2012-08-04 Down Right Strange

Hate. It's one of those things that kind of tends to ebb and rise, coming and going in waves that leaves lingering feelings of distrust and anger wherever it has washed up. Currently it is NYC that is being hit by it, the current showings of anti-mutant groups leaving the city's mutant citizens feeling uneasy and upset.
Two of those the hate has affected stand before a boarded up construction site; littered with advertisements for currently-running plays and musicals as well as ads for night clubs and bars call for attention to be paid to them but the pair are not looking at them. What they are looking at is a singular poster. 'Mutants Should Die', the flyer proclaims, causing the taller of the two to shiver, partially in fear and partially in anger. The shorter, younger of the two turns to face the other, clearly upset.
"Rogue, I don't like this," the teenaged boy whispers towards her. He is clearly a mutant with eyes that are fully black and skin that is exceptionally hot to the touch, the lad a 'firestarter'.
"Ah know," comes the other one's voice, her emotions running on high. "Go back to the base," she adds after looking over her shoulder, paranoid. "Tell the others. Ah'll be back later."
The boy nods once and turns to leave, quickly disappearing in the crowd.
It's one of those things of the city that truly saddens the usually upbeat blue elf.. demon.. depends upon who is looking at him and how well he's received at the time. Regardless, Kurt's torn a few of those posters down already, giving yellow-eyed stares at any who might complain.. and those who do, are usually greeted with a smile that has sharpened canines. He can act the part, certainly.. and more often than not, one or two, the non-mutants that complain do back down.
It's the poster, then, that gains Kurt's attention. Not only that, the view of the pair that stands before the bill brings him across to pull it from the wall. The youth, having left just as Kurt crosses the road, is given a glance, but the girl that remains behind- "Do not pay any attention to such things," is given in a thick German accent.
The girls are out shopping--it's the devil to find Christmas wrapping paper anywhere at this time of year but they heard that there's a year-round Christmas boutique in Manhattan. Everything one needs is in Manhattan. So, putting themselves through the annoyance of an illusion, the girls are here.
They're trying to get the hang of this being human thing. |"I don't understand the snowman story."| |"The magic hat?"| |"I believe the red-nosed animal story more."| The girls link arms to cross the street. |"I hope Laura likes Christmas."| |"She will."|
They catch the anger and other emotions from the mutants eyeing the ugly poster. |"This world is hateful."| |"Are we mutants?"| |"Frost was."| |"Does it matter?"| |"We're not human."| They stop to observe the odd-looking creature from a few yards away. |"What is it?"| |"Look closer."|
"It's hard not to," Rogue replies while turning, facing him. Her eyes hold to his before she drops her gaze, still bothered by the damn poster. "Ah don't mind mahself but it hurts the kids..." A shoulder lifts, her face drawn slightly tight. She is not doing a very good job of concealing her reaction to the words. "Ah jus' don't get it..."
A quick glance up has her looking in the direction of the pretty blonde girls but if she notices them she doesn't let on. "So what's yer story," she instead asks Kurk. Kind of... rude of her to ask but she's curious.
RIIIIIIP
The poster is torn down, wadded up, and tossed into the garbage. "Two points!"
Turning back around to give the girl his full attention now, Kurt cants his head, and smiles gently. "It is painful, and hurtful.. and very difficult to explain to children. But, fraulein, I pray they also find the kind and generous and accept them for what they are. Part of the lesson must always be that not all believe such things."
Brows rise at the question, and first, offers a touch of a bow. "Kurt Wagner, at your service, fraulein. As for my story? It is nothing quite so remarkable as my appearance, I assure you."
Kurt's caught, however, as the group of girls seem to move as one across the street towards them. Quintuplets? "Mein Gott.." Okay.. he's surprised!
The girls are contented to be seen for the moment--curiosity outweighs the desire to wipe the memory of themselves from the minds of these two odd people. They brush the mind of the odd blue creatures and pull back in surprise, mentally. |"A person."| |"A furry blue person."| |"And the other is also interesting."| Their faces remain smooth as they stop respectful distance from the two others. |"Pained."| |"But different."| |"Many different things to see lately."|
Rogue can't help but to chuckle slightly, amused by Kurt's response. "Ah don't know," she drawls, "mah mother used to tell me that every story's remarkable as are the people who tell 'em."
The exclamation from him startles her and her hands curl instinctively into fists, her body tense. It's almost as if she expects some kind of attack. Imagine her surprise when she realizes just who got him to react in such a manner. "Ah think Ah'm lost." The girls don't exactly look threatening so why did he...? "Is somethin' wrong?"
Call Kurt provincial, but triplets simply don't come around often in his world. He shakes his head, and smiles a little weakly, "I am sorry.. I don't often see identical triplets.." He inclines his head towards the trio in greeting, "Good day.." before he returns his attention towards Rogue, the apology written across his blue, fuzzy face.
"Again, I apologize. I didn't mean to cause you alarm." To her words, however, Kurt chuckles softly and shifts such that he can watch the trio. "A very wise mother, for certain. Everyone has a story." Beat. "I could ask you the same.. how you came to be in a position to explain things to children such as that.." and he gestures towards the garbage."
The girls are bemused by the reaction but give the other two a smile that's meant to be reassuring but unfortunately doesn't quite come off that way. |"One would think someone with an odd appearance would think nothing of us."| They are curious but wary, making their way toward the boutique, still, a path that will take them past the others. |"Children."| |"Perhaps she needs funds for them."| |"We should check."| They reach out to brush a questing tendril of thought over Rogue's mind, seeking an answer. After all, they have so much money right now.
A shake of her head is given, causing those snow-white bangs of hers to fall into her face more, obscurring Rogue's eyes. "It's alright. Ah can understand why yew reacted like that. Ain't exactly common." When the girls pass she smiles herself and even offers a polite wave. "As for the kids? Well, Ah kind of took it upon mahself to help where Ah can. They need someone to look up to and to come to for advice, ya know?"
What the girls will discover upon brushing her mind is that they are more than fine for money although not directly. Seems like they are part of a group that's headed by someone who might be well off.
"Might in inquire your name, meine fraulein?" After all, Kurt introduced himself. "I find I am at a disadvantage. Besides.. I would like to put a name to such kindness." He nods his head soon after, still keeping that yellow-eyed look towards the triplets. He'd also greeted them, and they've yet to answer.. curious. It is true, however.. Kurt doesn't bat an eye to wings, or green scales.. but identical triplets?
"Do you help run a shelter? There is need of that, I am finding, in the city. Sadly. Though I do have to say that Father Mike at St. Patrick's is quite good about a helping hand. He has listened to me more than a few times of the need in the city."
The girls fade from sight, as far as the others know. They stop, however, and stay to watch. Since encountering Laura, they've become vastly curious about how others meet and become associates--other than having escaped from related living-weapon programs. |"Kind creatures, both of them."| |"In their way."|
The way others around them in the world often seem indifferent to helping each other makes them angry. That's why they're having Christmas with their stolen money. This talk of helping is pleasant. |"Perhaps it is only mutants who are this way."| |"No, remember, we have seen it on rare occasions."| |"Perhaps those who aren't human have more need of each other."| |"That makes sense."| |"Do we?"| |"Have need?"|
"Mah name? It's Rogue." Odd name, isn't it? But the way it's given it so easily she must feel it fits and heck, she even seems a bit proud of it if the ease it's said in is any indication. Hands are slid into her jean as the conversation continues. As it does she can't help but to look around, her voice dropping as she ventures further, conversationally. "We ain't a shelter," she muttters almost under her breath. "We're... a bit more proactive, Ah suppose it can be said."
The trio departs, as far as Kurt can see, anyway, though his gaze lingers before he takes a deep breath and returns to the topic at hand. "Rogue?" His head tilts briefly before he offers a bow, "The pleasure is mine, then, Fraulein Rogue." Straightening again, he watches her intently, his brows rising as she takes a look around. He does so as well, instinctively, and at her words, the smile brightens his face.
"We?" He pauses, however, at the next word. "Proactive?" One could say he is as well, but.. well.. "Lobbying for mutant rights? I know there have been demonstrations.."
This gets interesting now. It's strange for the Cuckoos to encounter those who aren't invested in secrecy, who will simply talk about these things in public. |"We should attend."| |"Demonstrations draw attention."| |"So do bank robberies."| |"But that was fun."| |"Perhaps this will be fun."|
There is willingness to talk. Or at least there was but as things progress it gets riskier to hold conversations about mutants and protests in public and Rogue starts to balk. "Ah really probably shouldn't be talkin' about this here," she admits after giving a wary look around. "But if yew'd like, perhaps we can meet somewhere and discuss it privately?" There's a tension to her voice as well as her posture. "No offense meant, of course. Ah jus' learned that one can never be too safe where certain things go, y'know?"
"Of course." Kurt doesn't seem overly disappointed, as if he's on the cusp of some knowledge, only to fail. He does seem.. curious, however. "Is there a place you prefer, or.. perhaps, if you would like.. I can give you my number, and if a time comes when you have need of an ear.." Presumptious, certainly, but it's an honest gesture. "I take no offense. Such things can be taken out of context by someone in passing." Taking a step to the side, his brows rise in askance, "I trust the lesson wasn't difficult in learning?" He hopes, anyway?
At Rogue's warning, the girls sweep the area for anyone with less-than-friendly thoughts. |"We should find the maker of that poster,"| they muse. |"It would be better for everyone."| |"If they were to stop their actions."| Perhaps Rogue knows the answer, or the fuzzy one, Kurt. They take a quick look. They could be helpful in this, if they are very careful.
Normally she wouldn't be so quick to accept numbers from people she just met but something prodes Rogue into doing so. "Ah'd like that. Ah'll be sure to get in tough with yew as soon as Ah'm able." At the very least, perhaps she can sway Kurt into joining them.
The name of the group that has been putting up the posters are an anti-mutant group named HumansNOW. They are new on the scene and very little's known about them outside of the fact that they often meet in abandoned buildings. Usually old storefronts that no one bother to keep an eye on.
Taking a piece of paper from a pocket, the back of a receipt from a little cafe in the West Village, Kurt the pulls a pen from another pocket. "This is my cell." He writes his name and phone number on the receipt, and hands it over. "If you wish, call me." He nods his acknowledgment, and offers a smile as he puts the pen back where he'd found it. "Any time.. and I'll come if you need me." He exhales now, and pulls his hat off; partially to cool his hair, and the other part, to offer a slightly larger bow, with a flourish. "But if you'll excuse me, meine Fraulein Rogue, I should go. Busses to catch and such."
The paper is folded over upon itself several times and slipped into her right read pocket where it'll be safe. "Thanks. Will give you a call sometime soon. Take care." With the conversation concluded for now Rogue turns to leave herself, heading towards where the girls are. Looks like someone's got a lot on her mind now.
The girls wait until the pair have parted to contact Rogue. Their touch is feather-light, a whisper. |"We could not help overhearing your discussion as we passed."| |"We would speak to you about this HumansNOW group."| |"It troubles us."|
Kurt pauses for a long moment while casting his gaze upon the wall, now devoid of that particular bill. He turns, too, and departs, heading for the subway before teleporting home.
Much to Rogue's credit there's no startling when the voices sound in her head but there is a mental bristling as she finds her mind invaded. "Trust me, it bothers me too," she says outloud, not quite used to carrying on telepathic discussions. "Ah don't like bullies and those people are some of the worst around."
The girls are amused at the bristling. |"Here."| |"Is this better?"| They appear to Rogue... it's as though they'd always been there and she simply hadn't noticed. "Forgive us for the rudeness. We have reason for secrecy." They don't speak in unison but the words ripple between them without hesitation. "We are unfamiliar with... people."
"Yes, that is better. Ah do apologize but Ah ain't used to people in my head like that." There's pause in her motion, Rogue growing still as the triplets speak. The way they talk has her a bit thrown but is shrugged off as being one of those things that must be common between them. Kind of like that 'twin phenomenon' thing or whatever. "What are y'all unfamiliar about?" Now that's a little strange.
A look passes among the girls. "People." That was in unison, along with the smile. "We don't usually speak to them at all." "Not as ourselves." "No reason to do so." "But this..." One of them goes over to retrieve the poster from the trash. "Even we cannot ignore such rising tides." "It troubles us." "We would like to help."
Now that's just down right odd. No, not odd. More than odd. Try down right strange as hell. "Why's that? Yer momma kept y'all locked in your rooms or somethin'?" The offer of their help is mulled over, given quick consideration at first. "Ah won't lie, girls. Ah'm troubled, too. These people ain't going to stop unless we make 'em. And we got to move fast to make sure they won't kill more than they probably a'ready have."
"We can't risk exposure to too many." "You and the other..." "Seemed cognisent of some of those concerns." The girls carefully fold up the poster to take it with them. "We have tried to stay out of things." "But times change." "We can try and retrieve information for you."
"Jus' don't go gettin' yerselves hurt. Ah'd feel real awful if yew were to do so 'cuz y'all wanted to help us." She looks at the three and then around, thinking and very openly so. If they're still scanning her they'll find her to be conflicted, worried about sending others out but there is a definite need for assistance at the same time. "Ah get the feeling y'all know how to get into touch with me."
"We can find you again." "And them." One of the girls raises the poster. "They will never know." "And we are hard to kill." "We only need time." The girls smile, something cold and unpleasant. "The more they hate, the less time we need."
"Never thought Ah'd wind up with an ace up mah sleeve. Thanks, girls. Ah appreciate this." There's still concern for their wellbeing but at least they've managed to remove the majority of it from her, leaving Rogue a little less like she's about to send them off to their doom. "Ah look forward to talkin' with y'all later."
"Good luck in your endeavors," the girls say cheerfully. "We will see you again." "We will even let you know when we do." One of them waves as they turn to go. They've completely neglected for leave Rogue with a name but, really, is she going to mistake them for anyone else?
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