1963-07-17 - Two Mutants Walk Into A Bar
Summary: Kurt has begun his job at the Eight Ball and meets some mutants who come in for a drink and information.
Related: None
Theme Song: None
nightcrawler crystal darwin 


It wasn't particularly difficult to get past the doorman with Armando near by. A quick assurance that Crystal is 'one of us' was really all it took. "A lot of information comes through here- this part of town is pretty close knit, as you might imagine." Armando offers as he holds the door for Crystal. "You want something to drink?" he asks of the green eyed woman with an easy smile as he heads towards the bar.

*

Kurt never thought he'd ever be working in a bar. He's been in bars before, been kicked out of bars before, but he never thought that he'd be employed at one. After his discover of Mutant Town, however, he figured that if there was any place he'd be able to work, it would be in this neighborhood. So, by day, he watches and plays with the neighborhood kids on his block in Hell's Kitchen and at night he's been training at the bar. At least it fits with his more nocturnal hours; being a performer requires becoming a night owl.

Since he has almost no experience, he's being trained as a bar back - restocking the liquor at the bar, bussing empty glasses, and setting out clean glasses. His tail is helpful in this as it's acting as an extra arm to help with the restocking right now.

*

Crystal may not look much like a mutant or like someone who frequents pool bars in a full-skirted mid-length flowered dress, wearing pristine white gloves, but she doesn't seem uncomfortable here, either. Looking around, she smiles slightly to herself as she catches sight of the more visible mutations, almost approving.

"Just a soda would be good, thanks," she nods to Darwin as she heads toward the bar. The smile flashes broader still when she sees Nightcrawler there. "Hello," she greets cheerfully, as if using one's tail to help were completely normal.

*

Armando sits at the bar, nodding. "Soda for the lady, and a beer for me." he orders, giving a friendly smile towards Kurt- one obvious mutant to another. "Hey, haven't seen you around before." he offers, "I'm Armando- this is Crystal." he offers by way of introduction.

*

Nightcrawler turns at the greeting with a little bit of a start, one bottle of booze in each hand and one being held by his tail. Is it sanitary? Who knows. Does anyone care? Who knows. No one's told him 'no' yet. Yellow eyes blink at the woman a moment before a grey-skinned man moves to sit next to her. "Hallo. Ah, I am Kurt." Maybe his German accent is indication that he's recently arrived to the US. "I can get the Barman to come get you drinks. I am new here." But he does offer a sharp-toothed grin and sets the bottles on the shelf beore turning to the two. "A hint. The beer here is too cold. Get something else."

*

"Nice to meet you, Kurt," Crystal smiles warmly back at the mutant as she takes a seat. "And I'll keep that in mind. Germany?" she guesses at the accent. She half-twists in her seat, looking over the people in the bar before flashing a smile over at Armando as well. "This is a nice place." Clearly she must be talking about the company rather than the decor.

*

"Well, I'm not much of a drinker. Its for the taste only- so, you tell me what's best, Kurt." Armando offers with a quiet nod of his head. "YEah, its a pretty nice place. Everyone here is like us, so, its nice in that regard." Armando offers, looking through the smoke and darkness as if it were nothing. "I figured if anyone knew anything here would be the place."

*

"Ja, Germany and many other places," Kurt offers with a grin. He flicks a glance to Darwing, "Ah. They have some food too, I think. I have only been here a few nights…" and there's a little shrug of apology. He looks to the drinks offered and gives a sort of grimace. The beer is too cold and watery. "I guess the scotch?" He hasn't tried the bourbon yet as he's also not that much of a drinker. "Let me get the Barmann." Idling while on the job may not help him keep said job even if he's practicing his schmoozing. It's usually a requirement to work at a bar.

*

"I suspect Kurt's opinion of the beer may be colored," Crystal leans over to Armando with a teasing smile for Kurt. "Germans are very particular about their beer. Granted, it's because they're usually right about it, but if you aren't as particular about yours, it's likely fine."

*

"I can't get drunk." Armando offers over to Crystal and Kurt with his own smile. "I really just drink for the taste. Why waste my money on something that doesn't have interesting taste, seeing that's the only reason I've got for getting a drink." he shrugs quietly, "I'll take the man's advice- biased or otherwise." he grins then, "He probably knows better than I. Scotch, then."

*

Kurt isn't the bartender. He actually goes to fetch one of the guys who -can- get the requested drinks for the others. This jub is needed as he isn't sure where else he could work. So, as the Bartender goes to fix the drinks for the others, Kurt goes back to making sure the bar is stocked, the dirty glasses are cleaned up, the bartop is wiped, and the clean glasses are brought out.

*

"Ah, of course," Crystal nods to Armando. "Your body sees it as a toxin, so it gets filtered out." She pauses, considering for a moment. "That must make things difficult in terms of pain-killers if you ever find yourself actually injured," she muses. "Though I suppose that isn't much of a concern, really."

*

"Most things don't hurt for long, if at all." Armando replies, "I tend to evolve beyond the situation rapidly. The evolution lasts a little while and then disappears when it stops being useful to continued survival. Those things that are useful to continued survival seem to stick around." Armando explains, "Anyways, maybe Kurt here knows something." he says over to Crystal- even as his scotch comes. He takes a sip, nodding quietly. "Smokey. Nice."

*

Since the bar isn't super busy right now, the bartender gestures for Kurt to come over as he shows him how to make a Rob Roy. Two drinks are made and then set before Crystal and Darwin. "To taste. For free," Kurt offers with a friendly grin. "You are the…what is the term. Little Pigs? To try them out…" After all, someone other than the bartender and Kurt should taste it and offer opinions since they're not the ones who will be ultimately drinking them.

*

"Guinea pigs," Crystal clarifies with a flash of a smile for Kurt, taking her drink. "Hey, so, Kurt," she asks, leaning forward a bit. "I was wondering if maybe you could tell me if you'd seen someone around here? Or maybe keep an eye out of her, if you haven't? I'm not sure if she'd show up here, but maybe someone who's seen her would."

*

"Guinea Pigs, yeah." Armando offers, before translating into German for Kurt- odd, Armando speaks like a native. Luckily, one can find plenty of books written in German- and its not an overly uncommon language, even in this day and age. "Crystal's sister has gone missing. She's been looking for her everywhere- they're like us, so, I thought maybe someone around here would have seen her."

*

Nightcrawler nods at the correction of the term, "Danke," but he stays across the bar from the two when they ask him if he's seen someone in particular. "Oh, I have only been here a few days…and I have been living somewhere else, but I can look for them, ja." He then blinks at Darwin when he translates into German and offers, "Ich verstehe nicht, was jede Art von Schweinen mit dem zu tun haben, etwas Neues auszuprobieren." (I don't understand what any kind of pigs have to do with trying something new.

Switching back to English, he asks, "I am sorry that your sister is missing." He looks between the two but his eyes land on Darwin, "Most, I think, do not look like -us-…" as in, they don't look obvious. "What does your sister look like?" is then asked of Crystal.

*

Crystal's smile quirks briefly at Nightcrawler's German. Apparently she understands as well. But as the subject goes back to her sister, the smile fades a bit. "She's about this tall," she starts, holding a hand out at close to her own height. "But mostly, it's her hair. She has bright red hair, very long. It's- Her power is that she can control it, every strand of it, so she can use it to grab things, manipulate things…"

*

Armando returns, again in German, «"They're a type of small rodent- it is like the rats they use for experiments."» he offers, «"So, we are the rats trying the new medicine, see?"» Armando winks, lifting the offered free drink before he gives it a sip. He nods to himself, "Not bad." he offers, putting it to the side so he can focus on the scotch. "No, you and I are very much in the minority of a minority." he offers to Kurt, again in English. "But here, at least, that is meaningless." he says with a grin to Kurt. He goes quiet as Crystal speaks, letting her talk about

*

Her sister.

*

Nightcrawler's eyebrows lift at the description of the sister's hair. "Nein, I have not seen someone like that. I would remember, definitely." He nods as if to affirm that. "I can tell her you are looking for her if I see her, ja?" Because he's not too sure how else to get in touch with the woman, "If you want to come by here in a few days, maybe?" It's accompanied by yet another smile. Is it a flirt, perhaps? A friendly one.

There's a flicker of a glance to Armando, "I know what the animals are. Why do they not use 'rats' then and call them that?" His grin turns a little wry then, "It means something here too, I think. People just talk less about it."

*

"Thank you," Crystal nods to Kurt, smile warm. "I'd appreciate that very much. And I could continue to stop by," she adds, glancing over to Darwin. "It's nice to come into the city, after all. And it seems like the people here might have a chance of seeing her, or even hearing about her."

*

"Couldn't say, my friend. Just a turn of phrase." Armando offers with a nod of his head, "It means something, sure- but they don't hate you for it." he says, "It won't get in your way of getting a job, or making friends. They'll judge you for you, first- and appearance second." Armando says with a smile, "I've got a lot of friends around here for that reason."

*

Nightcrawler nods to the drinks, "Are they good? I have never made drinks before…I have had them, but never made them." He then looks between the two before he responds to Armando, "There are people outside of here who do that too. Not as many, I think, but they are there and they are very good people." He's even met a few in New York. "I have not made friends here yet but I have made friends outside of this Gegend…neighborhood." There's a sad little smile then, "We must, ja? Or we are stuck in just these few streets." His smile fade, "I will not do that again."

*

"That's a brave choice, Kurt," Crystal nods to the blue mutant, taking another sip of her drink. "And I have no idea how it's supposed to taste," she admits, "But it tastes just fine to me," she adds with a small smile. "I rather like this part of town, even if it has its dangers. It's nice to see people living without having to hide who they are. Though I'd be curious to find out how many are using their talents on a daily basis."

*

"There are other places." Armando offers, "I know a place where we can be ourselves. Where there are friends for people like you and me." Armando says to Kurt. "I work there, as a teacher." he says softly, "I've never felt so safe and welcome as I do there." he says as he takes another sip of the Rob Roy. "Tastes good to me." he says, with a little smile. "I've never had problems around here, to tell you the truth. Probably on account of looking the part." he shrugs, "Still- I do know a nice place for people like us, my friend."

*

"As long as it does not taste like petrol," Kurt grins at the commentary on the drinks. It's a start. He starts to move some bottles around but then pauses as Armando speaks. There's actually a roll of his eyes, "Mein Gott…that school again. Is everyone with this 'school' that people tell me about? Why do you think I need to go to school? I can read and write and I know enough Mathematik to deal with money." It seems that others have mentioned this school to him.

*

Crystal quirks a brow at Armando's offer, climbing further at Kurt's response. "I'm a little more concerned that there are apparently so many people who know about it," she admits, speaking slowly. "It doesn't exactly lend itself to keeping the place safe from people who shouldn't be there."

*

"So can I." Armando offers simply to Kurt, switching to German- «"But when you have lived the life you and I have lived. Hated for how we look. If there is a child we can save from feeling hated for how he looks, we must do it. We must make sure that child knows there is hope for him- hope for his future. I don't want those kids to know only hate in their childhoods. To only know bullies and hateful gazes. But, perhaps that is just me."» Armando smiles over to Crystal. "You'll have to talk to the boss about that. I've only ever mentioned it to this man here." he says over to Crystal, with a nod towards Kurt. "Just trying to help another like myself."

*

"What makes you think I was hated?" Kurt stays with English, possibly to include Crystal in the discussion as well. "Do you know what my life was like as a child? No, I think you do not." He keeps his tone light and conversational. "Why do I need to go to a school to tell a child that there is hope? Am I not doing good by telling children of my street, children who did not know someone like me, that even though I am different, I am still a person? That I can laugh and hurt and love and cry, just like them? Am I not doing good by helping these children learn to not be afraid?"

*

"That there's nothing to be afraid of," Crystal nods once to Kurt, taking another sip of her drink. "He has a point, Armando. If the goal is for mutants to live in the world, then at least being here is a start. And you should be in the world," she grimaces, shaking her head. "People are given these talents, these gifts, for a reason. How will they ever find them if they aren't allowed to be where they're needed?"

*

"Maybe you weren't. I was." Armando offers simply, with a shrug. "You'll forgive my assumption, I hope. Its your life, my friend- live it free and how you want." Armando lifts the prepared drink and takes another sip. He takes a long moment. "You believe differently than most, Crystal." he says quietly. "All I can do is survive. I survive through all of it-" ARmando shrugs again, "I apologize- it was rude of me, friend."

*

Nightcrawler nods to Crystal, "These kids have a hard enough life. They already know they are different. Showing them that being different is not bad is a good thing, I think." He casts a glance to Armando, "I do not see why everyone wants me at this School. I did not go to school when I was young and I do not think I need to go to school now, danke." He still doesn't get why everyone wants him there! It might be flattering if he knew!

Taking any empty glasses away, he also offers, "I have survived much as well. I think as long as there are the people who understand that there is more than the outside, then we will be ok. I just hope more people will learn." He looks around the bar, "There shouldn't have to be places like this."

It reminds him too much of the ghettos.

"I should get to work. It was good to meet you," he nods to Crystal and to Darwin, "And I will let your sister know you are looking for her if I see her."

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