8513/So Now She Can Drink

So Now She Can Drink
Date of Scene:	25 July 2019
Location:	Swimming Pool - Xavier's School
Synopsis:	Shannon and Kitty have the same birthday, and their friends at the school, old and new both, help turn it into a special day
Cast of Characters:	Shadowcat, Magik, Beast, Jubilee, Nightcrawler, Nightingale, Kaydin LeGraize, Iceman, Cannonball, Psylocke, Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Emma Frost, Cypher, Polaris, Spider-Man, Phoenix, Banshee

---

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty took the day off work. No going into the city, dressing up and into Stark Tower. No working from home down in the X-men base taking advantage of the computers there to avoid commuting. Not even spending a shift in the Guidance Counselor's office as she tries to do as her other work schedule allows.

Nope. Today she got up, put on her bathing suit and went down to the pool. She huffed and puffed, and huffed, huffed and puffed, and finally managed to inflate a floating raft. A half-hour later the light-headed feeling went away and Kitty boarded the floating bit of paradise, letting it drift around the pool with a foot dangling in the water and the rest of her just relaxing in the warm sun. Occasional stops are made to fill a drink. Raspberry Iced Tea, despite the usual way people celebrate their 21st. Maybe that will happen later. For now? Relaxation.

Magik has posed:
Whether intentional or by happenstance, Illyana appears beside the pool. She's standing so close to the edge as to have her toes just barely back from dangling near the water and has fixed the floating Kitty in a steely pale blue stare. Wearing a black two piece does little to hide the fact exactly how pale she is herself is and her long white-blonde hair is loosely tied back behind her head in a ponytail.

In one of her hanging hands is a nondiscript black bag and in the other is a plant.

The plant is moving.

She is being weird again.

Beast has posed:
Henry McCoy is going out to the pool because he needs it. Lot going on lately! Bringing a HEFTY cooler loaded with a bunch of stuff, he comes on out, and stands at a grill. "Hope nobody minds if I Start grilling."

Jubilee has posed:
Jubilee is trailing behind Hank, dressed in a pink bikini with yellow strings. She has a towel wrapped over her shoulders and flapping behind her in turquoise cape-like glory. "You can start grillin', but you gotta come in the pool with me later!" Jubilee states matter-of-factly.

Nightcrawler has posed:
    Kurt's arrival at the pool is hailed by the customary BAMF of displaced air and the indigo cloud of brimstone smoke. Downwind of the main area, and then he is stalking towards the pool on all fours. A towel over one shoulder and a chip on the other as he halts looking between deck chairs or the water.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde has on a pair of sunglasses, which reflect the sun a bit as she turns her head towards the sight of the familiar teleport disc opening. "Yana," Kitty says warmly. She begins padding with a few small strokes to make her drift over to the edge of the pool where Illyana is. The plant gets a glance, Kitty's head tilting a bit as the plant shifts on its own.

Kitty glances up as Hank and Jubilee emerge from the school. "Hey guys," she says, raising a hand to wave over. "Grilling?" she replies to Hank. "Depends, did you bring enough for the rest of the class, or are we going to have to just sit and smell your... what'd you bring?" she asks, craning her head just a bit to try to see.

The sudden BAMF sound causes Kitty to start. She lets out a laugh, hand going to her chest. "Kurt, you nearly made me tip myself over," she says from the Floatie Raft o' Tranquility. Kitty laughs as she relaxes again. "Jubilation, how are you doing? We haven't talked in forever it feels like," Kitty tells her before glancing back to Illyana. "Coming swimming?" she asks, spying the Russian's suit. She murmurs something to Illyana in Russian.

Beast has posed:
Henry McCoy winks at Jubilee and starts loading upt he grill with an assortment of burgers, hot dogs, and some chicken. Over the sizzling, he laughs "Depends on whether I Want to overwork the filter, Jub." Then grabbing a beer from the cooler, he looks back at Kitty. "I brought plenty. Want a drink?" Without waiting for an answer, he tosses it underhand her way.

Jubilee has posed:
Jubilee looks up at Kitty with a little smile and waves. "Yeah, been busy. Work and stuff y'know." She looks back around the pool to the others and watches Hank. "Can I help with anything?"

Magik has posed:
Illyana kneels down at the edge of the pool when Kitty has paddled her way over and puts on the best replication of a smile in her limited arsenal. The plant, writhing as it is, and loaded down with eyes, mouths, and finger stalks rather than limbs, is set aside at the edge beside her. "Happy birthday, Katherine." The Russian murmurs quietly.

The black bag is set down so both hands can grip the edge of the pool when she leans in towards Kitty's float to give her a kiss on the top of the head, as if that's completely normal thing for her to do. Then, and only then, does she grin a little more at whatever is said to her in Russian. "Da, there was helping in picking it out.. Had to make sure it fit." She might be joking, but she doesn't do joking very well.

"This is from Betsy." Holding out the bag, dangling from the curve of her finger. "Wishing she could being here." Her head cants down at the plant, "This is for Rogue. You are knowing where she is?" teasing, probably, maybe.

Eyes glancing sideways at Hank. "You bringing bread and lettuce? I am Vegitarian again this week."

Nightingale has posed:
     With a birthday in the house, it wasn't too hard to get wind of where and when a celebration might be, even for the newest of students. It also wouldn't do to join the festivities empty-handed. At least Shannon knew where the kitchen was, and had a good idea of where the essentials might be found within. When she makes her way out to the pool, it's with a good-sized tray in hand, loaded up with what looks like baked potato skins stuffed with salsa, and topped with colby jack cheese, sour cream, and chives. As appropriate for the location and season, she is wearing a simple black one-piece swimsuit, with a low back to allow for her sweeping, snowy wings, and for once, is barefoot.

     Shannon hesitates as she nears the pool, not having expected quite so large a gathering. Her wings fold partway around her like a shield, and she holds back, observing for a moment and looking for any familiar faces there might be. This was -not- at all what she had expected, though perhaps should have; it should prove to be an interesting experience.

Nightcrawler has posed:
    Kitty is in the pool, and its' her birthday, so his towel is tossed to the side and after a polite nod to Hank and Jubilee, Kurt slinks into the pool, slipping in without disturbing the surface.
    Popping up by Kitty's float, the Bavarian offers a soft nod to Illyana next before reaching up to rest a hand on Kitty's arm. "Ois Guade zu Deim Geburdstog, Kitty." a tight smile offered before he lets himself float away - so as to not take up any more of the time Magik may be looking to have with her.

Kaydin LeGraize has posed:
    Blue lightning arcs in the air as something moves by with superhuman speed. It speeds on by a second time, this time walking on the water of the pool. The third time it speeds on through it stops right by Hank with a package of bratwurst. "Just got these babies in germany. Recommended to be the best bratwurst in the nation." He says as he looks to the food on the grill. He then looks to the girl with wings soon he was next to her, taking a potato skin and eating it with nearly super speed. "Hey these are pretty good." He says as he offers a hand to the woman. "Name's Kaydin, fastest kid alive." He says with a smile.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty ooos as she sees the choice of proteins that Hank has on hand. Kitty catches the beer he tosses and gives him a grateful grin as the now of-age girl opens it. "But what about the rest of us?" she teases the large mutant who weighs more than triple what she does. "If you need any more help than your able assistant there, let me know," she offers, giving Jubilation a smile. "Are you back at the Spatula place, Jubi?" Kitty asks her.

The kiss on her head draws a warm grin from Kitty. "Thank you," she says warmly. Kitty takes the bag and says, "Oh, from Betsy? Let's see.... oh it's adorable!" she says, pulling out a dog tag which has a ninja kitten on it.

https://www.cafepress.com.au/+ninja_kitty_dog_tags,1267351876

Kitty cackles and says, "That's awesome. I might have to hang that from my mirror." She smiles hugely and says, tell her thank you for me if you see her first? And...ah, not sure where Rogue is. I thought she'd be around today," she says, glancing about. Then up. Because, cannonballs are a thing with flying mutant friends.

The brunette gives Kurt a bright smile at the birthday welcome. "Thank you Kurt," she tells him, reaching over to rest her hand on that of one of her older friends. Kurt might notice, the ruby and diamond promise ring she worse for months, then stopped for a few weeks, is back on her hand. Though not on her ring finger now.

Kitty waves to Shannon. "Hey, I recognize you from your file picture. Shannon, right? And we share the same birthday!" the guidance counselor says brightly. "I'm Kitty Pryde."

Beast has posed:
Henry McCoy tosses out beers to tohers who seem to want one, with the sophisticated communication of looking holding up, and seeing if he gets a nod. "Sorry, Illyana, I don't pack anything vegetarian. I do have buns, but..." Little doe he know that Jubilation stuck some fake hamburgers into his stack, and they're cooking right now. "Very funny Kitty. Happy Birthday. I COULD eat this much, but only if I skipped lunch."

Jubilee has posed:
Jubilee grins over at Illyana. "Hey I gotcha covered! Those in the center row? Those are vegetarian burgers!" She nudges Hank. "I would ha e put some hot dogs in too, but veggie dogs are the GROOOSS."

Magik has posed:
Illyana nods to Kitty, smiling ernestly at the expression on her friends face upon seeing the gift. She pushes backwards from the edge of the pool and stands, "I will tell her." Dusting of her palms with a clapping pat and a look over at the floaty Kurt. She gives him a clipped nod and looks back to Kitty on her float for a half second longer... then scoops up the plant to get the eldrich looking vegitation out of the path of foot traffic.

Beneath one of the chairs so it's out of any direct sunlight on her path to look at whatever food items Henry has brought along. "You have bread." Point... "You do not bring lettuce? Tomatos? Maybe pickle...?" She shrugs at him in a wtf kind of way with her head side to siding, "In Russia, this kind of over sighting would be punishable by two year prison sentence and mandatory cooking reeducations." One long finger points in his direction.

"I am having eye on you COOK..."

Slinking backwards because wasn't there potato wedges over there?

Stepping up to Shannon, one hand out to halt progress while she inspects EVERY potato wedge... the Queen of Limbo finally selects one. "Thank you for bringing potatos." Promptly turning and walking away.

Nightingale has posed:
     First there was a flash of lightning that heralded the appearance of a raven-haired young man who took full advantage of the stuffed potato skins. Then there was Kitty, calling her out on her birthday, bringing a bright pink hue to her face--this wasn't meant to be -her- celebration, it was Kitty's! Then finally, there was Illyana, regal and imposing in her way--and just as hungry as the rest. Shannon was not at all sure which way to turn, looking between one and the other with a bewildered expression. She finally balances the tray in one arm and shakes Kaydin's hand, smiling Shyly. "Shannon... nice to meet you." She has just a moment to wave to Kitty, before regaining her full grip on the tray so as not to spill the contents. "Thank you, miss Kitty. But this is -your- party!" She tries to smile, though her nerves are all too apparent in the fluttering of her wings. "Is there somewhere to put these down for everyone?"

Nightcrawler has posed:
    "Illyana, give me a couple minutes." Kurt notes, brow knit as he pulls himself up out of the water, moving downwind of everyone, "Kitty..." he points at here hand, "I'm going to ask about that, see if I need to impary my irritation on someone in Gotham." the frown stuck on his features cutting deeper before he disappears again, leaving only smoke in his wake.

Kaydin LeGraize has posed:
    "Here let me set those down for you." Kaydin says as he takes the tray and brings it over to the place where the food is kept. "Sam didnt tell me about the new hotties." He says as he reaches into a pack and pulls out a picture of kitty, with lockheed in her lap asleep. "In the event you lose the real thing, you can see this and remember him." He says with a smile. He then blurs out and appears by Illyana. "If you want, my queen, I can run into the city for some vegetables for you." He says as he watches Illyana.

Magik has posed:
New hotties.

Illyana's head twitches visibly and she forces a smile on her pale face when the source of that commentary appears beside her. It's convenience really, Kaydin being there so sudden like that. She need no seek him out, she need look no further than her side with the icy aura and straight through stare. "Da, could you going to city and getting eggplant? Then maybe on way back to school you find pleasant place for you to stick it?"

"I have suggestion..."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty smiles back to Hank. "Thank you," she tells him of the birthday greeting. Kitty takes a sip of the beer from Hank, saluting him with it after the sip. She tells Shannon, "Oh nonsense, it's /our/ day," she says with emphasis on the joint possession. "We're a family here, and family celebrate birthdays together. You are part of that family now," Kitty says with a smile.

Illyana's search for vegetarian fare brings a small grin from Kitty. "Way to have her back, Jubes," Kitty says, watching as the food is going on the grill, and realizing she hasn't eaten yet today.

She turns back to Kurt then as he notices the ring. () She looks down at it and a bit of emotion crosses her face, but it's not necessarily negative. There might be some somberness in it, but there's also the start of a smile. "Nah. Um, so we broke up, if you didn't hear," Kitty tells Kurt. "And, I still had the ring, so I took it back to Bruce... to Mr. Wayne. It was his mother's ring. It meant a lot with four sons that he let it be for me," she says to Kurt.

"Um, well, he, Mr. Wayne, told me it had been more than just a promise of... of the relationship. That it was a promise there was a place in their family, and even now, they still viewed me as part of it," Kitty says. Ok, she's choking up just a little bit. "And he asked me if I'd keep it for that," she finishes. Which obviously she did.

Kitty smiles to Kurt, patting his hand and saying, "But you're a great friend for noticing and caring to ask," she tells him.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde smiles over to Kaydin. "Aw, that is so cute. Thank you so much!" she says, beaming. "He's probably going to curl up around it and hog it," she says with a laugh.

Beast has posed:
Henry McCoy gives a mock glare at Jubilee. "Vegetarian burgers, on this grill, practically touching the other food. In fact, it's the same spatula, so it basically is touching. The horror, the horror." He downs his beer, cruching it and tossing it into a bag. "Plenty of beer for everyone, too. At lleast those of age." That added with a smiling look to Shannon. "Today is a day to unwind."

Nightingale has posed:
     New hotties? There was a contest going on by this point as to which bore a brighter shade of rose--the flowers dotting the area beneath the windows near the pool, or Shannon's face! Her hands were thankfully relieved of their burden, before she even had a chance to locate the food table herself, or even to open her mouth and offer a quiet, "Thank you" to Kaydin. Well!

     She does nod to Kitty, more to honor her wishes as to how to celebrate the day than anything else, smiling shyly. "Alright. -Our- day. Thank you. Maybe next year, we can plan on it?" It was a hot day, and she does head for the pool, climbing into the water. Her wings would be waterlogged and flight would be tricky at best if it became necessary, but it was a small price to pay for a little bit of fun.

     Finally, a familiar face! Her smile is decidedly relieved, more relaxed as she waves from the water to Hank. "Sounds good. At least there is one more place I can find without getting -too- lost."

Iceman has posed:
    "It's like someone's birthday out here..." Bobby complains as he exits the mansion and is wearing just a speedo and a do-rag on his head, the blond locks hidden from the sun. The tannish adult has a glass bottle of coke in his hand and stands at the pools edge with a lift of his eyebrow towards the festivities.

    Bobby doesn't greet anyone in particular just yet, he's merely observing for now, curious. Spying an 'adult' he's familiar with, Bobby approaches Hank and presses the cold bottle against the Beast's back, hoping to trigger some response. "What's going on big guy?"

Kaydin LeGraize has posed:
    "I have this effect on women folk. Glad to see it includes demon queens from limbo." Kaydin says as he zooms to the grill and watches as the food cooks. "You are going to cook some of the bratwurst I brought yes? Those little bundles of delight came all the way from germany. Had to use google to find the world's best bratwurst." He says calmly.

Nightcrawler has posed:
    True to his word, in a cloud of smoke Kurt returns, holding one of those big tupperware cake transports, the air tight kind, though he has it upside down with the 'bowl' the cake supposed to be in upended. There's no fanfare, no cheap one-liner or flirty schmoozing comment. He just nods to Magik as he presents the tub.
    "Vegetarian option, ja?" opening the lid to reveal the tub, protected from the Brimstone Dimension's atmosphere by the seal, raided from the Mansion fridges. Strawberries, apples, balled melon, pineapple, carrots, the works really. There's even a head of lettuce and a fork should she want a salad. Setting the tub of fruit and veg to the side before he returns to the pool, sitting by the edge,
    "Tell me if you need anything, Kitty. Anything at all, ok?" So at least he heard her out before he disappeared.

Magik has posed:
It's hard for her, Illyana, to keep up with so many things in a social setting. She bristles a little under the extended attention directed at her, but wears it noticably better than every before. Like she's actively trying not to go into a defensive mode and trigger some wild inclinations that always sit buried at the back of her mind.

"Sorry." She says to Kaydin... sudden and without much feeling behind it, but she said it right? That has to count for the Darkchylde.

That, however, is the last spoon in a shallow drawer.

Illyana turns at an angle and heads directly for the plant hidden beneath the chair out of suns direct gaze so she can collect it up in the craddle of one arm. Before she goes, she does stop near Jubilee, Beast, and Bobby at the grill. "I will being back for vegi-burger." As a warning, maybe? Jubilee gets special attention before she heads up towards the mansion, "Thank you for remembering." Leaning in to offer an awkward hug if she doesn't prevent it.

She might feel bad that Kurt brought vegitables for her. Then again she might not.

Nothing is ever easy with Illyana.

Shadowcat has posed:
Something comes zooming down from out of the sky. Only it's not a cannonballing mutant, but instead is a small purple dragon. Lockheed flies over to land on Kitty on the Floatie Raft o' Tranquility. "Hey boy," she says, giving him a hug. "Look at what Kaydin got us," she says, motioning to the picture of the two of them together.

Kitty nods to Kurt. "Thank you," she tells him. "So, ah, how are things go for you and... you know, how are things going?" she asks him, with just a slight grin as if as to what or who she is asking about.

Kitty smiles over to Shannon and says, "I have some bottles of raspberry iced tea over there if you'd like one." She motions towards where she left her cooler. At which point, Kitty spots the Cooler. "Bobby Drake!" she calls out. She clamber off the floating raft onto the edge of the pool, Lockheed taking to the air as she does.

"You'd better give me a birthday hug or else I might find more tinfoil cranes," she warns him, moving over to give him a quick hug. "Did you know it's Shannon's birthday too?" she asks him.

Kitty touches Illyana's shoulder in passing. "Thank you for coming by," she tells her old friend.

Jubilee has posed:
"Nope! I got ya covered!" Jubilee pulls a spatula out of a Spatula City bag and sets it aside. "Green handle. Veggie burgers!" She winks at Hank, and starts to pull out hamburger fixin's, including burger and dog buns, and potato salad, along with a few bags of chips. She spreads out the lettuce, tomato, onions, and pickles, and sets ketchup and mustard amongst them on the table by the grill. "Yer meat's hard to beat, but it still needs accoutrements. NOW it's a party!"

And then, she is hugged by Illyana. "Oh...of course, you're SO welcome!" Jubilee sounds surprised, happy, and possibly nervous. Statistically speaking, Illyana has killed more people than she has hugged. Jubes is pretty sure of that.

Beast has posed:
Henry McCoy winks and pecks Jubilee on the forehead, before taking the additional spatula. Now tow handed he's grilling the vegetarian meals, and the stuff he intended to bring, all together. "Almost ready, hope folks are hungry." Bobby's move does make him jerk slightly. Looking back, he laughs "Next time try that ont eh guy without the built-in insulation, my man."

Magik has posed:
There is a list somewhere.

It's a very long list, to be sure.

On it are the names of all the people Illyana has KILLED.

Some of them are strung together letters that sound more like constipation sounds than names.

Others are more recognizable.

There is another list of people she's hugged.

Sometimes those names overlap.

It is a decidedly smaller list to be sure.

And shrinks with every embrace.

"Pozhaluysta moy starshiy drug" Said to Kitty upon ceasation of Jubilation embrace.

Probably off to add another name to one of the lists.

Kaydin LeGraize has posed:
    Kaydin zooms out and a flash happens infront of Illyana and he shows bobby a picture. It is a picture of a selfie with kaydin having an arm around Illyana and him smiling. He then pockets the phone and looks ready to run if Illyana realized what he did. He then distracts himself by going to Shannon. "So where you from? I am from a reservation outside of Seattle."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon tries--and fails--to not laugh at Hank and Bobby. Her eyes twinkle with mirth at the playfulness of the moment, and someone who had seemed so intimidating suddenly wasn't so much any more. She shakes her head, actually grinning for the briefest of moments. That certainly was one way to break the ice--almost literally, in this case. "Oh, my."

Just as she is about to take Kitty up on her offer of some raspberry iced tea, she is halted by someone approaching her by the edge of the pool. She looks up from the water, blushing all over again, and smiling somewhat. "Southeastern Connecticut, a small town called Waterford. It's about an eight to ten hour drive from here, depending on the weather." Tea and miniature purple dragons could hold for a few moments.

Jubilee has posed:
Jubilee slips over to Kitty, and hands her a small pink box with a silver bow, still dressed in her swimsuit and towel cape. Her hair is done up in a bun with a spray of black hair around one side. A silver clip holds it in place. "Careful, it's...it's kinda small," she says of the gift. Not quite embarrassed, but self-conscious all the same. "Happy Birthday."

Iceman has posed:
    "Maybe that's why I picked you to pick on. Seemed the least rude." Bobby says with a smirk as he lifts his hand to pat Hank on the shoulder. "Do one of those burgers just the best way." Bobby says, intending to give that burger to Hank himself later on, but that's his personal secret.

    Bobby steps away from Hank and then passes Shannon, "You don't have to be afraid of him, you don't have the clippers. That's when you should fear Hank. That or if you buy him a left handed college rulled composition book. That sets him off on some nerdy tirade. Hilarious honestly if you're not in his crosshairs." Bobby takes another sip of his soad and steps around the birthday girl not knowing it's her birthday and walking around casually, soaking in the sun and a fine fog rolling out from under his trunks.

Magik has posed:
It is entirely possibly that Illyana did not see Kaydin appear beside her. She may have overlooked the crackling lightning that accompanied it. She would even go so far as to say that, perhaps, the presence of someone standing within her aura of malice had not drawn out the defensive inner monster that lurks in the hearts of hearts in our loveable Queen of Limbo.

But he put his arm around her.

Which means he touched her.

Which means vengence is not only coming, but it will be swift and decisive. Warning signs are there, of course. The sky is getting darker despite the hour, for instance, but more than that she's turned around to face the fastest kid alive with eyes narrowed and black tendrils of shadow writhing off her like added appendages.

Illyana kneels down in the grass to set the hell plant beside her feet, stands, and begins the intentionally long process of returning to the pool.. fingers wiggling as if there's so much pent up anger inside her that she has to physically move or it will explode.

"Who touched me?" She says in a low growl.. cold blue eyes moving from face.. to face...

Nightcrawler has posed:
    Letting other distractions lend him an escape from answering questions, Kurt stands back up, he does offer to Kitty, "Rahne and I are fine. Thanks." brow kitting again he looks to all of the others gathered. Tail flicking, Kurt runs his fingers through his hair and then scratches at his beard.
    "Kitty" he gives a quick call out, "Many happy returns... I will be in the danger room, if you need." moving back from the gathering proper. "It's too tense up here." the words feeling like an excuse even to the son of Azazel.

Shadowcat has posed:
The side-stepping Bobby Drake gets a mock glare from Kitty, as if he can just keep on side stepping along then. But Kitty takes the offered box from Jubilee. "Thank you," she says warmly, offering the other young woman a warm hug before letting her go. "Hank, that smell has me famished over here," she says.

Kitty starts to open the box, pausing a moment though as her Illyana Might Be About To Kill A(nother) Student alarm goes off in her head. She pauses and watches the stalking, but Kurt's announced departure draws her attention from the possible homicide long enough she'll be able to tell the police she didn't see anything. "Thanks for coming by, Kurt," she tells him warmly.

Kitty turns back to the present again finally. "Thank you, Jubilation," she says as she resumes opening it. Kitty pulls out silver necklace, with a little Lockhed dragon pendant and a tiny ruby birthstone on it. "Oh, it's gorgeous," she says. Lockheed lands on her shoulder, seeming to signal his approval at the handsome devil on the necklace. Kitty grins and offers Jubilation another quick hug, before fastening the necklace around her neck.

Kaydin LeGraize has posed:
    Kaydin watches Illyana and before anyone else could step forward, he blurs infront of her and tries to display how sorry he was without touching her. See the thing about regret and apology was it is conveyed through touch...and he isnt going to touch her when she is about to rage out. "I did. It was wrong. I see it now. I humbly beg you leave my soul intact and do whatever you want to hurt me." He says sincerely.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie is coming walking out from the back of the house. He has two boxes with him one about the twice the size of a shoebox, and one smaller one something about the size of a tall coffee cup it seems." He looks around smiling a bit as he sees people. He heads towards Kitty, but does spare a moment to look over to see whats going on with Illyana

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon smiles shyly at Bobby and nods. "Not really afraid of him. Just... well, not sure what to make of a lot of people here yet. Getting used to feeling -normal- for once. It's a lot to take in." She's just in time to turn to see Kitty opening her gift and put it on, smiling more and clapping her hands appreciatively. "That's gorgeous! Looks really nice on you."

     Uh-oh. The talk of someone potentially coming to harm gets her attention, putting her on full alert. She swims to the edge of the pool, keeping the water and the barrier of the pool itself between her, Kaydin, and Illyana, but still has a very wary eye on the pair. Please, please let this not go south...

Iceman has posed:
    "Oh my goodness, I'm sorry kitty." Bobby says, turning back to look at Kitty and turning to give her a hug, cold and dry is the ice man even in his fleshy form, he smirks at himself and hefts up Kitty like she was on her honeymoon and gives her a toss towards the water. "You have to keep swimming laps, Scott might show up." He teases before looking towards the sky and then looking for Ororo.

    "Storm's not here... I mean it is, but she's not..." Bobby sighs before he looks to Illy and lifts his hand. "I touched ya." He's at least twenty feet from the girl but yeah, he'll make that claim to protect the children.

    Side long out of his mouth towards Shannon, Bobby sneaks a hint of life, "None of us are normal, but no family anywhere is, just go with the flow. Fight, love, rage, anger and laughter, family."

Magik has posed:
Illyana's steel gaze snaps to Kaydin standing infront of her, sizing him up in those quiet few seconds following an apology and her response to it. Seconds can take a while when apprehension gets involved, maybe it's intention on the Darkchylde. Maybe she knows that and lets them drip a few seconds longer just to watch the speedy mutant squirm.

Her pale chin inclines slightly to stared down along a thin nose, one hand coming up as if to snap. "If you ever touch me without first asking me if I am okay with you touching me... I will down to your base parts and rearrange them into furnishings... I will travel through every dimension, collecting every version of you that is existing in all of the possible different realms, and I will build for myself a palace out of your soul.. am I perfectly clear?" She leans a little closer to him, "Do I speaking good enough English for understanding?"

She points to Bobby, "Dont. This is teaching moment for him about consent."

Eyes still on Kaydin, "You learn it?"

Kaydin LeGraize has posed:
    "Crystal clear. I learn this." Kaydin says as he nods at the woman, keeping eye contact with her. "It will not happen again." He repeats as he watches her. He glances over to bobby and he just looks back to Illyana. "So would this be a bad time to ask for your number?" He asks curiously, trying to make a joke to lighten the mood.

Shadowcat has posed:
Any conversation with Samuel Guthrie will have to wait a moment as Kitty returns Bobby's hug. "Yeah yeah," she tells him about him being sorry, only to feel him suddenly heft her into the air. Kitty gives a little squeal and then is flying through the air to splash down in the pool again.

She break the surface, spluttering and then leaning her head back to get her hair to lay flat. "Drake!" she calls out warningly.

Ah, Kitty threatening Bobby. One of those sounds that just letsyou know that you're at Xavier's.

Kitty swims over to the side and pulls herself out of the water. She grabs a towel to dry off her face and then get a start on the rest of her. She takes a moment to flash a glare at Bobby, though it lacks heat.

Meanwhile, one of the younger students comes out, carrying a box over to Shannon. "Hi, I'm James," he says, but another kid over by the cool says, "He's Hambone, don't let him tell you otherwise!" Hambone flashes a glare over and then offers the box to Shannon. "Heard it was your birthday. Happy birthday," he says. The box has a ribbon tied around it, though it looks like it took about six tries to get it tied into a bow as that part of the ribbon is a bit bent and twisted. "Wrapped it myself," Hambone tells Shannon.

Iceman has posed:
    "That's mister Drake." Bobby says towards Kitty and then looks to Illyana and holds his hands up. "Hey, we're all learning all the time..." Then Kaydin speaks and Bobby frowns the slightest frown, "Some slower than others." Bobby says giving the kid a glance. "Maybe try not to flirt with EVERY single person you meet, kay? Yeah? Good." Bobby says before he starts to march past Sam with a wave as he's trying to get closer to Illyana, and maybe have a few words with her in some sense of a private conversation.

Magik has posed:
Illyana doesn't even have words for it. She is all out of words. "You are stupid." She says this to Kaydin with far more malice than the simplistic insult should have weighing upon it. She turns away from him and goes back up towards the mansion to collect her discarded plant. Stooping a little to set it down between her legs when she sits on the grass in the place the demon flora was previously occupying.

Zero spoons.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon facepalms, shaking her head. Whatever the speedster was thinking, it was clear his brain was not entirely in functioning order, if he was messing about with someone evidently as powerful and easily antagonized as Illyana. There would be no helping him if he got himself into trouble.

The tense moment is broken as she hears Bobby, her smile returning. "Going from an only child to a big family like this is crazy. But in a good way, I think." Was there a chance she could finally get to that raspberry iced tea before all Hades broke loose? She heads for the cooler, only to see someone somewhat familiar approaching the pool. Her smile definitely brightens and she waves, calling out. "Hi, Sam!"

Wait, just how many had heard it was her birthday as well? It wasn't something she'd broadcasted, yet somehow it seems to have become known. Her cheeks flame and she accepts the box, opening it to find the sweatshirt in it, in her size--with slits cut for her wings. "Thank you, Hambone... really, it's perfect! It'll be great for the colder weather around here!"

Psylocke has posed:
"She's spoken for, Mister LeGraize," comes a voice in rather pointed Received Pronunciation, a woman in violet standing in the shadow cast by a large sun umbrella. A woman who was assuredly not there a moment ago, "Now rack off before I scramble your brain."

Betsy Braddock lifts her hands to waggle her fingers spookily at Kaydin, but giving the matter no further thought. She moves to the edge of the pool, smiling as she does and waving a hand: "Happy birthday, Katherine! Pardon my lateness."

She turns back towards the departing Illyana, waving her hand at her in a beckoning motion but saying nothing.

Kaydin LeGraize has posed:
    "So I hear." Kaydin says to Illyana before he looks to Betsy and nods, saluting. "Racking off SIR!" He says with his salute and his brats are reclaimed and he vanishes in a blur and blue lightning.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie 's brow will raise looking over to Psylock and Illyana. He hmms and will have to Ask Psylock who Illyana is dating later so he can threaten him properly. He will chuckle a bit and says "Got you a couple things here Kitty." He will look over to Shannon, and says "And someone might have made sure your bday was posted on the school board... maybe." He grins sitting Kitty's presents down beside where she was sitting he has a smaller flat package that was hidden wrapped and adds "Even got ya something."

Magik has posed:
A side of Illyana few ever get to see? Is that a thing?

She is no more brighter for it, but she quickly trudges to her feet when that umbrella wielding figure makes her Violet appearance and practically runs at her like a child. Both thin arms wrap around Betsy, head balanced upon the telepath's shoulder and her face turned towards the crackling of lightning signalling Kaydin's speedy departure. "I want to hurt him."

Iceman has posed:
    Bobby looks up as Illy runs past him to greet Betsy and Bobby gives the assassin a kind wave as he finishes off his coke and gives the whole crowd a wave and a bow as he heads back inside the mansion.

Shadowcat has posed:
Hambone just grins at Shannon as she likes the present. "We should play Call of Duty sometime," he tells Shannon. Then waves and turns to hurry back to the school, resulting in snickers from a few of the other students out there.

Kitty gives Betsy a big smile. "Thank you Betsy. Oh, no lateness to be had, just people wandering by," she says with a warm smile. Kitty glances from Betsy to Illyana, glad that no murders had been done here on her on birthday. Correction, hers and Shannon's. Betsy gets another smile before Kitty's attention goes to Samuel.

She grins at him, and Kitty's smile is larger for the fact Samuel got Shannon something, than it is for the presents the Kentuckian has for Kitty. Though those make her smile too. Kitty will wait until Shannon is ready to open hers, and then joins in, both birthday girls opening presents together if she likes.

Psylocke has posed:
"Homicidal instincts aside," Betsy says airily, wrapping an arm around Illyana in turn and patting her consolingly on the shoulder, "Is everything else alright? I see you bought one of your little friends."

She inclines her head towards the demon plant, wiggling her fingers at it like someone might greet a particularly cute puppy dog. Cute in the ways that bulldogs with their squashed, jowly faces and perpetual wheeze are cute. That is to say 'your state of perpetual agony and horror is just so bloody adorable!'

She waves to Bobby as he heads out, turning her attention to Sam for a moment with a furrowed brow and an exasperated roll of her eyes at some telepathic anecdote not readily apparent to the larger group. She turns now to the barbeque, beaming broadly.

"Ah! The grill! How American!"

Magik has posed:
Illyana is placated, even if only temporarily, by Betsy's consoling pat and disengages from her rushed embrace to stand at her side instead. Maybe she remembered where they were, probably that has no baring on her at all, but she is a little more reserved now that savage edges are soothed. "Da, everything else is being fine. Kitty is liking your gift." Hand up to said Kitty with an apologetic expression on her now tired face.

Gaze moving to the Hell flora sitting like a moving creature where she left it. "I am bringing this for Rogue. Have to show her how to feed it or it go find food on its own.. very ugly businesses that is." A tiny grin, hair hanging across her brow like a curtain to protect whatever base embarassment accompanies almost vaporizing a student on the school grounds just for touching her.

"Jubilee is bringing me vegi burgers." Perking a little at the grill, headed that way in an awkward shuffle with one hand wrapped around the other elbow across her abdomen. "I am vegitarian this week." Back at Betsy, "Want one?"

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon feels the crimson flush of her cheeks creeping right into the tips of her ears, and she smiles shyly at Hambone. "Maybe. We'll have to see what other games you have, too." Oh lord, what had she gotten herself into? On one hand, she had a speedster wondering at the new hotties, and on the other, she had Hambone flirting with her. This was definitely going to take getting used to!

"Sam, you nut! Why'd you go and do that?!" She can't help laughing as she swims over to him, holding on to the edge of the pool and reaching up to touch his hand. "Thank you, really. But let's see miss Kitty open her presents first? This was supposed to be her party!"

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie smiles and grins. He offers Shannon the smaller package, and says "Well as I said we are all family here, and we look after one another, even when we threaten to wipe them from multiple planes of exsistance.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty grins as Betsy's gentle way is enough to placate Illyana. "I really do like it," Kitty says with a grin, picking up the dog tag with the ninja kitty on it. "So Illyana, why this week to be a vegetarian?" she asks curiously.

Kitty flashes Shannon a grin. "Alright, but you next," Kitty says. She opens up the gifts from Samuel. Kitty pulls out a book. "Oh, a first edition of Pandora's Star!" she says as she examines the classic sci-fi novel. Kitty pulls a small purple plush pillow out. She sets it beside her on the lounger, and the intended recipient flies over and lands on it. Lockheed walks a circle on it and then curls up on the pillow that is his coloring, as if approving of it.

Next out of the box is a bottle of aged Kentucky bourbon. "Oh, very nice," Kitty says with a big grin. Finally she opens the smaller box and pulls out a small mason jar of clear liquid. "Oh. Oh my. That's a home brew I guess?" she asks grinning wider. Kitty gets up to give Samuel a hug. "Thank you, I love them," she says.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon pulls herself up to sit on the edge of the pool, her feet in the water and her wings stretched out behind her to dry. She turns a little bit red but smiles warmly at Sam, cradling the small package gently in her hands, yet waits for Kitty to finish opening her presents first. "Oh wow. Pandora's Star? You lucky!" The purple pillow and its new occupant actually get her to giggle, and she shakes her head. "Too cute."

When Kitty has opened her gifts, Shannon's is next. She opens the package to find a small brown leather pouch inside, slightly worn in spots with odd runes that seem a cross between something out of Norse mythology and Tolkien's imaginings stamped into the leather. She traces her fingers over the markings, admiring the craftsmanship of the piece, evidently very well-loved over time. "Thank you, Sam. This is really beautiful."

Psylocke has posed:
Betsy's violet eyebrows raise curiously at Illyana, "Vegetarian? Well, I'm as carnivorous as King Harry and twice as hungry."

The telepath swings her hips to bump against Illyana's before moving towards the grill, gratefully taking a helping and even resisting the urge to insist on a plate. A Roman among the Goths indeed.

Magik has posed:
Illyana grabs one of the new spatula's - from spatula city - and slaps a vegi burger atop a bun held open in her palm. Kitty's question draws her attention back towards the pool, "I travelling last night because I feeling darkness creeping into me. Very strong like I am going to lose control in school." She returns to fixing her vegi-burger, mustard, some cheese, a tomato, annd... one finger moving inspecting of the lettuce... a slice of lettuce. "I wind up in cold place of Limbo." She's not forgotten her story in her search for the perfect leaf.

"I am there for many months... five or six I think, I losing track after the first three." The burger is set down on a plate, bumping her hip back up against the Telepaths with a half grin. "I only vegitarian for a week. And I still eat human." That's an Demon Queen joke right? Surely Betsy must know the answer!

Glance back at Kitty, "Running lots. Fighting many demons of the Darkchylde.. I had to eat things that are very unpleasant and sleep places I do not want to remember, but I am finally able to get back to Earth." With her plate, including one for the Violet clad telepath, she returns to where she was standing beside Betsy and holds the plate in her direction. "It is only being a few hours here, but is much longer for me. So I decide that I am not going to eat meat for a week.. It is reminding me of giant roach creature that I am having to sustain on." Wrinkling her face disgustedly, "Make sweat smell like urine. Maybe I bring demon roach to mansion for Kaydin. He need positive role-model."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie looks over to Illyana and frowns a bit at her story, and seems concerned about her. To Kitty, he will says "The Shine is from my uncles supply, the burbun should be good, it is old as us." He looks over to Shannon, and says "Something I have had for a couple years that Ah thought ya might like.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty moves over to give Samuel a side hug. "I love it, thank you," she tells him before letting him go as she gives him a huge smile. She's obviously in a good mood, having so many friends - no, family - around her today. Kitty moves over to the grill to get herself a burger. One of the beef ones, because she doesn't have any demon roaches in her recent dining history to ruin the experience. Though, hearing Illyana's tale probably can't help Kitty's appetite. But not having eaten today, it doesn't banish it either.

Before Kitty can say anything to Illyana, one of the teachers comes out from the school. He is carrying a flat black box bound in a silver ribbon, with a white envelope through it. "Kitty, a man in a suit just dropped this off for you at the gate. Someone who had some armed security with him," he says. "I had to sign for it."

Kitty takes the box with a curious expression. She opens up the card and then gives a soft smile. She glances up towards the sky for a moment and then back down to open up the box. Within is... a book. Not even a book really. More like pages in a ring binder, some of the pages looking a little yellowed as if with age.

Kitty looks at, both curious and perplexed, and then suddenly gives a visible start. Her hand that isn't holding the package trembles for a moment. "Oh my god. It's from Apollo 11. One of their manuals from the Lunar Module," she says with a gasp, reading the title of it. "LM Timeline Book."

Kitty glances around as if making sure no one is near to it that might splash it with pool water. "Oh my god, this was there with Armstrong and Aldrin," she says. Of course, she's been to the Moon too now. But still. The book is part of history.

Kitty carefully boxes it back up, for its own protection. She reads the card again and smiles. "From Mr. Wayne," she says.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon hesitates for a moment before getting up, sidling over to Sam. She glances one way, then the other, biting her lower lip. Would this be taken the wrong way? Yet she had little else with which to thank him for such a precious gift, as something from the heart always was. She wraps her arms--and wings--around him in a hug, just after Kitty has stepped back. "Thank you... really, thank you." Coughing, she steps back, hoping she didn't just make the world's biggest idiot out of herself.

Thankfully, a distraction comes in the form of the mysterious package in the black box, and the precious contents contained within. Her jaw drops as the significance of Kitty's gift from Mr. Wayne hits her. "Holy sh..iitake mushrooms. That's just incredible!"

Negasonic Teenage Warhead has posed:
Negasonic is strolling out towards the pool at about that point with a small box under her arm. "You can say Shit and no one will ground you Fluttershy." another new nickname, she is trying a few out.

"Hey KitKat.. you are difficult.. afraid it isn't from Nasa or anything like that." she kind of pauses and then offers Kitty the box now. "I heard there is food?"

Psylocke has posed:
"About fifteen hours or so," Betsy explains, making sure to completely finish and swallow the mouthful of burger before daring to speak publicly, "Give or take. I had no idea."

The otherwise indifferent, above-it-all look on her face gives way to a knitted brow and a slight frown cast in Illyana's direction. Concern.

"But home now," the airy tone and expression return light a dark cloud giving way to the sun, "And no roast roaches to be seen."

The violet telepath's attention then turns to Shannon, whom she lifts her eyebrows at and smiles: "It's your birthday, too? Happy birthday!"
Her eyes wander to the box being delivered to Kitty, and she leans sideways to speak covertly to Illyana: "Billionaires. Always have to outshine we peons."

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma arrives in typical Emma style, which is to say... 'striking, if perhaps a little overdone.' For instance, her swim suit might be considered inappropriate around younger segments of the student body, but have you seen her *costumes*? She's also wearing a big fancy fat, large sunglasses, and carrying a towel. On the whole, the look something more appropriate for lounging poolside at some kind of exotic tropical resort as much as in the vicinity of what is supposed to be a /school/. But it's Emma, what do you expect?

"Hello darlings. Wonderful day isn't it?" As she strides out, there's a bit of a glance around, and she even makes a show of lifting her sunglasses part way, to see what's going on. "What's all this fuss?"

It would be just like her, of course, to totally miss out on the fact that it's supposed to be someone else's celebration. Except... it's Kitty. And she has *always* been one of Emma's favorites, even if that isn't a distinction some would ever wish for, let alone enjoy. Nevertheless, despite playing dumb, she walks around the edge toward Kitty and then finally shifts the towel. There was a box hiding under there as well. "Look at you. All grown up. Here, love." She might even get a kiss on the cheek if she doesn't recoil in horror!

Following this, Ms. Frost looks around expectantly. "Now, whose brain do I have to melt to get something to drink?"

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie smiles and hugs both Kitty and Shannon back, and says "Hey birthdays are important, and Ah always try to find something fitting, remind me to tell you the story behind the bag sometime

Cypher has posed:
Doug had been... hesitant to catch up with the others. His excuse for the day was 'I'm buried in my work' and 'I need a little time to recuperate.

Still and all... it's Kitty's birthday, so he comes out, dressed in a light hooded sweatshirt with a backpack slung over his shoulder, and his hands in the front pocket, hidden from view. "Hey."

He unslings the backpack and sets it on the ground, using his left hand, "...Got you something, pal. It's in the pack."

Polaris has posed:
Lorna entered the party on a bit of a delay, but with a string of balloons trailing behind her. They were large and in various birthday themed shapes. In her hands was a simple, plain looking gift bag of solid blue. It wasn't overly large, but rather tall and narrow. The green haired young woman was wearing a black bikini, and pair of flip-flops that matched. She flashed the birthday girl a grin and stood off to the side as she waited to snag her friend for her birthday.

With care, she set the bag, and balloons on the table nearby, as she made to fix herself some food as she waited.

Magik has posed:
"Da, home now. Glad to being home." Illyana nods to Betsy with a small smile and her attention down on her burger laying in the plate held in both hands. She goes to say more, a glance up at the violet telepath, and trails off with Kitty's excited expression at whatever she was presented. Smiling, if not at the gift itself, at the expression on Kitty's face when receiving it.

She does not look concerned anymore, if she ever did, by her story. She looks content, but a little stiff standing there with her uneaten vegi-burger. She's at once present there beside the grill with Betsy and somewhere else entirely. Pale eyes looking at distant things that might be there and might only exist in the iron trap of her mind.

Emma's arrival draws her distracted attention, as does Doug, Lorna, and Negasonic, but it's purely robotic acknowledgement without much behind it asides a look in their direction.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde wanders a bit, still overwhelmed by the gift. She stops by Illyana to rest a hand on her shoulder and say, "Well, I'm really glad that you made it back ok." Kitty smiles to her and then to Betsy. "Yeah. Well, I have to say, he sure gets a reputation in the press but the reality, such a sweet man," Kitty says. She sees Negasonic coming and grins. Capitalist billionaires are Negasonic's favorite topic after all, though they've already been through this topic.

Kitty grins warmly to Negasonic as she comes over. "Anything from you will be cherished," Kitty says, greeting the beautiful gothic teen with a brief hug. "Tell me that wasn't the best selfie ever?" Kitty asks Ellie as she takes the offered gift. She opens it up, pulling out a black mug and a cat wearing rainbow glasses that says: PURRRRIDE on it. () Kitty breaks out in warm laughter. "Oh that's great," she tells Ellie. Then Kitty notices something in the mug, pulling out a necklace with a dragon charm on it. "Oh, nice!" she says. Kitty shows it to Lockheed, the dragon curled up on a purple pillow that looks like it was sized for him, sitting next to some other gifts. Including a bottle of 21-year aged bourbon.

Kitty is about to say something to Shannon and Samuel, when she spots Emma. Well, maybe there's one birthday wish Kitty didn't get. Though she keeps her expression pleasant enough, which helps so Kitty doesn't feel bad when the gift is tendered. "Wow, I wasn't expecting..." Kitty says slowly. "Thank you Emma," she says, and then opens the box. She pulls out rather slinky dress. Beautiful. The fabric exquisite. "Wow. This... um, thank you, Emma," Kitty says again.

Darn it, tough to work up that you-kidnapped-me anger when someone does something nice like that.

The brunette waves warmly to Lorna, and then goes to give Doug a hug. "Doug, have you met Shannon? New student, and she's born on a really great day too," Kitty says of her fellow birthday-gal. She goes to check out the backpack then to see what Doug brought her.

Nightingale has posed:
     Just when the gathering had been starting to quiet down, it begins to get crowded again. And on top of that, Negasonic not only calls Shannon out on her choice of words, but also a new handle on social media as well. "Come on, Nega... can't you just stick with Nightingale? Please?" Somehow, she was left with the feeling this would be an uphill battle, and an ongoing joke.

     A shy smile is offered to Betsy, and she nods. "Yes, miss. Thank you!" Hesitating for a moment, she offers her hand. "Name's Shannon... nice to meet you." To Sam, she nods, and smiles. "I'll bug you in the kitchen later about that, as soon as SOMEONE..." She gives a pointed cough and glance in Kitty's direction. "...tells me what her favorite kind of cake is so I can at least make her a birthday present!"

     Hearing Kitty, she goes very still, her brows furrowed with concern. That name got her attention. Was this the one Sam had been talking to her about last evening? "Doug? Hi... nice to meet you."

Psylocke has posed:
"Elizabeth Braddock," Betsy says by way of greeting to Shannon, "Although if you ever hear someone refer to a 'Betsy', that's me, too. Some nicknames haunt us forever. Be careful they don't start calling you Shanners or Shanana or ... " Her lips purse and she shakes her head, " ... I don't know. I've rather lost my point. Anyway, it's very nice to meet you, Shannon. Happy birthday again."

That said, Betsy once again turns back to Illyana and watches her eat the vegi-burger, "It occurs to me I don't know when your birthday is, your majesty. Although, I suppose given your rather cavalier attitude towards the linear passage of time it could be whenever you like."

Emma Frost has posed:
"Always dress to impress," Emma echoes back at Kitty. "Although if I'd known what Brucie dear was getting you, I'd have brought the *designer* instead." She laughs, as if this is just totally just a joke and she would absolutely never ever kidnap and brainwash a fashion designer to be someone's slave as a present. Never. What kind of terrible person would even think of such a thing? Certainly not her!

Beyond that, once she's done the required bits of the ritual, she now does retire toward the pool, disengaging from most of the fuss around the birthday girl in favor of a nice spot to sit and dip her toes in the water. Simple pleasures.

"With as many students as the school has, there must be a couple of these a week," she observes as the topic is bandied about, while meeting Illyana's robotic look with a perfectly charming, too-bright smile.

Negasonic Teenage Warhead has posed:
Nega hugs Kitty back then grins when she likes the gifts.

"Eat the Rich." notes Negasonic then meanders over to the grill area where various grilling food is still out waiting for people to devour it.

Contrary to her statement she plates herself up a couple of burgers, carefully applying condiments as she listens to everyone. Then quietly asides to Illyana "How is the gardening?"

Polaris has posed:
Lorna glanced at Illyana in a curious manner, not entirely sure what was going on in the conversation between the blonde and Betsy, given she'd just arrived to the party. She exhaled a breath, taking the time in which Kitty went around like a gracious hostess and greeted everyone to pick at a burger. Lorna waved back, and kept off to the side more or less, figuring that Kitty would get to her when she had a moment.

The green haired woman turned her focus toward Nega and nodded to the younger mutant briefly, but otherwise seemed content to keep her spot by the table to make sure a stiff wind didn't knock the little bag over with all the balloons attached to it.

Magik has posed:
Illyana glances up from wherever she's gone off to mentally when Kitty materializes, at least to the Demon Queen's recollection, beside her. "Blagodaryu vas." Her plate is put aside on the warmer attached to the grill so that free arms can give the birthday girl, at least the one beside her, a hug. "Me too. Would have missed many things here." But she appears fine for it now, smiling as she pulls back to look up at Betsy beside her.

A curious consideration on her pale face as if she's never even considered it. "I imagine Piotr probably knows, but it does not seeming like that would really be my birthday anymore after everything..." Her brow knits, expression blank for a second, until whatever she's thinking about slips back to the front, "I was not celebrating it for longer than I celebrate that day before it.. I guess I can just pick whenever I want." A quiet, possibly dark, chuckle. "I leave for a few minutes and I age a year anyways, da? If I am going to have birthday, I think I want it to be Halloween." Because of course she does.

Squeezing Betsy's hand and looking to Negasonic on her other side by the grill. "Petrovich?" Her head turns and she points at one of the horrible little demon flora, writhing animately and frustratedly in the direction of the meat products, with a series of eyeball capped fingertip stocks jutting at odd angles from one vine. "This one knows its place better, I am thinking... hungry though." Furrowed brow.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie looks over to Doug, and says "Bro, I have been worried about you, looked around but ya got away, glad your up, and around. He will walk over to hug doug with one arm unless the man moves away from him.

Cypher has posed:
Doug looks up at Sam, and makes a slightly terse face at him. But he throws his left arm around him, in a hug. "I'm up," He admits, "But not unscathed." He gives a sheepish sigh, and pulls his right hand out of the pocket of his sweatshirt, before he holds it up. It's black as ebony, shiny, and inlaid with golden circuitry.

Nightingale has posed:
     With Sam going over to talk to Doug, it leaves Shannon mostly on her own by the pool. At least, that is, until she takes note of the truly odd plant that seems to be from somewhere else entirely, somewhere not of this plane of existence. Its bizarre eyeballs, vines, stalks, and who knows what else, all writhing as if birthed from a thousand souls in torment, at once repulse and fascinate her. She crouches down a safe distance away from the plant, peering at the nightmarish thing. "What... what is this?"

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde pulls a number of things out of the backpack. It's like geek heaven. There's a piranha plant hand puppet. A little battery-powered hula girl for sticking atop a monitor. A set of tiny screwdrivers that make Kitty oooo particularly long when she sees them. A Devo CD - an actual disc! - which makes Kitty laugh and smile to Doug. A mug and a t-shirt, both with astronomy related jokes on them, the t-shirt showing the Milky Way with an arrow saying, "You are here!"

Kitty grins and hugs Doug. "Thank's pal," she tells him warmly. From the length of the hug it's obvious they are old friends. She lets him go and looks over to Emma. Having Doug and Emma both there, it's hard to not have memories in her head. "Thank you Emma," Kitty says though, being gracious as she can in the moment.

Kitty lets Doug go to move over to Lorna. "Highness," Kitty says with a grin, the title teasing but not disrespectful given her smile. "Glad you could make it, I wasn't sure if you were in town," she says.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie will reach for Doug's hand to lift it and look at it most others might be weirded out, but Sam says "So, compromise?" He will ask from an earlier comment "Does it feel normal and such to you?" He will let the other man lower his hand and says "Well, No matter what is good to have ya up and around. If your still wanting to work at the club, Berto and I hired a security specialist today to help us up the game there.

Psylocke has posed:
"Petrovich, dear," Betsy calls to Shannon as she observes the evil devil plant, "Maybe don't put your fingers too near him. Observe from a comfortable distance and all that."

The weird hand Doug is showing off draws her attention, and her eyebrows raise curiously: "Quite the fashion accessory."

Negasonic Teenage Warhead has posed:
Nega really didn't expect Illyana to just point Petrovich out. She really didn't expect the monstrosity to actually be here. Ellie turns and stares for a moment and then finishes putting the bun back on top of her burgers.

"I thought you banished him, I'm surprised he is at Kitty's party." she glances back at the plant monster. "What did you get Kitty Petrovich?"

Magik has posed:
Illyana's hand falls back to her side and her shoulders slip forward a little, moving only to brush the inside of her fingers along the hair hanging in her face so she's not completely closed off from everyone around her. If she looks like she's trying, it's because she really is. To be here and to BE here.

It's not easy.

True to form, one of the MULTIPLE mouths on Petrovich's snake like finger stalks reaches eagerly out at Shannon if she gets too close, but somehow, despite being truly horrible for a creature, it comes off as playful more than malicious.

"I banished one who is getting free of my garden. This one is older." Said to Negasonic distantly, glancing over in the gothy mutants direction. "That one would nyet be so stationary.. water." jerking her head in a round cut towards the pool. "Many multiplying. Army of plants. Very unsettling. Do not recommend."

Polaris has posed:
Lorna set her burger aside in a rather undignified way, she was partly losing it due to ketchup spillage, and had to put the plate down all at once as Kitty came over. The green haired woman flashed her friend a sheepish grin, and laughed softly as she made to give Kitty a hug, "I wouldn't miss it! I had to rush a bit, but I made it." She murmured, leaning back as she twisted around to grab the gift bag with tons of balloons tied to it, to hand it off to Kitty.

"It's a partial gift, so just keep that in mind.." She offered, and glanced back to Illyana at the mention of the blonde having her birthday in October.

"Hey, Wanda's birthday is on the 31st of October. You will have to celebrate with us."

Emma Frost has posed:
Trailing her toes in the water a bit, Emma briefly looks out to consider the rest of the pool and perhaps the vague notion of enjoying it, but ultimately remains where she is. There's an art to poolside lounging and it really has very little to do with actual swimming. Usually, though, there are more cabana boys. "Ah, Douglas, I see your brain is working again," she offers over once he has delivered Kitty her gift as well. "Quite the improvement."

Shannon's reaction fo the 'plant' draws a little laugh. "Between little shop of horrors over there and the actual /dragon/, this place is turning into quite the menagerie. If only Rahne and Sharon were here."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty grins to Lorna as she opens up the bag that the Genoshan royal brought. "Thank you, Lorna," Kitty says as she pulls out a few things. A sash which proclaims her as a 21 year old. That gets put on, which with Kitty in her bikini from swimming, makes her look like a beauty show contestant or something. A card makes Kitty grin as a paper crown comes out of it, advising her to party like a princess. Kitty's fingers end up covered in sparkles from the card. "Oh, from Erik too," she says, noticing the signatures and smiling to Lorna. "It will be good to see him again," Kitty says, noting the part in the card about a party in Genosha.

Kitty pulls out a sippy wine glass then and laughs. "Perfect, now I don't have to worry about spilling," she says. Kitty moves to give Lorna a warm hug. "Thank you," she tells her long-time friend before letting her go.

One of the students comes out, mentioning another student who is having an issue and Kitty is guidance counselor, so... so Kitty goes to pull on something more than the bikini. "Thank you everyone. I'll try to be back soon," she says. "This has been a wonderful birthday." Kitty smiles over to Shannon. "And I loved having someone else to share it with!"

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon is already at a fair distance from the demon plant, but on Betsy's advice, she stands and takes a few more steps back away from the oddity. It was like something straight out of a B-rated scifi or horror film, something one couldn't stand to look at and yet, couldn't bear to look away from. "No problem, miss. I'd rather this wasn't my last trip around the sun." Still, when Petrovich nipped at her, in its own strange way it seemed more like a cat nipping playfully at one of its litter-mates, and makes her smile. "Kind of neat-looking. But umm, maybe I'll say hi from over here." She smiles shyly at Emma, having no clue she was a telepath. "Guess there's a lot of new things to get used to here."

She glances over at Kitty and sees her with someone new. This was really starting to get more crowded than before, but there was no polite way to extricate herself from the situation. So she smiles as best she can, but keeps her wings folded around herself like a shield as she greets Lorna. "Hi, miss."

Polaris has posed:
Lorna smiled at Kitty, "Well, Dad said you're like a daughter to him, so I pestered the hell out of him to make sure he acknowledged at least one of his so called children's birthdays." She teased, her voice dry and filled with plenty of humor at her own comment. Still, she'd managed a small feat in getting Magneto to sign a birthday card for anyone and she felt quite accomplished for it.

A nod was offered to Kitty as her friend left to handle students and Lorna's green eyed gaze landed on the new face that approached her. Lorna smiled, and held out her hand toward Shannon. "Hello, please, call me Lorna. Are you a new student here?" She offered gently, her voice soft as she considered the young woman in front of her.

Magik has posed:
Illy glances up at Lorna and smiles through her half curtain of blonde hair. "I would like this. I do not have birthday in a long time. I am not even so sure how old I am..." Because of course she doesn't.

A glance up at Betsy, "Can I be twenty one too?" Hopeful, if only distantly so, that she'll be given permission to age herself by... however much that would age her. "Need new fake ID... I should starting work on getting this made, maybe."

She fishes around for the knuckles of Betsy's fingers and lays the outside of the hand against her cheek for a second. "I am going to find Rogue and give her Petrovich. I seeing you later?" Releasing the telepath so she can grab one of the hamburgers with a disgusted grimace and take it over to toss in the sentient plants direction. The meat is snatched out of the air and eaten ravenously so that Illyana can easily scoop up the pot and plant both, tuck it beneath her arm, and start towards the mansion. Possibly unaware that she, herself, is only wearing a two piece bathing suit... but just as likely not caring.

Modesty isn't huge on her priorities.

Just consent.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie eill turn looking over at Emma, a bit of a frown on his face. Seems he is not a fan of what she has just said in a few ways. "Rahne would be here but she moved into town and has her own place now." He will inform her.

Negasonic Teenage Warhead has posed:
Negasonic grabs herself a soda now. "Fluttershy is very new." she notes to Lorna helpfully as she settles into one of the lawn chairs now with her food and drink. "Also .. while our lives are wierd around here.. Petrovich is one of the wierdest things, so don't worry about the bar being too much higher then this." of course, sometimes it really really is higher.

Cypher has posed:
"Yeah. Compromise. I'm still getting used to it. Full range of motion, full sensory range. In fact, in some ways, it's even more acute. I haven't even begun to test what it can do." Then he sighs, and says, "I'm thinking maybe I should focus on school. Though I'm going to have to bring the one-glove look back into vogue." He glances up to Emma. "Ma'am."

Nightingale has posed:
     Before she even has a chance to unfurl her wings and introduce herself, there goes Negasonic with that Fluttershy business again! The smile stays on her face, but she rolls her eyes a little bit as she accepts Lorna's hand, her grip tentative. She nods, her voice soft as well. "Shannon. Just arrived a couple nights ago. And don't listen to Negasonic. She doesn't seem to like 'Nightingale' much, keeps messing it up."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie looks over to Illyana and says "I saw ya go for 20, that way we can throw you a 21st party when the time comes. It can be a pretty good day. Sam's was quiet but he plans on making sure the others aint. To Doug he will add "Well you know your welcome as much or as little as you want to be there brother." He starts to head to get a burger "Anyone else want one?"

Cypher has posed:
"Actually Sam," Doug says, "There's something I wanted to talk to you about. Do you still know how to get hold of Lila?" He asks, his eyebrows going up. "I had a thought..."

Polaris has posed:
Lorna glanced at Sam as he offered to get a burger, a distracted focus to her as she tried to keep track of Illyana's departure and consider just how interesting a shared birthday party could get with at least two magic users present. Either way, she waved Sam's offer off, her own burger half uneaten beside her. "Nah I'm good." Before the full focus of her conversation came swinging back to Shannon and Negasonic. She smiled and arched a brow upward.

"Fluttershy..? What?" Ah, a nickname, and she grinned as she smothered a laugh at Shannon's explanation.

"Things are always strange or weird around here, I hope it doesn't scare you off too badly though." She offered, "As far as nicknames go though, my suggestion is owning it or coming up with your own if you don't like the one given to you. They tend to stick. I mean, I remember when I was in high school here.." She trailed off, and hmmed under her breath, trying to think of some of the more 'safe for students' nicknames from her own days attending the school.

Emma Frost has posed:
Always with the needling, subtle and otherwise, Emma is no doubt in it for the rise she gets out of people as much as anything else. So she only smiles back all the brighter at Sam when he speaks up. "Oh wonderful. It's been too long since I've seen her. Do tell the dear hello for me, won't you?" She guesses probably not. But who knows! Doug, in turn, gets a somewhat more encouraging sort of smile. "I'm glad to know that you're alright. Your head was quite the strange mess when I was in there. But it all turned out well in the end, hmm?"

Then, singling out another among the youngsters, she zeroes in on Illyana.

"Dear, youth is a gift. Don't be so eager to be rid of it." Then she makes a dramatic sweep of her arm to indicate the gathering. "We generally, oh and very much you in particular, have all the power in the world... and yet you're worried over whether it's legal to have a drink? Or whatever other fun you might care to get up to?" She gives a breathy snort. "Please. So why worry?"

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie says, "I can send her a message, but she is on tour so not sure when she will be back in town. I had already sent Guido a message for some suggestions on folks to bring in."

Cypher has posed:
"...I'll tell you more about my idea later." Doug says. He looks up at Emma and says, "Thank you," He nods, for emphasis, once. "I appreciate your help, when you didn't have to help me at all. I'll repay the favor in kind, one day, if you feel like calling it in." He seems subdued tonight, quiet, but otherwise all right. He's had a lot to think about for the past few days, after all.

Nightingale has posed:
     "That's just it, Lorna. I'm sticking with the one my family gave me, which is 'Nightingale'. But Negasonic over here keeps changing it." Oh yes, this was definitely going to be an uphill battle, but one Shannon was digging in her proverbial heels for! Still, she does giggle, shaking her head slightly. "Probably something ummm, colorful, I bet. Gotcha." This one seemed like another kind soul to know, and oddly enough, she found herself warming to the other woman as if to an older sibling.

Magik has posed:
"Da." Illyana stops walking, but doesn't turn around, because she was zeroed and the commentary needs a reply. Or rather, she needs to reply to it. "All the powers in the world." She repeats with a little frown hidden by her turned back and curtain of hair, but lacks the delivery that Emma wield so gracefully, stumbling through her thoughts in her broken english and fledgling experience in actually expressing those thoughts out loud.

"Why would someone like me ever be wanting something normal like twenty first birthday.. or having drink with someone at club legally... or.." She shakes her head at the thought, waves it away, "It is not wasting youth.. I live a lot of youth in a minute that other people live in times with others."

She starts back towards the mansion with her demon plant. "I think I will be twenty one."

Polaris has posed:
Lorna arched a brow, tilting her head as she considered Shannon as the young woman went on to say she did in fact have a nickname already. "Nightingale? You must be a singer then, right? Have you signed up for any chorus classes in the fall? I'm sure we have those..." She hadn't been involved in the school side of things for years here, and she wasn't sure if there was a chorus program. She simply assumed that there had to be.

Even if she'd never sang a day in her life if she could help it. The conversation with Emma and Illyana snagged a passing interest as she glanced back to the new student and Negasonic.

"Well, I know there were not so nice nicknames. I got stuck with Green Peace, but eh. It's more of a niche nickname. Not so bad."

Negasonic Teenage Warhead has posed:
Negasonic slides back up to her feet, dumps her empty plate into the compost bin and sips her soda. "It could be worse. Trust me." she notes to Shannon and then meanders along following Illyana and the demon plant inside.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie looks over Illyana, and frowns a bit over at her. He wants to say something and almost steps that way but he will give her, her space even if it chaffs him like crazy.

Cypher has posed:
Doug side-eyes Sam, and gives a little smirk. "See? He *learns*." He says, before he reaches into the cooler with his techno-rganic hand and pulls out a soda. He absently flips the bottlecap off with that black and gold hand, without really noticing it.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon just shakes her head, rolling her eyes. Sooner or later, she'd get through to Negasonic, though it didn't seem like that day would be today. "No, even if I do sing. Alto, actually. The nickname came from Florence Nightingale... for healing." With the shift of the topic to music, she's definitely become more animated, her wings in a more relaxed pose behind her. "There's still a little time, but I kind of hope there's some music classes. I'd kind of like to look at medical stuff, too." She idly runs her fingers over the runes stamped into the soft, worn brown leather of the little pouch in her left hand, wondering what stories they could tell if she knew how to read them.

Emma Frost has posed:
"Then go to Canada," Emma shoots back at Illyana, with another dry laugh. "Or France, if you prefer the real article to the budget version. Distance isn't really a factor, hmm? That is, if buying alcohol at some dreary bar is really the true benchmark of normalacy and personal fullfilment." Though by now, her tone has edged away slightly from the overly-benevolent to the somewhat more aggressively lecturing, probably because Emma just can't help herself! But the girl is leaving, so it's not an argument she can really pursue at further length.

Doug's gratitude, or more specifically, his offer of repaying her kindness, is met with a rather brush-off sort of gesture. "Oh, don't think twice about it, Douglas. I didn't do much, and we're all in this together, aren't we? I only did what any of you would do for one another." Whether this is genuine or just a show of a more 'reformed' Emma doing good for its own sake rather than getting something in return? Who knows.

Polaris has posed:
Lorna idly glanced back at Illyana as Negasonic took off after the blonde's direction inside, and reached to grab her otherwise abandoned burger to snack on as she listened to Shannon as the young mutant became more animated and slowly relaxed. It was just as well that the young woman hadn't recognized her, Lorna was mostly certain that Shannon would clam up again under nerves.

"There's definitely music of some kind. Not my forte. I was more into shop class. Though, I'll be honest and I really only remember my math classes really well.." She grinned and glanced at the bag briefly and back.

"Medical hmm, well, you should definitely talk to Josh if you see him around. His powers are all based on healing." She mused, and her attention half way drifted to Emma and Doug by the poolside. Mostly to Emma's calling out to Illyana's departing figure, and she bit back the urge to wince.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie finishes putting his food together, and moves to find a place to have a seat. "How is everything thing going for ya dad?" Sam will ask in honest interest and concern for the older man.

Spider-Man has posed:
There's a party raging and there's not even the first bit of music.

In some countries that's actually illegal...

Peter Parker, resident Chemistry teacher and life time METS fan shows up on the scene with a backwards Mets cap, cargo shorts, and a Who Framed Roger Rabbit shirt he probably isn't wearing ironically. Can we figure out if Hipsters are still a thing in 2027?

Trudging down from the mansion with a drink dangling from his hand that is definitely not alcoholic because he's a RESPONSIBLE adult, Peter stops, as Peter always stops, at the food section of the party before he's even trying to get around to acknowledging anyone. "How old are these?" Pointing at the burgers with the bottom of his red solo cup that is definitely not some rum and coke mixture because that would be inappropriate at this hour.

"You know what, I don't even care." Drink set aside so he can start putting together a massive triple stacker.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon rolls her eyes and giggles, both at the inadvertant play on words from Lorna, and from sympathy in regards to math classes. "I can't stand math. Well, most math. Geometry's different, don't mind that as much. Mythology and history, I like those as well. But why math, for you?" There's a flash of recognition in her azure eyes and she smiles a little wider, nodding. "Josh Foley? Met him last night, he came in when Sam and I were putzing around in the kitchen some. Sam was making some of the best fried chicken -ever-!"

Speaking of recent acquaintances, she's brought up short, a little bit intimidated as she recognizes Peter Parker. She's already learned the hard way not to get between him and food, stepping well out of his way and waving towards the food table. "They're not that old. Someone was grilling for miss Kitty's birthday."

Polaris has posed:
Lorna didn't budge an inch from eating her burger by the table and speaking to Shannon as Peter arrived, though she did nod to the young man as he approached. "You just missed the birthday girl. She went inside for some student crisis I think." She shrugged and glanced back to Shannon with a raised brow.

"I studied super hard for my math courses here. I was a science kid, and to get into higher level physics classes, I had to have the math to go with it." She shrugged and nodded to Peter.

"You might have him for Chemistry this year, I dunno when that's supposed to happen schedule wise though.. so.." She shrugged again, and nodded at the mention of Josh as Shannon mentioned having met the healer the other night.

"Oh good, you've met. He's solid enough." She smiled, and exhaled a great, put upon breath as her cell phone went off. She made a face, tapping away on it.

"Please excuse me, I gotta take this." She murmured, stepping away to deal with whatever Genoshan crisis was going on now.

Spider-Man has posed:
"Mathematics is what sets us apart from animals." Peter says from the grill, not even bothering to look up as he piles the second of three burgers atop a bed of lettuce and pickles, "They communicate with each other, which might be rudamentary, but is definitely a form of language.. and they have intricate social structures. Even in the insect kingdoms." A third burger, this atop cheese and ketchup, "And while they also exibit extrodinary architectural ingenuity, it's done largely instinctively.." Glancing casually, and infrequently, back at Shannon, "Have you ever seen a cast mold of an ants hive? It's mind boggling... especially when you take into account nobody planned that in the same way an architect might the Crystler building."

Motioning then with his burger, just afore taking a massive bite which he chews before continuing, "But they don't do math. You can't tech them math, either.. even the smartest animal is incapable of simple equations, let along complex algorythms.. so, short story long.." Another bite, a casual sip of his very virgin drink because children are present guys, seriously, "The study of mathematics is actually the study of the humanities."

With a grin and a finger wave at Lorna off the side of his hamburger, "Thanks Lorna. If you see Kitty inside, tell I'm looking for her huh?"

Emma Frost has posed:
By this point in the party, and having used her many charms to drive away a few students, Emma has retired to an even more luxurious and lounging position. Which is to say, she's given up on the water entirely, and retreated to one of the lawn chairs alonside it to sprawl out properly. The still not remotely student appropriate swimsuit is really just for show, it seems. Once comfortable, she settles in for a bit of sun bathing and perhaps some ambient mental voyeurism.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon nods as Lorna excuses herself to to take the call, and moves as if to step out herself. However, it's impossible to escape the enthusiasm that Peter has for math, and the eloquent way on which he extols the virtues of applying one's self to its study. He was definitely a formidable soul, and for what was likely to be far from the last time, she was sure glad he was on the school's side! "Okay, okay..." Remind her to never ask him about math again! "So umm... when are classes starting this year anyways? And do sophomores take chemistry or is that junior year?" At least there was something she could ask him about, that was hopefully nothing that would trigger a speech like that about math!

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie looks over and says "Today is both Kitty and shannons birthday. We will have to make sure we plan an anual event since we have two on one day.

Spider-Man has posed:
Peter sucks ketchup from his finger tips on the way over to the pool, dropping down at the edge to dangling his feet in the water after removing the sandles. "Usually, August." Said with a sip from his cup which he also sets beside him, slowly kicking his feet back and forth beneath the surface. Contentedly unspeechy until Samuel outs Shannon as a birthday girl, "Oh, hey cool. First week and already getting older huh?" Playful grin in her direction. "I didn't know it was your birthday, Fluttershy-" it's a thing now, "-but I'll make it up to you with a riveting powerpoint lecture on the need for energy conservation and over use of natural resources?"

He wont do that.

God, please don't make him do that.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon tries to wave her hands frantically at Sam to shut up, her wings fluttering in agitation, shaking her head. Oh hell no, he didn't just go there! Yep. He did. She turns flame red, almost growling at him, and yet it was hard to stay too mad.

"Nightingale, if you've got to use a nickname... please. Nega keeps fouling that up." The offer of a lecture is politely declined, likely to the relief of both, and she smiles shyly. Maybe he was a little intimidating, but perhaps not so bad in his way. "Yeah, sweet sixteen, and never been kissed and all that bull."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie looks over, and says "Really we don't do as much specific classes per year. In a way probably like your home schooling, we find the ones your best suited for and the ones you need to work on and usually give you a mix of them each semester, but by the time your done you have all the ones the state requires usually early even.

Spider-Man has posed:
Peter licks at the back of his teeth, sitting ont he edge of the pool with his feet dangling in the water, and a super not alcoholic beverage beside him. Seriously, it's not okay? Stop asking. "I can assure you that a week at this school and you'll have that kissing business taken care of." Nudging his head off to the side towards the mansion, "You find someone in there not dating someone else and I'll give you a free A on your first pop quiz."

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon's jaw drops as she just stares at Peter, dumbfounded and embarrassed as all hell. Her face goes flame red within seconds, right to her ears and well past her hairline. She opens her mouth as if to say something, then just closes it all over again. Suddenly, the haven of the water seems very inviting, and as soon as she makes certain her gifted sweatshirt and the small leather pouch are safely away from the pool's edge, she slips into the water, very glad she had brought her black one-piece swimsuit from home. Her wings had finally begun to dry out, yet are now waterlogged all over again. There would be no flying away from this party for her for a little while, at least!

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie will be tempted to give her an answer for Peter's quest, but he aint going to rat anyone out on that one least not right now, and to someone to young for said friend. "Am Ah going to need to make you give folks a grace period as well Professor Parker?

Phoenix has posed:
Unfortunately, being Headmistress, means that even when a dear friend is having her birthday, Jean has to be late. But at least she does show up, and the party being a pool party, she shows up in a green bikini with gold detailing, the motiff of raptors quite apparent.

"Sorry I'm late everyone, hope I'm not too late to say happy birthday to Kitty and Shannon?" Jean asks as she steps out of the Mansion and heads towards the pool.

Spider-Man has posed:
"Splish splash." Peter watches Shannon go for a hide in the pool just as Jean shows up, "Heya boss." Hand up in a little wave that drops down upon his cup for a drink, "Kitty had to head inside for a Guidance Councilor emergency that supercede all these birthday shenanigans... and Shannon is hiding from the inevitability that she'll be dating a student by the end of the week." Pointing with his solo cup at the winged student trying to fly through the water like a majestic aquatic bird.

Nightingale has posed:
     "Sam, you are SO dead! Did you -have- to post that notice?!" Oh god, her and her big mouth! She just -had- to say something about 'sweet sixteen' and all that. Now Shannon was sure to be catching hell for it. And it didn't help matters that, when the headmistress showed up, she looked more like a drowned rat with her long, usually pale gold hair clinging to her shoulders and back as if she were a drowned rat, not some majestic, aquatic bird, with strands of the stuff flopping down between her eyes. She attempts, unsuccessfully, to blow the clingy, wet stuff out of her face, but to no avail. Oh, well, no help for it now! Smiling sheepishly, and shielding herself with her wings, she nods towards Jean. "Hello, miss..."

Banshee has posed:
Another teacher, Mr. Cassidy, makes his arrival in the wake of Jean Grey. He isn't a gorgeous redhead in a bikini, so he'll probably not be the main attraction. He's very clearly a professor or similar sort, with his age alone. He has failed to wear pool attire properly, and is somewhat covered with a t-shirt, hat, shorts, flip flops: and most importantly, a bottle of suntan lotion of a strong SPF. He's very fair skinned, enough to maybe be a little blinding, which makes clear the reason for the lotion to be brought along.

"I 'ave not yet met th' other birthday lass," remarks Sean Cassidy in dismay, looking aside to Jean. "Kin ye point 'er out?"

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie will smile and says "Ah just said your birthday you decided to tell the rest." He grins a bit more and says "This is the Headmistress Jean Grey, and Professor Sean Cassidy, this is our newest student, and most recent threat to my well being Shannon Lance." He is eatting a burger on one of the lounges in board shorts.

Phoenix has posed:
"Welcome to Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters," Jean greets Shannon when the introduction is made by Sam, though she does turn to quip at Sam, "you don't need to chase every girl you see, you know." Approaching the pool, and slipping her legs in the water, as she sits on the edge, she calls out to Shannon, "you absolutely, postively don't have to date anyone at all. That's a decision only for you to make, you need only concern yourself with studying hard, and working on progressing your control of your skills." She chuckles and adds, "you can call me Jean, so long as we're not in class."

Looking back at Banshee, Jean notes, "I believe she had to go see a student with pressing counseling needs. It happens, you know better than most in this school, Sean."

Spider-Man has posed:
Drowned rats are majestic in their own way, okay?

"Prof." Peter, in his cargo shorts, Who Framed Roger Rabbit shirt (worn unironically even), and backwards Mets cap is chilling with his feet in the water. Wiggling his red solo cup after the finally drink, he looks down into it with a small frown. "Alright, well that was anti-climatic." One hand back, Peter spins out of the pool in the direction of the mansion, feet sliding right into his sandles without drying off first, "I'mma hit up a drink, anybody need anything from the fridge while I'm up there?"

Peter glances back at the Headmistress, "Whoa, now.. I didn't say it was mandatory, I said it was inevitable.. I hope she breaks the odds, I really do. I love it when a streak ends, especially one as covertly inhumane as teenage courting rituals, but let's call a spade a spade..." Pointing his empty cup at the school, "That mansion breeds breeders."

Nightingale has posed:
     Breeders!!!! Well, now that was just too much! Shannon spreads her waterlogged wings nearly to their full span, facing in Peter's general direction--and thinks better of it, with Jean sitting right there! No, instead, she settles for sweeping her hand across the water at Peter, sending a spray of water in his direction, about as red all over as she could get from sheer embarrassment. "MEN!" Hopefully, with any luck, Jean might not be caught in the onslaught of water heading Peter's way.

She shoots Jean a grateful look, trying to smile. "I'll try... and maybe I won't date, just to tick him off." She jerks her thumb towards Peter, grumbling. "Breeders... seriously?"

Banshee has posed:
"I do," Sean agrees with Jean's statement about what he knows better of, with a low, relaxed chuckle. He sobers to serious to look back at the school. "I do 'ope that everythin' is alright, then," he says, but he lets it go for now. He nods both towards Shannon, and then to Samuel as he gives introductions.

And then Peter Parker talks a lot. Sean stares at the interaction, and bursts out laughing. "Ye get 'im," Sean encourages the winged girl and her watery retaliation. Seems deserved, to Sean.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie looks over to Jean, and seems a bit shocked "You getting me confused for Berto?" He will ask her, and says "Seriously Ah am not the hound dog at this school. In fact most of the girls Ah have went out have never went to school here." He looks over to Shannon and says "And no offence to Shannon, but she is way to young for me, they would throw me under the jail house."

Phoenix has posed:
"I'll have you know, Mr. Parker, that I am a graduate of this very school, and I've never once dated anyone while I was studying." Jean informs Peter, though to be fair, she neglected to mention the harsh training exercises. The iron fist rule of a younger Professor Xavier. Her embarking on a short lived part time modelling career. Going to freakin' space? To be fair, she never really had time for proper dating.

When Shannon tries to protest Peter's words with a splash of water, some indeed heads Jean's way, but it never seems to quite make it to the Headmistress, instead hitting something unseen before being diverted away. Jean doesn't seem to notice.

"Just because it's not at the school, doesn't make me wrong, I notice thing Guthrie," Jean remarks in a mysterious tone, not divulging anything else, as she moves on. "Mr. Parker, any reasons why you're scaring my newest students with words such as 'breeders'? You did read the handbook and guidelines, right?"

Spider-Man has posed:
"What'd I say!" Peter covers his head defensively from this watery onslaught, "You know I'm right! Throw a stone, hit a couple.. wait was it the breeder part? Are we splitting hairs here because I'm not actually theorizing the the intent is to reproduce. That's base accusation and assumption and hardly the scientific method." Now he is all wet..

Pulling his mets cap off to slap it against his thigh expressively, brushing an arm across his brow, "I meant it hyperbolically.. plus it sort of rhythmed and I liked that?" He opens his hands in a 'slave to my inner monologue so it just gets spoken so people don't have to assume what he's thinking' kind of way. He might be the only man on Earth that has that specific shrug.

"Yeah okay, I get it, we're talking statistical anomoly in your case, though, Ms. Grey.. Out lier of a bell curve situation." His chin tucks, regardless, "Okay, I get it, don't tell the students how teenagers work. I think I can manage that." Back towards the mansion, less gusto, more sulking shame walking.

Nightingale has posed:
     If there was a rock to crawl under and hide somewhere, Shannon would surely have gone looking for it by now. But, much to her dismay, there was not, although thankfully, at least she didn't get in trouble for splashing Peter. However, when she sees him slinking back towards the mansion, her shoulders and wings both slump with regret at her embarrassment and outrage. Her brows furrow and she lets out a little sigh. "I'm sorry... that was uncalled for on my part."

Banshee has posed:
Sean watches Peter go, and calls to him, "Lemonade, if y' would." The young man did ask. And Sean can /project/ his voice: there's little question of whether or not Peter will hear it, even if he's halfway over back to the mansion by now. The professor settles to sit on a chair nearby, and finish applying his suntan lotion to his forearms, settling there.

"I be'lieve y'll do jus' fine 'ere, miss Shannon," Sean says to the worried young woman kindly, gently.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie starts to want to argue with Jean, but he is already not on the best footing with Scott, no reason to press it with Jean, and he has an idea, why she is giving him grief there even if he is probably totally wrong. "We have had a pretty good turn out for the party, and I think both Kitty and Shannon here have enjoyed it, and got to meet alot of the students and teachers.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon stops to consider Sam's words for a moment, and nods. Despite herself, and several awkward, embarrassing moments, she -had- enjoyed herself. A tentative smile curls the corners of her mouth upwards, and she dips her head slightly. "It really should have been more Kitty's day, though. And she won't tell me her favorite kind of cake so at least I can make her one since I had no idea about her birthday till today!"

The blush that comes to her face is of a gentler hue this time, a light shell pink as opposed to rose red. Her smile widens, and she reaches out to offer Sean her hand. "Thank you."

Phoenix has posed:
"Mr. Parker...? Since you're loving going off on tangents, let me make it clear, do not refer to our students as breeders, it is disrespectful and could hurt feelings," while the tone is soft spoken, there's a foreboding sense that Jean will not bare any comedy about her ruling. "However do you manage to veer from lewd implications into vague study material astounds me, Mr. Parker, at least there's a reason you're a teacher here," Jean concludes with a playful wink, before another splash of water heads Peter's way, only Jean wasn't even moving her arms or feet. It just, kinda happens.

"I disagree, Shannon, I thought it was a very appropriate response, good for you," happens to be the words from the Headmistress, so surely, Shannon wasn't in trouble for that one.

Spider-Man has posed:
Peter stops his retreat at the stern tone in Jean's voice and turns around to face the Headmistress with what amounts to a whiplashed expression his face. He's a trooper and he weathers that storm with as much decorum as any human being can manage in the face of being undressed verbally by their boss.. What's more, he looks like he knows he deserves it.

Even the splash. It hits him and he spits water out with a little grunt.

Then, rubbing at the back of his neck with one hand, he glances over at Shannon and steps her way to slide down onto a chair near where she's sitting.

"Listen." He starts, then stops, and considers how to put the words in his head out of his mouth, "I sometimes forget I'm a teacher... and I let my sense of humor get ahead of me when I should be teaching you kids how to control that. I didn't mean to embarass you, it was not just wrong, it was inappropriate on all levels and I am deeply sorry for that."

He takes a breath and slaps his thighs to stand up, "I'm going to grab Prof Cassidy some lemonade." Nodding to the pair of teachers and various students, stepping backwards away from the edge of the pool facing Jean, "It's a talent, Ms. Grey. I always figure that humor is so much more poignant when you can back it up with science. This wont happen again, I promise." Telling her with a motion around and his hat slapping on the top of his head. "Bee are bee."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie will look over and says "Vanilla cake with chocolate icing, and yea that is hers, mine is red velvet." He jokes, but does look over to Jean and says "Looks like we got a nice selection of new students to start this fall. Ah think it will be a good class."

Banshee has posed:
Sean Cassidy stays out of the discussion between Jean and Peter, and instead gives Shannon a bit of an eyebrow lift, as if he were more on her side overall: let Jean sort Peter out. He bends to shake her hand, and give her a warm, relaxed smile, in greeting.

"With a bit o' ice, please," Sean adds to Peter, tone playful.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon pulls herself out of the pool again to perch on the edge near Jean, stretching out her wings behind her to dry in the warm summer weather. She's a little bit startled when her apology actually seems to be heard, and even more surprised when Peter comes back for a moment. "Sometimes we all put our foot in our mouth, right up to the hip. It's okay. I'm just sorry I got you in trouble with Jean." She tries to smile to him, offering her hand in truce, though a moment too late as he heads back towards the mansion. "Son of a peach... I'll have to catch up with him later."

Turning to Jean, she actually grins, albeit a bit on the lopsided end of the scale. "Maybe... but I didn't mean for him to get in trouble like that. He's actually pretty nice."

Though her attempt at reaching out to Peter is perhaps a bit too little too late, it's not the case with Sean, and she smiles warmly. Something about this one definitely put her at ease. "So... maybe I missed it with everything happening, but what class will I be seeing you in this fall?"

Sam gets a wide grin, and she cracks her knuckles... cackling? Oh heavens. "I'll remember that. Red velvet cake for you, vanilla cake with chocolate frosting for Kitty." Yes, that was definitely a cackle. Did someone have a mischievous side buried in there somewhere after all?

Phoenix has posed:
Jean smiles when Peter takes is all in stride, and even gives him a thumbs up, before turning her attention back to Shannon, "you'll do fine."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde comes walking back out from the school. She'd thrown on shorts and a shirt over her bathing suit after going in to deal with a guidance counseling issue. A broken heart and worries the one boy's one true love was getting away from him. Such are the perils of high school.

Kitty walks back out, barefoot again, and carrying a tray with a large pitcher of lemonade and a bunch of glasses and ice. "Someone ordered lemonade?" she says in her best Jersey accent as she brings the beverages over to where people are at. "Mr. Sean Cassidy. How are you?" Kitty asks brightly as she sets the drinks down and fills glasses for anyone who signals they would like one.

Banshee has posed:
"It 'twil depend on y' year that y'in," Sean answers Shannon in his soothing Irish lilt. "Mostly I get th' older students," he explains. "Should be.... Social studies? Geography? Varies a'it." He then looks towards Jean, and sobers some. "Th' NYPD may still need me, though. But I'll try t' split my 'ttention. A lot's come down lately, they need all hands on deck."

"I did!" Sean says, in surprise to Kitty, accepting it. "Y'ere lookin' well. Happy Birthday, Kitty," he says to her, smile returning.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie looks over, and to Jean, and says "And she has been told most likely if Warren is about he would be the one to teach her some of the flying issues. As he is the best winged flyer we have around. Ah would offer to help but beyond the basics not sure how similar our flying would be." He hold up a finger for a glass of lemonade. He adds "And if your planning on adding any of your birthday present, try a sip straight first Ah dare ya." He teases Kitty.

Phoenix has posed:
"Happy Birthday, Kitty," Jean says from her sport by the edge of the pool, sitting with her legs dipped in the water. "You're such a sweatheart, taking time off your own party to go help a student in need. I hope you don't mind, but I got you some Royce chocolate, waiting in your room, unless Lockheed already took care of it."

"I would dare say her flying would wind up a tad more graceful than yours, Guthrie, even if not nearly as fast," Jean grins impishly at Sam, before asiding to Shannon, "Warren will give you the best lessons."

Nightingale has posed:
     "Sophomore, Mr. Cassidy." Shannon smiles, listening to him, although with a small hint of concern as she hears mention of New York's finest. Would she ever be able to be of service, one day? Who was to tell, for that was likely quite some time in the future--or was it?

     "That's about the third or fourth time I've heard of Warren since coming here. Just how fast do you fly anyways, Sam?" She tilts her head in curiosity, and is that a glimmer of challenge in her eyes? She stretches her wings out and draws them in, running her fingers through the feathers to find them no longer quite so waterlogged as they were.

     Kitty gets a wicked little grin, and there's that cackle again. Let her wonder what was up. It was more fun that way.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde flashes a warm smile to Sean. "Thank you," she tells him. "It's been a good one. Took the day off from Stark and the school both," she says, then pauses to glance at the school. "Well, I /had/ taken the day off," she says, laughing warmly as she passes out the last of the lemonade. "But dealt with an emergency broken heart. Before that thought, managed to see a lot of good friends, and you can't ask for much more than that, can you?"

Kitty's smile grows at Jean's mention of a present. "Oh! Thank you Jean. I can't wait to try some," she says brightly. The comment from Samuel makes Kitty laugh. "I suppose we could do that. But would it be a shame to mix it?" she asks. She took a couple of gifts inside with her already, but not all. The flight schedule from the Apollo 11 Lunar Module definitely was taken inside and put in a safe place. And a quick google finding the amount it was recently purchased for at auction had Kitty almost afraid to leave it in her room unattended. So /that's/ why it was delivered with an armed guard accompanying it.

But where is safer than Xavier's school, after all? Kitty gets the bottle of 21-year-old Kentucky bourbon from Sam. She gets a few more glasses to pour a measure for each person of age who requests some. "Here's looking at you," she says to Sam, toasting him and taking a sip. "Oh. Wow is that smooth," she says, shaking her head.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie smiles, a bit and looks over to Shannon "Around Mach 1." He will tell her, but at that speeds, it is pretty much a straight line, if I need to turn I need to be going a decent bit slower, or have a really wide turning radius." He will take one of the glasses from Kitty, and says "Oh this one, I would think best strait, maybe on ice, but I the other one is the one your probably gonna want to mix."

Phoenix has posed:
"You can have me for tea when you try it, Kitty, just a hint," Jean playfully remarks as she steps up, and starts back towards the Mansion, "I'll go make sure Lockheed is aware they are for you. I don't trust him, they're too good."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon drops her jaw, completely agog at that revelation from Sam. "Holy sh..." Despite earlier reassurances that the occasional colorful metaphor wouldn't land her in hot water, there was still no reason that someone who looked like an angel needed to swear like a sailor! "Okay, you've definitely got me beat. Not even sure what my top speed is, but it's nowhere near that." Lemonade does seem to hit the spot, and she's lucky enough to snag one of the last non-spiked glasses, cradling it between her hands to enjoy as she listens to everyone else talking. Good food, good company--even if a little more crowded than expected--what wasn't to enjoy about the day?

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde grins to Jean. "There's always an open invite," she tells the red-haired woman before she heads back inside. Kitty grins to Sam. "Oh, right, the other one. I admit I was looking forward to trying this. I was mostly a stout drinker in the UK, though I did try a few things. I liked sours quite a lot actually, I might have to buy some mix and something to put with it, now I can. Really it was kind of frustrating drinking there at 17 but coming home at 20 and not being able to," she says, shaking her head.

Kitty slips off her shorts and top, getting back into her bikini and going to sit on the edge of the pool with her feet dangling in the water. "So Shannon, I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to meet you before today. I work in the city but do guidance counseling here as I can fit it in," she says. "How are you finding the school so far? I hope it has been to your liking?"

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie smiles and says "Ah don't drink much, but Ah have a few of the small things of shine for bribing Remy if Ah need to, and Ah set up a few orders for the Burbon, gotta get Doug one next year. Ah figure if your going to drink drink something decent, honestly Ah don't drink much. " He hmms and says "Kitty do I have a reputation for chasing girls?"

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon nods, and smiles, decidedly more relaxed with the smaller gathering than with the crowd from earlier. "It has been. Huge place, I get lost a lot. And it's nice to just... well, to just -be-. It's like okay, sure, this one has wings and other gifts, that one can do other things, but all that just kind of goes away into the background here. It's... -normal-. I love it." Her voice drops a notch, wings drooping slightly. "Maybe a little bit homesick, but that'll pass. It's a lot safer if I don't go back to Connecticut for a long time."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde takes a slow sip of the bourbon, sighing after. She considers Samuel's question and shakes her head. "Seems like you usually are seeing someone or another. But you don't seem like a chaser to me, no," she tells Samuel after the few moments of thought. "Why? Did someone say something?" she asks.

Kitty smiles gently over at Shannon. "It really is a different environment," Kitty agrees. But then says, "And yet... it's also very much a normal high school. I mean, you have all of the... flying and powers and everything. But the students are all still teenagers, same as any other. But yes, it's a great place to just get to be you," she says with a smile. "I first came here when I was 13," she says. "Sam, you were what... 16 maybe?" she asks, trying to remember.

Kitty's expression softens a bit. "Did you have some problems at home?" she asks. Kitty will have read Shannon's file, and have an idea her parents are not the type who kicked their mutant child out. That is a story that happens more than some would think.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie hmmms and says "Odd, maybe she was just giving me grief, just seemed a weird thing and Ah was wondering a bit about it." He sips his drink and says "The school is a great place, but visiting home is a nice thing to do at time.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon shrugs by way of answer to Kitty, nibbling her lower lip for a moment. "Not with my family. Even when I changed, they did nothing but love and support me. Guess I've been pretty lucky there. But home, well... isn't very mutant-friendly. I just don't understand why people can be so hateful. Why can't we just all live in peace with each other?"

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde's head tilts to the side as she looks at Sam. Not sure who the 'she' is that he is talking about. But when he doesn't elaborate she doesn't press the question. Kitty takes a sip of her lemonade, having two glasses at the moment with the different beverages.

Kitty slowly nods her head in understanding. "Yes, there's a lot of animosity out there. And so much of it just doesn't make sense. People hating just to hate sometimes, just feeling better having someone to blame I guess," she says. Her fingers go to her necklace, from which a Star of David hangs. She knew something about that subject, even before realizing she was a mutant.

"It's amazing how people accept some enhanced people, but not mutants. We have friends amongst the Avengers. Actually, Cap and Wasp and Tony Stark came out here for a cookout with us about, what, three weeks ago? I wonder if maybe there were more openly mutant heroes if it would help. But then, Wanda and Pietro don't seem to sway people too much. Even if they are accepted, it doesn't seem to translate to mutants as a group."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie looks to the ladies and says "Man has to have something to fight against, it is a sad thing that it pretty much always has to other men, but Ah don't see any out of it.' he finishes his drink "Ah need to go handle some paperwork, you two birthday ladies will excuse me Ah hope.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon gets up from the edge of the pool and saunters over to Sam, wrapping arms and wings around him for a hug. "Well, at least we have each other here. It's a start. Maybe someday the rest of the world will take a hint and stop hating just to hate." She coughs lightly, stepping back and smiling somewhat. Yeah. Nobody saw the shy one actually giving another hug. Nope.

As she hears Kitty, her jaw positively drops. While there were some names she didn't know, those certainly rang a bell. "Holy shiitake mushrooms. You're kidding, right?" She lets out a low whistle, shaking her head. There was no way she could measure up to any of them... was there?

Spider-Man has posed:
It takes a little longer to navigate the mansion than just going inside and then coming back outside. There's kids in there and they do kids things all in the way because that's what kids do; get in the way. And since Peter is basically a big kid, nomally an adult by dent of age only, he had to stop to do kids stuff with the kids.

Which is why he'll have to be forgiven that he returns a little later than intended and sans a lot of the things he promised he'd return with. Like Prof. Cassidy's lemonade. It's a good thing he's left.

However! Pete does have a new drink of his own. It is like twenty five percent certaint hat it's nonalcoholic. "Kiiiiitty!" He can see her down there, sipping his beverage from the space between thumb and index finger, another cup dangles from his other hand. It is in the ballpark of eighty five percent certain that this one is definitely alcoholic. "Unrequested drink order for one of the two birthday girls!" Wiggling it in the air.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde lets out a light laugh at Shannon's choice of wording. Yep, she'll fit in fine, Kitty decides quietly. "Not kidding. Wanda and Pietro are Lorna's half-brother and sister. I never heard of them being that close before. But lately they have been over here a lot from what I've heard. I know Pietro a little, Wanda not as much. Steve and Janet and Tony, those I know much better. I work for Mr. Stark, doing some work on his satellite program amongst other things. And I did a network security project for Janet at her JVD fashion company. Oh god she is the best. Will have to introduce you sometime. A total bundle of energy," Kitty says, laughing warmly at the memory.

It looks like the lemonade made it out, as there is a half-consumed pitcher, plus glasses. "Hey Pete," Kitty says warmly. As she sees the drink he's offering, she grins and accepts it. "Thank you! It's been such a nice birthday," she says with a grin. "How are you doing, anyway? Haven't gotten to talk since...wow, I think when we went bowling," she tells him. A bowling trip with Rogue, Kitty and Negasonic. Peter and Rogue had got competitive in a fun way, that night.

Nightingale has posed:
     "Wait, wha...? Lorna's...? And you...?!" If it were somehow possible, Shannon's eyes got even wider, and she's bound to catch flies at some point! She nudges her chin with one finger, closing her mouth before that unfortunate addition of extra protein to her diet can occur. "Ummm... okay, I guess. That'd be neat to meet her. Or any of them." Her voice has actually gone a little bit squeaky and -very- soft, with her wings wrapped tightly around her like a white, feathery cocoon. Fangirl, anyone?

Spider-Man has posed:
"For you." Pete deposits the red-solo in Kitty's hand, holding his out for her to toast against, "For us." Then takes a drink from his one while turning to drop into one of the sunchairs, "For me." His ankles make a dramatic show of crossing because Peter Parker is dramatic and, as the kids say, extra. "Has it really been that long?" Sipping a bit more from his cup before putting it down beside his chair so his fingers can lace back behind his neck.

"Jeez, how long ago was that? What in the heck have I been doing since then..." Obviously he should, and probably does, know the answer to that. Rolling his head to the side to watch Shannon get all flustered up again, "If I can give you one piece of advise? Don't ever stop being like that." Nodding his head in her direction, "... maybe cut back ont he embarassment a little, but seriously? As soon as all of this becomes just another day, it gets to just being work."

Pete looks back up, eyes closed, soaking up the sun.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty can't help but get a small grin. The girl from Deerfield, Illinois had many of the same reactions along the course of her journey that brought Kitty to where she is today. "And Cap too, of course, if there's a chance. He's... oh god. Everything you've heard and thought," Kitty says, laughing. "And dating Janet, who is my friend, so, um, hands off. But he stopped to talk me in the hall at work one day when he was in the Tower to meet with Tony. And I swear, after he left I didn't get a bit of work done for all the women who came by asking me what he was like and how did I manage to talk to him. A couple of guys too for that matter," she says, Kitty giving a genuinely warm laugh.

Kitty smiles over to Pete as she tries the drink after tapping the cup against his own. "It has I think. Didn't really get to talk on the 4th," she tells him. "And there's plenty of time. Shannon can be Shannon. There's no rush to have to grow up. Trust me on that," Kitty says, flashing a smile to the 16-year-old. "Peter is one of our best engineering teachers, if you didn't know," she tells Shannon. "I keep wondering how he hasn't started his own company by now."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon finds another of the sunchairs to take refuge in, plopping down with slightly less than the grace her form would suggest. She hugs her knees to her chest, resting her chin atop them as she glances between Peter and Kitty. "How could any of this be just another day? Think about it. All of us here, we've got a chance to make a difference for the better in ways most people will never even be able to dream about. But we can. So you tell me how that becomes 'just another day'."

She tilts her head as she looks at Kitty, her expression and voice gone very soft and serious, thrumming with emotion. "You don't know how many times when I was a kid I'd just lie awake at night and wish I could make even half the difference that someone like he does. And when I changed... sometimes, besides my family being there, the only thing that really made feeling alone any easier, being ripped away from friends by something I couldn't control, was thinking of how it must have felt for him to have been stuck in the ice for so long, only to find when he woke up again that everyone he knew was either gone or almost gone. I kept thinking, if he could handle it, there's got to be a way I can, too. Somehow."

Spider-Man has posed:
"Who has time for their own company?" Peter sputters playfully, eyes still closed and chin turned up for maximum sun expossure. Who has time other than Tony Stark, Henry Pym, literally a dozen other people who wouldn't even require him to stretch his memory or try to hard. "I don't really... Freelance photography at the Bugle, teaching here, trying to finish my masters, helping Aunt May-" Dressing up in a Spider costume and fighting people dressed up in Rhino Costumes, "-I do have an internship with Mr. Stark, but it doesn't start until the first of the year.. It'll look great on any resume though." Literally any resume at all.

So I see you're trying to get a job as a drive throu clerk? We contacted Mister Stark and he says you'd be great fit for the McDonalds family.

Dressing up like a spider fighting people dressed up like scorpions while working as a drive-thru clerk at McDonalds.

Taking pictures of yourself that end up in the papers labelling you a menace.

"Honestly, I'm content just teaching. Shaping young minds. If it weren't for Doctor Conner-" Dressing up a spider and fighting your teacher who turned into a giant lizard, "- I don't even know where I'd be right now, ya know? So... pay it forward.."

Then it gets dramatic up in here. Pete peels open one eye and glances over at Shannon, something clearly on his mind there for a second, but then he closes his eye and resumes sunbathing. "You'd be surprised how quickly the extraordinary becomes pretty easy to write off after you've delt with it for a few years." That's not jaded speak, he's still very much a kid at heart, is Peter Parker. He still very much ENJOYS being Spider-Man. "It's innoculation effect. Exposed to enough of any one thing, the body naturally builds up an immunity to it. So one minute you're amazed at how the sky turns purple over the Hudson just before sunset and the next you're being thrown through a rip in reality that deposits you across town.. The bar for strange can only go SO high."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde gives a soft smile to Shannon and Peter both as she listens to them. "You do get a little used to seeing the unusual. But... you also continually encounter new things and new wonders. Or at least, that has been my experience," Kitty says, smiling. Kitty hopes nothing shows in her eyes as she thinks of the new terrors that also get encountered.

"You met Ellie already I think? Goth, tremendously beautiful face and eyes? She once told me, 'Also have I mentioned our lives are super weird?' And you know what's funny? I can't even think of which thing we encountered that made her say that," Kitty says, laughing softly and shaking her head. She looks over to Peter. "So no regrets getting involved with the school?" She leaves out mention of why he first got involved.

Nightingale has posed:
     "New wonders... and probably some pretty scary things, too. Yin and yang." Shannon shrugs, and smiles lightly, falling silent for a moment. "Hope I never become immune to any of that." For the moment, she's content to listen to Kitty and Peter talking. For all his crass humor and inner verbal overflow, Peter really wasn't so bad. He seemed pretty damn smart, and maybe at one point she'd be lucky enough to wind up in one of his classes.

Spider-Man has posed:
"Nah." Peter rocks his head back and forth slowly in answer to Kitty's question, "Kind of weird how I got here, but I don't regret anything. But we're still friends... ish." Laughing quietly to himself with a little rumble rather than a raucous sound, "But we barely run into each other anymore since Logan took me out for a drink and beat the hell out of me." His hand drops down from behind his neck to grab his drink sitting beside him. It's brought up for a few quick sips, then desposit back down.

"How is Betsy, anyways? I haven't seen her weeks.." Asks with a glance over at Kitty and a raised brow. Clearly he's not as weird about it as he might have been a few months ago. The wound is starting to heal, etc, so forth.

Oh Negasonic. Peter rolls his eyes and smirks, "I'm sure there's an appropriately dramatic backstory to go with that girls attitude towards literally everything, but I'm going to be honest... she kind of scares me." Wiggling his hand at the pair of ladies, "You know like in a; will she eat me or just let me burn to death kind of way."

Pete glances up and over at Shannon, "You do kind of strike me as the type that never does.. I hope that's true. You're a sweet kid." Then back up, eyes closed.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde smiles over to Shannon and says, "I hope you always hang on to a sense of wonder. I'm glad that we found you. Or that you found us. I can already tell that I'm going to like having you around, Shannon. If you ever need to talk, just let me know. Including calling if you need. I can make it back from New York pretty quickly, most of the time," she says.

Kitty's eyes swing back to Peter and the brunette gives a slow nod of her head. "She's good. She's doing what people do. Starting to move on. Have the courage to try something new again. Which, I know it's not always easy to do that," she says, her fingers going unconsciously to a ruby and diamond promise ring. Actually her fingers go to the wrong finger at first, it isn't on the ring finger anymore. Fingers finding it, Kitty twists it about idly without thinking about it, a habitual motion. "Oh Pete, no, you've got Ellie all wrong there. She'd totally just burn you to death. Or vaporize you. The other option, nah, not really a worry," Kitty tells him, nodding her head and smiling reassuringly.

Nightingale has posed:
     "Or just annoy you and keep fouling up your name. It's not 'Fluttershy', it's Nightingale, for god's sake!" Shannon's not blind to Kitty's fiddling with her ring, although she keeps any questions to herself. There were times and places to wonder about such things, and even the tow-headed teen wasn't oblivious to the fact that this probably was not one of them. She cracks a smile, looking over at Kitty and Peter again. "Reminds me of a favorite song..." She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, collecting her thoughts before she sings a few lines. "I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean / Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens / Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance / And when you get a choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance."

Spider-Man has posed:
Pete inclines his head and grunts as he swings his legs off the sunchair to face both Kitty and Shannon with his arms laid across his bent knees, "That's good." The words come out slow because he had to decide whether he meant them before saying it and looks relieved that he does. "I'm really happy that she's moving on. That was a rough patch.. wish things could have been different." Glancing down, at first at his toes, and then up a little at Kitty's promise ring.

"We good enough friends for me to ask you about that?" Flicking his gaze a little more in Kitty's facial direction rather than the big ruby and diamond, "I don't want to overstep... I've done enough of that today." Another apologetic grin directed at Shannon, mostly because Kitty confirmed his suspicions about Ellie. "Uh... yeah... well that's good to know.. because I'd be gamey meat and I'd hate for someone to get sick after eating me."

Rub the neck, Peter, rub upon the neck. So he does, cranking his hand against the nape of his neck just beneath the brim of his Mets cap which he's turned around backwards. Furrow brow watching Shannon break into impromptu song, "You have the voice of an angel." Probably something to do with her wings by the way he's grinning, "But also a dang good song to base your life on... me? I'm more of a 'Bittersweet symphony kinda guy." Shrugging, leaning back, and grabbing his drink to finish it off in a long gulp.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde smiles over to Shannon as she forgets her shyness enough to share the bit of song. "Very nice, and appropriate." Kitty says. "Ellie can be cranky, but I don't have any doubts she liked you Shannon. Bestowing nicknames is just her thing, and people who embrace them... I think in a way it's accepting Ellie. She's a true and loyal friend. One I've trusted to watch my back when I had to walk into danger."

Kitty takes another sip, expression suggesting she's thinking of such a moment, before her eyes go back to Pete. "I'm glad. I know it can be tough to feel that way," she says. More of the ring twisting, timely as Pete then asks about it.

Kitty looks down. The ring is old, with a bit of patina on it that cleaning would never fully remove. "I was seeing a guy named Jason. He's one of Bruce Wayne's sons. His whole family really took to me. In fact, his whole family all threatened him if he ever hurt me," Kitty says, looking down and giving a soft grin at the memories of that. "Well, Mr. Wayne... Bruce... he gave Jason this, his mother's ring. For the day it might be right for me. And Jason gave it to me in front of my mother when she came to visit. But he broke it off... um, wow I can't even think of the date. How odd is that," she says, given how much she's thought of that day, a hand going to her head and a bit of emotions showing on her face that she hasn't let out in awhile. "Well, anyway, I went to give Mr. Wayne the ring back. I'd stopped wearing it, and it was his mothers and all. And he told me it was a promise I had a place in their family, and it wasn't just because I was with his son. And he offered it back to me."

Kitty clears her throat. "I'm moving on too. But you know how it is," she says.

Nightingale has posed:
     Shyness or not, Shannon knew when someone was hurting. It was one thing that was very hard for her to ignore, and this was no exception. Uncurling herself from her perch on the sunchair, she gets up and walks right over to Kitty. Right then and there, she takes a little bit of a deep breath and just hugs her, folding her wings around her new friend as well. And she doesn't let go.

Spider-Man has posed:
"Damn." Peter listens to the story with an empathetic look creeping into his expression. The stories aren't the same, nobody has the same story, but it's compreble and he clearly understands. "Well, they'd be fools not to bring you into their family, wouldn't they?" Said with a little smile and a hand that looks like it's going to pat her shoulder, but then doesn't because Shannon is quick on the draw with those hugging wings. Yeah, she's going to do alright here.

His fingers curl a little and scratch the back of his neck rapidly, "Also, this Jason fella sounds like a proper idiot if he broke it off with you... I- huh.." His head cants to the side, then shakes a little. One hand turns his cap around forward to adjust it up and down upon his brow a few times. "I know how it is, yeah." He says with a slow nod, chewing the inside of his bottom lip, like really getting into it good. "You can't pick who.." He motions as if he's going to say something empatically important, then slaps those fat lips closed. "It's a beautiful ring..."

It's a beautiful ring?

Pete brushes both hands down his face, then back up towards his nose as if he's not even really sure if he actually said that.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty hugs Shannon, accepting the embrace without reservation and hugging her back. She holds on for a few moments before letting her go, giving Shannon a grateful look. Kitty lets go and looks over to Pete.

She can't help but give a soft smile, his moment o' awkward helping draw Kitty out of whatever emotions the memories called up. She moves over to him then, and if allowed gives him a long hug. "We can't pick," she agrees softly, and if he accepts the hug, it is the kind of tight hug that lets someone know that they are cared about.

Eventually Kitty would let go and say, "I should probably get inside and call my mother back. She called and I wasn't able to answer earlier. Thank you both for a wonderful birthday," she tells them.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon lets go of Kitty and steps back, coughing a little. Nobody saw that, right? Right. "Some things we can't pick. But we all chose to be here. So we all have each other." Then she looks straight at Peter and shakes her head, laughing. "And I'm sorry, but my voice scares the birds from the trees. 'Nightingale' sure didn't come from singing."

Spider-Man has posed:
Pete pops up when Kitty does and already has his arms open by the time's there to give the hug. He holds it for as long as she wants and then steps back with a grin, "No you can't." He agrees with her, stepping over the sunchair with a little hop that's done with a supreme grace that defies even that simple little motion. "I should get too." Said to both of them, tucking his hat down and then turning it back around so the bill is in the back, "I'm suppose to be writing a physics paper, not lolly gagging with you lot." Obviously joking, at least about the last part, he was definitely suppose to be writing a paper.

It's been late since May 17th.

Check logs if you don't believe me.

"Happy birthday to both of you, I hope the rest of the day is super amazing, lots of gifts, singing lessons for Shannon.. tons of hugs. Maybe a crisp high five? I don't know, whatever you're into for expressive hand greetings. Do you, I'm not judging." Before he goes, however, there's the business of another hamburger to see to. Something for the road because he's a growing boy and needs his proteins.

Nightingale has posed:
     With the party winding down, Shannon just smiles. Okay, it had its awkward moments, but there was plenty that went right. New friends made, new experiences, and the promise of many more to come. She collects her birthday presents--the sweatshirt, and the worn leather pouch--and heads inside for her dorm. She'd have to ask Sam about that pouch later, it sounded as if it had a bit of history behind it. Happy birthday, indeed!