4842/Talent Show For Gifted Youngsters

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Talent Show For Gifted Youngsters
Date of Scene: 23 January 2021
Location: Recreation Room
Synopsis: The First Annual Talent Show For Gifted Youngsters (presented by Jubilation Lee) is a success! Hank, Ruth, Paige, Sam, Quentin, and Bobby put on some great acts, but the panel of judges -- Emma, Kitty, Jean, and Rogue -- gave the nod to Hank for his tribute to Rocky Horror! Cameos by Professor Xavier and Illy. Day saved by Noriko. Donation money successfully embezzled. Promotional consideration provided by �chr�BURGER JOINT.�c/�
Cast of Characters: Jubilation Lee, Noriko Ashida, Quentin Quire, Paige Guthrie, Ruth Aldine, Rogue, Jean Grey, Laura Kinney, Samuel Guthrie, Emma Frost, Henry McCoy, Kitty Pryde, Bobby Drake, Warren Worthington




Jubilation Lee has posed:
    The tornado of pink fliers inundating Xavier's have finally come to a head. The door to the recreation room has a large poster with big block letters done in glitter: TALENT SHOW FOR GIFTED YOUNGSTERS - PRESENTED BY JUBILATION LEE! Bowls of chips and candy and other assorted snacks and drinks have been set on a table. A jar labeled 'FREE SNACKS: SUGGESTED DONATIONS TO BENEFIT THE ORPHANS' sits on the table with a couple of dollar bills seeded inside.

    The furniture of the recreation room has been spread into a semi-circle to provide an area in the center for performances, as well as offering each seat an unblocked view. Theater in the round! The recreation room's semi-busted karaoke machine has been plugged in and waiting there in the center. The microphone is duck-taped to the top of a broomstick jammed into the center hole of one of the gym's free-weights. A table for the judges has been laid out with a very large and very obvious BURGER JOINT fountain drink product placement for each of them.

    Just outside the recreation room, Jubilation Lee press-gangs in the hall from the top of a step-stool. Her hair is worn with a yellow headband, flat ironed, falling halfway down her back. Her makeup is more subtle than her normal neons, with glowing blush, thick mascara, and pink lip gloss mixed with a touch of red tint. She wears a tight, soft pink mock neck and a mauve pleated mini-skirt, cream colored tights, and ivory-colored loafers. A far cry from her usual nonsense outfits. When your name is on the event, you gotta look pretty.

    "Step right up! Don't be shy! Don't push! There's room for everyone!" she shouts, despite there not being a stampede to get in. She's just trying to draw interest, waving a pool noodle in the air like a carnival barker.

    "Get your seats now! People will be pouring in from the furthest reaches of Westchester! Surely not for the faint of heart but I can tell you're gonna love it! Half-price for anyone wearing a hat -- ohhh, that's /you/, sir!" she shouts into the hallway.

    "Uh, it's free, Jubes..." the hat-wearing student reminds.

    "Free!" she shouts at the crowd in the hallway. "Did you hear that, friends! This sensational spectacle for the senses is FREE! I'm ringing the dinner bell, come and get it!" People have begun trickling in and finding seats.

Noriko Ashida has posed:
Noriko has found a bevy of ways to help Jubilation out with the talent show, like sneaking out of their room to go put up more flyers while Jubes was asleep so she wouldn't have to run around the school (Jubes didn't seem too keen when she asked).

And then, today, in setup, Nori did what any speedster would do giving a helping hand.  When the kids wouldn't clear out after being asked to, she gave them all free transport out of the room.  After that, the Japanese girl has been at Jubilation's disposal, as she is now.

Noriko stands beside Jubilation with what might be called a polite smile in comparison to Jubilee's enthusiasm.  She looks up with a little smirk at Jubilee's shout.

"Yeah, and suggested donations," Noriko interjects with a cool shrugs at the hat-wearing student's reminder.

Quentin Quire has posed:
Quentin Quire arrives with a puffy pink jacket and his fuschia hair tucked underneath a baseball cap that says "BABY" in sparkling sequins just above the brim. He has an iridescent septum ring and a pair of brand new Stef Curry shoes and, believe it or not, has Ruth's hand in his as he walks up to Jubilee.

"I signed up, right? I'm just kidding, I know I signed up, I have an eidetic memory. I can psychically project an image of me signing up in 3D directly into your brain, but I wouldn't want to make it convulse into a singularity. Not until after I perform anyway. Ruth's in, too," he says, looking back over his shoulder at the eyeless mutant. "C'mon, babe, let's get some decent seats where we don't have to smell the plebes."

Paige Guthrie has posed:
Eyes rolling from behind Quentin, Paige is waiting for her turn to enter the room. She's dressed in a simple Xavier's hoodie and a pair of skinny jeans with a couple of tears and rips along the fabric. "Hey Jubilee." She says to her friend once she is able to step forward, blowing some blonde bangs away from her face. "Looks like ya'll got a pretty good turnout here. This should be fun. Ah' hope that ah' don't put everyone t' sleep with mah' act."

Sliding her hands into the pockets of her hoodie, she rocks a bit on her feet before tilting her head. "Ah'm gonna snag a seat... preferably a few rows away from him." She says teasingly before she steps through to find a chair.

Ruth Aldine has posed:
What a look!

Ruth actually looked half decent for once, especially since it was quite possibly forced on her in a spending spree. Her long hair wasn't greasy, but feathered out and down with ends clipped, her blindfold the color black. Her shirt a jersey but not one that you'd find in the city, something that came from Chinatown in one of those anime shops with kanji and a reverse ichigo on the back. Her jeans were of a ripped moto variety, black washed and skinny. Shoes? Chucks. Because why not?

Tagging along with Quentin, Ruth just waves. "Hi." And.. that's all she's got! Jubilee was rightfully busy and she wasn't going to hold up the line, as Quentin did all the talking already. As he tugs her along, those behind them could hear her voice trail off.. "But plebes smell nice.. sorry.."

Noriko Ashida has posed:
Noriko just stares, eyes heavily lidded as if she could just fall asleep or she could destroy him casually.  Either or, she says, "Get a load of this fuckhead...Good luck Ruth."  Paige is given a silent nod in greeting.  "Ha."  She shouldn't have laughed right there.  "Not going to happen," she tacks on just a haaaair too late, a flash of fluster.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue, dressed in blue jeans, black tanktop, leather boots, with dark green gloves up past her elbows, and a matching dark green doo-rag tied back behind her head, is staring at her cellphone in her hands. She hears Jubilee's voice and it has her grinning ear to ear, as ever, but is already here and ready to be a dutiful audience member...

...seated in a chair near the back, Rogue's just happily typing away on her phone with her elbows atop her jeans-encased thighs, eyes down, locked on her phoooone.

Jean Grey has posed:
Even if the student production has some rough edges, Jean has treated the whole thing relatively seriously. Stuff like this compliments the classroom experience with something approaching the real world, testing their logistics, organization, and leadership. Or something! The point is, she's appeared quite happy to encourage the student production throughout it's development, and has made sure they get what they need to put this together. Within reason. And if they asked for anything extra... well, there are always a few chores that she might need done around the school!

On the day of the event, she shows up early to be ready at the judging table and not stuck with the crowds squeezing in, and is seated at the center of the table by the time the rest start arriving. Like Jubilee, she's dressed to impress, and a bit more colorfully than her usual style, with bright red evening dress and big sparkling earings and necklace. While waiting for the other judges to arrive, she abruptly pulls out her phone and glances at it with a frown. Whoever was #3 has seemingly canceled.

After a moment, Jean starts looking around the room, before she picks out a certain someone with her nose down in her phone, and suddenly, Rogue's chair is rising into the air and then smoothly hovering toward the judge's table, with the chair already there conveniently scooting out of the way to make room. "Congratulations, Marie. You're hired! We can't really do with just two judges. What if we disagreed? That's a tie!" Does... she think they're voting people through to Hollywood?

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    Jubilee settles into a little routine of greeting people as they come in, as she's able. She grins at Quentin, shaking her head. "Yes, yes, of course, we have you performing! Nice jacket!" She gives the mutant a thumbs-up before turning to see Paige. "Paige!" she exclaims. "They must have heard you're performing. That's why they're all here."

    "Good luck tonight, Ruth!" she calls out, waiving her arm in the air pointlessly. "Rogue, you made it! You're in for a great show, tonight! You'll have a lot of fun just hanging out and watching."

    "Nori..." Jubilee whispers suddenly, turning to look in her direction. The top row of her teeth bites into her forming smile, trying to keep it at bay. A hand reaches out to gently touch her shoulder, a nice little reminder.

    Her eyes rise, however, to watch Rogue's chair start to eclipse the heads of some of the other folks in the audience. Jubes grins widely when she sees it land at the judge's table...

Laura Kinney has posed:
It's pretty rare for Laura Kinney to stop by at Xavier's, especially since she started doing a lot of work out Gotham way, but this is one of those such occassions. People are always telling her she should socialize more and what better way to do that than by attending a large gathering of people for an event?

Arguably there are plenty of things. But being in the audience means she can just sit quietly and observe.

At the request for donations she drops a bank note, that may well have a bullet hole in it (best not to ask), into Noriko's hand at the 'suggested donations' and gives a nod of greeting. There's a little nod of greeting before she slips into the seats at the back.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue needs a second to realize her chair had lifted up off of the floor, but her boot heels had been resting upon the gorund so she does notice pretty quick! She looks up and around, then over to where she's headed, and a smirk shows up on her lips. "I'm gonna be way too nice t'folks." She says shortly before her chair settles down again at the table of judging ones.

Turning to look to the event organizer herself, Rogue calls back over to her. "Just watchin', that's me! In a different reality... maybe." With a huff she thuffs off her phone and sets it down on the table, then looks over at Jean with a SMIRK!

Quentin Quire has posed:
Quentin Quire throws an inverted V sign at Nori, not exactly wishing peace so much as the UK interpretation of that gesture, sticking his pierced tongue out at the same time. He didn't hear it exactly, but he did catch 'fuckhead' and a general aura of negativity, "Love all my fans," he says, then makes a smooch gesture and pulls Ruth along with him to grab a table.

"Yo, J-Lube, let us know when our turns come around. And Rogue, I heard that, don't be nice to me, I want you to shit on me like you would any normal person who isn't an amazing supergenius, I can take the hit."

Ruth Aldine has posed:
Ruth didn't hesitate to sit. If she could properly levitate herself she'd do that instead, as often one does when they're tired of walking. Now her shoulders slump, her head lowering so that she could try to breathe alright, attempting to get her nerves in check without any assistance from Mackey-Tag..

..who comes trotting in through the throng of others still looking for a seat. It wasn't hard to sniff out his owner, what was hard was keeping the hat tucked into his mouth without a slobber. The one thing that Ruth had forgotten, Mackey came to the rescue with a trot-trot-trot to the table!

"Thank you." Ruth says, sensing the dogs nearness, her hand reaching out to tug the hat away from his teeth. "Slobbery.." She mutters, wiping the hat off on her jersey, then promptly slamming the hat with brim facing backwards atop of her head. Mack doesn't leave, but he does settle down up under the table, just watching like a good ol'.. well, he's not a guard dog..

Noriko Ashida has posed:
Noriko's powers help her not drop the donation from Laura as she takes it with her gauntlet.  I mixed blessing.  She looks at the money and decides that shouldn't just be hanging around in a jar.  Quentin's little parting gesture causes Nori to grit her teeth a little, but between the donation and Jubilee's gentle reminder she calms in a moment and the whole disgust thing with Quentin seems to have rolled over.

Until...J-Lube.  Noriko walks three steps away from others in a blur and there's a crack of electricity.  "Her name is Jubilation."  She glares for a moment or two, but no further sparks or anything else surfaces.  The girl's always been quick to cycle through passing emotions and after a moment, she's returned back where she was.

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    Jubilation Lee, J-Lube to some, walks into the makeshift theater-in-the-round stage that has been prepared and steps up to the karaoke microphone. Her ukulele is hanging from a strap around her neck. Taptaptap on the microphone. Frown. She gives the karaoke machine speaker a little kick. Taptaptap. GOOD TO GO. She begins strumming her ukulele and leans her mouth towards the microphone for the opening song.

    From state to state and town to town
    These acts will turn your frown upside down
    Whose brass and class and all that stuff
    These acts will show you they're good enough
    (They're good alright)
    So put your hands together and settle in
    Cuz tonight we're gettin down
    Only one contestant wins
    Jubilee's talent show crown!

    Her strumming stops with a flourish and she throws her hands into the air, allowing the instrument to dangle from its strap. "My friends, welcome, welcome one and all to the First Annual Talent Show For Gifted Youngsters, Presented By Jubilation Lee! I am your mistress of ceremonies... Jubilation Lee! Leave all your preconceived notions of talent shows at the door! We have combed the furthest reaches of the Earth to bring you tonight's entertainment -- it's surely going to be a night to remember! Magic! Excitement! Romance! Maybe even some danger, hmm?" She looks around the room with a twinkle in her eye. When she catches Noriko's wink, all of the bravado and showwomanship melts away for a brief moment. A flush of color appears on her cheeks. Deep breath and we're back on track!

    Her hands are brought together and sweep in a rainbow arc, leaving a small wake of colorful fireworks that snap, crackle, and pop into nothingness.

    "Tonight's winner will receive a $20 giftcard to Burger Joint that still has $7 on it! Courtesy of our friends at BURGER JOINT. Burger Joint: You can eat here. And! A fresh, crisp, feathery one-hundred dollar bill, donated by Warren Worthington!" She fires a thumbs-up in his direction, if he's present. "Wow... A giftcard to Burger Joint! Right in time for Valentine's Day!" Jubilee pauses a moment and then mutters into the microphone. "...I...I don't want to go to Burger Joint on Valentine's Day... If...uh, anyone is out there wondering..."

    Jubilee points her open palm at the judges table, where each judge has, once again, been given a very large and prominent BURGER JOINT fountain drink. "I'd like to introduce our esteemed panel of judges. They have come all this way because they want to see you and JUDGE YOU!"

    "In our first chair, we have the newest teacher, the one most likely to know how to use all the extra forks -- you know her from such classes as Business and More Business -- please bring your hands together for Xavier's resident acquired taste... Emma Frost!" Jubes flashes the teacher a mischievous smile before moving on. (pause for applause)

    Jubilee has to think quickly here. "...And because live events never go QUITE as planned -- On loan from her birthday party at Harry's Hideway in Westchester -- Marie! What an entrance!"(pause for applause)

    "And... Because how else do you think we were able to get the Rec Room for this thing... Our very own Headmistress, Jean Grey!" Jubilee raises her eyebrows and peers at the audience with a conspiratorial smile. Surely she's joking, right? (pause for applause)

    Jubilee claps for the judges and then, once the applause dies off, puts her hand against her heart. "And now... As a show of peace and good will for our contestants... Nori, release the doves!"

Noriko Ashida has posed:
For her part, Noriko stays out in the crowd to watch Jubes MC and the song she's probably heard a million times by now.  Still, she grins and shoots Jubilee a little wink should the girl look her way.

When Jubilation gets to the presentation of the prize, Noriko hits the lights for Jubes' Reading Rainbow and then brings them back up right after.  Knowing she has time, she just spurts to a better position again and watches.

The sudden muttering into the microphone gets Nori's attention and a blip of movement.  She pushes her lips inward and lowers her head a little.  Then her lips draw into a smirk as she lifts a metal shrouded thumbs up into the air, all while her head is still lowered.  Those close might have notices a brief moment or two of a red face on the girl which suddenly cuts away as if it never even happened.  And she continues to listen, seemingly unbothered and enjoying things.

'Peace,' Nori hears and she appears to the side with what looks like some small wire pet cage stuffed to the gills with wadded up tissue.  This might be visible for only an instant as she 'releases the doves' with a snappy blur of her arms.  The tissues poof out above the crowed like they were launched from a tshirt bazooka that might have been tuned for the small area...only that bazooka is Noriko.

"The doves are free now," Nori reports to Jubilee.

Laura Kinney has posed:
Laura Kinney applauds from the back corner when it becomes clear that's what the audience is supposed to be doing.

Her mind, to those telepaths able to passively scan the audience, idly works away at typical Laura things. Which is a clean and clinical plan for the quiet & quick assassination of everyone attending.

But don't worry it's mostly just theoretical. Mostly.

Paige Guthrie has posed:
As she has settled into a chair, Paige folds one leg over her other knee and places her hands on top of them. She waits patiently, listening to the enthusiasm that her friends are providing as she glances about the crowd with a grin.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue offered a smirk to Quentin when he told her to freely 'shit on him'. She shakes her head back though. "Not my style. I'm a Lady, ya know?" She holds her smirk before her eyes follow after the evening's hostess before her ukelele song is sung. This gets a nice set of gloved-applause (those are the worst!) and Rogue raises her hands to call out. "Woooo, J-Lube!" Oh yes, she's caught on to that nickname now!

Quentin Quire has posed:
Quentin Quire holds his hand up above his head and snaps his fingers in appreciation. He's not going to clap, he just moisturized his hands, he doesn't need to be applying unnecessary friction. He has a delicate complexion. He leans over against Ruth and gives the mutt a telekinetic ruffle of the ears. He's not going to reach physically for the animal. Again, don't want any damage to his hands. He doesn't think the beast would bite him, but he hadn't ingratiated himself sufficiently yet to be assured. And it might be possessive of Ruth as it is, even as he psionically touches her mind with his own. <<Let the sucking begin.>>

Jean Grey has posed:
As Jubilee does the introductions, Jean takes her cue to look back and offer the crowd a smile and a wave. "I just want to say I'm really proud of our students for putting this together, all in the spirit of fun, artistic expression, and -charity-," uh oh! "And that I'm tremendously excited to see what talents you have to show!" She also makes sure to hold up her BURGER JOINT giant soft drink cup for the non-existent cameras, to make sure that they get their seven dollar's worth of product placement!

... she then proceeds to turn sideways toward Rogue, leaning over with said cup still in hand, at least before it vanishes beneath the plane of the judges table, and whispers something to her. A moment later, and the cup is back up on the table. Yep, definitely only BURGER JOINT cola in there!

The fake doves also get a nice round of applause!

Samuel Guthrie has posed:
Sam Guthrie comes walking into the room, he is wearing his cadet uniform, seems he just got back home. He will find a place near the door to stand and watch. He tries to stay out of the way, but is glad he made it in time to see the show.

Emma Frost has posed:
    "I was told there would be booze..." Emma says over her shoulder to no one before she turns back around to give a great wave towards Jubilee and stands up with her arms held out in a flourish as if she were the main showcase. A moment later she awkwardly sits back down.

    Lifting a hand and doing a quick triple scooping motion, Emma offers Jubilee the floor again, "You may proceed." The former CEO, former White Queen, conceeds with a grin as she leans back in her plush chair and turns to Rogue and Jean, "Seriously though, are we getting wine?"

Ruth Aldine has posed:
Ruth missed everything.

The birds, the clapping. EVERYTHING. So once it was quiet, a small voice is heard from her.. 'Yay..' and the tinest of claps.

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    Jubilation closes her eyes and laughs happily as the paper tissue 'doves' are flung into the air by Noriko. It's even better than she imagined in her head. Truly a gesture worthy of goodwill and peace among all mutants in attendance! She snap-turns her head towards Noriko, gratitude broadcasting from her face. Thank you. She even gives a mock salute to her official-sounding report.

    Jubilee stares at Emma for a second. And.... the moment passes. "Thank you, Emma. Very gracious of you! Okay! Let's get this show on the road before PETA gets on our a---" She notices Jean Grey paying attention and changes gears.

    "...Our first contestant requested that we turn off the lights... So..." Miraculously, the lights are now off. Weeeeeeird. "...You know him from ... well... here! Everyone put your hands together for DOCTOR McCOY!" Jubilee starts clapping her hands together and carefully makes her way out of the theater-in-the-round so the first act can begin!

Henry McCoy has posed:
A thumping rythym starts, bumping through the stereo. Soon after, the clunking of a heavy wooden heel on the stage in time with the pulsing beat. A woman's scream of terror echoes from the sound system, as a spotlight lands on Henry.

His frame is obscured by a black satin cloak, with a wide shiny silver collar. His face is powdered, with smokey blue eyeshadow, dolled up lashes, and deep red lipstick. He belts out, in his smooth baritone voice, while wearing a wicked grin. His blue mane of hair is teased to the extreme.

"How d'you do, I
See you've met my
Faithful handyman.
He's just a little brought down because
When you knocked
He thought you were the candy man."

He struts towards left of center on the stage, still wrapped in the cloak. His steps are practiced, graceful and confident. For those that know the production, it is clear that Hank has done his homework in giving a performance worthy of Tim Curry.

"Don't get strung out by the way that I look
Don't judge a book by its cover.
I'm not much of a man by the light of day
But by night I'm one hell of a lover."

The cloak is flung back over his shoulders, revealing the Beast in all his glory. He's wearing a black and purple corset, laced up the front with matching boy shorts. He also sports garters, sheer stockings and a wide pair of tall sequined heels. A strand of large pearls circles his neck, finishing off the outfit.

His grin widens and he belts out even more theatrically, hands going to his hips.

"I'm just a sweet transvestite
From Transexual, Transylvania, ha ha"

Laura Kinney has posed:
Laura Kinney tilts her head slightly to one side.

Then blinks a few times.

Ruth Aldine has posed:
During the song and show, Ruth lifts both hands to snap her fingers in quick succession.

Go. The. Eff. Off. Pardon!

Emma Frost has posed:
    Emma looks around resetting herself into her chair as the lights go out, the woman's white suit with a form fitting choker from her neck down in a sort of inverted 'V' shape to keep her modest but still show off. She looks over to the stage as Beast is lit up and she slowly lifts her hands to clap as he starts to go into his routine, and when the robe comes off, the White Queen stands up, with her fists in the air, the fur of her coat bunching up around her ears as she whoops loudly and applauds the corset wearing blue man. "WOO!"

https://womenwriteaboutcomics.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/67190957_857308587980511_169072078301799333_n.jpg

Noriko Ashida has posed:
Noriko's mouth hangs open the entire time, a soda can in her 'hand.'  She has no idea what she's witnessing, but the Japanese girl must like it because she slaps her hands together for a clap.  CRUNCH.  She forgot she had a soda.  Liquid splurts up (too much for a squirt) into the air with a crunch of the can and then she rushes to collect it all before it falls.  More clapping, clanging, okay that's too loud so she stops.

Jean Grey has posed:
"I don't think BURGER JOINT-" she even says it in caps, somehow! "-has much of a wine list." Still, Emma's complaint about a lack of booze is answered by Jean leaning over to make a grab for Emma's own BURGER JOINT cup before turning back the other direction to once again slip it sureptitiously beneath the table and in Rogue's general direction. It may start to become apparent why Jean picked her as the backup judge!

Eventually, the BURGER JOINT cup reappears, and turns once again to offer it back over toward Emma with a knowing smirtk. There is definitely nothing shady going on here, no sir!

With beverages settled, she turns her attention fully to the stage as Hank's name is called, offering a rousing round of applause for her old classmate and friend. She expects nothing less than a masterwork performance from him, yet as he emerges, she looks... to say surprised would be an understatement. "And here I was expecting Gilbert and Sullivan!"

Henry McCoy has posed:
He walks confidently, and easily, sashaying across the stage to stage right - heels and all. There is no embarrassment, or awkwardness - Henry has practiced!

"Let me show you around, maybe play you a sound
You look like you're both pretty groovy.
Or if you want something visual that's not too abysmal
We could take in an old Steve Reeves movie."

From the speakers, a Brad-esque voice chimes in, as Henry pours himself a glass of water to drink.

"I'm glad we caught you at home
Could we use your phone?
We're both in a bit of a hurry.
We'll just say where we are, then go back to the car.
We don't want to be any worry."

Henry, all smiles until now, tosses the drink up into the air - water pattering to the stage. He sings, out with gusto, eyebrow arched.

"Well, you got caught with a flat, well, how about that?
Well, babies, don't you panic
By the light of the night, it'll all seem alright
I'll get you a satanic mechanic."

He struts then towards the center of the stage, where a office chair, decorated in tinfoil fillagree has been wheeled out. He dances before it, hands on his hips.

"I'm just a sweet transvestite
From Transexual, Transylvania, ha ha"

Paige Guthrie has posed:
The hayseed that is Paige Guthrie is staring wide-eyed at Beast as he prances around the stage bellowing out a Rocky Horror montage. She gives a glance to Sam, then back to the stage, letting out a clear of her throat as she sinks down into the chair a bit. ".. Okay.. ah' don't wanna go after that. Wow. Now ah' feel kinda lame." She drawls to her brother with an amused noise in her throat.

Samuel Guthrie has posed:
Sam Guthrie smiles a bit and watches before he simply says "Dam it Janet." Even the corn fed country boy has seen the original it seems. He does applaud for the furry man "You do great kiddo, Ah got faith in ya." He reaches over to ruffle Paige's hair but rethings it and just gives her shoulder a squeeze. In reply to Paige's worry trying to reassure the girl.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue just leans forward on to the table and places her elbows upon it, her gloved hands come up to rest fingertips on either sides of her face, her chin upon her palms. She watches Hank on stage performing and it just makes her smile, big and happy, goofy smile.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Some people show up fashionably late because they want to make an arrival and be seen. Other people have it in their DNA to try to be somewhat punctual. And if they are running late they might talk an angelic winged mutant and their flying dragon into flying them to their destination, all while fretting and looking at their phone for the time.

Then then they arrive, they might grab said angelic winged mutant and flying dragon and phase them up from underground, first sticking their head out and peeking around for two chairs and then the trio rising up out of the ground and suddenly sitting there in the chairs like they had been there the whole time.

Which totally doesn't happen with Kitty, Warren and Lockheed. Surely they were sitting there the whole time. Kitty leans over to Rogue, giving her a little nudge in the side and motioning towards the performance as if to say, gotta love this guy. She even whispers it. "Gotta love this guy."

See!?

Henry McCoy has posed:
Henry slides onto the chair, legs draped over the arm of the furniture. His feet kick to the beat, as he lounges like a true mad scientist. Two female and one male voice compliment him in the verse.

"Why don't you stay for the night? (night)
Or maybe a bite? (bite)
I could show you my favorite obsession
I've been making a man
With blond hair and a tan
And he's good for relieving my tension"

A bluesy saxaphone eases into the song, right on cue.

"I'm just a sweet transvestite
From Transexual, Transylvania, ha ha"

Two kicks of a heeled foot, he stands, dancing and gyrating along to the music.

"Hit it, hit it, I'm just a sweet transvestite (sweet transvestite)
From Transexual, Transylvania, ha ha"

He dances towards the center of the stage, pausing there with a hand on his hip.

"So, come up to the lab
And see what's on the slab
I see you shiver with antici-"

The pause, it is perfect. It was clearly practiced - his yellow eyes watching the crowd.

"-Pation"

If ever there was any doubt of his vocal ability, Henry disproves them here and now - sailing into the next verse.

"But maybe the rain
Is really to blame
So I'll remove the cause
But not the symptom."

His hand goes up, a flourish at the wrist as the spotlight shuts off at the end of the song.

Quentin Quire has posed:
Quentin Quire calls out, "WHere's Piotr as Rocky? Get that man a speedo, c'mon!" he cries, giving some applause, "Somebody throw some underwear at that man, I'm not wearing any!" he calls.

Laura Kinney has posed:
Laura's nose twitches as Jean continues liquoring up the other judges. The process perhaps not as discreet as she might have hoped. Although really if she had to work as a teacher at Xavier's Laura suspects she'd be drinking too....

She sits in stunned silence when Doctor McCoys routine ends. Does she clap? Cheer? Book herself in for a drug test to ensure she wasn't injected with something hallucinogenic.

Emma Frost has posed:
    Emma takes her BURGER JOINT cup from Jean and gives a knowing smile before she lifts the straw to her painted lips and takes a small pull before she moves to sit back down after Hank finishes his act and the white queen turns to look at the other judgettes. "Oh, Kitty made it. Perfect." Emma says to the three other women and moves to climb out of her chair. "This is certainly more your speed and I'm sure you're not having ... .... problems." Emma says with a lift of her eyebrows towards Kitty, and Rogue, and lastly Jean. "I'll be sitting in the back... But ... yeah. I don't want to piss anyone off."

    Emma takes another sip and closes her eyes briefly before putting a hand on Kitty's shoulder and moving the girl to take her spot as a judge. "Hank gets 10 points for Griffindor, or whatever it was." Emma hollars her score before moving away from the judge's table.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty glances at Emma as the woman says she doesn't want to piss anyone off and moves past her. "Too late," she mutters under her breath where those with enhanced hearing can hear it.

Paige Guthrie has posed:
Clapping loudly for Hank's display, Paige is all grins. "Great job Doctor McCoy!" She calls out in her country twang in the back of her throat. "Ah' reckon he'll probably win th' whole darn thing." She says to her brother as she gives him a grin. "That was hilarious." When Ruty is called next, she tilts her head a bit curiously towards her and the pink haired telepath.

Jean Grey has posed:
By the time Hank gets into the rest of his number and Jean has finished handing out the illicit beverages, she soon joins Emma on her feet, and starts dancing at the judge's table. It's way over the top, swaying with her hands up over her head. At some point, she even hip-bumps her fellow judge. Along with the silently but warmly smiling Rogue, this level of pre-engagement from the judges definitely bodes well for the first contestant. But when the energy of the performance fades, will their scores be equally glowing? Can Dr. McCoy stand up to Tim Curry's iconic performance in the famous cult classic?

We'll find out, after the break...

OK there isn't actually a break.

"Oh my gosh, honey, that was amaaaaazing!" Jean positively gushes. There may be some element of performance on the judges part, a bit of hamming it up, but... not too much. Because Hank IS one of her oldest friends, and its difficult for her not to gush. "It's a yes for me!" The judges do not seem to have agreed on a scoring system, either!

As Emma gets up, Jean does look a little surprised, looking back after her, but ultimately, she embraces the moment. Drama at the judges table is very genre appropriate! "Ah, we have a substitution, as I've just learned Miss Frost is contractually barred from endorsing softdrinks due to a prior conflict." Sure, that sounds good! "Please welcome Miss Kitty Pryde as your new judge!"

Samuel Guthrie has posed:
Sam Guthrie leans down to Paige, and says "Well it did start off with a bang thats for sure." He is glad he did not throw his name into the hat for this. Leave that to Paige, and to bad Jay aint here, he might have been able to give them a run for their money.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue doesn't jump up to her feet, but she does lean back in her chair and take a big swig from her BURGER JOINT cup that Jean had prepared for her. After Jean speaks, Rogue waits for her turn, glances toward the newly arrived KITTY and then looks forward again.

"Hank." Rogue starts.

"That was..." Dramatic pause.

"Divine. Truly. I mean, I didn't expect that, and I've seen ya do stage shows before. You brought your A-Game here t'night, and I'm... blown away."

She gives another big smile.

"If we're doin' it this way, then yeah, I think you get a Yes from me, Dawg."

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    The lights come back on, revealing a rec room full of happy, clapping audience members! Coming back to the stage, Jubilee holds up a poster with large, glittered letters: APPLESAUCE, and waves it around to generate applause for Hank. "Wasn't that amazing!" she calls out, a big smile on her face. "I'm just going to say what you're all thinking -- that better not have awakened anything in me! The voice of a nightingale! The heart of an angel!"

    "Surely, no one will top that... But we have someone willing to try! All the way from the Girl's Dorms, please welcome Ruth Aldine!" She waggles the APPLESAUCE sign again while making her way out of the circle.

    The sign is suddenly dropped and the girl is running off to check on the snack table! She comes to a sudden halt and stares down at the bowls of snacks and the rows of sodas. Noriko had filled them at some point in all of this. She bites down on her smile, totally missing the sudden change of judges. The girl who had been agonizing about this thing for the last week just shrugs off this huge audible. Que sera sera.

Laura Kinney has posed:
Laura Kinney glances around each time Jubilation lifts up her sign. Then she sniffs the air and frowns. Eventually she whispers to a nearby audience member "Should we have brought jars of applesauce to this event?"

Ruth Aldine has posed:
Ruth looks hesitant, not really wanting to go next but the best way to get in and get out is to go for it. She takes in a deep breath, gives one lasting pat to Mackey and then another pat to Quentin upon the cheek, then heads up to the stage head down and shoulders slumped. She looks like a tired person, all rag-tag like she was forced to do this, but she signed up of her own free will, and regretted it immediately.

While she didn't look out into the crowd, she waves back towards behind the stage as another student comes out; a six-foot tall young man with scaled and flaky skin. He may look like he's in pain, but he moves too easy. Ruth affectionally calls him Belvita because he smelled like the breakfast biscuit. In blueberry!

He approaches the kareoke machine and punches in the number/name of the song as agreed, then gives a few loud clicks to know that he's set it up. Big hands reach for the microphone which was soon handed to Ruth, and with an equally big thumbs up to the crowd, he shuffles off with a quick foot-drag equivalent to a toddlers run of bad doings(tm).

"Feel the morning on my face.." Ruth sings.
"Aint a pill that I didn't take..
Just alive tryin' cause it's been a long day, Cause Im'a sleep when I R.I.P badabadam.."

"Flashbacks.
Relapse.
Camera flash.
And don't forget your hashtag.

All the while, behind the scenes, Belvita could be heard loud whispering.. "Move around girl! Act like you're Cardi-B without the WAP-y twerking!"

Noriko Ashida has posed:
Noriko is busy checking out her gauntlets at the back of the room.  Unlatching, getting a napkin, tentatively wiping off under the flexed joints.  She does look up as she can to watch the rest of Dr. McCoy's show and claps her empty and full gauntlet together noisily when the APPLESAUCE sign makes an appearance.  Noriko finishes quick with her gauntlets, rushing through it with a little worry.  Liiight queue-Done!  Then she quickly makes a round on refilling snacks and things at the tables before Ruth is introduced.

Metal gauntlets clatter in applause at Ruth's entrance.  She smirks as Quentin is patted like the dog, and then frowns when she realizes Tags should totally get more pats...so she spurts over to do that, even if it means being closer to Quention.  This is Tags.

Nori squats down to pet the dog and going on not acknowledging Quentin's presence.

Quentin Quire has posed:
Quentin Quire looks down at Noriko, "Friends with the dog, huh? Can't be surprised. He loves a good bitch," he says.

He applauds for Ruth and glares expectantly at anyone else who he doesn't think is showing enough enthusiasm, possibly towards the point of telekinetically pulling out chairs or goosing somebody who's looking in any way bored or disinterested. It helps that Ruth can actually sing, as Q stands up on his chair and lets out a whoop when she's finished, "SHOW 'EM GIRL"

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde leans over to Laura as she hears the question about applesauce. "Not for here, but you should definitely get all the applesauce in the kitchen," which is a lot, "And sneak into her room tonight and set it all over her room while she's sleeping."

Kitty gives Laura a grin and wink which even for those who came later to social cues, probably would tell the prank of her comment. She turns back then as she seems to be getting co-opted into judging. She apparently decides to go with the Roman form of voting, giving Beast a thumbs up. Unless she's being authentic about it in which case the thumbs up actually meant the use sword on him to the Romans.

She falls silent as she listens to Ruth. Lockheed is resting on her shoulder, though hops over onto the table and walks over to Rogue's cup, sticking his head in for a drink.

Bobby Drake has posed:
Bobby has only recently returned- without much fanfare, to be honest. He had left because of a family emergency shortly before the holidays, and had come back rather quiet and not terribly chatty. Things he had to process, he'd say, and then he'd stay in his quarters outside of any necessary teaching time... to the point that he had become a veritable hermit for a little bit.

Can't do that, Drake.

So when the talent show was announced, he decided to kick himself into gear and just make his way there- socialize, show school spirit, clap and laugh with everybody else.

So of course he had spent the first act gathering liquid courage-- coffee, not booze. So he will forever have to live with the incredible regret of having missed Doctor McCoy's act. But, to his credit, he makes in time to catch the second act. He quickly glances around, looking for a place in which he could sit at. He remains standing for a few moments of indecision, not quite yet making up his mind.

Don't stand there like an ice statue, Drake. Make a choice.

Without really thinking about it, Quentin's whoop gives him a target, and he plops himself by a chair near the voice. Now that he's properly sitting and a member of the audience, he leans forward to pay attention. His eyebrows go up, and he grins. Ruth /can/ belt it out! He doesn't whoop, though. He's not a whooper.

Ruth Aldine has posed:
Ruth gets the point halfway through, go telepaths! She walks across the stage with a little limp in her step, her hand raising as if she's delivering her own words of wisdom, pointing out to the crowd as she continues.

"Rucksack.
White Stacks.
You're a dead man.
You better get rid of that gat.

She begins her pace again, totally into the song. "You gonna run game they don't never run you, nuh.."

"When they bitchin' on your name, you say fuck you too.. sorry!"
It's a fuckin' cold case give detectives no clue, clues, pardon!
Cause I'm Indiana J when I'm trippin' on the juice.. Now lets get quiet.."

Ruth lets the song take hold, her head bopping back and forth as she stays in place, one arm across her chest like a broke MC..

Then she busts out..

"Bout to make a big deal, uproar
And I'm looking for the kill, La Roux
Bitches lookin' like a meal, contour
Percocet until we can't feel no more..

She inhales, releasing her highest note yet, "And I smoked something that'll knock me out, out..
And somehow this body just won't stay down down.. down..
Now lets get real quiet..

As the music goes into its end, Ruth lays down upon the stage, still holding the mic..

"Feel the morning on my faaace..
Ain't a pill that I didn't taake..
Just alive tryin' cause it's been a long daaaay..
Cause Im'a sleep when I R.I.P..."

The music abruptly cuts out as Ruth slowly climbs to her feet. The mic is lifted again as she regards the crowd in kind.

"I am hungry." The mic drops, causing a loud skrrrzt as she climbs down off of the stage...
    ...and walks up the isle..
        ..and right to the snack table to indulge.

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    She refilled the snacks and I didn't even ask her. This is the thought that swims through Jubilee's head as she's returning from the food tables -- all of it free with 'suggested donations.' A huge smile fills her face. Well, that's usually the case, but it's a special kind of smile. She's about to come up besides Noriko to thank her, maybe, but then her smile fades as she hears Quentin. "What." It comes flatly. The APPLESAUCE sign falls to the ground. Two tiny fists appear at Jubilee's sides.

    "What the (censored) did you just say?" she exclaims, suddenly moving closer to Quentin. One of her fists starts to snap, crackle, and pop with tiny fireworks, forming a small cloud -- like a bedazzled Lisa Frank boxing glove of plasmoids. Do her powers even hurt? Quentin might be the first to find out! But...Ruth is coming off the stage. Jubilee gives Quentin a grave look and points a sparkling finger up at him. "You better (censor) apologize or you're not in the show!" And with that, she picks up the APPLESAUCE sign and storms back towards the stage.

Samuel Guthrie has posed:
Sam Guthrie will clap for Ruth, the song may not be his normal cup of tea, but he does appreciate it was well done, and the courage it took to do it. So he will give the hungry girl her props.

Paige Guthrie has posed:
Clapping as well for Ruth, Paige looks rather impressed by her vocal ability. "Great job, Ruth!" She calls out happily, then grins as she states that she is hungry. "Ah know th' feeling. Ah'm starving mah'self. Probably shoulda snacked on something earlier but ah' didn't wanna lose mah nerve and puke on stage." She sides to her brother.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
As Ruth finishes up, Kitty looks at her hand and puts two fingers between her lips and blows. No sound comes out. She adjust and tries again. Still nothing. One more attempt. Suddenly an ear-piercing whistle sounds for Ruth. Oh, so THAT'S how you do it.

"Really great job Ruth. Creative choice. You had it going!" Kitty says to her enthusiastically. She looks over to Lockheed whose head is still buried in the cup. "Lockheed," she says. The little dragon lifts his head out and then does a wing clap for Ruth. "Lockheed concurs," Kitty announces on the performance. Warren for his part, also wing claps now that Lockheed has made that a thing, though his feathery wings make a far softer sound at it. The winged section of the audience has spoken.

Jean Grey has posed:
Jean sits her dancing ass down after delivering her glowing judgment for Hank, settling in for Jubilee to introduce the next act. Which is a good opportunity for some sippy-sippy action from the cup filled with what is presumably still at least a majority content of BURGER JOINT cola.

After that, it's quickly on to Ruth's performance, which turns out to be unsurprisingly almost as strange and inscurutable as the young woman herself. Here, there is no dancing in the aisle behind the judge's table, but instead a much more focused look from Jean, as if studying the details of the performance.

And yes, there's a look of worry as it starts. The music is sort of strange, especially in the intro. And Ruth's performance is somewhat restrained, neutral. But she definitely gets into it more, and by the middle of it, Jean is bobbing her head along with the music. And when it's over, she's ready to judge... an empty stage. It's not like Ruth doesn't already know her scores!

"So... Ruth, honey, wherever you went." Is this Paula acting, or just booze? "Wow. You have such a lovely singing voice, I never really knew." There's a pause, and she looks thoughtful. "I think this was a sort of challenging song choice, and that with your voice, maybe you would have wanted something more lyrical or melodic. And you may want to work on your choreography. But you got into the performance by the end. I think you have a lot of talent, and could really do more with this if you focused on it... 20 points!"

Jean has apparently moved on to 'Whose Line is it Anyway?' scoring, now.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue had been lost in Ruth's perfomance, having never heard that song before. She'd started to tilt her head to the side at the lyrics and a slow grin appearing on her lips.

At least until she felt her cup moving, and looked down to see a purple dragon slurping out of the contents of it. "Nurple, you little devil!" Rogue loud-whispers down at the dragon as she tries to get him to stop consuming her precious spiked BURGER JOINT beverage.

When it comes her turn to speak though she has to look up and stutters for a moment. "Uh oh, uh, Ruthie! That was amazin'. I mean, the song was a little weird? Like, I dunno about all them lyrics'n such, uh... 'Dawg' but. You did good with it? I'll give ya a Yes on that one. Uh... Dawg."

She lifts her cup up then to sip from it, but stops and then sets it aside, for Lockheed to have, ugh!

Noriko Ashida has posed:
Noriko is ruffling Tag's chest with her gauntlet when she hears Quentin speak. Suddenly she's looking at him, no death staring him.

'Us bitches don't like motherf-' it'd go so fast that it'd compresses into a 'kers do we?' in some kind of baby talk to Taggart.  No, what she'd /like/ to do is punch him or...or.  But that's not what happens.  She's suddenly standing and a ripple or two of electricity that slides and leaps up her arms before disappearing at Jubes' reaction.

Noriko's gauntlets curl into fists but she doesn't shift her posture.  "You've got low hanging fruit, should I kick them?"  Then she leans a little bit to say, "If you make a scene, you will regret it."

Quentin Quire has posed:
Quentin Quire slumps a bit in his chair, "So you can call me a fuckhead all you want, even when I didn't do a damn thing to you, but...y'know what, whatever. I'm sorry. There. Enjoy it."

Bobby Drake has posed:
Ruth's performance gathers a generous amount of applause from Bobby. For a moment he is relieved that he didn't throw his name in on the queue, because his own vocal performances have at times been describe along the lines of 'as expressive as a dialtone' and 'the one note wonder.' He is taken out of these musings when Noriko mentions the low hanging fruits, and what she's going to do to them.

Suddenly, Bobby starts coughing. He's totally coughing because he is totally /not/ laughing.

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    Wide-eyed, J-Lube makes her way onto the stage, ignoring Quentin's parting shot since it came with an apology, sincere or not. She takes a deep breath. Deep breath. Bring it, girl! "Wow! My friends, you've heard an angel here this evening! A national treasure! A miracle and you'll see many more!" Jubilee comes back to the stage, clapping her hands with the APPLESAUCE sign under her arm. When she finishes clapping, she lifts the sign and waggles it around a bit to stoke the audience. "And don't forget to help yourselves to some of our fine refreshments -- get yourself a snack or some throat lube! All donations benefit The Orphans!"

    Jubilee rocks from side to side, shifting her weight over each hip. She clears her throat. "Alright, get those clapping hands ready! Our next contestant -- I'll give you a hint -- is a Guthrie! I know, I know, which one, right? Let's hear it for our next contestant....Paige Guthrie!" She starts to clap her hands, as if to demonstrate how, and walks out of the circle to make room for Paige.

Noriko Ashida has posed:
Noriko bends down into a squat next to Quentin and lets her gauntlet glide down the dog's back, picking up sooo much dog hair as the static mounts and some get stuck in her gauntlet.  She doesn't notice  "Yeah.  It's a double standard for my girlfriend to want to defend me and me to want to make sure her night goes off without a supreme asshole...Feel better man!"  Noriko slaps the top of his chair with a clang (the dog hair one) in between sets.

More clanging for Paige!

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Lockheed happily digs back into Rogue's cup. Kitty reaches over to itch his back between his wings. "Remember not to drink and fly. After threes, don't ride the breeze," she tells their resident extraterrestrial dragon.

Kitty sits back in her chair, clapping for Paige as the more talented member of the Guthrie clan takes the state. Even though it was subtext, Kitty still looks at Sam. Yes she subtexted it. The more talented member who does more than get shot out of a cannon.

Kitty leans over to Bobby Drake, slightly less silly than before. "Bobs," she whispers. "Booooooooobs." That was his name, extended, not a body part. "You need to do an ice sculpture. Like... Rogue at the beach in a bikini being held aloft by dozens of men, with a dozen more lying on the ground unconscious."

Paige Guthrie has posed:
As she hears her name, Paige almost finds herself shrinking in to herself. With a deep breath, she pushes herself upwards and gives Sam a nudge, followed by a jerk of her head upwards. "Well, let's get this ovah' with." She says as she makes her way over to a black tarp covering some objects that she brought earlier.

"Ah didn't know everyone was gonna show up and start singin' and actually sounding good. Ah' feel kinda silly now." As she unveils the tarp, there apperas to be three stands about four foot high each. She drags them in front of the crowd, one after the other, making sure that they are all symmetrical. "Ah'right. So .. um.. ah' like ta' do this little thing ta' help me get in the zone when ah' gotta cram and study. Also kinda a stress relief thing. Ah really like Rubik Cube's."

She gives a motion to Sam as she reaches into her back pocket to pull out a red bandana. Afterwards, she takes three scrambled cubes and places each one on each stand in front of her. She takes a deep breath, then clears her throat. "So, what ah'm gonna do is .. ah'm gonna blindfold myself and Sammy here is gonna throw each of them after me one aftah the other, and ah'm gonna solve each one in under a minute."

With that, she counts her steps to properly place herself, then starts to tie the bandana around her head and over her eyes.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue shimmies her flask out of her jacket pocket on the back of her chair and smirks at Kitty's rhyme to Lockheed. She twists the cap on her flask while Paige is brought up on stage. "Don't listen t'her, 'Heed." She adds. "If there's threes, shout 'Yes, Please'!"

Whatever THAT MEANS.

With Warren's flask in her dark green gloved hands now, Rogue just raises it up to sip directly from it, eyes on the stage and the Talented Miss Guthrie!

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    From her new spot off to the side, Jubilee folds her arms across her chest, briefly lingering in her anger for Quentin. This is new for her. Normally, these kinds of storm clouds pass faster than this. Deep breaths, J-Lube, deep breaths. Wait. Paige is doing Blind Cubing? Each in under a minute? This looks like a job for ukulele.

    Jubilee shuffles towards the side of the stage, just outside of view, and starts to strum her ukulele to give Paige something to work with while out there doing her act.

    Strum, strum, strum, strum!

Samuel Guthrie has posed:
Sam Guthrie will follow his sister up to the stage, giving Kitty a look as he heard that subtext. He helps Paige get everything set up, and then pulls out a rubics cube, and twists it a few times, to show, that Paige has not just memorized where they were and the moves to twist the,. He waits till she says ready and calls out "From here." Letting her orient to him, and tosses her over the first cube, seeming to be something they have done before.

Bobby Drake has posed:
Bobby blinks and looks at Kitty. He really wasn't expecting to perform at all tonight, not really feeling in the mood to do much than spectate. But... trust Kitty to get a spark going, because the blue eyes suddenly become more alive, and then a slight smirk appears on his face. He makes a finger-gun at Kitty and he mouths 'You got it.'

Jean Grey has posed:
"Ooh, someone isn't singing!" Jean declares, excited as Paige makes her way up. "I was hoping we'd get to see some unusual talents." And from the description that the young woman gives of her talent and planned demonstration, this promises to be a unique one. And while she's not willing to give the game away like Rogue, that BURGER JOINT cup holds an awful lot... "I wonder if anyone does magic tricks? I kind of want to see a magic trick."

When Kitty looks over, she swings her head around and ends up waving a little over-excitedly in Bobby's direction as well. "Bobby! Yeeees!" But then she looks over at Kitty. "He should do ALL of us, otherwise it's uh, judge bias!"

Paige Guthrie has posed:
The moment Paige says 'Go', she holds her hands out. The two of them obviously have practiced this numerous times for it to work. The cube hits the omni-morph square in the chest and drops into her hands.

FLIP-FLIP-FLIP-FLIP-FLIP-FLIP!

Her hands are like a well practiced blur as she cranks and twists the cube at least ten times quickly, solving it before it drops to the side.

The moment the cube hits the ground, the second one hits her in the chest when Sam throws it across the stage to her. At least he's doing it underhanded!

By the time the third has arrived, she snags it one handed and immediately starts to flip, twist and solve. With one final crank, she slams it down on the stand in front of her, then calls out to her brother. "Time!"

She is fairly sure, if she was counting right, it will be fifty four seconds. As she glances down at her phone that had a stop timer on it she holds it up to show the crowd.

.55 seconds.

"Ta da?"

Noriko Ashida has posed:
Noriko focuses in on Paige's act, eyes flickering back and forth at the setup.  Then, upon spotting Ruth eating at some point, Noriko appears at the back of the event holding a bunch of bananas in one hand while eating from another.  If one could call it eating.  A single banana is disappearing in record time like some kind of stop motion on fast forward.  Peel sails over her shoulder on a brief journey into a trashcan.  Then another one.  And another.  Banana is now her popcorn.

There's a palpable round of one-handed applause from Noriko.  Well, two or thre slaps on her thigh.

Warren Worthington has posed:
Reaching into his pocket, Warren produces a flask in all ways identical to the one Rogue has in her hand. He unscrews the top and takes a belt of the liquid inside before offering up the flash to his companion as he leans over to whisper, "How much longer is this, Kat? I know I put up the prize money for it, but I didn't think I would actually have to sit and watch the whole thing..."

Quentin Quire has posed:
Quentin Quire is sitting and sulking, his hat pulled down for a moment to hide his face, lost in the pink puffy jacket he wore, his new sneakers with the pink soles curled up underneath him. He's trying to channel his irritation into his art, if it could be called that. He wasn't sure how these people were going to handle some authentic hip-hop flow.

Samuel Guthrie has posed:
Sam Guthrie will smile and lead the applause for Paige. He gives her a smile and says "You did good Paige, you almost got your best time." He offers her with a smile. He will move to get her props out of the way as she gets judged, doing the manual labor part for her.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue watches the show put on by the Guthries and it makes a slow grin cross her lips. She glances away for just a moment at some of the conversation going on AROUND HER SO LOUDLY and then looks back in time to see the finished product. When it's time to talk, she drops her flask down to her lap and sits up in her chair.

"Paige, that was awesome. Whenever I'd try'n do a puzzle like that, I'd always just get frustrated'n peal the stickers off, then try'n put them back on t'make the damn thing look finished. But, uh, clearly ya don't gotta resort t'hacks t'get the job down."

Rogue nods once to her. "I'm definitely given ya a Yes, Dawg."

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde claps loudly for Paige. "I like it! An act with some intelligence AND some dexterity to it," she says to the Kentuckian. "However as much as I like it, I am not going to be able to judge this act. No, it turns out that there is a special guest judge for this particular performance," Kitty announces.

She looks around the room and finds a nice open spot and walks over to it. "And for Paige's act, her score is...""

One of Illyana's teleport discs opens up beside Kitty, and a hand adorned in Illyana's distinctive Eldritch Armor reaches through holding a great big card with a 9.5 on it, which Kitty takes from the hand and holds up. The hand disappears back through and the teleport disc closes. "9.5 from the Russian Judge!" Kitty announces loudly.

She smiles and goes back over to sit down, and she leans over to Jean. "I was going to say, remind me tomorrow to have Illyana make a card and teleport it back in time to this moment. But, apparently I remember. Or, maybe you reminded me. Either way, score!"

Kitty looks at Warren's flask. She grabby hands as if wanting the flask, and then pats Warren's knee. "A bit more," she says with a grin. She leans over to whisper something to him then focuses back on the show.

Jean Grey has posed:
"Well. That was... that was really impressive. A lot of people have trouble with just one of those, let alone going for a speed record with three of them," is what Jean has to say of Paige's performance, after giving it a very scholarly looking think. She looks back and forth between the others, her expression very slightly 'uh what else do I say about this?!'. She takes a moment, and then turns forward toward the stage again, miliing. "I really like that you turned it into a team activity! I think it really added something to the spectacle of the whole thing. So let's give it up for Paige Guthrie and her very lovely assistant, Sam!"

As time goes on, and the BURGER JOINT cup slowly empties, Jean's judging is definitely getting a little 'looser.' Like when Rogue talks about trying to solve one herself, she leans over to add: "Or you'd end up just smashing the cubes with your POWERFUL GRIP. ROGUE SMASH."

"Oh right a score. I give Paige a 5.8 out of 6 and Sam a 'too sexy for his shirt.'"

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    "Wow! Check out those Guthries! I guess they really /do/ do everything together!" Jubilee cheers as she comes out onto the stage, waving that APPLESAUCE sign. "That was incredible! They didn't even peel the stickers off and...." Jubilee's enthusiasm putters out as she catches traces of Rogue making her exact joke. She takes a breath and clears her throat. "Let's hear it for them!" Jean's comment about Sam and his shirt? That gets a look!

    "Our next act is... surely going to make you feel things. Please welcome the musical stylings of Quentin Quire!" She comes off the stage and gives the APPLESAUCE sign a wiggle, but it's half-hearted since it's meant to generate applause for the guy who was being a meanie to Noriko.

Paige Guthrie has posed:
Rubbing the back of her neck, Paige finds her cheeks burning. "Thank yah everyone. Sure means ah' lot." With that, she gives Sam a fist bump, then hops down to return to her seats to make room for Quentin.

Quentin Quire has posed:
Quentin gets up on stage, turning his BABY hat all the way backwards and shedding his puffy sleeved jacket to reveal a Seattle Seahawks jersey with KID OMEGA on the back. He brings Ruth up with him and puts another backward hat on her and then hangs a giant clock around her neck. Through the whole performance, Ruth will just stand there silently.

"Y'all wanna see some talent? I got reams of talent for ya. Yo, DJ, gimme a beat," he calls, as someone does, indeed, hit play on the CD he brought along. "This is called freestylin'. Try to keep up."

"People talk shit about my narcissism
You ask me, that's just a farcisissm
I know I'm the best, there ain't no doubtin'
I love to gush rhymes like a damn soda fountain
Wake your ass up, fully caffeinated
Hit you so hard your mama defecated.
My name's Kid Omega, the man in pink
If you got the armor, I've got the chink"

He runs over and stands next to Ruth, throwing an arm around her stoic and still form.

"This is Ruth, the Blindfold, the hypest of hype
She's sweet as a melon that's juicy and ripe
You mess with her then you mess with this dude
Not to mention her pal who'll chew you like dog food
I'm smarter than you and I'm twice as swole
Classified gifted, you get nothin' but coal
Fuck with my heart, fuck with my mind
Fuck you twelve inches of all my mankind
Ruthless as hell, got science, got class
You think to beat me, you can all kiss my ass!"

"Revolutionary mind, with the sickest of flows
Powers that be ain't be nothin' but hos.
Flick 'em to hell with the tip of my finga
Got chains to my ding dong, you can suck my bling-blinga
Empire like Vader, dope moves like Skywalker
You ain't got no chance, you dumb motherfalker
Omega's my name, that's Greek for The End
I'm the best, I'm the king, let your knee do the bend."

Q drops the microphone onto the stage, 'Yo, yo, Blindfold and Kid Omega out. Peace."

Samuel Guthrie has posed:
Sam Guthrie looks over to Paige, as the move back to the table with his sister, looking over to the judges, and says "Ah'm about worried to be wearing a uniform in here tonight." He jokes a bit about Jean's comment, and then sits listening to Quentin's rap, he frowns a bit at the language, yup he is the resident square since Scott aint here, but he does clap at the end of it.

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    By now, Jubilee has summoned some more professionalism and comes back with it. "Okay, okay!" she cheers, clapping her hands as she returns to the stage. "That sure was a lot of swearing... Wow!" She brings a hand to the back of her head and gently rubs. "...Okay... I'm pretty sure we all learned some new ones, tonight...Let's hear it for Quentin!" She takes a breath and shakes her head. "Wow... Let's give the judges a second to, uh, feel their feelings about that."

Warren Worthington has posed:
"Did you tell her who won the $500 prize?" Warren asks Kitty with a grin, "Because if you have insider information I could use it to place a bet and profit off this thing."

When Kitty whispers into his ear he blinks and looks over to her, his eyes slightly wider then they were before and he offers over the flask, dropping it into Kitty's grabby hands.

With a chuckle as he looks up to Jean, "Is to sexy for his shirt a category? Had I known that I would have entered!"

QQ gets up on stage and Warren turns his attention to the man in pink, a brow raised as a smile forms over his face, "Nice! Well played, I think he should get the $500!"

Paige Guthrie has posed:
".. He's sure gonna fill up th' swear jar that Mister Summers has in the kitchen. Probably make him rich." Paige says to Sam as she gives him an amused look, then looks back to the stage to give a quick round of applause. "Jean thinks your shirt is sexy. You gonna take it off and whip it around as your talent? Kinda like ah' Thunder From Down Undah situation?"

Noriko Ashida has posed:
"12 inches of GAG!" Nori shouts out in the middle of Quentin's rap. You know where.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
As Quentin is rapping, Lockheed pulls his head out of Rogue's cup. He burps, it being accompanied by a tiny puff of smoke, and the dragon walks on four lags over to the edge of the table nearest to Quentin.

As the mutant drops his rhythmic rhymes, Lockheed starts to slowly bounce in time to it. Just a little bit at first, but then finally a bit more overtly. He tucks his wings and then extends one wing in a gesture mimicking what Quentin is doing on stage with his arms. He continues bouncing along like that until Quentin does the mike drop. The little dragon tosses back his head and gives a tiny plume of flame, just a few times bigger than a lighter, like he were at a concert.

Kitty looks over, grinning at the reaction. "I'm going to let Lockheed's reaction cast my vote on this one," she says.

Jean Grey has posed:
"Its a talent show, everything's a category!" Jean calls back at Warren. "Come on, get on stage and take it off!"

Sloppy Jean, brought to you by BURGER JOINT!

She ceases her cat-calling by the time Quentin takes the stage. "Quentin, that was... that was really good, you're obviously very talented and creative, to come up with something like that. Just wow. That should be about a ten out of ten for the rap. Maybe even an eleven!" She waits a moment or two, letting the positive judgment settle, even as her eyes narrow and she leans forward over the table.

"But! I -think- you called us all 'hos,' so, minus a million points for that." She looks back and forth at the others, as if gathering a consensus, then straight ahead again, crosses her arms, and nods.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue flicks the flask back again and slouches in her chair as Quentin starts to rap. She's... a country girl... likes country music... rap is a very specific taste! The cursing makes her laugh initially and then just widen her eyes as it gets more and more intense.

A look is sent from the Belle to her judge on her right, and her judge on her left as Jean starts to speak. When it comes to her turn, Rogue just sits up in her seat and smiles toward Quentin whether he's listening to her or not!

"I mean, I imagine that'll play well in some circles, but that's gonna have'ta be a No from me Dawg. Mom's spaghetti."

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    They're nearing the end now. "Okay!" Jubilee cries out after reclaiming the stage. She gives a good-natured strum of her ukulele. "Are we ready for our last act of the night?" She pauses a second. "I said... Are we ready for our last act of the night!" She'll wait.

    "It pains me, ever so much, to share the stage with someone who likes math as much as this guy, but somehow I'll manage. Everyone! Let's welcome.... Bobby Drake!" She claps her hands and starts to head off the stage to let Bobby begin his act.

Bobby Drake has posed:
Bobby had a brief whispered arrangement as to what exactly he needed for Kitty's request, and once everything was settled, he grins.

"Alright! Thanks, Jubi- you know you can always count on me!" Bobby says, making his way up to the stage. "This is totally impromptu, which means I didn't plan to do this tonight. So..." he makes his way to center stage and snaps his fingers. "Ice on!" and then he deadpans as he becomes his glittery, super cool self. "What? You love it when Johnny does it." And off he goes- the music that starts playing in the background is the thing of nightmare for parents everywhere, survivors all of the incessant droning and chanting of a malevolent ice queen.

~The snow glows white on the mountain tonight, not a footprint to be seen...~

"I always like to start with a good, firm foundation for these!" Iceman says, his hands moving quickly to generate, disperse and manipulate the ice. In no time at all, the formless mass becomes a foundation comprised of men in swimwear, glittering and prone on the ground, victims of some great swoon.

"And, of course, if you have a foundation, you need some good pillars, right?"

Building up from the fainted men, several sturdy legs appear: well-turned calves, calves, and then powerful torsos that finally crown in heads with uplifted arms, holding something up that is yet unseen.

"... okay, I might date /that/ one," Bobby says, pointing at one of the men with a smirk and leaning on him with his elbow, comically slipping off him and almost prat-falling. "... talk about a cold shoulder. Anyways-" he turns back to the sculpture, and starts to add more people to it. "Let's say hi to some friendly faces!" Kitty, Jean, and Rogue stand in a trio by the men, and you can see that the trail of fainting men (Charles Xavier and Warren being some of them) all lead to Rogue!

Then he starts working on what the men are actually holding up, and and a pair of dainty feet appear on the hands of the lifting men, followed by shapely legs, "You always have to give people what they want, right?" Bobby lifts himself with a small ice platform, as he starts adding details to the sculpture. A lower torso in a bikini, and then a chest that seems to be covered by arms hugging itself make up a recumbent figure, but completely headless!

He glances at the audience. "Oops. Guess we really should finish this off, your fans are waiting for the big reveal!"

And then he turns away from the audience and a cloud of mist covers the whole sculpture as Bobby begins to work frantically on the head, just as the music rises to a crescendo:

~Let it go! Let it go! And I'll rise like the break of dawn!~

And then, Bobby jumps off the platform and gestures to the statue as the head is unveiled! And the beautiful, supple, bikini-clad creature that the men are holding up is

Logan.

Iceman blinks, looks at the statue, and then at the audience.

"I'm afraid something has gone horribly wrong here."

Warren Worthington has posed:
"HEY!" Warren shouts with a laugh as he rises from his seat as he sees himself up on the stage, "I don't believe I signed any paperwork requesting a usage of my likeness, Drake!" The angel looks around for something to toss at his old friend, but finding nothing he just crosses his arms over his chest and stares at the iceman. "Though I have to admit Logan has never looked better....you win this round, Bobby, but your buying the drinks!"

Warren flops back down into his seat, muttering something that seems to rhyme with the word 'icepole', but with good humor. He looks to Kitty, "Did you put him up to that?!"

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde crosses her arms and gives Warren a flat stare. "The more interesting question, is why are you there unconscious with the other men who touched Rogue?" she asks. Kitty swivels to look over at the Mississippian, giving her same flat stare. It turns suspicious then, and she points two fingers at her eyes and then at Rogue, watching you, while scrunching up her nose in a comically fierce expression.

Kitty gets up from her chair and moves over to the ice sculpture, walking around it. Her hands are behind her back as she feigns giving it a very critical eye. "I really need my monocle right now, Bobs," she says, holding out her hand. When he makes her a crystal clear ice monocle, Kitty fits it in place before an eye.

She speaks then a thick French accent and in a very howdy-towdy tone for that language. "I find zee whole affair to be contrived and derivative. There eez zo leettle... je ne sais quoi... so little life to it. It eez like all of zee people are just... frozen. I feel no motion," she says. Kitty waves a hand towards the Logan part of the statue. "And ze hair!?" she exclaims, which Bobby really nailed perfectly. "Tre ridiculous. Who would wear their hair in zees way?"

She throws up her hands in mock disgust and returns to her seat. And to Warren's flask.

Kitty Pryde has posed:
Kitty Pryde suddenly says, "Ow ow ow," and removes the ice monocle which is freezing the bits of her face that were holding it in place.

Jean Grey has posed:
Rogue gets an up-nod from Jean for her judgment on Quentin. Hos gotta stick together! SIP!

But the announcement of the final act brings renewed applause and indeed a sense of wild enthusiasm from the judge: "Woo! Bobby! Hooray!"

Is this bias, yet another First Class-er getting such a reception from the judge? Is this whole show a fraud?! Plainly, she's far too enthusiastic for the refreshing taste of BURGER JOINT cola to care.

Bobby starts sculpting, and since she'd chimed in with Kitty in suggesting the idea to start with, it's fair to say she seems to know where the whole thing is going. And she seems into it! She's even humming along to the song, ice-devilish ear worm that it is! Although, by the time he's done a bit more of the sculpture, and she notices how the line of ice hunks seems to fall more at the feet of Rogue than... no other sculpture figure in particular, Jean gives a sudden "PFT" sound and folds her arms again.

Indeed, by the time Bobby is shaping his final, lifted figure, the apparent QUEEN of this whole ensemble, she's actually kind of glaring at him. Betsy? Ororo? Lorna? EMMA?! The end may truly be near at hand...

...until at last he steps away to reveal the face of the figure and she bursts out laughing. Laughing so hard she doubles over, basically faceplanting on the judge's table.

That will stand, as her score.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue.

Just.

Stares.

With her arms crossed.

Eyes forward.

Once everyone is done talking.

She speaks up.

"Hank wins." She announces.

"But! BUT!" Her eyes go straight to Bobby.

"Talk t'me later about makin' one'a those ice men." She raises her flask up to sip from it again and looks around. "Okay, back to Harry's!" The Belle says as she starts to stand up, reaching for her jacket.

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    "Woahhhh, Chewbacca sound! That was amazing! Who knew that Logan would look so good in a bikini?" Jubilee cries out, coming back to the microphone with that APPLESAUCE sign held out in front. "I can say that was /literally/ the greatest thing I've seen in my life. All of western civilization is going to look back on this evening, that act, as the crowning achievement of our time! And that isn't hyperbole, ladies and gentlemen!"

    For a moment, Jubilee's eyes scan for her English teacher, briefly wondering if they caught her correctly use the word 'hyperbole.' Not as dumb as she seems.

    "Let's hear it for all of our fantastic contestants, tonight!" Jubilee cries out, bringing both hands together for some intense clapping, expecting the crowd to join in.

    "Okay, let's check in with our judges, here..." Jubilee reaches for the karaoke microphone and rips it, tape and all, from the broomstick. She walks towards the judges table with it, causing the coiled cord to pull tight. She catches Rogue's announcement that Hank has won, just like that. Jubes gives Rogue a *look* "Our judges will take a few minutes to deliberate," she says, dragging her fingertips along the table, as if only talking to Rogue. "But while they do, let's hear a word from our sponsors..."

    Jubilee slooooooowly starts walking around the circle, smiling at all the mutants in attendance. The short cord of the karaoke machine becomes the radius of her motion. "...My friends... Have you ever just had ONE OF THOSE DAYS?!" She beams, putting one hand on her hip. "...And you just want to eat your feelings?"

    "Well, if your feelings are pre-processed cow parts mechanically separated into a pink paste and then flattened into greasy round slabs and stuck between two pale slices of bread...."

    "...Come on down to BURGER JOINT! Now with 10% less grease than a lethal dose. BURGER JOINT: You can eat here."

    Jubes clears her throat and sticks the microphone back up on the broom handle and waits for the signal from the judges that they are all done with their decision.

Warren Worthington has posed:
Warren Worthington looks between Kitty and Rogue and back, laughing. "Hey, don't look at me that is all Bobby's doing. I had absolutely nothing to do with it, though I do look pretty good up there." Warren takes out his phone and snaps a few pictures of the ice sculptures before they melt away.

He looks over at Kitty, "Are we heading to Harry's after this, or are we headed home? I'm find with either, it's your call."

Samuel Guthrie has posed:
Sam Guthrie checks to see if anyone was recording th whole event and makes sure he gets sent a copy of the show. He might just have to show parts of it to his siblings, and maybe not parts of it as well.

Jean Grey has posed:
If there's to be deliberating among the judges, it will take waiting for Jean to catch her breath. Eventually, she can be encouraged to sit upright again, taking a brief moment to compose herself and gently sliding the BURGER JOINT cup away from its place of honor in front of her. She looks over at Rogue, and nods. "It was close, but I'd have to give it to Hank, too."

After they've given their official answer, there is a sound of gentle, measured applause from somewhere in the back of the room. So unobtrusive, as clapping goes, that it might not immediately be obvious over all the hijinx, and only slowly worm its way into the ears, and subsequently thoughts, of the audience. In the rear of the room, sitting so that his large, high-tech chair does not take up undue space, Professor Charles Xavier applauds the completion of the night. "You all did wonderfully, I so proud to see the students put this together, and such an array of talent from our student body and faculty alike. Of course, I defer to the judges. Hank did superbly."

Yet, those sitting near him might hear him remark to a nearby colleague: "They all did so well. Although if I had to pick a favorite, I thought that young man with the rap had quite the illest of flows."

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    After conferring with the judges -- officially this time, not just from one of Rogue's utterances -- Jubilation steps up to the karaoke microphone again and moistens her lips. She pauses there for a few moments to build tension, hiking up her eyebrows a little. The moment of truth.

    "Ladies and gentlemen! This is the moment you've all been waiting for. Nothing penultimate about this! The WINNER of the First Annual Talent Show For Gifted Youngsters Presented by Jubilation Lee, and the $20 giftcard to Burger Joint -- $7 remaining -- and the $100 cash prize...."

    "Is..."

    "Is..."

    Jubilee extends an open palm towards the crowd and waves her hand in a circle....

    "HANK MCCOY!!!!!!"

    Jubilee breaks out into furious clapping. "Come on up, Hank, so you can receive your prizes! Walking in heels isn't so easy, is it?" Her smile is huge, celebratory, with both sets of teeth shown. Her hands, however, are empty. With that big smile, Jubilation takes a deep breath, her face frozen in time. Her breathing is done through her teeth. Jubilee reaches down and pats at her skirt with both hands, as if it suddenly had grown pockets or something. Uh oh. Stall for time. They can't know.

    "Perhaps you'd like to come up and say a few words? Thank those who got you where you are? Maybe some kind words about your opponents tenacity?" Jubilee gestures to the microphone taped on the top of the broom handle. She takes a step back and looks around the room, wide-eyed. She lost the prizes.

Noriko Ashida has posed:
There was something odd about that smile.  Discerning squint.  The speedster seems to notice something wrong right when Jubilee pats down her skirts.

Noriko bolts out at top speed, weaving her way out without a trace to dash up to her dorm room with Jubes.  And boy is it a mess.  They /just/ cleaned up not two nights ago, or was that one?  Already there are islands of clothing and clutter, probably formed on the hunt for the right outfit.

The land of dorm room 404 is not a surprise to Noriko.  It's her domain.  She buzzes around the room still running hot.  Did the crown fall when Jubes changed earlier?  That'd be Nori's fault for tossing it up onto her head.  What about the gift card?  Nori bounces over to rifle through Jubes' wallet, then purse, then she starts looking through the floor mess like a dog digging for its bone...till she comes face to face with Jubes bed, still bent over.

Oh.  There's a big envelope on Jubilee's bed that says, 'DON'T FORGET THIS!!!'

And Nori's back, though no one would likely see it!  She's up on the stage to make the envelope magically pop into Jubilee's hand like it's some flourish of the show!  Then suddenly she's just over Jubilee's shoulder.  Nori pops open a soda and is in mid drinking right when she concentrates herself to slow down to 'keep up' with everyone.  Noriko blinks when Jubilee starts to turn but has nothing but warmth in her eyes, beaming back at Jubes.  She nods her head toward the crowd quickly to signal her back and maybe also double as her reply.

Bobby Drake has posed:
Bobby claps and laughs, "Man, now I wish had really seen Hank's number. What did he sing? Frank Sinatra?"

Oh, he has no idea whatsoever.

While this outing was successful, he is going to pass on further entertainment. He still isn't fully up to himself, and going to Harry's is probably not a good idea. "I think I'm gonna turn in. Early morning and whatnot." Really? To do /what/, Drake?

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    Oh no. The valuable cash and prizes -- $100, the $7 of value on the Burger Joint gift card, and the cardboard crown -- that had been hyped up this whole time are... not here. Stall stall stall. Think of a plan. Buy some time. "Hehe..." she begins, looking over at the crowd with some hope in her eyes. Where's Hank? She looks around, waiting for him to come up. "Is there anything you'd like to say, Hank? Come on up... Don't be shy! Anyone you'd like to thank? Anything....at all?"

    Jubes takes a step back and takes a breath. How the hell is she going to get out of this? She closes her eyes tightly, trying to think of something clever or funny she could say into the microphone. Oh god... She hears that voice. The professor is here! Seeing this. Seeing her screw up. Could this get any worse? Suddenly, her exuberance is replaced with pangs of stage fright. Oh nooooo.

    What. Jubilee looks down and sees an envelope in her hand, which had been empty just a moment ago, and Noriko's gauntlet. Her eyes rise to stare at the other girl, a starry-eyed look on her face. "...Thanks..." says, her voice just above a whisper, staring. And she'd continue like that if not for the... TALENT SHOW. Jubilee slowly pulls the envelope and reaches inside to produce a cardboard crown covered in glitter. The envelope contains Hank's prize money. The glitter crown is meant for his head. "Let's hear it for your winner, Hank McCoy!!!! And let's hear it for all the fantastic contestants, tonight! And our wonderful judges! Thanks for not giving me detention!"

    "Oh, and it's not too late to get some of those wonderful refreshments and make a suggested donation for the benefit of The Orphans! Get some road sodas for the trip back to your rooms! Goodnight, Xaviers!"