Owner	Pose
Mystique	The night is young-ish, and the club is hopping. Sure there's a lot of alcohol flowing, but every drink requires ID and every ID is only checked once. The music may be a little loud, but there are places to sit that are quieter, and Mystique has chosen one of those. She is wearing a skin tight black mini dress, a pair of spiked heels, and her hair is even pulled up into a collection of curls on her head. Yes, she is still very blue, always remaining herself in Bushwick and the club us located here. Those who get close enough will even see that she's wearing make-up. That's right, the woman is ready for a night out, or at least that is what she appears to be.
Clarice Ferguson	Clarice appears just outside - in the mouth of an alley, where she's less likely to run into any passers by with a portal. She has //not// gone to any particular lengths - simply putting on a long duster over pants, and a shirt. She makes her way in - giving glancing around and spotting Mystique in the quieter back of the bar. She offers a nod before heading to the bar, placing an order for a scotch and sliding over her credit card to hold her tab open, before she'll head to join Mystique at the table, drink in hand.     "I was out in Hell's Kitchen," earlier she remarks without preambble. "Some drunken assholes too offense to my skin." Her eyes roll widely as she sits.     "Logan was there, actually. I was starting to wonder if it would turn into bloodbath."
Lydia Dietrich	It's not every day you get asked out to go drinking with one of he leaders of The Brotherhood. How do you say 'no' to that? Would you even want to? Lydia isn't certain about her answers to either of those questions, so she agreed to come. So here she is, sitting with Mystique, in a bar that is so blasphemous that Lydia is surprised that outraged Christian arsonists aren't trying to burn it down as they speak. Just because she isn't much of a clubber, it doesn't mean that Lydia doesn't know how to dress for the occasion. She's got on this slinky black affair that hugs her curves in all the right places with a pair of heels to match. Her curly hair has been let down, and somehow tamed so it falls in tresses about her face. "Thank you for inviting me," she says when she comes back with her drink, a Manhattan. "This is a most..." how to put this politely... "Unique place you've brought me to."
Mystique	The tender shoves Clarice's card back toward her, jerking a thumb in Mystique's direction as he offers, "She's paying." Then moves to make the drinks for both Clarice and Lydia. As the two approach the table, Mystique stands, adjusting the dress only slightly. The heels make her a little taller, though she appears to know how to move in them quite well. "Please, have a seat," she gestures to the booth she choose. "We actually purchased this place from another group, not all that long ago. I'm rather fond of the feel offered here, but I'd advise against either of you going any deeper into the club until you get a full description." A soft soft escapes her before she sits back down, "You were hanging out in Hell's Kitchen with Logan?" She says to Clarice, crossing one leg over the other and collecting her drink from the table. "Did you have to kick someone's ass Clarice?"
Clarice Ferguson	"Not intentionally, but yes. He sneered at me like he'd rather be punching me than sitting next to me - so I bought him a drink. I assume it was how I smelt." Clarice falls easily into one of the seats, leaning back into it and taking a sip from her drink. "And there was actually no ass-kicking. One of the fellows there said to the most belligerent of the assholes that if he wanted to fight - they'd have to take it outside. Then when the guy walked out - he locked the door behind him," she recalls with an amused smirk.
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia nods to Mystique, and slides into the booth with the two other women. "I can only imagine what goes on in there," she says with an easy grin, "And I admit that as curious as I am, I am not /that/ curious." She takes a sip of her Manhattan, "Mmm. Good stuff here." "That's good," Lydia says to Clarice. "A clever way to deescalate the situation. I'm glad it didn't lead to violence." Lydia tries to keep her unease at being the only person at the table who *hasn't* killed anybody at bay. These people are trying to be better, she reminds herself. They need to be given that chance.
Mystique	Settled comfortably, Mystique takes a sip of her drink before resting it on her upper knee. Her amber eyes look Lydia over slowly, as if attempting to decide something. She listens to everything that is said, though she would have just punched the guy, she was learning that Clarice's way may be better for some situations. "Lydia my dear, if you ever want a tour without risk of what might be going on, I can give you one," she offers first with a coy smile offered to the ectoplasmic Mutant. "No one would touch you if you were with me." Shifting her amber eyes to look at Clarice the smile shifts to something a little more devious, "That sounds like a good way to handle it, though you know me, I would have just punched the guy. Perhaps I should start following you around and learning your way of handling things, and getting my revenge later when no one is looking." Okay, maybe not what Clarice meant, but Mystique was still laerning.
Clarice Ferguson	"Whatever issues Creed and Logan have - they're not problem, and I don't need to make them my problem," Clarice answers simply. "We're all brothers, right?" She shrugs her shoulders. "It was the bigotted assholes I was more tempted to punch." Though by punch she means teleport into a lake. "That would have escalated things, though, and I was trying to enjoy my drink."     Besides, she's even more used to being gawked at that Mystique. She doesn't have the option of going unnoticed. After another sip of her scotch she adds, "This does seem like an interesting place. But... how does it benefit us?" she asks uncertainly. "Just by generating capital?"
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia dips her head in acknowledgement to Mystique, "One day, when I'm feeling more adventurous, I may take you up on that." She does, however look slightly offended though. "I'm perfectly able to take care of myself, though." She nods her head towards Clarice, "She can vouch for that." She purses her lips together and turns to Mystique when Clarice asks about the club. She's curious, too.
Mystique	Mystique cants her head slightly, having to take a moment to grasp as what Lydia means then actually laughs, "Oh no! You misunderstand me Lydia. Please," she leans over and lays her hand on Lydia's arm lightly, a friendly gesture. "I didn't mean to imply that you couldn't kick some ass if you wanted to, that's not it at all. I'm sure you can handle yourself. I more meant that the Inferno, hell, uh... has certain etiquette and rules that take place. When you enter, you are basically agreeing to certain things to happen or that you intend to do." She takes her hand away, so at not to be too friendly. "When you enter, you choose a lanyard that indicates what kinks you're looking for, or those you wish to perform. The emblems on the lanyard are the indications of those, so you see I didn't mean that you couldn't take care of yourself, I meant that others might see you and think you're there for... the entertainment." Now she offers Lydia a smile, hoping that her explanation was enough. "This place has many purposes Clarice," she now says, her attention shifting to the purple mutant. "Revenue is one, yes, but it also serves as a gathering place, and an underground bunker that can take a nuke and still survive." She says this last part as casually as someone might say the place offered water by the glass.
Clarice Ferguson	Clarice takes a moment to seek refuge behind her scotch as Mystique explains the back room - taking a long, slow sip from her beverage, and seemingly savoring the flavor before offering a response.     "No one doubts your talents - and you're doing well in the self defense classes," Clarice remarks.     As for the mention of a bunker, she looks down at the floor - curiosity on her features. "Does it?" she asks. "And in the case of an emergency - would it be open to the community at large? Or only our people?"
Lydia Dietrich	"Oh..." Lydia says when Mystique explains Inferno etiquette. And then a little light in her brain turns on and she suddenly /gets/ it. "Oh!" And then there's that part of her that's more than just a little bit curious. "Oh." "A bomb shelter with BDSM gear?" She asks with a quirk of her lips. "I mean... I guess." Once again, Clarice asks a question out loud that Lydia wasn't quite ready to speak, and turns to Mystique for an answer.
Mystique	She looks between the two, amused by Lydia's reaction and even smiles over it rather broadly. Taking a drink of her chosen poison for the night, Mystique winks at Lydia before looking to Clarice. "It is for Mutants, yes, the entire community, all that we can get in their safely. There is enough food, water and power for two months, and we are adding to it regularly. That's really the point, to ensure a safe place for Mutants. I suppose if a few humans happened to make it in with them, no one is going to go around doing DNA tests." Her eyes shift back to Lydia for a moment, her smile turning playful, "I can also arrange a private tour."
Clarice Ferguson	Clarice nods in response - that was the answer she'd expected - but it was good to hear it. She takes another sip of her scotch before adding, "Good. I'd rather not have to attempt to evacuate an entire population center by portal again..." Because it hadn't gone well the first time she'd tried it. Another small sip is taken, as she continues to savor her drink. She seems calm, and relatively relaxed today - thanks to having taken the time to blow off some of the steam she'd been harboring.
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia has the decency to blush at Mystique's invitation, and tries to hide it with a sip of her Manhattan. "Ahem. Maybe another day." That's not a yes, but again, that's also not a no. "I'm curious, Clarice," Lydia says in a desperate attempt to change the subject, "about how your powers work. Can you portal anywhere? Do you have to have been there before?"
Mystique	Mystique sits back in the booth, trying to get more comfortable, trying to be as relaxed as she wants to be and not just looks. She takes another sip from her glass, offering Lydia a nod to her response, accepting it without further comment on it. At least she didn't get kicked out for attempting it. "Hopefully Clarice, you'll never have to do that again." She offers, then falls silent as Lydia asked Clarice about her powers.
Clarice Ferguson	Clarice nods to Mystique's comment - she certainly hopes so. What little she remembers of the day Genosha fell was, quite literally, the stuff of nightmares.     "Preferably, yes. It's safest teleporting to places I've been to before. But I can jump 'blind.' There are risks. Opening a portal into solid stone, for example, would not... go well. So the better idea I have of where I'm going - the better. If I've never been there - coordinates and a photo can get me there. And sometimes if I don't have enough information - I have to triangulate in on a location with enough mini-jumps."
Lydia Dietrich	Mystique's comment catches her attention, now that she knows the history behind it. She turns back to see what reaction, if any, Clarice will have. "Hunh," Lydia says, leaning forward as Clarice explains. "What kind of range do you have?" she asks curiously.
Mystique	Mystique lifts a brow slightly, watching Lydia. It was hard to turn off her normal thinking, to stop being suspicious of everyone, as if the entire world was out to get her or those she cared about. Lydia was likely just curious, it was okay to be curious, but it still make Mystique's brain twitch. For now, she keeps out of the conversation about Clarice's powers, not her place to offer answers.
Clarice Ferguson	"The further it is - and the longer I have to maintain it or the more mass I have to pass through it - the more exuahsting it is," Clarice answers. "But I don't need a passport. I can go anywhere I wish. Including, of course up to the Asteroid. I could take you to Genosha right now - if you wanted to see how the rebuilding it going." She doesn't seem to have any qualms about sharing the details of her talent - even though she knows it's one of the most powerful teleportation abilities on the planet.     She's silent a moment before adding, "It's likely the strength of my gift was... enhanced. When I was younger."
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia nods silently and smiles sadly at Clarice's tragic history. "I see," she says leaning back in her booth, and folding one leg over another. "Thank you for sharing." She catches Mystique staring out of the corner of her eye, searching for any nefariousness, but Lydia is about as nefarious as a wombat.
Mystique	Another sip of her drink is taken before Mystique sits forward, "The rebuilding has been going amazingly well. The new supplies have allowed the infrastructure to be reestablished, and the refugee camp has been made some what more accommodating, with plans to build houses when able. No expense is too much for this, and a lot of the profits from this place go right to the rebuilding." She finally looks away from Lydia, having stared more then long enough. She lets her eyes wander over the crowd dancing around in the middle of the room.
Clarice Ferguson	"It's far more liveable than it has been," Clarice agrees. "Everytime I visit - the progress is amazing." And she is there with relative frequency. A moment of frustration crosses her features - though she doesn't comment on the cause of the fleeting expression.     Looking to Lydia she adds, "I love Genosha - and what it represents. We'll be strong again - under Queen Lorna Dane's guidance." And though she still finds it a bit strange - her own guidance, as well, given what stock Lorna put in her advice.
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia nods. "I think I'd like to visit it some day," she says. "See how it's all going. I just..." she hesitates, scowling. "I feel so frustrated. Like I wish I could do more."
Mystique	Mystique had looked back to Clarice while she speaking and saw that frustration. "Clarice," she starts, setting her drink aside. "What's troubling you?" She hadn't missed what Lydia said, in fact she looks to the woman and says, "There's quite a lot you could do, if you were truly interested. There are still mutants trying to live their lives out there, they need all the same things these human cities need. Teachers, doctors, day care, you name it, they need it. You could be a part of all of that, if you wanted."
Clarice Ferguson	"We always need volunteers," Clarice answers. "Everything helps. I bring in the materials we're using to feed, build, and house people. Others... teaching the children sports, and musical instruments. Help with building design and contruction. Cook the food. Honestly, the number of tasks is endless, and providing something that helps take the residents' minds of off everything is as valuable aa anything else."     Looking to Mystique - she shakes her head slightly and offers in a quiet voice, "It's not important. Some people... simply have too narrow of a focus to see the larger picture."
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia laughs lightly at Mystique list of people they need and Lydia says, "I'm an unemployed English teacher. I could use a real job other than writing smutty lesbian paranormal romance books." Her eyes light up as she remembers something. "Oh! Mystique! I brought you something." She reaches down under her table to where she sat her purse, and grabs it. From it she produces a hard copy of her first book, 'Heart of Stone' and hands it over to the woman. "Here, this is for you." Should Mystique ever open the cover, Lydia had signed the book with: 'To Mystique: It's never too late to have a little romance in your life. -Lydia'
Mystique	As Lydia reaches under the table, Mystique actually tenses, sitting up slightly. Habits are hard to kill, but she doesn't do any more than that and when it's a book, her eyes actually widen in surprise. "Oh wow," she comments. "You remembered." Reaching out she takes the offered book and she does in fact open it to look at the title page. A broad smile spreads across her face, "Thank you, Lydia." She seems truly touched, as if no one has ever given her anything, or perhaps it had been a very, very, very long time. "I was just saying I was going to read one of your books, rather than going out drinking... cranberry juice and sprite," she holds up her glass. "No more alcohol for me for a while."
Clarice Ferguson	"Well. Not sure how paid positions work at the schools we have running in Genosha right now," Clarice remarks, "but I imagine for something like that you'd have to move there - at least for a while. I couldn't just teleport you back and forth every day..." Well, she could, but twice daily was a bit of an imposition. "But maybe you could go there for a while? Stay for a week or two to fill in - give one of the other teachers a break?" she suggests. As she talks, her gaze follows the book as it's handed over, but she doesn't linger on it - she simply finishes off her scotch instead.
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia's eyes light up in delight at Mystique's honest reaction to her gift. The older mutant is always so reserved that getting that kind of reaction from her is a gift. "I'm glad you like it." To Clarice she nods. "I could definitely sub for a week. Let's work out the details later."
Mystique	Mystique continues to look over the book she was just given, hands almost lovingly caressing the cover and back spine before she opens it to the first page to read the first paragraph. "The answer to whether a book might be interesting, is in the first paragraph," she says softly, amber eyes looking over the edge of the book at Lydia. There is a huge smile on her face. "Color me interested." For now she closes the book and lays it on the booth bench beside her. "I will be making time to read that, though I wouldn't expect a book report on it." She waggles her brows then picks her drink back in hand to take a sip.
Clarice Ferguson	"I'll get in touch with the school and try to sort out the details," Clarice offers simply. Being on the Royal Guard gave her a reasonable amount of pull within what remains of Genoshan society - not to mention the fact that most of the suvivors knew someone she'd saved with her portals. She takes another sip of her drink, watching Mystique curiously with the book.     "People write reports on books?" she asks. "Why?"
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia laughs when Mystique waggles her brows, "Fair enough." To Clarice she says, "Mostly to prove to teachers that you've read it. At college level it's to demonstrate your understanding of critical analysis, but for grade school?" She chuckles, "Yeah." She gives Clarice a lopsided grin, "I can give you a book and have you write a book report if you want to have the experience. I promise I'll even read it." She finishes off her Manhattan and stands. "I'm going to get another. You all want a refill?"
Mystique	Mystique glances over to Clarice for a moment, then merely covers for her with a simple, "Nah, that's a waste of Clarice's valuable time. She's got teleporting for Genosha and the Brotherhood to do, lots of drinking to arrange, making sure Victor and I don't hook up... come on Lydia, how could you?" Yes she is grinning through this whole thing, either she's teasing or giving Clarice an out to change the subject.
Clarice Ferguson	"I, uh," Clarice starts to stammer, and what could have been a grateful look quickly turns into a frustrated //ugh//. "You are //never// going to let that go, are you?" she complains. "I'll take a refill," she agrees, handing off her glass to Lydia - and slumping back into her chair. "You forgot Dyani. I have to keep an eye on her, as well. Busy, busy."
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia's eyes dart from Clarice to Mystique and back again. "I have the distinct feeling that I'm missing out on something," she says, still grinning. "I'll be back." She goes up to the bar and gestures to the two other women. The bartender nods and prepares three drinks for them and Lydia returns. "Here you go.
Mystique	Accepting the drink Lydia brings back, Mystique gives it a little sniff then takes a drink, "Thank you Lydia, and you may be missing something, but it's really not that important." To Clarice she offers a smile and says, "No, I will not let you live it down, but it is the reason I'm not drinking for a while so I figured you could suffer with me. Also, totally forgot about watching Dyani, so much on your plate."
Clarice Ferguson	"I mean. As far as I'm concerned - Mystique's known me my whole live," Clarice remarks. "So - I'm sure there's any number of things you're missing." But she isn't going to clarify which. She gives a grateful smile as she accepts her drink back, taking a sip, then looking back to Mystique and rolls her eyes expressively. It's just harder to tell with those odd eyes of hers.
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia takes a sip of her Manhattan and nods her approval. Just as good as the last one and not watered down at all. "Oh! Speaking of missing things, I have a project that I'm working on. Going to unveil it this Thursday with an event." She shakes her head, "It's not going to be anything like the carnival, but there /will/ be cake. I want you two to come."
Mystique	It has been a long time since Mystique has a Shirley Temple, a part of her mind was laughing over it, but she still enjoyed the flavor. Cherry grenadine was her favorite mixer after all, usually in whiskey, sometimes rum, but not for a while now. Pulling herself out of her thoughts on that, she looks over at Lydia, "Oh? What sort of unveiling? I mean for cake alone I'll be there," she smiles, wiggling her brows. "But seriously, what have you been working on?"
Clarice Ferguson	"I am - admittedly - a fan of cake," Clarice agrees. "And an 'unveiling' sounds fancy. Will there also be Mootant Milkshakes? Because then it's a real party." Mystique had already asked the question on her mind - so she saw no reason to repeat it. She simply watches Lydia with a curious expression, instead.
Lydia Dietrich	"It's a surprise," Lydia says, with a twinkle in her eyes. "But it'll help with security in Bushwick. It'll help out the Watch quite a bit." Her eyes go wide at Clarice's suggestion. "Oh! That would be /perfect/! I'll be sure to set that up!"
Mystique	Mystique hmms softly, "What kind of attire is this unveiling? I mean some are all fancy-schmancy, others are casual. I can deal with either." She looks between Clarice and Lydia at the mention of the shakes. "I think there's an addiction forming here."
Clarice Ferguson	"I am supporting local business!" Clarice counters. "Mutant money for mutant businesses!" She slaps the surface of the table with a grin - before pointing at Lydia. "Chocolate peanut butter with brownie bits," she informs her. "That's my order. I look forward to celebrating your success with delicious frozen delights, and cake."
Lydia Dietrich	"It's going to be pretty casual," informs Lydia. "So you don't have to dress up. Nobody else will. Really, it's just an excuse for me to show off and give everybody cake." She grins, "And milkshakes too, now." Giving Clarice a solemn nod she repeats, "Chocolate peanut butter brownie bits. Got it. Got any particular flavor you want, Mystique?"
Mystique	Mystique takes another drink of her Shirley Temple, then sets the glass down as she looks to Lydia, blinking a few times. "Anything chocolate," she offers after a moment of silence, not really able to choose beyond that because she really didn't care. She didn't have a favorite anything, hadn't had for a long time. "Peanut butter huh?" Now she looks over at Clarice, as if she is finally actually thinking about what she might actually want. "Maybe anything with chocolate and peanut butter... I tend to just take whatever, so it's not specifically required."
Clarice Ferguson	"I took whatever was given to me for so long... no. I get to //pick// now," Clarice asserts, a grin on her features. Yeah, sure, it's more than 5 years later now. But she still delights, at times, that she can choose chocolate peanut butter with brownie bits - instead of whatever slop in a bowl was shoved her way just to keep her alive.     "And casual it is. I don't really like fancy dress anyways. Lots of those close are so difficult to move in..."
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia nods to Mystique, "Another chocolate peanut butter brownie bits for you." Clarice gets a nod. "Yeah. I can imagine, after... you know... everything you've been through. Do you have a choice in cake you'd like to see? I'm getting chocolate, butter cream, raspberry, and a vegan vanilla. I can easily order another if that doesn't cover you." Fancy dress causes Lydia to roll her eyes. "God, you have no idea. My parents would always take me to these fancy parties at the Hellfire Club, and I'd always had to wear these dresses that made it hard to move in, and when you're a kid that's the worst. And then puberty hit and they made me wear dresses that made it hard to breathe, too."
Mystique	Mystique doesn't say it, something that crosses her mind at the mention of parents making you do things, it flashes in her eyes but she doesn't take it. She takes another drink of her non-alcohol beverage to distract her mouth and does not say it. "Vegan vanilla?" She finally repeats, shaking her head a little. "Make sure to keep label it, because vegan anything is disgusting, doesn't taste right at all.... no offense to vegans, clearly they enjoy it, but ew." She takes another sip and adds, "It's not a horrible thing to get dressed up once in a while, go some place fancy that doesn't require you to move easily. I used to have to do that for information gathering, wasn't always horrible." Nope, still not saying it.
Clarice Ferguson	"Nah. I'm sure any of those cakes'll do fine. I mean, not sure the raspberries would go with the peanut butter... so probably chocolate? Or vanilla? But yeah - not vegan." Clarice makes a face of her own, looking away for a moment while talk turns to the subject of parents. She'll stick to the safer topic of dresses.     "Yeah, but what if trouble strikes while I'm all done up?" she asks. "I mean, you never know. Right?"
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia nods. "Yeah. Ew, indeed, but I want to be inclusive, and it /will/ be labeled." She settles back into the booth and takes a sip of her Manhattan. "I mean, yes, I like to dress up, but on /my/ terms, right?" She considers Clarice for a moment, and purses her lips. She wants to tell her that she doesn't have to take on all the trouble all the time, but decides that should be left for when they're not out and having fun. Instead she nods to Clarice. "I've had to fly home in a fancy dress before. Not the best experience, in my opinion." She takes another sip of her drink, mumbling into the alcohol, "But it's better than putting up with your drunk mother."
Mystique	Mystique smirks with a soft snort, "If you can't function in a long formal and stiletto heels, your training is not complete." She might be serious, she holds that expression for quite a while and the tone, the tone seems serious... and then just when it was almost believable that she was serious, she starts laughing. "But seriously, if you worry about being able to move should something come up, you split the side of the dress, kick off the shoes and do what you gotta do." She doesn't make any comment about parents, nope, she still had no intentions of talking about that in any way, she will simply take another drink of her Shirley Temple and ignore the conversation regarding parents.
Clarice Ferguson	Clarice is not touching the talk about parents either, as she takes a deeper drink from her glass, her expression going flat for a moment - and somewhere off to the right, at nothing in particular. "Well," she remarks, when her attention returns to the table, "Not really sure what I'd choose to dress up nice for, anyways. I mean..." She gets a thoughtful frown on her features, then just shrugs. "Yeah. I don't really know."
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia's eyes flick between the two other women, finally reading the room despite being a bit tipsy. Her gaze finally settles on Clarice. "I'll have to take you out to go dress shopping one of these days and find a fancy party where you could have fun at." She holds up a hand solemnly, "I promise not to make you wear heels. But it's as Mystique says. If trouble comes up, split the dress, ditch the heels. The dress probably wouldn't survive the kind of trouble you two get in." Not that Lydia doesn't get herself in that kind of trouble anymore.
Mystique	Sitting back, Mystique crosses her legs and waves some guy who thought about coming to the table, more like flicked her wrist in a back hand motion in his direction, and he changed his mind. "How about planning a party of our own?" She suggests. "Perhaps a birthday party. I mean it's late, but we could still plan one. And why wouldn't you wear heels? Heels make your ass look amazing, that's the entire point of heels." She looks between the two woman then shrugs. "There's lots of restaurants in New York that you dress up for, pick one, get a dress, go eat out."
Clarice Ferguson	Clarice looks between the two women uncertainly. "A birthday for who?" she asks uncertainly. Her Birthday was months away. The anniversary of when the Brotherhood freed the Pens was months past. Neither made any sense. She takes another sip of her drink before adding, "I mean, I don't really need to- it doesn't really matter to me," she insists, giving a shrug of her shoulders.
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia shrugs at Mystique. "I think Clarice would feel uncomfortable enough as it is in a nice dress. Don't want to push it with heels." She gets a mischievous glitter in her eyes. "We'll save that for next time." Mystiques suggestion gets met with an excited "Oh! Yes! I know /just/ the place, too. They have some of the best steaks in the city. Pricey, but worth it. I'll take you two out to it, my treat." She leans over and gives Clarice a bump of the shoulder with her own. "You work too hard," she says. "You need to take some time off every once in a while and have some fun!"
Mystique	Mystique smacks the table with her hand, "I've been telling her that for weeks! She almost listens... almost. I mean let's face it Clarice, you've been had. If Lydia sees it, then you may as well just give in and do it." She nods sagely at Clarice before looking back to Lydia. "You don't pay for my meals," she says softly. "I pay for your meals, and Clarice's, what else do I need money for? But if Clarice doesn't really want to go, we can still go."
Clarice Ferguson	"I take time off!" Clarice protests. "I spend time with Dyani. I go swimming. I- I went on a date." A date. One. Somehow she thinks that's winning the arguement, somehow. "And I go out hunting with Mister Creed," she points out. "We both, uhh... enjoy that. And I'm here now - aren't why?" she asks, gesturing with her glass of scotch.     "You act like I have no idea how to have fun..."
Lydia Dietrich	Heaves a belabored sigh at Mystique. "If you must." More seriously, though she says, "That sounds like fun! It'll be less awkward than the last date I had there. I mean, don't get me wrong. The guy was fine but he was a .... you know ... guy." Her eyes shift around uncomfortably. She's still not really used to talking about her sexuality so openly. She folds her arms together and gives Clarice a disapproving scowl. "Un hunh. I guess that's /fine/ and all, but you don't know what you're missing.'
Mystique	Mystique smirks slightly, folding her arms across her chest, "So tell me Clarice, how do you have fun? Cause one date, that ain't fun. Hunting with Creed, sure that can be fun, I'll give you that one, though I told you I'm avoiding him and I mean it, even though that would be hella fun." She wiggles her brows a little. "And you may be here, right now, but the first thing you said about the idea of dressing up was, 'what happens if something happens', which means even now, as you sit here, your brain is still 'working'. You're expecting something to happen or to get a call and have to head out and do something. So really, you aren't taking free time, you're sitting in waiting mode." Every ounce of her attention switched to Lydia now, "There's nothing wrong with him being a guy, save for the fact that you weren't interested in him, which means you shouldn't have agreed to go out with him in the first place. Stand up, stand proud, announce to everyone your preference, stop being afraid of the truth of who and what you are. Lesbian mutant. Nothing wrong with that at all."
Clarice Ferguson	"I mean... you could come on a hunt with us," Clarice answers quietly. "You don't have to //avoid// him I just- I really don't need any reports of, ummm... exploits." She shifts uncomfortably in her chair, and tries not to turn an even more shocking color of purple. She's failing, of course.     "And there's nothing wrong with being ready! I mean, I went to Central Park, just for a stroll. And, well, because I'd heard about an ice cream place near there." Look - she likes ice cream, nothing wrong with that. "And it was a good thing I was there, or that kid wouldn't probably burned someone pretty bad if I hadn't gotten clear of the crowd of bigots. We //have// to always be ready. We're always at risk. Isn't that what that carnival the other day, proved? But that doesn't mean I can't also enjoy myself."
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia shifts uncomfortably in her seat. "It was a blind date set up by my mother and it was /Danny Rand/. You don't say no to a date with /Danny friggin Rand/. We had a good time, and a good meal, and we were both kind of relieved that neither of us really had any interest with each other." She sighs and deflates a little slouching in her seat. "Sooner or later I'm going to have to come out to my mother," she grumps. "She didn't handle me being a mutant well /at all/. She'll freak out when she finds out I'm a lesbian." She considers Clarice's words for a moment before adding her own thoughts. "I think there's a difference between being actively ready, and passively ready. Look, if somebody were to burst in here and start shooting up the place, I'd be ready to defend these people with all that I have. But I'm not /expecting/ something bad to happen." She shakes her head, "You actively think about all the bad things that can happen all the time." She holds up a hand to stall any retort, "For good reason, too! Past experience has probably taught you that. But... always being that kind of ready isn't healthy and you need to take a break from that every once in a while. Give your mind and heart a chance to recover."
Mystique	The cobalt mutant has to take a moment to rub the bridge of her nose... of course Lydia was still in the closet, what the hell was she thinking? The lesbian, porn writing, English teaching mutant lived in the closet because of a parent, it made perfect sense and yet every fiber of Mystique's being was ready to scream about it. To keep herself from doing that, she rubbed that bridge a moment longer and looked over at Clarice. "She just said it way better then I could have," is what she says first. "I'm ready for what might come through that door, and one of these days it will, but in the mean time I don't sit here thinking about all the things that could come through it. At the fund raiser, now that was an entirely different situation. That was a larger, grander, target painted on our foreheads of course something was going to fucking happen thing, and that's the /only/ reason I went in the first place. Clarice, you never relax, you are constantly guarding your words and your actions, ready and tense for anything, everything and nothing at the same time. I'm half tempted to take you off active duty for the unforeseeable future and send you to Genosha to help out and FUCKING RELAX."
Clarice Ferguson	"I could blink into your mother's living room, hand her a 'congratulations, it's a lesbian!' card and blink back out again," Clarice offers - a flash of mischief showing in her eyes.     See? Clarice //does// know how to have a good time.     The threat to take her off active duty causes her to gape, looking between Mystique, and Lydia. She wouldn't dare - would she? She wouldn't fucking dare! "I- I don't always..." she protests. "I mean, there //is// somewhere I go where- where I don't think that..."     Hell. She manages to look like she's about to have a //panic attack// at the thought of being forced to go on vacation.     She's silent a moment before offering quietly, "I don't think being expected to stay on Genosha long term would- would help matters."
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia looks horrified at the notion of Clarice doing that. "Oh my God, no," she breathes. "I'll... I'll come out to her. Eventually. Soon. I know it needs to be done, and that I'm just making things worse by putting it off but..." She shakes her head. "If you met my mom you'd understand." She goes quiet for a moment as Mystique talks to Clarice about forced vacations and purses her lips when she sees Clarice panic. "See? That right there. It's like..." she thinks about this. "It's like you think you're the /only/ one who can handle whatever crisis pops up."
Mystique	Now that she no longer wants to scream in numerous languages at the same time, Mystique looks back to Lydia, "I'd love to meet your mother," She says calmly, seriously. "Then perhaps I would better understand why you're afraid to be yourself." Clarice, that is where the amber eyes go next, nice and slow, letting the mutant squirm a little longer. "I'll only do it if you don't learn to lighten up soon, like very soon. Nothing is going to happen tonight, not one damn thing. There are mutant bouncers at the entrance for a reason Clarice, you're not the only person capable of doing things. Lydia said it perfectly, again... I think I'm going to hire her myself as a spokeswoman, cause she does it so fucking well, and I royally suck at it."
Clarice Ferguson	"I don't- I don't think I'm the only one who can handle things," Clarice protests. "I just- I like to keep busy. I feel better when I know what I'm doing. That I'm not just..." Sitting. Waiting. Trapped, and never knowing when someone is going to show up with another horror - for her to commit.     She looks between both women, grasping for words, but not finding them. "I am trying," she insists. "Just... please. Don't." Her eyes latch onto Mystique's with that, her expression tight, and anxious.
Lydia Dietrich	"Maybe one day," Lydia tells Mystique. "She's a piece of work. One of the best surgeons in the nation, but..." she shakes her head, "She brings some of that back home. Always in charge of everything. Turning out to be a mutant was like a breath of fresh air. It was finally something that I could be that she had no control over. That and my fanfiction. She didn't figure out that I was writing that until I went to college for English, and by then it was too late." She lets out a heavy sigh and says, quieter, "After all that it's just hard to tell her no." She grins, looking rather proud at Mystique's compliment. "Thank you. I'm glad that my English degree is paying off in some respect." She nods at Clarice, recognizing that they're pushing her quite hard, so she eases off a bit. "So we'll take baby steps. Go shopping and get you a nice formal dress to wear when you need to be at such functions. Go have that dinner with us where we can just relax and enjoy the best steak in New York."
Mystique	Mystique sees the push went too far, so she reaches over and lays her hand on Clarice's arm, "Hey, take a breath, a nice deep breath... I won't do it, alright? We'll find something else fun to do..." she glances to Lydia for a moment, then looks back to Clarice. "See? I told you, I royally suck at this. Let's focus on shopping and a dinner out instead, okay? If you want to be ready while wear eating, you can, we'll find you a nice dress you can still move in, no heels, deal?"
Clarice Ferguson	Clarice nods in response to the offered olive branch, looking between the two other women - before abruptly finishing off the scotch in her glass. "Yeah," she agrees. "Sure. We'll do that." She tries to force a smile back into place, but it's obviously a struggle for her.     "I am trying," she insists again. "And I don't always expect trouble. I- There's-" Why is it so hard for her to find the words, sometimes? She nudges at her glass with her hand, and finds herself staring with frustration down at the table. Why can't she just //talk// and explain things?
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia looks at Clarice with some amount of sympathy. She reaches out to give her forearm a reassuring squeeze. "It's okay. You don't have to explain right now just... do a bit of thinking about what we said, okay?" Her eyes crinkle as she gives Clarice a gentle smile. "Just, for now, enjoy yourself as much as you can." Noting that Clarice is done with her drink she stands up to head back towards the bar. "C'mon. I'll get you another."
Clarice Ferguson	Clarice nods to Lydia, and even manages a, "Thanks," as the woman gets up to get the drink.     "I wish I could talk about it. I wish I could find the words. I just-" She frowns, speaking softly - and quickly, while Lydia's away from the table. It's a little easier - when it's just her and Mystique. "Don't send me to Genosha. I love my home. We're- we're going to rebuild it. It's the future. We'll keep it safe. But I- when I'm there, I still- they all died, and I couldn't save them. I tried; Magneto ordered me to save them. But the Sentinels- I..." She shakes her head helplessly. "I failed. And when I went back with Nicolai..." She trails off into silence there, gaze fixed on the table.
Mystique	Mystique keeps her hand on Clarice's arm, and when Lydia steps away she whispers. "I won't do that Clarice, I promise. It was partly a joke, but a bad one, I'm sorry." She leans a little closer, "You did your best, you did exactly what Erik told you to do, don't you /ever/ doubt that Clarice, not even for one minute. You saved so many lives that day, they live because of /you/... don't lament those you couldn't save, celebrate those you could. Please... understand, without you, so many more would have died." She glances toward Lydia for a moment, timing how long it will take her to get drinks and come back, then her eyes shift to Clarice. "You're a hero, never forget that, not for one minute, because that is exactly what you are."
Lydia Dietrich	When Lydia turns to walk back to the table, she sees Mystique and Clarice having a quiet conversation. She takes her time getting back, giving them enough time to finish whatever they had to say to each other, and places a drink in front of each of them. "Here you go." Her eyes go from Clarice to Mystique and back, trying to gauge the mood. "You okay?" she asks Clarice. "I think we pushed kind of hard."
Clarice Ferguson	"But it wasn't enough," Clarice insists in a quiet voice. "I- I try not to think of that day at all," she admits - while reachinng up with one hand to run her fingers where over her head where she'd been struck, before stopping her hand back to her lap once more, abruptly. A smile is forced back into place for the returning Lydia, though it doesn't reach her eyes.     "I'm fine," she lies. "You both just care about me. I appreciate that." That part, at least, wasn't a lie. She accepts the scotch that's set before her, taking another drink from the glass.
Mystique	Sitting back up, Mystique looks from Clarice to Lydia, "I pushed too hard, not you. It was my mistake. Sometimes I get a head of myself, that is my mouth runs off before my brain fully engages. When I'm working, when I'm not... me, it doesn't happen. It's like slipping into a new person and being that person, but right now I'm me and I'm a mess." She picks up the Shirley Temple, suddenly wishing it was straight whiskey with a whiskey chaser, and takes a drink.
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia lets out a breath, looking at her companions, and once again is struck by the thought that both of them are in need of a good therapist, and that trying ton convince them both to go would be like pulling teeth from a crocodile. "We're all messes, in our own way," she admits. "Well," she says holding up a glass for a toast. "Here's to friends, who stick with you no matter how messy you are."
Clarice Ferguson	"It's not your fault I'm a mess, myself," Clarice answers Mystique with a small smile. At Lydia's toast, though, she stares at her glass for a moment, then lifts it obediently. "To friends," she agrees quietly, giving Lydia a look that - well, it's probably easy enough to read. She hadn't considered that Lydia might consider her a 'friend' and it's caught her off-guard.
Mystique	Mystique picks up her glass, "To messed up friends, good and bad." She hadn't realized that Lydia and herself had reached friends, but it felt... dear gods, it felt. A smile touches her lips as she realizes that Lydia is a friend. Well holy shit.
Lydia Dietrich	Lydia knocks back her Manhattan on her toast and sets the glass down heavily on the table. It's not quite a slam, but it comes close. "HOO! I'm drunk, now." She's a bit surprised herself that she considered these two women friends, especially since one of them is a confirmed terrorist, but it just goes to show that you never know in this world.