[hr][hr][center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/FKJKRczH/the-gifted-591b350cc9ba7.png[/img][hr][img]https://i.postimg.cc/WzJgQG9d/original.gif[/img][/center][hr][hr][center][@Nallore][@FantasyChic][@BlueSky44][@Achronum][@Trainerblue192][@KazAlkemi][@Framing A Moose][/center][hr][center][h3][color=f7941d][b]Washington D.C.: September 10th, 2020 - 9:10 AM[/b][/color][/h3][/center][hr][hr][center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/WpKJC0mt/image.png[/img][/center][hr]	There was a hint of amusement in Emma's face, ruining her otherwise cool and collected façade. [color=E0F6FD]"Now [i]that[/i] is an interesting theory, darling,"[/color] she mused, not making any proclamations that he was crazy or that it was entirely false. There was a reason why she had inserted Anastasia into the investigative process and it was not for the ones that Requiem and Jinx had suspected. [color=E0F6FD]"Oh petal, you could do far better than playing Adler to his Sherlock - stand on your own merit,"[/color] she advised her protégée. She would hate to see Anastasia define herself in relation to the men in her life. 

	Shaw laughed slightly, leaning back in his seat and crossing his legs at Anastasia's accusation. He ordinarily expected Emma and her girls to protect him from telepathic attacks - a costly error. [color=E19243]"Why yes, of course I stole it!"[/color] he exclaimed, seemingly unaware of how he was implicating himself. [color=E19243]"Things were getting far too chummy around here and what better way to divide the ranks and incite a civil war than to accuse them of thievery? I've been wanting new leadership in the Inner Circle anyways."[/color]

	Magneto's eyes narrowed. [color=FF5733]"And just who did you have in mind, Sebastian?"[/color] 

	[color=E19243]"Don't worry, I wasn't going to promote either Requiem or Jinx - they're just tools,"[/color] Shaw shrugged. [color=E19243]"There's a delightful woman named Selene that I had in mind however... I suppose I'll just leave you all to it then? Kill each other. Whoever is still alive can stay - and the rest of you, well, I suppose you'll go burn in hell."[/color]

	Polaris crossed her arms. She figured that someone in the room had messed with Shaw's mind, as he didn't seem like the type to be this idiotic and bold. He was the leader of the Hellfire Club after all - he had to have at least [i]two[/i] brain cells. Of course, watching all of this unfold felt like seeing Downtown Abbey live - she half expected the Dowager to come into the room at any moment with her cane and reveal something else equally horrible. [color=A9F8C7]"Jesus,"[/color] she commented, shaking her head. 

	Emma hardly seemed surprised at Shaw's confession. She stared at him with an expression of pure ice. [color=E0F6FD]"Now what are we to do with you?"[/color]

	[color=FF5733]"He's Caesar. We do what must be done,"[/color] Magneto warned, raising his gloved hands and the knives he kept concealed on his person rose into the air. 

	[color=3D5DC3]"It's time to choose a side, boys,"[/color] the Three-in-One said in unison, looking over at Jinx and Requiem. They already knew that Anastasia was - or at least had been - siding with Emma and the others. Magneto had chosen Emma's side and his daughter, Polaris, most likely would follow her father in these affairs. Reeva was gone with Fade and Sage, but the Three-in-One already knew of Reeva and Emma's alliance - the very thing Shaw had hoped to destroy with this little game of his. 

	Shaw couldn't help but laugh again. [color=E19243]"You [i]really[/i] think I can be killed? Der kleine Erik Lensherr... Ich war da, als du gemacht wurdest, und ich werde eines Tages da sein, um dich zu befreien."[/color][hr][center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/5yqyXQGW/image.png[/img][/center][hr]	[color=935DB8]"Gee, thanks,"[/color] Veil rolled her eyes slightly at Spark Plug. She had known her for a while, one of the reasons why she was comfortable with Spark Plug's teasing. There were somethings that friends could say to each other that if a stranger were to remark, it would be the start of a lifetime grudge. Along those lines, Havok looked a little bit weirded out as Sapphire called him Alex, but then he realized the point she was making and he shrugged it off, not wanting to hurt his pride by continuing an argument he would surely lose. 

	[color=FAFD95]"You got a gift with words, Sapphire,"[/color] he said with a smirk however.	

	Casper felt a slight inclination to go with Elsa's long lost daughter and get the medicine needed for the poor girl going through withdrawal. He knew from experience how horrible and cruel a process that was, the things that detoxing did to the psyche and the inevitable wreckage that followed. Of course, he never stayed sober very long. Casper only stopped abusing substances when he had no possible way of obtaining them - essentially, just when he was in rehab. [color=DBA1DE]"I can go with you, Frosty,"[/color] Casper piped up. [color=DBA1DE]"I know all about detoxing, too."[/color]

	Sunshine rolled her eyes slightly, seeing that the Sad Panda had decided to go to the bar. She hadn't known him very long, but he seemed to have this insane idea in his head that she needed someone to look out for her. She had been willing to let Erg step into that guardianship role, but then Nazis or the Purifiers or [i]someone[/i] killed him. All she wanted was to avenge Erg, she didn't care about having a father figure or someone to look out for her wellbeing. Blink had already left with Negasonic through the portal, meaning that Cayden was sadly just a bit too slow to join up with them. 

	[color=935DB8]"Alright,"[/color] Veil thought for a moment. [color=935DB8]"I'd like you to go to the bar with us, Glimpse."[/color] She had two reasons - the first was that she doubted Sapphire wanted to take Glimpse with her and the second was that she would rather keep those that could not yet be trusted fully near her than with the others in the Underground. If she was wrong about Glimpse, she didn't want her family to pay the price for it. [color=935DB8]"Moonwalker, go with Sapphire on the medical run."[/color]

	[color=935DB8]"Feedback... If you need to stay behind, that's up to you. If not, I think you could help Sapphire out as well - monitor the waves and make sure no Purifiers or cops come their way. James, go with Sapphire as well if she needs you. Max, I appreciate you trying to self correct but I'd like you on the bar run."[/color]

	Casper meanwhile bit his lip as James asked him to stay at the Mutant Underground. He sighed slightly, trying his best not to stare at the ghosts still hovering angrily around Max, but he figured there was only so long he could avoid sharing this information. [color=DBA1DE]"Look, I can't join this place... because my dad is the one who runs it - Charles Xavier, mutant geneticist and abusive dick extraordinaire."[/color] He was hardly quiet with his words and everyone in the room would be able to hear that juicy tidbit of information. Professor X's son was there with them. Of course, very few people knew that Charles Xavier had children - and the most famous one was Legion. 

	Even Colossus looked surprised. [color=B0B4B0]"Your father is Professor X, da?"[/color] he asked. 

	[color=DBA1DE]"Yuuuup,"[/color] Casper sighed. [color=DBA1DE]"Trust me, he's a horrible father - I guess after loving all the mutants of the world, he didn't have any feelings left over for his kids. So yay for me."[/color]

	Sunshine crossed her arms slightly. She couldn't help but be irritated with Casper. Some people just never realized how lucky they were, instead content to curse over the gifts that they had received. [color=#DAF7A6]"How great for you - you have parents,"[/color] she muttered under her breath. [color=#DAF7A6]"Can we go already? The sooner we get there, the sooner the Walking Disaster can ruin everything again."[/color]