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[img]https://i.imgur.com/vT7cD5e.png[/img][B][COLOR=goldenrod]   S E A S O N   O N E :   H O M E C O M I N G[/color][/B] [img]https://i.imgur.com/vT7cD5e.png[/img] [/CENTER][COLOR=#c9b142][indent][sub][B]Location:[/B] [COLOR=gold][I]Newport, Rhode Island[/I][/COLOR][/sub][sup][right][b]New Mutants #1.07[/b][/right][/sup][/indent][/color][sub][hr][/sub][sub][indent][color=#c9b142][B]Interaction(s):[/B][/color] [@Retired][/indent][/sub]

[indent][color=silver]The remainder of the day had been ordinary.

It made the X-Baby wonder what the point had been. They had failed Dani’s test and then just gone on about their normal school day. They were still her team. There seemed no consequences for how they performed. Or how they hadn’t performed.

[color=pink]“We did fine.”[/color]

Well, there was [b]one change[/b]. 

Cherub was eating dinner with Sammy Pare and Katie Power. Despite being Sammy’s roommate, the two had never spent any time together outside of the dorms or classes. And Katie Power was the most popular kid at the Xavier Institute. And the three weren’t even at the institute. Katie had suggested they go get pizza.

When he’d agreed to come, he’d expected they were going to the Pizza Hut in Westchester. It was where most of the student body ended up when the topic of pizza came up. Instead, they were at a bistro on the New England coast, courtesy of...

...well, to be honest, Cherub couldn’t have explained it even if he’d wanted to. Katie had a friend, who was also an airplane? Except it could also go in space. So it was a spaceplane? Actually, now that he thought about it, Cherub was pretty sure Katie had said that Friday was actually [i]from[/i] space, so that would make it more of a spaceship. But that was just science fiction and fantasy, right?

Regardless, now that they were outside of the Xavier Institute, Cherub couldn’t have felt any more out of place. Having arrived from Mojoworld with only the Archangel costume on his back, his clothing was an assortment of hand-me-downs from among the students or the local Goodwill. To go out, he’d just thrown on a worn Gap Kids hoodie and a pair of jeans that he’d borrowed from Sammy. 

Despite his orange skin and fish-like appearance, Sammy seemed perfectly at home inside the restaurant, decked out in North Face and Old Navy tags. His mother would send him clothes from home. Though, Cherub actually, had no idea where Sammy was from. The fact that he hadn’t even thought about until now because... well, they just didn’t hang out.

[color=pink]“We demonstrated that we can work as a team to accomplish a goal, and that we don’t let pressure get in the way of that.”[/color] Katie remarked, looking like a tween model in Aeropostle chic with her hair down. Picking up a french fry, the girl waved it in the air a moment as she added, [color=pink]“In fact, we should keep working on that,”[/color] before popping the fry in her mouth.

Cherub just kept his mouth shut. Everything around them only served as a reminder that this was an alien world. Even without his powder blue skin, he was out of place here. A few people inside the pizzeria cast some glances their way, but apparently this was a place Katie had been before. She said the owners were friendly to what she described as [i]people with powers[/i].

Were there even restaurants on Mojoworld? Until his escape, he’d never even been outside of the Murderama, but it was hard to try and fathom.

[color=orange]“How?”[/color] Sammy uttered, as the large pizza they’d ordered to split among the three of them arrived at the table.

[color=pink]“I’m gonna see if I can get us a timeslot in the Danger Room,”[/color] the girl stated simply, even as she passed out plates and napkins to the boys. [color=pink]“It’ll probably be a [i]totally[/i] obnoxious time if I can get it, so expect it to be, like, lunch hour or something.”[/color]

Pulling a slice of pizza free from the pie, Sammy asked, [color=orange]“But what about Kitty and Bobby?”[/color]

[color=pink]“I’ll make sure they get an invite, but they have to [b]want[/b] to be part of this team,”[/color] the girl offered with a shrug, before reaching toward Cherub and saying, [color=pink]“Give me your plate.”[/color] 

Pulling a slice free, she placed the pizza on the plate and then passed it back to the awkwardly quiet X-Baby before continuing, [color=pink]“Short of that, we just have to keep doing what we’re doing.”[/color]

[color=orange]“What are we gonna do in the Danger Room?”[/color] Sammy asked, in-between bites.

[color=pink]“They’ll only allow us to run a level one simulation,”[/color] Katie remarked, even though Cherub had no idea just what a [i]level one simulation[/i] was supposed to mean. After a bite, the girl added, [color=pink]“So, it’ll be pretty low power and full safeties, but I’m hoping to generate an encounter with the Blob.”[/color]

[color=orange]“Wait, what?”[/color] Sammy blurted aloud, bits of pepperoni flying from his lips. [color=orange]“What are the three of us going to do against the Blob!?”[/color] 

The girl started to answer, but Sammy just cut her off with an exaggerated wave of his hand. [color=orange]“[i]Wait, wait, wait[/i],”[/color] the Squid Boy uttered flatly. [color=orange]“I take it back,”[/color] he interjected, pointing between himself and Cherub. [color=orange]“What are [i]the two of us[/i] going to do against the Blob? [i]You’re[/i] just gonna blow him the fuck away.”[/color]

The [b]F[/b]-bomb caused Cherub’s head to turn in surprise. X-Babies had a list of words that the censors would never allow on the air. That was one of them.

But, on Earth, people could just say what they wanted?

[color=pink]“He’s pretty immune to getting blown away,”[/color] Katie countered evenly, wiping some of the grease from her hands before reaching for a second slice of pizza. As she did, she offered, [color=pink]“And since he’s a physical opponent, there’s no directed energy for me to absorb,”[/color]. Taking a bite out of her second piece, the table was quiet as the trio ate before she spoke again and said, [color=pink]“Similarly, neither Cherub’s razors or the toxin on them will have an impact. We’ll have to work together to develop solutions in real time, just like an actual fight.”[/color]

Now it was Sammy’s turn to look surprised. [color=orange]“Wait, toxin?”[/color] the fish-faced mutant uttered, shooting a glare over at the blue-skinned kid.

[color=pink]“Didn’t you bother to read the profile on Archangel?”[/color] Katie asked, the exasperation starting to slip into her voice. Then, taking a breath, she explained, [color=pink]“Cherub’s wings contain projectile razors that are coated in a neurotoxin.”[/color]

[color=orange]“Oh great, another way for my roommate to kill me in his sleep!”[/color] Sammy exclaimed, slumping down in his chair. He stayed there a moment, then propped his head up as he said, [color=orange]“[i]Anyway[/i], are you [b]high[/b]? I’m [i]literally[/i] a fish out of water and he’s got aluminum foil for wings!”[/color]

Cherub edged over a little further from Sammy. 

This... this was why they weren’t friends.

Picking up another french fry, Katie pointed it at the aquatic mutant. [color=pink]“I get it. You don’t shoot laser beams out of your hands. Which, let me tell you, is more trouble than it’s worth. My point is, it’s all situational,”[/color] the girl stated in the same even tone, before popping the french fry in her mouth. After she’d swallowed, she added, [color=pink]“And an encounter with the Blob is a situation where none of our individual abilities provide for a singular solution. It’s perfect for practicing team work!”[/color]

[color=orange]“It’s perfect for us getting our ass kicked,”[/color] Sammy tossed back flatly.

[color=pink]“What do you think its like being an X-Man?”[/color]

The question caught the X-Baby by surprise, both for its directness and the realization that he’d never thought about it. Even though, in a way, he’d been an X-Man on television all his life.

[color=orange]“I dunno,”[/color] Sammy quipped back, throwing a hand up half-heartedly as he deadpanned, [color=orange]“Totally awesome?”[/color]

[color=skyblue]“I don’t think it is.”[/color] It was the first time since they’d left the Institute that he’d spoken. He’d never thought much about it, but reflecting back on all the videos they’d had to watch in order to learn how to play their parts, Katie’s words were casting Warren in an entirely new light for him.

A french fry dipped approvingly in his direction, before disappearing in Katie’s mouth. [color=pink]“Blue gets it,”[/color] Katie noted simply, fixing her gaze on the slumping Sammy as she said, [color=pink]“It’s a lot of getting your ass kicked. Then getting back up and trying again anyway.”[/color]

[color=orange]“Then why would anyone want to do it?”[/color] Sammy tossed back.

[color=pink]“I don’t think a lot of people [b]do[/b],”[/color] Katie answered honestly. [color=pink]“And that’s one of the things I think Dani’s trying to teach.”[/color][/color][/indent]