3927/Another Day in the Diner

Another Day in the Diner
Date of Scene:	21 February 2018
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Ali and Alex decide on a plan to get the teenagers to wake up.
Cast of Characters:	Havok, Dazzler

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Havok has posed:
Seated at the back of the diner in the last booth next to the window, Alex Summers is easily spotted in his standard attire. Does he own anything else beyond black combat boots, cargo pants, unstable molecule uniform top and a black jacket with the X symbol on it? Probably not. Because that's really all he ever wears. Maybe in the summer he'll sport swim trunks. Maybe. Today, he's seated with his phone out and casually eating bacon and eggs that are on his plate.

    Other patrons of the Mutant sort grace the diner, many sit at the bar, some others in booths. But they all know Alex as Havok, they all seem to idolize him as they glance in his direction from time to time with the conversations and speculations. Sometimes he'll be approached by the wayward mutant who wants to know about the adventures of the X-Men. Other times, autographs, but in any case. He is seen as an idol of mutant rights and mutant justice. But nothing like the superstar mutants; ala Dazzler.

Dazzler has posed:
    Alison Blair has also been spending more time in Mutant Town these days, expecially in the aftermath of the attempted mutant round-up. This morning, like yesterday, it's breakfast at Fred's. And even though she's dressed in street clothes there are more than a few people who recognize her from her pop-star days.

    Signing a couple of autographs on the way inside, the blonde looks around and spots a familiar face. Alex is given a small smile as she heads on over, calling to a waitress along the way. "Coffee and a bagel, please?"

Havok has posed:
Looking up to her approach, Alex smiles and says, "What's shakin, Ali McBacon." amusing himself with an old reference to some skinny television attorney who needed to eat more bacon. He pushes the off button on his phone and pushes it aside before lifting his glass and drinking iced tea while watching her approach.

Dazzler has posed:
Dazzler smirks at that, making a sound that's not -quite- a gigglesnort. She slides into the booth across from him, scooting over a bit as she replies. "You're thinking Ally McBeal, you old fart." And yet she grins, looking quite relaxed now. And pleased that there's nothing at the moment which requires saving. "How've you been, Alex?"

Havok has posed:
"Spectacular." comes his answer with a pleased tone of feeling great. He takes a bite of bacon, then adds, "Funny thing. On the alternate Earth, the show was still on television. Then again, the year was different too. So it was just a few years into production. Skinny Calista Flockhart and Portia DeRossi were still so young and sexy."

Dazzler has posed:
Dazzler eye-rolls at that, letting out a theatrical sigh. "Please tell me you're not one of those guys who only looks at girls that are Size 1 or less." she replies. As for Alison? Her size is still well into single digits. But waaay past Size 1.

Havok has posed:
"Oh heck no." Answers Alex with a chuckle. "That girl was a twig and easily broken. I prefer girls with large posteriors and I cannot prevaricate." Then he laughs.. "Get it, 'big butts and cannot lie'?" He's on a roll today. In a way better mood than his brother would ever be in.

Dazzler has posed:
Dazzler groans loudly, leaning her forehead into her hand as she head-shakes. "I'm not sure whether I like you when you're more serious or not." she replies. "We'll just have to see... when Baby gets back. To the mansion, that is." Okay, so she's not as good at this as he is.

Havok has posed:
He produces his own set of groans. "Yeah... you stick to music. I'll stick to the puns. Anyway.." Alex drinks and continues, "You're heading back to the mansion? I've heard you've been stalking these streets. Figured you were staying 'on your own'."

Dazzler has posed:
Dazzler nods slowly to that, smiling as her coffee and bagel are brought over. "Not so much 'on my own', as trying to be discrete." she replies. "Not wearing my X-Men battle gear or anything." unlike him. "Figured I'd hang out in case whoever or whatever it was decides to make an encore performance."

Havok has posed:
"I personally have no clue what's going on. Other than there's trouble in paradise. I've not encountered anything personally that I could trace back to the disappearances or the events that are transpiring. If anything, I figure mutants were afraid and were moving into the sewers with the Morlocks. Maybe hiding out to avoid anything that may present as a threat. Mystique really screwed things up. Magneto is on the lamb. And Lorna is doing her best out in Genosha, but to be honest, she's overwhelmed. I think things are about to turn really bad for our kind, and you may want to start wearing that Battle Gear, least under your clothing. Cause there could be someone with a lucky shot and then it'd be lights out for the Dazzler." - lights out... the puns even though he's super serious.

Dazzler has posed:
Dazzler shakes her head as well. "My information is incomplete and somewhat anecdotal. Military people rounding up mutants, powers being dampened, that sort of shit." She chuckles at his mention of battle gear, tilting her head. "How do you know I'm not? But I'm also really comfortable in fight, even without my powers."

Havok has posed:
Alex notes quietly, "A bullet can take us both out with relative ease. We're not Piotr or Rogue. We're glass canons that have been really lucky all these years. Perhaps we never consented to the event of fatal damage. Our wills and skills were just too strong. But battle armor is the best way to stay safe. At least to an extent." Then he takes a bite and looks around. "Even now, the military guys could have a sniper in that building." He points across the street. "These windows aren't bulletproof."

Dazzler has posed:
"You're paranoid, Alex." she replies, taking a sip of her coffee. "And I refuse to go clanking around in battle armor just because some sniper could be lurking around the corner. This is New York, not Afghanistan." She smirks, then adds. "Besides, I've taken some pretty good hits in the past and have lived to talk about it."

Havok has posed:
"Oh, I was thinking more like the standard uniforms we all wear. They provide a good amount of protection against physical and thermal damage. Then again, I may be thinking of the other world." He touches the jacket to the right of him on the booth and feels the betacloth weave and then says, "Not clunky at all. Stylish even. But the unstable molecules. They harden when force, like from a bullet, is applied. It can't stop everything. Just standard caliber. But you're right. We've all taken some pretty good shots and lived to talk about it. Hence the whole, sitting here and talking about it."

Dazzler has posed:
Dazzler snaps her fingers and the plate glass window shimmers, glowing faintly with energy. "I can't predict a sniper shot, but believe me when I tell you I can -hear- the bullet being jacked into the chamber." She pauses to sip again, then continues "I can -hear- everything, Alex. And while I'm not supernaturally fast, I've been fast enough to make it this far." She raps her knuckles on the luminous shield and it sounds like a drum. Then it dissipates.

Havok has posed:
His eyes are entertained by her new developments. "Damn... you've been practicing. Well, guess it's me who is the easy target then. I need some sort of plasma shield. Wait, that's like the best idea I've had in weeks. Aside from the flying thing I figured out years back... I need a force field that stops bullets. Then I could be unstoppable." He smiles, puts his pinky finger of his right hand near his lips and makes a Dr Evil muhahaha sound.

Dazzler has posed:
Dazzler chuckles and rolls her eyes at that. "You boys and your toys..." she replies, shaking her head. "But it's not about being unstoppable or even being able to take a hit. It's about fighting -smarter- in the first place. I didn't survive all those gladiator battles against big, burly aliens because I could take a mace to the face, after all. Or because I could incinerate them."

Havok has posed:
"Damn Ali. I don't know how you did it. But you just amped up the sexy. First you were this bombshell singer. Now you're a girl who can take a mace to the face and still kick major ass." Alex smiles, teases, but also compliments. He takes a drink of the tea while the waitress brings another glass.

Dazzler has posed:
Dazzler laughs at that, blue eyes bright. "Hey, I didn't say I -liked- it, just that I could." she corrects. "And you just let me know anytime you want your ass kicked. I promise not to go easy on you."

Havok has posed:
"Hawt." He says with a chuckle. He then waves for the check and says, "Speaking of the school. Have you been back in the past week or so?" Then he'll pull money out to pay for the food and stuff.

Dazzler has posed:
Dazzler nods to that, sipping her coffee. "Yeah, I'm teaching a class in Performing Arts. Which isn't entirely what you might think it is." She leaves that vague for a moment, then continues. "Still a good group of kids."

Havok has posed:
"I'm not even sure how to answer that. Not what I think it is? I'm totally flashing back to Glee or Fame. Maybe a little bit of Flashdance. What do you think I think it is?" Alex answers with a chuckle then adds, "I'm totally not thinking anything to do with poles."

Dazzler has posed:
Dazzler shakes her head at that, chuckling. "Yes, Performing Arts IS something like what you say. Glee or Fame. Not Flashdance, however. Pull in the hormones for me, Havok. But it's also about how you -act-, being a mutant in a non-mutant... and sometimes mutant-intolerant... world. It's knowing how to blend in with a crowd, how to walk away discretely when explosions happen, that sort of stuff."

Havok has posed:
"Descretely? Isn't the walk more like, 'that's not effecting me at all' with the whole 'yep, I did it' look on their faces? Like in the movies? I mean, that's what I do. When I've blown up something, I walk away slowly, letting the explosions happen behind me."

Dazzler has posed:
Dazzler smirks and nods. "Right. 'Cause cool guys don't turn to -watch- explosions. I've seen the movies." Ali chuckles and manages not to roll her eyes at that. "But you know what I mean. Most of these kids don't have a spoonful of streetwise sense between them. A lot of them were kept behind locked doors by parents who didn't understand them."

Havok has posed:
"And here in Mutant Town, they have it in spades. Maybe we should have field trips to Mutant Town for our students. Toss them out onto the streets for 48 hours, no cell phone, no money, let them figure it out."

Dazzler has posed:
Dazzler purses her lips at the suggesting, but her expression is more of a smile than a smirk. "I like the way you think, Alex. But this isn't a Danger Room exercise, either. This is survival in the real world. We're just calling it something else."

Havok has posed:
"Field Trip." Which is an excellent for a horror movie too. Where a bunch of kids find themselves on the streets, no phone, no ID, no money. Being hunted by a band of roving teen killers who kill for the fun of it - or maybe they kill for political, religious, or racist reasons. Damn, suddenly it's no longer a plot for a movie, but real life. But again, a great test. Who will survive?"

Dazzler has posed:
Dazzler laughs and picks at her bagel. "Okay, now THAT is a Danger Room scenario." she replies. "Especially the part where the kids ignore the running car in the driveway and flee towards the tool shed with all the sharp, metal objects."

Havok has posed:
"And I'll bet they all think they're masters with their powers and higly skilled in everything else. Except on how to survive on the streets. Were we really that stupid back in our day?" Asks Alex with a grin in a tone of cynicism.

Dazzler has posed:
Dazzler shrugs at that, flashing him a small smile. "Well *I* never was, but I remember you as being pretty cocky." Her expression softens a bit, then. "I honestly hope they NEVER have to go through the shit we went through, Alex. The 'school of hard knocks' isn't called *hard* without good reason."

Havok has posed:
"Hard knocks. Definitely. But funny thing. Lorna and I were talking about this just two days ago. How the world was different when we were young. And when was that? 6 years ago for them? 12 years ago for me. Not sure about your timeline and if there was some weird timey-wimey crap on your arena world. But. The point is. Things are way more dangerous for us now. And all these kids think they can no-consent to bad things happening to them. Because this is the so-called age of choice and non-circumstance."

Dazzler has posed:
Dazzler shakes her head at the question of time-slips. "I'm not so sure it's the time as much as the dimension for me, but I do get your point. These kids are going to be thrown into the deep end without a life preserver. So it's up to all US old farts to help them learn, with the fewest number of casualties."

Havok has posed:
Alex nods, seemingly agrees and states, "Which is why I'm here and not at the school. Back there, I was responsible for powered tactics. They just wanted to run around and show off their super spechul power. They didn't think anything bad was going to happen to them so they didn't care to learn. I'd much rather live in reality than fiction."

Dazzler has posed:
Dazzler nods slowly to that, holding up her coffee for a refill as the waitress passes. "It's really hard to get these kids experience, yeah. Especially if they don't think they need it." She smiles a little, then. "Would you be interested in maybe running some Danger Room exercises? Something that's more intense than what these kids have been used to."

Havok has posed:
"If I did, it would be more Hunger Games than Will and Grace. But really. I'll leave it to Scott. He's way better with a whole lot more patience than I have. Ever since the other reality, I'm more inclined in sticking to the action over training some kids who would rather post selfees to FaceGram than prepare for the future."

Dazzler has posed:
Dazzler looks thoughtful for a moment. "Y'know, I'm not opposed to that approach, at least in principle. But as soon as you start talking about realistic simulations you bring into the discussion the debate of 'school' versus 'X-Men training center'."

Havok has posed:
"That's what it was for us. Why is it any different for them? Why does it have to have bubble wrap. Which only reinforces their feel of superiority and invulnerability. Our training was full on. We got hurt. We got bumps and bruises. Hell, Warren got a broken wing and a few of us got concussions, sprains, and other broken bones. Today, it's nothing more than a bunch of simulations involving the stay-puff marshmallaw man vs the lucky charms kids." His tone is aggitated, but he still makes cynical jokes about the way things have turned. He notes, "You say now that we knew the hard knocks. Sheltering them from it serves nothing."

Dazzler has posed:
Dazzler chuckles softly. "You know what I'm thinking, Alex? Okay, so for whatever reason Scott... or the Professor... or *whoever*... is pulling punches when it comes to training these kids. So how about we take a field trip to the Danger Room, but one where they -watch-. You, Me, maybe a few of the other vets, engaged in serious combat. Nothing sugar-coated."

Havok has posed:
"Now that's something I can sink my teeth into. I've not had a chance to really open up lately. But, won't the results be skewed if it's in the Danger Room? Are we going to turn off the safety protocols? So the kids can really see the threat level?" Asks Alex as he sits upright and forward with elbows on the table, somewhat excited about the proposition.

Dazzler has posed:
"No safety protocols." Dazzler agrees, with bright eyes. "This won't be an amusement park ride, and they need to know it. Shit gets -bad- in the real world, and you and I have seen it. I think they should see it, without having to directly experience it."

Havok has posed:
"Roger that. Maybe they'll look away from their phones long enough to see what happens. Get it scheduled. I'll be there." Alex notes as he grabs his jacket. "It was great seeing you, Ali." and he starts to slide out of the booth.

Dazzler has posed:
"Keep an eye out for those snipers, Alex." Alison quips back. "I'll set it up, and I'll let you know." She pauses, then adds. "And it's good seeing you, too."

Havok has posed:
He'll smile, head for the door and the little bell will chime his exit.