We return to the Rec Room, where Rogue is enjoying a foosball match between "Rockman" and Iceman.
Bobby (after just getting in a goal): "For somebody called 'Rockman', your defense isn't too solid!"
Colber puts his hand to his hair. "Aw man! Why you gotta' be cold!"
But it's mutual fun; the boys seeming to have found better ground with each other.
Alex now enters the scene to collect his charge.
Colber looks his new gear over. "You look some where on your way to being a cosplayer."
Alex is not impressed. "Wrap it up." He steps away to give Colber a moment to say good bye.
Colber (back to Rogue and Bobby): "You know, our Centre's having this anniversary party thing really soon. You might like it," he smirks, "I mean if you guys are allowed to leave here."
and Bobby's impression sways once again: "Why wouldn't we be?"
Colber shrugs, avoiding saying what he was thinking. Instead: "You can bring friends, too. I mean, if you're taking the invitation. Whatever."
Rogue: "Yeah, thanks. Ah think we would like to check that out."
Alex has gone over to a TV where a few students are watching.
A couple glance at his gear, but it has no impression on them.
News Anchorwoman: "Well the Rose Bowl may've come and gone months ago, but the so-called 'Rose Mist' first documented a couple weeks ago in our own city continues to draw attention. While there has been no evidence that the strangely coloured 'mist' is harmful-" the anchorperson's voice plays over footage of people walking through unawares, or even standing right in the stuff as one person is disappointed to find it hasn't dyed their hair or skin, "-environmental scientists remain puzzled as to what might be causing it." She now sports an amused smile, "though if we're talking 'citizen scientists', we may have our answer."
They cut to a segment where some people are being interviewed.
Young Dude: "It's like those algae blooms from the sea, man. Yeah, there must be a lot of, like, microorganisms underground and in the air too." He gives a definitive nod. "It's an aerial algae bloom."
Older Gentleman wearing aviator sunglasses: "I think it's like that Mystical Fire stuff. You know, what you add to your campfire to change its colour? But it's Mystical Mist! Now if they could add that to the steam stacks, it might be more interesting around here the next time the service pipes blow a gasket."
Back to Anchorwoman, she reacts to the piece: "Ha ha. It sure might," then adds, "which leads us to caution 'Rose Steam' would pose the same danger as regular, so anyone looking to get the latest footage should keep aware of themselves. In any case, the prevailing official theory is a test of various underground venting systems, with a colourant used to track such tests, though we've yet to receive confirmation from the city on any such tests being done."
Colber rejoins Alex.
"So do those new doo-hickies of yours mean I'm not driving home?"
They turn to leave: "You were good on the way here. Make it a round trip."
"Score!"
Evening of the Anniversary Party at Alex's Mutant Outreach Centre....
The Outreach Centre is a large, open concept space with multiple areas: games, lounge, kitchen, meditation area, media area, and some free space. Padded dividers currently propped against walls show the spaces can be made more private if desired - but right now open space is the word. The place is decently full.
An office area off to one side is the only proper other room.
Besides the bathrooms of course.
Over at the media area, Colber, Bobby and Rogue are listening to some of the Centre kids singing karaoke - all the latest hits by Dazzler.
Colber turns away from the singers to address the two: "So do you guys have a drama class at the mansion?"
Rogue (ha): "Yeah, it's called Logan and Cyclops in the Danger Room."
Bobby smiles.
"Who's Logan?"
"Oh, he's one of the adults. He takes some getting to know, but then he's really cool. Ah like it the best when he's around." A smile fades.
"He gone now, or something?"
"He's been on a mission with one of the other X-Men. Well actually not the same mission. They came back a couple times but were sent out again so soon it feels like one long time."
Bobby adds: "Yeah. You wouldn't think he and the other X-Man, who goes by Nightcrawler, would've hit it off like that."
"Missions, aliases, danger rooms. You guys lead some strange life over there."
"To think about, yeah ah guess. But ah mean it doesn't feel that way living it."
Bobby: "The way I think about it, our lives were always going to be strange. Might as well be strange in a-" he sculpts the X symbol (X in a circle) in ice between his hands, "-cool way."
Rogue smiles.
Suddenly Colber seems put off: "Look, we're not only destined to one path just because our genes got more active. We can choose what we want people to know about us instead of letting them decide what they think they know. Alex teaches us how to subdue our powers not blow them out."
Bobby: "We can't stop being mutants. And pretending like we aren't is like lying to everyone. What do you think that's going to do?"
"It's not about stopping, but you don't have to go walkin' down the middle of the street with a sign saying 'MUTANT' around you, either. And anyone lookin' to know what we are or aren't -what they really want to know is if we've got some power or deformity they're going to have to deal with or they should be afraid of. Saying 'no' to that would be honestly answering what they're asking."
Bobby (this is getting personal): "But some of us can't control our powers. It IS something those around us have to deal with."
Rogue gets to the heart of this: "Some of us like me. So instead we're taught to own our powers. That's part of what the aliases are about."
This seems to resonate some with Colber, but more he seems to think they've come up to a wall. He looks around, noticing through the windows how the evening rain has lessened. "Do you guys maybe wanna' blow this for just a bit? I can show you around the neighborhood."
Looking at each other, they consider.
In another part of the room, Scott is standing with a drink, taking things in.
While not at the media area, he seems to be enjoying the talent coming from there, too.
Then he notices the three youths walking away and exiting the building.
Alex joins him with his own drink, noticing his brother's gaze set on the doors, but having missed why. "Wanting out already, big brother?" He takes a sip.
"No. Bobby and Rogue just left with Colber."
"Oh. Are your two trouble makers?"
"No."
"Neither is he, he just looks like he's on the cusp of getting into it. But he knows the neighborhood. You can relax." Another sip.
Scott's attention acutely sets on Alex as he realizes something: "I thought this was non-alcoholic punch."
Alex points to Scott's cup: "THAT is." He indicates his own: "THIS isn't. 'fact it's not even punch." He downs some more.
Scott seems unimpressed.
Alex: "There are other staff here, jeeze. And this isn't anywhere the kids know."
Scott's expression shifts to one like 'you're sure about that?', followed by a telling glance to the Anniversary sign and back to Alex: he's been working with youth how long?
Alex pauses in the act of taking another sip, clearly getting the message.
He's unimpressed.
Outside, with Rogue, Bobby and Colber.
Rogue: "So you live around here?"
"No, I've got to take a bus. But I like knowing the neighborhoods I spend time in."
He points some things out to them, but soon it becomes apparent this tour has an agenda.
"That store has some specialty snacks I haven't seen anywhere else, but they won't be getting my business. I saw them jackin' up the price when visible mutants tried to buy, when they agree to sell to them at all."
He directs their attention to an apartment complex: "One of my friends from the centre lives there. His parents had to pay twice the damage deposit."
He pauses now to point down a street: "A few blocks down is the highschool. They're one of those establishments that wanna' segregate the bathrooms. You know, one just for mutants." His hands go in his pockets. "Like what's that even about?"
"Ah get what you're saying, Colber. Our way can't work for everybody. Ah mean it doesn't even for us, most of the work we do as X-Men is secretive because it has to be. But it's how we all SHOULD be able to live and that's why we stand for it."
"Okay, I can get behind that. Maybe you guys get it better than I've been giving you credit for." He turns away, a little embarrassed.
Bobby adds: "Really Professor X and the school are about us not looking at OURSELVES the way most people do. After that-."
Colber nods, but his focus is elsewhere: "Do you see that over there?" He's looking down another street. "It's one of those aerial algae blooms from the news!"
Rogue: "Hey yeah. Strange whatever it actually is."
Colber starts walking towards the sidewalk grate from which the "Rose Mist" is rising. "You know everybody's speculating it's something from below, but what if it's something in the above-ground atmosphere?" He stops at a comfortable viewing distance. "Something the stream or whatever's just letting us see or something....Science was never my top grade," he adds, as though not sure himself what he's saying.
Bobby and Rogue are standing just behind him, but Bobby now takes a couple steps ahead.
He raises his hands and begins freezing the vaporous air into glistening, rose snow.
Rogue enjoys this.
Observing, Colber seems to be having an inner debate. Then, decides to join them in this little embrace of power as fresh "mist" rises. Carefully stepping close enough, he shows for the first time why he chose the moniker "Rockman" as pebbles first fall from his fingers -"oops" he says under his breath as they fall through the grate- then larger stones as he concentrates, until he's constructed a short, stone "chimney" around the coloured air.
He steps back: "There. Santa just visited!"
They laugh - magic mist. . .
Back at the Mansion, specifically the lab....
We see Jean doing work with the blood samples from Alex and Scott.
After a little time, her attention shifts as though she's become aware of something in another part of the Mansion.
She pauses her work and exits the lab.
Scott is just heading up the stairs to the second floor when Jean arrives in the foyer.
"How was the party?"
He turns and steps back down to her. "I can't decide if in the end Alex was glad I had shown up or if he'd have preferred I didn't."
"Oh. Did something happen?"
"Not exactly. Just every new truth we learn about our lifestyles seems to be an incompatible one. How was your evening in the lab?"
"It's been interesting. There's definitely something going on with you two," she scratches the back of her head, "what's strange is I can't tell if what I'm seeing is something foreign and your bodies' response to it, or if it is..'simply' a mutation." She lowers her hand, "it should be more obvious."
Scott's brow creases with concern: "If our bodies might be fighting something I should call Alex back here."
"Yes, except it's premature. I mean your power increase has me leaning more towards mutation..." She regards him with second thought, "you haven't been experiencing any other symptoms have you?" she caresses his arm.
Scott considers: "None that I can think of."
A small smile of relief. "I'd like to look into it some more tonight, yet." She kisses him. "Don't wait up."
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