1806/Making Waves

Making Waves
Date of Scene:	23 May 2020
Location:	Atlantic Ocean Coastline
Synopsis:	Kitty learns more about Maxwell's mutation while sailing
Cast of Characters:	Kitty Pryde, Maxwell Wave

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Kitty Pryde has posed:
It's early on Friday when Maxwell's phone chimes, indicating a text message has arrived. Soon after it chimes again. And then again. When he checks, he'll find it is from the girl that accompanied Henry McCoy to the diner in Bushwick in response to Maxwell's email to the famous mutant scientist.

> Hey Max. It's Kitty. Ever been sailing before?

> Asking for a friend.

> Ok, not really. Asking for me AND a friend. But you'll like him.

Maxwell Wave has posed:
> I've been on the Great Lakes before, but it was a pontoon boat.

> I can always use more friends! When and where?

Kitty Pryde has posed:
The next text has an address of a marina on the New York coast just north of the city, along with a time to meet up.

The day is perfect sailing weather. It's warm, especially with the bright sun and few clouds in the sky, but there is a fairly constant breeze blowing that would provide perfect, low-carbon propulsion for a properly equipped boat!

And as it turns out, that's what can be found at the berth in the marina mentioned in the text. There's a small sailboat, maybe 25 or 30 feet in length, just large enough to have a below deck cabin. It's white with a light blue trim line running its length, and the boat's name is the Easy Endeavor.

Kitty Pryde can be seen already on the docked boat. She's going along checking a lowered sail, unfastening some of the straps that have it secured to the boom. Kitty's wearing a sleeveless tee with the logo and name of the Sailor Pub, which Maxwell might have spotted in Bushwick. She's also wearing light blue and brown bikini bottoms, and a pair of sandals as she moves about the deck. Her hair is pulled back in a pony tail, and she's got sunglasses on as she works making sure the sailboat is ready to go.

Maxwell Wave has posed:
Max traveled through a combination of public transit and self-locomotion. For the latter half, he'd traveled in his motorcycle suit and helmet sans a motorcycle. A little rough top jumping and some high-speed floating through the sky, and he'd arrived at the marina just in time and without too much cash out of his pocket. One of these days, he'd need to invest in an actual vehicle.

As he walks up to the berth, he unzips the motorcycle suit revealing bare torso. Stepping further out onto the dock, he peels it down and steps out of it to reveal a pair of swimming trunks. Rummaging in a bag, he produces a Fred's Diner t-shirt and tugs it overhead. His boots are packed away in his bag and replaced with sandals.

The next time Kitty emerges into view from her maritime labours, he waves and calls out, "Permission to come aboard?"

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde comes back up on deck after having gone below to go through some of the things on her checklist down there. Spare sails and the like. The girl comes back up, brown pony tail swaying behind her as she hears Maxwell calling to her from the dock. "Permission granted!" she says with a grin.

Kitty waves him onboard as she walks the short distance over to meet him. "Glad you could make it," she says. "This is a friend's boat, asked if I could take it out for the day since she was busy and not going to be using it," she says, resting her hands on her hips and turning to look over the sleek little vessel.

Kitty looks back to Maxwell. "So you can swim and everything, right? Just want to make sure before we leave," she says. "You know, might push you in at some point," she says with a smile that is only lightly laced with mischief.

Maxwell Wave has posed:
Max returns the grin and clambers onto the sailing boat without much trepidation. "Well thanks for inviting me! I would a little shocked to see the invitation, you know, in a good way."

He gazes out across the boat as he smoothes out his t-shirt. He then raises his bag, "What's the best place to stow this? I've never done this before, but I get the feeling that cluttering up the deck is a bad idea."

"Oh yea, I can swim just fine. More than fine really, if I cheat. I really love bodies of water, the currents are really fascinating. An intricate dance of warm and cold water, swirling to create motion. I guess the wind does the same thing, but water.. does it with such force!"

He squints at her, his glowing eyes narrowing into illuminated slits. The quality of the light matches the sky at the moment. "Push me in, huh? Not inviting me out into open water to 'do away with me are you'? You aren't Doctor McCoy's teacher pet are you? Worried about a little competition?" The accusation is made all in good fun.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde motions towards the entrance towards the cabin below. It's just a few steps down. "Can go ahead and set it somewhere down there," she says. "And while you're there- oh there he is," Kitty adds, the last part said as a cat trots up the steps and onto deck. "That's Lockheed. Can get to know him better once we get out of the marina here," she says. "I'll get us going while you get settled."

Kitty moves over to unfasten the lines and then starts up the small motor used for maneuvering in moments like this. The boat glides ahead smoothly out into a channel between the piers and heading for the ocean.

"Teacher's pet? I suppose a little bit. I was the youngest student at one point, and he and some of the others really looked out for me," Kitty admits with a smile.

Lockheed gives Maxwell a little bit of a wide berth for now, trotting forward to look out over the water as the sailboat makes its way towards an area they can put the sails up.

Maxwell Wave has posed:
Max offers her a salute and an 'Aye Aye, Captain' before he follows her directions. On the way to the entrance, he glances over toward the cat. "Wait, that's the friend? Okay, Kitty. Now I'm just confused, but I'm sure 'all will be revealed in time.'" He says the last phrase with a degree of mock mystery as he shakes his head before descending to stow away his things.

He doesn't stay downstairs for long, he hops his way back upstairs to catch the view, illuminated gaze scanning the other vessels in the marina. He shakes his head. "Life is taking a very interesting turn for me. I feel like I'm on a good luck streak. I got a meeting with you and Henry. I presented a build plan to a board of directors, who I'm sure are all billionaires. Now I'm on a sailing boat! Two weeks ago, I felt lucky if I cooked myself a good meal."

He steps over closer to Kitty and observes her steering the boat. He hums to himself as he gazes upwards and out. "Should be a good day for sailing. Wind looks steady."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
The girl's lips draw back in a smile as if pleased to hear things are looking up for Maxwell. "Yep, that's my little buddy," she says, head turning just a bit as she seems to look towards the cat though the sunglasses make it tough to tell exactly where she's looking.

"Yes, a perfect day for sailing. And even if the wind dies, useful to have someone who can stir up some forces to propel us back to shore, right?" Kitty tells him. "Not that that's why I invited you, should you think it. Just a neat bit of synergy there, I figure."

Kitty motions towards the sail that still has a couple of ties holding it in place on the boom. "Feel like untying those and then using the crank over there to raise the sail?" she asks as they emerge into more open water. "And we'll get ourselves underway with the wind and waves only, as God intended," she says with a warm grin.

Maxwell Wave has posed:
Maxwell gazes back toward the cat and hums, "Seems like a mellow guy, really knows his way around."

He offers a grin and places his hands on his hips in his best superhero pose. "The thought had crossed my mind! I do make a pretty good sailing buddy... but then again, you've got an engine. I suspect the joy of this is working with nature, not using 'cheats' like me."

He chuckles a bit and waves his hand, "I'm on stand-by just in case."

He laughs at the 'God intended' line and walks over to the boom as instructed. He fiddles his way through untying the tie and then starts cranking away.

"You know, the mechanics of sailing really fascinate me. I can only imagine the trial and error it took to figure out some of our more modern sailing systems. Its neat to think I'm standing on a piece of equipment which has literally evolved over a few thousand years." He makes idle chit-chat as his arm works diligently to raise the sail.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
The girl at the wheel gives a smile at what Maxwell says. "Yes, probably took so long to come up with some advancements. Things that seem like common sense when we're used to them. I mean little things like the keel. Makes perfect sense it would help keep the boat going straight. Yet how long did it probably take for someone to think of doing that the first time?" she comments.

The sails move up the mast as Maxwell turns the crank. It's not hard work, but it takes a lot of turns of it to get them fully raised. When they are, they flap once and then suddenly snap into place, bowing out as they catch the wind. The boat which was just puttering along on the motor makes a little leap as if it's anxious to feel itself cutting through the waves.

Soon the bow is slicing through those azure waters, throwing back little bits of spray to either side as it cuts its way through the waves. They are moving out away from shore and the other boats quickly enough. "Nice job," Kitty says with a smile.

Lockheed trots towards the back of the boat, the cat seeming comfortable though surrounded by so much water. He trots past Maxwell and over to Kitty, who bends down and picks him up, setting him on her shoulder where he seems to easily perch on her. "So, time to meet Lockheed," she tells Maxwell. "As you said, all will be revealed in time." Kitty reaches up and touches a stud on his collar. The image of the cat fades away, a hologram that was covering Lockheed's true appearance. A little purple, horned, winged dragon. His eyes are solid yellow. He perches there on Kitty's shoulder and gives her cheek a little rub of his head before turning to look towards Maxwell. "He's friendly," she says.

Maxwell Wave has posed:
Maxwell seems pleased the Kitty continues the conversation. Sometimes when he makes small-talk, he just gets a blank look and a 'yup'. "We take a lot for granted I think. Unrelated, bread really puts me through loops just thinking about it. There's so many steps to making bread! It's crazy were figured it out, but then you look at the series of discoveries that computers are build on.. and well, we really all do stand on the shoulders of giants."

He chuckles and shakes his head at the 'Nice Job', "Thanks, does this mean I can be captain now?"

He looks a bit surprised when the cat perches on Kitty. He'd never seen a feline accomplish that feat. His eyes widen, the intensity of their light growing as he offers honest surprise at the sudden change in appearance. He blinks, gaping. He points, "Wait, is that? A Dragon? Is he your familiar or something?" Leave it to a nerd to go right to D&D. "Wow.. He's beautiful. I'm guessing you don't pick someone up like him at the pet store. Must be a story there."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde's lips pull back in a warm smile that gives a flash of pearly white teeth. "I don't know about captain, but First Mate most certainly. Promise to not even call you Gilligan," she tells him, before adding belatedly and with a grin, "Much."

Kitty turns the sailboat just a bit, letting it catch more of the wind and pick up more speed. Unlike a power boat, instead of the wind in their face from moving, it blows from behind, stirring Kitty's hair about her. "Yes, it took an awful lot for computers to get to where they are. And the advances we keep coming up with would... well, those early pioneers probably couldn't hardly follow how things went from ENIAC to here," she says. "Do you delve into computers much or mainly just operate them?" she asks.

Kitty uses a strap to secure the wheel and then walks over to the taller Maxwell so he can see Lockheed more easily. "Yes, one dragon," she confirms. "Not a familiar. Just a friend. A very good friend, the best a girl could ever ask for," she says, reaching and stroking his head right where one of the horns emerges. The little dragon leans into the scritching. "And, quite a story indeed, though I hope you'll forgive me if it waits for another day," she says. "But I thought maybe you might enjoy getting to meet him."

Maxwell Wave has posed:
"Aye aye, skipper." Maxwell adds dryly then nods along regarding the comments about ENIAC to present day. "I do not. I mean.. I understand the physics that makes them tick, but I've never really 'groked' electronics very well." He was at least acquainted enough to use some of the relevant slang.

"So yes, just enough to use them for MatLab or a physics simulator. A hacker, I am not. Just more savvy then the Boomer generation, y'know?"

He watches carefully as Kitty approaches, his glowing eyes settled intently upon Lockheed. He offers a smile and extends a finger very slowly and carefully to try and pet him. Well, he doesn't outward touch him. More, gives Lockheed the opportunity to check out the finger and nuzzle it if he was so inclined. He had no idea what to expect from the creature. No frame of reference. "Hi Lockheed, very nice to meet you. I'm Max."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
The slender brunette stands easily enough on the lightly shifting deck of the sailboat as it has a slow little roll to it as it cuts across the waves. Lockheed leans out towards the offered finger and then rubs his head against it. "Nice to see such polite manners," Kitty tells him. "A lot of people think of Lockheed as a pet, but like I said, he's a friend. Big difference in the two," she comments.

A soft warm chuckle is given at Maxwell's answers about the computers. "And here I thought you were going to say those words that make a girl's heart skip a few beats that you were a hacker extraordinaire," she says. The words by themselves might be taken as sarcasm about computer geeks, but there's something in Kitty's tone and that little smile that curls up the corners of her lips that might make one consider whether she might have said it with some truth to the words.

Kitty glances about, having already made sure there weren't other boats around before turning off Lockheed's image inducer, but just confirming again. "So, I've got some drinks in a cooler down below. And we got beautiful sun. Figured maybe catch a few rays while we're out here," she says. "Want to take the wheel while I go grab them?"

Maxwell Wave has posed:
Maxwell seems delighted that Lockheed nuzzles his fingers but takes no liberties with him, especially after Kitty reinforces the fact that he is a friend. "Well having never met a dragon before, I assumed I should just not make assumptions. After all, I'm sure he's fierce in his own way, and I'd hate to make a bad impression with your friend."

He offers Kitty a sheepish shrug, "Nope. I love video games like the next person, but not aim-bots or gibson cracks for this engineer. Now if you want someone to build a ballista in your front yard or a pumpkin cannon. I'm your guy. I'm a total maker."

He steps over to the wheel and very deftly keeps it straight. "Sounds like paradise. I promise I will not attempt any donuts or pop-wheelies while you are down below. Though I may attempt to board a few merchantmen. You know, to pay the rent."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty grins over to Lockheed and says, "Appreciate that. And yes, he's quite fierce actually. He does breathe fire if you were wondering." The little dragon's intelligence might be inferred given the fact he chooses that moment to turn his head and let out a little puff of smoke, forming a smoke ring which drifts forward on the wind towards the bow of the boat before dissipating. Clearly he understands English then.

Kitty moves her sunglasses up to her head as she heads below deck. She pauses on the steps though to say, "Pumpkin canon? Aw Max, back to that heart skipping a beat thing." She gives him a wink and then disappears below deck.

It doesn't take her very long to bring the cooler up on deck, setting it down and opening it up. "I have a few beers, some wine coolers - don't laugh, I like them on a warm day! - and some water and juice," she tells him. "What's your poison?"

Kitty also brought up a couple of beach towels. She spreads two of them out on the smooth wood of the deck above the cabin where the sun is making it past the sails.

Maxwell Wave has posed:
"My instincts save me from the wrath of your fierce companion then." He gazes toward Lockheed, "Very cool smoke ring. I bet your firebreath is amazing. Maybe I'll be so lucky as to see it, but not experience first hand.

"What can I say, chicks dig pumpkin cannons." He rolls his eyes and plays guardian of the wheel while she disappears below the deck. He hums a little bit to himself, his messy brown hair catching some of the wind. He sighs contently enjoying the wide open ocean and how the waves and breeze cancel out all audible clues of the shore.

When she offers him a drink, he rolls his tongue around in his mouth. "Would I lose my man card if I opted for one of your wine coolers? Because I have to admit, I've never understood the draw of beer on a hot day. Cold day? Sure, give me an ale, but if I'm out in the sun, I'll gladly take something fruity."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde gives a little shake of her head at the question. "Nope, but you'd gain points for having what you want," she says as she pulls out two of the wine coolers and passes one over to Maxwell. "They taste good, and I agree they hit the spot better than beer does. I mainly just drink in pubs. Or, did. Over here, can't even do that. Which is just frustrating now in ways I wouldn't have thought would get to me," she says with a sigh.

Once Maxwell has his drink, Kitty gives Lockheed a little signal and his wings flap as he takes off and goes for a flight around the boat, up in the air around the sail and then winging out over the water. Maybe he's looking for fish like birds do.

Kitty slips off her sandals and then pulls off the t-shirt, showing a matching top to her bikini. She moves over to lay down on one of the soft towels she's spread out and then grabs some tanning lotion.

"So have you made many friends in Bushwick? I know how on edge things have been there. I came back just a little before Genosha," she says quietly. "And it got really bad around there for awhile."

Maxwell Wave has posed:
"Oh, I guess you were studying overseas then? That's cool. I'd offer to sneak you beers, but looks like you've already got a good supplier." He grins a little and accepts the drink. He keeps his hand on the wheel though, not relieved of that duty yet. He takes a sip from his fruity drink and obviously takes note of Kitty as she slips out the t-shirt and gets lays out to sun bathe.

"I've made a few acquaintances. I think there's one that is becoming a friend. We bump into each other sometimes and have been working on our powers together. Also a science geek, so you know.. common languages go another way. I also met this woman with fox ears and a tail... Former police officer. We stopped some gang bangers from making a mess of a gas station a week or so ago. I get the feeling she's has quite a few years on me though. I'm probably just an adorable kid to her."

He watches Lockheed fly off to do dragon things and can't help but find it incredibly cool. He refrains from any Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings comments, but he certainly thinks them. "Yea, it's not great, especially in the aftermath of that giant trash robotic, or whatever it was. Add Genosha and Stryker, its kind of a powder keg. I think I may need to apply to live somewhere else in New York. I think I've got my case worker convinced that I'm a good boy and not a danger to society."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty opens up the suntan lotion and begins applying it to her legs. Her lips press into a bit of a thin line as she says, "Yeah, I wasn't around there when the Wild Sentinel came." From her tone Kitty sounds a little upset she missed it. Also that tone makes it sound like maybe the robot should be glad she wasn't, at least from her standpoint.

Though the harder expression passes soon enough, Kitty putting those thoughts aside. "Good to have someone to train and practice with," she agrees. "How's that going?"

Kitty takes her wine cooler and opens it, taking a sip before continuing putting on the lotion. "And yes, I was over in the UK. I finished up high school a little ahead of schedule. Started taking advanced classes and then figured... maybe go for the whole college experience, so I went over there for school," she tells him.

The girl gives Maxwell a pretty smile. "And a girl can always use another friend willing to pick her up a few drinks now and then. I might take you up on that sometime if you don't mind," she says. "Want to lay out or you want to man the wheel for awhile. Can lock it in place there if not," she says.

Maxwell Wave has posed:
Max frowns as he considers the term 'Wild Sentinel', It always seemed like a strange term.. how can a robot be wild? He shakes his head and decides to dwell on more pleasant things. He resumes being an attentive listening, nodding at Kitty's confirmation about going to school in the UK. "Oh, that's cool. California felt like another country to me, but I didn't make it over an ocean. What did you study, if you don't mind me asking?"

He fiddles with the wheel until he figures out how to lock it into place. He nods in victory then strolls over to the beach towel. He sets his wine cooler down and tugs his short over his head revealing a fit physique. He's not 'Super Hero' in proportions, but he holds his own among most. He lays out on the empty towel and clinks winer coolers with Kitty. "Be glad to help out. Our drinking laws.. really don't make sense, and they don't seem to stop anyone."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty clinks her wine cooler against Max's and takes a sip of the sweet beverage. "California is another country too," she agrees with a soft grin, "But Britain's accents are more noticeable."

The girl reclines on the towel. She's already gotten some sun given she has a light tan already. She glances over as Maxwell removes his shift, her eyes brushing over his physique briefly while she doesn't think he's looking.

Kitty hesitates just a moment before replying, "I got duel degrees. Computer Engineering and English Literature," she tells him. Not just programming then but computer design as well.

"It was a really kind of magical place. So much of the town is the college. The pubs. Wow. They really blow me away. It's not like going into a bar here where people are... well, focused on their job or sports or politics. I mean there... you can find yourself in a discussion about botany, while at the next table they are talking philosophy and people are discussing engineering or literature at the bar. It's just so... intellectually... stimulating," Kitty says, breaking out in a warm smile at the memory.

Maxwell Wave has posed:
Max gazes up at the sails and the sky then chuckles in agreement with Kitty. "I think I appreciate the British accent more as well."

He nods as if confirming something and huffs out a little laugh. "Guess my instinct about your Einstein shirt was right. There is nothing easy about Computer Engineering, wow.. a major in the total other side of the spectrum. That's a very rounded education."

He raises his cooler in appreciation and listens to her describe the magical nature of the British Isles. He sighs in envy shaking his head. "Alright, now I'm truly jealous. When I go to a bar, all I hear is.. GO GIANTS!" He grunts in irritation, "I don't -hate- sports, but like.. I don't want to live them like so many other people do."

He rolls onto his side and eyes her tanning oil. "Mind if I borrow some of that? I suppose I might as well do this right, if I'm going to do it."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty smiles and says, "I guess I am pretty well rounded." It takes her a moment to think of other meanings for that and she raises a finger in caution. "Don't even think of turning that into a fat joke," she warns, though in a tone that has good natured notes to it. Nor would she probably worry about such comments. She's quite slender and toned, with the only rounded parts the sort that girls are usually grateful for having.

Come to think of it, some guys are fond of those parts too.

Kitty sits up, nodding and passing the tanning lotion over. "Here you go," she says. "I'm actually kind of... well, I'm a philomath really. I just sort of want to learn everything that's out there. But not just academia. I do enjoy sports. Cubs fan. Bears. Blackhawks and Bulls of course," says the girl who previously mentioned she was from Illinois. "Wanted to be a dancer when I was younger and was studying towards that, before my life... mutation... took me down a different path. Though I still do love it, just not sure it would satisfy me now, you know?"

Maxwell Wave has posed:
Maxwell just raises an eyebrow at her. "You don't really strike me as someone who'd make a good target for a fat joke, Kitty. Not at all."

He sets down his drink and accepts the tanning oil. He dabs some out into his hand and proceeds to oil up his arms as he listens to her describe her addiction to learning. He grins, "I can't say I want to learn everything, but I do.. want to understand how the world works. I recognize its probably a goal that cannot be obtained in a single lifetime, but I really want to understand the underpinnings of reality. I want to look past what we can perceive with the naked eye. I want to go beyond what our brains can even fathom about the intricacies behind the fabric of time and space."

He starts applying some oil to his chest, "I think mutation closes some doors and opens up others. You asked me about my practice, and I never really answered. I'm.. uh.. I'm doing well. I've been doing some.. well.. I'm doing some vigilante work. I can navigate in a city pretty well. I've been using ball bearings as a conduit for my powers. It's... well its working. I've been able to disable people without seriously hurting them. I've even put some guns out of commission. No major injuries on either side." He does his best Mortal Kombat impression. "Flawless victory."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty stays sitting up, the warm sun and the summer-like temperatures bringing out little beads of perspiration on the young woman's lightly tanned skin. She smiles as if she understands how Maxwell feels when he speaks about wanting to learn how the world works, and the young woman nods her head in agreement.

"Well, if you get a chance to study with Hank, he's a great one to learn from," Kitty says. "And I think he took a liking to you. Not sure if there are openings or not though, but either way he'll try to help you find a good spot," Kitty says.

She turns over, moving to lie on her stomach. The sailboat continues to glide forward, the sail set at an angle to keep them moving but not worrying about their speed. Just gliding through the waves, the salty tang of the ocean breeze blowing past them, and overhead a few gulls caw, but they flap away as Lockheed makes a pass over the boat then dives back, skimming low over the water in search of fish.

Kitty glances over to Maxwell and motions towards where he's applying the tanning lotion. "When you're done with that, mind doing my back?"

Maxwell Wave has posed:
Max finishes oiling up his torso and dreams of having a killer tan, though the reality, its going to take a few trips. He wipes his hands off on his legs and takes another sip from his wine cooler. His smile widens as she mentions that Hank may have taken a liking to him. "Well, as I said before, I'll be thankful for anything that'll help me in the pursuit of knowledge."

He closes his eyes and takes a moment to enjoy the feel of the sea spray and the wind. Another moment to hear the way the canvas of the sail catches the wind. The way the seagulls cry in terror from the assault of dragonkind.

When he opens his eyes at Kitty's request, he's just realized she'd turned over. Of course, he agrees. This whole scenario is playing out like a wild dream. He's sun-bathing with a pretty girl on a boat and being told that a genius scientist think he has potential. He really hopes he doesn't wake up from this one.

He raises up on his knees off to her side and dabs oil onto her back. He then goes to the task of spreading it over her skin.

"Thanks again for the invite, Kitty. This is bliss."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty reaches back to untie the strings of the bikini top, getting them out of the way as Max begins to spread the tanning oil across her back. "Thank you, that feels nice," she tells him. "I'm glad you were free. I knew it was a surprise and spur of the moment. Nice that you were able to make it," she tells him.

"As much as I enjoyed Oxford," Kitty says, "and I really did enjoy it a lot... I missed home. I missed my friends. Who are like a second family to me. And I was kind of thinking about that, after Hank and I left the diner. Just, that I had friends like Hank who understood what it was to be a mutant. To help me along through it. I was 13 when life took a turn for the worst, and I was lucky to have someone there to ease me through it," Kitty says.

She turns her head towards Max and smiles a soft smile up at him. "And... well, shoot, couldn't be there for you when you were first going through it. But I thought, I can be now."

Her eyes sparkle a bit in the sunlight as she looks at him. "Plus, my friend says I need a hunk to show off if I'm going to sailing like this. I guess it's expected," she says with a grin.

Maxwell Wave has posed:
Maxwell remains on good behaviour but doesn't mean he's not enjoying himself. He frowns a little when she talks about friends and family. The little sting of pain that comes from being displaced gnaws at his chest. He takes a deep sigh as he listens to her story, but then she applies a warm balm to the pain with the offer of friendship. He lets out a deep breath, "Yeouch. You are going tear me up with talk like that... but I really appreciate it. It's good to have people who understand."

One wonders what crying might even look like for a man with glowing orbs for eyes. She manages to cut through the emotion with her last comment. "Hunk, huh? I don't think anyone has ever accused me of that, Kitty. I was the kid that people threw spit wads at in glass. Well, at least until they started mysteriously flying back at them. But hey! I'll take the compliment. Especially from a beautiful girl with a boat.. who has a -dragon- for a friend."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
"More like a girl with a friend who has a boat. But right on the dragon," Kitty says. She lets her eyes drift down Max's torso and she says, "Maybe when you were younger. Maybe it's the vigilanteing - is that a word? - but you seem pretty fit to me," Kitty says as she looks back up at him.

She rolls just a little bit as if to face him better, but then thinks better of it as she'd undone the strings of her top. She stays in contact with the beach towel spread over the boat's deck though does shift a bit to look up at Max better. "And you do have the most intriguing eyes. I have seen mutants with... well, all sorts of eyes. One who has eyes a lot like Lockheed's even to the color. But actually glowing all the time?"

Kitty reaches up a hand towards Max's face but stops her fingers partway there. "May I?" she asks him.

Maxwell Wave has posed:
He offers a shrug at the correction then looks down at himself. The hard reality of being bullied is that the trauma has a way of sticking. It's possible that Max just doesn't see himself for the way he is. He is very fit. Obvious pectorals, the hint of a six-pack. Definition along his hips. Strong arms. He's not body-builder cut like some of the champions of NYC and Gotham, but he's not someone that others would pick out as physically weak. He bobs his head side to side. "I guess I get your point."

He leans forward a little bit, so she can glimpse his eyes better. The hue has a habit of shifting. What was once a sky blue is transferring over to a sea green. Max can see it reflected off Kitty's oiled skin. He nods to her. "Feel free.. I haven't found out the significance of them glowing, but I guess it has something to do with my ability to perceive certain things. Like maybe I'm emitting some kind of particle and this is the side-effect. It just started one day and never stopped."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty smiles as Max leans down towards her a bit more. "Such a lovely color. Blues and purples and greens are my favorite," she tells him. "And not quite the same color as when you got to the boat, either," she comments with interest.

The girl reaches up, her fingers brushing softly along beside one of Maxwell's eyes. The fingertip caresses slowly and then moves from his face as Kitty holds her hand in front of his eyes, viewing the color upon her hand. "I don't feel anything, though admittedly with the sun out here if it was warm I probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference," she says to Maxwell.

Those fingers go back to his face, brushing beside his eyes as the girl's looking into them, studying their glow. "So what is it you perceive?" she asks. "What do you see when you look at me? Is it different than other people see?"

Maxwell Wave has posed:
Maxwell seems near to blushing. The grin can't really escape the corners of his mouth. He nods to her. "I still haven't quite figured out why they change colours. People have joked that it must be like some kind of mood stone. Though I haven't noticed a strong association in the colors, it's not like I glow red when I'm angry."

He laughs softly. "No heat, just a colour show. Wearing goggles to hide the color doesn't seem to impede my senses either."

He tilts his head for a moment and looks off to the side, mostly so he can focus on the conversation and not the oiled figure asking the questions, at least for the moment. "I see.. the mass in you.. and that's not a fat joke. Have you ever looked at a dessert and tasted it? Smelled it even though you probably not close enough to actually smell? Or look at a picture of the ocean and hear the waves? It's kind of like that. It's another sense.. and it gives me something like a kinesthesia for forces. I can feel the draw of gravity on your body. The interaction between your hair and the wind. Even the tiny drops of perspiration and oil as they run along your skin. And, like the way with enough practice, you can gauge distance and translate your perception to a measurement. I can do the same thing with this sense. And I will tell you, fifty-two point one kilograms is a very nice number. Though I won't share the number, promise." It's pretty much her exact weight.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty listens with an interested expression as Maxwell explains more about his mutation. The girl who already stated she loves learning just soaks up what he tells her.

But it's more than just the love of hearing about it. What Maxwell tells her, imagining being able to sense the world like that just adds to the smile on Kitty's face. "The world that you perceive seems so beautiful," she tells him. "More... vivid. Alive. Tactile?" she says, searching for the words of what might be like for him.

She lets out a soft laugh as he mentions her hair and the wind. She undoes her pony tail to let it out, the constant breeze sending it cascading over one shoulder. "I think you have a beautiful gift, Maxwell. The more for choosing to help people with it," she tells him. She finds his hand and gives it a squeeze before relaxing back down onto the towel and enjoying the sun and sailing over the sea.