17290/Charity Luau at Indoor Water Park

Charity Luau at Indoor Water Park
Date of Scene:	27 February 2024
Location:	Big Apple Splashzone
Synopsis:	A charity luau is held at an indoor water park. A heavy mutant attendance shows up.
Cast of Characters:	Kitty Pryde, Joshua Foley, Emma Frost, Quentin Quire, Patty Sloan, Douglas Ramsey, Noriko Ashida, Qira Quest, Jubilation Lee, Pietro Maximoff, Warren Worthington, Caleb Dykstra

---

Kitty Pryde has posed:
The Big Apple Splashzone is an indoor water park, which allows it to stay open even during the worst of the New York City winter. And that availability is what made it an attractive option for a charity luau, benefiting the Make-a-Wish foundation.

Tickets are not all that expensive, and then there are the normal sorts of fundraisers once inside to try to maximize the benefits for the charity that help terminally ill kids fulfill one of their wishes.

Admission comes with all the roasted pig and traditional luau fixings you could wish. Alcoholic beverages are extra. There are bathing suits and grass skirts on sale, and additional leis if the one that came with admission isn't enough. There are 50/50 raffles and silent and live auctions for donated items.

There are dancing performers doing traditional Hawaiian dances. And of course there's swimming, the event taking place in an enormous room filled with sand besides a lagoon mock up. There is a water slide and a rope swing, platforms people can swim out to and rest on. Floating chairs, or regular loungers along the sandy shore.

Joshua Foley has posed:
There's plenty that Joshua does for Make-A-Wish, but he doesn't talk about those things. And in order to further keep that under wraps, the young man makes events like this a place to show, to make donations and just be sociable.

Having changed once he arrived, he's in a gaudy pair of long board shorts of green with gold palm-leaves in print all over them, with a Hawaiian shirt that is decorated with different types of cocktails on it - a birthday present for his recent 21st. A straw hat rests on his head, and flip flops are worn, and plenty of gold skin on display tonight.

Emma Frost has posed:
The charity might as well be meaningless to her. But it's one of those 'you go to be seen' style of things. And Emma Frost is reasonably sure that it exists for rich people (very much like her) to go out and be appreciated. So that's what she's here for. A chance to mingle, a chance to be seen doing things for the.. Good of others.

But also it exists for a lovely tax writeoff. Enough to nearly make up for (by her standards) the wine and food being sub-par.

Quentin Quire has posed:
What better way to spend a dreary New York day then at the beach, without even having to get on a plane (or harass your local teleporter). So Quentin wandered on down to the Splashzone to get his luau on, paying for his admission and receiving the cheap plastic lei flipped over his bemohawked head. Then it's on down to the lunch spread, filling up a plate with appetizers while the pig roasts. His usual leather jacket must have been left at home or stuffed in a locker somehwere, leaving him in a red MAGNETO WAS RIGHT tshirt and cut off jeans to enjoy the fake sun.

Patty Sloan has posed:
"...Listen I really need this job. I'm new in town and I have experience helping with charities." A young blonde quietly speaks to a lady carrying boxes into the splashtown. There is desperation in her voice as she continues. "Please. I don't have anywhere else to go. I just got dropped into the City and I barely have enough money to get a room for the next night." The woman just looks annoyed with the girl begging for a job.

"Listen girl, you can't be in here. Not unless you are paying to join the fund raiser." She gestures around the building showing the party that is already underway. People are dancing, Swimming, Carrying on and even mingling. What's more most of the people here are in swimsuits.

"I... Can't. I don't have a swimsuit or anything." Its true she doesn't have a swimsuit but she is more than elated to say that. After all, if she were to go swimming, her secret would be revealed and the last thing she needs is to be exposed to the public as a mutant for the second time in two days.

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
Doug is eschewing the appetizers, for now - but he does have a super-soaker. At the moment, he's playing soaker-tag with some well-heeled individuals - the bet is, if any of them can land a hit on him, Worthington Industries will donate 100,000 - the ink's already dry on the check of course, but they don't need to know that, and it got them to pony up in exchange for the buy-in for the game.

He pops up from behind a potted plant and blasts a pop star before she can turn to shoot him with her water gun.

"Ack!"

"Gotcha! That's twenty signed copies of your new album... plus one, made out to 'Doug'."

Noriko Ashida has posed:
Normally, when water is involved, Noriko isn't keen on the activity, but she might have heard a thing or two about a luau and how roasted pigs are involved.  Still, even if she has no plans of entering the water whatsoever, she's wearing a bikini top with some cargo pants and her gauntlets, which have seen better days, and most sad above all, she's still wearing her high tops.

Noriko has a backpack slung over her shoulders, which she is loathe to surrender to the lockers, so she just ends up stashing it quicker than she thinks any person here can detect.

Suddenly, she pops up in line for food with two leis around her neck, and then she's looking around for someone she planned to meet up with here after work.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Another young woman walks up to the door behind Patty. Kitty Pryde has on a long jacket and has a bag over one shoulder. She's wearing grey sweat pants, tennis shoes and a sweatshirt beneath a leather jacket.

"I got her entrance covered," Kitty says to the woman talking to Patty Sloan. Kitty pulls out her phone and uses it to buy admission for two. "There's all you can eat roasted pork, and then a bunch of other dishes in there. Come in and get something to eat and warm up?" Kitty suggests to Patty, before offering her hand. "My name's Kitty. Kitty Pryde. And I don't have an extra bathing suit on me, but doesn't mean you can't enjoy the fun, right?" she says, giving Patty a warm, welcoming smile.

Emma Frost has posed:
Emma Frost would glance throughout the crowd. The normal riff-raff. She does take a moment to look amused, moving to tug at a goblet of wine, taking a sniff of it and her expression going flat. Should have brought her own. Ah well. The atmosphere had the potential for amusement with everyone present.

And Emma stood out by simply -not- engaging in the playful entertainment going throughout the venue. But not going against it. Just not being a part of it.

Quentin Quire has posed:
"Mini hot dog?" Quentin has the audacity to offer to Emma as she side eyes the wine selection and the general riffraff. Whatever withering stare she has to offer slides off the young man like water off a ducks back as he offers her a shit-eating grin. "Lighten up, it's supposed to be fun! You go any colder and they'll have to change the theme to a polar bear plunge." he offers a bit more discretely to the indomintable Miss Frost.

Qira Quest has posed:
Qira is neither rich nor dying (been there, done that, t-shirt's in the wash), but she *is* exceptionally skilled at being places she's not supposed to be. So it is that there's a pair of yellow-green eyes peering out from the shadows of a nearby building, watching the goings on.

The leis seem to hold some sort of status symbol, leading her to slip aorund behind the scenes to snag one from the piles near the entrance before she sneaks around to hit up the employee lockers to scavenge the rest of what she'll need to 'fit in'. The hair goes up into a very long, thick ponytail. A spare black bikini was sacevenged and appropriated, her own outfit largely shed, leaving her in a makeskift skirt coverup of layered black and white tied off at the hip over the black bikini, and a pair of round sunglasses with purple-tinted lenses to help hide the strangeness of her eyes. And finally, the bright yellow lei.

Costume complete, Qira steps out into the 'sun' and looks around as if she totally belongs here.

((Narrator: She did not, in fact, belong here))

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    It took Jubilation Lee two minutes to ready herself after being told about the charity event at the Big Apple Slashzone. All it really took was grabbing her bathing suit and slapping a post-it note on the outside of her door at Xavier's --- GETTIN' MY SLIDE ON! <3 --- and making her way to the city! It wasn't easy to get there in one piece and she was supposed to wait around for Noriko to get off of work....but it's /waterslides/...so... who can blame her for getting a little excited? All it took was putting some feelers out on Fivr until she found someone willing to bring a refrigerator box from Westchester, NY to the Big Apple Splashzone without asking questions or looking inside.

    And that's the story of how a cardboard refrigerator box was left at the entrance of Big Apple Splashzone, unattended and on the wrong side of the turnstiles. Before the possible delivery of a fridge can be investigated by well-intentioned Splashzone employees, a fist punches through the box's flaps, exposing the real truth! It didn't contain a fridge at all! Its real contents are much cooler.

    "Well, /that/ sucked...." is the outburst that follows the punch. Jubilation Lee, an apparently eighteen-year-old girl with too-smooth hair and too-pale complexion and too-pointy teeth and too-much-visible-skin, climbs out of the box. "Last time I'm doing that..."

    ((Narrator: It won't be the last time she does that.))

    "You see Nori?" is the question that is forced on Emma Frost. Jubilation has seemingly appeared out of nowhere, just slightly to the side of the very irritating (but very rich) mutant. She squints, looking forward to try to find her quarry among the unwashed masses.

Patty Sloan has posed:
"Oh you... You didn't have to!" Patty tries to argue but its too late. She is paid for and into fund raiser." She pauses and sighs in relief. It would have really been freaky if Kitty also had a spare swimsuit but thankfully that crisis is averted.

"Nice to meet you Miss. Pryde. My name is Patty. Patty Sloan." She states. Thankfully her previous days events wouldn't have made national news. At least not to her knowledge. She could very well be a headline for 'attacking' a girl with mutant powers. "Really you didn't have to cover me. I have never been to an event like this. It looks really amazing. I worked for a charity run thrift store for a few years but this is really beyond anything that I have experienced." Her eyes shift to the pig being roasted and the various foods. Her stomach lets out a growl, reminding her that she didn't eat anything since yesterday. "I think maybe I'm going to get something to eat."

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
One man says, as he wipes water out of his face, "Where'd you learn to shoot and move like that?"

"I logged a ridiculous number of hours playing DOOM." Doug replies, as he sets his super-soaker aside, now completely empty, and then walks up to a table containing canapes, which happens to be in the . "Emma. Quentin." He says, "How's the uh - Franzia chardonnay." He takes a couple of stuffed mushrooms, and pops one into his mouth, his cheek bulging out as he chews, idly, and surveys the crowd. "Nice turnout, though!"

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde flashes Patty a warm smile. "I can't actually have the roasted pork myself. Jewish thing. But the smell is already getting to me," Kitty says with a soft laugh as they head inside and indeed the aromas are magnificent. "They probably have some creative SPAM dishes though, that's a big Hawaiian thing. Which I -also- can't have. But I'll find something good I'm sure."

She spots familiar faces and tells Patty, "I have a few friends around, you're welcome to come hang with us too," she says. Kitty then begins peeling off her clothes. The outer layers at least. Beneath the sweats and sweatshirt she has on a blue string bikini. Kitty then unzips the bag, pulling out some flip flops and a grass skirt, perfect for the luau. She pulls that on.

"What do you want to drink? If you're 21 I'll spot you a beer or some wine or something," Kitty offers, since those aren't included.

Kitty lets out a laugh as she spots Doug stalking with the super-soaker. "There's an old school friend of mine, Doug," she tells Patty.

Joshua Foley has posed:
Settled on a chair and already relaxing by the pool, Joshua glances over as he hears familiar voices. There's a smile a wave with a golden arm as the current obvious mutant offers in greetings. "Hey, Kitty! Everyone! How's things been?"

He takes a sip from a coconut shaped cup, just relaxing and enjoying the moment as he is completely trying to relax, and being around other mutants is very helpful with such.

Noriko Ashida has posed:
Noriko has long dreamt of having enough control over her powers to slow herself down to let time pass her by.  How great would that have been in classes?  Better than sleeping, since that never lasts long.  These and a million other thoughts loop through the speedster's mind as she realizes she's fallen back into her natural, faster, rhythm.  Wasn't she just looking for Jubes?

Noriko's brow furrows in confusion for a hair of a moment before she looks around behind her and then leans out the side, unwilling to lose her place.  After a sigh, she just holds a finger up above her and starts to make it snap with electricity like the sound of a flock of bugs gliding into their shining demise.  Probably like nails on a chalkboard to some, and her finger gives off little flashes of lightning just barely visible...but when is lightning ever barely visible.

Pietro Maximoff has posed:
It was for a good cause, so it wasn't truly a burden for Pietro to arrive. It truly was a small effort to help make the children feel better, even for just a bit. So there he was, showing up in his superhero outfit, displaying his Avenger's look for the kids. He paused just inside - having appeared in a blur. Flashy entrance!

Quicksilver glances around, nodding to some of the more familiar faces - inwardly pleased to see so many friends and associates here for the cause.

Patty Sloan has posed:
"Oh umm... a Soder Zero. I am only 18." Patty states as she goes to poke around at the food. She finds some really fancy cheese burgers and some chips which makes her day right now. She collects the foods and quickly makes her way over to where Kitty happens to be getting into a swimsuit.

"Ummm thank you so much. I don't know anyone here." She chuckles nervously and shyly sits down in the sand. "Hi-i everyone. My name is Patty Sloan. Ni-ce to meet you." Her voice cracks a few times as she tries to speak. How did she get into such a big event. She was just trying to get a job! "Umm I was trying to get a job with make a wish but... I don't think they want to hire me." She nervously stuffs the hamburger into her mouth so she doesn't have to say anything else.

Warren Worthington has posed:
Warren Worthington arrives in a pair of swim trunks and a t-shirt with a picture of a cherub on it, tight fitting against his broad shoulders. He ironically has a swimmer's build, but rarely indulges in the water. The wings just don't love it and he always has to shake off and he feels like a dog when he does it.

Which is fine. People pee in pools. Strangers.

He seeks out Kitty quickly, his eyes hidden behind sunglasses. He'd be keeping a low profile if it weren't for both the prominent white wings and, of course, the handsome profile. He's recently gotten a haircut, cropping close on the side, buzzed tight with the clippers, but with a little play still on top.

Qira Quest has posed:
This is, apparently, the best place for Qira to try to fit in. Some of these people *seem* normal, but others are clearly *not*. Her eyes track the movements of the woman that punched her way out of a box, head canting slightly as she watches. Interesting people.

She makes her way casually closer to the drinks, looking over each glass and cup before selecting something rather tame.. noni juice. Sipping on it, she glances over towards Kitty and Patty, speaking up just enough to say, "They have poi and huli huli chicken. Both should fit kosher rules." She blinks as the information is recalled, then shrugs and turns back to the party at large, moving around the fringes, poking about here and there but largely keeping out of anything that might 'unmask' her.

Emma Frost has posed:
Quentin is given a look over at by Emma over and shake her head, "Oh, darling, I never thought I'd hear you wanting to cater to the indulgences of the elite." A casual taunt is thrown the way of the pink haired one. "And no, thank you, but I'll pass. I quite enjoy having the run of the place."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
"Two Soder Zeros coming up," Kitty says, getting the drinks, before making herself a plate. "Everyone, Patty. Patty this is everyone. There's Jubilee over there. And I think I see Noriko, cute Asian young woman," Kitty says, pointing her out. "And, hey Josh!" Kitty says, flashing a big smile at him before telling Patty. "That's Joshua. Really great guy."

Before she can introduce anyone else, the man with the angel's wings comes up behind her. Kitty turns and spots Warren, her face lighting up. She goes up on her toes to brush a quick kiss to his cheek. "And this is Warren. Warren, this is Patty. A new friend I met on the way in," she says to introduce people. "Who'd I miss. The guy with the t-shirt there is Quentin. And the platinum blond is Emma Frost."

A little horde of kinds run past, babbling excitedly. Kitty turns to look and sees them converging on Pietro once they spotted him in his Avenger's superhero costume. "Ah cool, I had no idea there would be heroes here," Kitty says. Well, besides her own friends.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde turns as Qira comes over, apparently having heard Kitty's comment about not being able to have the pork. "Oh, thank you. Chicken sounds perfect," Kitty says to Qira, flashing her a grateful smile before she has a chance to slip off into the mingling people.

Quentin Quire has posed:
Maybe he should have went with 'cocktail weinie' when he offered the appetizer to Emma. hot dog on a toothpick, perhaps? The guileless grin remains as he gives Emma a bit of a shrug, "I don't know about 'wanting' but I've found that it's definitely fun to give it a try every so often." he says, popping the tiny piece of sauce-dripping meatlet into his mouth. "Indulging the elite, I mean." he adds a bit cryptically at the end. Doug and Kitty get waves of greetings as he moves on, working on clearing his plate of appetizers as he circles back around to the changing rooms. Apparently he wanted to get his grub on first.

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
"I prefer the riesling in a bag myself." Doug muses, as he tosses his second stuffed mushroom in his mouth and moves on. "Boss." He says, "I've managed to snag over a quarter of a million dollars in donations just in the first few hours alone. If you match, I think I can get them up to at least a million, all without getting my hawaiian shirt damp." He shrugs his shoulders. "People's FPS fundamentals are seriously lagging these days. Though I don't think I could hit Quicksilver... I'm not that good. Or brave."

Pietro Maximoff has posed:
The children are greeted with a rather unusual sight for most - Pietro is offering a pleasant smile. He's not scowling or looking irritated - he's being... friendly. Is he a doppleganger? A mimic or perhaps Mystic playing a trick?

He even kneels to offer the little ones hugs, if requested - autographs as well. Something about him has changed, since he got married. Could he be... happy?

Patty Sloan has posed:
Patty chews her food as she gives a polite wave to all the different people she was just introduced to. The shy girl was absolutely swimming in this crowd, it was so overwhelming. Swallowing down her mouthful, "Um nice to um meet everyone. Its really lovely to be here. I didn't get to get a swimsuit so no swimming for me. Probably a good thing because I haven't gone swimming in a few years and I am probably a little... wings."

Patty's jaw drops as she sees the absolute marvel that is Warren's Wings. Here was a man who is clearly a mutant and his wings were exposed for all to see. Her own try to spread but strain against their constraints, "Ow! Sorry. I got distracted. Didn't mean to be weird or anything. I meant to say Rusty." The girl goes from nervous to frustrated to a little panicked.

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    Perhaps taken hostage by attention deficit, but Jubilee doesn't wait around for Emma to answer her. She has, instead, appeared among a small group of children that have descended upon Pietro Maximoff. "Can I have your autograph, mister?" one of them asks in a sweet, child-like tone, pronouncing her R's like W's. It would be cute if it was a child, but it's just Jubilee goofing around, batting doe-eyes up at the famous Avenger. She grins and rolls her eyes a little before moving on.

    "What's up, Patty!" she shouts, thrusting both hands high over her head. Jubilation is well outside earshot and there's no reason she should be able to hear Kitty and Patty talking and, yet, she has... Jubilee waggles both of her hands, as though raising the roof in a very poorly built house. "Get your slide on, girl!" she shouts in Patty's direction. She wiggles her hips a little before getting bored with her own antics and resumes her search for Noriko.

    "Have you seen an Asian girl?" she asks someone, resorting to perfect strangers. The guy mumbles something. "...A /different/ Asian girl!" Jubilee adds, rolling her eyes again.

Joshua Foley has posed:
After returning the wave to Kitty, Joshua finishes off his drink as he moves to his feet. Setting the coconut in the trash, he watches the others mingle and for a moment, he considers joining in and mixing it up. And then his own insecurities settle in. A slight close of his eyes.

When Jubilee cruises by, there's a small smirk and a roll of his eyes. "Did you try the snack stand?" he suggests, before his attention turns to one of the organizers. "I'll be about. Need to talk to someone." And with, that, he's slipping away for a quiet discussion.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde responds to Jubilee, "Pretty sure I saw her in the line over there." Kitty doesn't explain it was the little sparks of electricity that caught her eye.

She turns back to Patty as the young woman's surprise at Warren's wings draws a grin from Kitty. "They are so soft," she says, reaching over and running her fingers across the downy softness of Warren's wings. Apparently she has, or thinks she has, touching privileges on the angel's wings. But then she did greet him with a peck on the cheek.

"Oh, look!" Kitty says, pointing to one of the stands. "They are selling bathing suits, Patty. We can get you one there," she suggests.

Warren Worthington has posed:
Warren Worthington kisses Kitty on the cheek quickly in greeting, an arm patting the woman gently and familiarly on the back, before he turns his attention to Patty. His hand is offered, "Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Patty. Any friend of, as the saying goes," he says.

He nudges Kitty, "Remind me to talk to you later about my plans for doing some more hiring. Douglas, too, who should be here, if I'm not mistaken. Not that I keep track of my employees. Because if I did, you would be the one I would hire to do it, of course, I'm no fool," he teases.

"My assistant should be calling in a nice donation soon. I have no idea how much, but just add a zero to whatever she says."

Pietro Maximoff has posed:
There's no mistaking the wings - he's another who stands out. Pietro assures the children he'll be about for a bit, before slowly (excruciatingly so for him) heading over to where Kitty and Warren are. Each are given a nod and a smile. "Kitty. Warren. Nice seeing you both out for such an event." He comments, offering a hand to each.

"How long have you two been here?" Spotting another there, he offers the same welcome to Patty. "Pietro Maximoff. Pleased to meet you, Miss."

Patty Sloan has posed:
"Hello Jubilee!" She calls out in response to the girl calling her out. Then there is the comment to get into a swimsuit. "That's Okay I don't Have a... swimsuit."She trails off as Kitty finds swimsuits for sale. Now her heart is racing. Sure there is Angel here who is clearly a mutant. There is no telling who is and isn't one here. She just knows she is and boy do the belts holding her wings feel tighter all the sudden.

"I umm... I can't?" Her face turns deep red. Leaning forward to Kitty she speaks softly, "I'm... a mutant too. I am hiding some things that I got when it happened." She blushes and backs away. "My mom's told me I have to keep those umm... features hidden. Or people will hurt me." She states anxiously.

Qira Quest has posed:
Qira continues to be a face in the crowd for awhile longer, observing without truly joining. Joining is for.. well, people that were raised with some level of sociability. She's still learning. So she observes! It seems, however, that her ability to 'people' is still limited.

At some point, she goes from showing up here and there to just... gone. Damn ninjas. So sneaky them! At least she didn't smokebomb the party to do it?

Still, she takes with her some valuable information. There are places where she won't seem so out of place, or at least, there are people around whom she won't seem so out of place. Something for her to consider as she sneaks away...

Quentin Quire has posed:
Eventually Quentin reemerges from the changing rooms. He's swapped the tshirt and denim cutoffs for a pair of boardshorts, bright yellow and black radiation symbol over the front of the pink and white striped shorts. He's still got his combat boots on, but unlaced down to the ankle, the neck laid open, unlaced. The neck of the boots, that is. A black towel is tossed over his shoulder and he's back out in the crowd. Skirting the gaggle of kids gathered for Pietro's autograph he makes a stop by the bar for a drink in a tall frosted glass with an umbrella, and then onwards. "Got enough sunscreen, Jubes?" Quentin teases as he passes by the young inhumanely perfect Asian.

Warren Worthington has posed:
Warren Worthington notices Patty's discomfort and interjects lightly, "Yes, please, Patty, stay, you can help keep me company. I never go swimming myself. I've always detested the smell of chlorine, can't abide it. Reminds me of winters in Miami. Christmas. I prefer to be pleasant and dry."

He doesn't know what Patty might be hiding or if she's hiding anything. But he'd looked like that more than a few times, when asked to take off his shirt back in his schoolboy days. Before he dared show anyone who he was.

The touch to his wings almost startles Warren and he turns his head towards Kitty, "Tease," he says. "So, Patty, what do you do?"

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
Doug, in the meantime, loses his hawaiian shirt and his sandals, and wades into the water up to the waist; then he stoops, and dips his head, wetting it and then emerging from the water to push his hair back, before he stands there, wet - and then picks up a floating beach ball and tosses it to a group of kids who lost it.

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    Josh gets a good-natured roll of her eyes from Jubilee as she scoots past him on the way to the snack bar. "Jealous much?" she accuses, slipping into a comfortable interplay that the two apparently share about something. She looks like she might say more, riff the other mutant a little further, but she stops in her tracks and turns towards where Patty and Kitty continue to converse. The search for Noriko is momentarily paused, as Jubilee's predator senses easily pick up Patty's disclosures to Kitty. Instead of running up the concrete steps that lead to the snack bar, she turns around on her bare heel and heads back in the other direction.

    "Hold that thought..." Jubilee adds, increasing her walk to a full speed skedaddle that takes her past Quintin. "We're inside, ya dingus!" she replies to Quintin as she scoots past, lowering the pitch of her voice to sound like the stereotypical voice people use to pretend to be unintelligent..

     It's such a Mean Girl move to zero in on the kid feeling embarrassed about something, locking on with brutal precision, and that /could/ be what it seems Jubilation is doing, but it's not. When she appears next to Kitty and Patty, Jubilation tilts her head towards her own shoulder. Dark Ray Ban sunglasses hide her eyes from view, but there's clearly something unnatural about her. It's hard to place exactly why, but something's off. Is she not breathing?

    Jubilee holds her hand out for Patty to see. A little cloud of multi-colored explosions swirl in her palm before *snap* *crackle* and *popping* into nothingness, leaving behind a faint smell of burned oxygen in their wake. She waggles her eyebrows up and over her sunglasses and grins at Patty. "Mutant, huh?" she repeats, having no business even hearing Patty say it from across the park... but she did. "...C'mon, show us the goods!" She's joking, of course, but her attitude about it is obviously positive.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde slips an arm about Warren's waist as he stands close by her. And the young Jewish woman breaks out in a big smile as Pietro Maximoff comes over. "Nice to see you, Pietro. Only been here a few minutes," she tells him. "This is Patty. We met on the way on," Kitty says, introducing the young woman to the Avenger.

As Patty speaks to her more quietly, Kitty leans her ear over there. "Oh, no worries, don't have to go into the water," Kitty says rather than openly addressing what Patty said. Though Kitty looks over to Patty and there's soft empathy there in her expression. "We can try doing the hula dance later if you're up for it?" Kitty suggests to Patty. "Doug over there is a real twinkle toes, we can drag him and Warren out with us."

Seeing Quentin come back out, Kitty motions towards him to draw Doug's attention. "Still got that super soaker?"

Pietro Maximoff has posed:
Truly, he wasn't trying to ignore Jubilee! Pietro shakes hands, then looks to the taller youth. A slight chuckle and a nod. "Certainly, if you truly want one." He offers over to Jubilee, speaking a bit louder if she has stepped too far away. Turning back to the group he's nearest, his brow goes up at the mention of mutants, and the potential harming of one.

"In present company, Patty, I sincerely believe no one would be foolish enough to attempt to hurt you." A slight smirk at Jubilee's display. "And if they were so inclined, it would be quite the terrible life choice to make for them." He speaks with confidence, no fear of reprisal in his voice. Cocky, most definitely.

"Is there anything I can do to help with the party? I wanted to bring Micola, but she's keeping an eye on the girls... maybe once they are old enough to get out and swim." A slight grin.

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
Having heard about the charity luau from the Happy Harbor High School bulletin boards, Caleb can find some measure of identification. As in, being in a sort of dire need.

But this is not about him, this is about others. And furthermore, it helps to get his mind off his personal problems and get a fresh perspective.

He arrives from one of the changing rooms, wearing shorts and a sleeveless t-shirt; giving a the casual glance around, he grabs a drink and quietly sips it.

Noriko Ashida has posed:
Noriko gets some nasty looks (because this is a charity event, people are obviously holding their tongue longer than they otherwise would) for her little flashy stunt.  "Can't help it," she mutters without any conviction whatsoever.  Noriko knows at some point, Jubilation will /have/ to be distracted by the lightning gauntlet finger that is now approaching the sound of bug genocide by zapping.

"I feel like the line has gotten /longer/," Noriko complains to no one who cares.  This gets someone to brave up and grumble for her to knock it off.  The lightning goes out abruptly with a rapid resurgence from the cuffs of her gauntlets about an inch up her arms.  It's a brief flare, but like a flash bulb, Noriko simmers with narrowed eyes and gritted teeth.

"Where is Jubilation and why don't I have a phone yet?"  Well there are obvious challenges to Noriko operating a phone on a regular basis.  The people surrounding her seem to be satisfied by the pouty young woman ceasing her electrical activity and no one dares to point out the obvious to her.  "She would have sent me a signal by now I would have thought..."  Noriko tries not too think about that too hard, but with all of those brain cycles at her disposal, her mind goes in every direction, finally just accepting the harsh reality that waiting just sucks.  She also wonders to herself why she is waiting in a line to begin with.

All of these thoughts encompass some portion of a second of thought for Noriko.  Her eyes glaze over.  "The things I will do for food," she mumbles as she inhales the scent of roasting pig.  To be stuck in line limbo is a new kind of hell, a new kind of low, lower than her dumpster diving days.  As she keeps a lookout for Jubilation, Noriko's eyes can't help but be increasingly drawn to the plates of people walking past.  Her stomach protests and she whimpers, just barely audible.

Patty Sloan has posed:
"The girl frowns and takes a deep breath. The secret is out to the group present. "I... I have wings. Not like Mr. Worthington's. Mine are like dragonfly wings." She sighs. "Let me get a swimsuit on and I can show if you wanna see em. I have em belted down so no one can see them."

As the topic shifts a little she responds to Warren's question. "I work at a thrift store. Or used to. I work for a non-profit charity that isn't in New York City. I'm kinda jobless here." She blushes bright.

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
Doug looks up from where he's in the water. "I put it out of the way-" He splashes out of the water, and then gives a brisk shake before he crouches down and pulls his super-soaker behind a table. It's a custom job, made to shoot further than an off the rack model. He holds it up. "You want a turn, Pink Terror?" he asks, offering it to Quentin. "I only ask that you spare my face - it's my moneymaker."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde's eyes dart to Jubilee and then to Patty. Quietly to Patty, Kitty says, "If you want to, my friends aren't going to be judgmental. But, there's no pressure either. It's a personal thing, we understand. Only do what you're comfortable doing," she suggests.

A bite is taken of the chicken, Kitty nodding her head in satisfaction at the flavor. "We should exchange numbers though, if you'd be up for it, Patty? We can talk more about things. Maybe help you settle in and all," Kitty says. Maybe she did hear that part of what Patty had to say at the door.

One of the kids gets his autograph from Pietro. He's so excited, he goes to the next person he runs into, who happens to be Caleb. "Are you an Avenger too?" he asks, holding his autograph book.

Quentin Quire has posed:
Passing by the gaggle of mellow futants, Quentin has to be close enough to hear Doug's offer of the custom-made Super Soaker. Since he alters his path just a little bit to put him back over there. "Sure, this party needs to liven up some anyway." he says, taking a gulp of whatever alcoholic drink he has before setting the tall cup down and replacing it with the squirt gun. A few vigorous pumps of the handle later, and everyone in the immediate vicinity gets a blast from the super soaker.

And Doug gets it right in the face, unless he ducks, of course.

Warren Worthington has posed:
Warren Worthington pushes his sunglasses up on his head, "A fellow flyer? Well, it's always good to have someone else in the skies to chat with. The Kryptonians are so boring," he sighs.

"And is that what you want to do? Or do you have further ambitions? Mutant education and development being something of an interest of both mine and Kitty's," he says.

He levels a momentary eye for Pietro. The family man, now, it seems. The way the world changes.

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
Caleb looks at the kid who shows up before him, and he smiles a little. "No, I'm not. But I know some of them. Cap's a pretty swell guy, and I know the Scarlet Witch, too." His smile broadens, "Even the big green, the Hulk."

He looks at the pad, "Autograph hunting, huh?"

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
Doug wipes his face, and gives Quentin a grouchy look. And then he squirts water out of his mouth. "You have no honor, Quentin Quire."

Then he reaches into the back of his trunks, and pulls out a water pistol. That made-up language he uses to encrypt his thoughts certainly fuzzes that he's going to do something, though of course - encrypted - as he tries to fast-draw on the Triple Q.

He did say he'd played a lot of DOOM. Apparently he's also played a lot of Payday.

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    Sometimes, even Jubilee gets that feeling that she's 'a bit much' like people sometimes feel the need to tell her. This might be one of those times. After Patty suggests that she might leave to go get changed and, perhaps, not come back, Jubes takes a step in what she assumes would be the direction of her exit. "I'm just kidding," she explains, lowering her voice and dampening her energy so her overall vibe becomes more 'Jubilation Lee' and less 'Jubilee.' "I'm not, like, making fun of you or anything..." She glances over at Pietro and then Kitty, feeling both sets of eyes on her.

    "...It's just...like... you got nothing to hide, you know?" By now, she's found that stick of gum she tucked in the waistband of her bikini bottom, unwrapped it, and is already on her third chew. By chew number four, Jubilee realizes she's gone too far.

    "Uh, sorry," she adds, lowering her voice even more. "I'm just sayin'.... If you've got dragonfly wings, that's cool as heck and I'd wanna see those sometime. Doesn't need to be here!" Abort, Jubes, abort! Jubilation glances at Kitty, then Pietro, then Kitty, looking for any non-verbal clue that she's redeemed herself, before excusing herself from the awkward moment she helped to create by accident. "...I'm gonna go see how many times I can get leid before people start yelling at me to stop saying that," she explains before heading back towards that wet, concrete staircase. As deflated as she might be, Jubilee can't help herself from lowering herself into a limbo stance, grinning widely as she dances underneath the stream of water from Quentin's SuperSoaker. She can't stay mad at herself for long.

    Just as Jubilee might actually ascend the concrete staircase that /would/ eventually lead her to Noriko, she hesitates and stops on the final step. Her nose wrinkles a little as she catches a certain smell among the thousands in the water park. It's familiar, yet not. "...Oktoberfest..." she mutters to herself as her brain begins making associations between the smell and her memories. And that's when she spots Caleb Dykstra, chatting with a kid a few dozen feet from her.

Patty Sloan has posed:
"I... I would like to stretch them out. Just to see what it feels like. The only time I have ever gotten to do that is when I get cleaned up." Patty is really nervous but its clear she wants to try things and actually wants to take a risk. "Thank you for not pressuring me to do it. It means a lot."

And then there is the comment from Warren. She smiles to him and shrugs. "I don't know really. I never tried to fly. I never was allowed. My wings have always been belted down so no one could see them. Its also why I sometimes say ow and stuff because they move and fight against the restraints" She listens carefully to him and what he and Kitty are about with their business. She smiles. "That would be awesome. I love helping people. I just am in a rough situation. I don't really have a home right now. Or a job in the city. Or transportation... or anything really. A guy in a space ship rescued me from a really bad mistake and just kinda dropped me in the city."

She looks at Jubilee and snickers. "Well I guess there is one solution to the problem at hand." She turns her attention to the swimsuit stand. "I will be right back." She quickly moves over and buys a swimsuit. a few moments later she comes out with her clothing on over her new swimsuit.

Quentin Quire has posed:
A number of faceless nameless NPCs give exclaimations of surprise and shock as Quentin hits them with the super soaker, since they have no say in the matter and wouldn't be able to dodge. Anyone else dodges or takes the hit as they deem necessary.

The lavender terror turns a full circle, three hundred sixty degrees of constant liquid bombardment extending outwards with Quentin in the center. Jubilee gets a grumble of "..cheat.." before he returns to face Doug. "Alls fair in war and war, Dougie." he replies, non-phased at the water pistol aimed in his direction.

"Mine's bigger." he retorts childishly, even if it is a loaner in the first place. Possession is nine tenths of the law!

Noriko Ashida has posed:
This boredom is getting dangerous.  Noriko feels like she's been imprisoned in this line for AGES.  It takes everything in her not to rock in a ball on the ground.  Maybe a mild exaggeration, but COME ON.  Yawn.  Already bored with her own internal drama, Noriko finally concedes to her baser nature and zips forward to the front of the line where she stops stock still upon the frozen tableau of meat serving.  She basks in the moment at higher velocity, letting the meat glisten like a commercial.

"Yoink! Yoink!"  Noriko loads herself up a small mountain of meat and other foods, somewhere, before zipping off to grab a soda for one cargo pocket, and then another for the other.  Last, a third in her 'free' hand as she balances her food stack, racing through the crowd, having left some people mildly confused about some vanishing food.

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
"It's not the size of the gun," Doug says, "It's the aim!" He brings the water pistol up and fires, while juking to the side. Of course, he IS outgunned...

But then again, it's all in fun. He does end up pretty well drenched, though.

Then he drops the pistol, and plays it up. "Ugh, you got me!" He says, as he drops to the ground. "It's gettin' dark, sarge!"

Caleb Dykstra has posed:
At the reply Caleb gives, the kid scoots off, somewhat disappointed. And the young man sighs, "Well, it is what it is...", he says, getting back up...

And that's when his eyes fall upon the staring Vampilee.

Now, this would be a time where he'd say something like 'crap!', but instead... He provides a quiet wave, with a mild smile...

And that's when a water blast from Quentin hits him square in the side of his face! "Hey, what the...!?"

Grabbing two soakers, grinning, he takes aim, and... *SPLASH!!* A good volley of jets aimed at the pink-haired guy!

Quentin Quire has posed:
Quentin's got a number of options here as Doug opens fire. He could juke off to the side on his own. He could deflect the stream of water just enough to miss and maybe hit someone else gathered around. He could telekinetically pinch off the water gun's feed tube, leaving Doug with some particularly embarassing performance issues.

He does none of these things, instead taking the shot stoicly across the chest. And then in the back of the head, blasting his slicked back mohawk over the front of his face, pink hair laying wet against his glasses.

Well, he did say alls fair and all that. Juking around Patty and Kitty, maybe blasting them, maybe blasting around them, he switches targets to Caleb and the crowd gathered there.

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    Maybe Pietro and Kitty's positive influence left a lingering effect on the precocious Jubilee. She has smelled /and/ spotted the person who would end up being Caleb Dykstra -- a /possible/ vampire slayer, though she's not sure about that fact -- and there's plenty of opportunities for her to seize her position of advantage, but... Jubilation does the smarter, more mature thing and instead picks up the pace in her hunt for a certain speedster. By the time Jubilee finishes getting up those stairs and across the bridge that goes over the lazy river, she has accumulated no fewer than five leis around her neck. She gets a sixth by the time she reaches the food court and /finally/ meets up with Noriko Ashida.

    What will they do first? The lazy river? The wave pool? Maybe they'll hit up the waterslide that was named after Angelina from MTV's Jersey Shore as a marketing ploy for the show ('The Staten Island Dump')? What will Jubilee suggest they do, now that she's endured untold hardships to get here?!

    "Nori..." Jubilee begins, looking down at the speedster mutant eating her embarrassing collection of food. "I wanna go home!" Her tone is a little suggestive, perhaps peppered with innuendo and mystery, to hide the truth of the matter. Jubilation is looking to escape a possible vampire slayer and any associated incidents that might come from their interaction.