13857/Birthdays on a Boat Interlude: Dubrovnik Blues

Birthdays on a Boat Interlude: Dubrovnik Blues
Date of Scene:	05 October 2021
Location:	M/Y Surprise, Adriatic, West of Dubrovnik
Synopsis:	How do you go from relaxing in a hot tub to talking about Hades (and corporate finance)? That's right. Swimming shorts!
Cast of Characters:	Jax Miller, Kit Killovarras, Nightingale, Sunspot

---

Jax Miller has posed:
    It's been a day since the visit to Casa Caradenza has come to an end, and M/Y Surprise has set out from port to the disappointment of the many tourists that had started to flock to Francavilla al Mare in the hope of catching a glimpse of the superstar that was rumored to be visiting, and to gawp at the big white boat that was taking up literally all of the harbor space. Captain Tala couldn't be away fast enough, and the yacht was leaving a wide wake behind, its bows lifted slightly as the vessel accelerated to twenty knots ... and stayed there until they were well out into the Adriatic.

    Early in the evening, the lights of the Balkan coast hove into view, and the ship altered course to head south, and begin making its way to Greek waters to hail first an foremost at Corfu. But that was still some time off, and for now there is nothing for the guests aboard to do but to enjoy the facilities of the yacht.

    Which, oddly as it might seem for some, meant that Jax could currently be found in the hot tub on the sun deck, eyes closed and seemingly asleep in the warm, bubbling water.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Sleeping in a hot-tub is not a wise idea, especially with a mischievous yeen around, though thankfully he's not feeling too terribly evil at the moment. Nope! He's just going to slink down into the hot-tub himself and relax a bit himself for a few moments and if the feline doesn't awaken due to his presence? He may eventually give a soft bark at the cat, see how poor Jax responds.

Something that would have become apparent though from time spent in close-ish quarters with him is that Kit is, for some reason or another, remarkably quiet when he moves. If he doesn't want to be heard he wont be and even with heightened senses, it could often times be hard to hear the creature approach.

Jax Miller has posed:
    Beware you unwary, for a sleeping cat is rarely ever fully asleep. Pretty sneaky himself, Jax seems to delight in having met someone who can give him a run for his money when it comes to skulking about, and although he might not be fully on his guard, it's hard not to notice the water level in the hot tub rising for a moment. Hmmm. Someone getting in without making a sound? That's a very short list.

    "Water's fine, Kit, hop on in."

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Well then, no bark needed but Kit'll give a little chuckle in it's place. "Aah, so you're not fully out." he says with a smile, sinking into the water right up to his chin, even if it does mean being in a weird position under the water due to his height.

Jax Miller has posed:
    There it, luckily, room to stretch in this hot tub sized for eight, and Jax only appears tall because he carries himself that way. It's almost surprising how regular sized he appears when relaxing like this. Almost too short for his age. "Sorry 'bout Venice, man. But I couldn't talk the captain out of it. And I think she's right this time around... probably best to do the unexpected and double back to Corfu." Even if he'd been looking forward to taking his friends in a gondola and sing along with the songs of the gondoliers in the Canal Grande.

    "Two days, max, and we'll be in Greece. I'm betting Shannon's excited."

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Kit gives a little shrug and a quiet chuckle as he muses, "All the same to me, no need to apologize." with a little smile. "And I bet, though honestly I don't think she's stopped being excited this entire trip." Then he sticks his tongue out at the feline for a moment before going back to lounging.

He's quiet for a moment or two, enjoying the moment before he finally gives a simple, "So, Greece huh? I've always loved Greek food. Can't cook it to save my life though." apparently yeen's always think with their stomachs. "Either way, how're you doing?"

Jax Miller has posed:
    "Give me Keftedes, or give me death." Jax dramatically intones, grinning, eyes still closed. "But I'll settle for Souflaki, or Tsatsiki. Or, you know, anything ever cooked by the Greek cuisine ever." The grin subsides for a moment, and the cat mutant shrugs, finally opening his eyes.

    "I'm good. Just glad everyone is enjoying the trip. I mean, it's nowhere near exciting as saving the world I suppose, but you hafta see the world to enjoy it, to know what it is you're saving. And see a part of the world that doesn't go out of its way to hate mutants, y'know?"

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Theres a bit of a laugh at the comment about saving the world, then Kit glances to Jax and quirks a brow. "Are you kidding? I'd take this over 'saving the world' any day.. Though honestly I don't think I'll ever really be in that position anyways."

He gives a little shrug and sighs, letting his ears splay out a little as he actually relaxes. "Part of the reason I left home was to see the world and honestly? This is a hell of a way to do it. Loads better than spending a few weeks on a cargo hauler." maybe that's why he never really had to adjust to being on a boat.

Jax Miller has posed:
    "Better food, better accommodation, less deck space." Jax shrugs again, as if apologising that the yacht can't quite compare in size to a container ship.

    "You know, if it had been up to me, I'd never have left home until it was time to go to university and pick a team. See the world? Seen it, got the t-shirt. Now... I dunno. Don't get me wrong, I like this, but... I dunno. Football seems so normal after everything I've seen in the last year."

    Blink.

    "Please don't tell my dad I said that."

Kit Killovarras has posed:
"More stability, less of a threat of a container coming unshelved and crushing you to death.. Yeah, this is all around better." Kit says with a little grin, then the 'please don't tell my dad' comment actually gets him laughing as he shakes his head. "No worries there," he says after a few moments and offers a smile.

Again, a moment of thought before he sighs and sticks his tongue out at the feline, musing, "You've probably been pampered like this most of your life," with a little chuckle, "So it feels normal. I'd say if you wanted something exotic by comparison, you should try living like I do, but realistically I wouldn't want to subject you to that."

Jax Miller has posed:
    For a moment, there is a very dark look on Jax's face. Those ears lay flat, and his teeth, normally always half covered not to appear threatening, are bared. It's just a moment, just a fraction of a moment, but it glimpsed the apex predator that Jax might have become, had his life been any other way. "A lot of people think that, yeah..." he allows at the end, going back to his seemingly aloof posture.

    "And a lot of people would be wrong. But it's hard to explain without sounding like the most entitled asshole in the whole Mediterranean, and that's a really high bar."

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Kit watches that moment of change very, VERY closely, but he doesn't seem too terribly phased in the moment and just gives a little shrug in response. "You don't have to worry about that around me, Jax. Everyone has their problems, no matter what kind of world they come from," There's a strange look in his eyes as he says that last bit, but it's quick to fade behind that smile of his as he adds, "If you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here."

Jax Miller has posed:
    "I'm talking about..." and Jax spreads his arms, turning his torso, trying to encompass the entire yacht. An impossible task, given its size, but he has a good go at it. "... this. All this. It's not mine. My parents own it, and only because my grandparents sold it to them for a bargain. Dad own the tender and the jet skis and all the water toys, but the yacht technically belongs to mom. Because grandpa wanted a bigger boat, and this Sunseeker was ten years old, so he didn't want it anymore." And breathe.

    "The house in Buffalo? The team pretty much bought that for dad. The place in Aspen? Grandpa's old place. The place in the Hamptons? Mom's place, because grandma wanted a place for me to run around in that wasn't on the other side of the country. I grew up on grampa's farm until I was six, until mom and dad thought it was safe for me to come down to New York. Half of my friends hung out with me because I was a curiosity, the other half because my parents have money. You know what it's like? Having to worry every time someone is nice to you because there's a good chance they're just out for your parent's money? It sucks."

Kit Killovarras has posed:
There's a moment that Kit just stares, then he shakes his head for a moment and stands up, hopping out of the hot-tub for a few moments before coming back with a cell-phone, leafing through it before handing it to Jax. "Nah, I don't know what that's like, but there's a reason for that.." The phone holds an image of Kit, though nowhere near a way that Jax would have ever seen him. He's wearing crimson silks, an elegant vest of purple and gold and a sarong trimmed in gold as well. He's wearing jewelry too, an ankle band made of gold and platinum, a chain belt with dozens of coins hanging from it, an armband coiled around his right arm, the works.

"Honestly though, sometimes I wish I did know what that's like and yeah, I know how that probably sounds." He gives a little chuckle and tilts his head ever so slightly. "Truth is? You and everyone from school? You guys are the first friends I've had.. Ever." He gives a little shrug, then settles back in, up to his neck and goes back to relaxing.

Jax Miller has posed:
    There's a soft 'awww' when Jax sees those pictures, and actually smiles. A few glances between the picture and Kit as he is now, and the cat mutant settles down as well, until his chin is halfway submerged. "I'd show you the pictures of the old mascot, mutant or meme era, but... Let's just say there was a time that some people thought I'd make a cute fashion model. Man, I'm lucky to have escaped that one. Most designers? Zero concept of places to keep a tail."

    Another sigh, but this one of relaxation, as the hot water bubbles away and the lights of Dubrovnik go past on the port beam. "I just don't know what I want to do with my life. And I've got the kind of family that pretty much expects me to have figured it out by now."

Kit Killovarras has posed:
There's a twitch of his nose and his ears visibly flush a little at the 'aww' and he sticks his tongue out at the cat for a moment, then Jax mentions the whole fashion model thing and Kit just laughs, though it's short lived, since his jaw opens wide enough that he winds up gagging on a bit of the hot-tub water and makes a face, trying not to cough up a lung.

Once he regains himself he gives a little grin and as he muses, "Wouldn't mind seeing em." before shaking his head and chuckling a bit. "Seriously though, some people never really figure it out. Personally? I try to live for the moment. We all have a world of expectations put on us and most of us will never live up to them, Jax." He gives a little shrug, then adds, "Find what makes you happy and fuck what other people expect of you."

Jax Miller has posed:
    "Aw man, I wish I could." Jax laments and sighs again. "But I'm a role model. Got my face on a whole mutant positive campaign, there's teams in three major franchises that are looking at me to promote sports camps for mutant kids..." Another sigh and Jax actually slips under the water, leaving just his ears visible like the periscope of a furry submarine.

    He stays under for nearly half a minute before coming back up, and continues as if there had been no interruption. "My dad wants me to become a football player. I like football, but a lot of teams don't want to start signing on a mutant. Y'know, precedent." He ticks it off on his fingers. "Mom says I can play whatever sport I like, and I'm pretty good at basketball and baseball too, never mind the joke from the commercial. Grandpa says I should grow up and go to Harvard, or Yale, or any of the Ivy League universities, and not waste my time on sports. Grandma says I'd still make a good fashion model. Personally I like sports, I like music, and I can play guitar like you wouldn't believe..." A deep sigh... "And I kinda want to become a vet, but there's no way I'm smart enough for that."

Kit Killovarras has posed:
"I'd love to hear you play one of these days." Kit says when the guitar is mentioned, but then there's the statement about wanting to be a vet and not thinking he's smart enough and Kit just tilts his head and quirks a brow at him, staring like that for a long few moments before he simply smiles and muses, "You really shouldn't doubt yourself. You're capable of being anything you want to be if you put your mind to it and apply yourself." Then he stretches for a moment before sitting up, studying the feline for a moment before he adds, "And as for being a role model? What do you think it'd be better to teach people.. To live the life you're expected to by others? Cost be damned? or to find something meaningful in life that actually makes you happy?"

Jax Miller has posed:
    "Can I think about that one for a while? Get back to you when I figure it out in, say... about twenty years?" Jax laughs, then stretches out in the tub.

    "Someone told me that there's more than one way to be a hero. And if I stopped a few dozen mutants from doubting themselves so much they got that stupid 'mutant cure' last year, then I suppose that's kind of like being a hero. If I can get the major franchises from accepting mutants as players, that'll make me one hell of a big damn hero, even if I never get to play professionally myself. But if I want to play, or try to play, then I need to join a college team soon, or I'll never have that chance. Even if I fuck it up, even if I'm not good enough to play starting Quarterback like my dad, even if I wash out of the AFL..." that gets a shudder. "... at least I'll have tried, y'know? And who says I can't study to be a vet and play a college team at the same time? They wanna give me a full ride scholarship as long as I join the team? Fine, but I'm gonna use that opportunity to actually study too."

Kit Killovarras has posed:
"No point in looking for a cure for what you are in my opinion," Kit says with a little chuckle. "And yeah, sounds about right. There's more than one way to be a hero, whether it's to the masses or just to a few people whose lives you make a little better, it's never less appreciated." When Jax mentions using a scholarship to actually study, Kit just gives a little grin and muses, "Just remember to balance out the blows to the head with a few extra hours with your nose in a book and it should be fine."

Jax Miller has posed:
    "Pfft, as if I've never been concussed before." Jax half laughs and then makes a very elaborate pantomime of leaning back, throwing his arms over the back of the tub, missing, and sliding down under the water... only to come up a few seconds later and do exactly as he intended to, as if nothing had happened. "My brain still think good."

    Grin.

    "Seriously though, the game's not as violent as a lot of people think. Not if you're quick, and you're about seventy percent muscle by body mass."

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Kit just quirks a brow at him when he does that little pantomime and shakes his head with a chuckle. "Still dangerous." he says when Jax explains that the game's not as violent as some people think, "But at least it's better than hockey I guess. At least you don't have as much of a risk of having your face cut up by someone being a dick."

Then he shrugs a bit and shakes his head a bit, letting the fur along the back of his neck fluff up a bit before settling it back down. "I've always wanted to play a sport but realistically, I'd probably freak out everyone around me the moment I started getting winded."

Jax Miller has posed:
    "Play baseball then, few minutes of action, half an hour of sitting down." Ouch. "Or try to get a slot as a kicker on the special team. Sit around, drink gatorade, trot on the field to kick a field goal, sit your ass back down on the bench. Or hey, if you are a kicker for the Patriots, you'll never actually have to do anything all season." OUCH!

    Another stretch and Jax looks around, noticing that there's no drinks nearby, and that simply will not stand. "Want a drink? I'm about to get me one."

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Kit tilts his head at the comments, though it seems like a lot of the suggestions - jokes or not - fly over his head. "Problem is, the only sport I'm actually good at is basketball." He gives a little shrug and chuckles, adding, "Being six-foot-six helps with that one though at least."

Then a drink is offered and Kit gives a little smile and a nod, "Yes please."

Jax Miller has posed:
    "Pretty good at that myself. Size isn't everything in basketball, but it does help." And Jax stands up, stepping out of the tub, shivering his fur for a moment to fling water droplets absolutely /everywhere/, and then pads over to the bar catering to the sun deck. There, in the fridge under the counter, are all his favorite drinks, or at least all of those easily available in the Mediterranean. He comes back with two cans of San Pellegrino Aranciata (pretentious orange juice) and tosses one can to Kit when he's halfway across the deck, retracing his own wet paw prints.

    Silently. Utterly silently. Those toe pads make no sound whatsoever.

    And then he heaves himself back into the tub, cracks open the can and has a long drink. "Ah. Better."

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Kit watches the feline walk to the bar, studying his every move with another little flush through his ears, but at least he's good at not vocalizing the things he's thinking. When the drink is tossed to him though, he gets this slightly weird look on his face as he follows it's path and instead of using his magic or his paws to snatch it out of the air? For a split second, it looks like he's let it fall into the water, his face and gaze following it, but there's no splash.

Nope! He's caught it with, of all things? His tongue... It's ashen black, just like his nose and paw pads and apparently, it's entirely prehensile and long enough to wrap at least once or twice around the can with no real issue. "Like ah sthed," he manages around the tongue before dropping the can into a paw, "It'd probably freak people out if I got winded around them."

Jax Miller has posed:
    There is a moment where Jax just stares, blinking, the can halfway to his lips. And then he remembers his manners and shakes his head as if to clear it, blinking rapidly a few times.

    "Yeah, okay, I see what you mean. Tongue like that, it'll probably end up getting stepped on, and you'd be the first player ever to leave the field 'cause of a sprained tongue. And I'm pretty sure you're not allowed to catch a ball with that either."

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Kit just opens his mouth to say something, but it just shuts a moment later as he cracks the can open and takes a drink, clearing his throat a little before murmuring, "Yeah, no, wrong industry for that sort of thing." with a grin. Then he gives a little shrug and sighs. "Thing's hard to keep under control sometimes when I'm panting, so it can be a pain in the ass to not get stared at sometimes." Then he leans back again, getting comfy as he adds, "Makes for an interesting thing to use for the sake of intimidation though. Bare teeth, lick your maw... don't stop licking until you've hit the tip of an ear." He sticks the tip of his tongue out at the feline for a moment, then takes another sip. "I've done it a few times to just weird someone out enough that they'll forget they were about to fight me."

Jax Miller has posed:
    And it just had to happen. You can't mention that kind of thing in front of Jax and not expect him to have the childish reaction to try that for himself. It's... well, quite frankly, comical. His own tongue can fit over his nose without any issue, which he's quick to demonstrate as if for a warm up, and then he's actually trying to strain his own, much shorter tongue to reach his own ear.

    The facial contortions alone would be worth the price of admission. In the end, when he can't quite reach, he finds out that lowering his ear involves turning his head, which means not actually gaining any advantage for his tongue, but it's nearly half a minute before that realisation seems to hit, at which point his head is practically inverted.

    Does he even have a spine?

    Finally, with a splash of face in water and a lolling, seemingly exhausted tongue, the feline gives up. "Thahss ihmrehsssive hough."

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Kit just watches this, grinning around his drink for a moment before he shows off what it's supposed to look like. His lips pull back ever so slightly and the fur along the back of his neck raises, almost into a mowhawk down the back of his head and neck and he lets his tongue slip along his maw, first up his nose, then across one side of his maw and lets the thing trail all the way up to the tip of one of his perked up ears before it snaps back out, down and into his maw. For eyes that might trail the tongue, watching the weirdness, the entire motion is inevitably meant to emphasize the snarling maw, though this time, it would be more a grin and less of a snarly face. "Good way to make people forget for a minute or two, that my teeth are made for bugs." though even if they are, the fact that he has the fangs and jagged teeth of a predator up front can still be fairly intimidating if used right.

Jax Miller has posed:
    "Yeah, a lot of people will see the tongue, the teeth, think wolf and freak out." Jax agrees, actually grinning. "Works wonders when you're trying to distract someone from a free throw too, perfectly legal. Or when you've just caught the ball after a long pass and there's a defensive player between you and the end zone. A little grin, and they never even come close to you for some reason."

    "By the way, how are the bugs on the boat? Guillaume is a genius when it comes to special cookery, and he's been having fun finding new ways of adding bugs to your meal without making it look like he did."

Kit Killovarras has posed:
"If it can make a strert thug drop their gun, yeah. I don't doubt it'd be a good defense in sports too." Kit says with a smile, letting his fur settle back after a moment. "Good for other things too, like keeping my fur from getting too weird or matted on occasions where a showers not an option." Then the question about the bugs gets a wide grin and a, "phenominal." with a chuckle. "and I'm pretty sure if Shannon probably appreciates how well its been hidden."

Jax Miller has posed:
    "One of the reasons why, actually." Jax grins, drinking again. Aahhh... orange juice in a hot tub on a yacht in the Med. Yeah, he can see why people assume he's spoiled. "I'll pass on your compliments, it'll make his day."

    Where the crew goes when they're not visible? Hard to say. Probably Jax knows, he seems to know every inch of the yacht, but he's not telling. It's uncanny how they seem to be able to appear from places they were never seen walking into.

    "Not gonna lie, I'm gonna miss this when the cruise is over. Good friends, good food, warm weather, no homework..."

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Kit nods slightly and smiles, "No homework I will miss, I'll admit, but you'll still have good friends and good food. Maybe not as good, but still." Then he takes another sip of his drink and shrugs, "Plus, cold weather is a good time to snuggle up and enjoy a warm drink."

Jax Miller has posed:
    "There is that." Jax allows with a smile, relaxing in the hot water. "But by the time we're back at Xavier's, I want to have taught you guys at least a few shanties."

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Kit laughs and grins, "Might be a fun thing to learn. Only one I really know is..." he pauses a moment before he starts to whistle the tune of 'The Good Ship Venus' before he gives a little laugh. "I swear I didn't learn anything my.mother would disapprve of while at sea on a cargo hauler." he says with a laugh.

Jax Miller has posed:
    "Now that's no fun..." Jax grins, putting his can down and practically rubbing his paws together. "Where should we start... 'Sally Brown' or 'Roll and Go'?"

Kit Killovarras has posed:
The words 'Sally Brown' cause the Aardwolfs ears to perk up and he gives a little smile, "I think I've actually heard Sally Brown, but I don't know it by heart, so maybe there?" he says with a tilt of his head, then he decides to press his luck a little and scoots himself up near Jax, not close enough to really be invading personal space, but enough that he could be accused of trying to at the very least.

Jax Miller has posed:
    "Good choice!" Jax grins, theatrically clearing his throat, utterly oblivious to Kit scooting closer. Some suspect that Jax bats for the other team. Some suspect he doesn't even know there's a game on. Always hard to tell, given that he never seems to remain serious enough for long enough to really figure that out.

    When he starts to sing, his voice rings out clear as a bell, and strong enough to begin echoing back from the shoreline.

    ~Sally Brown, she's the gal for me boys,
    Roll, boys! Roll, boys, roll!
    Sally Brown, she's the gal for me boys,
    Weigh, high, Miss Sally Brown!

    It's down to Trinidad to see Sally Brown, boys,
    Roll, boys! Roll, boys, roll!
    Down to Trinidad to see Sally Brown, boys!
    Weigh, high, Miss Sally Brown!

    She's lovely on the foreyard, she's lovely down below, boys,
    Roll, boys! Roll, boys, roll!
    Lovely 'cause she loves me, that's all I want to know boys!
    Weigh, high, Miss Sally Brown!

    Oh Cap'n Baker, how do you store yer cargo?!
    Roll, boys! Roll, boys, roll!
    Some I store forrurd an' some I store af-ter!
    Weigh, high, Miss Sally Brown!

    Fourty fathom or more, below boys!
    Roll, boys! Roll, boys, roll!
    There's fourty fathom or more, below, boys!
    Weigh, high, Miss Sally Brown!

    Weigh, high, yah, an' up she rises!
    Roll, boys! Roll, boys, roll!
    Weigh, high, yah! And the blocks is dif'rent sizes
    Weigh, high, Miss Sally Brown!

    Oh, one more pull, can you hear the mate a-bawlin'?!
    Roll, boys! Roll, boys, roll!
    One more pull, that's the end of our haulin'!
    Weigh, high, Miss Sally Brown!

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Kit's ears perk up in the first verse and he nods, singing along with the feline with a smile. He's apparently heard the song before, but doesn't know all the lyrics. Thankfully, he's good at adjusting, so he's never really more than a half second off lyrically. At the songs end, he gives a laugh and a grin nearly from ear to ear. "Yeah, it's one I've heard, though I never learned the words. Half the time it wound up being one they sang below deck and I was topside half the time, helping check straps and such."

With two voices that can belt out pretty loud, it wouldn't be a surprise if other members heard the howling a bit. Kit and Jax can be found in the hot tub, taking up one side of it all sprawled out and relaxing in the warmth and singing like two drunken sailors with a can of fancy, bubbly OJ each in hand or nearby.

Nightingale has posed:
     With two voices that can carry quite a ways, it was only a matter of time before even those in flight would soon catch on to the song, if it were known to them. Not too terribly far above the M/Y Surprise, in a colorfully embroidered white beach maxi dress, flew a familiar winged singer, who was unable to resist adding her harmony to the voices below--despite the song being anything -but- one normally thought of as sung by heavenly hosts!

"Oh! Sally Brown, she's the gal for me, boys
Roll, boys! Roll, boys, roll!
Sally Brown, she's the girl for me, boys
Weigh high, Miss Sally Brown!"

     Oh, my. Who knew what else was in Shannon's vocal repertoire!

Sunspot has posed:
Roberto Da Costa smiles and joins in the flight if not in the serenade. He zips around the winged wonder a dark counterpoint to her lightness. His flight from thermals and solar thrust rather than muscle power, he orbits her, slowly, in a standing position. Bert is wearing only a pair of linen pants, his torso and feet bare and currently the darkest obsidian of his powers in active use. He makes another iteration around Shannon and nods to the other two.

    Roberto has been checking in and out. He arranged to work from a few of the European branches of DaCosta International to be available to assist when Sam's been called away. He has been showing up a lot to join Shannon for flight training. Roberto chuckles, "I am not familiar with the song... perhaps the girl from Ipanema next?"

Jax Miller has posed:
    Aaaaand, it's roughly then that Jax realises that they have flying company. Well, that, and the sudden stamp of feet on the bridge wing station as Gregor peers upwards in response to the blips that have overtaken the ship on radar. With a nod that all is well, the man returns to his duties on the bridge with a laugh, and singing to himself in a deep bass. Shanties? Seems they happen a lot when Jax is on board.

    As for the cat mutant, having now become aware that there are people /above/ him and Kit, he casually leans sideways and turns the controls for the hot tub, turning up the bubbles.

    Turning the water opaque.

    Then, with absolutely no urgent inflection in his voice, he calls over the deck. "Stavros, sorry to be a pain, but could you bring me up a towel?"

    Yeah.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Well, Jax might be fairly good at being subtle, but the yeen? Those jets go on and the poor aardwolf starts laughing almost uncontrollably before he shifts ever so slightly. There is a very, very brief moment of panic when he slides under the water, mouth-still open from laughing and there's a loud gargling noise as he suddenly snaps back up, coughing loudly and yet, still grinning like a madman.

The insides of his ears, normally a pale, ashen color have a fairly noticeable red to them for the moment as he continues to laugh through the coughing.

When he's finally able to stop, he gives Jax a look and a wild grin, then muses, "Well then, feeling a little exposed?" well below the range of human hearing, his lips barely parting as he does. Then he pokes the tip of his tongue out at Jax before turning his attention to Shannon and Roberto. "Well then, hi." he says with a chuckle, still fighting the urge to start laughing like a maniac again, even taking a sip of his drink to try and stop the giggle-fit.

Boy apparently has no chill.

Nightingale has posed:
     Kit may be able to stop the giggling, but Shannon can't. She's not blind to the water of the hot tub turning opaque with bubbles, and can't quite hold back the mirthful glee that spills forth. She does, however, at least make a point of not staring, instead altering the angle of her flight so that now it is she who orbits around Roberto, and not the other way around, in an odd sort of aerial ballet.

     "Oi, hello down there!" she calls out in reply to Kit. "Is there room for company in there?" Hey--might as well give Jax ample time to compose himself if he chose!

Sunspot has posed:
Roberto Da Costa is Brazilian, with all that entails. He stops his orbit letting Shannon take up the rotation. He smiles easily, not at all embarassed but not wishing to make the situation worse through his indifference to nudity he does remember being surprised by Sam and Rahne's reactions to something he found so natural. He drops close to the deck and picks up a towel from a chaise near wear he and Shannon had begun their training he offers to throw it over to Jax, with casual ease. Waiting until Jax is ready before trying to lob it.

Jax Miller has posed:
    It is at that point that Stavros, the yacht's quite highly polished purser, appears on the sun deck with a towel, aiming a polite smile over to Roberto as if to imply that throwing of towels is perfectly permitted, but slightly superfluous now that he is here to provide the necessary, while not at all wishing to intrude on any towel throwing exercise sir would like to engage upon. That man has an expressive smile.

    And a very, very quick mind.

    "Perhaps, sir, you would like me to..." he begins, raising an eyebrow at Jax.

    "Would you? Much obliged."

    "Right away sir, I will go fetch your shorts."

    This... might not be the first time this has happened.

    And Jax smiles over to Roberto as well, casually grabbing the towel as it's being tossed. "Thank you, much appreciated." It's perhaps not the best way to be first introduced to one of the richest mutants alive, but... ah well. Eccentricity, thy name is Jax. And as if to prove that, he hangs the towel around his shoulders rather than putting it to a more practical use, grinning over towards Kit and Shannon. If they're not going to be embarrassed, he's not going to either. "You don't need to ask permission to come aboard, Shannon. Technically your yacht for the whole cruise, remember?"

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Kit looks up at Shannon, finally able to stop the giggling as he shrugs. "I mean, the more the merrier, right?" he says with a little chuckle, then watches the back-and-forth between Jax and the others, giving the feline a glance and asking, "Do you make a habit of this?" with a quirked brow when Stavros seems to know exactly what to do.

Again, he licks at one side of his muzzle, though he's not about to show off the trick from earlier in front of a crowd apparently. Then his ears suddenly twitch and he looks off towards his quarters with a weird look before he gives Jax another glance and gives him a little smile.

Then the yeen decides to press his luck yet again, leaning over to nose at the felines cheek for a moment before giving a simple, "I've got something I need to check on real quick.." before he gets up out of the hot tub and starts off towards his quarters, waving to the others as he adds, "I'll be back in a bit, hopefully."

Nightingale has posed:
     Chortling softly, Shannon backwings her way to land right next to the hot tub, with a slight wobble in her step. "Urgh... I think landing on moving targets is something I'm going to have to work on a little," she mutters softly, though she smiles at Jax and Roberto. "I know I don't have to ask to come aboard, but well... I didn't know if you two would have preferred to have the time to yourselves for a little while. So... yeah. Courtesy."

     As she ducks behind the nearest doorway, there's a few moments of silence, and then some rustling about. A flutter of white fabric pools to the ground, while she herself is hidden. A few moments later, she's picking up the dress, and stepping out--in a bandeau-style bikini, with ample coverage front and back, in a bold red-and-white hibiscus print. The dress is bundled up and laid off to the side, the winged young woman slipping into the hot tub with a little sigh and a smile. Life was good.

Sunspot has posed:
Roberto Da Costadrops to the deck, taking a few steps into the boat letting his momentum adjust, he rolls up the legs of his linen pants, making them into defacto shorts and sitting at the edge of the hot tub soaking his feet but not venturing fully into the warm bubbling water. He offers a hand to Shannon as she enters the hot tub. He has an easy smile. "This is a lovely day."

Jax Miller has posed:
    "Glad you agree, it is a glorious day." is the easy retort from Jax, after the sudden nose to the cheek from Kit which didn't quite result in the same ear blush from the other mutant, but there's still a slight flush to the inside of his ears, hidden well behind the rather magnificent tufts. But visible. Absolutely visible.

    "I don't think we've ever been formally introduced." the cat mutant casually mentions towards Roberto, extending a hand to the man, the legend. "Name's Jax. Welcome aboard motor yacht Surprise, in case nobody has welcomed you before. I'd get up to offer you a drink, but you find me at a slight disadvantage." At least, until Stavros returns with his swimming shorts.

Nightingale has posed:
     Is that a rosy hue in Shannon's cheeks as she accepts the proffered hand and assistance into the hot tub? No, surely it must be an effect of the steam and warm water! Her wings remain partially extended behind her and mostly out of the water, moving slowly and lazily about, catching the balmy breeze as the yacht speeds through the water. Bubbles and wisps of steam render the water largely opaque, in an oddly Macbeth-esque sort of way.

     She can't help giggling, intoning the classic words. "Double, double toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble...." Her pale azure eyes dance with amusement, and she trails her fingers on the top of the water. "Now all we need in here are those silly little toy vegetables that you give to little ones to play grocery store with. Voila! Student stew!"

Sunspot has posed:
Roberto Da Costa smiles and his gaze does lingers on Shannon as she enters the water. He helps her graciously then nods and smiles to Jax, taking the hand firmly and shaking with an easy firm grip. His skin has faded back to its normal chocolate caramel color. "Gracias, Jax. It is a lovely ship. It's not necessary at all, I am quite comfortable and not at all thirsty. Though, I do appreciate the hospitality." He laughs, "I'm not sure the chef would appreciate the addition to his menu."

Jax Miller has posed:
    "Don't..." Jax holds up a warning hand when Shannon begins the recitation, with mock severity. And then he points over the port side, where the lights of the shore are slowly slipping past as Surprise makes its way South. "That's the Balkan coast. Not a part of the world to start tempting fate." And he ends that with a wink to make it clear he's only being halfway serious. But still. Yeah. Possibly don't.

    "I can guarantee you that Guillaume would never try to cook the ship's guests, but if he did, and that's if, then at least you can be certain he'd make us taste good. Would almost be worth it." But does he make a mental note of that joke? You bet he does.

    "Shall I inquire with the chef if he has a cooking pot large enough, sir?" Stavros mentions as he comes back onto the sun deck, handing over a pair of neatly folded swimming shorts. "Although in the case of sir, perhaps a small oven would suffice?" And with a grin, the purser withdraws. Would he show that kind of cheek to any other guest? Probably not. But it's clear Jax has known this crew for a long time...

    "I wouldn't worry guys, he's probably not plotting to turn us all into dinner."

Nightingale has posed:
     A silvery giggle bubbles forth from Shannon at the rather dry humor being bandied about, though she nods to Jax. No tempting fate. Nope. Not going to happen. "So, the Balkan coast... dare I to hope some historical sites are among our ports of call? Delphi, maybe?" This last was asked, almost as if she were a little one at Christmas time, approaching Santa to ask for a treasured trinket.

     One could always hope, right?

Sunspot has posed:
Roberto Da Costa shrugs easily, "Wouldn't be the first time." He's kidding right? but then you watch him look out at the coast and see the hardness in his gaze and you remember that this is the class that went to Asgard and visited limbo on a regular basis, "The Pass of Thermopylae? This area is rife with history. My Mother spent a score of summers here."

Jax Miller has posed:
    "We're quite a bit north of that, but... we'll probably have a look at that." Jax mentions to Roberto and grins at Shannon. "We're closer to Albania than Greece right now, but, y'know, day or two and we'll be at Corfu. Kefalonia after that, then into the Gulf of Patras, skip old Sparta on the way in, into the Gulf of Corinth, put into Itea, head up to Delphi on foot or horse or something..." or, of course, by wing for those so inclined. "... then west again back to the Gulf of Patras, this time actually spend some time visiting Thermopylae and all the good stuff, then south and around, see the islands, stop over at Mykonos..." because you can't really sail past the greek islands and /not/ have a party on Mykonos "... and back out to Crete and Cyprus, before heading for Egypt."

    Quite the itinerary.

    Quite the distraction while he's surreptitiously putting on his swimming shorts underwater.

Nightingale has posed:
     "Oh, wow. That's one helluva list there," Shannon remarks, whistling low. "I'll have to go through my mythology and see which sites...." The young woman falls oddly silent, her brows lofting as she peers at Jax. "Did you say the gulf of Corinth?" she finally asks, brushing a steam-damp wisp of hair out of her eyes. She remains silent, her gaze somewhat intense as she glances between Jax and Roberto.

Sunspot has posed:
Roberto Da Costa nods, "It is extensive, I will try to be around for as much as I can but I will have to attend to business from time to time. Yes the party scene on several of those islands is quite strong. We had traveled there in the summer one year, Yana ported us over from Mom's dig. You have to go to a rave with DJ Markov if he is still spinning and we can track him down."

    Berto tilts his head regarding Shannon, "Poseidon's temple?"

Jax Miller has posed:
    Hmmm. There's a moment where Jax seems to think hard, as if trying to fully recall something, and then nods. "Yeah. Gulf of Corinth. Y'know, that's... where Delphi is? Well, Captain Tala seems pretty sure, so..." Yeah, she has probably forgotten more about navigation than Jax has ever known. And has made a career out of commanding this very yacht, and probably knows half of the local lore.

    "Am I missing some important legend?" Greek gods, so Jax has found out, are pretty much Shannon's thing, so he's literally asking the local expert now.

Nightingale has posed:
     "Actually... yes," comes the reply. A smile spreads slowly across Shannon's face, as she twirls her fingers idly through the water, playing with the wisps of steam that waft up through the air. "Corinth is the city that chose Poseidon as their patron deity." She simply lets that sit there, leaning back in the water and closing her eyes with a light smile, her wings moving idly to and fro once more. "At least," she adds, "I'm reasonably certain of that, though I should probably double-check my old book of myths just to be sure."

Sunspot has posed:
Roberto Da Costa nods, "That matches with what I remember from my Mother's tutelage. I could reach out if you would like a tour, see of she has any recomendations. I do remember that someone was excavating a site for a possible Troy,"

Jax Miller has posed:
    "Anything you can do to get us a tour of something, I'll gladly take. This trip is all about culture..." yeah, Jax says that with a straight face. Pretty confident acting there, must feel pretty secure now that he's actually wearing shorts. "... I'll have to clear it with the Captain, of course, but shouldn't be an issue."

    Fingers crossed.

    "And man, could you imagine if Poseidon actually popped up to say hello? That would be super weird."

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Having been away for a few minutes at least, Kit walks back into view with a bit of a bug-eyed look as he shakes his head, muttering something about people being crazy before he offers everyone a smile and a wave. "So, what are we talking about?" he asks with a tilt of his head, adding, "Also, sorry I was gone so long. Nearly had a weird emergency, but it's been handled." with a scratch at the back of his head and a weird little chuckle.

After a moment, the yeen would find his way back into the hot tub and sort of just melt into the warmth, giving a little sigh for a moment before he adds, "By the way, apparently the rest of my family wants to meet you guys." with a little wince. "I told my mother I'd let her know when we get back to the school." Then he just sort of sinks down to just about his chin before adding, "Soo, yeah.. prepare for hell some time after we get back.."

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon just grins at Jax and says nothing to his musings about the Earthshaker. Could it happen? Could it really? Stay tuned, dear reader, to find out!

     To Kit, though, she just looks over at him, and groans softly. "Oh, man. They're not going to bring termites with them, are they? My mind will remain open, but my mouth will stay closed." She actually looks a touch green at the memory of the crunchy delicacy that had decided in her case that it was better off left in nature, and not in her gullet! "Still... I bet you miss them sometimes. There's times I miss my folks. Really glad they moved out of Connecticut and more towards the Poconos. Makes it easier to hop on my Vespa or just fly home for a visit."

     Her brow lofts, and she peers over at Roberto. "Really? Is that a site we'd be able to see, or is that closed off to the general public just yet? That'd be wild... I wonder if it actually -is- Troy...."

Sunspot has posed:
Roberto Da Costa pulls out his phone and texts, "I can reach out, see what she is up to. As one of the foremost experts in Greek and Roman antiquities she might even be able to reach out to someone if she can't make it herself. Her students are all over this area." He finishes texting and nods. "Been to a couple of Hells... actually, if I'm remembering my ancient history slash myth geography one of the openings to Hades is around here, relatively speaking... " Berto actually looks a little wostful at the story from Hercules 12 labors but shakes his head, knowing how stories work out.

Jax Miller has posed:
    "Saved you a spot." Jax cheerfully calls out when Kit returns to the warm embrace of the hot water. "And hey, you had to meet my grandparents, only fair we meet your parents." A slight tilt of his head so he can glance at Roberto, texting. "And I hope you don't mind if I don't tell my grandpa we met? 'cause otherwise he'll be pestering me about why we didn't spend the whole time discussing portfolios and investments and stuff like that. Much rather talk about Hades. And Troy. And, seriously, any guided tour, that'd be so amazing."

    Breathe Jax, breathe.

    "Wait wait wait..." and this is for Shannon. "... your folks moved to Pennsylvania, they got the Eagles /and/ the Steelers, and they still like the Patriots? I mean, c'mon!"

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Kit actually winces and sort of just, drifts towards Jax, keeping as much of himself submerged as he can before he glances to him and gives a simple, "Just wait... You'll understand what I mean when you've met them." half-muttered before he looks to Shannon and nods. "I do miss them on occasion and don't get me wrong, I love my family... But they can be a little hard to deal with at the best of times. Plus, there's a LOT they don't know about since I left and I'm pretty sure if my mother knew about half the things I've been through, she'd lose her shit." Thousand yard stare is a word that would properly describe the yeen's eyes right now, yes indeed!

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon rolls her eyes and laughs, reaching out to rest her hand briefly on Kit's shoulder in a gesture of understanding and solidarity. "Oh man, I hear you there! If Mom and Dad had any idea half the shit I've been up to since coming here, they'd go into major freak-out mode. You have my sympathy."

     Shannon grins a little sheepishly at Jax, and bobs her head, her wings ruffling ever so slightly. "What can I say? You can take the people out of New England, but you can't take New England out of the people. They're gonna remain true to the red, white and blue." Mhm, oh yes they do! "I'm just glad they got out of there while the getting was good. When I first got here, there was a problem with Sentinels, and I sort of got roped into things and hit the ground running right from the start. They were living way too close to the heart of things in pretty mutant-unfriendly territory, so I was scared for their safety. They're okay now, though. Moved to the place they got married in, which was real sweet."

     Shannon's brows quirk upwards yet again as she peers over at Roberto, turning more fully towards him. "Wow, seriously? I mean, is that an actual thing, these openings to Hades? Or are those entirely myth?"

Sunspot has posed:
Roberto Da Costa shrugs easily, "I can give you some tips, if you like. Though my personal strategy has been build something that means something to you. Like X-Corporation, or Seraphim Studios or the Sandoval Building building things to help mutants. Provide them with resources and chances to make their lives better. We can talk about an internship if you're interested."

     "Parents are rough, but we miss them when they're gone. Even the horrible ones... sometimes. I mean my Dad was a despicable human being, who did horrible things on a scale a lot of people couldn't even envision, but he did make it possible for me to do a lot of good, and to keep doing good. It hasn't been easy, excising the bad while building the good and there is, honestly, still work to be done, Europe is vile. Their labor practices... don't even get me started but I digress."

    Berto barks out a laughs and shakes his head, "Football is not meant to be played with the hands. Brady, Roethlisberger, please, give me real athletes not pretty boys." He raises an eyebrow at Shannon and sighs, "Sadly, one of my Mom's colleagues, Dr. Helena Sandsmark, has done extensive research into the gates to Hades and says they are just geographic formations, nothing to the myths and rumors."

Jax Miller has posed:
    Yeen in distress? Almost in reflex, Jax reaches over to put an arm around Kit's shoulders, seemingly thinking no more of it. Friend needs comfort and he's nearby to offer it. Simple. Done. And at the same time he nods to Roberto. "Yeah, I've been getting in touch with the major franchises to set up sport camps for mutant kids. They're pretty receptive, especially after the whole 'Just be you' campaign and the mutant cure thing from last year. But yeah, once we're back in New York, mind if I give you a call?"

    At which point two things happen. Shannon defends the Patriots, and Roberto dares take the name of football in vain. Heresy! Heresy has been spoken!

    "Sometimes I wonder why I like people..."