15880/Xaviers Faculty Party

Xaviers Faculty Party
Date of Scene:	21 September 2023
Location:	Radical Arcade
Synopsis:	The Xaviers faculty has a bit of fun in their basement arcade. Drinks are eaten, food is sipped. Video games are conquered, and Jean shows off some interesting talents! All in all it is a grand ol' evening, where ultimately Storm becomes the new High Score leader in the Galaga cabinet records!
Cast of Characters:	Rogue, Kitty Pryde, Samuel Guthrie, Tabitha Smith, Kurt Wagner, Remy LeBeau, Emma Frost, Ororo Munroe, Jean Grey, Henry McCoy

---

Rogue has posed:
Between troubles in the far reaches of space, and troubles back home with shady dealings in the Mutant community, there has been inarguably a lot of stress rolling around on the shoulders of members of the X-Men. Lives are constantly at-risk amongst the team throughout all of these dangerous deals.

But not tonight. Tonight is just for fun.

This particular room within the manshion's basement had been built specifically for providing a respite from stress, and a whole lot of radical fun. The rows of arcade machines alone offer one a wide variety of choices to get out of their own head for awhile, but when you mix in the music, the food and the wide array of beverages all available at the four-stool long bar, the options grow in magnitude!

The sounds of the arcade machines mingle in with the sound of lively music playing over the many speakers built in to the walls of the store-room-turned-80s-arcade. Neon signs light up the corners of the room, flashing brightly along with the arcade screens themselves.

Several standing-tables are filled with an assortment of catered food brought in from Salem Center's many quaint eateries, and the best part of it all?

No kids. They're all upstairs or outside with their own distractions to keep them occupied, with the Senior-class all designated with specific jobs to tend to the children of the school tonight, to give the teachers and other adults within the grounds of Xaviers this little break!

Rogue is amongst the tables area, making sure that all of the food had been brought out of the kitchen prep area, so that everyone can choose from their desired pizza, wings, sandwiches and more. Dressed in a dark tanktop, blue jeans, and a straw cowgirl hat, the Belle looks the part of her southern heritage, her hair brushed straight framing her face as she holds a tall glass of bubbly amber frothy beer in one hand, and a honey BBQ wing being plucked gingerly from a paper lined basket upon one of the tables. She tentatively places it within her mouth to bite a corner off, before she chases it with a swig of the sudsy delight in her opposing hand.

Her eyes close and she just savors the taste and atmosphere of this little soiree here tonight!

Kitty Pryde has posed:
It's 80s night. Or at least that's what the arcade is. Kitty walks in, wearing a black skirt with neon green tights and red ankle warmers. Her top is red with a neon green mesh tank top overtop. And she has a neon green thick headband holding back a shock of hair that looks like it got the perm from Hell. Probably a wig, though it's her own color.

Kitty blows a bubble with some bubble gum and pops it. "So. Someone turn on some Tiffany," she says as she walks in, casting a grin over at Rogue as she moves over to the Mississippi belle.

Samuel Guthrie has posed:
Sam Guthrie comes walking in with a case with some different bottles he picked up on his way home. Working part time at Harry's has made bar backing a bit of second nature for him. So, he is heading to make sure the bottles that need to be chilled are getting it, and making sure that beers, colas and such that are in their own cans are bottles are in an easy place to be grabbed. Sam is wearing a pair of black leather pants, black leather jacket with no shirt, hire spiked out all Billy Idol looking.

Tabitha Smith has posed:
There's that rule from Zombieland; 'Enjoy the little things!' And a temporary reprieve from yet another attempt at state sponsored removal of the Mutant population certainly counts.

Hence why there's a Boom-Boom in the arcade with everyone else. Beer hanging from a neoprene bottle cooler dangling from her neck via canvas straps. Red framed, yellow tinted cat eyes on her nose while a long ponytail drapes down her back bound by a red ribbon tied in a neat bow. Yellow jeans and a red cropped XAVIER'S hoodie doing for the outfit. Red chucks, and her usual collection of belts, wrist cuffs, and collar in spiky red leather finish the outfit.

"Pessimistic this might sound, but we really should start a bingo game with all the crap that keeps happening like this. I'd have suggested drinking game but that'd probably kill is faster than Sentinels would." she half jokes.

She's definitely not sober.

Kurt Wagner has posed:
It has, admittedly, been a very long time since Kurt Wagner has been anything that could legitimately be called an arcade.

Certainly the retro theme is appreciated and the fuzzy blue elf wanders about, chatting with some of the others present off and on, taking the opportunity to casually socialize with the other residents of the mansion along with the others who have made it out.

He even stops to try his hand at some of the old games, though the controls rarely take into account his rather unique hands. Still he manages, grinning as he tunnels out passages in Dig Dug.

Remy LeBeau has posed:
Remy LeBeau is fashionably late, which is probably pretty good for him because he's sure not going for plain old 'fashionable' with his hair tied back and a faded tuxedo t-shirt and blue jeans. But he's also not arriving empty handed.... and hopefully no one's going to try to use the mansion kitchen before he has a chance to clean up all evidence of his having purloined the needed supplies to make the plate of rice krispie squares he's carting in.

He arrives just in time to hear Tabby's remark and shakes his head, "Terrible bingo game. Everyone's gonna want all their spaces t'be 'Government employee or elected official tries t'exterminate us' and then we're all gonna be sad /and/ in a giant bingo tie."

He deposits the rice krispie squares on whatever minimally free spot of table he can make for them, even if he has to take one to make the platter fit. This is a sacrifice he will endure. For the good of all.

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma Frost arrives fashionably late - well, Emma is fashionable enough to make up for being late. She's already taken some wine with her - something that she finds a bit more fitting. "Congratulations to us all. You've all done good work and saved a lot of lives." S he goes to rise up her goblet over in a salute towards the others before taking a long pull from it.

While looking tired herself - the celebration off her is forced.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue ends up standing over one of Kurt's shoulders watching him play the arcade machine. "You're weirdly good at this." She says to him between sips of her booze and little nibbles on that one sweet tasty chicken wing she's sporting in either of her hands.

When others filter in, she looks over to take in the sight of attires. Kitty's style has Rogue turning to face her friend. "Look at you, you went all in on the theme." She says, herself really showing no overt 80s style at all in her attire, just her usual look, save for the straw hat perhaps!

On the speakers, some Bon Jovi is blaring quite loudly. "I just went with a standard playlist of pop and rock, I'm sure it'll cover all the bases. I really only know 80s Rock myself..." She says to Kitty before grinning toward Sam.

"Hey everyone! Sam's got his Rebel Yell and all the booze ya could want, so make sure to hit him up. He's our official bartender now."

She finishes off that one wing she'd been working on, and grabbed up a napkin to run her fingertips over as Remy and Emma soon arrive. Needless to say, Rogue is right there inspecting the Rice Crispy squares. "Ooo, gooy." She says, smiling at Remy and reaching up to tap a finger against his printed-on bow-tie. "Lookin sharp, Uncle Rico." She tells him with a little grin.

Her green eyes dash over to Tabitha then, and Rogue sips at her beer before speaking to the Bombshell. "Tabi, you gotta make sure everyone tries to get the high scores erased tonight. I need your help." She's refering to the arcade machines, surely!

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde flashes a grin at Rogue. "What? I just grabbed this out of my closet," she protests, before continuing over to the food. "Oh my god am I starving," the young Jewish woman says, grabbing a plate and tossing on a few boneless wings and some sauce, then some carrots and ranch to dip them in.

She carries the plate over to where Sam is setting up. "So, what do you have to make a girl forget, well, everything we want to forget tonight?" she asks.

Kurt Wagner has posed:
No one digs tunnels like Kurt digs tunnels.

He does glance away from the screen in front of him for just a moment, flashing a grin Rogue's way. Then he is all concentration once more, casually biting his lip as he quickly jerks downward to avoid one of the enemies. "Not that weird. Amanda and I would usually seek out the local arcade whenever we hit a new city growing up," the fuzzy blue elf counters.

"You should see me at Elevator Action."

Everyone needs skills. Even ones like 80's arcade games.

He does lift a hand towards the newest arrivals, but he doesn't turn away from the machine. These games aren't just quarters anymore!

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Ororo comes in, also fashionably late, as she's also decided to do a throwback to 80s punk rock with her attire, though she doesn't have the mohawk going at the moment. A black leather vest over matching top and vest, with boots to match, as she gives the room a smile, "My apologies for being late." She does, however, bear a tray of cupcakes. Knowing her, probably sneakily healthy ones in addition to being delicious.

Tabitha Smith has posed:
"That's why you randomize the the boxes. If it was all the same card for everyone. Gotta have that random factor going in." Tabby points out to Remy and his critique. The beer around her neck lifted and chugged.

The blonde in what she had long since termed BarbiePunk chuckles and grins. "Erased or beaten? erased and reset is easy. Some of them are already mine." she points at a few of the unplayed cabinets with numerous entries of TAB. "Beaten and over written will take a lot of work and time!" she points out from one Southern Girl to the other.

Kitty wanting to blank out gets a grin. "Last time we got that hammered we were in Vegas Kitty. I still have the scars from the alligator. But I'd still suggest more booze, I can go back to my pad and get the bong, or the brownies. Options a plenty Miss Frizz!" she beams with a finger point of her beer holding hand.

Remy LeBeau has posed:
Remy's eyes narrow at Rogue, "Was that a Rico Suave reference? ...That song's not on the jukebox is it? Wasn't it from the 90s?" He frowns thoughtfully, or at least feigns thoughtfulness about the exact dating of that particular one hit wonder, "Uh... we're also outta marshmallows. I dunno who could've possibly stolen 'em all... kids. Probably. Darn kids."

Ororo's entrance earns a playfully resigned sigh from the cajun, "Is there a costume contest? I think we know who's winnin'." He busies himself for a few moments acquiring his own helping of wings, celery, and a beer.

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma Frost would put up a smile, "Hello Kurt, you look like you're doing quite well here. I hope that your team is winning." She would deadpan over as she would turn to Ororo and chuckle at Tabitha's words. "So did you ever escape from there or are you worried that you're still stuck in some sort of post alcoholic hallucination? Or are you wishing you could return to it?"

no, not asking for things about the alligator.

Samuel Guthrie has posed:
Sam Guthrie hmms and says "Well lets start with this." He pulls out a shot glass and pours about half full of Blue Curacao, and Creme De Banane, so that is id Blue and yellow, somewhat of the X-men's colors. "Well this is one Ah was messing around with, want to give it a try?" He asks. and then he is making another drink, and holds it up towards Boomer. It is layered Viniq Liqueur, Goldschlager, and Nuvo Sparkling Liqueur. So it is all sparkly. It might be a bit more like Jubilee's fireworks, but it could be Tabby's explosions also.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue has a big smirk showing to Kitty, and shakes her head softly. "I think you got your closet confused with Jubilee's. In fact, I'd hoped she'd stopped by for this and put us all in our place for brightly colored outfits. But... she's probably stoppin' some kinda inner vampire civil war tonight, or some such."

Rogue smiles at the arrival of Ororo, and it garners a low whistle from the Belle. "Now I'm torn on if I'd vote for Kitty or Stormah for best costume t'night." She states with a growing grin gracing her visage.

As people settle in, Rogue offers another pat to Remy, this time his shoulder. "Napoleon Dynamite reference. Goin' back to the early 2ks is about as good as my pop culture references go... Or is that as deep as they go? Eh, whatever..."

Rogue steps over to the food area, and motions toward the furthest table. "Got a ton of pizza options here too, folks! Even pineapple for you enlightened taste-bud types!" She calls out as the music changes from Bon Jovi to a popular Guns'n'Roses tune intro'd by a killer, and forever famous, guitar solo.

"Someone stop Kurt before he claims all the high scores too. He'll hold it over our heads for ages if we let him win!"

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde scoops up the glass that Sam Guthrie offers her. She lifts it to hold it up to the light so the blue and yellow colors show through the glass nicely. "Artwork, Sam. Artwork," she tells him before taking a sip of it. "That'll hit the spot," she agrees.

The neon-clad young woman leans back against a table as she starts in on a wing. She looks over at Kurt playing Dig Dug and gets a bit of a devilish grin. "I told Hambone that there was a cheat code built into each of the machines back then, that the other students don't know about. He's been playing and trying to trigger it, dying again and again while the other kids raz him," she says. "If he doesn't give up soon I may feel sorry for him and have to go program one into it," she adds with a soft chuckle.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Ororo sets down the tray of cupcakes, then gives Rogue a grin, "Thank you, but I'm afraid Kurt's not going to get challenged from me in the arcade department. Though I did play a pretty mean game of Galaga growing up in Cairo." The cupcakes, on closer inspection, appear to be chocolate cupcakes, with vanilla frosting.

Kurt Wagner has posed:
"Thanks Emma!" the fuzzy blue elf offers up without bothering to try and correct or explain the game to her. He has some good sense afterall.

"You say that, but now I have a goal to shoot for Rogue," he counters with a g rin, digging out more and more of the screen, still managing to hold on with his first playthrough. For now.

"If there is a DDR machine in here you'll really be doomed. I know it's not retro, but..." Kurt adds lightly before a low laugh bubbles up from him. "Evil Kitty, very evil. I definitely approve," he teases, eyes locked on the flickering screen in front of him.

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma Frost would shake her head, "Oh, if you're doing to do something properly, you can't do it simply. These games are all about spectactle and little else. One might as well simply just watch something flashing for the ten minutes it takes if you play it properly." She would note in light amusement.

"And I'm sure that no one will be on the same level as Kurt. Other than Ms Ashida, whom doesn't have the attention span to keep up with it. Unless you want to give him a run for his money, Ms. Smith? Is uppsoe that between the two of you you can come up with some quarters."

Tabitha Smith has posed:
The highschores Kurt is aiming for get a grin. "Pics or it didn't happen!" she points out and chuckles. "All those power cables plugged into the single strip." Boomie sounding like she's about to extort protection money.

"Emma, there are some things a person should just let go... Let it go.. let it gooooo!" she sings the last part of that. Despite not being platinum blonde, or having ice powers. She went the other direction.

"Think I've still got my own keys for the machines to mess with dip switches and get at the coin wells from my street days. Was so easier than just picking and booming locks." she chuckles as Sam hands her the sparkly drink, enabling the double fisting of booze with beer alternating between one hand and the stubby holder as the Australians might call it. And the new drink being sipped at. "You know, a shot glass of anything dropped into a glass of anything else probably fits me theming. But I also accept mimosas!" she points out.

Samuel Guthrie has posed:
Sam Guthrie nods a bit and says "Oh I have some planned for most folks, and I figured you might want to try something you had not tried before while you would still remember it." He tease Tabby a bit. He does have a beer set aside for himself, and if none else come over for drinks he does grab a plate of food before moving back to the bartender job.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue is setting a piece of pineapple pizza on to a party plate for herself when Storm speaks of her one arcade exploit in her life. This causes her to set the plate aside, before she raises a finger up. "Is that so!" The Belle says, before she spins around on her cowgirl booted feet, and marches in to the line of arcade machines.

Within a few seconds, Rogue is motioning with both of her hands toward one of the cabinets now in front of her. "I present to you Galaga!" She says as she pulls on the joysticks adorning the cabinet console. "It's ready for Ororo's talented touch!" She announces further before she passes on by Kurt again. "No DDR. But we did get a basketball thingy and darts back there in the corner outta the way..." She motions to the far corner in the back, where the two biggest single game setups are, the basketball toss, and the dart board. "I prefer those myself, more real, less video gamey."

It is well known that Rogue is not a big fan of video games!

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde makes her way through the boneless wings, mixing in a bit of carrot with ranch in between now and then. She moves over to watch the others at the video games for a bit while she finishes off the snack.

Finally she's wiping her fingers on a napkin and moving over to the Tron video game from the original movie. "Was always good at the light cycles," she says as she starts the game up. "Anyone want to play alongside?" she asks motioning to the other set of controllers.

Remy LeBeau has posed:
Remy shakes his head, "I don't think any of us are gonna stop Kurt's reign of terror over the games, I know I'm not... I've never even made it t'the end of Donkey Kong. That monkey's trouble."

He /does/ favor a glance over his shoulder towards the dart board, "...I'd work t'hustle you all at darts but... that usually works better on strangers." He heaves out a sigh and takes a slow draw of his beer, "Y'know, bein' /friends/ with people is really cuttin' into my reputation as a schemin' cad."

Kurt Wagner has posed:
All good things right?

It has been a long time since Kurt played any of these games and while muscle memory can take one an awfully long way, there are limits. Increasingly the little pixilated bad guys begin to surround him and the fuzzy blue elf slowly but surely runs out of space, his hardy little digger crushed into pixel oblivious.

"Pffft, no DDR. How am I supposed to show off my real skills?" he retorts back, turning away from the machine at last. No high score. This time. But still a respectable showing.

"Sam, I hope you have plenty more to drink!" he says, turning towards what truly matters this evening.

Copious amounts of alcohol!

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Ororo blinks as Galaga has arrived, then she gets a bit of a sly grin, "Alright Rogue, challenge accepted. Though I'm going to have to try the darts later." She takes a drink from the improvised bar, then goes to the Galaga machine, "So, we meet again." And with that, she starts to work.

And she does /work/. It's like riding a bicycle, after all... just getting back in the groove.

Emma Frost has posed:
And Emma makes no move whatsoever towards the games. She'll let the others play their routine. "If one is going to be banal at something for the sake of juvenile entertainment, there are still more engaging options." The woman that seemed to engage purely in alcohol, the occasional lash of explicitness, and the sociopathic world of finance was hardly one to be allowed to cast any sort of judgement.

Samuel Guthrie has posed:
Sam Guthrie hmms and will look about the room as he eats listening to the others. Sam having done this job for a while seems to fall into being the bartender with ease. He has always been the type to listen to his friends to might have something to do with it.

Jean Grey has posed:
Poor Jean, getting stuck with adultin' business while the adults are acting like kids!

Eventually, the headmistress manages to fend off her work upstairs, and hastens to join the party. There's a slight delay for a change in clothes, because she's celebrating the new addition to the place in appropriate fashion. Nevermind that she (like... most of them?!) wasn't alive in the 1980s. It doesn't matter! Plus, she's picked an classic movie character and outfit that's very easy to re-create. Pink short sleeve top with a v-neck. Brown skirt. Matching belt, knee-high boots, and handbag. It's rather simple look. Without her hair, it'd be hard to guess...

"Sorry, sorry," she's saying as she walks up behind Rogue, who is conveniently next to the food, which would be her 1st stop if the other woman wasn't. "This is all really great. You really put our entertainment budget to work..." There's no guilt trip in that, surely! However, even as she's fetching herself a plate and some items to go on it, Rogue is off to the video games.

"We still had DDR at the student union when I was in college," she comments, chiming in on something that is a little more relatable. "I dunno how well I know any of these. But they can't be THAT hard." Still, for now, she's gonna eat (and drink? where is the booze at?!) before she gets involved in any high-stakes tournaments or challenges.

Tabitha Smith has posed:
"Video games could easily be used as a replacement for actual war. Think Hank said RL sports were like the same metaphor. Use them to settle differences. Hell, that's literally the plot of Mortal Kombat there!" Tabby points out and grins between sips.

"So looks like I'm resetting the score tables. Otherwise, I could head back to my room and bring back. No not weed. As if having enough booze to give Logan a small buzz on a school grounds was safe enough. "I meant knockoff DDR. We plug in to the TV in the Lounge downstairs. Throw some mats plugged into my laptop, plug the laptop into the TV, get yo Dance Fever going!" she suggests and grins. "It's great cardio and lower body!" she points out, punctuating it with a wiggle of hips that clearly abuse yellow denim.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue excitedly claps when Storm comes to the Galaga machine to fire it up. "Kick its ass, Sea Bass." She whispers to Ororo with a grin before she turns to see Kitty at the Tron machine. "Kurt! Kitty needs your help with Star Wars." She doesn't know what the hell Tron is, but she does note when walking past it and eyeing the art on its side. "That guy looks like my..." But she's trailing off as she reaches her plate of pizza again. Her eyes first go to Remy, and she smiles at him as she gathers her plate up. "I'll play you in darts.. I ain't afraid'a your throwin' skills..." She states in a challenging tone. Soon, though, Jean is there, and it earns a big smile from the Belle. "You gonna do the lipstick thing later?" She asks, of course referencing that outfit that the Headmistress has changed in to.

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Ororo grins, "The paperwork couldn't have been /that/ bad, Jean." She's currently preoccupied being a pinball... well, Galaga wizard, and she seems pretty good at it.

Of course, the high score section will likely be dominated by 'RO all the way down on the machine. As she continues playing, she asides, "Save me a slice of the pineapple pizza, Rogue."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde looks over at her shoulder between moments of the video game, seeing Jean arriving and waving at her animatedly. Kitty turns back to the game, muttering, "Take that, Master Control Program!"

Yes, she's into her retro stuff.

The game plays out, until she gets to the end knocking down the MCP's shielding. Finally she's beaten it and Kitty raises both fists in triumph. She turns back to the others.

"So was thinking before it gets too cold we could do some kind of mud bog thing. Maybe let people soup up tractors, the small lawn variety, see how far they can drive through a mud pit. Stuff like that. Think there'd be much interest in it, before it gets colder?" Kitty asks.

Kurt Wagner has posed:
With drink well in hand -- though down a few sips -- Kurt raises his glass towards Rogue. "Aye aye. I think it's Tron though, technically," he offers up with a grin.

It's a movie. Of course he recognizes the light cycles.

Jean too gets a lift of that glass, and then the fuzzy blue elf simply bamfs across the room over towards the light cycle game, slipping into his own spot and carefully balancing that glass on the machine. "No rocking the game. I need my drink whole and entact," he cautions lightly before getting himself into the game as well.

"Sounds like a horribly messy affair. Count me in," the fuzzy blue elf says slyly.

Henry McCoy has posed:
Running a bit behind, is Henry. Life has been hectic with a commute to and from Xavier's, along with a lot of research - he's been a bit frazzled. It's good then, that the faculty were having this little get-together to let off some steam. He steps into the arcade, amused at the beeps and blips of the various games.

"Evening, all. I hope I didn't miss the fun." A wave to all present.

Jean Grey has posed:
"There better be a lot of booze in this punch." Jean declares as she goes about ladling herself a cupfull of something purple near the end of the food table. While she's doing so, she looks back over at Rogue and grins when she nails the outfit instantly (someone explain how the baby of the bunch is also the 80s Queen?). "Maaaaaaaybe. Ask me again when I'm a little drunk-er."

To encourage this course of events, she promptly takes a good drink from her cup! "Ok this is pretty good."

Soon, she's drawn inevitably into event planning as Kitty brings some up. "Well, we will need a bunch of stuff for events in fall. They've got the Octoberfest in town, plus we could do some kind of harvest thing through Halloween. And the weather seems like its holding pretty well, doubt it'll freeze before then." Another sip. "Besides, if the weather doesn't cooperate, it isn't like we don't have our own personal hack for that, if things should dare go awry." A wink and a nod over toward the woman currently racking up the scores at pinball!

"That is, if Rogue hasn't really spent the whole budget!" She hasn't. Xavier is rich. The school has a huge endowment. But Jean is the designated adult and so she likes to shame people with fiscal responsibility on principle!

Ororo Munroe has posed:
Ororo glances over towards Kitty and Rogue, "I guess this means you'll want me to set up the terrain for this, won't you Kitten?" She might also grouse a little bit, being the other token adult (what, you thought Jean was the only one?), but... well, she'll cave on the setting up of the mud trap. Especially if Kitty is the one asking.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde perks up as Henry McCoy comes in. "Hank!" she exclaims, and if he isn't quick to stop her, he's going to end up with a great big old hug.

But one she'll let go so she can get another drink from Sam Guthrie who is serving as bartender tonight. "If you would, Ororo, that would be great," she agrees. "Can probably get one of the students to stir up a bit of dirt on top to make for the right depth of mud pit. Maybe end it with a tug of war over top of it after the lawn mowers are done plowing through it?" she suggests.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue had given Ororo a thumbs up. "I will, no worries!" She calls over to Storm. "But more than likely it's just you an' me on this stuff. We're the only ones with the enlightened taste-buds, I bet!" She adds as she takes a bite of her own single slice before sipping from her drink glass again. Her eyes go over to Kitty and Kurt at the Tron cabinet, and she shows a small grin toward them.

"Stop speakin' my language." She tells Kitty. "Ya know I'd be in for that. Even in cold weather... Which we got about a month until, I think..." She learned a long time ago to stop asking Ororo to alter the waether for them, as that was just selfish and rude to the ever-kind hearted Storm!

When Hank saunters in, Rogue sweeps herself over to stand beside him, gracefully quick when she wants to be! "Heya, Hank." She says with a big smile for him. Her right hand sweeps out to motion to the standing tables along the eastern wall. "All the food is here, wings, and pizza, sandwiches and some cupcakes from Storm, and Rice Crispie treats from Mistah LeBeau." Her hand then motions to the bar on the western wall. "Sam's got drinks covered. Just ask him for whatever tickles your fancy... an' of course..." She points ahead. "Games be waitin' for people to dominate the High Scores." She states, where several people are already playing Tron, Galaga, and the like.

Rogue then sweeps herself over to where Jean is, and just smiles big at her, her chin up and her right hand going up to keep her straw cowgirl hat atop her head. "I am a responsible buyer. Best stuff, best prices. Don't you worry about the budget. An' Breakfast Club is one'a the more popular films for all the students... I saw it with Kitty like in my first year here." She notes, glancing toward Kathrine in her fancy 80s attire. "She caught me up on all the major movies I never got t'see growin' up in a house with no tv..." Two of them actually, neither her parents nor her Aunt believed in television in one's home.

Kurt Wagner has posed:
While Kurt will be good natured and play in the mud, it is not his absolutely favorite thing.

Mud and fur do not go together terribly well afterall, and while it may stay at a reasonable temperature for the next few weeks, that big lake in their backyard is rather swiftly losing it's heat.

What? Kurt likes his creature comforts. Like warm water.

The mention of Octoberfest is enough to make him temporarily abandon his game, reaching for his drink and taking a long pull from it, lifting it up in salute towards Jean. "We, who are about to drink copious amounts of German beer saulute you!" he enthuses before offering a grin and a wave towards the arriving Hank.

Henry McCoy has posed:
A hug is returned to Kitty, enough to make her gasp a bit. Big hug! Henry grins. "Encouraging problem-solving and engineering? I am all for it." He offers, giving a wave and wink to Rogue. And everyone after that, truth be told. He does move over to collect a drink, and then on to the plates.

The big man makes himself a plate full of everything. "How have things been?" He chuckles, amused at the thought of the worlds mightiest mutants playing arcade games.

Jean Grey has posed:
"Oh yes, the most responsible," Jean declares with no small touch of sarcasm, letting her eyes sweep around this shrine she's built to a decade none of them remember!

"Don't salute me, that one's all the Salem Center chamber of commerce," she tells Kurt, grinning at his enthusiasm. "But the school can definitely put a stall together for it, show we're part of the community and all of that. We had a lot of fun there last year." It's hard not to have fun when there's flowing booze and sausage! "I'll leave the tractor racing to the madame of ceremonies here and our local mud wizardess."

Because Jean has just spent the last hour or two handling business stuff for school, she's eager to put off any further planning of that kind for later. In the moment? She wants to drink and play some games! With cup in hand, she makes it overe to Rogue, and bumps her with her shoulder. "Since you're the expert who got all the best prices on all this best stuff, which one would you recommend? I'll play you. If I lose, I'll try the lipstick thing."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty gleefully returns the big hug, even if Beast gets an "oof!" from Kitty before it's done. She playfully rubs at a her ribs on one side after. "Glad you made it out of the lab. We'd have had to bring the party in there. And then you'd be having to spend the whole weekend recalibrating everything."

Her new drink in hand, Kitty takes a sip of the blue and yellow layered concoction. "Oh, we definitely need to get another trip to Salem Center for Oktoberfest," she agrees. "It's been a good time the last few years. And that was even before some of us could drink."

Rogue has posed:
That first slice of pizza is finished off down to the crust, which is left on the plate, as Rogue reaches for her glass of beer. She raises it up to sip from its contents again as her eyes travel over to the games being played. She feels the bump to her shoulder though, which returns her eyes to Jean, and a flashed grin is shown to the Princess of the palace.

"I was sayin' a minute ago that I prefer the basketball toss, an' the darts there in the back corner. Stuff that is more physical... real. But..." She sizes Jean up with a obvious up and down of her green eyes across the redhead in front of her. "Your trustability--" Is that a word? "Rapidly diminishes the more booze we pump inta ya... as I've learned. You'll do that..." she wiggles her nose like Bewitched. "thing where ya nudge the darts in to the bullseye. Or the basketballs inta the hoop. Such cheating..." She states, finally just sighing like it weighs a million pounds upon her very soul.

Another sip of her beer is had then!

Rogue lowers the cup, and skips quickly away from Jean to the bar to get a refill for her glass, calling out to Kitty. "Ya gotta get the best mud from Home Depot. All that fine pottin' soil bags that they sell. That's what I did for my birthday party at that water slide place. I wanted the freshest mud! With the most nutrients possible!"

Her beer glass is filled up with a fresh foamy top that her upper lip and nose is soon sunk down in to as she tips it back for another sip of the sparkly amber goodness.

Kurt Wagner has posed:
Like many of the others present, Kurt polishes off his drink rather expeditiously and makes his way to the bar to fetch another, the video games abandonned for a time.

Another opportunity at a high score lost. How will he cope?

Fresh drink in hand, the fuzzy blue elf eyes the pizza, turning his nose up at that pineapple prominently displayed there and giving a sad shake of his head in Rogue's direction. So horribly, horribly inappropriate. Yuck.

"Oh yes, I'm sure the drinking age stopped so many of those who shouldn't have been drinking from indulging. Between fake IDs and telepathic tricks, the local festival never had a chance," Kurt counters Kitty's suggestion wryly.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde just sips her alcoholic beverage with a look of sweet, pure innocence at Kurt.

Jean Grey has posed:
"Me? Cheat? Never!" declares Jean, with all the indignation at the suggestion that one might expect, holding a hand to her heart as if wounded by the mere suggestion of such schemery. And, predictably to anyone who has heard them go back and forth like this, she quickly retorts with an accusation of her own: "Not like a certain someone I know who gets to add a bit of super-strength to every throw. No surprise that those quasi-sports ones are her favorites!"

All of which yields the neutral-ground suggestion: "Which is why we oughta play one of the normal video games. There's no possible cheating there, right?" Right? Who knows what some of these people are capable of. Still, it's definitely a safer bet than darts...

"Not that they even need to leave the school for an excuse, when they can break into the liquor cabinet in my office," she points out to Kurt. That one is now a Xavier's School tradition, pioneered by a certain static-y speedster. "But it's another reason it's good for us to participate officially, to keep an eye out. They'd sneak out to it anyway."

Also, in the midst of all this, another FINANCIAL complaint: "Why do YOU need NUTRIENTS in the mud, exactly? Are you a plant! Such extravagance!"

Henry McCoy has posed:
The Beast is nomming on all the foods. All the foods. It's a metabolism thing. A glance around, the man looking to the others. "Are we drinking a lot tonight then?" He laughs, knocking back his beer to catch up. It'll take quite a bit! Looking to Jean, he grins at her handling of Rogue's 'accusations'. There's no mention of cheating at sports, given that Henry played until he sprouted that luxurious blue fur.

A smirk. "Perhaps we'd have to replant seed in the mudfield? It would be good to have proper soil there, yes?"

Rogue has posed:
Rogue steps over to the Rice Crispy treats, garnering one up with a bit of careful navigation of her fingers. She's working on it when Jean rebukes her claims of possible cheating. It just makes her smile as her eyes are downcast upon the rice and marshmallow squares. "I used ta love these things when I was little..." She is muttering before she finally gets one up in to her right hand, trying to use her fingertips to keep it from falling apart in a slow gooy dripping mess. "Ya need the best mud with the best nutrients because it creates the best slippery slop when ya add water." She fires back at the latter questioning from the Headmistress.

Turning around to face the arcade machines then, Rogue sets off toward them with a napkin around her beer glass, and a treat in the other hand. "Mortal Kombat then." She says toward Jean as she goes. "But I get Sonja. She fights like me... We're kindred spirits." She declares as she passes by the others playing, her eyes looking over their shoulders. "I never needed a fake ID. I just charmed the free booze outta anyone who had it." She declares as she passes behind Kitty and Kurt.

At the Mortal Kombat machine, Rogue stares at the High Scores, seeing Tabitha's signature initials at the top. She scowls. "Of course she has the record on this one... I bet she uses the guy with all the grabby hands too..."

More beer sipping, and Rice Crispy treat nibbling. "Okay, time to whoop some ass. Sonja style."

Spoiler warning. She's awful at this game.

Jean Grey has posed:
Jean will concede to Henry's reasoning, but not Rogue's! She's not convinced that nitrogen content has anything to do with a proper coeficient of friction for your slip'n'slide ways. But the environmental angle? "I guess that's true. Anywhere we're going to make a big pile of mud, we won't want to STAY that way afterward. Okay, okay. Fine. Get your pricey fancy mud." Just don't ask her to be happy signing off on the expenses!

What she WILL take Rogue's wisdom on is a rice crispy square, nabbing one of her own.

Fortunately for Rogue, this is pretty far outside Jean's typical range or genre of game as well. She fights weird looking monsters and the occasional magical ninja for a living, it's not like she's gonna do it in her spare time. So she has to spend some time browsing the characters. "What about this one, she kinda has your hair... oh and she looks like Betsy from her weird ninja phase. Oh and they've got Spiral, too... though they really don't have enough girls. Oh but this one has Wolverine claws. I bet those are good."

Let the embarassing button-mashing commence. Fight!

Rogue has posed:
"Yeah this game is a bit of a sausage party..." Rogue states quietly as Jean makes her selection. "Hambone said they're better these days, but... I press X to doubt, or whatever they say." She's seen the memes, but doesn't retain them any better than she did most of her studies while a student here.

When the games begin, Rogue and Jean are pretty evenly matched. It's not great, either way. But as the best of three plays out, Rogue is the eventual victor!

She holds one hand up in the air, the other clutching her glass of booze. "I get my fancy mud, an' I win another game. Oh yes, oh yes!" She shouts out, her voice pitched in a way that might be arguably inappropriate, but she's indulging in the drink tonight afterall, which usually draws this kind of behavior out of her, more and more with every sip and gulp in fact.

With a swift move of her hand, Rogue produces a tube of lipstick. Smokey Red. She twirls it through her fingers, then extends it out toward Jean. "Headmistress." She says with a serious stare, before a grin creeps across her visage, and her beer glass is raised up again for yet another sip of its delicious contents.

Flawless victory!