB." A short laugh escapes him then and he takes a breath. "Either way, I have a responsibility as an economic force to do better for the world. It gets really blurry when we're trying to figure out what's best and what's worse."

"Not all of us can hide." Armando reiterates. "And it is well within the human ability to accept us. Some do, without reservation. We spearhead a cultural evolution- the breaking down of human arrogance that has led to the belief that we, as a species, are the top of the food-chain. That there is still, yet, more growing for us to do. The concept is not that all of humanity is equal- but rather, that they have been endowed with inalienable rights by their creator. Some men are smarter than others. Others are natural athletes. No one thinks everyone is equal in ability. We must show them that we are *not* to be feared. That we are a part of society, and wish to aide it." Armando says, nodding to Crystal quietly. "At the end of the day, Havok, your life experience will not be so different from any other thinking, knowing being on this planet. You will find love. You will find hate- and let us say that we do have power, because many of us do. Noble is the powerful man who uses his power to better the lives of those around him. The future will likely bring more mutations to the human genome, a natural evolutionary function. Do we want them to be afraid? Or do we want them to be welcoming and understanding?"

Nancy looked to each person in turn as they give their two cents, inclining her head. There was soda here, right? She doesn't take a beer - but she does take a cola, snapping the top of the same. A handful of moments more, and she inclines her head to Warren. "I think, if nothing else, all of us here would be proud of you for taking a stand such as that," she says, with a wide gesture around herself. "And even if it does end in the worst ruin, we would be here to catch you, as it may," she says.

"But for now… I think I need to check on something I left in the kitchen - I have to thank you for the food, and for the excellent conversation. Food for thought, as well as for the body, right?" she says with a smile.

With a wave to all those gathered - and an inclination of her head to both Armando and Erik, she heads towards the door of the Institute, moving with careful thought.

Bobby looks up when he's mentioned and gives Alex a smile. He doesn't say anything about fear and prejudice though. It hits way too close to home. "Whatever you decide, we'll be here if you need us Warren." He just leaves it at that.

"Maybe you're right, Crystal, but what's the difference, really?" Alex wonders, seemingly genuinely questioning, but he blinks at Armando a moment, "Well of course I don't want them to be afraid. I simply don't believe we can cure it— its the human condition to fear. Since we were cavemen, we looked out beyond the safety of our cave and our fire and we feared the mammoth and the lion and so we banded together with our spears and we killed it and wore its skin to prove our fear was groundless, only to fear the next just the same."

"The difference is how you change the fear," Crystal answers Alex. "By giving people hope. Although," she grimaces, "I'm not sure how you give them hope for their own greatness in regards to the mutant gene. Still. There's as much envy as there is fear when it comes to people with power."

She reaches up to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear, looking out across the lawn. "I think it's ambitious, Warren," she concludes. "And you seem to be doing it for the right reasons. But you should remember to remain accessible to people who aren't mutants as well."

"That fear you speak of is the evolutionary fear of danger. What could kill us, what could hurt us. However, that is evolved- and what has been evolved can be overcome and changed as it ceases to be evolutionarily beneficial." Armando says, "I go through that sort of evolution every day. I evolve a method to filter out cigar smoke, or alcohol- only for the evolution to pass when it ceases being useful to my continued survival. If we prove to humanity that we are not worthy of their fear- that we are evolutionarily beneficial, that we are here to protect and join them on this journey through life… we can remove the fear. We can ensure that all people like us live full and complete lives. We can make sure that in the future- parents won't abandoned their children." he says this with a certain tone- as if it hurt to even bring it up. "If I can spare some kid from that in the future, it would all be worth it." Armando pauses a moment, "There is something the Jewish people believe- Tikun Olam. To… Repair the world. That the world itself is broken by design, and that they exist to help fix it. To reach that point, we have to fix ourselves, first. We must look at it as an opportunity to be the heroes that protect humanity, and live beside them instead of above or over them." Armando gives a quiet shrug. "But, that's just my opinion. You are entitled to your own."

"People fear the negroes because they realize they have brought an unstable element into an otherwise stable society," Erik points out. Before anyone might argue, he makes a gesture with his free hand. "Slavery was legal, but it was a cheap and easy way to gain profit. The American slavers paid money to ship them over, but once they were emancipated? They were here to say. Suffice it to say, there is a lingering fear that so many people, wise and talented as they are, may rise to power, and that is something white America fears. They may not talk about it, but they fear it."

Erik looks amongst the group, valuing all of their opinions and thoughts. It's why he's remained so silent throughout the conversation. "If black men aren't given the respect they deserve, then what? Will they fight back? If mutants aren't given the respect and freedom that we want… what then?"

A long pause, during which Erik's expression seems to darken. "Do we fight back?"

Warren looks up at Armando as he starts speaking, blinking his eyes at him a few times. "Beautifully said," he admits, bobbing his head in a slow nod. "See, that's what I want to do. Make a stand to show people that it's possible to do that. What I worry about is making it /more/ difficult for everyone else and not actually better." A nod is given to Crystal then as he considers her words carefully. "Indeed. I don't want to exclude humans from benefiting at all. I want to try to make it an easier world to coexist in." Nodding his head then, he looks to each of them in turn once more. His eyes settle on Erik and he considers those words very carefully. "There isn't a good answer to that," Warren says. "Not a good outcome to be had either. We need to focus on getting the respect and consideration that we deserve."

"Some combination of both might be necessary." Bobby says quietly. "There will be those who will regard them - and us - with respect and treat them as equals because it is the right thing to do. But there will be others who never will unless they're made to, either by force or fear of force or something else. But they won't do it willingly. If they're smaller in number than the others, we'll eventually get what we deserve."

"You're special, Armando. In every minute of your life it sounds like you go through a million years of evolution. Humans have at least ten seconds of your time to work through somehow in our lifetime, or… I don't know. Not to mention thousands of years of social injustice to figure out how to set aside. I just don't see how what you want to happen can. I hope you're right and I'm wrong." Alex then looks to Magneto, "I don't want to fight the humans, I just want them to leave us alone to live in peace, with me and my life choices that harm no one else mattering to no one but me. That's all." This phrase is said more significantly then the others have been. He looks to Warren, sympathetic, but, "Idealistically said. I'm afraid the real world is not so easily changed. I have to be honest: if you come out, I think your business is doomed. One way or another. I wish you the best and if there's any way I can help, I'll help you. But I don't think the world is ready." He sips his drink then and looks to Bobby, "Yeah." A nod of agreement, "The problem is I think at least half— at least— are those who won't change."

Crystal looks to Erik for a long moment at his question, considering both it and him. "If you fight, how will you fight? If you fight, can you win?" she asks quietly. "And if you win, then what have you won? If you lose, what have you lost? What will it mean for the people who have abilities they've yet to discover? What will it mean for their children?"

She looks away, shaking her head. "The choice will have to be yours. But if you're going to lead - and I think many of these people look to you and to Dr. Xavier for leadership - then these are questions you must consider."

"I am in the unusual situation where I can sit and nothing known can endanger my survival." Armando replies, with a quiet nod. "I am also in the unusual situation of being half-black, and half-hispanic." he continues, "Even if I don't look like it. I see the struggle of the black-man being analogous to our own- we can fight without violence. We can prove that despite our abilities to do great damage- we *choose* not to. We choose to be the enlightened party, that shows our power by not falling to violence when things do not go our way." Armando takes a quiet breath, a slow thing. "We win respect through good works. Showing we want to be a part of society, and help it however we can. We defend ourselves, if we must- but we must show ourselves as non-violent, first. It worked for Gandhi- and its working for Martin Luther King, Jr. We have to try. We owe it to ourselves to be great, like those men." Armando nods quietly to Alex, "I constantly evolve. Long after New York City has crumbled to dust, I will likely remain. The future we build today is *my* future. And I have to look forward to making the future I'll exist in with the children of tomorrow a good one so that I can look back, and inform them that we behaved civilly in an uncivil world, and won."

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