15449/Bushwick Got Preachers

Bushwick Got Preachers
Date of Scene:	26 July 2023
Location:	Bushwick <Mutant Town>
Synopsis:	A group of mutants stand up to protestors at Bushwick and talk them down in a standoff.
Cast of Characters:	Monet St. Croix, Raven Darkholme, Clint Barton, Clea, Douglas Ramsey, Caleb Dykstra, Negasonic, Lorna Dane, Roberto da Costa
Tinyplot:	The Ohio Mutant Conspiracy

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Monet St. Croix has posed:
Bushwick, scene of protestors, counter-protestors, and riots. Mutants worried about the loss of their identity, the long history of humans abusing them and experimenting on them.. Humans that are in many cases terrified of mutants, that had seen the destruction a mutant experiencing their powers for the first time could cause.. And the extremists that were mostly from the human side of the spectrum. Things might not have boiled over yet.. But they definitely were not doing well.
    Currently there are a large group of humans over in the throngs of the ralliers, separated by police cordons with bullhorns. They are carrying signs which read 'Get the Cure'. Calling out in bullhorns, "You can be fixed, mutants! You can be saved. There's a way to make you human! We can help you get it as soon as it's available."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
The level of disgust and distaste is not evident on Mystique's face, but it can clearly be felt in the gaze of her yellow eyes. Once again a group of humans had come to Bushwick to push their agenda on mutants. It didn't matter if it was peaceful or violent, humans should have no rights where mutants are concerned.

Presently outside the Genoshian Embassy, which was on high alert with extra security everywhere, the cobalt mutant dressed in her white costume begins the walk toward the line. She was already surprised that the local precinct had actually sent officers, but she was also grateful... she didn't want a war, but she would make it clear that they were not only unwelcome, but that their idea of 'being saved' would send them all to hell.

Clint Barton has posed:
    Clint Barton, perhaps one of the lesser known Avengers. He was, after all, only human. Not a mutant per say, perhaps a bit abnormal with his enhanced sight and some above average but still human traits. Yet he was not mythical like some of his counter parts.

    Today Clint was traveling about the boroughs, what drew him to Brooklyn he didn't know. "I remember Bushwick had some nice apartments..." He was telling his traveling companion, one white hair sorceress and fellow Avenger. Boy was he wrong.

    "What the hell happened to Bushwick?" Was it ever really nice? Perhaps Clint was getting senile in his old age. "Ah hell, maybe Kate knows somewhere..." That's when it caught his eye. Then Kenny Roger's Roaster. "Oh my goodness I... not in a million years." Blue eyes erupted with joy. "I haven't had good chicken in like..."

    The joy of his nostalgic find was interrupted by the cried of protesters. He glanced in their direction and narrowed his brows, studying the picket for a moment. Perhaps he hadn't been paying much attention to the news, wrapped up in his own little world.

Clea has posed:
"It's been like since I've been out of prison." Clea's been watching the escalating riots and the protests and she's sure it was all over the news. Humans were the worst sometimes.

No offense, Clint!

The white haired sorceress from the Avenger's had decided to come down with Clint, he's probably the one that stands out the most. Not like her presence would deter anything. She's dressed in jeans, t-shirt and a purple leather jacket with the hood pulled up over here hair.

"So do we get involved if violence starts?" she asks the fellow that she's with. "We can probably take chicken home if things don't hit a boil over point." she offers to him.

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
    Doug is still listening for that noise in the signal, that angry buzz that inevitably seems to signal the outbreak of violence. At the moment he's sitting on a park bench, quietly filming the display with his phone, catching both sides of it and then murmuring, to himself, "And when people say no, then what?" He asks... maybe himself, maybe the universe. For a moment, he studies his right hand, and then he looks up, and exhales. "I know, I know. I could just *leave*."
    "But you know - wherever you go, there you are. Right?" Since he looks fairly normal, eventually he gets up from his bench, and heads for the side of human protestors. "I have a question for you." He says, as he maneuvers to get the attention of a human with a "You can be saved" sign.
    "...What exactly can they be saved from?"

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
And shut in studies and projects during Summer school, with only the occasional outing for some fresh air and go to the other cities on occasion, Caleb is caught by surprise since he heard just about nothing regarding the gather of people, over mutants and cures for them.

"Oh, no...", he sighs. "This can't be good."

Caleb's sister, Sheila, is right beside him, looking somewhat overwhelmed by the crowd. "C-Caleb...?"

"Yeah..." Leave it to his Gothamite instincts that this shit is gonna blow worse than a powderkeg. "Let's try for a detour, Sheila..."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
The mutants are not particularly happy at the people calling for them to be cured and accepted. There's a lot of yelling, taunting.. No threats. There seems to be an unspoken level of agreement amongst the crowd that they're not going to provoke anything. They won't be the ones to throw the first punch.

A portly man amongst the humans wearing a suit and tie and swearing heavily in the heat and sun, "You can be made whole again. No longer outcasts from society. You'll be able to go anywhere, be anything. Live amongst people." He does not call them freaks. He does not say 'our kind'. He has at least that much sense.

Alas, many amongst the other crowds of human protestors do not. "Stop being freaks muties! Just make yourselves regular!"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Stopping a few feet from the line the police have established, Mystique puts a charming smile on her face as she starts to walk up and down the line with her arms folded lightly across her chest. At first she just listens, waiting and the second the portly man makes himself known, clearly the leader of all this, she stops in front of him.

"Who are you to say we are ill?" she calls out, the disgust of this situation not showing in her voice either. She doesn't appear angry and there is no anger in her tone. "Where in your bible does it claim that a mutant is not whole? Do I look ill to you? Do I appear in anyway to be unsatisfied with my life? Who are you to say other wise?"

Those present who are screaming out the usual mutant slurs get ignored, which really is taking a great deal of her willpower. She would love to draw her guns and just start unloading on those who throw the slurs, and the fact that one, she is only hating on those who are specifically hating on mutants, and two, she's not doing it at all, shows just how far the blue mutant leader of the Brotherhood has come in two years.

Clint Barton has posed:
    "Yeah, human's can suck... which is why it's fun to swindle them sometimes." Clint turns to give a smirk to Clea. He's wearing his own leather jacket, black Metallica shirt, and blue jeans. Not really doing anything to cover his head. His hearing aids evident around his ears.

    "Oh don't worry, we're getting chicken no matter what goes down." Clint offers, still giving a cocky sort of grin. He studies the group again. "Oh we'll knock some skulls if they do anything more than waste oxygen. They can say what they want as long as they don't hurt anyone." Clint the all American Constitutionalist. Such patriotism. "People like to judge others, especially when they have no control over their own lives. They have sad poor lives and need someone to blame. I'd say at least half these people are on some type of drug at the moment, even more are drunk. Adulterers, Sex addicts... So on and so forth. Yet, Mutants are clearly the problem. So sad."

    Clint crosses his arms over his chest and watches, glancing to Clea. "What do you think?"

Clea has posed:
"It's sad that they think they are the only species that counts." Clea states to Clint. "No offense, you're on the humans that don't suck list." she tells him quietly. The idea of food...or fun right now doesn't make her smile, she's a bit on edge. "Certainly they won't be dumb enough to hurt anyone..." she looks from Clint to the crowds. "Or well...this is just a ticking time bomb." she motions to things.

"There's nothing wrong with Mutants. They don't need to take some cure unless they want to." she shakes her head to that. "Eh. Some of them are probably just rabid." she whispers to Clint. Then she relaxes her arms at her sides and tries not to look too aggressive.

"I think we should wait and see what happens. Or we can pass out fliers to find some sort of diety to ask forgiveness of for bothering others." she offers to him.

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
"I didn't say I was a mutant." Doug says. "Do I look like a mutant? Sound like a mutant? I know I don't SMELL like a mutant, I wear English Leather aftershave. There isn't a big 'M' stamped on MY forehead, yet. I don't have scales, or claws, or fangs, and I can't fly." He raises his eyebrows, and says, "Sir, the fact that you just automatically assume anyone who dares to ask the question is a mutant is telling on yourself." He meets the man's eyes, and then he picks out something from a terminator-esque lists of statements that in his estimation (which is, let's remember, superhumanly keen) will cut the man right to the bone.

"Maybe you should go *pray* on that, and see what God shows you when you hold the proverbial mirror up to yourself, sir." He turns and walks away.

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
Caleb watches the debate with a bit of fascination and fear. Where he grew up, in Gotham, he didn't hear many stories about mutants...

But he recognizes a trouble-bringing face when he sees one: Mystique, former terrorist, now on a more benevolent path with the Brotherhood.

But, whatever the path she's in now, it's the deeds of infamy that tend to stay with the people, and even if she's on a better path.

It doesn't really take a mutant to see it coming, right? It's like, just begging for it.

Caleb turns, pushing Sheila along with him. "This is about to blow up, and we're on ground zero, let's go!"

Monet St. Croix has posed:
The portly man that had been doing the yelling up front would look over at Douglas, "mutants can be anyone. They can do anything. It can be nothing. It can be grand." He would go on, "Or it can just be they look different. They have bright hair. Or scales. But they'll always be outsiders. Outcasts. Because they're mutants. With the cure, they can fit in anywhere with anyone." He doesn't say 'with humans'. He at least has the common sense to watch his language.

Others do not. There's taunting over at Douglas, whether or not he's a human. There's threats against Terrorist Smurfette. People remember who she was and what she did. Or maybe she's just the obvious one that makes it easy to pick her out.

As Douglas gives off his completely well reasoned counter, the man's jaw drops and he stammers, "I, I.." As Clint joins in, he would shift his attention. "Don't you dare taunt me, young man." Wait, calling Clint young man?! Since when had Clint ever been..

Unfortunately for the pair of Caleb and Sheila, someone calls out, "Hey, they're running away!" Then another goes to taunt out, "What'd you do, muties! where you runnign to from us? I got your cure right here!" The man whom was being deftly out-argued by Doug calls out, "Wait, stop! We're here to help, not to hurt!"

Negasonic has posed:
    As a dual citizen of Genoshia and the US, well Ellie is hanging back near the embassy. She is leaning against one of the outer walls watching the protests very closely all said. A glance sidelong at the various folks gathered. Police. Protestors. Counter Protestors. Capes.

    There is a soft sigh and she fishes her phone out and starts to quietly social media, glaring at her phone as she tweets about the scene. Her social media scene is cautic if nothing else can be said about it.

    She is wearing sturdy clothes, leather jacket over her hoodie. Spikes, stompy boots. She probably looks like she is willing to through down in a riot. Mostly because she totally is willing to if she has to.

    Using her powers though, that would be an explosive mistake probably so she just vents on twitter.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Good, she had their attention. For good or bad, Mystique has managed to get the eyes on herself as she wanted, giving others the chance to leave if they choose.

"I've been judged by the law of this country," she calls out now, glancing toward the two attempting to leave that were called out before looking back. "And yet here I stand to be judged by those who have no authority to do so. In your own bible it states, 'Just not lest ye be judged!'... yet here you are."

She begins to walk up and down the line again, no threatening movements offered. "We can end this peacefully, right here, right now. You call us freaks and monsters, you dedicated your time and energy to hating us. I used to dedicate myself to loathing you, to hurting you, to despising everything you had... and if I, at over a hundred and forty years of age, can change my ways, so can you."

She gestures toward the Genoshian Embassy, "Come by in peace sometime, come learn about us for who we are, for who we love being. Come witness that we are just like you in all the ways that really matter. I'm extending an invitation to ALL OF YOU to visit Asteroid M, to visit Genosha, to learn the truth you are afraid to see."

Clint Barton has posed:
    "I like to think the vast majority of people in at least this country just don't care about mutants or other things. They're too busy working or dealing with their own stuff to focus on this stuff. The realize it's just a waste of energy and wouldn't want to be told to do something either." Clint at least attempts to defend humans in some aspect. "But yeah, these people here just happen to really suck a big one."

    He raises an eyebrow at her suggestion. "I mean... if you want to try. I'll back you up. These people seems somewhat fundamentalist and reverent in their beliefs and-"

    Old man Clint is cut off by the Dougster. "Wait what did you say?" Clint cups his ear, hearing aid in and all, like he can't hear. "Sorry, old war injury. Did you say haunt you? Well, I'm not dead yet. I mean, I can't promise anything when I die." IF that was a deescalation tactics to his snarky sarcasm then Hawkeye had some work to do. Just in case, Clint attempted to shift the attention off him and his partner. "Oh hey, look is that Mystique. Dang she's looking great? Man, I couldn't have said that better myself." Well, apparently he can hear /her/.

Clea has posed:
Clea sees the young people moving and then there is a bit of rabiness in the Human side of the crowd and she brings her hands up to quickly cast a spell to block people from persuing the young man and his sister. Because there was no telling what dumbasses would try to do in this situation. The spell is visible and she gives a look to those that are the agressors, "That is a young man trying to get his sibling out of a volatile situation. Like any one in their right minds would do." she states calmly.

The Avenger doesn't look angry, but she looks like she might Sparta Kick the first person that tries to get past her and after any of the people that are behind her.

Then she gives a look to Clint and there's a bit of a chuckle at his hard of hearing self, "If Cap gets a call I'll take the hit for this." she whispers to him.

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
Caleb looks over his shoulder when there's a mention of running away...

And yep, it's them they're pointing at! So, a big dash away ensues!

"We're not mutants!", Caleb says, though at this point he wishes he had wings or the ability to super-jump, or teleport away from their reach. Or the ability to shift opinions - but even that seems to fail, even if he's not a mutant. "We just don't want to be in the middle of a gathering that's heating up real fast!"

He grabs Sheila by a wrist, and speeds up. Her whimpers go ignored, and she makes her best effort to keep up.

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
Doug looks up at Raven, and then he says to her, matter-of-factly, but out of earshot of the crowd - "Experience and history give me every reason not to trust you, Mystique. But for Beto's sake-" He gestures with an open hand. "Let he who has no sin."

And then he crosses his arms. "I want Mutants to determine their own destiny, as a culture - and I guess I'm American enough that I don't believe we need a monarch to do that for us. So Genosha is a mutant nation, with a mutant monarch. That's fine..."

"But I think what we need is a Mutant *Republic*, where the people choose their leaders, and eventually... those leaders step down so new ones can take their turn." He rubs his chin. "Much as I'm not *keen* on the idea of ethno-states."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
There are yells from the human side - which are escalating over as Mystique comes out. Someone starts up a chant 'Terrorist!' Another joins in, "Mutie Freak!" it's building up. Even as the portly man in hte suit and tie was yelling at them. "Stop it! Stop it! We're here to help them and show them the way! We have to show them!" Somehow demeaning them at the same time while trying to defend them. The yellers ignore him in much the way his arguments have any form of validity so far.

Clint's deescalation tactics are at least confusing people enough that some of them are going quiet. Well, at least that helps some! Also no one can hear him either so at least one person is yelling at him to speak up. Yay for consistency in events!

Clea's fingers go to weave together magic, moving to put a protective ward between Caleb and Sheila and those that would be chasing them. A couple of people in the crowd yell 'One of them' as they equate her to those that they're here to 'help save'. They're being particularly eloquent tonight.

Negasonic has posed:
    Ellie makes a note to hit up the embassy for a visit to the Asteroid. Space is cool. She just tags it into her reminders and is back to quietly texting and tweeting.

    She glances up at Doug's talk about a Mutant Republic. Probably not good to suggest manning the barricades and go all Les Mis about it. She does smirk a bit to herself and then looks back to said phone.

    She keeps an eye on the situation with Caleb and Shiela, but it isn't violent enough for her to act. Public Relations.

    Though she finally does look up from texting to squint at one protestor nearest to her on the line and squint when he yells something particularily vile about mutants. "Oh, fuck right off and come up with something actually creative. I know it is asking a lot given your likely intelligence... but give it a bit of effort."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Internally Mystique is grinning wickedly. In her own way she had just shown that even if you 'change', you are never accepted. That no matter how much work and effort you put in to sowing seeds of change, there will always be those who can never accept. She had triggered the masses with her mere presence, and all in spite of saving thousands of New Yorker humans during the angel invasion.

She's said her piece, made the offer she intended to make, and now was heading away from the crowds. She would not engage in violence against humans, she would defend herself and others against them, but she would not initiate. "The very definition of being American is the freedom to choose, good or bad," she comments as she starts to walk back toward the embassy. "So long as you don't harm others in the process... took me a while to learn that, and I'll be paying for my mistakes and wrong doing the rest of my life."

Lorna Dane has posed:
    There's a moment when she thinks better of this choice of action, a pause in her own heart as the fear and anger washes over, then a hand resting across her swelling belly. "For you." She whispers to no one before standing up and stepping out of the shadows and room she had chosen to observe from. But with the moment starting to come to a boil, Lorna can no longer stand on the sidelines and chooses now to step out into the crowd.

    A green eye glances between Doug, and Raven, but she's more concerned about the shouts from the humans across the street. She walks past Doug and Mystique, a hand reaches out to try and calm them down as she's moving and answers calmly, "I'd like to address those concerns of yours Doug, but I don't think this is quite the time or place for that." The pregnant queen notes as she passes.

    Moving to stand at the edge of the mutant side of things, Lorna rolls her chin up, and doesn't hide her precarious condition. "Is there one voice here that can clearly speak for you humans?" Lorna asks, giving a look towards Ellie and her intelligent comment, but not drawing attention to it as she's trying to calm things down.

Clint Barton has posed:
    Clint was happy Clea caught the escaping siblings and their issue because he certainly had far too much going on to have spotted it. "Nice catch." He compliments, falling into a defensive position with her. His demeanor becoming far more serious as things seem to heat up.

    He spares an ear, well as much as he can with his disability, to Douglas and Raven. Yet, getting bogged down in politics, especially the inner workings of Mutant politics was out of his headspace. He looked to Clea. "Let's just try to make sure people don't get hurt." He clears his throat with a bit of a sigh, "Or try to hurt each other." He had at least left the people who had seemed interested in him with confusion and awkward silence. He kept a look out for more in trouble but Clea was drawing attention to them again. "Alright alright. Relax. You know, people like this helped save our dang planet you know. Have some respect."

Clea has posed:
The flaming crown that is generally not visible on Clea is starting to show up like a beacon when the woman gets a bit more angry. She stops trying to obey gravity and she floats up into the air a few feet to look over the 'helpers'. "You want to know what I am?" she squints down to those that give the whispers and through verbal stones. "I am an Avenger. We protect those that reside on Earth. We don't discriminate. Mutants have fought for you and bleed for you just as we have. This is nonsense." she waves a hand over the human protestors.

Roberto da Costa has posed:
Roberto da Costa is of course impeccably dressed, custom tailored black suit, yellow short and a vanta black tie. And he exudes cool, literally actually it's a solid 10 degrees cooler near him.

Berto is keeping an eye on Doug, the canary in this coal mine, but right know he is escorting his current paramour.
     He smiles, "Good speech. Aw, thanks Dougie." He slips an arm companionably around Doug's shoulders, "Sorry I'm late was running down information on the mutant cure. What did I miss?" He shakes his head more dead ends. "Come on, Doug. He didn't take power and subjugate, they asked him to rule. It's hypocritical to seek a republic and deny the people's will." He turns around to the crowd, and closes his eyes sending a wave of cool air over them. He coloring shade to deep obsidian as does sosucking in light and heat, "Doug, can you read the old guys body language enough to tell if he's likely to have coronary?" He calls out, "Make sure to stop insulting us long enough to hydrate."

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
    "You haven't REALLY changed at all, of course." Doug says. "You're still a vicious, vengeful anarchist in love with chaos." He remains standing where he is, when Beto throws an arm around him. "But then again, like you said. It's your *right* to be that person. And there's more than one way to skin a cat - or a bigot. I suppose. And we all know how good you are with knives." He looks over at Clint and then casually signs, 'This is just the tinder, getting piled together, sir. The match that starts the fire hasn't been lit yet.'
    He looks around, and then he says, "He's fine, I think. It's hot out, and passions are high - but he thinks he's helping. That's the rarest and worst kind of bigot."
    He elbows Beto, lightly. "You're *late*, Chaos."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Ellie goes to look up from her Internet feed/stream/commentary to give feedback over the lack of creativity in insults. #LameBro will be trending, perhaps? Has her attention been piqued or is she merely annoyed and going bck to ignoring it?
    Mystique has said her peace - and she might not even have to leave them in pieces as a result of it! Of course, there goes out Lorna (with guards).
    the protestors (on the human side) are yelling and chanting - at one another, at hte mutants.. There's not much room for conversation as some taunts and threats go over at Clea (despite the fact that Cleda is very, very blatantly doing something powerful).

Attention is over on Clint and Clea now. Or, well, mostly Clea. The fact that she's just identified herself as an Avenger (and is throwing the glowy energy around) seems to be causing some pause. Roberto's arrival over to come to the side of Doug means that the Odd Couple has come back together again! The man that Roberto is speaking of is sweating, trying to yell above things. It's not helping. But he thinks he's helping. He thinks he's here for a good cause and to make things better.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
It was exceedingly rare for the two people Mystique actively worked to protect to be in the same place, so naturally at something as heated as this, both the Queen of Genosha and Roberto da Costa were there. For one hot second there was a mental line drawn down the mutant's brain, but in the end she knew the Royal Guard was present.

She had just decided to make her way to Roberto when Doug gave her a verbal upper cut. The same painful statement she had heard over and over and over again for the past two years in spite of everything she had done. It used to cause her to get defensive and start listing the things she'd done, now though, she just let it punch her and hurt like a son of a bitch. She deserved it. She internalized the hatred from her own kind as well as the humans like wounds that could never heal.

Seeing as Roberto was near Doug, instead of actually walking up to them, she hung back at a distance to keep a protective eye on him. He usually had his own security detail present, which she led, so she was taking the time to listen to the reports from security on the past few hours.

As for the protesters, they no longer held her attention, she was entirely too busy listening to the movements and reports of the Royal Guards as well as Roberto's security teams.

<"Good to see you, Roberto,"> she spoke quietly into the comm, testing to see if he actually remembered to wear his.

Negasonic has posed:
    Ellie stares for a long moment at the dude who sputters a bit and then snarls at her calling her Mutie Scum.

    The eyeroll and sigh could cripple a man as she shakes her head. "Not even worth commenting on." ignoring that she was effectively commenting on it.

    She looks back down to her phone, as if DARING the dude to do more than sputter at her as she just IGNORES him. Type type type.

    A glance over at Roberto and Doug though "Sup." then back to her phone. "Republic does sound doable. Though I think we should try socialism.. maybe some communism"

Roberto da Costa has posed:
Roberto da Costa looks down and over at Doug, "Dammit Doug, She is really trying. Everything she did with the league, during that invasion. The Brotherhood evacuated more than anyone, ANYONE." He shakes his head, "And she's been helping me with X-Corp, one of the few. The X-Men haven't had the interest or time. You're a smart guy and you can see the truth of what she's saying. I want a republic too. But I'm not arrogant enough to think my way is the only way." He looks at Doug and then shakes his head, anger, pain, concern it's all their. He moves away from Doug toward Raven he approaches abd stays close but clear of her gun hand, "Good to see you. You're not that person anymore." His voice is a whisper over the comm.

Clint Barton has posed:
    Clint saw the Sign Language from Doug and raised his brows. He signed back, 'Not a fire worth having. Too much mountain laurel.' What ever that meant. Hawkeye looked to Clea as she started to rise above the ground and that crown of her sparked into existence. He inhaled sharply. "Yeah... ya'll are kinda pissing her off. Not such a good idea. Maybe go home... have a coke. Take an advil... I don't know..." He himself didn't appear armed, or otherwise powered up in any fashion. Which might lend to him blending in, but he was ready to throw-down none the less. A sign to Doug 'Okay... maybe I was wrong.'

Lorna Dane has posed:
    Lorna looks up to Clea, and smiles softly towards the fellow royal, but she chooses not to interfere with the silver haired avenger. The peace keeper should be allowed to keep the peace. Lorna knows her being here isn't allowing that peace to wash over everyone, but she wants to sit and actually talk with people. Change minds one on one.

    Something Charles might have told her long ago.
    Something she might have heard from Erik.
    Something she might have learned on her own?

    "You." Lorna says, motioning with her face towards the man yelling when a group of men in the mutant crowd step forward, hands all moving beneath jackets and loose shirts to hidden holsters, Lorna calls back her guard with a motion of her hand down at her side.

    Lorna dares to step forwards, closer to the humans to try and reason with one actively yelling at the Avengers and her people. As much as some are wanting to debate what Mutants should do without her input. And yet, she pauses, thinking that maybe she doesn't deserve to have a say in really anything outside of herself. A hand brushes her belly as the thoughts and self doubt washes over Lorna, she looks back to Raven, and sees Roberto moving to the woman's side. She turns to look up at Clea, and then towards the angry human before her and asks herself 'Why'?

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
When the ward forms - and people more than certainly bump into it -, Caleb begins to slow down to a halt. Letting go of Sheila's arm, the young girl massages it, nodding when Caleb asks her if she's okay.

Boiling on the inside, he can't contain his words, struggling to put them coherently.

"Are you people /insane/??", he speaks stalwart and unflinchingly. "Are you people /blind/??" He points to himself and his sister, "You went after two people who've never displayed abilities their entire lives, and terrorized them!!" He continues, "So what if people have abilities?? The super-heroes of the world have them, and you don't go after them - hell, you glorify them!! Big statue in Metropolis to the humanoid alien that has stopped invasions and crimes sprees - if you knew nothing about his origins, would he be under your sights as well??" Another example that he provides after a pause, "Wonder Woman - super-strong, power of the gods behind her!! If she were a mutant, you you gun for her at the doors of the Amazonian Embassy??" He adds another example, "The vigilantes of Gotham City, who fight crime to bring stability to a terrified population - if they be mutants or not, it doesn't matter!! They do good!!"

"Those words you throw - freaks... Freaks are defined by their /ACTIONS/, not their genes!! You don't like how a person looks?? Well fine, look the fuck away!! Don't talk to them!! Maybe they're not interested in looking at you or talking to you either!! Or - maybe you can put aside your differences and figure out some common ground!! But imposing some cure, because they're different and just offend you?? Well, that's just plain old-fashioned racism!! Because a person's genetic make-up and whatever benefits it brings them is their own civil right!!"

He gives the crowd the flip, "You've almost hurt two innocents caught in crossfire!! Put that on your pipe and smoke it!!"

Clea has posed:
Clea's never been one to attack humans unless there was a mission and the white haired woman isn't going to do it now unless provoked. Or someone attacks Clint or the others present. "Maybe try to learn more about those that share your planet. Instead of trying to force them to take a cure. A cure is for people who are sick. Mutants are not a sickness that is needed to be stamped out." she tells them in a composed and diplomatic tone.

"I would ask that you go home and do research. Meet Mutants. Sit down and see where they are also coming from. Spend a day in some of their shoes." she tells them.

"If at the end of that time you feel that you still cannot fathom sharing space with them then you can come back and protest. But do so civily. Violence will not be tolerated." she states.

Then she looks to Lorna and there is a dip of her head to the green haired woman, "Your Majesty, we were in the area and wanted to see if we could lend some help." she states to her. "This is Clint Barton, fellow Avenger, I'm not sure if the two of you are met." she offers to them as well.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Mystique is quite possibly having a nightmare right about now, perhaps. Her two charges are both out here, nonchalant and quite possibly at ease! Well, actually they both can take care of htemselves, are being watchful and wary, and are in a safe state and not being confrontational. Which may or may not help her particular safety check.

Ellie's response over to the man yelling at her works in a.. Schoolyard sort of way as the man keeps yelling, screaming, over at the mutant girl to pay attention to him dammit.. Right before he's out of breath, wheezing, and nearly falling over. Apparenlty you /can/ deal with bullies by ignoring them!

Lorna goes over towards the humans - at least those that are realizing tha tpicking a fight over with a member of the Avengers present and one of the richest individuals on the planet (Berto) is probably not the smartest thing. At Lorna's approach several in the crowd take an instinctive step back, an ironic wedge opening for her in the midst o fher approach.

Caleb's words atually hit a nerve in some of the people. A nerve against htemselves. There's some level of awareness in that they went over a line. several of them go to hang thier heads down over in shame. There's at least some hesitance now as the adrenaline, while sitll high.. Is at least fading some as they're not being met with violence, not being metw ith threats back or taunts, or bottles thrown.

The yelling is starting to die down, the taunts and threats are quieting. People are running out of air and have to pause to breathe before they can scream again.

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
Doug turns to look at Mystique, and then lets Roberto slip away, before he sticks his hands in his pockets. "...And that is why you're a better man than I am, Beto. You have unshakeable faith in people, and I think all my hope and faith might've been surgically cut out on Sinister's table in Genosha." He says that mostly to himself.
    He turns back to Clint and then he pulls his hands out of his pockets and signs, '...I think we got a firebreak.'

Negasonic has posed:
    There had been a bit of hope he would throw something or do something else, just a bit. She wont deny it to her self at least.

    Ellie looks up as he starts to wheeze and nearly fall over. "Careful, with the amount of truck stop fast food you devour you might give yourself a heart attack or a stroke. God I imagine your veins are just full of Krispy Kreme frosting..."

    Not helping but helping. Well helping her own morale and boredom maybe. She goes back to the tweeting about it, posting a picture of the wheezing dude to the net.

Clint Barton has posed:
    And now Clint was meeting royalty. He wasn't sure about Mutants and their protostate... and he wasn't exactly sure why Clea was a Royal also. He knew she wasn't from earth... No matter what Hawkeye put on a smile. "Heyyy..." To Lorna... "Clint... King of... Clint's Room, I guess." He inhales awkwardly "Or just Clint. Yeah Clint works..." An attempt to change the subject, "How are you?" He turns his eyes to consider the crowd. "See... they're like kids. you just let them huff and puff and eventually they run out of energy."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Technically both of Mystique's hands are her gun hand, as she is ambidextrous and tends to use two weapons, so which ever side Roberto was on was fine. She slipped her arm around him as she said quietly into the comm, <"That person will always be a part of me, Roberto, but thank you.>

Listening to the number of people who were speaking up now, some mutants some not, a smile played across her face. Whatever the religious group had been hoping to achieve, they'd already failed. The number of phones recording and videos being posted on the internet were already revealing the truth... humans went to Bushwick to torment and verbally assault mutants once again.

<"He's allowed to believe what what he believes, even if it is in ignorance and fear... but this is what the humans want, to keep tormenting us while we rage against each other rather than forming a rallying voice of one against the many."> She then adds to Roberto, not about to get into it all with Doug right now. As she said, he could believe what he wanted without the correct information to form a true solution.

Lorna Dane has posed:
    The unexpected invite to meet an Avenger gets Lorna a bit off balance. She stutters in her step as she takes in what she just heard, knocking her suddenly creeping self doubt off it's tracks and making Lorna actually look up at Clea. "I'd like that. Very much, but maybe we should discuss and plan in a much less... hostile environment?" Lorna asks, a sublte sort of smile crossing her verdant painted lips.

    "You. Yeah. I was talking to you." Lorna says as she points towards the man that was throwing words, then without pause Lorna approaches him and stands, nearly beer belly to beer belly. "Hi. I'm Lorna." She says, looking around as the crowd seems to be repulsed by her even without her having to reach out with her powers. She says her name and then extends her hand out to shake in the traditional american greeting. "What's your name?"

    The guards back in the mutant side are eyes trained on the whole crowd around Lorna, and even the man giving Ellie and Clea lip. Both of them. Clint is more than covered by the Queensguard, as well as Roberto, Doug and yes even their head honcho Raven. None of them speak, and most wouldn't be identifiable otherwise they wouldn't be doing their job right in this moment.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Clint, King of Clintonia does not have that great a ring to it, alas. The crowd of protestors are taking the warnings being sent their way to heart and are stepping back. Way, way bcak. As in actually withdrawing from the area. Where there had been a back and forth now constantly since the beginning of the day even with the heavy heat the group is starting to back off. Those screaming have been intimidated or just exhausted. No one's throwing any punches or bottles. No one has drawn a weapon (other than Ellie's very awesome ability to tell off people). It's actually rather strange.

Clea has posed:
Clea finds the ground again and there is a dip of her head again to Lorna, "We'd be happy to talk on that another time. In safer climes, yes." she tells her. There is a bit of a look to Clint and she gives a bit of chuckle to him, "King of the Arrows, how's that?" she poses to him. "I think people should be dispersing a bit. Or I hope so." she tells those around her.

Clint Barton has posed:
    "King of the arrows?" Clint considers" Alright, I'll take it. But some of those Justice League people might have something to say about it." Said to Clea as she comes to the ground. It's an automatic thing when he swoops an arm around her neck/shoulders and pulls her a bit close to him. "So that means we can get some chicken now..."

    Leave it to Hawkeye to be thinking about food at a time like this. "You know... I get so hungry after fights..." Not that he had any fights today as he walked with Clea towards Kenny Rogers. "I keep snacks in my quiver."

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
Caleb is actually astounded that he's managed to make an impression among a few people, that they gave up and either go silent or leave. He shighs, and drops to his knees, catching his breath. "Well, that took a few decades outta me..."

By his side, Sheila hugs him tight and supportively. A tear drops from her eye as she smiles. "You showed them, Caleb..."

But Caleb fears they might not be out of the woods yet, and depending of how the crowd reacts, he might stay or go...

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
    At some point, there's an opening in the crowd, and when the opening closes, Doug is gone through it. Perhaps he has a few things to think about.

Roberto da Costa has posed:
Roberto da Costa smiles as the conflict ebbs for another day. He slips his arm around Mystique and gives her a quick kiss. "I know but you don't it limit you. And I wasn't there for most of that." Berto gives a bright smile. "I've got to help set up for tonight."