3811/Prelude to a Circus

Prelude to a Circus
Date of Scene:	14 October 2020
Location:	Bushwick <Mutant Town>
Synopsis:	It's off to the circus we go!
Cast of Characters:	Remy LeBeau, Kitty Pryde, Illyana Rasputina, Alanis Bezanero, Raven Darkholme, Noriko Ashida

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Remy LeBeau has posed:
Bushwick 4:00 pm

Poster and flyers being handed out and stapled to anything that moves, handed to anyone out there.

Work to be had, bright futures.

The only circus brought by our pride kind for the others.

Sign up bonus.

Free room

Free food

Big Time Circus.

A phone number.

QR code for instagram

Email address.

    Four men in dark black suits are handing them out with a gusto. The first is a man with wings handsome, blond hair braided to his middle black, with bright green eyes that shine with joy; his hand is curved like a bird claws, but his fingers seem to work okay.

The second is a shorter man that is burping continuously. With each burp, the smell of the circus comes out candy, cotton candy, fried dough. He is a walking circus smell.

The third is a man that seems not to be there, shimmering in and out of reality, the more you look at him.

The final is a man in a long tails with a large red and black ringmaster hat, he is shaking hands as he moves through the street, there is a booth behind him to sign up for work.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde already is gainfully employed on a pair of IT projects, plus helping at Xavier's School as a guidance counselor. Thankfully with it being a modest number of students that's enough to cover things fairly well.

So she probably isn't here looking for employment. But having seen the flyers, she finds herself curious enough to go and check it out. Anything involving mutant affairs is of course an issue of interest. And if there might be opportunities here that she could point others to? Always a plus.

So it is that Kitty shows up, wearing a pair of jeans and a navy long-sleeved blouse. Her hair is tied back in a ponytail, and she's got a leather bookbag over one shoulder. She makes her way down the street, spying the booth up ahead, and the men out front who are advertising. Kitty slows her pace, giving herself plenty of time to see what's going on before she draws anywhere near to them.

Illyana Rasputina has posed:
It's cold enough outside to warrant a good coat or a heavy sweater, the sort to wrap a person up. Leaves on the trees changing and the faint smell of acrid smoke in the air, along with the occasional rattle of radiators and old heaters in equally old buildings, more or less mark the changing of the seasons. Illyana doesn't exactly mark the autumn as chilly, but she wears a comfortable black sweater to go with her perpetual boots and tight jeans. It's the uniform of many and she hardly stands out, roaming the streets of a place restored to its proper location instead of hiding in a bottle. The charm bracelet on her wrist has exactly such a thing: a bottle, a dagger, a ship, a moon. It rattles as she tucks her hair behind her ear; useless, really, especially when it just fails straight back.

She holds a flyer acquired from best not to ask; the girl's apparent youth and those incredibly frosty pale eyes might just summarise a need to work somewhere tolerant. Not because she looks like a mutant. More because the first entitled sod to wander up to her at Coffee of Doom or Starkbucks would end up fleeing, screaming in a gibbering blather of the void staring back. Well, there she is, possibly considering the person there, not there, playing on the periphery of vision from her stroll down the sidewalk.

Alanis Bezanero has posed:
    "...the last refuge for the downtrodden, performing arts and circuses have always been a safe haven for people outcast by society, whether mutant or not. But times have changed and we must demand that same respect that everyone else gets, we can't be side lines, and freak shows any more. That is a power we give to them to call us 'other' to call us 'them', we must take back that leash we loaned them," Alanis is saying exuberantly to man with wings.

    The young latino woman has her camera phone out and it is recording. She's talking loudly as she usually is and is wearing a t-shirt that has @MRHR on the back and 'Mutant Rights are Human Rights' on the front. Obligatory jeans complete the ensemble. She does look a bit cold.

    "Yes I want the damn flyer," she says and snatches the offered flyer from his hands. "But consider that you are perpetuating a stereotype and even though things are tough and this is a way to make ends meet, you aren't doing mutant kind any favours by reinforcing these outdated stereotypes."

    If she's a mutant it sure isn't obviously, not like for the four handing out the flyers. There's no such thing as a simple 'thank you' from Alanis, there's always an angle she's not ready to accept. "You should all stop and think for a moment about the harm this will cause. But also good luck and have a good show."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique always keeps an eye on mutant town. She keeps an eye on all mutant affairs, provided she has enough eyes to go around. Sometimes she has to make a couple of extra ones. Today, she's here in the flesh, albeit not recognizably so. She's an older woman today, stout of build and with an Eastern european air, a scarf wrapped around grey hair with thick curls and a nose bearing no small resemblance to a russet potato. She wears an unseasonably heavy coat and a walking stick.

She approaches the ringmaster and makes a loud phlegmy sound in her throat and then says, in a heavy Slavic accent. "What is this? What goes on here? Is mutant circus?" she asks, peering with beady eyes at the sign. "I saw circus once, in Bratislava. There were rats, fat rats, like sheep. Sheep with long tails." she says. She looks over at Alanis and pokes her walking stick at the man, "See? Nosy girl is right!"

Remy LeBeau has posed:
Four Arms: Looks at the speaking Alanis with a look at her button, and then at her camera."Fuck off." The voice is cod, as he is handing out flyers, now moving past her ignoring her as if she is nothing more than dirt on the bottom of his shoe."My life, my choice, right?"

Ringmaster: Looks at the older woman with a soft chuckle. His hand is reaching out to produce a cigarette as he holds it in front of his face, breathing out fire in a straight line.

As the cigarette is light; it is placed between his mouth."Freedom is a gift not granted to our kind often. Once you are found out, there is little to keep you legally hired on; I offer a place to see the world. To enjoy yourself, to use your powers without that silly handicap of the world. People are free to come and go as they please. We don't force you to stay. We lost 8 members in France last week. Now, we are willing to fill the hole. They found a home, a place that spoke to their souls." The voice is a rumble of power, his eyes deep red after using his power, but that fades just as quickly.

Noriko Ashida has posed:
Mutant town is one place that used to be an old haunt.  People understood when some dirty teen vagabond tells them to fuck off and is crackling electricity.  She'd heard about this circus, but nothing all that extraordinary beyond the call for work.

"Where do we go for work?"  Noriko asks no one in particular and then spots the Ringmaster's red hat.  "Eh, looks busy."  She waits in the loosely gathered group, not sure where the line ends or begins or if there is a line.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde doesn't seem inclined to go over at the moment. Instead she's content to watch from just far enough she can hear the conversation. She pulls out her phone for something to do, though spots Illyana soon enough. A small smile crosses Kitty's face and she crosses over to where Illyana is.

"Hey. Just on my way out of the office and back home. Saw some flyers and wanted to check this circus thing out," she comments. "What are you up to?" Kitty glances at the flyer in Illyana's hand as well. "Same I'm guessing? Unless you're going to finally fulfill that secret yearning you've always had to be a trapeze artist?"

Illyana Rasputina has posed:
"Lost. Sounds like they are dead, da?" The Russian scratch carved out from Illyana's brusque way of speaking might blend well with Mystique's, but the nuances differ by the span of around seven timezones, give or take. That blighted span of concrete ahead of her fixed with a sharp stare, she keeps back of anyone pointing cameras or phones around. Just a habit enforced by the regular act of watchful behaviour common to any resident of a city. Not that the prospect of violence is vibrating around her or anything, but she is keenly aware of what happens. She slides the flyer into her pocket and saunters in a little further to the circle of circus merriment. "Handicaps. What do you pay, then?"

That might be the most direct she gets on the terms and conditions of employment, but probably someone's bound to ask. Kitty can slip through a crowd like no one else, but when the brunette pops up, it's not like the blonde Russian is too surprised. "Maybe they will perform soon. Maybe the price is too good for a strongman to resist, nyei?"

Alanis Bezanero has posed:
    "Fuck off? Fuck Off!? Dude you have no idea what that even means any more. Wait until you have a freakin' park appear in five of your videos, go there and almost get blown up by over pressurized water mains. There's no life or choice any more, everything is interconnected."

    She _was_ going to leave, but he just had to push her buttons. "Do you think it's pure chance you've ended up working a spectacle while non-mutants with powers live in fancy towers in the middle of America's biggest city. They get bill boards and posters and slogans and interviews on the Late Show. Meanwhile, you've got actual fucking wings and you're hustling on a street corner."


"There's no justice in the world and the game was rigged from your birth to your death. They will never let you rise above the station they've set for you - you must force the issue. Hiding away under a colorful canvas isn't fighting the good fight, it's running away and hiding."

    She lifts her chin a little bit more hautily, "This ain't your choice and it ain't your life. This is the life chosen for you by the establishment. Fight the fucking normies and have some damn self respect."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique seems to peer a little more closely at Alanis after her rant. It had taken her off guard, a rare thing for her, but the passion in the girl's voice certainly intrigues her. Might be worth keeping an eye upon.

"Bozhe moi, there is always catch. You are right, though. Freedom is rarely given - it is almost always taken. I have nothing against circus people. My own beautiful son, the spitting image of his father," she says, then spits on the ground, "Damn him to hell. But my boy, my boy once worked in the circus before he fell in with a bad crowd."

Remy LeBeau has posed:
Four Arms watches her for a moment, as he speaks now his voice sounds like a mouth full of broken glass. As he smiles slowly, his teeth are mostly gone from what appears to be an attack, as he moves forward now."My own father beat me with a hammer the day I got my wings. Ya wanna talk about this, ya really do." With that, he is spreading his wings wide as he swoops towards Alanis with the intent to take her for a ride high above the city.

Remy LeBeau has posed:
The ringmaster nods towards Mystique with a little frown."That touches my heart. So many of mine have left to cause trouble. When they are so safe at home. My heart breaks for you." His hand is reaching into his pocket to produce 8 tickets, as he hands them over."Come to the show. It will be Friday. My best will be on display. It will be a night to remember."

Noriko Ashida has posed:
Lucky for Noriko, the person in front of her didn't see the third man shimmering out of reality for a moment.  Frustrated, he leaves, clutching his lone tentacle arm into his trench coat.

"Hey.  You can talk right?  How do I get a job?  Any job?"  Noriko's wearing a faded hoodie and some dark grey jeans.  "I can do whatever you need if your stable boy for your manhorse needs a promotion."

Remy LeBeau has posed:
The man in and out of reality turns slowly towards Noriko."The master, wants a video of you using your powers. If he enjoys it and sees a use he will work out the details. The email or phone or Insta." The voice is sounds so far away, each word is taking massive effort to speak.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde can't suppress a small grin to Illyana. "If so, can we get him to wear one of his animal fur toga looking things?" she asks the other young woman. Kitty glances back over to the gathering, eyes going over the people in the crowd of interested mutants rather than the people offering the jobs.

"Hrm," Kitty murmurs. Is that Noriko over there? I can't quite see her face, that guy is in the way," she comments. "I suppose a little part time work wouldn't be bad for her, but... not sure a circus is going to stay put very long. I guess it's something to check on anyway," she comments quietly to Illyana.

Illyana Rasputina has posed:
"He just carried someone off," Illyana observes through the heavy fringe of her sun-pale bangs. It's simply one of those factors, and her question about payment goes unanswered by the ringmaster or his peers, leaving her free to slide her fingers int other pockets.

The mirthless expression she wears fades into something even more neutral in light of Kitty's grin. "Da, we can ask. It would draw such large crowds we need to ask for a cut." Just the way she pronounces the last word slices the hearing, all edges and consonance sharpened on the whetstone of her accent. She isn't beyond watching Noriko, either, her gaze returning to the man that's so definitely hard to see.

Alanis Bezanero has posed:
Alanis frowns and says, "Your father was a piece of shit." Though her eyes go wide as the man spreads his wings and swoops taking Alanis up with him. She lets out a yelp of surprise and reaches out desperately to grab on to something, anything. So desperate she reaches for a slowly growing little tree. For just the briefest of moments, it seems to reach out to her too - or may be it was just the wind.

Alanis is swept up high in to the sky and she gapes with eyes wide. Her phone catching the incredible footage of what it feels like to suddenly be up height without a parachute or the ability to fly; she grabs the man's leg tightly, "Put me the fuck back down you psycho or I'll punch the shit out of you and then we'll see how well you fly with broken ribs." She fumbles in to her pocket for her borrowed taser and it slips and falls back to the ground, smashing in to pieces. "Fuck!"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique takes the ticket and puts them into her heavy wool coat, tucking them in a pocket, "I put them next to my cigars. That way I remember. And if show is bad, I burn them up," she says.

Alanis being swept up, however, causes her eyes to follow sharply. She doesn't care on a personal level, but feeling the willingness to violate someone so suddenly and so utterly shows a degree of careless arrogance. And then she overhears the discussion to Noriko and swings her head around.

"Master? Who is Master? Is this Master?" she asks loudly, poking the Ringmaster in the belly with the base of her walking stick.

Remy LeBeau has posed:
The winged man is holding here there high above Bushwick, his arms swinging her like a kite in the wind."Put you down? If that is your wish." With that, he is dropping her as he chuckles, watching as she is plunging towards the ground so quickly, from so high up. He took her 80 feet up, as he hovers that watching, his wings beating quickly with the hands-on top of them clapping his own."Bye-bye. Have a nice fall, see ya on the ground." His voice rumbles out as he watches her now as he is counting.

Before she is hitting the ground, out of nowhere, he is swooping back in her face is about to hit the pavement as he angels and times it just right, unlike a web-slinger, saving her neck. As he swoops around now, dropping her on the ground."Think before ya speak." With that, he walks over to other members of the crowd to hand out more flyers.

Remy LeBeau has posed:
"I'm the ringmaster, Billy is not here or nor is he there. Everything is a little fuzzy for him." That man in the top hat is pointing to the man coming in and out reality."He only hears and speaks some. He is between here and there as he calls it."

Remy LeBeau has posed:
"Than we don't need you.....show....off.....name...."With that fading man is all the way gone, reppearing on the side of the road handing out more flyers. He seems to be confused but doing it out of habbit now.

Noriko Ashida has posed:
"Thanks."  Noriko's still considering the video idea.  "What if my power can't fully be seen on a video?"  She tilts her head to the guy who almost seemingly struggles to stay here.  She looks down at her gauntlets, unable to avoid her self-centered comparison of her own situation.  'It could be worse,' she thinks.  'At least I exist.'

Surely Noriko isn't the only girl in these parts with electric blue, probably even that brand and shade, but when the gauntlets glare back at Kitty with a shift of the light, it's like a signal fire to her identity of course.

Noriko lifts an eyebrow and the edges of her lips when she watches the Ringmaster getting belly-poked.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty looks back, having missed Alanis being lifted at first, but the way she's reacting doesn't seem like it's a flight she wants to make. Kitty frowns a bit. "Did he just really grab her, or... maybe this is part of the show?" she says with a frown. Kitty glances to Illyana and then back again towards the winged mutant and Alanis.

When Alanis is dropped, Kitty's eyes widen. "Yana!" she says to make sure Illyana sees it. There's not a lot that Kitty can do to save the woman, but she takes a few urgent steps that direction anyway. The winged mutant swooping down and catching her gets a gasp of relief, though Kitty is watching Alanis now to see her reaction. Expecting more than not to see them take a bow together. Though that doesn't seem to be happening.

Illyana Rasputina has posed:
Illyana pulls the flyer out of her back jean pocket again, unfolding it to look at the circus' name and details in greater detail. She murmurs in a low tone hard for even her slim brunette companion to hear, thumbing the crumpled edges until they go smooth again. Her voice invoked brings those pale, icy eyes back up towards the sky over Bushwick. "She complains too much to be part of the show."

Her thumb traces a half-circle over the paper, about as idle as it gets. "I like our show-off with wings better. Much nicer all in all. Maybe this is an opportunity for a show, da?" She gestures by rolling her shoulder at the Ringmaster. "Birds of a feather, to see that and not even blink."

Alanis Bezanero has posed:
Alanis's eyes widen again as she starts to fall.. and keeps on falling. She lets out a scream of fear and at that last minute is caught by the man. She has shaky legs now and scowls at the man. "You're a fucking psychopath you know that right? Don't kid yourself."

She steps back from him and says, "There's no such thing as mutant on mutant violence, you're just an asshole." Bristling but realising the scene that this has caused she decides may be getting out of here is the best idea for now. She shoulder barges the nearest person, but she's much smaller than them so she's the one that bounces off, then does her level best to weave through the crowd and out of sight.

She turns down an alley way and leans against the wall, sliding down on to her butt and taking long slow breaths. "You're a fucking idiot Alanis," she mutters to herself, "as if those sell outs would ever listen to you."

Noriko Ashida has posed:
"Well it's not that I can't show you something great on video too!" Noriko, exasperated with the sudden ditching until she realizes the guy seems confused and at the Ringmaster's words.  "Sorry!" she calls out to him with a wave of guilt in her features, hoping he doesn't wink out when she's apologizing.  Manners.  An odd sighting of Ashida in the wild.  Don't worry, it doesn't last long.

"He said if I couldn't show the extent of my powers on video, then you guys don't need me.  I'm guessing he's a little confused about that too?"  Persistent or stubborn?  Eye of the beholder.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique leans into the Ringmaster, "You double-talk me? I am old enough to take your grandma when she little baby, put her on my knee and spank her little round behind til she say sorry! No masters. Masters are bad. That girl knows," she says, nodding to Alanis and giving the Ringmaster a more firm poke into his belly.

She walks over towards the alley and offers a hand to pat on Alanis' shoulder, "There there, little dumpling, bird boy was very, very rude to you. You are smart girl, make good points. You have a fine understaning of the discourse."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty's face looks a bit livid as there doesn't seem to be any advertising payoff to what Alanis went through. "What is wrong with him," she says, tone angry. "I'm going to go check on the girl. Maybe best to keep Noriko away from these guys?" Kitty says to Illyana. "I'll text her."

With that Kitty hurries over to follow Alanis, pulling out her phone and whispering to it quietly, dictating the message that gets sent to Noriko's phone.

> Worried about these circus guys. Think that woman was taken in the air and dropped against her will. Maybe better to stay away for now, check them out.

Kitty sends it off and then steps into the alley. "Miss? Are you ok?" Kitty asks Alanis gently as she approaches her slowly.

Remy LeBeau has posed:
"Of course not, we need powers that show able for the show. We have a full staff, but we take anyone that can learn and wants to show off." Ringmaster nods towards Noriko as he walks towards her ignoring the older woman now. It was time to bring in new talent."Excuss me, my dear. I need to speak with this young lady." As he moves now, he seems to float through the crowd, as if it is parting for him as he stands in front of Noriko as he looks her over."I'm Ringmaster Phillipa."

Illyana Rasputina has posed:
While Kitty circles around to intercept Alanis and the old woman, not so Illyana. She could slouch there on her sidewalk or shuffle off into the dark, but it's much more interesting to just use the light screen of the crowd left to watch or pass by. The rough orbit puts her behind the Ringmaster's current position, flanking him at a further distance than Noriko. But flank him she does all the same, his back open to her. It's all very casual in an unrushed move, the laconic Russian presumably measuring up what the circus details are all about.

Manners, manners, everywhere, even there. Poor Billy might be handing her another flyer again, and if he does, great. She might even shake his hand in thanks for it. If there happens to be a hand to shake.

Alanis Bezanero has posed:
Alanis was hoping to get a little bit of alone time to right herself, her mind, may be even shed a tear from the adrenaline of it all.. but no, the older Russian sounding woman is suddenly there and patting her shoulder. She looks up at her and sighs, "Lot of good words do me when I almost die plunging from the sky."

And then there is a Kitty Pryde too and she isn't sure if she should shake her head or nod her head to that question. "Well shit, if there aren't still people in Bushwick who give a fuck. Certainly not those clowns selling themselves for nickels and dimes."

She takes in a deep breath and says, "I'll be okay. Second near death experience this week. Fuck me if I don't deserve it though, always sticking my nose in where I shouldn't. People should give more of a shit about the world though and if we don't shock them out of their complacency by being confronting they'll drift on, slaves to the capitalist agenda."

Noriko Ashida has posed:
Noriko glances down briefly at her phone and may or may not be seen rolling her eyes. So some chick regretted going angel-bungee-cording?  Skeptical of all things, but still trusting Kitty to care. Living on the streets gives one a chilling, begrudging respect for the grit and danger.  A proper fear.  If it isn't respected, bad things happen.  Perhaps its that which instills Noriko to do what she does next.

<<what better way to check them out?>>  and then she glances around her quickly, trying to locate any other lurking chaperones along with Kitty.

Someone tell her not to use her real name!  "Oh hi.  Noriko Ashida.  I'd shake your hand but it'd just be rude.  Unless you like a good buzz."

Remy LeBeau has posed:
"It is a pleasure to meet you Miss. Ashida." The Ringmaster nods slowly, as his eyes widen now watching the girl."I see, we just lost our electeric girl. We have been looking for a new one, we do alot of traveling will that be an issue?"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique tries to repress her irritation at Kitty's presence. She had hoped to have a few words in private with the young mutant, only to have one of Charles' pets coming around and sniffing around. "Do not be discouraged, dear. There are mutants, still, who have no intention of laying down for anyone. A rising tide can only be avoided for so long," she says.

She turns her head and nods at Kitty, her face very wrinkled, almost swallowing the dark beads of her eyes, "It looks as though they have moved on to more likely prey," she says, nodding towards where they gather around Noriko.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde glances to the older woman. Kitty's face will be more than recognizable to Mystique, but apparently not the other way around. "At first I thought you were part of an act, but... that was just plain criminal," Kitty tells Alanis, and her eyes going to the older woman as well. "Probably best to stay away from people like that," Kitty agrees. "Most people, human or mutant, are good people. Just the bad ones to keep an eye on," she says encouragingly.

Kitty glances back towards the crowd, and winces slightly as she spots Noriko still there. Kitty pulls out her phone, checking it as it buzzes. "Aw no," she murmurs and sends back another text.

> I know you're capable but this might be better to let Illyana or one of the staff look into.

Alanis Bezanero has posed:
Alanis laughs just a touch and says to Mystique, "You should like the old guard." It's a compliment in her book. "Ya hate to see it, there's something off about that guy. May be all of them. Some of the people watching too.. just watching. This ain't fucking theatre this is real life. That jack off could have killed me."

She frowns a moment and then looks to Kitty, "They aren't doing Bushwick any favours if that's the way they conduct themselves." ..and I'm going to expose them for the frauds they are, she thinks to herself. Steely eyed determination. She stands back up and says, "Hey thanks you two for not being drones. Peace."

She gives a peace sign salute and a small little smirk of appreciation, then wanders off down the alleyway.

Illyana Rasputina has posed:
That's a quick transfer of a flyer to the blonde Russian. Illyana ends up with her second piece of paper in a day, something to be carried off to a recycling bin more than likely. She might as well be waving her hand through thin air where Billy is involved, but her expression doesn't give much of a sign about being too concerned by him blinking in and out like a deranged dog.

Noriko proceeds on with trouble under Illyana's slim shadow across the way with the Ringmaster in the same general distance he has been all along. She doesn't mess with angles much, reading the second flyer in case it's any different or stamped in some profound way by differences.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique keeps her tongue quiet about the old guard. She, of course, invented the old guard, trained the old guard. She breathed life into them and taught them the ways of death. They are rarely grateful, for children are spiteful things most like to bite those which nursed them.

"Good luck to you, child. We will speak again," she says. She reaches into her pocket and draws out a phone, snapping a few quick pictures. Shouldn't be difficult to find out her identity. She had a loud enough mouth that she'd angered someone enough to call for her head online.

Then she resumes her watching, taking a place at the end of the alleyway near Kitty, "So, little cat, what do you think? Evil mutants or just opportunists? Conspiracy or con?" she says. Her voice has lost its accent now and she stands up straight, no longer hunched.

Noriko Ashida has posed:
"If it's a good opportunity, I could go for that.  I'm 18," and impressionable, she advertises.  "So it's not like I'll draw any heat if I pick up and leave, beyond giving my boarding school the slip at least," which she makes sound easy.

"Speaking of which.  Some people think they're my mother.  One sec."  Noriko replies at about half-'millennial' thumb typing speed after she reads the text.  The teen leaves out any mention of the speedster side of her power.

<< Fine. Just give me a sec.  >> Does Noriko argue about how kids are easily trusted?  Does she mention she really just wants to see if a circus will hire her?  Or is this just a different deeper shade of issue.  What Kitty doesn't know won't hurt her right?

"Sorry about that.  Where were we?"  At the very least, she's preoccupying.

Remy LeBeau has posed:
"Well then, we provide the training paid. The annual salary to start with is 35,000." The Ringmaster speaks softly, his hand is bringing out a paperwork, as he offers it forward."We cover medical, dental, in all of the countries we go to, it is needed for our work line. You're allowed to drop off at any point, but of course, these benefits and the pay-go away when you part. Room and board, flights, travel we cover all."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde glances at her phone then pockets it as she turns back to Alanis. "Yes, a bit worried about what they are doing here if that's how they are," she agrees. "Please be safe. Don't want a third time," Kitty offers after hearing this was Alanis' second near death experience of the week.

She turns back, giving the older woman a soft smile as Alanis moves off. Kitty is just about to ask if the woman could use any assistance, when the change in posture and voice happen. Kitty immediately goes on guard, and from her expression it doesn't seem she's short on guesses on who would call her that and appear as the old woman does. "Mystique? What are you up to?" she says with a frown. "Are these guys some of yours?"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Mystique continues to watch, "What I always do, Katherine. I am guarding my flock," she says, her voice more recognizably her own, the accent becoming an untraceable mingling of the thousand selves she's worn. "I have no association with these creatures. I had thought them perhaps laughable or dangerously naive. A public display such as this practically could be quite provocative for the bigoted. Now I wonder at who it is that stands behind them - and what purpose their show will really serve. They are not what they seem, that is for certain. For one, no circus in the world has ever offered...insurance," she says the last word with an audible sneer.

Noriko Ashida has posed:
"Sounds promising," Noriko says with a wink.  "I assume you guys take care of your own.  Back each other up on things like accidental property damage to outsiders, workplace injury," these are all just things she's heard people talk about on their cell phone.  She nods, as if she already believes it whether he confirms or not.

"I've got this tail right now, so when I leave our convo, I'm going to shake my head no and blow you off, but I'm actually down," she warns the Ringmaster.  "Anything I need to sign?  I can stop by later."

Remy LeBeau has posed:
"We will do that later, leave your number here." The Ringmaster hands her a form, as he watches her now."Fill it out and we will contact you when the next training class starts."

Illyana Rasputina has posed:
The form is handed over, but the distance of centimeters might as well be one side of the galaxy to the other. That, at least, might be an achievable distance. Midnight fire breaks in an ultramarine wave that sweeps around the paper, engulfing it in a gulp as though reality itself got hungry and decided to prove itself a bibliovore. Or possibly a big fan of signing up for work with a circus. Noriko never has a chance to seize on it, for the twist of space consumes what it will without so much as a burp.

The girl closing in from behind the floating ringleader of the whole sordid affair might just be on her way, or closing in because thirty-five thousand anything sounds like a big, round number. It's Kitty of them all who stands a chance of reading the contemplative expression for what it really is. That those lightened ice, pale chips of ice, haven't ever warmed when set in that fair face.

It's the second pair of fissures in space that probably matter most to Phillip, erstwhile hiring manager to the mutant procession. For Bushwick inverts, peeling back to reveal a blackened landscape of twisted formations that rise in perilous spires and undulating waves. Only the barest comparisons ot the wild red deserts of Australia and the American West come close to it, and they don't have shadows that move with faceless elegance, long of claw and baleful of aspect, summarily tormenting the forms imprisoned in the very rock itself. Mouths opened wide in tormented pleas and wails find no mercy among the heat shimmer bending and twisting the torturous landscape of Limbo. He might just hear the vaguest reflection of the pandemonium wail of the wind through that glimpse of the Beyond; he might not realize its demonic queen is in arm's reach. <<Enslaving minds? Tsk, tsk.>> Russian, naturally. <<Child's play, little master.>>

Remy LeBeau has posed:
Terror fear is all that the man can feel staring into the portal of Hell. The ringmaster snaps his fingers as he points to this portal."We are leaving no show, pull back men." With that, they are fleeing into the night, collecting the signatures, but for now, the street is empty of the carnies, the innocents bored going home. Leaving our heroes there alone.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
"Not bad, girl." Mystique says, stepping back into the shadows of the alley myself.

"I do not know if they deserved that or not. But it was fun seeing you do it anyway," she says, a hint of a smile, her eyes shining golden when she passes back into the shadow and then slips away in her own right.

Remy LeBeau has posed:
In the night many people go missing, each of them had filled out the paperwork for that new job. The families have not heard anything. It seems they vanished in the night. All that was left was handwritten notes that they had joined the circus, off to a new life. It seems between 25-50 mutants from Bushwick had signed up, all between 19-25. Anyone older was not hired.