Owner	Pose
Jax	As the weekend approaches, and evening sets in, there is not a sound in the hallway outside the kitchen. The true connoisseur of silence would recognise this as the very peculiar type of silence that indicates not the absence of noise, but the silence of someone trying very hard not to make a sound. On bare toes, slinking from shadow to shadow, Jax approaches the kitchen.     It was time.     Weeks he has spent here, weeks scouting the ground, learning the lay of the land, stalking the halls while everyone else sleeps. At home, he knows, these tricks would no longer work. Precautions would have been taken. Locked doors, high shelves, creaking floor boards... but here? Hah, he doubts the nice people that live in this school have any idea what Monster lurks among them.     The door to the dining hall opens and closes silently. The hinges, he noticed a while back, are well oiled. Through the room empty save for tables and chairs, to the prize. The pay off...     Slowly, the door to the kitchen opens, not the one he usually uses this time of day, but the door to the dining hall. Misdirection. It's all part of the Grand Game.     Like a silent shadow, Jax stalks into the kitchen, a predator on the prowl, filling his nostrils with the delicious scent of the unwitting victim...     Tonight, he strikes...
Shannon	The unwitting victim in question was even now just slipping on protective gear against the searing heat of the oven, in the form of mitts. Her baggy grey tank top, red tartan sweatpants, and floofy Old English Sheepdog slippers suffice for pajamas. While Shannon might be pretending lack of awareness of the cookie monster's approach, that secret little smile tugging the corners of her lips upwards says otherwise.      Oh, she knew.      For, you see, if you bake it, they will surely be drawn by the sweet siren's song of sugary confections supreme. In this case, it was the smell of chocolate filling the room, a classic filling the pan.      Oh, yes. It was...      Chocolate chip cookies!
Jax	The furry land shark circles the prey, unaware that he's already been seen, that the Monster's arrival has been heralded. Something has given the plan away, someone has foreseen his every move. But Jax, focused only on the prowl and pounce, is supremely confident that none would be able to detect him. After all, is he not the apex predator? The veritable devourer?     By scent alone does he find the target, crouched low and flattened against the kitchen island, listening intently for the sound of someone turning around, someone turning their back on him.     The kind of sound, in fact, to indicate that it is time to strike.     Wait...     Wait...     NOW!     In a single leap, Jax emerges from his hiding spot, jumps over the kitchen island, snatches up his target and lands on the other side on his toes, rolling into concealment a mere moment later.     Jackpot!     From around the corner of the kitchen island come two very distinct sounds...     The sound of purring...     And the sound of someone licking cookie dough of a spatula. Nom!
Shannon	The Monster's arrival and easy takedown of his prey is a work of art. It is poetry in motion. It is stealth and skill, maneuvers bred into the Monster by generations of the most magnificent hunters ever conceived of in the minds of mankind.      Yet it seems to bear unexpected fruit, with Shannon nudging the bowl over to the edge of the counter. "Might as well take that, too," she remarks, her voice thrumming with laughter. "Less for me to wash up later."
Jax	"Bhhorhhrp?" It's a complicated sound. It's a meow for a voice box that's much bigger than the average cat's, the sound warbling and metamorphosing until it comes out as the distinctive 'Borp' of the Maine Coon. It's an inquisitive sound, a sound of incredulity, a sound made to convey such a complex range of emotions that it makes a mere auditory experience work hard for its metaphorical money.     Slowly, Jax's head appears over the edge of the kitchen island, nearly cross-eyed as he looks directly at the bowl. ".... You sure?"     But a moment later his hesitation evaporates, boiled off by the common sense that if you ask people if they will potentially change their minds, they are probably going to change their minds. If not before, then certainly for the asking. No time for finesse, no time to stand on ceremony... he starts to lick the remnants of dough off the bowl.
Shannon	Shannon bursts out giggling, perching on the nearest stool as she's waiting for the cookies to cool on a wire rack nearby. The oven is closed, turned off, and aside from the bowl and spoon, dishes are in the sink, awaiting washing. "Of course. Just save some fo..."      Nope. Not happening. Not this time.      For what a cat has tasted, it has claimed solely for its own.
Jax	The process doesn't take very long. A minute perhaps, and then the bowl is practically clean. Practically... probably want to put it in the dishwasher, or throw it in the sink with the rest of the dishes.     His illicit errand complete, Jax seats himself down on one of the stools and sighs contently, patting his belly. "Can't resist it. I smell cookie dough, I have to have it."
Shannon	Giggling, Shannon bobs her head in agreement, her wings moving lazily to and fro behind her as she rests her head in her hands. Her feet swing back and forth, with the soft thump of slippers against the base of the island forming its own odd sort of rhythm. "I know what you mean. I can pretty well guarantee you, only about two-thirds of the dough made it as cookies. The rest, made it into me instead."
Jax	Behind Jax his tail sways side to side, curling the opposite direction of the swing at every apex to avoid actually brushing along the ground. It's a trick most cats don't need to bother with, but when you're human sized... His ears seem to agree with Shannon, in that distinctive relaxed half-perk.     "Mom used to lock the kitchen door when she was making cookies. Until she was done, of course, and y'know..." He smiles, fondly. "Somehow there was always just enough left for me to snatch and eat. It's good stuff, by the way, those cookies are going to be amazing."
Shannon	Chortling softly, Shannon just shakes her head. "It's just a basic chocolate chip cookie recipe. Only difference is I used almond extract instead of vanilla." She's content to listen to Jax's memories of fond times past, when times were simpler. "My mom was never a very good cook. She could just about burn water. My dad cooked well, but he's a funeral director, so... yeah, odd hours. It was either I learn to cook, or we'd be eating a lot of yogurt and cereal."
Jax	"Oh, man, dad can cook, can he ever... When you're over, try his risotto. I mean, you won't have a choice 'cause he'll insist on cooking it for you, but y'know... try it." Jax beams, eyes practically sparkling. He seems to take it as read that his friends are going to end up visiting at some point, and that he's going to go back 'home' at some point. Soon. Or not. Depends. Bah, nothing to worry about. "Mom does the dessert though. That's the deal. As for me, if you want barbecue, I'm your cat! There's nothing I can't burn over a hot grill."     Occasional glances are stolen towards the cookies. Cool faster!     "What's Thanksgiving like in the school? Dunno if I can go home, so... hope the food is good?"
Shannon	"Oooo. I haven't tried making risotto yet. Is it tricky? Ohhh... hey, maybe if we ever visit your place, I could bug your dad to show me how to make it? If he's not too mad about me rooting for the Patriots, that is." Shannon snickers softly, also peering over at the cookies. The question seemed to be, should she speed cooling with wind from her wings, or just eat the spotted, sugary discs of goodness warm and gooey, as Nature intended?      "Thanksgiving around here? Hmmm. Last year was my first here. I could've probably gone home, but there were a lot of kids here who really didn't have anybody. And when it comes down to it, all we have is each other. The Guthries all came up, sort of cemented me being semi-adopted into the clan." Resting her forearms on the counter, she settled her chin atop them and lets out a contented sigh. "You don't know what a true turkey coma is till you've been through Thanksgiving here, I'll tell ya that much."
Jax	"Oh, challenge accepted!" Jax's ears perk up at the mention of good food, plentiful food. It's as if the promise of turkey to come can even make the wait for cookies to cool almost tolerable. Almost. Not quite... why haven't they cooled yet?     "And you know my dad doesn't mind you rooting for the Patriots. I mean, you're going to have to sit through a few 'nobody's perfect' jokes, but other than that, he's cool with the whole thing. You can't really play top level and get mad every time someone calls out the name of another team. I guess it used to bother him more than it does now, but... it's kind of like being a mutant, I s'pose. You get used to it, no matter what people shout, until you stop listening to what people are shouting and it all becomes one big joke."     In short, fair warning... dad jokes will happen with alarming frequency chez Miller.
Jeremy Statton	What a night he had. Jeremy slept in most of the day and is just now getting around to sneaking out of his room. He looks exhausted, physically and otherwise. The young Goth makes his way into the kitchen, rubbing at his eyes tiredly as he heads towards the fridge. He's dressed in a pair of black joggers and a solid black shirt, and barefoot for a change. << Hello. >> The phone strapped on his arm chirps out to them as he roots around to fish out a couple of cheese sticks and a can of some type of energy drink that is the size of a thermos. He cracks the top off with a loud hiss, then takes a long sip as he leans against the counter.
Shannon	Shannon's eyebrows loft almost immediately as Jeremy sidles by her and Jax, simply watching him quietly for a few moments. "Rough night, Jer?" She sits up a bit straighter, turning towards the Goth teen. Energy drink? Check. It was the good stuff, too--somehow, somewhere, he'd managed to secure some Jolt, and it was their Cherry Bomb flavor, at that! Cheese sticks? Check. So far, both seemed normal.      Passing by freshly baked cookies? Not normal.      "Everything okay?" She reaches out to rest one hand on his shoulder, tilting her head to one side, brows furrowed with concern.
Jax	"Hey, Jer, what's up? Guess I'm not the only one that could smell the cookies huh?" Either Jax can't read the subtle cues or he's being the chirpy, upbeat one determined to drag his friends out of whatever funk they might be in. So far, all evidence points to the latter.     "Y'know, I've always wondered... don't your feet get cold without socks? I mean, on a floor like this. Have a seat, join us for the great cookie cooling watch party. 's not the greatest sport on earth, but the payoff is amazing."
Jeremy Statton	Giving a wiggle of his toes, Jeremy looks down at his feet, then tilts his head to one side. He slowly blinks his eyes as if he was a mechanical animatronic you would find at Chuck-E-Cheese. Blink. Blink. << It's not too cold. They have the heat on. Should I have worn socks? >> He takes another long sip of his drink, then gives a visible shudder. It hits hard. It's the powerful stuff. << I had a long night, yes. I am fine though. Just did not get to sleep until really early. >> He sniffs the air, glancing over towards the cookies as he reaches out to give Shannon a gentle tapping of fingers against her hip. << I like cookies. How are you two? >>
Shannon	Leaning in, she shoulder-bumps Jeremy gently and offers a light smile. "Delving into the deep waters of the Internet again? Or..." She pauses, and shakes her head. Naah. It was coincidence. One wing goes around Jeremy in something akin to a hug. "Well, we can always talk about it later. I'm okay. Just pulled these cookies out of the oven. Jax and I were talking about Thanksgiving and turkey comas."      Speaking of cookies, she chuckles and glances over at Jax. "Ah, screw it. Nature never intended these to be eaten fully cooled."
Jax	"I didn't bother tonight. Never do when I'm on the hunt." Jax responds to the question about socks and lifts his right foot up, splaying his toes out. The toe pads must be pretty warm in and of themselves, a much larger version of the 'toe beans' found on smaller cats, making it questionable why he needs to wear footwear at all. In a show of friendly support, he pats Jeremy on the shoulder. Granted, yes, with his foot, but still... the thought is there.     At least he stops being utterly weird a moment later, sitting upright and licking his lips. "Y'know, not to be, like, that guy but... nature never intended cookies to be eaten at all. You know that right? I mean, otherwise, where's the wild chocolate chip tree? Or would that be a bush... you think cookies would be fruit or berries?"
Jeremy Statton	<< I was just up late, working. >> Jeremy says as he takes another sip, then peels the cheesestick out of the wrapper. He gives a lick of his lips, then takes a nip off it. Yum. He loves those cheesesticks. He gives a smile at the wring wrapping around him, and Jax patting him on the shoulder. He reaches out with his other hand and wraps it about Jax's hip, drawing him so he can be squished between the pair. << If you take cereal and warm it up, does it become a soup? I also think hotdogs are sandwiches. If cookies had nuts in them, they would be considered a fruit. Culinary nuts such as hazlenuts, walnuts, and pecans that go into cookies could be classified as fruits. >> Nerd. He offers them up a crooked smile on his face, hugging them close.
Shannon	Shannon wrinkles her nose and chuckles, shaking her head. "For me, pecans could be classified as trouble." Looking between Jax and Jeremy, she shrugs, rolling her eyes. "Nerds. But that's fine. Nerd's the word. Geek is chic. Oh, and you'd think warmed up cereal would be considered more a mash or a porridge than a soup. I mean, technically oatmeal is considered a cereal grain, but when you make it for breakfast it's not considered a soup."
Jax	With a 'wrorwll', Jax is pulled into the hug and dutifully wraps his arms around both other mutants, as well as his tail. That leaves his head very close to the others, and he drops his voice to a conspiratorial whisper.     "Does that make Gaspacho a cereal, and fine for breakfast?"     Answer that, ye wise ones.
Jeremy Statton	<< I think if you warm up milk and Grapenuts it can be a soup. >> Jeremy gives a small giggle under his breath as he toes the ground a bit with his barefoot. With the tail curling about him, he slides his hand down to brush his fingers along it gently. He gives a smile at the whisper. << I don't know what Gaspacho is. It sounds German. >>
Shannon	"Gazpacho is a cold vegetable soup. It's a Spanish thing. No cereal grains, so I don't think it's classified as a cereal, but if one can eat cold pizza for breakfast, nothing wrong with cold vegetable soup."      Shannon almost smirks at Jax, barely stifling a giggle. Thus has been answered one of the great mysteries of the universe, without resorting to 42!      "Oh, Grapenuts can be made into a to-die-for pudding, almost like a bread pudding. I oughta look up the recipe sometime and make it..."
Jax	"Spoken like someone who has never had Gazpacho before, Jeremy... This injustice will not stand!" Okay... The tip of his tail twitches from side to side, and so far the petting is going without comment. But more than likely Jax is making a mental note to invite Jeremy to eat at 'his' place at some point in the indistinct future, same as Shannon. Same as all his friends, probably.     "Also, I can't stand this talking about food much longer, knowing there's warm cookies within arm's reach. Just making you aware, I'm a dangerous predator, and I may snap at any time if not properly fed..."
Jeremy Statton	Lifting up the cheese stick, Jeremy holds it in front of Jax's mouth, giving it a wiggle. << Here you go. Have a bite of cheesestick before you turn into a lion. >> His brows lift upwards some, followed by a giggle. << Though manes are really cool. But I bet they aren't comfortable in the heat, but they'd be great during winter. >> His nose gives a bit of a twitch as he slips his arms away from them so that he can pass the cheesestick over, then heads to the table to sink into a chair. << I'll try anything once. I like food. >>
Shannon	Shannon bursts out giggling, and reaches out to move the rack full of cooling cookies within reach of all members of the Trippy Trio (R). "I can't stand that pitiful look, Jax. Just leave some for us too, okay?"      Glancing between Jax and Jeremy, she snickers softly, shaking her head. "In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps toniiiiiiiiight..." And thus begins another sing-along!
Jax	The maw opens, positions itself over the cheese stick in a complicated motion that seems to imply that, against all biological evidence, Jax's neck can swivel through more than 180 degrees on at least three axis, and takes a large bite. Nom! A quick lick to Jeremy's hand for the delicious sacrifice.     "Lions?" the cat mutant intones, mock indignantly, brows arched up. "Manes? Lions have nothing on me. They may be bigger, but I'm stronger and faster." He struts over to the counter again, smiling. "And I can spot a trap a mile o-" Roughly that time he stubs his toe against a chair leg, hobbling the rest of the way. "Owww. Shoot... Sunnofa... Mhmmm.... Gah!"     At last, he sits, looking as if /nothing whatsoever has just happened/ and helps himself to a cookie. His tail starts to sway to the rhythm of 'Mbube'... it's hard to avoid that song when you're growing up as a mutant cat.
Jeremy Statton	Giggling again, Jeremy watches Jax stub his foot, brows raising upwards again. He looks down at his licked fingers and smiles, then rubs his knuckles along his chest. << Have you ever spotted a trap before? If you want, I cna show you what a few look like in Russia. They're strapped to C4 bouncing grenades that are designed to detonate when stepped on. It has a 14 kilometer kill radius. >> He takes another bite of his cheesestick to finish it off, then goes back to sipping on his drink. His other hand snags a cookie and pulls it over to blow on.
Shannon	While Jax's tail sways to the catchy, timeless rhythm of the song that must surely be the anthem of felinoid mutants everywhere, Shannon's wings bob and swish to and fro in a similar rhythm, and she's now caught up in a musical trap of her own making. "Gaaah, that song... it's an ear bug!" Giggling softly, she shakes her head, and just goes with it. It's a thing.      Stubbed toe? What stubbed toe? She saw nothing, she heard nothing. Nothing whatsoever has just happened.      Peering over at Jeremy, she just shakes her head and smiles. "Man, some of the stuff you see is nightmare fuel. But you've saved some lives dealing with it. I don't know many who could."
Jax	Wait, what? No, surely not? Jax looks over to Jeremy suspiciously... on the one hand, it sounds plausible, and he knows next to nothing about bombs or things like that. On the other hand... naaaaaah. So he just grins as he bites a cookie in half.     "Sure, you can show me from fifteen kilometers away in that case."
Jeremy Statton	Taking out his phone, Jeremy spins it about in his hands a few times, then points it towards the LCD panel on the fridge. << Here. >> Several camera feeds pop up after a few moments of concentration. It's grainy black and white, with numerous Russian letters at the bottom with a timestamp and date. He makes his way over to the fridge and taps it. << Right there. There is a splinter terrorist group that works in Russia and they have their base of operations booby trapped with these bouncing grenades. They look like plastic dinner plates, but the grenade itself is buried underground. The blast zone of this cave would cause the entire ceiling to collapse. Steel and concrete. I got this feed off a blackhatter that I paid two grand for to gain access. >> As he stares at the cameras, he watches several trucks drive past the entrance. Semis. Loaders. He gives a lick of his lips in thought. << I spoke to Mister Rasputin about this a few months ago. But I don't think he can do anything about it. Their government simply doesn't care if their border villages get harassed. So far I have discovered one General who is on their payroll. Though after I sent an encrytped file to his rival, he suddenly disappeared. >> He's straight faced the entire time as he rocks back and forth on his bare feet.
Shannon	"Like I said... nightmare fuel." Cookies are forgotten for the moment as Shannon slides from her seat at the counter, floofy slippers barely whispering along the kitchen floor as she moves over next to Jeremy. Without another word, she envelops him in a gentle hug, wings and all, a light sigh escaping her. She sways lightly to and fro, as if somehow she could wipe away the things he'd no doubt seen.
Jax	'Whuuu'? Blink. Wait, this is real? The grainy footage appears, and Jax's ears flatten themselves.     By the time the clip has rolled to conclusion, he's no longer on his chair. In fact, the only indication that he's still in the kitchen at all is the hand that appears from behind the kitchen island, snatches a cookie from the rack and disappears.     "... I dun wanna know why you know that..."
Jeremy Statton	<< Because before I came here, this is all I was. I am the notorious hacker known as Spyder Byte. I have brought down giants in Wallstreet. I toppled government officials. I got caught by the FBI and put in jvuie for a few months until I was assaulted. When my mutant powers came to me, I was connected to the entire world. I decided to go out into the world and bring down those who try to hurt others. I started out small, then I moved on to bigger and bigger and bigger targets. I got deep into the dark web. I became so deep that I forgot who I was. I was lost to the signals. A slave to the ones and zeroes. >> He blinks his eyes and the screen turns back to normal. Weather. Stocks. Temperature. As he ambles to the table, he flops down with a heavy thud, then takes another bite of his cookie. << Then Miss Grey and Miss Braddock found me, and saved me. Now I'm just like you. Normal. >>
Shannon	Shannon cracks a light smile. "I was there, too. Damn proud to see how far you've come." With the grainy footage fading into the digital aether, she leans a bit into the hug, smiling and turning a little bit rosy as Jeremy seems to lean into it as well. "You see some pretty dark things, but I've been with you on some nights you've worked on that stuff, and seen you turn things around for the better. Don't let anyone kid you, that's pretty special stuff."      Letting Jeremy go back to the counter, she herself turns to the fridge, grabbing a half-gallon container of milk and a few glasses. "Hey, Jax... you don't really expect to have fresh cookies without some milk, do you? I mean, come on, that's just... wrong!"
Jax	At the mention of milk, two ears perk up over the edge of the counter. Like a jack in the box, Jax springs up, turns in mid-air and lands sitting on the same chair he vacated just moments ago. "Now you're just spoiling me. Which is great, feel free to keep doing that."     Without words, his tail swishes hard to the side and wraps itself around Jeremy again. "As for you..." *Yoink* With a sharp tug on his tail, Jax is suddenly in the next chair over, right next to Jeremy. Even remembered to bring his cookie with him. "I literally don't care who you were. You're my friend, and that's that."
Jeremy Statton	Giving a smile at Shannon's hug, Jeremy curls an arm about her for a moment before letting go. He gives a smile to Jax, leaning in to prop his head on his shoulder. << You are my friend also. I like you guys. >> HIs lips give a bit of a twitch upwards with a smile, then glances down at his phone again in his hands as he gives it a squeeze. He glances down at the tail wrapped about him and grins, then reaches down to stroke his fingers through the fluffy fur a bit.
Shannon	"Well, if you absolutely /insist/...." Shannon giggles lightly, perching on a stool on the other side of Jeremy, lining up three glasses in a row. All three are filled with the elixir colloquially known as 'moo juice' and distributed to each of the Three Amigos (R). Said Amigos were also graced with a feathery embrace, her wingspan enough to include them both under one wing, if the chairs were moved close enough together!      "Look. We all have who we were. We don't know who we're going to become. It's kind of like I told Thor. Yesterday can't be changed, tomorrow's not yet written. Today's a gift--that's why it's called 'the present'."
Jax	"Sweet!" Nothing better than milk to a cat, despite this one knowing better than to drink it all day. Eating fresh cookies, surrounded by friends, under a warm feathery wing... good place to be.     As for not knowing who they'll become, Jax gives a light 'hah'. "I don't know about you, but I'm still..."     It's roughly at that point that a few words spoken casually are parsed through the filter that may, laughably, be called his consciousness. Ears knock on the mind, deliver their message, and sidle back out. The mind looks at the message, pokes memory and hands it over. Memory goggles at the message, pokes self-awareness and hands it over with a shrug. Self-awareness, blinking, pastes the message on a large cue card and holds it up in front of the amalgamation of Id and Ego that is currently Jax, derailing his train of thought.     "... Wait, Thor? As in, god of thunder, carries a big hammer, is an actual Avenger and an actual God? That Thor?"
Jeremy Statton	<< Yes, the X-Men partner with the Avengers often. So we get to see some of them, like Captain America, Thor, the Blackwidow. >> Jeremy casualy slides his arms around Jax as the tail is wrapped about his waist. He props his chin on the cat's shoulder. << So, what were you going to say? You're still what? Awesome? >> A rare joke slips out of the Goth's phone's speaker.
Shannon	Shannon nods to Jax, and smiles somewhat. "Mhm. The same. He's definitely larger than life, personality-wise, but he's really kind at heart, too." Glancing over at Jeremy, she chuckles lightly. "Black Widow is one of them I haven't run into yet. Who knows. Like Jeremy said, it's not unheard of for them to turn up around here. Last time I saw Cap, he was here talking to Sam... oh, around the end of February... and I was dive-bombing Sam with some snowballs."      Jeremy leans on Jax. Shannon leans on Jeremy. Wing and tail form an odd sort of hug that somehow seems to encompass all three. It was an odd situation, and has the winged teen giggling. "If any one of us move, we're gonna fall over like dominos."
Jax	"Ooh, I'm glad you noticed." Jax jokes, leaning his head to the side so his furry cheek is actually leaning against the top of Jeremy's head, completing the odd hug triangle. "I mean, it's hard to miss, but when you're as awesome as me, all you can ever be is truly awesome."     Got the vanity part of that down pat.     "And yeah, I suppose, the Avengers would hang out with the X-men, but why would the X-men hang out with us? I mean, it's not like they just drop by every once in a while." Oh... guess nobody has told him yet.
Jeremy Statton	<< It's pretty easy to figure out. We go to school at Xavier's. They're named the X-Men. >> There's an amused noise in Jeremy's digital tone. << You haven't recognized any of our staffers yet? Beast is pretty famous. So is Storm. So is Cyclops. It's our faculty. We're a secret school for mutants, who are being trained by a superhero team. >>
Shannon	Shannon just grins at Jeremy, then at Jax, covering her smile politely by the expedient means of biting into a cookie. "They do a little more than hang out with us. They're our teachers. Miss Munroe and Dr. McCoy were actually the ones to help me out when I arrived here last summer. Logan might be a grouch sometimes, but he pretty much growls at the ones he gives a damn about. So if he growls at you it's actually not a bad thing. Mostly. Sometimes the other kids pick on Mr. Summers for being a stick-in-the-mud, but he's not, really. He's actually pretty chill. Just... sometimes comes across as a bit stiff, because he -has- to be, leading the X-men. He's ten times harder on himself than anyone else ever could be, and that's so he can make sure everyone comes home in one piece. But catch him off-duty, and he's pretty chill."      Giggling, she grins even wider at Jax. "Not to mention you, Mr. Summers, and Dr. McCoy could probably have one hell of a pit master contest, and we'd all be the beneficiaries."
Jax	Jax looks at Jeremy. He looks at Shannon. Looks around at the perfectly normal kitchen, takes a bite of his perfectly normal, yet delicious cookie. Takes a sip of perfectly ordinary moo juice. Licking the milk moustache off his fur, he then looks around the kitchen again, takes another bite of the cookie, and finally glances one more time at Shannon and Jeremy.     "Huh. I thought the back yard was a bit big. And the jet, let's not forget about the jet..."     Pensive pause.     "Y'know, thinking about it, the jet was a bit of a giveaway, wasn't it? I mean, how many other private boarding schools have their own private jets? /And/ holographic technology."     Longer pensive pause.     "We're... not s'posed to become superheroes, right? Because I don't look good in a cape. Or spandex, my fur always pokes through..."
Jeremy Statton	<< You could wear spandex shorts like Robin. Those look good on him. >> Jeremy looks at Jax with a straight face, then lifts his brows upwards at him. There's a twitch of his lips upwards. << I love being connected to the network here. It's really, /really/ cool. Filled with alien technology and the world's greatest security that I've had a chance to make a bit better with some feedback with Miss Grey. >> There is a shake of his head slightly. << But, no, we are not supposed to be heroes. We're students. That's it. We just learn how to use our powers, work together as a team though for those just in case moments. >>
Shannon	"Jeremy's right. We're not -supposed- to be heroes. I mean, there's a student team called the New Mutants that trains together for those just-in-case moments. And... yeah, those moments can happen. But the teachers have our backs, so those moments are actually pretty rare."      Chuckling, she nibbles on a cookie, not at all inclined to let go of the hug triangle. "That can also beg the question, what does it mean to be a hero? Sure, most people think of capes and suits and fighting the bad guys to save the day."      Smiling somewhat, she goes silent for several long moments. "But a kind word at the right time can also be the most heroic act of all."
Jax	"Pffft. You've never had the problem of dealing with fur stuck inside tightly woven fabric, I can tell. It's like a cheesegrater, can't get it unstuck without pulling it out." There are some things a furred being just can't wear. Jax found out the hard way what those are.     "Anyway, I'm not the fighting evil people kinda cat. Always better to run away or hide. Except..." and here he grins to Shannon. "... except when you're up against the Patriots. Then it's offense all the way, because their defensive line sucks."
Shannon	Grinning wide over at Jax, she flicks her other wing at him, laughing. "Bah. They're just lulling the other team into a false sense of security before annihilating them." She purses her lips, thinking for a moment. "Oh man. You know, come Superbowl time, we've -got- to have a killer game night party. BBQ, nachos, sweets, the works!"      Because, you know, spoiling one's friends. It's a thing, its own raison d'etre.
Jax	"Oh man, absolutely!" That is something Jax agrees with instantly, although he doesn't voice his own opinion on the tactical choices of the Patriots allowing a team to push them back all the way to the five yard line before commencing a hail mary play... "Get everyone outside, enjoy the weather, have some good food, set up a large screen outside..."     Pause.     "Unless the Bills are playing the Superbowl, then I'll be in the VIP suite, watching live." Okay, so, he knows that's not very likely to happen. But a kid can dream...