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Ahhh Mutant Town. The part of the city where even an alien can fit in without a second glance. Which is why Starfire has decided it makes the perfect place to try out assorted Earth customs. Like drinking coffee in a cafe. A couple of uneven tables crowd the sidewalk outside a hole in the wall cafe, most occupied by locals, but one is mostly taken up by Koriand'r and a selection of books from the library.
She flicks through a big text book, occasionally pausing to sip at one of several hot beverages lined up in front of her. A selection of everything the cafe can provide at various temperatures from piping hot to room temperature.
*
Lorna sighed as she walked, looking more than a little sweaty from helping out at the Community Center. Who knew the ways that a magnokinetic could be useful to a run down part of town? She'd spent the better part of three hours there, helping mold and shape metal beams and fixing up fireescapes. She was exhausted, and the sunny weather did little to help cool her off.
Her green hair was pulled back into a high ponytail, and she wore a simple blue sundress. Her flipflops smacking against the sidewalk as she made her way toward the shop to get something to drink.
She spotted Kori there, a somewhat familiar face at least and she smiled as she approached with a wave. "Hey! How are you doing?"
*
Julie rumbles on up in one of her Uncle Sal's parts-runners, in this case a little green '50 Studebaker pickup with chrome rims and Baby Moon hubcaps. It's hard to miss Kori in any circumstances, and she gives a wave as she comes over.
*
Sometimes good things fall from the sky, sometimes it's dark haired teenagers in leather jackets. He smashes his face on the side of a dumpster, but doesn't appear any worse for wear. In fact, he hauls ass around the corner and takes a seat across from Starfire with his eyebrow hanging off. "Be cool, please?"
Without waiting for a reply he sticks his eyebrow back on (which heals almost right away), lets his hair down, and shrugs out of his jacket. Taking up a napkin he blots some of the blood away before leaning in like he was already having a conversation with the two women. Lorna may actually recognize him as the son of Logan, if the healing factor didn't give it away.
*
Starfire has just about had time to wave at Lorna when someone falls out of the sky. "Good day friend Lorna. How are you today?" she frowns, steadying her drinks as Akihiro joins her at the table. "Sorry, I do not have the ability to adjust my temperature. Do you fall from the sky often? It seems very… messy. You should learn to fly better." Kori's own attire looks far more unusual than a dirty leather jacket, purple and silver with a skirt bordering on the shockingly short. While her belt is set with big green gemstones, perfectly cut.
*
Lorna broke off mid-greeting as she sat down beside Kori and the young man approached and sat. She stared, and blinked at him repeatedly. Unfortunately, or fortunately, she didn't catch the relation between him and Logan just based on the rapid healing factor. "Wait, what? Uhmm." She gaped, and ran her hands through her hair, glancing around.
"He didn't mean temperature, uhh it's a saying. And most people can't fly.."
*
Julie winces a bit at the sound of someone contacting metal that way, …she seems to have missed the 'falling out of the sky' part. Sees by Akihiro's posture, at least, that he's trying to lay low. "Hey, I didn't see nothing," she reassures, adding, " And hey, Lorna, who's your friend?" she says, in a heavily Italian-tinged local accent. Looks Akihiro over once a bit, and says, "Trying the coffee, Kori?"
*
Akihiro doesn't seem to mind the short skirt, as it stands he's the only person in sight with visible tattoos, and the only man with pierced ears around. "Yeah, I can't fly. I used to could make that jump but this adamantium really weighed me down." He chuckles softly, looking everyone over. His gaze stops on Lorna, eyebrows furrowing for a second. "Hey, aren't you Erik's daughter?"
*
"I know that most people are unable to fly," Starfire points out earnestly. "Which is why I was concerned that this gentleman was trying." She frowns at Akihiro, trying to look stern. "It is not safe. Although, you do not seem very harmed any more. May I ask who you are new friend?"
"Oh hello friend Julie. I did not see you there," Kori adds, folding her book shut. "I am trying a selection of hot beverages. Tea, coffee and hot chocolate. I am also allowing them to cool so I can taste them at less common temperatures. It is also a nice day to take a little sun."
*
Lorna shifted in her seat, and her brows furrowed as she focused on studying Akihiro for a moment. A crease following a line in her brows as she trailed her senses over the metal she could feel inside him. A blink and then another followed as she compared it to what she'd sensed with Laura and Logan. Yet nothing clicked there, other than it seemed odd that she knew three people like that.
Then his question and she shifted, "Uhm.. yeah.. I am."
Her gaze shifted toward Julie and back to Kori and then back to Julie. "Sorry, I forget his name.. I.. think we met before? Sorry. You look familiar, but I'm bad with names."
*
Julie ahs, and nods. "I guess let's make introductions, then, this is Lorna, and Kori, and, well, everyone calls me Dizzy.
*
"Akihiro. Akihiro Howlett." The young mutant introduces himself. About this time a group of beaten younger men run around the corner, looking around for a moment as they try to spot somebody. But thanks to a combination of pheromones and a quick wardrobe change, they go on about their business. "It's good to meet you all."
Relieved he sits back a bit. "I'm not sure if they use bags or brew leaves here. If it's the bags you'll want to try the leaves at some point too."
*
Starfire nods. "I did not expect to find you in Mutant Town friend Lorna! People seem very friendly here." She reaches out to shake Akihiros hand. "I will be sure to try the leaves too." She smiles at Julie. "I do not understand why they call you that. I have never seen you fall over."
*
Akihiro's last name earns a crease of her eyebrows, but she wasn't entirely sure as to where she'd heard it before. A sigh escaped her and she shrugged as Julie made introductions. "I met him before, it was gosh, last year? A while ago." She blinked and chewed her lower lip.
"A lot of stuff has happened since then, it would seem with both of us." She glanced back toward Kori and fidgeted. "It's because of her powers. We both have 'em. Mutants.. Mutant Town.. kinda go together." She mumbled.
"And you should be careful here Kori, not everyone is super nice here either."
*
Julie laughs a little to Kori. "I got *real* good balance, actually, but that's part of why it's funny. They been calling me that since I was a kid cause I was always spinning on things. You know, stools, carousels, whatever."
*
Akihiro reaches out and gives Starfire's hand a shake. As he pulls back he jerks his thumb over to the retreating men who were looking for him. "Had to knock some sense into them earlier, people can be pretty awful." His attention moves back to Lorna, "Yeah, it's been a while. Didn't have nearly as much metal in my body when I met you." There's the sound of metal rubbing against metal as his claws extend long enough to show them off to the other mutants (and alien). "But I'm full of the stuff now."
The claws retract and he looks around, making sure the coast is clear for the moment. "I appreciate you letting me hide here."
*
When warned about people not being nice Kori frowns at Akihiro. "Are you trying to trick me into eating leaves? Because they often do not taste very nice." Handshake complete she takes a sip from one of the cups. "I did not know you had any powers friend Julie. Congratulations! I hope they are not as painful looking as those metal claws seem to be." She shrugs. "And do not worry friend Lorna. I am very hard to hurt. I was shot recently but it only tickled a little."
*
A blink and then another as Akihiro extended his claws. "You're.. the third person I've met that has something like that." She mumbled, her brows furrowing. "Mister Logan and my friend Laura. She's never extended them, but I can sense them anyways." She glanced back toward Kori and she smiled lamely.
"Some people eat various kinds of leaves, Kori. Tea is just one way to kinda.. So is salad." She mumbled.
"And I'm glad to know you're tougher than you look. I'm really not.. so, ha.. I can deflect bullets. But my father told me it's safer to stop them entirely.."
*
Julie nods to Akihiro, a bit Japaneseily, actually. Eyes just widen a bit about the metal blades. Says to Akihiro, "Sarright, looks like those guys can go say they're liable to end up with more trouble than they banked on if they mess around with Mutant Town." Dizzy nods to what Lorna says and winks to Kori. "Who's got powers?" Mutants have to hide in this world, after all. She shrugs. "I can do some stuff. Even, I can *mess* with bullets but there's no telling which way they'll go if I do, so …Better to do something else, if I can."
*
"Oh, no. You don't eat the leaves, you steep them. You'll have a bad time if you eat them." Akihiro can't help but chuckle. That's ridiculous after all, and it isn't like he knows she's from another planet. When Lorna mentions Logan and Laura, he looks over and nods. "Well, he's father. I'm not entirely sure /what/ Laura is to me. Glad to hear she kept away from Weapon X and is doing fine. I wasn't quite as lucky in that regard."
He looks over at Julie and cracks a grin, "One day we won't have to hide, or fight in the streets to live. Don't imagine it'll be any time soon, but time is one thing I have."
*
"Oh yes! What powers. I remember," Starfire says, offering Julie the least surreptitious wink possible. "I am disappointed that you do not think I look tough. It seems I most definately need to resume my personal training regime. My teachers back home would probably be very disappointed it has taken me this long." Her head tilts. "Who or what is a Weapon X? It does not sound very friendly."
*
Lorna shrugged at the play over the question of powers, and huffed. It was Mutant Town. If you weren't a mutant here, people weren't necessarily kind. Never mind that her green hair made her stick out. She reached up to twist her ponytail at the nape of her neck before her gaze settled back on Akihiro. Her brows furrowed, "Wait, Mister Logan is your dad? That's totally so weird." Her nose wrinkled, "Why aren't you at the Mansion then? And I second Kori's question. What's weapon X?"
*
Julie nods, conceding she wonders what 'Weapon X' is, too, by now. "Maybe there ain't any such thing for us lately. Logan's got a mansion? Don't seem the type, really." She considers a moment, and fishes out a rumpled pack of Chesterfields (she doesn't smoke often) and offers them around. "Well, Kori, could be the wardrobe. I'm sure that looks tough where you's from, but, well, you know."
*
"Ah, the Weapon X program is what made us what we are. Turns mutants into weapons basically. Logan was the tenth experiment and first success, I was the forteenth. I made the mistake of joining up with them thinking I could handle myself. A year later I'm full of metal, and I can't even remember all the people they made me kill." Akihiro's grin turns into a thoughtful frown. "Logan, Jean, and the other's didn't take to kindly to me joining them. I haven't had a chance to talk to the Professor, it's the professor's mansion by the way, since I got back. But I don't know if there's any programming left I don't know about."
*
Starfire blankly stares at Akihiro. "That sounds horrible. I… understand a little of what that must be like." Her hands ball into fists. "I wish I could help you stop these people somehow." She scowls and then takes a sip from a different cup. "You should talk with your father and try clear things up. I am sure everyone will forgive you in time." The cigarette offered by Julie gets a confused look. She takes one and sniffs at it. "This smells unpleasant."
*
Julie nods, there. She's hiding shock about some of the content of what Akihiro said about Weapon X and stuff. "Err, yeah, Kori don't know about the place, no one's supposed to anyway, even around here. Shangrila, all that." She considers a while. "So who's the guys that do this to us?" She taps the side of her head. "You got a programming? If they put a buncha transistors up here I know a guy who knows all about that kinda stuff."
Dizzy sort of errs to Starfire. "More things people do with leaves." She lights one with a zippo, and leaves the pack out for now. It's 1964: a *lot* of people smoke. Everywhere. Present company likely haven't seen Diz do it before, herself, it seems an occasional thing for her.
*
"With my healing factor I don't get anything out of smoking, so I quit last year." Akihiro reaches up to brush the hair from his face. "And my father isn't exactly the speaking kind. He almost cut my head off when he saw me the last time. Literally. But he just met me last year, so I can't blame him for not caring."
He looks over at Julie, "Canadian government, from what I gathered. I'll tell you this much. I've been shot, stabbed, set on fire, ran over, beaten, and electrocuted. Nothing compares to having that damn metal bonded to your skeleton. Once it isn't molten anymore you can't reshape it, so they have to do it while it's hot."
*
"I am glad no-one has added metal to my bones. That sounds… unsanitary and very messy," Starfire says solemnly. "I have yet to visit Canada but if that is something they allow then I may avoid it." She squeezes the cigarette a few times, then sniffs at the smoke in the air. "This activity does not make sense to me. The smoke has a vile taste… But I suppose I could not understand fully as I do not have lungs."
*
Julie raises her eyebrows a bit there. Glances at Akihiro's hands and where his blades came from his hands. "Man, and I thought I knew bodywork." Yes, she puns. "Who the frick do Canadians want someone to go kill in the first place, though?" Adds, mildly to Kori, "Not everything people do is necessarily going to make sense, especially with tastes like yours. We'll just find some things you do like and there you are."
*
"You'd be surprised. It's all military stuff." Akihiro looks back over to Starfire. "You've gotta be able to heal for them to do it without killing you, usually. But now my bones are practically unbreakable, and so far I haven't found anything my claws can't cut through. Even a few mutants who thought they were invincible."
*
Starfire tilts her head, looking at Akihiro's hands with new found respect. "That is most fascinating. Do you mind if I..?" She reaches out a hand tentatively. "I do not wish to be stabbed however." She looks back to Julie. "I have found many things I enjoy. Have you listened to 'the jazz' before? It is most pleasing! I hear all kinds of music broadcast over the radio frequencies."
*
Julie puffs a bit. "I'm already surprised. Wow, though. Keep meeeting a lotta folks I could really use around the body shop sometimes. Those things looked like they cut real clean, too. Guess I better make sure I don't end up in some Canadian Army mutant motor pool or something," she winks.
"Hard to beat New York radio for variety, though."
*
"You ask real nice and I'll give you a hand." Akihiro says with a wink towards Julie, before offering his actual hand to Starfire. "You should be fine, I'm not sure if they have any other types of mutants there." His gaze turns to the alien that was reaching for his hand, "What do you have in mind there?"
*
"I wish to know if such a weapon would harm me," Kori answers earnestly. "Do not worry friend Julie, if the people of Canada try and force you to fight against your will I promise I shall make them reconsider." She takes a sip from the now rather tepid cup of milky tea. "I think many of these drinks are best enjoyed warm." And at that she dips a finger in the cup, it glows green for a moment and the liquid inside bubbles and boils. "Much better!"
*
Julie laughs, "Like the lady says, a chick never knows when you gotta cut your way outta something." She peers at what Starfire does. "I still don't get how you do what you do."
*
A single claw extends, but rather than the two on the top from last time, it's one that extends out from below his palm. "Careful. They really are sharp." He looks over at the liquid she boiled and frowns slightly. "You might not want to drink that now, you can make the milk go bad if you heat it too much."
In regards to Julie he nods a few times. "That's damn right. You never know what'll go down." He grins a bit at the last comment, "How do any of us do what we do?"
*
"How I do what?" Starfire wonders, pricking her finger on the outstretched claw. While her skin offers a lot more resistance than most mutants would there is still a little droplet of very unusually maroon coloured blood. Her finger glows green and it fizzles away. "That does indeed hurt. How interesting! I will have to be more cautious in the future. It seems America… and Canada I suppose.. is full of surprises!"
*
Julie just whoas, explaining to Stabbyhands, Junior, "I guess everything tastes different to her. She could think curdled milk is great for all we know." She adds to Kori. "Tea and coffee, pretty good if you ice it, if that don't work out for you."
*
The claw retracts and Akihiro cleans up what little bit of blood is left over off of himself. He doesn't have a trick like Starfire to make it go away, but you can't have everything. "Hey, power to her if that's the case. But I've got one hell of a sense of smell, so it usually just turns my stomach." He reaches down to take his jacket up, unfolding it and slipping it on now that he doesn't have to worry about those people spotting him anymore.
"Kori, was it?" The teen looks her dead in the face. "It's best not to underestimate anybody. The second you think there's nobody that can hurt you, you've lost."
*
"My first concern has typically been the safety of others," Starfire explains solemly, inspecting the cut which seems to have already stopped bleeding. "And please rest assured I have received a full education in the arts of war. Both theoretical and practical. You do not need to be concerned about my safety." She sips the heated tea and shrugs. "It tastes nice to me. I am unable to tell what other beings taste. Although I have heard of beings who can. None who live nearby though."
*
Julie nods, there, to Akihiro's observation, and winks to Starfire. "I know a guy." She waves when someone doling out coffees appears. "Hey, howsabout a regular coffee over here?" Adds back to Starfire, "Well, a guy who maybe can. And thanks, by the way. Hopefully I don't need saving from the Canadians, but I ain't so tough as you guys. Can fix things and drive like no one's business, though. And as for driving, you know there's always someone better or faster. Can't live your life worrying about that, though. Just you don't forget that. Some boys do, end up cracking up."
*
"I always liked a girl that could kick my ass." Akihiro leans back, thinking a bit. "Before they sent me to learn how to kill people, I was trained as a samurai. My adoptive family hadn't been samurai in close to ninety years, but pride is a hard thing to put down. But our country was home to Sun Tzu, the man that wrote the Art of War. We still lost the war, but America had to nuke us."
*
"I always liked a girl that could kick my ass." Akihiro directs towards Starfire with a grin, before leaning back and thinking. "Before they sent me to learn how to kill people I was trained as a samurai. It's been ninety years since the samurai class was outlawed, but pride is a hard thing to put down. But our country was home to Miyamoto Musashi, a great swordsman and the author of Go Rin no Sho. When I do fight with swords, I use two of them myself."
*
Julie ahs, "Guess that depends your definition of losing. My Mama helped weld up some of the ships that beat your folks. Not giving up the pink slip's one thing, not knowing when you got shut down's another. Kinda glad we're all on the same side that way now, though. My Uncle Angelo was out of Okinawa for the Korea thing. Got some neighbors on the other coast that's good friends, run this steakhouse across the road from his shop. I picked up a bit of the language and stuff."
*
Starfire looks blankly at Akihiro, then quizzically at Julie. "I am not sure what that means," she notes bluntly. "Is there any reason someone would enjoy being kicked in their ass?" She shrugs. "I think I flew past Japan on the way to China. The language is quite interesting though. As is Korean. I wish there were more books in languages other than English within American libraries."
*
"I mean I like a woman that's strong and capable. It was a compliment of sorts, even if it was a bad one." Akihiro explains himself, flashing a smile that shows off his sharp canines. Then his attention turns to Julie. "If we weren't so hung up on the old ways, I think we could have won. Not that I side with the Axis. I'm half Canadian anyway."
*
"Local sayings are hard to pick up," Starfire explains. "I have only been in America for a few weeks now. So the idiums are still new to me." She smiles. "I should probably finish my coffee and fly home. I have to wash my dress so I can resume visiting areas outside mutant town. And I think this is best done at high tide… So I better get everything ready in time!" She quickly drains each cup of coffee and tea one after the other. "It has been nice speaking with you all." She slips into flawless Japanese <Please try not to fall from the sky in future. You could cause injury to someone if you landed on them>
*
Julie hehs. "Way my Uncle has it, it was all over but the long slog of it after Midway. The, err, Japanese, lost the advantage they started with, there, cause we weren't so armed up, here, at first, and then we just had more sooner." Blue-collar greasemonkey she is, that's apparently got a bit of family pride in it. Sighs. "Anyway, no disrespect intended about old ways, just sometimes the old ways don't apply. Mi familia's old country started out learning that the hard way, too."
*
"Normally I'd offer you use of my facilities, but I'm homeless." Akihiro admits with a slight shrug. "You stay safe out there, swoop down and see me sometime." He shoots Starfire a teasing wink before looking over at Julie. "Just how it goes sometimes. Don't think the Americans were prepared to see us kill ourselves off when the arrived."
*
With a wave Starfire scoops up her library book, steps out away from the cafe table, and leaps skywards. A few moments later anyone with good hearing will pick up a faint sonic boom.
*
Julie smirks. Waves as Starfire goes. "Well, she's really something else, isn't she." Says, "Guess that's what I mean about definitions of winning, versus not knowing you lost. Six of one, half dozen the other sometimes. Japan wanted a Pacific Empire, they tried to take *us* out of the picture to get it. They weren't gonna get it after they bet their best on it and lost, really. Can't beat American steel once we put ourselves to it. Dragging out the end of it is why it had to get so bloody even when all Japan had to do was say 'Uncle.' As it was the Germans found out what happens when you wait so long to back down the *Russians* get half of your country. Cause that woulda been part of what come next if the atom bombs didn't work." She sighs a bit and pauses, as a round of coffee comes around. She fishes out a bill and says. "Hey, I got his, too." Then, she says "Now everyone's got the things, so who wins there, I dunno. Anyway, I know some folks in the neighborhood can put you up till you get on your feet or something here."
*
"America's alright. Convince your people you're the best, and they'll run off and die for it in droves. In the end nobody won." Akihiro pushes up to his feet and sighs quietly. "I appreciate it, but I might want to head on out. May see about going ahead and talking to Xavier if I can. But not too sure I want to just walk up. Jean damn near ripped me apart last time."
*
Julie nods. "I can work something like that out, I figure. You got a regular way to contact you? Otherwise I'll leave word at the Eight Ball. Or the Professor, well, he's got this thing he does."
*
"Yeah, he's got on my ass about thinking swear words in the hall before." Akihiro chuckles, scratching at the back of his neck. "But, not right this second. The best place to find me is at The Duck. But people do get punched in the face there from time to time."
*
Julie also offers a hand, when Akihiro makes to go. "Anyway, see you around, don't worry about it." Smiles a bit. Girls don't shake hands much in these times, but there's American ideas of being a good sport and things, which are different from Bushido. Except apparently what happens when someone's home is threatened, maybe. "All right, wherever that is. But I got some friends could apparently keep the Canadian Army off me."
*
"I'll see you around." Akihiro takes the offered hand in a shake and flashes Julie a smile. "And it's around Harlem. Logan knows where it is." The teen offers a wave and raises his hood, heading back out.
*