the dark artifices + ao3 tags

if i look back, i am lost
taylor price
"I'm Dorothy Gale from Kansas"

Janaina Medeiros
đȘŒ
Cosmic Funnies
Cosimo Galluzzi
ojovivo
TVSTRANGERTHINGS
No title available
$LAYYYTER
tumblr dot com

shark vs the universe
Stranger Things

No title available
will byers stan first human second
Show & Tell
styofa doing anything
Three Goblin Art

pixel skylines

seen from United States
seen from France

seen from Japan

seen from South Africa

seen from Malaysia
seen from United States
seen from United States

seen from United States

seen from TĂŒrkiye

seen from Italy
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Germany
seen from United States

seen from United States

seen from United States

seen from Malaysia
seen from Spain
seen from United States
seen from United States
@kaihartx
the dark artifices + ao3 tags
jxnxstvrsmvrâ:
âSounds like someoneâs been drinkinâ too much of tha Kool-Aid,â Jono remarked with slight amusement; there were plenty of fellow mutants who followed the same idea, and they could be terrifying in their own right. Dangerous and deadly - he should know, he was related to one of them. Zealots of their kind, it was usually them to initiate the conflict - them and the humans. It was exhausting.
âNo, but the Avengers are mostly cunts, soâs not like it really makes a diff.â Some of the X-Men, too, but he wasnât about to completely bad mouth the team in front of a new student. He really shouldnât have cursed, either, but oh well. That cat was already out of the bag. âThey used to. Keep me up at night, I mean.â Jono ran a hand through his curtain of mousey brown hair and swept it away from his thick brow. âYou get used to it⊠that ainât a good thing, though. Not even for a âbusinessâ.â
Jono nodded approvingly and drummed his fingertips against the underside of his desk. âKilljoy - got a nice ring to it. I like the meaninâ, too. Really gives it substance, not like some oâthese other wack jobs with names like Arm-Fall-Off-Guy. Tell me ya donât wanna fuckinâ end it all wit a name like that.â He joked, but it was true - what kind of fucking name is that? âThatâs good. Hold onto that feelinâ. You gotta keep what little goodâs left in ya. Itâs easy to lose that along the way, doinâ what we do, seeinâ what we seeâŠâ Jono gripped the desk a little harder. âYouâll be fine, donât worry.â
With that, the class settled into their seats. This was a new group - with the lifting of the ban came new faces, more confident and unique people. Jono was happy to welcome them all, even if their struggle was far from over. He wondered if it would ever end. Probably not, so the least he could do was make it less confusing for some, and if that meant answering awkward questions about sexual endeavors with gelatinous students then he supposed that was what the job called for.
A good hour passed before the class was finally over with. If he had to answer one more question with âitâs fine as long as itâs not harming yourself or othersâ he was going to lose it, but at least he had a tour around the sanctuary would help him to blow off some steam. Plus, he was still helping. Suck on that, Summers.
âHope that didnât turn ya off on attending the joint,â Jono started once the last student left the classroom and all that remained were him and Kai. âStill want that tour?â
âCollege frat boy party with a degree in philosophy Kool-Aid at that. So you know kinda gross and extremely pretentious,â Kai giggled, almost making fun of the remark of the quote from earlier and how it all seemed nonsensical. As the youngest of his family he just wished his brothers wouldnât feed into the bullshit and think for themselves for once, but they all feared their father too much, except his older brother, who was the most like him. Brutal, power hungry, almost maniacal in the way he approached things.
âFair,â he shrugged, not really feeling as if he had any reason to defend the avengers or any other superhero team for that matter. In the grand scheme of things, mutants had always been unimportant to the name brand heroes. âKind of hard to not get used to something thatâs bound to happen whether or not Iâm a factor.â he mused.Â
âYouâre kidding,â Kai laughed, not believing that to be an actual name, but then again he had heard some really odd names thrown out there that made no sense to him. âHope that guy doesnât expect people to take him seriously. Let me guess his powers involved him being able to take off his arms and use them as weapons?â he sighed. âLook at you Teach, trying to keep me pure and innocent while thereâs still some shred of it inside me. How honorable, but itâll probably be gone by the time the school blows up for the hundred time again.â he paused. âIs it wrong that Iâm expecting it to blow up? Feels like a rite of passage at this point. Might as well give me the authentic experience.â Kai smiled.
Kai wasnât expecting sex ed to be one of the topics they touched upon, but he figured it was either this or have some horrific accident happen when two students just tried something without the know how. After the class was over he still had a smile glued to his face before Jono walked up. âSure thing, and no if anything itâs making me want to sneak into your classes more often. Who knows when a gelatinous mutant wants to have a ravishing night with me?â he teased, before stopping at the door. âLead the way.â
illusorybutterflyâ:
Chou let out a quiet breath and ducked his head, the perfect, slightly bashful response, âYou are far too generous. Though if such things do help people think a little bit more and change their ways to make a better world I would be grateful either way.â And charming people only brought them further onto his side; a win on both counts.
âAhh yes, it was a somewhat last minute announcement but in these weeks following the awful attack on the city and the repeal of the so-called âHero Banâ I felt it was important to try and foster good relations between the heroes guarding this city and the civilians living within it.â
âIâm pleased youâll want to attend but there is no need for nerves. There will be others like yourself who are new to them but in all itâs just a party with food, drink and productive conversation. My only hope is the invitation gets around to said heroes and some are willing to attend, in costume or in disguise.â Â Â Â
Kai tilted his head to the side, drinking in the sight of him as he came forward. âIâm nothing of the sort, just honest. Besides, I do agree with what theyâre saying,â he mused, clearing his throat before the blush could take over his cheeks. âAs someone who doesnât really fall in with either civilians or heroes, Iâm kind of walking the line here but Iâve got money to donate and thatâs what matters right?â
âHopefully this helps the outlook on mutants and everybody else with powers.â History had not been kind to mutants, let alone anybody different from the norm. So things like this were crucial even if it was only to make it assuage their hatred just a little bit. âDonât think I might be the best to engage in conversation. But I will be there, I want to see more of you,â
noh-vxrrâ:
âAh, yes. Those same politics that frowned upon my declaration of war - despite the validity of my reasoning. Humankind - particularly, Midas - had taken everything and everyone from me and left me stranded in this universe. Humanity did not see it the same way.â He remarked, shaking his head. From war to being the weapon of a deranged prison warden, to being the ruler of his own âcivilizationâ after taking control of the Cube. Noh-Varr had been through a lot in a relatively short amount of time in this universe. Following the decimation of his âhomeâ in the Cube and subsequent ventures with both the Dark Avengers and Young Avengers, he had still not come to find anything particularly redeemable about humankind. They were still flawed and hopeless in his eyes.
âYour explanation is not flawed,â Noh admitted. âEven if I do not agree with your peopleâs decision to sit by and work idly through everything.âÂ
The Kree listened as Kai spoke about his feelings towards the changeling and the state of his relationship with the magician; paying particular focus to his stance on loving someone without having it be returned. âYou have a kind soul, Kai of the Mutants. When you do find someone to reciprocate those feelings, I am certain it will be divine.â Noh nodded and looked ahead as they made their way towards the store they would be shopping at.
âJust cause youâve been struck a bad hand doesnât mean itâs right to take it out on the entirety of humanity. Being hurt isnât a justifiable reason to hurt others, especially those who have nothing to do with it.â Kai felt himself shrug, offering the man a little smile. âEven though humanity has been mostly against mutants throughout history, thereâs been times where people have shown kindness, love and solidarity for mutants. So it might take a while, but Iâm sure there will come a time when we can live as equals. Hopefully,â It was a far off dream in his eyes, and he might jot even be in the generation that gets to see it come to fruition. But he hopes that it happens, that the aching in his heart can finally find some respite in knowing that there might be a chance.
âOur hands are tied most times.â
A faint blush spread across his cheeks as Noh spoke, and Kai didnât really see anybody reciprocating those feelings. âThanks, but I donât really see any man looking at me in such ways, and thatâs ok.â was all he could reply in the moment as they neared the store. It was of course one of the more expensive shops, with intricate designs of gold in their lettering. The very signs of affluence all around, and he smiled knowing one of the few things he was extremely good at, was shopping. âSo, hereâs the thing, get anything you want, from clothes to colognes, beauty products, doesnât matter. Anything goes. Even if you find something else that doesnât exactly fit into the category of clothing, itâs fine. I donât mind you finding something to treat yourself with.â
noh-vxrrâ:
âI do not fully understand you mutants either.â Noh made sure to point out as Kai sighed and agreed with his notion about humanity. âYou possess such vast abilities among your people - and yet, you let other organizations and groups walk all over you. As someone that has waged war against humanity once before - outside of calling in heroes to aid them, they are.. incredibly fragile.â He stated.
âWhy did your people not fight back against NOVA when they had the cities morale turned against their own saviors?â He questioned before chuckling at Kaiâs reasoning of familiarity. âYou hold attraction for the man.â He stated the obvious with amusement. âTeddy Altman is a lot of things, but something tells me that being one to move on from his relationship with Billy Kaplan is not one of them.â He remarked. âI believe that would take some sort of twist of fate. You would be wiser to accept your friendship to the man instead and put your efforts into others, in this Kreeâs opinion that is.â He shrugged his shoulders.
âAt least⊠thatâs what I believe people would say.â He added meekly. What did he really know about relationships, after all?
At that he raised a curious brow, creasing his features as confusion began to cover them. It wasnât until he was done that his face relaxed, and before he knew it laughter bubbled up, cascading from him as he shook his head at the alien man. âThatâs because you donât really get our human politics yet. If we wanted to wrestle power from the world and take it we definitely could, but that would make us no better than the villains, heroes so desperately fight. The world most people envision is one of co-existence, and equal rights, to not be treated different for things that are out of your control. Otherwise weâd just give rise to a new wave of reasons for humanity to hate us even more. That would only lead to someone creating yet another weapon that could destroy us all.â
âThe more I live in this city the more I realize that in life you kind of have to pick and choose your battles, not every single one is going to be beneficial in the end for all of mutant kind. The actions of one mutant will cost everybody.â Kai shrugged, a weight on his shoulders that reminded him that the path towards mutant rights was a long and hard one, but one definitely worth taking. âI know that, Iâve met Billy myself and I know that Teddy will never look at me that way. Heâs found a love like no other and I donât think heâs ready to move on, donât know if he ever will if Iâm being honest. Thatâs his choice though.â Kai sighed. âStill, I canât really make myself not love him, itâs just the way things panned out. I know heâll never love me and thatâs okay, just because you love someone doesnât always mean they have to love you back. As long as Teddyâs happy, or even if he finds happiness in someone else, then Iâll be happy as well. Thatâs just the way my kind of love works.â he smiled.
jxnxstvrsmvrâ:
âYeah, fuckinâ tell me about it. Pretty sure all of our, ah, upbringinâs overlap.â Shitty parents, no parents, embarrassing power reveal, deadly power reveal â it all was the same, no matter how it was sliced or broken down. Every mutant had some sort of shit that trailed behind them, just some had it worse. He made friends with those people, found a comfort in kinship. It was why Jono spent most of his time in the Morlock tunnels than he did on the surface. They understood his plight to the âtâ.
âPR?â Jono had to laugh at that. âWho dâya think the X-Men are, kid, the fuckinâ Avengers? We swap out so much âcause people die or they get fuckinâ lost in some weird time bullshit. Or an alien got to âem.â Or worse. Jono had to chuckle to himself after finding the humor in the X-Men needing PR. Maybe they could use it.
The mouth vomit that came out of the kid was unwarranted, but not entirely surprising â what was surprising was the information so willingly given. Jono had met all sorts, from royalty to zombies to gods, so a raging zealot mutant family wasnât entirely unheard of. Still was fucking wack, though.
âComplicated sounds like an understatement.â While his immediate family wasnât a bunch of wankers too fucked off their rocker, Jono did have a certain homicidal maniac as part of his bloodline: En Sabah Nur, or as those so affectionately called him, Apocalypse. It was quite the shock to find the relation, but the mutant god wasnât family, nor would he ever be, even though his blood alone altered Jonoâs physiology, effectively giving him his face back for a moment. Still, it wasnât enough to be friendly. âWell, weâll protect ya if it does come to that. We take care of our own. That, at least, is somethinâ we know how to do.â Keeping them alive, however, was a different story.
Jono searched the kidâs face for a moment before he nodded to accept the compliment. No, it didnât change his feelings about the situation, but it did make him feel a little better. âThanks,â he returned as a couple of students walked into the room, chittering as they went and found their seats. Jono watched them sit before he gestured wordlessly for Kai to find an open seat. More kids would pile in soon and he was glad for the distraction.
âWe are but the children of the atom, both cursed and blessed to walk the earth with the children of adam and eve, and the children of Lilith.â Kai almost recited, remembering the words his eldest brother had once whispered to him as he was being tucked into bed. Kai knew of the issues that sometimes carried with the x-gene, and the unfathomable ways in which the world treated all that they viewed as different. No matter the time or place, it seemed history was always the same, as those in power always seemed to use the power of fear, to single out a group and make them the pariahs they needed to hunt down so all would flock and heed their words.
âThereâs been X-men who have been avengers, so itâs not like everything is isolated. Somehow all this superpowered bullshit intersect. Stuck in time, kidnapped to a hell dimension, or swap bodies, Iâve heard the stories. Certainly something thatâll keep you up at night. But even heroism is a business, and thatâs the only language the world universally understands.â
âWhich is why I chose the moniker, Killjoy. I am the bane of my familyâs fun and joy, and everything that brings them happiness in their oh so bigoted way of life.â At that Kai smiled, and as he first walked into the school, arms wound tight around himself, as if to keep a barrier from and all others, had started to slowly ease. This had been the first time he was explicit with his family history, never before had he revealed the details of his family to someone, only bits and pieces, half truths that were enough to keep their satisfaction and ear. Somehow this man was able to crack the code, and be able to stop Kai from putting on the mask heâd trained himself to wear, to see it crack and crumble so his real self could escape the abysmal dark. Funny, how Kai wore a mask yet, the man whose face was like cracked porcelain, beautiful, yet breaking at the seams, was the first to let him be himself. âItâs not me Iâm worried about, I could take care of them all myself easily, I just donât know if I have the strength to do what needs to be done when the time comes.â he sighed.
As Kai sat, he let the man begin his class, taking residence in one of the seats in the far back, a little smile still on display. Jono, he was definitely more than meets the eye. Kai, gave all of the students who came in a welcoming smile, but his eyes were mostly glued to the man in front of him, wanting to see how exactly his class would follow through. This place was bustling with life, the sound of footsteps on wood, and the soft whispers and giggles of budding adulthood all around. It was was what missing from his life all those years in his house, where everywhere he looked it felt empty and cold, devoid of life. A king of broken hearts and shattered souls, solitary on his granite throne, the image of his past, now subsiding to the depths of his mind.
noh-vxrrâ:
âHumans are nothing but walking contradictions most days.â He fired back, but moving on in topic as Kai continued to speak about his friendship with Teddy. Noh nodded his head after the young man explained how their little shopping venture would work. âIf you insist on spending your money on a complete stranger, then by all means let us carry on.â He finally remarked. It seemed foolish, but he knew people to do much more foolish things for far less. At least this mutantâs heart seemed to be in the right place with the notion.
âYouâre telling me,â Kai sighed, dark circles under his eyes from the sleepless nights heâs had. Recently heâd been worrisome about the quietness of his family, as usually clamor would always follow suit wherever they stood. These past few weeks it had been dead silence, and a freezing shiver ran up and down his spine thinking of what they could be plotting. This was a good distraction, and a gesture that he could always see himself doing regardless of circumstance. âYouâre not a complete stranger, Teddy knows you, and thatâs good enough for me. I love that man more than he knows, or maybe he does know and just sees me as a friend. Either way, thatâs just the way it is. So for now, letâs just get you some clothes before people come with pitch forks and torches demanding you cover your alien junk.â
jxnxstvrsmvrâ:
âKid, youâre preachinâ to the choir,â Jono returned with a lifted brow. âAnâ you got a shit ton of other kids who also canât make friends, so âave at it.â Mutants didnât have it easy, especially if they were down on their luck sad sods who grew up with a stinking childhood and shit parents. Jono had neither of that, but the way his mutation manifested certainly put a halt on the friendship making. That and his piss poor attitude.
Jono snorted and had to actually roll his eyes at that. âHate to break it to ya, but so do we. The X-Men get shit on just for existinâ.â Not that they ever didnât deserve it, but the general hatred for mutants was what really grinded his gears. The X-Men could choke for all he cared. âThey think youâre unsightly?â He asked, absolutely confused because the kid looked passing. He looked fine. It sort of pissed Jono off. He shook his head. âWonder whatâd they think of me, then, fuckinâ hell.â Not that he really cared - he didnât care what anyone thought, really.
He nodded in agreement and gestured to himself. âCase in point. Think itâs why they thought Iâd be good in the position. Guess they were right.â He still wished he didnât look the way he did, or feel the pain he felt, but it was what it was.
Jonoâs expression softened for a moment before he waved Kaiâs compliment off with a hand. âThanks, but, Iâm just âere to help. Most people wouldnât agree with thaâ anyway.â
âguess it comes with the territory of dysfunctional families and the x-gene. plus being a teen is hard enough without adding superpowers into the mix, let alone super powers that make your body glue or something along those lines.â kai sighed, looking over the man with a smile. Seems like they could understand each other, and had somewhat similar almost cynical views of what all this meant. Kai could appreciate someone like Jono, he was a good guy.
âOh I know, but at least some people do view you as heroes. Although the lineup of the x-men teams probably make it hard for the public to keep up with. Since some aspect of heroics does involve PR, sadly.â Kai knew that some heroes were just better suited for the spotlight, and that the public just ate them up like they would any other celebrities. Mutants didnât really get that treatment, not often at least. âYup, only because I disagree with their views. You see my family is...weird. We come from a long line of mutants who all have elemental powers, what each do varies from mutant to mutant in our family. Basically my family built a patriarchal society that worships elemental deities, and used their power in past wars. Most of my family history is covered in blood and conquest, although there were some who didnât really adhere to that mindset. For a long time all they care about is power and feeling superior to other mutants. They have an army pretty much, mystical sages and the like who train and teach all the off spring of the current ruler to make sure they become worthy of the family name. Through worship and combat the children are to prove themselves worthy of being royalty. Problem is with each new generation they become more power hungry. Now that my brother is probably going to ascend to the throne, Iâm worried of what will happen when he comes for me himself. Technically they canât have the ascension ceremony without me there, so itâs another reason as to why I left. So you know complicated family history.â
That explanation was a lot for Kai to reveal, but it would at least give some insight into his past. âI agree with them on that choice. Thereâs no one better suited than someone who lives and breathes that same reality on the daily. but for what itâs worth, Iâm really happy youâre doing this, even if you might wish you werenât suited for this job.â he shrugged.
âmost people donât got common sense, so Iâll say it again, youâre pretty cool.â
illusorybutterflyâ:
When: Present Day Where: Star City - City Park With: Open to all! :DÂ
âAnd that is why I hope this planned charitable event will help to foster relations between vigilantes, heroes and the everyday citizens of this city that has been so welcoming to me and my cause. Thank you.â Chou nodded softly as the assembled crowd applauded.Â
He didnât usually try and book out such large spaces as the city park, but the turnout had been decent and announcing he planned on throwing a charity gala deserved as wide an audience as possible. Â
Stepping down from the podium he walked towards the crowd, happy to speak to all. âI do hope you donât think my adding that small gala announcement to my usual speech was somewhat crass.â he chuckled quietly, âBut it does seem to have got people talking.âÂ
Money, a word that in todayâs society would equate to someoneâs social standing, their power, and their worth in the eyes of those who truly ran the world. If you were lucky, youâd be born into a family that was well off and wouldnât have to worry about the plights that about 99% of the world struggled with. Kai sometimes disliked the fact that his family lineage was basically an empire build around the idea of perfection and power. With it all came money
Never knowing what to do with it, he would usually just spoil his friends, or throw it at whatever needed it the most at the time. Right now, he was attending his first charity event and he felt entirely out of place.
âPlease, as if anybody in the audience would complain to see you on the podium a bit more. You shouldâve heard the people around me, they couldnât stop talking about you. About your looks, how generous and kind you are. Clearly they believe youâre the whole package,â kai giggled.
âPeople have been talking ever since they set foot at this event, but to be honest this is my first time at one of these things. I donât really know what I should be doing, and I donât really know anybody here as well.â
noh-vxrrâ:
Noh-Varr pursed his lips for a moment. âPeople fill out their clothing in different manners. I think it is stupid how humans expend so much energy worrying about seeing too much or too little of someoneâs body.â He remarked sharply but let out a huffing sigh.Â
An eyebrow rose as the mutant mentioned his former shapeshifting companion. âTeddy Altman? Yes, I am familiar with the man. You two are roommates? Interesting. Perhaps it is for the best, given his recent detachment from his fiancĂ©.â Noh remarked before his brows knit in suspicion and curiosity. âWhy?â
He didnât have to wait for an actual response to his question however, as the man offered both an reprieve from the current situation and some sort of shopping adventure in the process. âIâŠâ For once he didnât have some sort of remark - sharp or otherwise. âAlright. I suppose it would do me some good to have a little more variety in civilian attire.â
âThereâs a problem about people thinking they have any say on other peopleâs bodies, but thatâs a story for another day. Itâs aggravating, but we live in a world full of contradictions.â Kai shrugged, feeling for the man but knowing that there was no other way around the matter.
âYup, thatâs my roommate and best friend.â Not that he had many other friends to begin with, but he didnât have to let the man know that much. âYeah...I know itâs a rough time for him considering he still has his heart yearning for someone, but thatâs why he has friends, to help ease these times for him.â he smiled. âWell, I havenât met many of his old teammates aside from Billy that is.â
âVariety is always good, and as someone with an eye for fashion Iâll make sure you look good. Youâve got the white-silver hair thing going for you, so matching you in outfits wonât be too hard. Howâs about this I pick a few things out of for you, and you pick somethings for yourself, doesnât matter how much or how little. Moneyâs not really an issue with me.â
noh-vxrrâ:
âMutant, huh?â Noh-Varr remarked and looked the stranger over for a moment as he committed his name and face to memory. He pondered for a brief moment on the otherâs words before glancing over his outfit one more time. âI ensure that this uniform is properly cleaned and sanitized periodically for continued wear.â Noh stated. âI⊠suppose it is a little too much for most people though.â He frowned, slightly pursing his lips.
âI am Noh-Varr of the Kree and formerly of the Young Avengers.â He introduced himself with a small straightening of his posture and almost immediate relaxing back into a more casual stance.
âMost people donât venture off into space and fight intergalactic war, so whatâs normal to some people is completely bizarre to them. They live mundane and boring lives, but itâs better to keep it that way,â Kai explained before offering the man a smile. âAnd yes Iâm a mutant, I got the x-gene to prove it and the annoying giant robots trying to chase me down to prove it.â he joked, giving the other a once over to make sure he was right about the suit being cleaned. At the mention of young avengers he perked up. âWait, young avengers? So youâre one of Teddyâs old friends? Heâs my roommate, kind of.â Kai guessed the correct term for that would be weird since he owned the building so roommate would have to suffice.
âNoh-Varr, pleasureâs all mine. So why donât we get out of here before one of the Karenâs decided to make sure you have to explain your suit to the police. Itâs nothing to fuss over, but they might say itâs public indecency.â he mused. âSo let me take you shopping or something since you are Teddyâs old teammate, if anything.â
jxnxstvrsmvrâ:
Jono nodded along to the kidâs words. Good, at least he wasnât completely alone and had people to talk to. While he certainly had been that kid to be an utter loner, and weird, and distant, he didnât feel like dealing with that as an adult. Especially not now, not before a class. âThatâs good. Always better ta have some friends, especially early on. Makes it easier.âÂ
He snorted. âPreây much, yeah. I knock on all major landmarks anâ throw ya into thâ deep end.â It was a joke, especially considering it was pretty much what was done to this kid here. âSometimes no one really knows what Summerâs plans are âtil the last possible moment. Donât let that discourage ya, though. Youâre in decent hands.â
Jono set the guitar down and walked up to the whiteboard. He pulled out a dry erase marker and wrote out the words in big, black lettering: YOUR BODY AND YOU.
âI preây much teach how to be comfortable with whatever fucked up shit your x-gene decided to hand ya. Like, take me for example. I got no face, no chest, no nothinâ. I had to come to terms with that âcause, letâs face it, it ainât gonna change.â
Kai was glad that he didnât find himself alone anymore, this place could certainly be quite overwhelming so getting lost was a no brainer. âEasier said than done though, Iâm not really know to be good at makin friends. So the ones I do have I either believe that theyâre totally crazy or maybe theyâre just that good as people,â he shrugged, but then remembered how shady Josh was and how fiery Julian and couldnât help but chuckle at the thought. Those two were definitely people he was glad he could call friends.
âSounds fun, Iâm in,â Kai snickered at the joke glad that this wasnât such a bad place after all. âI still donât know what they are since I warned him that I pretty much get attacked 24/7,â but he guessed considering how much the x-men have had to rebuild their school it didnât phase him. âMy family and I arenât on the best of terms cause I donât really agree with their politics, theyâre very much in the line of only strong mutants should survive and all that. They also donât believe in mutations they believe to me unsightly, so I butt heads with them a lot. But I agree I am in decent hands now,â
âAh, makes sense, and thatâs really nice actually. Pretty sure this is one of the more important classes to have since I know a lot of kids end up hating their x-gene and themselves cause of it.â he sighed. âI think Iâm gonna like this class,â he mused.
âYouâre pretty cool,â Kai stated, smiling at the other man.Â
noh-vxrrâ:
âWhy are you staring at me in such a manner? This happens to be the most comfortable attire that I have access to. The fibers are perfectly breathable and the form-fitting cling keeps the suit from shifting unnecessarily.â Noh remarked to a group of ogling young teens. One young man in particular seemed to have a terrible relationship between his eyes and gravity - his gaze continuing to fall along Nohâs figure each time he tried to raise it back up.
âItâs just⊠revealing.â One young woman remarked. âYeah, most people try to cover themselves up a little better. Itâs like youâre running around in that athletic spandex or something.â Another remarked shortly after.
âYes, I am well aware that you people tend to be far more conservative in your appearance - hiding your bodies as if revealing them would be some sort of shame; and subsequently shaming those among you that are accepting of the fact that their bodies are attractive, but refuse to let that dictate their choice of appearance.â Noh-Varr fired back. âThis suit is combat-tested and standard issue for a Kree warrior. There is nothing wrong with it.â He remarked, watching as the group whispered among themselves and shuffled along their way.Â
The snow-haired man watched them go for a few moments before looking down at himself - the sharp black and white of the almost reflective material catching the sunlight and its striking green lines. âThis is fine.â He mumbled. Besides, he had practically nothing when it came to the paper currency used in these âUnited Statesâ. He had a few outfits he had acquired over the years with his team, but they had developed some wear and tear in some spots and were not as comfortable as his combat suit most days.
Kai was out and about in the city finding that the chaos had all but died down, and he could continue on with his menial nothings like a regular citizen. What he didnât expect was overhearing a conversation between some young adults and an obvious alien. It was amusing to say the least hearing how he countered each and every word the man said, bringing a smile on Kaiâs face the more he listened. When the people finally left he stepped out of the shadows, literally materializing from the shadow he used to hide himself.
âIt is,â he spoke up, crossing his arms before offering the man a smile. âSorry humans donât really have manners when it comes to this sort of thing. I think the outfit is amazing on you, but I do agree that you might want to expand on your outfit choices. Keep this for special occasions cause the design is phenomenal, but I donât think itâs for everyday since you wouldnât want it to tear or dirty too much.â he suggested.
âThe nameâs Kai, and Iâm a mutant. Nice to meet you,â
maximoff-kaplanâ:
âI want the cookies,â he said immediately, having forgotten they existed until that very moment. Heâd looked once and the store was all out of stock, then it fell off his radar entirely given that the city kept trying to turn inside out and all. It was beyond bizarre of Kai to be there, but heâd done nothing to merit Billy feeling any negativity toward him. If it was there, it was just borne of something irrational and jealous and unfair, which at least he could admit to. He didnât have room in his heart for it right then when it was already so full of too much else so he said the simple thing, instead. âThanks.â
He sat down next to him and pulled open the top of the package to take out one of the cookies. âAdvice?â Billy was probably the last person who should be giving advice about anything right then, given how much he seemed to consistently make the wrong calls in his own life. Still, heâd listen. He could try.Â
âOkay then,â Kai laughed handing over the box to the man, hopefully this would be a much better step to their already rocky start. âDonât mention it.â Exasperated and tired, he sighed as he heard the voice of the elements speak to him, talking about the great power this one had. It was amusing, not until recently had he begun to experience the elements feel more alive and be their own unique being. âYup, on many things actually. I know itâs weird of me to be here, but I didnât have anybody else to turn to. So here I am.â clearing his throat he began. âOne of my friends, lost someone dear to them recently, and Iâve no idea on how to comfort them at all. Theyâve done a great deal for me to get situated in the city, and I have no clue how to repay all that kindness. Second, how does one even go about getting guys to notice you? It sounds stupid, I know, but I have no idea on what it would take to get a guy to notice me. Recent events have made me...not want to be so lonely all the time. So I thought about you, someone who has a lot of people who loves them so earnestly.â
jxnxstvrsmvrâ:
Jono shrugged and pushed off the desk with his hands still idly strumming the guitar. It hung around his shoulders by way of a thick, leather strap. Heâd burnt through so many he lost count. âIâve just seen it. I know the look,â he returned casually, âNoâta mention Iâve been there before. Lost in a place youâve only barely been introduced to.â
His brows raised at the mention of no tour, something he just couldnât believe Summers would be okay with. âWell. Iâd give ya the discount tour, but Iâm about to start class âere in a moâ. If ya wanna stick around, Iâd be happy to give ya a walk. No obligation, tho, if ya gotta be somewhere else.â
âWell, I do know some people here. I know Julian and Josh, sort of. Exchanged words at the very least,â Kai shrugged, feeling a bit unsure and insecure about the whole ordeal. âStill, this place is certainly bustling and full of life, pretty loud too.â he commented before looking over the other man. âDiscount tour? Sounds like the kind that just gets to all the important places without the need to know the history of every wood plank in the building.â
âI can wait.â Kai said. âThink the only thing they wanted to know about me was about my powers, and how much I can actually do. Other than that Iâm not really all that sure about Scottâs plans for me around here. So whatâs your class about though, so I know what Iâm getting myself into,â he mused with a smile.
@kaihartx LIKED for a starter! đ
"'Scuse me!" Harley waved the unfamiliar person over, her bright hair peeking out from underneath a handkerchief. She was one of the most wanted people in Star City right now, but her disguises always left little to the imagination. Maybe she wasn't as instantly recognizable as Joker, but the manic grin and ice white skin always gave her away. It was too much like his. "Have ya seen a cute little kitty? About yea big -" She held her hands up to demonstrate. "Orange an' white? I've been lookin' all in the alleyway, but..."
There was a whole gang of kittens she came out to feed, but the orange and white one actually let Harley pet her. This time she'd come armed with treats. Bud and Lou were good company, but sometimes it was nice to have something small to snuggle with.
propertyofjokerâ:
@kaihartx
LIKED for a starter! đ
ââScuse me!â Harley waved the unfamiliar person over, her bright hair peeking out from underneath a handkerchief. She was one of the most wanted people in Star City right now, but her disguises always left little to the imagination. Maybe she wasnât as instantly recognizable as Joker, but the manic grin and ice white skin always gave her away. It was too much like his. âHave ya seen a cute little kitty? About yea big -â She held her hands up to demonstrate. âOrange anâ white? Iâve been lookinâ all in the alleyway, butâŠâ
There was a whole gang of kittens she came out to feed, but the orange and white one actually let Harley pet her. This time sheâd come armed with treats. Bud and Lou were good company, but sometimes it was nice to have something small to snuggle with.
âDid you give it a name?â Kai asked as soon as he heard the request not really looking in Harleyâs direction and his eyes were trained on the alleyway. âHmm, thatâll be pretty easy, I think I could search for the cat in this entire city in a second and find it.â he said mostly to himself before stepping up to the area. With his hands still in his pockets he tried to remember to look only for feline signatures, calling upon the earth beneath him to track down the specific cat. The earthâs scan was initiated and within a second he found the cat. He used earth to coax the cat into the alleyway, guiding it along before it hopped over a nearby wall. âThat your cat?â he mused before stepping out.Â
jxnxstvrsmvrâ:
[ @kaihartx ]
Of course Jono wanted to step back into his position as a professor for the school. While he didnât agree with the whole âchild armyâ thing that Xavier had going on, and he and Summers liked to knock horns every now and then for old timeâs sake, Jono figured heâd at least do it for the kids. They needed to understand that their mutations werenât a death sentence and that they could become comfortable with their bodies - with whatever the hell the x-gene decided to do with them. For him, the x-gene destroyed about seventy percent of his body. Just a shell and some eyes, and maybe half a brain on a good day, Jono was dealt a shitty hand. A little ironic that he had to pretend to be okay with it for the young ones.
Class didnât start yet, and though Jono was finished setting up and having a lesson plan in order - most of the lessons just involved Jono standing at the head of the classroom and talking their ears off. Since a lot it was open discussion, there wasnât a lot of paperwork or the like. He stood, instead, leaned against the front of his desk with guitar in lap and strummed lazily.
He noted someone pass by once - then twice - and finally, a third time before Jono ushered out a telepathic whistle in the kidâs direction. âYou lost or somethinâ, kid?â
Being part of the district was just one of the many hurdles heâd have to cross to actually be able to contribute anything to the mutant population. As a whole it was phase one, but as he wandered across the mansion that house the many mutant students and teachers of the district he came upon a stunning realization. He was fucking lost. Kai didnât want to damage his pride to he tried his best to retrace his steps, but the more he tried the worse it got and even when he didnât have any sense of direction, his own damn pride would not allow him to ask for help, so he just masked it all.
âI...no of course not, I know this place like the back of my hand,â he chuckled, trying to use laughter to hide the fact that it was the truth. He sighed. âWas it that obvious that I donât have a clue as to where Iâm going. I was supposed to get the grand tour but...that never happened. Thought Iâd be able to figure out the layout myself, but this place is definitely bigger than I originally imagined.â