8114/Getting Up to Date

Getting Up to Date
Date of Scene:	30 June 2019
Location:	Kitty's Room - Xavier's School
Synopsis:	Roberto stops by the school and catches up with Kitty
Cast of Characters:	Sunspot, Shadowcat

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Sunspot has posed:
It has been a fairly busy month for Roberto, since settling in New York involved a considerable corporative hassle and his grip on his father's company is not as solid as he would like. In fact he had to fly back to Rio twice to deal with some rather annoying and backstabbing people. Man, things were simpler when most problems could be solved with his fists.

Some days he misses being a super-hero, even if he was junior league.

But a Da Costa never backs down a challenge, so he perseveres and goes on and on stubbornly, and actually things seem to be improving. Like for instance, it is Sunday and he has finished with work and can drop by the School to seek friends and old teachers. Which apparently are not around in a Sunday. Since teachers do not work Sundays not even at Xavier. So hah! Jokes on him.

Maybe he can pester Sam, though (or Dani, or even Doug), so he is going to check the residential are of the school for friendly faces.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde is within her room. She's been a little quiet of late, which is easy for people to miss given she is prone to disappearing into her laptop, or down into the various rooms in the X-men levels doing analysis of Sentinel communications or something related to whatever other threats the team might be facing at the time.

But for those who notice, the signs are there. Today she's finished up the things she wanted to do early and has retired to her room. Kitty walks in, swinging the door shut behind her. Or she tries. Lockheed reaches out his tail and catches it, swinging it back open as if he doesn't want her closed away in the room alone. Kitty goes over to plop down on her back on the bed, while the purple dragon hops about to come back down in her lap, then walk up and lie down on her belly.

Kitty begins ruffling her fingers over his head as she lies there looking at the ceiling. She lets out a little sigh that causes Lockheed to peer up at her. She looks back to him and gives a silent shrug. The empathic dragon just lays his head back down, letting her continue rubbing.

Sunspot has posed:
"Hey Kitty," greets Roberto, knocking softly at the open door. He is wearing a 'business casual' outfit, hinting he must have been working during the morning and just got to Xavier's. "I am looking for Dani or... wait, maybe you know where is Jean Grey? I heard she is in charge now the Professor is doing the usual mysterious Xavier thing."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty sits up, a hand on Lockheed's back to slide the dragon with her and keep him there in her lap. "Dani hasn't been around much at all that I've seen," she tells Roberto with a regretful expression and a shake of her head. "I got back from Oxford last February and haven't seen her at all," Kitty shares.

She gives an affirmative nod then. "Yep, Jean and Scott. The Professor was around for awhile but he's sort of in and out now," she confirms. "Jean's kind of hard to catch, though if you schedule some time in advance with her, can usually catch her," she offers. "Everything ok?" she asks.

Sunspot has posed:
"Yes, quite well," replies Roberto, staying by the door. "I just wanted to offer my help with the mutant activism and other fronts. Now I control Da Costa International I have a good deal of influence in some interesting places and I am willing to use it. But I would want to coordinate with the older crowd. I have some ideas, but I want to brainstorm, and make sure they won't interfere with current plans." He pauses, "actually, perhaps I should speak with Warren Worthington too."

Shadowcat has posed:
"Speaking to Warren would be a great idea," Kitty confirms. "I know in particular there is a PR battle going on over the Sentinels. Anything we can do to just get honest press coverage is a boon. Let alone something positive," she confirms.

"So are you going to be in town a lot going forward?" Kitty asks. She gives Roberto a smile. "We don't get to see you nearly enough. But I can imagine what life is like for you, dealing with a whole corporation. I'm not sure I envy you that. Even if it feels like I'm always on the go too, now that I think about it," she says with a soft chuckle.

Sunspot has posed:
"Actually... it was always going to be like this, I was pretty much trained from the cradle to take over the company," replies Roberto with a quiet sigh. "Although of course I didn't expect it to be so soon. My father was not even sixty. We had talked, long ago, he would retire when I was around thirty. And then I had to come here to learn to control my power. He was supportive, despite the huge disruption to his plans."

But Kitty probably didn't know much about it. The New Mutants had to deal with his father, and he doubts any of them is really sorry he is dead. "Oh well, we make plans, and life always throws a wrench, right? But I can throw around large wrenches too."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty lets out a grin. "Well, you know what they say, about if you can dodge a wrench..." she says. Then realizes the ending as she says, "Um... you can dodge a dodge ball. Which now that I think about it, doesn't really help us when our enemies tend to use lasers and bullets. Rockets. Streams of noxious fluids," she says. She frowns. "Boy, I'm starting to make this lifestyle sound like it has a downside," she says, chuckling.

"Well, good to have you around. And anytime you need to decompress or something, just let me now," she tells him. "Speaking of, I'm 25 days from turning 21. It will be so nice to be able to go into a bar again. Especially after nearly three years of being able to do so while I was at Oxford. Frustrating coming back to your home and getting told you're suddenly not capable of that decision making anymore."

Sunspot has posed:
Roberto chuckles. "Brazil was the same. The U.S. has some weird laws about that. And honestly, we have been risking our lives since we were thirteen, so drinking age? Who cares?" Certainly not a Da Costa. They made their own rules. Even Xavier-schooled Roberto is prone to ignore laws that he dislikes.

"And I might take up your offer," he adds, with a bright smile. "In fact it is the best offer I have heard in a while. Proof I need to spend more time around here, even with the rockets, lasers and bullets downside."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty sits up the rest of the way, drawing her legs up beside her, forcing Lockheed to relocate to the bed where he curls up on the blankets beside her. "Have a seat," she says. "I swear this is the only time anyone has ever caught me in my room that I didn't have some food in my hand," she comments. There's a small fridge though like people often have in dorm rooms. "Want a soda? Or some iced tea?" she asks, hopping up for a moment to go check what else she has. "Oh, and I have one bottle of lemonade. It's kind of on the sour side, makes your lips pucker up," she warns with a grin as she gives a little shake of the bottle.

Sunspot has posed:
"Soda is fine," replies Roberto, taking the offered seat. "But I am not really thirsty, New York summers are mild from a Brazilian boy viewpoint." He hesitates, "we don't have to talk here. In fact, if you are busy, I should leave. And find Worthington or Jean Grey. I have to wonder if Angel has tried a hostile takeover on Trask Industries. Perhaps it is considered of strategic interest by the government? But there are a few ways around that."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty thinks for a moment and says, "Pretty sure I heard Emma considering something like that. Though I have no idea if they are publicly traded, or if Trask has enough of a controlling interest he could block it? I did see an article he was facing some pressure about being removed as CEO, so maybe." Roberto would probably know more about that than Kitty anyway, she realizes.

She laughs. "Ok, I'll just shut up about corporate finances," Kitty tells Roberto with a laugh. "I'm not busy, but if you need to go find them, no problem," she tells him as she gives him the soda. "It was nice having you stop in, either way."

Sunspot has posed:
"No. I don't know enough about the American business jungle," admits Roberto. "I am learning as fast as I can. Even if Trask has controlling share, the company is likely reliant on third parties electronics and perhaps even weaponry. And so it can be indirectly attacked, rising costs. If 'unfortunate events' put him in a poor financial situation, he might be forced to sell shares, and then we can pounce." But Trask might have powerful backers. Or government shielding. Or might be purchasing electronics from Lexcorp, which would be too strong for even Da Costa International to tackle.

"It might be worth checking. Can you do some online research? I can ask my contacts," offers the young man.

Shadowcat has posed:
"Well, I don't think they are selling very many Sentinels now with what is going on. That was one of the things that team was going to look into last night, see if they could figure out where they are storing them if they aren't selling them," she comments. "But that is a good idea, getting at him through the components they don't make themselves," she agrees.

Sunspot has posed:
"Do we know if he has lost contracts," asks Roberto, frowning. "I did know Trask was selling those robots to anyone besides the US Army. That is bad news. It mean pretty much any country can reverse-engineer mutant-killing robots. Hell, they could reprogram them to kill anything they dislike. Maybe metas, or inhumans, or aliens, or rebellious ethnic minorities." He shakes his head. "More things we need to look at," he stands up. "And really, not exactly what I wanted to talk about. I am more interested in some pro-mutant enterprising. But Trasks needs to be checked as soon as possible."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty gives a quick nod to that. "Well, the fact they seem to be losing control of them is actually helping us. Though I fear Sebastion, the one responsible, is worse of a threat to us than Trask is," Kitty says. "But some pro-mutant activities would definitely be helpful. There was a caravan that tried to leave the city. Not sure where they were heading, but somewhere to try to find a safe place away from others. I don't like having to segregate. But I also have to wonder if a few more sanctuary places might not be a bad idea. I don't like the militancy that Erik has in Genosha. But the thought of a homeland, and extra places we can be ourselves..." she says.

Kitty's fingers stray to her necklace, that has a Star of David hanging from it. Not the first time the Jewish girl will have had to think about such topics.

Sunspot has posed:
"I am an American, my mother make sure I am a citizen of this country and I am proud of it," points out Roberto. "I don't need or want another nation, much less one that is not even a democracy. King Magneto? How nicely medieval. But I am no one's 'subject', I am a citizen. No, we have to stand and fight for our countries, Kitty." And yet, this is not the idea he had when he came to the school. "I think I am going to look for Sam. And maybe schedule an appointment with Miss Grey," he heads out, but stops briefly. "Ah, but if you want to... hang out, I will absolutely free an afternoon next week," he winks an eye. "I'll call you tomorrow."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty says, "Well, I wasn't thinking of setting up a country. But perhaps a few villages, somewhere nice that are lacking the prejudice found elsewhere? Basically the small town equivalent of what we have here at the school? I really don't know what kind of corporate opportunities there would be in such a place. Making affordable housing, etc. I don't know what kind of profit there is to be made. But anyway, just an idea I had," Kitty tells Roberto.

She smiles over to him. "Excellent, and I will hold you to that," she warns with a little shaking of her finger at him. Though her grin just makes it teasing.

Sunspot has posed:
"You are talking about a Kibbutz?" That gives Roberto a pause. "But those... are mostly agrarian. I can see maybe working in some cases. Still, such isolationism seems to run opposite to Xavier's ideology. But certainly worth consideration." He smiles, although the smile doesn't reach his eyes. "I don't know Kitty. But I hope to see you later."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty says, "Well, not a fully thought out plan. It'd be nice if it had unprejudiced folks as well, but you know, sort of screen people early on as it gets rolling. But, yes, was just an idea, not a business plan." She gives a quiet chuckle. "Alright, see you later Roberto. Definitely let me know when you're free. We can grab a couple of horses from the stables maybe, ride them down along the river," she suggests.