7638/The Last Kenny Roger's Roasters... Do They Have Chicken

The Last Kenny Roger's Roasters... Do They Have Chicken
Date of Scene:	01 September 2021
Location:	Kenny Roger's Roasters
Synopsis:	Dinner at Kenny Roger's Roasters went well. Clarice, Henry, Kury and Tara enjoyed chicken!
Cast of Characters:	Clarice Ferguson, Tara Tsabedze, Henry McCoy, Kurt Wagner

---

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice is partway through her meal - a side of chicken in front of her with a mound of mashed potatoes, and some corn, and a biscuit slathered with butter and herbs. It was, quite frankly, more food than she could eat - but she'd been hungry after patrol, and you know how sometimes that causes you to over-order? Yeah. It's one of those occasions.
    She's making a valient effort at it however, tearing into her chicken leg, with her fork currently jammed deep in the mashed potatoes. There's a little cup off to the side filled with gravy that she periodically dips things into. She dips just about //everything// in it.
     I mean... Gravy's good.

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
It was a warm night in New York, which has Tara wearing a marigold colored summer dress and a pair of leather sandals. She is the one who had called Henry, invited him to dinner at Kenny Roger's Roasters, all the while hoping that he would agree and that they had chicken.

Never having been to this restaurant, she waits for Hank outside, humming to herself and waving to people she's seen around the neighborhood. It was packed in there, she could see that through the windows, perhaps they would have to find a table in the back or share with someone.

Henry McCoy has posed:
Not one to dilly dally when meeting one, Henry showed up a few moments later. He was dressed nicely, with a sling back over his shoulder. Spotting Tara, he offers a wave and a smile. "Evening, K'Tara. How are you doing?" He asks, moving to open the door for her.

A glance around and a hrm. "Quite the busy night..." He comments, looking over the crowd. A familiar face, with a familiar hue. Henry grins. "I do see a friend though, perhaps we could sit with her?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    It's hard to miss Hank McCoy when he enters a room - even if you're busy dipping biscuits into more gravy. She hastily swallows, lifting a friendly hand in greeting towards the hulking, daper-blue fellow. "Hank!" she calls brightly.
    The felinoid figure beside him is much less familiar, but the two seem to be together. She offers a nod of greeting, before picking up her glass of iced tea for a deep slurp of its contents. Ahhhhh.

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
The minutes Hank approaches, he is greeted with a hug and a kiss on each cheek. Perhaps it is a European thing, or something from her tribe, but it is how she greets, he'll have to adjust.

"I am quite well, thank you for asking," she comments as she moves through the now open door. She then chirps happily, "I have a position at Happy Harbor High School!"

Looking around now at just how full it was, she hmms and then Hank mentions knowing someone, so her attention goes back to him, "Oh? If she is willing, this would be perfectly acceptable to me."

Henry McCoy has posed:
He certainly wasn't expecting that greeting - though he does not look upset in the least. Henry blushes, almost certainly, nodding to her. "Oh? Teaching? Physician?" He wonders, offering a wave to Clarice. "Let's go see... I am fairly certain she's amiable to company."

As they near the table, he greets. "Clarice, wonderful to see you here. Would you mind company? This is K'Tara, a friend I've met recently in Bushwick. K'Tara, this is my friend Clarice."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Of course you and your friend are welcome. I mean - the place is rammed full," Clarice observes with a bright smile - as she takes in Tara's unusual appearance, from her claws, to her fur, to her tail... Hrm. "Nice to meet you, K'Tara. Any friend of Hank's is- well, stands a reasonable chance of being a friend of mine," she remarks with an amused grin.
    "I'm sure you're not one of the few exceptions, though."

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Tara extends her hand to Clarice upon introduction, it's what Americans did after all.

"I am well pleased to meet you Clarice," she says, whether the hand is taken or not. "You may call me Tara if you prefer, but I do respond to both."

With the offer to join accepted, Tara settles into a chair across from Clarice, so as not to crowd the then says to Hank, "School nurse, at least for the time being. I am considering if there is something I could teach, but I do not think there is."

Henry McCoy has posed:
Once greetings are completed, Henry waits for the two ladies to seat themselves. Once they are settled, he takes his seat - carefully. "I am fairly certain she is not one of the exceptions." He chuckles, nodding to Clarice. "How's the food?"

A smile to Tara. "School nurse? Fantastic! You can use your skills to good end, then." A chuckle. "And I think cultural studies is fascinating - if they'd have you teach about your people."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice quickly wipes her hand on a napkins - before taking Tara's hand readily, trying to 'accidentally' bump up against one of those claws. She's curious to see how sharp they are - and it's always a good idea to have some notion of what the people around you are capable of.
    "So - are you teaching at Xavier's then?" Clarice assumes, looking between the two. Though the 'if //they'd// have you teach about your people' gives her a little pause. Is that really how Hank would talk about Xavier's?
    "The food's not bad. I mean, nothing ammazing - but really, how can you mess up a rotissery chicken?" she asks amiably.

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
The tips of Tara's claws are extremely sharp, it wouldn't take much pressure at all with them to rend flesh. The light 'accidental' tap won't draw blood, but too much pressure will.

"Actually, I am the nurse at Happy Harbor, I am not certain what Xavier's is," she offers, taking napkin to unfold in her lap. She was just about to look at the menu when Clarice says the magic words rotisserie chicken'.

"Oh yum! They have chicken," she chimes with a broad smile, revealing her longer incisors. "I have been craving chicken."

Henry McCoy has posed:
A shake of his head at Clarice's question. Then Tara answers it, the man grinning. "Similar schools, I would wager. Plenty of gifted children." A shrug. "Xavier's is a school for special children." That's all he mentions about that, for now. The menu is taken up in his hands as the three share a discussion.

"Chicken, biscuits, gravy..." He beams. "Somewhat messy, but it smells delicious."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Messy is delicious," Clarice declares brightly. I mean - not always, but it is in this case.
    She grins at Tara as she remarks, "Ah, well, if you're going to be at Happy Harbor - please keep an eye out for Cynthia. Hopefully she won't end up in your care terribly often." If ever. Please not ever. "I'm in the middle of getting my younger sister enrolled there," she explains.
    She leaves any explinations about Xavier's in Hank's hands, however, as she takes another bite of her chicken.

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Since Henry opened his menu, Tara leans over into and against him to look at it. He mentioned gravy, so now she's interested to see what else they have. She eyes the many choices, biscuits do sound good.

"Rotisserie chicken, with a couple of biscuits and some gravy to dip in... that's perfect," she says softly, since she's right by his ear. No need to yell, but while there she blows a little air past his ear then sits up again.

"Cynthia," she repeats, the name now memorized. "I will treat all the students equally of course, no matter if they are human, mutant or alien, I hear there is an alien or two there, I am excited to meet them... however, I will keep an eye on your little sister if you would like."

Placing her order when the waitress comes by, she also asks for iced tea with only a little ice, then waits for the woman to be gone before saying, "Messy can be fun, really get in there and enjoy the meal, then hose yourself off." She grins broadly again at this. "Or just wash your hands and shower when you get home."

Henry McCoy has posed:
Henry grins. "Cynthia is a wonderful young woman. I am sure she'll be a star at Happy Harbor." He beams, nodding to Clarice. "She's got a heck of a sister, too!" A wink. Tara leaning in for the menu allows Henry to get out his reading glasses so he can actually see what's on the placard.

The man sits up straight when the puff of air is blown, ear twitching a bit. A shiver, then a clearing of his throat. "Ahem... yes. Sounds perfect. And lemon for the iced tea?" He asks, sliding the menu over to the server.

No comment on the messy and shower comments.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Cynthia's great. It's a shame she was saddled with me," Clarice counters with a good-humored grin. Towards Tara she adds, "I don't imagine she'll give you or any of the teachers any trouble. She's determined to succeed academically."
    She takes another sip of her tea as she watches the interplay between Henry and Tara - amusement pulling at the corners of her lips. Honestly - there was a part of her that wished she had Rahne perched on her arm, now.
    Ah well.

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Once she is back in her own chair, and sitting properly, Tara adjusts the napkin in her lap.

"To be honest, I know nothing about American school or how they operate," she admits. "I attended school in Mozambique for a short time, but my differences make it rather difficult. Not impossible, just difficult, and those were college classes."

Collecting her tea with it is delivered, she adds a straw, which is a miracle in getting out of the paper with those claws but she manages. "Americans are extremely different than any other people I have met, the customs and culture seems wild and chaotic, just like the people. I am not saying this is a bad thing, merely an observation."

Henry McCoy has posed:
A nod to Clarice in agreement. "She's going to do her best, and amaze us all." A wink. "And she was not burdened with you, at all. You two are good for one another." He assures, tearing the tip of the straw wrapper off and taking a sip from his tea. "As I mentioned, I'd be glad to help tutor whenever needed." The unspoken addition, for both sisters.

"Culture ebbs and flows in America - it is always in a state of flux. We are all fiercely individual, even though we are often burdened with fads and popular culture dictations on behavior and style."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "When we're not setting each other off," Clarice murmurs quietly, a frown pulling at her lips for a moment. The memory of Cynthia shouting at her, for daring to feel guilt and pain over their parents' death - it still stung more than she was willing to admit. She jabs her fork into her mashed potatos, dipping it into the gravy and eating it before she remarks, "But yeah. Mostly good for one another. I'd do anything for her."
    Looking back towards Tara she adds, "Well, if it helps matters at all - Cynthia and I are actually Genosian. And I was from Barbados before that - so... I'm not an American at all."

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
A quiet giggle escapes Tara as she shakes her head a little.

"I meant no insult, nor accusation. We are all from some place," she offers, taking a sip of her tea once the straw was free. "Genosha... yes, I have heard of this place, but have never been. It is my understanding that it is only for Mutants, yes?" She looks between the two of them for a moment regarding the answer to that.

"I love to study cultures and people, to discover the differences and the similarities. It is a hobby really, as there is nothing truly useful in such knowledge, but it has permitted me to learn many langauges."

Henry McCoy has posed:
The Beast cants his head to the side, regarding Clarice. "Family often does that, but good family will always pull through the little spats." He assures. "Cynthia is good family." A wink. "Dunfee, Illinois." He admits. "American born and bred."

A look from Clarice to Tara, letting the former explain Genosha. He's not the subject expert, after all. "I would argue that studying culture is very important. It allows you to better communicate and bridge gaps with people from other cultures, K'Tara."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Not //only// for mutants," Clarice answers. "But it is mutant centric. I mean - many mutants have human parents. Mutants //can// have human children. And you often don't know if a kid is mutant or not until they're a teen, anyways - so it's not like humans are forbidden. Plus... Lorna- I mean, Queen Lorna, she just isn't that way." She gives a shrug of her shoulders, looking back towards Hank.
    "You're probably right about that," she agrees. "But... Doesn't mean it can't hurt," she admits.

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Tara shifts slightly in her chair, adjusting because her tail was feeling completely trapped and now it is flicking back and forth of it's own mind, pissed at having been trapped.

"You think they would permit me to visit?" She asks Clarice, regarding Genosha. "I would love to see how the progress is coming on rebuilding, and if able to offer assistance do to. Vacations for me are helping people in new places." She smiles brightly at this, because she wasn't joking about it.

Noting that something is off between Clarice and Cynthia she then says softly, "Often, it is the similarities between people that can lead to troubles, but it does not mean that the affection and love is changed. I do not know what happened between you and your sister, and the pain that was caused it very real and should be worked through, so long as both parties are willing."

Kurt Wagner has posed:
"Ah, chicken sounds like a tasty idea," Kurt says to himself. It's happenstance that anyone else with ties to Xavier's is already at Kenny Rogers' Roasters, but is it really that abnormal in Bushwick, in Mutant Town?

Although he'd resolved at one time or another to forego the use of an image inducer unless absolutely necessary, this part of town requires it even less than others. As a result of this, another obvious mutant is soon visible in the place as he steps in, wearing a white button-down shirt with the collar open, tucked into casual slacks. Glancing down, he muses mainly to himself, "If any place would ignore the 'no shoes, no service' rule, I would hope it would be in this part of town."

Rubbing his hands together, he adds, "Right. Let's see what's on the menu, ja?" So singular is his focus on yummy chicken, he is yet to spot a familiar face or two.

Henry McCoy has posed:
Henry nods to Clarice, smiling. "It can, yes. But it's the healing that matters. It will mend, Clarice. Just talk to her." He doesn't know exactly what happened, but he's certainly confident in his suggestion.

As Tara's tail is freed, he grins, glancing over. A nod in agreement with her comment about the similarities. "If you like, I could speak to Her Majesty, to see about a visit?" A look from Clarice to Tara.

German? Familiar voice? He looks over, spotting Kurt. "Fancy seeing you here!" He calls over, with a wave.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Oh, I'm sure a visit would be welcomed. Anyone who wants to volunteer with the rebuilding effort, or to help out and entertain the children, or to provide medical services... It's all welcomed with open arms."
    Tara's comments on sibling relations cause her to shift uneasily as she remarks, "Oh, we still love one another, I don't doubt that for a moment," she replies. She looks between Hank and Tara, her smile a little tight as she insists, "It'll work itself out. I wouldn't worry about. It just stings a little, but pain always fades with time. Yeah?"
    Clarice looks up as Hank calls over to the other X-Man, and she scoots over to make a little more space beside her - freeing up plenty of space for Kurt's relatively slender form.
    Two of them were blue. Two of them were tailed. Two of them were considered 'elf-like.' They made nice matched set, really.
    "There's room for one more if you like!" she adds on the tail of Hank's words.

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Tara offers Clarice a smile, she understood sibling issues, she had a sister and a brother back with the tribe. Sometimes it was just plain complicated, especially when you were the sibling of the Kivuli like they were.

"I do hope it works out for you both," she offers to Clarice and then both she and Hank are waving to someone, so the turns slightly in her chair to see who it is.

This is someone she has not met before, but she still offers a wave so as not to be rude. "Most welcome!" she calls, just to ensure the man understands everyone at the table is in agreement.

Kurt Wagner has posed:
Blue? Kurt and Henry.

Tailed? Kurt and Tara.

Elfin? Kurt and Clarice.

What a combination!

"Was?" he asks, the German word for 'What?' pronounced with a V. "Oh, hallo! I did not see you there," he says somewhat apologetically, moving to approach them. "Henry, Clarice, and..?" he asks the one with the feline features and all, she being unfamiliar to him. As such, he offers her a bow with a flourish, going so far as to extend a hand toward hers to take and, if allowed, kiss the back of it. What a gentleman. "I am Kurt Wagner, otherwise known as the Astonishing Nightcrawler from mein days in the circus. A pleasure to meet you."

The open spot ends up being next to Clarice, so he takes a seat there and looks toward her food. "That looks mouth-watering. When do we get ours?" Only after his initial reactions to the three does he venture, "I am not interrupting any important conversations, am I?"

Henry McCoy has posed:
The bigger blue man looks pleased as punch as Kurt arrives to join them. A grin as the blue elf shows his manners and flair with his introductions. "Our food..." A server delivers the food for K'Tara and Henry, "... is right there. I'll share if you like? We can always order more." He nods.

To Tara, he smiles. "Kurt is a good friend, and a fantasticly dashing gentleman." A look to Kurt. "Conversation, pleasant and friendly. And me offering out advice, un-asked." He chuckles, glancing to Clarice.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Not much to interrupt," Clarice agrees promptly. She'll take any opportunity to ditch the conversation about her woes with her sister. It was exceedingly uncomfortable for her.
    "And to be honest - I think I over-ordered myself. So you're welcome to come of mine. Would you rather breast meat or thigh?" she asks - calling to the retreating waitress, "Can we get a spare plate?"
    Yes. The re-approtioning of food it a much safer topic altogether.

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Tara's hand is offered without hesitation and she makes no move to stop him from kissing it. In some cultures it was still acceptable, and she was just talking about having studied cultures as a hobby, so she wasn't about to stop him.

"I am K'Tara Tsabedze," she offers once he introduces himself, a hint of a East African accent to her soft voice. "You may call me Tara if you wish."

The timing of the foods arrival was perfect, just as Hank was talking about it, so she offers to Kurt, "I cannot eat this entire rotisserie chicken, you are more than welcome to have some it, as well as the biscuits and gravy. My eyes are always much larger than my stomach." She offers the man bright and broad smile, revealing her longer incisors in the process. "I am so very pleased to meet you."

Kurt Wagner has posed:
"I come from the tradition of the old ways, where men treat women the way they ought to be treated. Knights, chivalry, Errol Flynn, though the more dastardly side of me does love a good pirate story," Kurt goes on for a few moments before catching himself. "My apologies. I get carried away easily, especially with a new name and face. I will go with Tara, as it is one less syllable each time."

Suddenly all three are offering to provide for him, and he holds up both hands. Tara will see them as unique, with only the two fingers to go with the thumb on both. "Oh, I might nibble, but it is only right I buy for myself here, even if it is just to take with me for more later. Danke, though, from my stomach as well." Chicken and all the fixings are soon being sampled, then he steeples his fingers before him as his tail flicks side to side, the spaded tip visible near the shoulders. "How did you meet mein freunds here, Tara? Und Clarice, I will just say I like all parts of the chicken."

Henry McCoy has posed:
After his run in with Essex, Hank was down a finger on each hand himself. And a bit of dexterity! A grin as everyone starts sampling - sharing food like a group of old friends or family. The potentially innuendo-laden comment from Clarice earns a cough from Henry. He takes the time to remove his reading glasses and rehome them in their case.

The man shifts in his seat, striving to stay comfortable. "If I may?" He looks to Tara, grinning. "We met at Mootant Milkshakes... happened to stop by during lunch. I've just only introduced her to Clarice, a chance meeting her here."

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Despite all her talk about getting messy, Tara carefully uses a fork to tear some of the meat off the chicken and place on the plate. Once she's claimed it however, she pick a small piece up with her fingers to nibble on. If she's sharing the bird, she's not going to get her germs all over it.

"I called tonight to see if he was interested in dinner, and Clarice was kind enough to share her table with us," is all that she adds to that, offering Hank a charming smile, even winking once at him. "So tonight I have met two of Hank's friends."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Honestly, the innuendo seems to go straight over Clarice's head as she cuts Kurt off some of the breast meat from her chicken, offering it over for him to pick from.
    She was a thigh girl herself, it seemed.
    "Mootant Milkshakes is always the place to be," Clarice remarks, flashing Hank a bright smile. "I brought the orphanage on Genosha a bunch of small shakes as a treat. That's where Cynthia was living, you know, when Mystique found her."
    She glances between Kurt and Hank as she adds, "You know - since I have the both of you here, perhaps I can enlist you both to my new cause. I'm trying to arrange to find mentors for all of the children still living in the orphanage on Genosha. So that each of them have someone who cares about them - them specifically. So they have some sort of connection, someone they can rely on. I thought maybe some of the folks at Xavier's would be interested in helping with something like that.

Kurt Wagner has posed:
Kurt Wagner notes, "They /do/ make good milkshakes there." The tail settles back down for the moment, and he holds up a finger. "Bitte. I will be right back." He gets up so he might take care of a drink for himself, in this case a fruit punch.

Upon returning, he considers Clarice's idea. "I don't see why not. Was there someone you had in mind for someone such as myself?" The drink, it's noted, is held by his tail curling around the cup. What. A. Showoff.

Henry McCoy has posed:
Henry works with a fork for now, carefully taking bites of the chicken. There's a low, rumbling purr of approval. He listens to the suggestion from Clarice, grinning after dabbing at his face with the napkin. "I am certain I could help out there - did you have a thought as to how to pair the children with people?" He wonders.

Yep, Henry was here to meet someone for dinner! "I think the first time I had those milkshakes, is when Clarice dropped some by at the school." He murmurs. "Seems to be a staple for our friends, really."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I honestly have no concrete notion," Clarice admits. "I mean, Robert was hoping to find a kid who's interested in drawing or painting - since that's a passion of his. Maybe we could have the kids, and the mentors, fill out some sort of survey of interests - that might help with matching?" she suggests. "At least give everyone some sort of common interest from which to start. And the Brotherhood is helping things out a little financially, as well - we're offering a monthly stipend you can spend to get equipment or supplies for the kids, or to pay for art classes, or taking them out for lunch and a movie, or whatever it is you think is the best way to spend it - you know - building a relationship with the kid."
    As for the milkshakes, she adds with a grin, "I just like supporting local mutant businesses."

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Tara's tail flicks behind her, finally calmed down after having been trapped. SHe listens to the other talking as she works alittle at the chicken.

"Do they have to be mutants?" She asks Clarice plainly, making something of a small sandwich with the chicken and biscuits, then pours a little gravy on it. "I could help out perhaps, if they do not have to be."

Kurt Wagner has posed:
"Perhaps we will leave the swordplay out of it. We could begin with movies. I could show them some of my old tricks on the trapeze," Kurt considers, sipping his fruit punch before waving a hand. "Ah, but it is too early to say, without having more information. Und most of Genosha is, if I remember right, populated with mutants. That is the first thing on the minds of most there."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I mean - the important thing is that these kids have the chance to build a connection with someone. That they know there's someone who cares about them - specifically. Someone who knows them, and understands them. That they know there's someone in their corner." There's passion in Clarice's voice as she speaks of this - it's obviously something very important to her. "Because right now - most of them feel like they've got no one. They feel alone. They're lost, and they're Genosha's future, and we can't let it stay that way. So- I don't see any reason why we should put up barriers. Why should it matter if mentors are mutants or not? We don't know that all of these kids are mutants. They just need someone to care about them."
    She smiles with amusement at Kurt as she adds, "There's discipline to be learned in swordplay - isn't there? If that's what they want to learn... Are we doing them a service to categorically forbid them? I mean - we're not raising these kids to be soldiers and warriors. They need to pick their own paths, but... Whatever builds the connection. Yeah?" She looks around the table at the other three, before eating a little more of her food.

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
The passion in Clarice's voice is obvious, even without Tara's superior hearing from the large ears. This bring a smile to her face, to see and hear someone with such conviction, speaking about the thing that moves them.

"You can count me in then," she says simply, then uses her fork to stab the chicken again and get one of the legs onto her plate.

"I have never learned to use a weapon, I have not really needed one. With these," she holds up her hand to wiggle her clawed fingers. "and my magic, I did not really believe I needed to. However, it might be interesting to learn."

Kurt Wagner has posed:
Kurt Wagner gestures with a hand, "That is a valid point, Clarice, but I am thinking more in the sense of how old they are. It might be they only want to play with Legos, or put a jigsaw puzzle together. Even if it is just having someone there to talk to them und let them know they are not alone, that is important, ja."

He spoons a bit of mashed potatoes and gravy, mixing corn in with it along with butter and pepper, tearing off a few bits of chicken as well to blend it all together before eating it all that way, dipping a biscuit into the tasty slop.

"Of course, you can get there easier than I. It is strange to think of a teleporter needing to be teleported by someone else." Clarice's range is considerably longer than his. So is Illyana's. Who else? While he remains cheerful enough, it is a brief thought that creeps back into his mind and it threatens to send him to a place he does not like, so he doubles up on the smile. "We will help them. It is decided."

Only then does he come back to something just said. "Magic?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "They're not all little kids, Kurt. In fact - few of them are. It's easier to find foster and adoptive families for little kids. The kids in the orphanage? Most of them are teens. And the younger ones are mostly there because they're- well. Because they were difficult to handle in some way or another. Which just means they need more help and support, you know?" Unless they want these kids to turn out very, very wrong indeed.
    She nibbles on her biscuit before adding, "Well - if we can arrange to have multiple mentors who want to visit their kids at the same time it'd be handy - but I'm happy to provide a lift for folks to visit their mentees. Plus we have another teleporter at the Brotherhood - Ritz - who has considerable range like I do. We'll get the people there, one way or another," she promises. "But the orphanage does have internet access, so you can always call or chat with the kids."
    She smiles at the others before adding, "Thank you for being willing to help. And if you can find anyone else at the Mansion who wants to take on a kid..." Clarice encourages the others. "There's nothing more important than knowing you're not alone."
    At the question about magic, though, her attention returns curiously to Tara, as she digs back into her food.

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
The gravy soaked biscuit and chicken is sliced up with a knife, and one bite taken before Tara looks back to Kurt.

"Yes, magic. Although I look like a mutant, I am not. I am Kivuli, the chosen of Goddess Moon, most would call Her Bast. It is by Her grace that I was born as I am, and I have the magics that I use."

Taking a sip of her iced tea, she looks to Clarice, "Children are our future, all children. It matters not to me what label this world has placed on them, they are precious and require love and support of adults around them. I will help in any way that I can, including asking others who might be willing."

Kurt Wagner has posed:
Kurt Wagner spreads both hands out, palms up. "Ahh. I did not know how young or old we were talking, here. It must be difficult, und I know what it is like to grow up without mein birth parents, so that is something I can sympathize with."

"But, we will see in due time. We will figure it out, whether it is a few of us involved, a dozen, or more."

Tara's explanation results in him studying her more curiously. "Remarkable. Most would see you und assume some kind of mutant, but I had not thought it came from magic, or a connection like that. I am familiar enough with the gods from different religions. It goes to show we are all special in our own ways."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "We have that in common, Kurt," Clarice replies - though her story was a little more complicated than that single sentence could summarize.
    After a few more bites, she pushes her plate away, and settles in to nurse her iced tea, looking across at Tara.
    "I appreciate the help. Since you'll be working at Happy Harbor now - maybe you can ask around to the various staff members there?" she suggests. After another sip of her tea she adds curiously, "You didn't really say - what sort of magics do you have? Or is it something you prefer not to share?"

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Having reaches that point in the meal where she is mostly nibbling, Tara settles more comfortably in her chair, then had to once again free her tail. Most chairs are not designed for tails. Kurt showed off that his tail can carry things, her tail was just there for balance and apparently getting trapped in chairs. Once again it starts flicking angrily over having been trapped.

"I have no troubles speaking about the types of magic I can do," she replies to Clarice. "I have been told I must be careful regarding whom I tell, but neither of you seem the type to try and force me to do something against my will."

Both of them get a smile at this announcement, before she takes a sip of the tea and sets the glass down. "The moon is forever in the night sky, and so long as She is present my power will remain. I can heal, regrow limbs, change forms, enhance myself, enhance others, I suppose mentioning ranged fighting with the energy, creating items, that sort of thing is also worth adding."

Kurt Wagner has posed:
Kurt Wagner flashes Clarice a brief, fleeting smile. "Alas, it is probably more common than we would think. We do not all come into this life easily, nor do those close to us always escape the attention of ones who would do us wrong. It is, I have heard, the case with mein mother. I hope she was a good woman, but I know nothing of her, whether she is alive or dead."

It seems as good a time as any to eat a bit more, and he still has that order to place for later.

Tara's telling of what she's capable of earns a glance between Kurt and Clarice, then Tara once again. "That all sounds very useful. /Very/ useful, ja. It is mostly beyond my understanding, but I do have some experience around magic."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "The beginning of my life was happy, actually. And the last month or so has been... pretty great. But there was some shit in the middle that was less than ideal. You know?" Clarice shrugs her shoulders, giving Kurt a wry smile, before training her attention back on Tara.
    "...Regrow limbs?" she asks. "Some of the survivors of what happened in Genosha were pretty badly injured. Being able to regrow limbs, that- I mean, that could definitely come in handy. But something like that - it must take a lot out of you?" she asks uncertainly.

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
There is a slight lift to Tara's shoulders at Clarice's words, "If it is night, and the moon is in the sky, I may draw directly from Her to power such things, but it can wear on me if I try too much at one time. This does not stop me however," she adds there, sitting up straighter in her chair. "I am here in this world to aid those in need, those who cannot protect themselves, and to heal the wounds caused by life. I cannot heal the mind, this is beyond my abilities, but an injury to the brain I can heal. I can cure diseases, and regrow internal organs. I willingly do this, and would willingly use up all that I am to ensure the prosperity of another's life."

Kurt Wagner has posed:
Kurt Wagner nods slowly to Clarice, giving her an understanding look as he mulls this over. "If we did not have to go through the difficult times, we would not appreciate the better ones as much, would we?" he supposes, though the continued talk of magic Tara can do is quite an interesting matter.

"I have not heard of anyone who could do that, magic or not. You lose a hand, or an arm, or a leg, an eye..it is usually permanent, except for a prosthetic for example. The potential that brings..."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I guess that's one way of looking at things, Kurt." That's certainly turning lemons into lemonade, though. Perhaps the quirk of Clarice's lips show some sign that she doesn't really agree with his sunny assessment of the traumas some people go through.
    You don't //need// to suffer to know joy.
    Her attention shifts back to Tara as she asks, "Is there someway to contact you - if I have someone who does need your help? Though I suppose I could track you down at the school if I really needed to..."
    Unless she was very much mistaken, one of the kids playing football in that outside the orphanage had been hampered by a prosthetic. But it could have been something else throwing off his gait.

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Shifting slightly, Tara fishes into the pocket of her dress and removes a small wallet. Opening it, she pulls out two cards. There's nothing fancy about them. Plain white card with her name, her phone number and an Email address. Each of them is offered one fo these cards.

"My phone can also accept texts, but sending texts can be," she again wiggles the claws on the enders of her fingers. "Time consuming."

Now she looks to Kurt, "It is not common, even in magic, but it is the gift I have been given. I can regenerate my own wounds, and regrow my own limbs. Because of this, I can do the same for others."

Kurt Wagner has posed:
There is a quiet sense to the blue elf as Kurt listens further, something he can be quite good at when the time calls for it. "Thank you. I would be happy to send you an e-mail later on. Und.." He waggles his own fingers now, adding, "Typing is not mein best skill either, you see. I have half as many fingers as normal, und they are larger as well." He casts Clarice a quick glance, seeing how she is taking all of this.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice lets out a quiet laugh as agrees, "Typing is not one of my better skills, either. But the problem isn't my fingers." She accepts the card, giving Tara a grateful smile. "I suspect you'll be hearing from me, at any rate. And if we do need your help - I can get you to Genosha easily enough. Or bring any patients to you. Whichever you'd rather." She tucks the card safely away next to her cellphone as she talks.

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Kurt's hand grab Tara's attention. She leans forward a little to get a better look, as if attempting to ascertain if his hands were malformed or designed like that. She doesn't want to be rude however, so she sits back in her chair and sips at her iced tea.

"It would be easier for me to to go to the person," she says to Clarice, finally taking her eyes off Kurt's hands. She can't but wonder if she could fix that for him, but that's not her place to say or even offer. "So long as it is at night. Sunlight is painful to my eyes, and hinders my healing strength as well."

Kurt Wagner has posed:
The construction of booth hands certainly makes them look like they're natural. There's nothing in the shape to suggest missing fingers. This is simply the way Kurt was made. "I can talk enough that I would rather see someone face to face anyway," he says, still sounding cheerful in spite of whatever seriousness there is in the conversations, and children in need of friends or mentors, or people missing limbs? That is pretty serious indeed.

Kurt then seems to understand, "So you are saying your powers only come out at night, in a sense?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "It comes from the moon - but the moon is often visible during the day," Clarice points out. "And what about moonless nights?" Yes, she's trying to make logical sense of magic. It seems to puzzle her, really. She tries taking another sip off her tea only to get that annoying slurping sound that tells her she's reached the bottom of the glass. Holding the glass up she calls, "Hey, could I- thanks!" She beams as the glass is whisked away to be replaced.

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Folding her hands back in her lap, Tara offers a smile.

"I have the same magic in the day as I do at night," she explains. "The difference is that in the day my abilities are weaker. I can heal in the day time, because yes the moon is always there, but at night it is much stronger and I can channel the energy of the moon directly. It is what it is."

Kurt Wagner has posed:
Kurt Wagner rubs at an ear. "So if it is overcast, raining, does that affect it?" It's essentially what Clarice is asking, just worded differently. "Or perhaps it does not matter, if the point is everything is stronger at night rather than day. The important thing is you know your limits, what you can and can't do. For me, I have a knack for blending in with the shadows quite well."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I don't blend in anywhere," Clarice remarks with amusement - accepting her refilled tea, and taking a grateful sip. "And I guess - it doesn't have to make sense. It's //magic//. It works at night - fine, easy. Genosha's eight hours or so ahead. So - mid afternoon here's the dead of night over there," she remarks. "Honestly, it'd be harder getting you over there in the day time, than it would be getting you over there at night."

Tara Tsabedze has posed:
Tara offers Kurt a smile, understanding the rewording a little better.

"Ah I see now, but no. It is the placement of the planet, lined with the sun and moon, to my current location. Literally day and night." She replies.

Perhaps some time she will get a chance to look at Kurt's hands, perhaps she could help. She can't stop herself from thinking about it because that is a part of who she is, she /must/ help others. The only thing that stops her from saying anything now is that this may not be help. He may be perfectly content with his hands as they are, and saying something would be invasive and rude, and implying that something is wrong.

"I could not blend in without the use of magic, and that might be cheating," she then adds, before looking to the window. "I believe it is getting late, and I should return home. I have school tomorrow." She beams a smile at this.

Kurt Wagner has posed:
In that case, let me just make sure I have my to-go order ready, und perhaps we will see each other around again soon, whether in Genosha or closer to home," Kurt says. There is a mischievous, roguish look to his blue, fuzzy face as he considers them once he's got his for-later meal, the tail lashing a few times again. It's almost cat-like in that regard.

"Until next time." Then, there is a sudden *BAMF* that leads to him disappearing with a puff of smoke left behind, smelling faintly of burning brimstone.

A showoff to the end.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "And I should probably go home and see if Cynthia has her online coursework done for the evening," Clarice remarks.
    The remark is completely untrue. What she needs to do is have Cynthia go over the coursework //Clarice// finished the night before, to correct the doubtlessly many, many mistakes she'd made. Reading is hard - and math is //the worst//.
    After a last deep drink from her iced tea, she rises to her feet, leaving her leftovers behind. Towards Tara she adds, "Goodluck with your new job, by the way. You'll hear from me soon." She seems completely unaffected by Kurt's abrupt disappearance - but perhaps that has something to do with the portal she summons and steps through a moment later.
    "Hey Cynthia! Guess who I me-"