Sweet Serenade

"Music speaks when words fail" 16, Catherine Brown aka Serenade, X-Men, member of newclass-rp 

[ombra-and-demonio]

@sweetserenadecat

Delivered to Cat at home. The note reads,“ I’ll be home before lockdown, new student from back home. Tell your parents I’ll be stopping by tomorrow. And I restring the Eko and Ibez before I left. I love you princess

[sweetserenadecat]

Cat smiled at the bouquet delivered to their apartment and the note attached. A tiny smile graced her lips as she let out a small laugh. She sent her parents a text, letting them know that Al would be visiting. Then, she sent Alfonso one. 

Prince Charming: My parents are looking forward to your visit. 

[frescobrasileiro]

“Not too bad.” He observed his friend. After five years of knowing her, he could tell something was off. It didn’t seem like something was bothering her but there was certainly something on her mind. “Same old. Work. With the election coming up, it’s been crazier than the usual. How about you? Is everything alright?” He looked up from his menu, hazel eyes on Catherine. 

[sweetserenadecat]

There were quite a few things that Cat was good at. But keeping from showing how she was feeling wasn’t one of them. Her fingers kept fingering her purse. Her brain was on the ring in it. “Well, I’m sorry that work has been crazy. Things have been pretty normal for me. Well, mostly. That’s actually why I wanted to talk to you. You remember how you helped Alfonso with his promposal to me years ago? Well,” She looked around before looking back at her friend. “I need your help doing something similar. Only this time, I’m going to be the one doing the proposing.” 

[frescobrasileiro]

@sweetserenadecat

Roberto had received Cat’s text message about meeting her for breakfast early that morning. Like him, she was an early bird which made it that much easier to meet. He had to be at work in a couple of hours and had agreed to meet her at a diner somewhere in the middle between Juliard and the UN.  His hands stuffed into his coat pockets, he waited outside the restaurant for his friend and when he saw her, his lips spread into a wide grin. “Hey! So great seeing you, Cat. I told the hostess I was waiting for you out here but she got us the usual booth.” 

[sweetserenadecat]

Cat had told Alfonso that she was heading out early to go have breakfast with Roberto. It was just easier for her than lying. She was a terrible liar. But she was anxious to meet with Berto. She had gone with Cessily and gotten the ring. It was in its box in her purse as she walked into the diner. Sitting down at the booth, she gave Berto a nervous smile. “Hi, Roberto. It’s nice to see you too. Thank you for that. How have you been?” 

[ombra-and-demonio]

“I remember someone once saying ‘Everyone deserves a chance’ so I’m not giving up on Lord Weber yet.” Al smiled towards Cat as he placed their plates on the small table, asking what she wanted to drink since she was already working through their large digital movie collection. “Well next week is looking to be open, how about Wednesday?”

Al caught a glimpse of their calendar, a chalkboard wall they would leave messages to one another on, as he saw how many times he had been gone this month. To others, they seemed far and few. But they calendar didn’t show how long those days actually felt. Making his way back towards her, drinks in hand, he proposed,“ You know I could just request the rest of the month off of mission status, and be here?”

[sweetserenadecat]

Catherine sighed, having to admit that Alfonso had a point. She looked over her shoulder at him and smiled. “You have a point. Besides, he has been responsible for some great musicals.” She picked out a movie and put it in, grabbing the remote as she told him she’d like some of the iced tea that they had in the fridge. 

Getting on up, she headed on over to sit next next to him. Her eyes looked over at their calendar. The days when Alfonso was gone on a mission were always difficult for her. She took her drink from him and sighed. “I’d love that, obviously. But I don’t want you to be taking yourself off of mission status just for me.” 

[mercurycess]

“Thanks, Cat. Always so sensible.” She flashed her friend a soft smile. She listened to her, nodding here and there and blowing onto her spoon when she almost dropped it back into her bowl. “WHAT?!” She practically squealed before bursting into enthusiastic giggles. “Oh my God! The greatest people on Earth are going to tie the knot!” She wanted to throw herself towards Cat but instead remained in her chair, smiling widely. “Of course I’ll help! Anything! You just tell me what to do and I’ll do it!” 

[sweetserenadecat]

“I try to be.” She beamed as she took another bite of her noodles. When Cessily dropped her spoon, Cat couldn’t help but giggle and nod her head fervently. Motioning for the older girl to quiet down, she used her abilities to slightly dampen the sound waves so her friend’s exclamation wasn’t so loud. “Well, I’m hoping so. First, I need to find a ring. I have his measurement.” She pulled out a piece of string. “But, finding the perfect ring is harder than I thought. And then I need to get in touch with everyone else and get everything set up. If you can help with any of that, I’d greatly appreciate it.” 

[mercurycess]

“Thanks, Cat. I appreciate hearing all that because it has been reason for some sleepless nights.” She cleared her throat. “Exactly. I know Tony is brash though and I hope things change when we’re all practically forced to work together.” She stirred her Ramen realizing she had never given marriage with Julian any actual thought. They were just so comfortable together and it worked for the two of them. “Oh…don’t! It’s okay! I guess because we’ve been together for so long…but wait…” She looked up at her friend. “Do tell!” 

[sweetserenadecat]

“Well, I’m certainly sorry it’s made you lose some sleep. But, don’t worry about it too much.” She ate some of her Ramen and nodded in agreement. “I would hope that things would change before then. But, some people need that sort of thing to be a necessity.” Her mind was going through the plan she had as Cessily reassured her that her question was ok. A tiny grin spread across Cat’s face. “Ok, so you remember how Alfonso organized that whole prom-posal to me with having you and Julian, Roberto, and others? Well, I want to do something like that for him. Except this time, it’s going to be a marriage proposal. I also would like for you to help me find a ring.” 

[unleashhavok]

“Well I’ll be damned, I could have sworn we had a conversation exactly like this before I left.” Alex grinned as he looked over a his formal pupil, “I guess something just never change, huh?” 

[sweetserenadecat]

“Funny how that happens. I’m pretty sure we’ve had this conversation too.” She laughed. “Well, we all need some sort of constant in our lives. How have you been, by the way?” 

[ombra-and-demonio]

“I loved Phantom of Manhattan though, there’s no way Weber could have done THAT bad with it babe.” Al said from their small kitchen as he prepared pasta alla Norma for their night in together. “You know we could go and see the new Aladdin production they’ve been showing. Warren said it was actually worth seeing.” Grabbing two glasses and their plates he made his way towards their living room area and her.

[sweetserenadecat]

“Ok, I’m just going to pretend I didn’t hear you say that you enjoyed that poorly written fanfiction of a novel.” Cat gave him a tiny playful grin as she set up the movie for them to watch. “I’d like that. You know I’m a sucker for pretty much anything Disney. You just have to get a night you know you’ll have off.” 

[sweetserenadecat]

“Yeahhhhh, there’s a reason Love Never Dies hasn’t toured North America yet. The plot is... awful. Dear Adrew Lloyd Webber, basing your sequel off The Phantom of Manhattan may not have been the best choice.”

[mercurycess]

She took a deep breath and leaned back in her chair. “It’s demanding? I like it. Tony hooked me up good considering I haven’t graduated yet but he gave a good recommendation. I can’t complain, you know? A part of me still feels like I’m a traitor or something but my alliance will always be with the institute. It’s just silly we have this rivalry.” She perked up again. “I can only imagine, Cat. You’re so talented though and smart as hell so I know you’ll do real well.” Cessily furrowed her brows. “Wedding? What do you mean?” 

[sweetserenadecat]

Catherine couldn’t help but smile a bit, glad to hear that Cessily was enjoying working for SHIELD. She personally wasn’t too sure about the organization, but at least they gave her friend a job. “I don’t think anyone thinks you’re a traitor but yourself. I do understand thinking the whole rivalry is rather silly. I mean, aren’t both sides working to protect people?”  She winced as appaerntly her previous assumption was obviously incorrect. Ohh.. so Julian hasn’t.. this is awkward. I must have misheard.. But, I do need your help with something related to that topic. “ 

[mercurycess]

“Not so bad right now. I only have three classes this semester and then there’s work at SHIELD.  Pays well so I can’t complain. How’s school for you?” 

[sweetserenadecat]

“That’s good to hear. How is the whole working for SHIELD thing, besides the pay? School’s been great. It’s a lot, but great. That’s what I signed up for with Julliard though. How’s Julian doing? With the whole wedding planning and all?”

[mercurycess]

“It really is!” She slid the ramen cup towards her friend. “I’m glad we can do our little lunch hours. I’d be lost without them.” 

[sweetserenadecat]

Catherine smiled as she sat down across from her friend. “I’m glad we can have them too. How have things been going for you lately?” 

[sweetserenadecat]

Updated Bio

After graduating from Xavier’s, Catherine began attending Juilliard working on getting her bachelor’s in piano and a minor in composition. She’s still together with Alfonso and they live together in an apartment in the Bronx. Despite going to two different schools, they’re still going strong and being supportive of one another’s dreams and aspirations.

When it comes to figuring out if she wants to join either the X-Men or SHIELD, Cat isn’t sure. She does want to go on to get her Masters in Composition so she can become a teacher as well.

Her control over her powers has greatly increased, along with her understanding of it. She is no longer prone to potentially dangerous outbursts with them. For the most part, she’s gotten quite the handle on them.

[ombra-and-demonio]

Al and Catherine’s Studio Apartment

[mercurycess]

“Can you believe I’m graduating this year?!? I’ll finally be able to afford two Ramen noodle cups a day versus one!” 

[sweetserenadecat]

“That’s great! I’ve still got two more years to go. Isn’t it funny how we went one school right into another one?” 

[ombra-and-demonio]

[ombra-and-demonio]

“I knew about mutants being worshiped as Gods. So, the fact that some were regarded as angels and others were thought to be darker beings.” She nodded as she did get the whole monotheism taking over and dramatically changing things thing. “Yeah, monotheism did change the game and society. Especially with Christianity.” 

Cat didn’t try to get too much into Demonio’s business when it came to what he was looking at. She sighed, not liking that it would be a quite a few days until she got Alfonso back. While she knew what he was trying to do, the fact that she would be without her boyfriend for such a period of time was going to suck. “I understand why you have to do that. While I don’t like that it has to be this way, I’ll make sure to help keep an eye on him when you give him back control.” Her eyes lit up with absolute delight at hearing at Alfonso loved her. They hadn’t formerly said it to one another yet, and while she knew he did, it was nice to hear it was true. “I’ll make sure he follows your guidelines. I love him and don’t want to see him hurting himself just to try and get stronger.”

Printing out pages and pages of information, Demonio simply nodded in agreement with the young woman’s information. Gathering the papers, he turned towards Catherine,“ Now that we have an understanding, you can expect an envelope in your room within the next few days with a copy of the schedule I have created. And I do also have one other question for you…”

“Where can I find the young woman named Alice?”

[sweetserenadecat]

The whirr of the printer temporarily distracted Catherine from whatever it was that Demonio was doing. The mere fact that he was currently in charge of Alfonso’s body bothered her a bit. What bothered her even more was that he’d had to do that in the first place. Her eyebrows were drawn together as she thought about it. “I’ll look forward t0 seeing it.” 

She shook her head. “I’m sorry. I haven’t seen her since she moved out of our room.”

[bellelong-blog1]

Saying that Xavier’s School was a lot to take in might have been the biggest understatement Belle had ever heard. She raised her eyebrows with a hint of a laugh, “You know, for someone who reads minds I really thought I’d be able to wrap my own mind around it all sooner rather than later. I couldn’t have been more wrong.” She shrugged. Part of her difficulty in understanding her new surroundings was her closed mind, the fact that she just wanted to go home made it much harder to take in everything that was new. “Thanks, I always got teased about being a Disney princess throughout high school,” she said with a small smile. “Xavier, like the one the school is named after?” she assumed. It wasn’t the most common of names. Despite her sour attitude, Belle couldn’t help but be a bit intrigued by this. 

[sweetserenadecat]

A smile tugged at Cat’s lips as she got Belle to laugh. That was a good sign, right? “Like I said, it’s a lot to take in. I was a bit more prepared than most for the whole finding out I’m a mutant thing. But, the school itself can be quite a lot.” She couldn’t help but just beam at Belle. “It sounds like the people you went to school with were jealous. I mean, isn’t being a princess kind of the dream for a lot of girls?”  She nodded. “Yup, The one and only. At least, I think he is. It’d be a bit weird if there was another Professor Xavier roaming around.”