4637/Breakfast at Xavier's

Breakfast at Xavier's
Date of Scene:	12 June 2018
Location:	Xavier's School, Westchester, New York
Synopsis:	Psylocke has breakfast with a few students; Andrea, Tyler and Josh.
Cast of Characters:	Elixir, Psylocke, Rage, Twitch

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Elixir has posed:
Josh had an extremely abbreviated tour the night he arrived at the school, enough to show him where he would be sleeping and where the Dining Room was, with a promise of a more thorough tour later. In the morning, he got dressed and made his way to the Dining Hall. The looks he got from some students told him the rumours had been getting around about who he was. He sat down at a table with his best 5000-watt smile, but the two other students sitting there got up and left without a word. Josh sighed poked at his eggs.

Psylocke has posed:
    The school was abuzz with the rumors. The reports had been filed to let staff know the circumstances. Betsy Braddock was not one to normally attend breakfast at the school but today she had opted to make an exception. While she was not one to pry into the minds of the students, today was a slight breaking of those rules. She was monitoring most of the students, just a brush at their surface thoughts, trying to ascertain how they were dealing with things. She was not entirely pleased with the reality and would have to consult with her fellow teachers later.
    See the sudden departure of the pair at the table, she weighed the additional damage that would be done to his reputation if he was seen talking to a teacher. Honestly, she doubted it could get worse. She picked up her cup of coffee and moved easily through the tables and press of bodies, stopping when she reached Josh's side.
    "Is this seat taken?" she asked in her proper British accent.

Elixir has posed:
Josh looked up at Psylocke's question and blinked, caught off guard. "Uh, yeah, I mean, no, like, yeah have a seat," he gets out finally and flushes slightly. "Uh, if you're sure. I don't think I'm very popular here."

When she sits down he offers an almost convincing smile. "I'm Josh. Are you one of the teachers?"

Psylocke has posed:
    "I am," Betsy responds as she moves to sit on the opposite side of the table. It makes conversation easier that way. "I am Ms. Braddock." She actually offers her hand, going for a proper handshake. If he accepts, it will be a brief but firm grip.
    "How are you feeling today?" she asks, violet eyes reflecting the concern she is feeling.

Elixir has posed:
Josh reaches over and shakes her hand then pushes his tray forward slightly at her question.

"Pleased to meet you, Ms. Braddock," he answers politely. His speech, look and manners are pure middle class, suburban American. "I'm doing better than last night," he quips but quickly gets the impression this is not someone here to joke around with him when it likely lands flat.

"Uh, like actually a bit better, I think. But it feels kinda crazy being surrounded by all these muti... mutants. Sorry," he shakes his head. "I didn't even know this kind of place existed, and if I did, I'd never think I'd be here. But I'm just a freak too now, huh?"

Psylocke has posed:
    "If you wish to use that term, yes. You are one of us. You are a freak by your understanding of the word. You are also a mutant. And a person," Betsy adds, stressing the last word. "Being a mutant does not mean you are not a person now. It is simply something that appears in the genetics without any outside source or reason. People don't choose to be mutants. Any more than they choose to be a male, female, or whatever other gender they may identify as. They simply are." She rests an arm atop the table, careful to keep her elbow off the surface. If she were to put an elbow on a table, her parents would return from the grave to admonish her. "This doesn't change who you are but it does give you a new view of the world you were raised in."

Elixir has posed:
"My parents always said there was something wrong with mutants, like, it's not just a genetic problem; they're... We're dangerous," he corrects himself. "My parents hate mutants, they'd go to like, rallies and take me along. I dunno, it doesn't seem like just another thing like being gay or something."

Josh shifts in his seat. "I mean, it's gotta be pretty bad to be a mutant if you'd leave a note for your kid that you'll turn him over to the Reavers if he comes back home because he's a mutant, right?" he adds quietly.

Psylocke has posed:
    Although she is careful not to let it show, Betsy feels a surge of two emotions hearing those words.
    One is sympathy for the young man. His entire world has been completey turned upside down. He has lost everything. In an instant.
    The other is anger. That is directed at his parents, for teaching such hatred. For turning their back on their child just because he could do something they could not.
    "No, it isn't bad to be a mutant, Josh. You were born different. The people that teach others to hate mutants are often just afraid because we are something different. They fear the unknown. That is the nature of people. Humans or mutants. Yes, we can do things others cannot. Some of the gifts we have are helpful. Like your own. It is amazing and wonderful that you can help save others. I don't see how that can ever be considered evil. There are some mutants whose gifts make them frightening in appearance. Or powerful. Yet, they are still just people. Are there bad mutants? Yes. Just as there are bad humans. Doing the wrong thing is a choice, in most cases. Just because we are mutants it does not mean we have to take the path of evil. We simply want to live our lives, with humans. We want to pursue our dreams, our careers, travel, find that someone special, eat ice cream while binging our favorite shows," she says with a smile.

Elixir has posed:
Josh gives a chuckle at the idea of Ms. Braddock eating ice cream and binging on Netflix. Or of that mutant from the night before, Boris, doing the same thing. "That sounds kinda normal, which is weird. I never met a mutant until..." Josh trails off. "Yeah. I didn't know any, so I guess I never thought about it. I just listened to podcasts they talked about at church, like Reverend Mathias Burke's stuff, and it just seemed like mutants were twisted. I never really thought that people hated them because they were scared. At least, not until I heard Donald Pierce speak at FoH."

Josh's body seems to draw physically inward at the mention of Pierce. His shoulders hunch and his arms come in toward his body. "He'd say all kinds of stuff about what mutants really want, like to replace us and kill us all. And how we had to fight back before it was too late. I dunno, some of it sounded crazy, but some made sense. Except, all the mutants I've met have just tried to help me, even after what happened, you know, with Andrea. It was the Reavers that beat me up and left me in the street. Not mutants."

Psylocke has posed:
    "A lot of hatred in the world is motivated by fear," Betsy says, pausing a moment to take a sip of her coffee before she continues. She makes a little face as she does, shaking her head. "I have no idea how people drink this stuff. Tea is much better."
    She focuses back on Josh and the conversation. "Most mutants are good people. Just like most humans. There is a small percentage of the population who are not. Something like five percent but I haven't seen the statistics in a long time. Unfortunately, when a mutant takes the wrong path, they have powers that can allow them to do more damage at times. That only escalates the fear. The fear can become hatred. An us or them mentality." She gives a shrug. "It isn't us or them. It's just people. We all have the right to live, even if we can read minds or heal people or control metal. Pierce and the Reavers teach hatred yet they use cybernetics to try and give them the abilities they were not born with. So how does that make them different from the very beings they want to destroy, other than semantics?"

Elixir has posed:
Josh opens his mouth to answer and then frowns deeply. He pokes at eggs with his fork and seems to be thinking hard. "I never thought about that... Pierce said some people had to make sacrifices to protect the rest, but I guess it's kinda hypocritical, when you think about it."

He cocks his head, looking up at Betsy from his plate, where his eyes have been almost the entire conversation. "So what do you teach here? Philosophy or something?"

Psylocke has posed:
    "No, perhaps I should consider it though. I am wishing to change subjects," Betsy admits, going easily with the change of conversation. She smiles. "I currently teach English. Which apparently comes with the accent. Unfortunately, it has been a bit of a learning curve for me as I'm expected to teach American English instead of what I was raised with." She gives a small laugh. "The spelling has been a challenge. What looks wrong to me because it is lacking a 'u' or the 'e' and 'r' have been placed in reverse order is actually correct here."

Elixir has posed:
He laughs. "Yeah, you guys spell weird. And you invented the language! Not my best subject though, I'm not so good at writing papers," Josh says with a scrunch of the face. "It's /boring/. I definitely wouldn't want to teach it, or read other people's papers," he says lightly.

Josh pushes his food around some more, his eyes returning to his plate. "So are you, uh, human or also a mutant? You look... Normal."

Psylocke has posed:
    "I tend to prefer to do things rather than reading papers. I've considered taking over the physical education area but I fear the students would mutiny in short order. I tend to be rather demanding." She gives a shrug.
    "I am normal," Betsy replies to the question, the smile remaining in place. "I am also a mutant."

Elixir has posed:
Josh shifts, completely unsure what to say to that. He has the horrible feeling of being exposed to this woman, like she can see through him. As if being as attractive as she was did not make her disconcerting enough.

"Oh," he finally settles on. "And what can you, like... do?"

Psylocke has posed:
    It's one of those moments. It always happens. And it always changes things from an easy conversation to one more uncomfortable and stilted. perhaps this time will be different. Even if it were not, she is not going to lie. At least one of her abilities is common knowledge on the campus so he would eventually find out anyway.
    "I have several but my main ability is telepathy. I do not use it unless necessary as it is morally wrong to pry into the minds of others without their permission."

Elixir has posed:
His eyebrows shoot up. "Whoa, that's kinda crazy," he says and shifts again in his seat. "You must hear a lot of weird things from people. I mean, they say weird stuff, I dunno what it must be like in their heads. Like my friend Ric..." He stops and a pained look flashes across his face. "Isn't it tempting to do it all the time?" he asks. "You could, like, know everything that was going on and stuff like that."

Psylocke has posed:
    "When my powers first developed, I did," Betsy admits, thinking back to those days. "I had been told by everyone I shouldn't. That it was impolite and improper. I wouldn't listen. I, of course, knew better than everyone back then," she adds with a soft laugh.
    "In time, I learned better. People often think things that they don't mean. It's a moment, an instant, then they dismiss the thought. But knowing all of those moments. Seeing them, feeling them. I learned quickly that it was better to stay out of people's minds unless necessary. It was later I learned the morality of it instead of the practicality."

Elixir has posed:
"Like saying something you didn't mean to, but times ten?" he says with a laugh. "Oh man, don't read my thoughts, I think all kinds of stupid things. And so you decided to come here and be a teacher? Were you a teacher before you, you know, knew?" Josh asks, clearly warming up to Betsy.

Rage has posed:
Heading into the area is Andrea, who is looking like she just snagged a tray of breakfast for herself as well. She is wearing a pair of snug skinny jeans and a sun dress that hits about the knees. While Josh is not very popular with the student body, she receives cheers and waves and a few photos taken of her by students with their phones. Lifting her hand to give a smile and a wave to a couple of young girls, she glances about to try and find a spot to sit, then aims for Josh's table once she spies him sitting by himself with a teacher. As usual, she is all sunny smiles. "Hey Josh! This table taken?"

Psylocke has posed:
    Betsy has to laugh along with him. "Yes, exactly like that. And all those things people think but don't say in addition to."
    She shakes her head at the last question though. "No, I actually was not a student at Xavier's. I wish I had been. It would've simplified my life greatly. I was an adult when I was invited to come here as a teacher. I'd already had a career, as a charter pilot and a model." At the arrival of Andrea, she stops her narrative to offer a greeting. "Hello, Andrea."

Elixir has posed:
His eyes light up. "A pilot /and/ a model? That's way cooler than being a teacher, were you in a lot of..." Josh starts to say. He hears Andrea before he sees her, Betsy having fully captured his attention. When he does hear Andrea he looks over and his smile freezes and his eyes go back down to his plate. "Hey, uh, no it's free, " he says and swallows. "We were just talking."

Rage has posed:
"Cool beans. I just snagged pancakes. How awesome is pancakes? I even got mine with blueberry. Whatcha get, Josh?" Andrea asks as she flops down next to him without a care in the world. She can hear the buzz of conversation throughout the cafeteria but she does not seem to mind. She arranges her plate and cup, giving a smile to Betsy as well. "Hey there." She says with a nod of her head, then leans in to bump her shoulder against Josh's lightly. "You get a proper tour of the place yet?"

Psylocke has posed:
    At the shift in body language, Betsy makes a mental note but does not try to guide things or interfere. It's for them to work out. "We'll talk more another time, Josh," she offers, making sure that door is open for him. "Andrea, a pleasure to see you again. I will go and let you two talk more privately. Without a nosy teacher in the way," she adds with a playful wink as she rises to her fit and picks up her cup of coffee.

Elixir has posed:
"Uh, eggs and something... Waffles," he answers Andrea nodding to his now cooled and untouched breakfast. He had gotten caught up in talking with Betsy and forgotten to eat. He shovels some cold scrambled eggs into his mouth, which he covers to say "It was good to meet you, Ms. Braddock," as Betsy rises from the table.

Josh falls into an awkward silence as the teacher walks off. "I haven't really had a tour," he says finally. "They just showed me where to sleep and where the Dining Hall was. Said I'd get shown around today."

Rage has posed:
"Oh. You don't have to go." Andrea says with a blink of her eyes and a quick, worried expression falling over her face. "I figured I'd pop over and hang out, seeing how the table was free and I don't exactly have a clique here. I mean, as much as I love screaming fans who want to take selfies with me and ask me all about how great a kisser Mason Steele is, I sorta was hoping to uh .. you know.. hang out with someone I know.. " See, she knows Josh! He almost killed her, followed by saving her life. That's how friendship works. "If you two were having a student and teacher meeting thingy I can always track down my fellow teammates."

Psylocke has posed:
    Betsy pauses in her retreat, glancing back. "If you are both sure, I don't mind staying. It wasn't a private conversation. I was simply checking to see how Josh was this morning." She turns back, but does something odd perhaps. She reaches out mentally to Josh. <If you two would like some time to speak of things, I will not be offended and will continue on my way.> Her voice is just the same only it seems to be inside his head. She does add, <No, I'm not reading your mind. Simply communicating.>

Elixir has posed:
"No, no, it's fine," Josh blurts out, his face betraying some wonderment. "Really, we don't mind," he adds a little too eagerly.

If she sits down, Josh smiles, gratefully, and shovels another mouthful of eggs into his face. "Uh... how're you... feeling?" He asks Andrea between mouthfuls.

Rage has posed:
"Not bad. Slept like a rock last night. My butler was able to deliver some clothes and my pillows and a few more of my belongings. Now that I am actually a resident here instead of a visting student, I figured I needed to feel more at home. Going from a million dollar condo to a dorm room is definitely culture shocking for me." Andrea giggles as she cuts her pancakes up neatly with her knife and fork. "I'll admit, I'm super pumped to be in normal school and hang out with students and go to class. I haven't done that since I was ten. It's just been private tutors and packets and home schooling for me. What about you? You fitting in yet or are people still giving you the stink eye? If anyone gives you sh--..crap, I can wolf out on them and show some teeth." She winks. "What big teeth you have, popstar." She giggles softly.

Psylocke has posed:
    As the reassurance, Betsy resumes her position sitting across from Josh. She doesn't interrupt but at the offer from Andrea to 'wolf out', she does arch an eyebrow. She takes another sip of her coffee, this time managing to not make a face at the bitterness.

Elixir has posed:
Josh sort of blinks over at Andrea when she just off the cuff remarks about the butler and condo and lifestyle she had been living.

"Uh, I haven't really met anyone yet, I only got here last night," he reminds Andrea and looks around, trying not to remember Andrea wolfing out. "This is normal? I've never seen a school this nice. I kinda thought maybe it was a mansion you donated or something. Is everyone here super rich or something? Ms. Braddock was saying she used to be a pilot and a model, and you're, well, you know."

Rage has posed:
"Oh. Then I should properly introduce you to Tommy and Tyler. They're my friends and we've been looped in together for a project spearheaded by Miss Frost. There's a few more of us in it also. We're kinda like a team that is built to work together and what not. It's cool. It's like having insta-friends aaaaand.. every good RPG party needs a healer, right?" Andrea says as she pops a piece of pancake into her mouth for a few chews. "Either way, don't let the whispers get to you. You're cool in my book. Fresh start, right? And yeah, this is normal for me." She gives a wave of her hand. "This place is big, but it's not Oprah big. I once got to visit her and her house is like twenty times bigger than this." She says as she stirs another piece of pancake into some syrup, glancing at Betsy at his question. "/Is/ everyone here super rich? I know Miss Frost is."

Psylocke has posed:
    "No, everyone here is not rich," Betsy replies to the question, punctuated with a negative shake of her head. "We have many students who come from poverty and rely on the school to cover all their expenses. We have others who are firmly middle class. Then there are the ones born with a silver spoon, or so the saying goes."

Rage has posed:
"Oh, I meant more like the faculty, not the kids themselves." Andrea says as she glances down at her phone as it starts to ring: 'I got a pocket, got a pocket full of sunshine!' "OH, I gotta take this." She says as she slides out of the seat, rolling her finger along the screen to open it. She can be heard talking as she walks off for a bit. "Hey mom. Yes, I'm still okay. Yes, I'm still alive. No, you don't gotta come out here.."

Elixir has posed:
"That's pretty cool for a private school. Who pays for all of it then? I mean, this has gotta be really expensive," he says and looks around the room. He sees kids of different ages and backgrounds and degrees of looking human. "And... You know. Maybe it's not a good idea I'm here," he muses. "There's some... People that are gonna wanna find me. If they come here," he shudders at the thought of Pierce loose in the Dining Hall. "It'd be really bad."

Psylocke has posed:
    The monetary level of staff will wait until Andrea returns. Betsy does respond to Josh's inquiry. "Professor Xavier owns the school and he is the one that makes any financial decisions regarding students, based upon need. Jean Grey, who covers when he is away pursuing the cause of mutant equality, makes those decisions when he is unavailable. There are also some people who give to the school, to help those who are less privileged."
    At his concern, she gives a rather bemused smile. "You know how the students dealt with them? As people who are not fully familiar with their powers and what they can achieve? Now imagine a few adults who have learned their potential. You are safe here, Josh. If anyone tries to come to this place, they will be very, very sorry." For a moment, it is as though the shadows in the room deepen, lengthen. That darkness is reflected in her violet eyes. Then it is gone. As though it never was. "It would indeed be very bad. For them."

Elixir has posed:
Unconsciously Josh tenses then relaxes, a little. "If you're sure," he says. "I don't want anyone to get hurt, you know?"

He chases his cold sausage around his plate with his fork. "I've heard of Professor Xavier. So, he or Ms. Grey will decide if I get to stay? Because my parents aren't going to give me any money, I just have what's in my backpack. They gave me a little money, probably enough to pay for a couple nights."

Psylocke has posed:
    "Ms. Grey will be the one you need to speak to," Betsy says. "You don't have to worry about any of that, Josh. You may not even wish to stay here at Xavier's, although we hope you do. Obviously we are a bit biased but it is an excellent institution. It will help you learn about your powers while being around others in the same situation. We have new students coming in all the time, some new to their powers, some who have been dealing with them for a few years on their own. They are all welcome here. We just ask one thing in return. That you be discreet. While you can use your powers and discuss them in front of other students, we ask that you refrain from doing so in front of guests to the school." She waves a hand in the air. "Jean will go over everything more fully."

Elixir has posed:
"I don't understand," Josh says, eyes watering. "How can you be so... Nice. Mutants weren't supposed to be nice, especially to people like me." He looks around and quickly wipes at his eyes with the back of his hand. "It makes me feel sick inside. You should all hate me for being with the Reavers. I just.... I don't understand," he repeats.

Elixir has posed:
Betsy's attention is caught elsewhere in the room and she politely excuses herself for a moment, leaving Josh alone at the table.

Rage has posed:
"Okay. Okaaaaaay. Okay, mom... Okay. Eeesh. Chillsy, please." Andrea can be heard as she heads back to the table, animatedly flipping a hand about in the air as the other holds the phone to her ear. "Yes, yes, I love you too." She slips it into her pocket and flops down next to Josh again. She gives a glance over at him and grins. "Yo. Miss Braddock take off?" She asks as she tucks back into her pancakes.

Twitch has posed:
There's food to be had and Tyler isn't one to miss out on a meal. He fixes himself a tray full of goodies, a heaping pile of food, and looks for a spot to sit. That's when he notices Josh sitting by himself and frowns thoughtfully. It takes a few seconds for Tyler to make up his mind but he heads for the other kid and, upon approaching, sees Andrea arrive and cracks a smile. When he gets where he's going he asks, "How's it going, guys? You mind if I sit here?"

Elixir has posed:
"She had to talk to someone quickly, she said she'd back soon," Josh answers Andrea.

He sees Tyler coming and suddenly feels uncomfortable sitting beside Andrea. He shifts around the table to the other side. "Hey Tyler," he say sand gestures to the spot beside Andrea. "Lots of room, have a seat, man."

Rage has posed:
Andrea blinks her eyes as Josh gets up and moves around to the other side of the table. She gives him a curious look as her brow lifts up. "What? I smell bad all of a sudden?" She asks as she jabs her fork into a pancake, then pops it into her mouth. "Sure, Ty, come join us."

Twitch has posed:
When he's given the affirmative Tyler slides his tray onto the table and takes a seat. Before digging into his mound of a meal he asks, "How's it going, guys?" Then he begins to eat, starting to put away the vast quantity of food in front of him with alacrity. Tyler is obviously a very hungry young man. Taking a break from munching, though, he asks, "What have you guys been up to?"

Elixir has posed:
"No, I just thought, Tyler..." Josh starts awkwardly then stops when Tyler sits down.

"Nothing, really, just breakfast," Josh shrugs and makes a bit of a face at his cold plate. "You?"

Rage has posed:
Andrea glances at Tyler, then back to Josh. "You thought what?" She asks as she props her chin up in the palm of her hand, resting her elbow on the table. "That he would get mad if you were sitting next to me?"

Psylocke has posed:
    There is the faintest sensation given to Josh during that singular moment of emotion before the others arrived at the table, Andrea returning and Tyler just arriving. It is almost like a brief squeeze of his shoulder but there is no one there. Then that voice in his head, showing that Betsy heard him before she was pulled away to deal with a small squabble between two students a few tables away. <You do not deserve hate. To hate you for what you were taught? It would make us no different than the Reavers for hating what you have become. Be at ease here, Josh. While some of the studends may show a lack of trust, you already have friends.>
    Then that ghost touch is gone. It is a couple of minutes later when Betsy comes toward the table. She is carrying a hot plate of food. Although now with three students, she knows it would be a bit strange to have a teacher sitting with them. "Sorry for the interruption. Apparently Margot sent a mean tweet about Jenny." She doesn't quite roll her eyes. The drama of high school. She does set the plate down in front of Josh, pushing the one with the cold food a little to the side in the process. "And so you don't have the other students pegging you as teacher's pets, I will head off to prepare to my next class."

Twitch has posed:
"I don't care who sits where as long as I get a spot," Tyler says between mouthfuls of food and drink. When Psylocke approaches Tyler gives her a wave as he chews, then washes down his food to say, "How's it goin', Ms Braddock? I don't mind if you want to stick around. All the studying I've been doing to play catch up and people are already thinking I'm some kind of nerd, I bet." He cracks a smile at that remark to show that he's kidding before returning to his meal.

Elixir has posed:
Josh flushes and wonders a bit at the touch, and then again when Betsy brings him a new tray. "Thanks," he says with a smile to her.

He nods after Tyler says hello. "Yeah, I don't mind either. I don't think anyone is gonna think any worse of me than they already do."

Rage has posed:
There is an amused look upon Andrea's face as she gives a glance over her shoulder to the rest of the cafeteria, then back to Betsy. "Miss Braddock, Emma Frost already turned us into the Breakfast Club when she hand selected a group of us to represent a special project here on campus. I'm Claire by the way." She gives a glance to Tyler. "You're Andrew." To Betsy she says again, "I've been called /way/ worse than a teacher's pet online. I think the three of us new students would benefit having extended face time with one of the teachers. I know I'd feel pretty comfortable picking your brain over breakfast."

Psylocke has posed:
    Betsy considers for a moment then gives a brief nod, coming to some sort of decision. She sits back where she had been, placing her now on the same side as Josh. She missed the entire seat swap situation and the reasoning, or lack thereof, behind it.
    "Very well. For a few moments. I need to go prepare for my first class soon though. I'm surprised you know that film. Although with your career, I suppose you have been exposed to the gamut from early movies to modern." She looks to each of the students. "Although brain picking should be my area, what might I be able to address for you?"

Twitch has posed:
"I don't know what movie you guys are talking about," Tyler admits with a little smile and an equally tiny shrug. "I don't have any questions for you personally. I'm still playing catch up on the reading before finals." New student and all. He returns to finishing off his breakfast, devouring what remains quickly before washing it down with juice.

Rage has posed:
"Molly Ringwald is one of my favorite actresses. My mom introduced me to her films when I was a kid. I got a love for the classics because everything these days are just boring or rehashes." Andrea grins as she stabs at some sausage with her fork, then takes a bite.

Psylocke has posed:
    "The Breakfast Club," Betsy responds for Tyler's benefit. "It's about a group of teens who are very unalike on the surface being placed in detention together. Through the course of the day, they learn they aren't so very different after all. Each gets to see the world through the other person's eyes instead of the assumptions they had made based on social hierarchy and appearances." She gives a nod. "An apt name for a group of students here. What precisely is Ms. Frost doing?" she asks curiously.

Twitch has posed:
"The Breakfast Club? I'm not usually into old movies, but I might check it out anyway. Sounds interesting," Tyler says after a few seconds spent on considering the movie. At Braddock's question, though, his expression turns thoughtful and he shrugs, "I'm not a hundred percent sure, to be honest. Some kind of experimental team building thing. A few of us are supposed to get to know each other, I guess to see how well we get along."

Elixir has posed:
"Experimental team building? Sounds like a psych experiment," Josh throws in. "Why not just put everyone on the same basketball team or something. That's a quick way to get people to figure things out... Or lose badly. Are there sports teams here?" he asks.

Rage has posed:
"It's an incredible film." Andrea assures Tyler with a grin. "It's so deep. Pretty much the best film ever made in my opinion." At the question of their situation, she says, "Emma handpicked us all for a quasi team situation. We're to work together, get to know each other, practice our power sets with each other in controlled situations to learn synergy."

Psylocke has posed:
    "There are not organized teams where we play against other schools if that is what you are referring to," Betsy says. "Due to the abilities some of our students have, we cannot really compete fairly with other schools." She doesn't see a need to explain it further.
    "Perhaps on a movie night, it could be the selection. Not sure most of the students would appreciate how dated it is but the lessons from it are good."

Twitch has posed:
"Even just me playing basketball wouldn't be fair. Full court three pointers for days. And I can dunk," Tyler says with a grin. "Though playing against telekinetics and people who can fly I probably wouldn't stand a chance." Then the youth lets out a deep sigh, "I wish I could go back to the city, though. I miss my gym, as stupid as it sounds. It's cool sparring with the guys here, like Boris, but I don't want to get behind on my training. I'm trying to get my BJJ black belt by the time I'm twenty."

Elixir has posed:
"I guess that makes sense," Josh says to Betsy's comment and it becomes even more clear why normal sports do not work for the mutant community when Tyler speaks up. "Black belt? That's really cool, man. How long have you been training?"

"It's weird, I mean, I know you said mutants are just people, but it affects everything in a way. Like, you probably can't look or think about people the same way you did before you knew what really went on in their heads, Ms. Braddock. And little things, no teams for the school to cheer on. I can't imagine what high school would have been like without being on the basketball and football teams. The only normal thing is the drama," he says referring to the tweets Betsy went to deal with, "and the lockdown. Do you think... How long do you think until Pierce is... stopped?"

Rage has posed:
"Didn't I see something in the faculty bios that Logan teaches PE? You could ask him if he knows martial arts." Andrea says as she finishes her plate of food and nudges it to the side. "We could have like our own clubs on campus though? Like a drama club or a games club or a knitting club?" She gives another long stretch of her body, yawning before she tugs the front of her shirt down a bit.

Psylocke has posed:
"That would be a discussion for Jean," Betsy says, stepping back before she says something incorrect. "The students do play games against each other, powered even. It can get quite interesting."
    At the mention of martial arts, she manages not to smile too broadly. "Logan does have some training if he were willing o impart it to others. In fact, there are several members of staff who would be able to assist with that." She gives a little shrug without imparting what teachers. "I don't know how long it will take before Pierce is found. We just have to be cautiuos for a while. Give it some time and you may be able to go back into the city more regularly again."

Twitch has posed:
"Since I was thirteen. Four years," Tyler says how long he's been training with a smile on his face. "My brother signed me up right around the time we figured out I had powers, in case anyone ever messed with me because I'm a mutant. Now I train most evenings in either jiu jitsu or kickboxing and I sometimes work at the gym, cleaning it up at closing." Then he looks at Andrea and nods, "I will when I get a chance to talk to him. It would be good to diversify what I'm training in." At Psylocke's smile and statement that there are several staffers available to assist Tyler begins to grin, "That's great! Anybody in particular I should talk to? I mean, if I can train all the time here and spar against guys who are super fast and super strong and stuff I can get better even faster than I am now."

Elixir has posed:
Josh nods at Betsy's reassurance. She seemed so sure, so confident that they would be safe from Pierce that it was hard not to believe her. With a slight shake of the head he pushed Pierce out of his thoughts.

"Do you think I could learn?" he asks. "After the other day, I probably should. You never know. Your brother was on to something," he says to Tyler as he finishes his meal.

"I should probably figure out where I'll actually be sleeping. They put me in some kind of visitors room but said I'd be assigned a room and shown around today. Not sure who I should report to, actually. Do you know, Ms. Braddock?"

Psylocke has posed:
"That would be a question for Jean as well," Betsy says with another shrug. "I don't do room assignments. In fact, I won't be doing much at all if I don't get to class and finish my prepr work."
    She glances to Tyler. "I'd speak to Logan first. If he isn't able to help you out, let me know. As for learning, Josh. Of course you can. You should seek out Logan as well. And don't let him scare you. He can be a little intimidating at times."
    She rises to her feet, grabbing her cup of coffee. "I have an open door if you ever need anything." And with that, she departs.

Twitch has posed:
"Yeah, I already told Boris I'd help him learn some stuff, I'll show you how to take care of yourself as well," Tyler says to Josh with a nod. "It's good for me to train other people, too, in case I ever want to open my own gym some day." Then his attention swings back to Psylocke, "Alright, Ms Braddock. I'll try to find him some time." He lifts a hand to wave at her. "I'll see you in class."

Rage has posed:
"Take care Miss Braddock! It was good seeing you again." Andrea says as she lifts a hand to wave, then leans in to bump Tyler on the shoulder. "I'm gonna go unpack a bunch of my stuff. Text me if you get bored and wanna do something later tonight. We can snag the guys and work on our project together. Bring Josh with."