15553/Brotherhood in Bushwick: Taking Testimonials

Brotherhood in Bushwick: Taking Testimonials
Date of Scene:	11 August 2023
Location:	Bushwick <Mutant Town>
Synopsis:	The taking of testmonials in Mutant Town went without violence, and Her Royal Majesty of Genosha, Queen Lorna Dane dropped the mic.
Cast of Characters:	Raven Darkholme, Monet St. Croix, Lorna Dane, Evan Sabahnur, Scott Free, Noriko Ashida, Ororo Munroe, Caleb Dykstra
Tinyplot:	The Ohio Mutant Conspiracy

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Raven Darkholme has posed:
For the most part, Bushwick looked like it always did... run down and defeated. Those who lived there knew the ins and outs of Mutant Town, the good and the bad, and through it all the hope of something better just around the corner. Since the announcement from the company Center for Genetic Improvement (C-G-I) of a vaccine or ?cure? for Genetic Defects, Catastrophic Illness Care, and Inherited Conditions, in other words what the world called Mutants, Mutant Town had been filled with chaos.

Today however, was not about the politics. Today was about a peaceful way for mutants, humans, aliens and everything in between to express their opinions regarding this so called cure, whether it was in support or in protest of its existence. Rerouting traffic to allow for the space required in front of the Genoshian Embassy, numerous white canopies have been constructed. Each one has a camera operator, a sound person, a security guard, and of course a couple of chairs for the person giving their testimonial to sit if they wish. There are no fancy backgrounds for the act of make believe that this is anything other than the truth given from a place of both darkness and hope... Mutant Town New York.

The Brotherhood are here in numbers to serve as protectors, but they are also the ones taking names, arranging which canopies are available for testimonials, handing out fliers on bill HR-485, passing around bottles of water, offering make-up for those who want it before going in film, and so many other major and minor things that clearly there just wasn't time for anything else.

Standing near the long table covered in lap tops that served as the 'Check in here' location, Raven wore her usual tailored white suit in silk. The white blouse was lower cut that was usually business savoy, but then again the white leather stilettos on her feet weren't exact business attire either. Her fiery red hair was pulled up into a ponytail on the back of her head, allowing the long back to hang down in slight curls. The earpiece in her right ear was obvious, just as the tablet she had strapped to her right hand was. It appeared that today the blue mutant was all business.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
And M is in the background. She's staying unobtrusively out of the way, leaning over against the wall. She's not here to make a statement or to engage. She's here in case there's trouble. She's here to be on hand if there's a disruption. She's here in the event that someone tries to interfere with things to help make sure that the day goes the way it should.

The dark skinned woman is blending in - which is a very rare thing for M.

Lorna Dane has posed:
    "Thank you Fred." Lorna says, reaching a hand up to lift the waves of her hair slightly to test the bounce her hair has today. Not too much, not too little. She turns to face the mirror again and taps the side of her cheek near her ear. "Just over here a bit more. Thanks again, Fred."

    Fred Dukes, large man, large personality, but a man for the most minute details and capable with his hands is doing the finishing touches on Lorna's make up before she heads out. "I want you out there too, making a big difference and not just hiding in here. And to let me know if you see ...*sigh* Erik." Yeah, he gets the first name treatment.

    Lorna steps out of the Embassy and wearing a sundress, knowing it's not quite business attire, but she's also fighting the image that since she's royalty she'd have EVERY suit tailored for her and her current condition, so the yellow and blue flowers on her white background dress keeps her modest and womanly at the same time. The baby bump visible but not accented by the dress as it were.

    A hand is lifted to greet Raven across the way and Monet as she walks down the steps of the embassy towards the gathering of protesters and cameras.

Evan Sabahnur has posed:
    Evan is awaiting his time on camera, and making himself useful while he does so. Strangely, he seems to be on fairly good terms with Mystique and is helping the Brotherhood keep a little order among the chaos, including stepping in when arguments about the 'cure' start to heat up. He's filled out a great deal while working as a volunteer at Hope House, so he's pretty easily able to separate people when it's needed.

    Stopping by Mystique in between helping out, he comments "You definitely have the crowd's attention here today. Might want to pull in a few of your larger guys to play security, this seems to be getting a lot of people hot under the collar. Whoops, speaking of..." And he's off, deftly inserting himself between two mutants whose arguments had reached high enough decibels to be heard almost a block away. He's friendly and smiling as always, but he's also making it very clear that they are not going to keep arguing.

    "Today is a day for everyone to be heard. Argue about it tomorrow if you must, but there's a lot to do here."

    The mutants leave, headed in opposite directions, so that's another small fire quenched before it could build up too much.

Scott Free has posed:
Scott Free has set up a small table with cups, rubber balls, handcuffs, and other illusionist paraphernalia. In front of this humble podium Is a stand up sign reading: The Amazing Scott.

Scott takes several interlinked hoops out and tests them for solidity. Finally he begins, by making a quarter appear. He gets a bit of a dead eye stare from the crowd. In answer one man shoots an energy beam near Scott's feet. "So what?"

Scott says, "Tough crowd. May I have the assistance of a member of the audience I would like them to assure you these handcuffs are in fact the genuine article. IN a moment they will be put on me and I will escape without the aid of strings, wires or lubricant!"

Noriko Ashida has posed:
Noriko is standing by with a giant juice shake thing she got 18 blocks away.  And by giant it is massive enough for her to palm it with one of her gauntlets, though she doesn't play that game with slippery surfaces and clutches it with both hands.  When she spots the scene rousing up, she wonders at what's happening today.  It doesn't take a genius to assume it has something to do with mutants, the 'cure', and whatever's been brewing.

"I should really pay attention more," Noriko says to no one but herself between sips as the world slowly unfolds before her, one world sliding over another.  Some have their headphones to take them away from the world.  Noriko just sips and stays still, taking a breather from having to slow down all the time just to experience things.

If only it weren't so boring.

The blue haired girl simply stares on at the two getting into a heated argument that Evan starts to break up.  "My money's on that one," she says, not realizing how quickly it came out till people start to slowly, ever so slowly stare at her like stoned lemurs caught in headlights.  Everything feels more dramatic in slowmo and Noriko blushes ever so quickly.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Ororo is not at the gathering in a strictly formal capacity. Then again there are a lot of young mutants there, some of them either students at the school or connected to their community somehow. The X-men do a great amount of outreach right here in this borough and she is seen as both calming presence and welcome guest.

Of course she's hardly garbed for a fight, wearing a lightweight sundress in boldly patterned black-and-white. Demi-sleeves and a knee-length tulip skirt give her shoulders and legs some room to breath in the summer sun.

Her wandering path through the crowds goes no one specific, merely projecting an air of calmness wherever she goes. The weather-shaper stops to watch Scott's antics, and casts a gimlet eye at the mutant who cuts loose an eyebeam.

"I will volunteer," she says, her voice effortlessly projecting its rich alto tones over the murmuring crowd.

Lorna Dane has posed:
    The Queen of Genosha smiles effortlessly as she steps down, the simple tan flats she's wearing are comfortable enough that she feels like she can actually glide even with the added weight she's put on lately. Moving with the queensguard that have been assigned to her for today, she looks to her left and right and spots the most immediate ones that are meant to be seen as queen'sguards, wearing black suits and a simple enough lapel pin with a green 'M' crest that still causes Lorna to roll her eyes, but she keeps it in check today.

    Stepping up to Raven, Lorna smiles as she teases the blue-tant. "Am I to sign in too?" She teases, but leans forwards with a hand on her belly while addressing the laptop on the table. "Any major issues today?" Lorna asks much more silently before standing up straight and standing next to Raven for her answer before she mingles in the crowds.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix gives a low nod over in the direction of Ororo. While also sweeping along the crowd present. She's very sure that Raven can attend to any threats against Lorna. Then again, Raven is probably freaking out over any possible threats to Lorna.. Which will make her extra paranoid.

Monet goes to watch about, giving a nod to Noriko as her expression turns sad for a moment as she goes to shake her head. Something about having had no luck by the expression on her face.

Scott Free has posed:
Scott Free bows to Ororo. "Thank you, lovely lady. I am the Amazing Scott, also known as... Scott. Please go over these handcuffs. Scrutinize them and show everyone they are indeed... solid and devoid of trickery, chicanery, shenanigans..." He presents the cuffs to Ororo. While she examines he makes a show of getting his fingers caught in a bamboo handcuff. he frees himself about when Ororo should be done.

"Pull a rabbit out of your sleeve!"

"I bet he can turn into a jackass!!"

"Watch him make the crowd disappear."

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
Coming to Bushwick a second time to run an errand for his father, he stumbles upon a gather of people when his path takes him by the Genoshan Embassy. He takes his time to look around, figuring out what it's all about.

"Crap", he mumbles. "Mutant stuff again."

Though it could sound anti-mutant at first, he remembers the last time he was here, when a heated crowd threatened to escalate the situation - and when he wanted out, some paranoid bunch came after him and his sister because they just didn't want to be caught in the middle of an argument.

Thankfully, Sheila's not here. And he kinda feels reluctant to be here still...

Raven Darkholme has posed:
The press corp are present of course, each having stacked their claim in a position that allows them access to the growing crowds, but also in a location where they can snag a person here and there for questions... the vultures were circling.

The Brotherhood are doing their best to keep the two sides of the coin separated, pro cure on the right, against on the left. The line down the middle is thin, allowing for spill over here and there, which is where the dust ups occur.

Raven offers Evan a nod with a smile, already following the dust ups that occur through reports on the comm. "Thank you for your assistance, Evan," she says politely, offering him one of the comm units so he can also be informed of what is happening where. "I wish others could remember what the word 'peace' actually means."

Moments later a white swirling portal appears on front landing of the Genoshian Embassy, and four rather tall and broad mutants step through. Once they are clear, each breaks off in a different direction to begin patrolling the crowds to help keep order.

For Raven's part, the arrival of the Queen changes the game. The Royal guard were always present when Lorna was about, usually mingled with the crowds to remain unseen though there were always a couple who remained obvious as well. That changed nothing for the blue-tant, Lorna was always a target and Raven was the head of her security. A new wave of reports came across the comm even as Raven offered her Queen a deeper nod, not precisely a bow, and a bright smile.

"No Majesty, you can go to the front of the line if you wish," she offered with a soft chuckle. "I doubt anyone would mind. Regarding issues, the only major one was handled before we even finished setting up last night. Thus the hamster trail lines to get to the check in table... allows us to keep the crowds and thus protesters even further away."

Noriko Ashida has posed:
Noriko seems more interested in the minutia of the crowd than what they are focused on (royalty and all the hub bub with the Brotherhood).  At least until the portal appears and MutBros step out.  "Do they make them that way?"  OH WAIT DON'T MISS THE-

Noriko misses Ororo's part in the trick.  Not fast enough.  She smirks.  It's always a treat to have a little bit of normalcy sneak up on her.

"They don't make gatherings like they used to!" she shouts out into a crowd of mildly riled up people, unconcerned with what side they might be on.  "I haven't seen anyone get decked yet."

Sluuuuuuuurp.

"D-" is Noriko's grade for her choice of entertainment-over-a-snack today.  There's a jaded bluster to the young woman, just itching for a fight, even if it isn't hers, even if she has to get it secondhand.  "BOOOOOO!" she shouts for no reason, hoping someone will jump to a conclusion.

Evan Sabahnur has posed:
    Evan's turn comes up finally, and he heads into one of the filming enclosures, sitting down on the stool. No makeup needed for the grey skinned mutant, so he simply takes a calming breath and then looks into the camera.

    "There's a lot of controversy about this mutant cure right now, and I think it really shows what people think of us that it's announced as a cure, like we all have a horrible disease or something. We are not sick, and we do not need a cure. Now, I know some mutants who would gladly give up their mutation, because for one reason or another it is a detriment to them. Some of us live in constant pain, or can't function normally because of a problematic mutation, and I have no problem if they want to take this and be able to live a normal life."

    "But trying to force us all to take this drug is wrong, and probably against the law as well. I'm no lawyer, but I'm pretty certain there are probably a few laws about forcing people into medical treatment. Anyway, I say let the mutants who want to take this drug do so, and the rest of us shouldn't judge them for it. It's one of the most personal choices I can think of, and none of us should think we can tell someone what is right or wrong for them. It's just as bad to intimidate mutants into not taking it if they want to as it is being forced to take it. Let each mutant decide for themselves."

    He stands up, shakes hands with the Brotherhood mutant running the camera, and heads back out into the crowd, keeping an eye out for trouble.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Ororo plays her part well, testing the handcuffs against the curl of her fingers and twisting the chains around. Finely corded muscles stand out in her bare arms to show she's not playing along for the sake of the trick, either. Perhaps it helps Scott's credibility that the regal white-haired mutant is playing a role in his trick.

Of course, lest anyone think she's *just* a plant, when Noriko boos, Ororo turns her blue-eyed gaze towards the girl with a slow pan, making pointed eye contact at the other woman's ribald interjection.

She returns her focus to Scott and flashes a pleasant smile. "They seem to work just fine," she informs the crowd, and returns them to his hands.

Lorna Dane has posed:
    "Ugh. I kinda wish my half sister was here. She seems like the one who's better at drawing a crowd's attention." The queen whispers into Raven's ear before she steps away from the elder-mutant.

    "Hi, thanks for coming." "Thank you for showing up." "Lovely to see you again." "How's your mother?" Lorna does the small talk, giving everyone she comes across the time of day, but appreciating that people seem to understand she's on her way to something big and she has a lot of hands to shake and interviews to give to the media and people of interest alike.

    Lorna breaks away from the crowd and with a deep breath, she puts on her Face-face. "Here we go." She mumbles to herself, before a show of metals begin to pull from the embassy, from the fence around the embassy, from the lightposts above the sidewalks and generally around, as Lorna summons it to her, not to make a halo, but instead to make herself a platform. She steps up onto her molded and controlled and created platform before rising up a foot or two into the air. A trick she's been practicing at is making even the metal around her reverberate to the sounds she wishes it to. She's making the whole area accustically tuned to her demands.

    "Good afternoon all and welcome."

    "I know we are in the midst of trying times, and even me saying that is a cliche. Well I stand here now as the Queen of Genosha, looking to cut through the cliche's and the normalcy and the chaff and get to the heart of today's protests, counter and pro alike."

    Lorna takes a moment to breath and for people to focus. She lowers her hands down to her sides and looks vulnerable in her open air platform of metal and she looks out over the people she cares about even though she doesn't know most of them. She feels a connection.

    "With a United States based company developing a vaccine, a so called cure for mutants, and the US Senator Chism working to get a bill approved against mutants, in direct violation of the Sokovia Accords that was signed by the President of the United States... I, Queen Lorna Dane of Genosha declare sovereignty over all mutants, thus offically making them citizens of Genosha with all the rights, privileges, and protection that permits."

    Lorna raises her arms, not as a powerful gesture, but a matronly one, she's inviting the people here, and across the country, and the world to unite in an embrace, in solidarity. "If you are a mutant and you feel unsafe, unwanted, unheard. Reach out. You aren't alone, and Genosha is here for you."

Scott Free has posed:
Scott Free takes the cuffs. "Oh they do?" He looks worried for a moment and instructs Ororo to snap the cuffs on. "Okay now Miss Ororo... are you named just Ororo like Thor or Cher? Okay great. Owwww. Now please take this cloth, place it over my hands. Thank you. Now take that magic wand... no that one over there." Scott's hand comes out, free to point when Ororo looks at the table. Then goes back under the cloth. Okay. Now put down the wand. I was thinking of another trick. Please take my hands under the cloth... count to three! One... two... THREE!" Scott bobs their hands up under the cloth. On three he yanks the cloth off, unbound, revealing the cuffs on Ororo's wrists!

There's some applause as Scott unlocks the cuffs. He takes Ororo's hand to share in a bow if she desires. Then pulls a flower out of nowhere for her.

Noriko Ashida has posed:
"SHIT," Noriko hisses when she spots Ororo spotting her.  She already knows the look that's coming.  She swears she can spot it at inception, that cruising, direct gaze that finds her like a homing missile.

There's no hiding from it.

Noriko slurps down two inches of her drink in a flash, eyes widening.  "I-DIDN'T-MEAN-YOU-GUYS!" she shouts quickly when she realizes Scott has also gotten caught in the crossfire of her heckling.

"Oh here comes the preening," Noriko comments again as Brotherhood and their mutant poster people do what they can for the community.  She's actually not listening, just like every other bigot.  It's only when one attaches onto her and starts nodding and spouting some conspiracy theories that Noriko just hands the guy her drink to shut him up and ZIPs through the crowd 20 feet here, a few meters there.

"Oh my god I'm surrounded.  Where's the sane section?  Who here believes in flat earth?" she calls out, trying to take the gauge the sociopolitical swamp she's standing in, or not surrounded in.  Her goal seems to be confusing some people, and for that reason, no one has taken a swing at her yet.

Noriko claps when everyone else claps, but it sounds like someone banging those fireworks spark balls together.  Just, clank-spark clank-spark!  When she turns to see Ororo actually finally doing the rest of the trick, she realizes the irony of having finally actually missed it and laughs a little too much.

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
Caleb watches for a brief moment the trick the escape artist is in the middle of, then returns his attention to the ongoing de...

And that's when he spots Nori. 'Blue', he called her, that one time he was selling...

But that's another story altogether - more like, a whole different life.

And he returns his attention to the debate. Or more like, announcement.

In his mind, it starts to run: 'Waitaminute... Can she actually do that?'

He raises his hand from his place in the crowd. Well, maybe not the crowd, he hasn't taken a stand of any sort. "Uhm, excuse me..." Maybe he's heard, maybe he's not. "Sovereignty over all mutants... Isn't that a - oh, I don't know -, an incredibly lofty political statement?"

Monet St. Croix has posed:
At Lorna's speech, Monet's attention is distracted for just a moment at the uplifting nature of it. . Before it's interrupted over by the.. Squeal it seems coming from Noriko. And that smugness, that supremacy, that vanity that seems to perpetually define M is back on full force. but it's left unvoiced, and there's no other signs on it beyond her posture shifting over from guarded ambivalence to total amusement.

It gradually falls back to her default state of neutrality as she returns to her duty of looking through the crowd for anything amiss.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
"Ororo is sufficient," the mutant calmly acknowledges of Scott's question. She goes to all the motions with a dutiful if amused expression, helping the man play the theatrical side of the trick up. When she feels the cuffs click around her wrists, Ororo's brows rise in impressed surprise, and she holds them aloft to show that he did indeed pull the reversal off splendidly. The flower is taken with a smile and a quick sniff of the boquet. "Lovely. And a well-done trick," she congratulates Scott. "Now..." she holds her wrists up and jangles the latches a little. "The key, please?" she requests. Her eyes flicker to Lorna then back to Scott, as if to indicate her focus is needed somewhere else.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
As Lorna moves into position to give her statement to the world, not merely the cameras in the canopies, her guards move to ensure protection but other wise stay back to allow her to do what she came to do.

Raven remains attentive to everything happening around her, years in the trenches of life have given her a unique skill set for doing just that. In her ear are reports passing from one team leader to the next and on the tablet are the movements of those going to give their testimonials. Things were heating up here and there still, but over all a sense of control was being maintained and the more violent minded were ushered away to the police precinct a few blocks away.

When Lorna finishes, Raven takes a moment to clap but her yellow eyes are watching the high spots, looking for the tell-tale reflection of light off a sniper's scoop. There wasn't one this time, but the blue-tant had not lived over a hundred and sixty years by being lax. Now that she was certain there was no gunman on the grassy knoll, she turned her attention back to maintaining order.

Noriko Ashida has posed:
Noriko is used to doing things at the socially inappropriate time, or rather, has become used to it, so she lets her unintended ones roll off her back as if the guy standing next to her-now!-did it.  When she looks to the guy beside her like someone accusing someone else of a fart, that's when she spots Caleb.

The old contact is only a hop-skip away in her world.  Okay he's more than a few puddle-jumps given how much she has to zig and zag.  "Hey man," she says, not realizing that Caleb spotted her and knew she was just over yonder.  "Long time no see-wait, what?  Doesn't sovereignty imply dominion or something?"  She might mean domain.  She might mean dominion, but dominion has more syllables and makes her feel more native, even if domain is really good too.

Scott Free has posed:
Scott Free quickly moves to unlock the cuffs in a conventional manner. He thanks Ororo and bows to a scattering of applause, then begins juggling. This is a bit of a yawn until the balls he juggles seem to burst into flame. "Don't try this at home kids. I have access to skills and sciences from an Age Undreamt of... also it hurts like hell. Owowowowowowow. Ow! Ow!" The flames are snuffed by him one by one. Some dollars start to pile up in the case he set on the ground. Even Laser Eyes throws some spare change in.

Lorna Dane has posed:
    The platform begins to slowly shift away, metal softly floating overhead, the hum of the impromptu speakers silencing as the metal returns dormant and innert. Lorna gently resets the scene as she floats down to the ground and with a hand, she holds out to one of the Queensguard's hands. "Thank you." She says to her helper as she finds her feet on solid ground again, and the last of the metal returns to the fences, lightposts and anywhere else she might have pulled it from.

    "That wasn't so hard. But I suppose that is still to come." Lorna reports and rolls her head back softly to flip the hair on the left side of her face back behind her shoulder. A knowing eye spots Monet and she approaches the uppity girl. "Any news on social yet, or is some guy in a blow up dinosaur suit still trending?" Lorna asks before motioning Raven to join them, she wants more info and wants to start planning her next move.

    The call out from Caleb and the mumblings from the crowd seem to be growing, people are quite confused as to what she meaned via sovereignty. "Was that the wrong choice of words?" Lorna asks, Monet and Raven if she's made it in time.

Evan Sabahnur has posed:
    Evan turns as Lorna starts pulling in metal, politely giving her his attention as she starts to speak. One eyebrow raises slightly at her declaration, but he applauds as her speech finishes.

    Apparently he's got dual citizenship now. He's not sure if he'll ever use it, but it's nice to know you have options. He spots a group of the refugees Hope House has been taking care of all talking excitedly together, then turn and head for the Genoshan embassy. Apparently Lorna has her first converts, probably because they're tired of living on the charity Hope House can provide. Hopefully they'll find something better in Genosha.

    The announcement has derailed a number of mutant drug arguments, so at the moment he and the Brotherhood guards don't have anything to do. He heads over to Hope House and sits down on the stairs, watching the crowd from a bit of distance.

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
"I think it means 'A storm is brewing", to put it mildly", he says to Noriko. "And hey, 'Blue'. My actual name's Caleb. Yours is...?"

As for a reply to his question, it's not like he hadn't foreseen it wouldn't be answered. Mulling over the possibilities, he takes a deep breath, "Wow! Just... Wow!"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Raven lifts one finger toward someone who was talking to her as she reaches up to tap the communit in her ear and assign a new overwatch, then her attention returns to the verbal report being given. When it's complete she turns slowly just in time to see Lorna wave her over. The timing was perfect really, as she was preparing to walk the line and help speed up registering people who wanted to speak. The cameras and canopies would remain until everyone who wanted to make a statement got the chance, even if that meant going into the night.

Making her way over to Lorna and Monet, she offers the later a brief nod before her attention settled on Lorna. "I don't think it was an incorrect choice of words," she states more business like in her tone than Lorna might expect, unfortunately this was business today. "You spoke truly, with strong words and from your heart Majesty, no one can fault you for that. If Mutants choose to accept your words and go to Genosha, so be it... if they choose not to, that is also their choice. You have merely given them an option they didn't believe possible until now."

Noriko Ashida has posed:
"Noriko, Nori, whatever.  Caleb," Noriko rolls his name around in her mouth for a try as if trying to find the right accent to lean into.  It sounds better the second time she says it.  Maybe that was on purpose.  She doesn't scoff or squint at his nickname for her, so it seems it passes muster.

"Maybe it means she wants to be our mama," the asian girl says with a sharp laugh.  "Oh yeah youu," she unabashedly realizes aloud as she places Caleb.  For her that was ages ago.  "You still...you know?-You think this will get worse?" she asks as if her mind is ping ponging between thoughts.

Scott Free has posed:
Scott Free loses his audience to the announcements. Ah well, the Queen has a better act than he does. He has to hide most of what he can do, damp down his technology, appear human. He starts packing up his act. He wonders what the big deal with Mutants is anyway? He comes from a world of gods, synthetics, parademons, and bugs. Darkseid enslaving all is a great equalizer. He gives a worried look at the skies.

As he takes his earnings he notices a fat envelope. <<Mother Box, replay and analyze surroundings. Who gifted me this sum?>> Mother Box complies in .4 seconds, even hazarding a guess as to their origin.

<<Remind me to do a big favor to Mutant Town when I can.>>

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
Caleb shakes his head. "Sorry, Nori. I don't do that anymore. I fled that life."

Moving back to the 'mutant' topic, he starts by repeating, "Sovereignty." He states, "Basically, the Queen of Genosha just stated that all mutants are now of her nation, regardless of their previous citizenship." He adds, "This is translating now, in the back of a lot of paranoid minds, that by messing with mutants, they're messing with the citizens of a nation." He lets that sink in for a moment, "So, what be the repercussions of such a diplomatic incident? One where in a nation mutants be poorly treated, but they are saved by Genoshan forces without any diplomatic talks? Or, worse yet, if diplomatic talks fail?" Dramatic pause. "What then?"

Lorna Dane has posed:
    "That's what I thought. Hoped. Felt. But of course some people aren't quite going to understand right away." Lorna says, brushing a hand down the front of her dress and frowning for a moment, feeling those 'butterflies' that her doctor warned her about.

    Deep breath. Deep breath.

    "I want to find whoever it was that asked that question out loud." Lorna reports, Turning her head sharply into the direction of the crowd. Expecting Monet and Mystique, and even a few of her guards to find and point him out.

    Lorna starts to walk towards the crowds and moving past the reporters, "I'll be with you all shortly." But she's here to speak to the people that showed up. Took time out of their lives because they care about this 'Cure', these are the people that will make the world change. Not the cameras.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Ororo moves towards Lorna's platform, but stands off to the side so others can see more clearly. She listens attentively to the discussion and moves again when the Queen returns to ground. It takes her a few moments to get through the press of bodies, but she smiles beatifically at Lorna when she's close enough.

"Your majesty," she tells the green-haired woman. "You did splendidly," she assures her. Ororo looks at Raven and Monet, and inclines her head with the same gravitas. "Raven, Monet. It is good to see you both here," she greets the women.

Noriko Ashida has posed:
"Oh," Noriko purses her lip to the side awkwardly for a hair of a moment and the moment passes.  She doesn't pursue any details.  Just a simple, "Ah, no worries."  Unlike other former customers, she doesn't find some quick excuse to go do something she's gotta do.

"Isn't that the equivalent of taking a giant piss?  I mean she just marked everyone as her territory," Noriko tacks on the second half after a brief pause after realizing she provided no context.  A quick breath.  "Well a nation's promises are only as good as they can fulfill them.  This sounds like she's just saying people can call Genosha a haven or something.  What else would happen?"  She means, what else could Lorna do.  "Yeah good point.  Also how would Genoshan forces be able to swoop in without pissing off all the other nations?-oh, if you see a lady with like silverish hair looking mildly annoyed at me, just elbow me.  I'm hiding from my AmericaMom."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Several things happen at the same time, which really is Raven's specialty. First the young man who spoke the question out loud is sought out, not approached but discovered and his location reported. At that same time Raven is offering Ororo a nod of greeting and a polite, "Good to see you as well Ororo, thank you for attending."

The final thing is the one that remains unseen, Royal guard shifting positions to ensure that when Lorna did begin moving through the crowds again, they were in a place to throw themselves in the way to block attacks. Yes, Raven could in fact just have Lorna teleported away to safety, but she refused to allow such a move make the Queen look weak. Lorna was many things, weak was /not/ one of them.

"A young man asked the question," she then said, indicating the correct direction for Lorna to go when she was ready.

Lorna Dane has posed:
    "Keep guiding me until I'm in front of him." Lorna says to her nearest guard, and she continues to walk behind him as he carefully, and with practiced motions is parting the crowd with a kind of muscle that is more understated, and polite than they would if they had to get her out of the crowd.

    Moments of following behind the Genoshan secret service, green eyes glued to his back, Lorna is quickly shown before Caleb and a hand from her guide/guard lets her know this is him.

    "Whoa, that was quick." Lorna says with a small chuckle to herself before resting her hand on her still growing belly and holds out her other hand with a kindly smile. "Good evening, Lorna Dane, pleasure to meet you." She says to Caleb.

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
"Exactly", Caleb says. "Besides, there may come the problem down the line that mutants be actually driven out from their homes to Genosha, and they don't even want to go to because they were born here, and here they would make a stand. And they'd be in their right." Pausing, he shakes his head. "Oh man, the civil rights..."

And that's when he finds himself being pointed at, so he straightens - and there's a slight worry there. Not all honest questions are taken in in appreciation, after all.

When he notices Lorna, he nods. "Your Highness. I'm Caleb Dykstra, but I prefer my name to go unrecorded."

Lorna Dane has posed:
    "Nice to meet you Caleb, but I'm royalty, not the press. I'm not recording anything beyond taking in your thoughts and opinions as well as doing my best to answer your questions." Lorna says calmly, and with a kind smile across her features. "Now, what was your initial gut reaction question? Ah yes, wasn't my proclomation that all mutants now have citizenship to Genosha incredibly lofty. Yes. It is lofty. Would you like to expound your question further beyond something that's a simple 'yes or no' question?" Lorna asks with a bit of a chuckle, trying to be light hearted and involved in the conversation.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Raven moves with Lorna, letting the secret service do their job while keeping an eye out for anyone who might be stupid enough to even /think/ about interfering... yes, the blue-tant was /waaaaaaay/ over protective of the Queen and her unborn.

"Code name "Pretty Boy"," she whispers to Lorna with a grin, then steps back to allow the two plenty of space to talk.

The concerns Caleb had mentioned had merit, but Raven believed the truth to be that no one was going to be forced out of their homes. THe statements was merely meant to give all mutants a home they could move to, and the protection they deserved under the Sokovia Accords. She said nothing of course, it wasn't her place right now.