Just a little sightseeing (open)OOC: I mainly did this to at least introduce a Character I got approved. I probably will use him mostly during the parents weekend thing, but who knows? I might wind up liking him.
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Zack Reynolds had arrived in New York a little early. His main reason for being in the state was to see his little brother and cousin for the parents weekend at the Xavier Institute. His parents had wanted to come, but they were not sure if they could get off of work. Zack's dad Mike was in the middle of investigating a case involving a serial rapist, and his mom was going to have to assist in a surgery. His sister Ashley was busy with both school and work, and sending his other brother Daniel could be a disaster, considering Daniel's love of all things illegal and violent.
The disaster wouldn't be in Daniel's doing anything illegal, it would be in Daniel doing something bad, little brother Jordan learning of it, and Jordan trying to saw through Daniel's hamstrings with either a knife or piece of glass.
Can't you just feel the brotherrly love? Zack thought to himself. I don't know how those two have kept from killing each other yet.
Considering all three brothers, it was a little strange. Jordan was a paranoid, suspicious little twerp who enjoyed getting everyone mad at him. Daniel was happy running several bars, running illegal firearms, and basically enjoyed wearing the black hat of the family. Zack just wanted to be a minister in a little church, having a wife and kids, and living a simple life.
But Zack was the one who had made the most waves. He had achieved his goal of becoming a minister, and had tried to do what God had asked of him. And God had asked for him to stand up for mutants when the church started sliding towards condeming them. Zack had argued that the command to minister to all peoples and nations also applied to mutants. He also argued that since mutants were the equals of men before God, then they should be equal under the law.
In a highly conservative state such as Oklahoma, with a history of screwing over those less powerful, this didn't exactly go over very well. Zack wound up kicked out of the church. His family had showed up as moral support. Zack actually left with dignity and grace, refusing to give into such juvinile actions like cussing and flipping off the church's hierarchy.
Jordan did it instead, and also accused all of them of beastiality with goats.
It wasn't the exact note Zack wanted to go out on, but it was pretty funny.
Zack was just wandering around New York, taking in the sights and looking for a place to eat. He had drove instead of flying, due to his dislike of airplanes. He saw a diner on the street in front of him, and walked in to get a burger. His clothes drew a few stares, with his white western shirt, blue jeans, brown cowboy boots, and brown leather coat. He greeted the stares with a glint of humor in his gray eyes, and a smile on his clean shaven face. He actually looked a lot like his little brother Jordan, except for the lighter skin tone and grey eyes. But the facial features looked better on Zack, with the extra age helping with the looks. It also helped that Zack didn't have the look of perpetual suspicion and distrust etched on his face and soul.
Sitting at a booth, Zack quickly told the waitress 'I'll have a cheese burger with everything, side of fries, and a coke." As the woman quickly wrote down the order, Zack also gave the woman a heartfelt thank you, and closed his eyes to utter a quick prayer before eating.
Edited by: Hank at: 4/27/06 9:58 pm
He had been freed for the day. Although, saying things like that made it sound like the youth was caged. Which wasn’t true. But he had a commitment, and he’d been freed of it. Why? Classes, school work. It seemed even those with visitors couldn’t avoid such a fate, which is what had lead the young agent into the city. It had been suggested he spend the day out exploring New York while he had a chance. And man, was there a lot to explore.
Not that it phased the Auburn born teenager. He’d spent enough time in D.C. to get used to this sort of place, and he took his time moving through the busy streets. He was hungry, the question was, where to eat. There were plenty of nice restaurants the young man could get into, wearing a pair of suit-style black trousers and sky-blue shirt, though untucked. He had the money for them too. But he was 18 years old, and much fonder of something with a little more grease.
Wesley Fawkes, a.k.a. Wes was a visitor to Xavier’s Institute for Gifted Youngsters. His childhood friend was attending, and he had figured that the 15 year old truth teller deserved a visit, and he wasn’t regretting the choice. He’d already had a short explore through the grounds, and they were so peaceful, so relaxing. He’d never been able to experience that since he was 12 years old.
He’d been barely more than a child when his powers began to emerge, and with that, the curiosity of his past. And that was what had gotten him into trouble in the first place. He had managed to hack into some government files regarding his elusive father, a criminal, done for.. well, Wes just hoped that not all the allegations were true, though it was obvious that his father was a thief. Or Ex-thief as he now knew. All he had found at that time though was that his father had been released on special conditions. It wasn’t until after the FBI came for him that he learnt the truth. Not only about his father but himself.
The government needed a lab rat. Mr Fawkes needed to get away from the death sentence. And the runner of the experiment happened to be Darien Fawkes’ brother. So they stuck a gland in his head that allowed him to go invisible, except the chemical produced was highly toxic, so they could use the once criminal to do their work. The FBI had wanted their hands on him for a long time, and had managed it briefly, only to loose the older Fawkes. So when his son appeared, with the same traits except the gland, and the cure, had somehow become encoded in the genetic makeup, they grasped him so tight Wes sometimes wondered how he breathed.
This was why he was determined to enjoy himself while he could. He was free of the FBI, with a few carefully spun lies, and could spend sometime with his young friend when she wasn’t in class. The tattoo on his wrist was hidden by his cuff and watch, and he didn’t need to check it to know it was green. He was clean of the toxic substance he naturally produce to cover himself, to become, quite literally, an invisible man. I-Man Zelta. Second generation and third to ‘inherit’ the gland, so to speak. His soft blue eyes gazed around the streets, till one simple looking café caught his attention. Perfect.
He wandered in slowly, looking around for a spare seat. Like many others, his eyes paused on the man, praying before his meal in such an unusual outfit. Seemed the man was just as much a stranger to New York as he was himself. Still, his eyes left him to try and find a seat. The place was pretty busy though. It was lunch time after all, and although most of the clientele were done up not so smartly as himself, it was obviously a popular place. That’s when a thought passed his mind.
Slowly, he walked towards the cowboy, waiting until he had finished his prayer, before speaking light heartedly, but politely none the less. After all, the man before him appeared a good few years his senior. At least, to someone Wes’ age, it felt like a life time of a gap. “A praying cowboy. I’m guessing from the stares you’re gaining that’s an unusual sight in these parts.” He spoke with a polite smile, still standing as he looked down at the older. ”Sorry to disturb you Sir, but I was wondering if you’d mind sharing a table with a fellow stranger to the big apple”
"I was wrong, to think that I might belong. But I will never forget what I was... Who I am.. What I did, just to learn that"
"You know. I have this power. And yet.... I've yet to sneak in to a girl's changing room!"
Re: Just a little sightseeing (open)
Sounds good to me. Sorry about the lack of posting, but the technology and internet stuff hasn't been cooperating.
Re: Just a little sightseeing (open)
“A praying cowboy. I’m guessing from the stares you’re gaining that’s an unusual sight in these parts.”
The speaking startled Zack slightly, mainly because he usually tried to avoid attention. He normally was inconspicuious enough back home, but up in New York, his dress did attract a few stares.
”Sorry to disturb you Sir, but I was wondering if you’d mind sharing a table with a fellow stranger to the big apple”
Zack had noticed that the diner was filled with diners, and had counted himself lucky to be able to find a table. He also knew that his dress and slight accent obviously identified him as a stranger in New York.
Zack's opinion of the kid in front of him was mostly favorable. He looked roughly the same age as his younger two siblings and cousin, but better dressed. Though considering that his youngest brother was included in that assesment, dressing better didn't take very much.
The actual clothing wasn't really an issue with Zack in any case. He had spent to much time doing charity work with the less fortunate to let good clothing sway him much either way. But regardless of the clothes, Zack could see that the young man did need a place to sit, and the former minister was by far to kindhearted to turn anyone away.
"I think it's the clothes more than the prayer that draws stares." Zack responded with a twinkle of good humor in his gray eyes. "Go ahead and take a seat. Name's Zack Reynolds, and I was getting a little bored just keeping myself company."
His slight smile widened into a grin when he said in a tone of false seriousness edged with humor "By the way, don't bother with any of the Sir stuff. There are a lot of people much more deserving of such a title, and having someone the same age as my youngest siblings call me Sir is just strange."
Re: Just a little sightseeing (open) "I think it's the clothes more than the prayer that draws stares." A smile crossed over the younger man’s face, glad to hear the humour in the older’s voice. Wes had chosen to go straight in with a light hearted gesture, he knew it could have easily swayed the other way, but then Wes prided himself on judging a situation, and there was something about this older man which hinted that he wasn’t someone who would mind a gentle joke. Although Wes disliked older men generally, this one had two things going in his favour. He didn’t wear suits, and he prayed in a situation where his life wasn’t in danger.
"Go ahead and take a seat. Name's Zack Reynolds, and I was getting a little bored just keeping myself company." Wesley nodded slowly, taking the seat opposite the cowboy. Mr Zack Reynolds. Automatically, his mind did a search for any familiarity at the name, though he quickly drew a blank. He did the same thing for everyone he met, the training he had been given making it an innate reaction now. If Wes had been at Xavier’s a little long, he might have stood a chance of recognising the surname at least, but as it was he was clueless.
"By the way, don't bother with any of the Sir stuff. There are a lot of people much more deserving of such a title, and having someone the same age as my youngest siblings call me Sir is just strange." A smile crossed the young man’s face, and he was about to respond when one of the waitresses saw the newest arrival and came over. With a brief thought, he ordered a chicken sandwich and a coffee, a strange combination perhaps to some people but he liked it well enough.
”Wesley Fawkes” He finally managed with a smile. ”Though most people call me Wes” He chuckled softly as he spoke. It was strange, how such a simply shortening could make the name sound so different. Wesley seemed to carry an almost ‘geek’ like reputation with it, whilst Wes was easily considered ‘cooler’. What made life difficult now was the decision of what to call the older man. He was a good few years older than him, so really it should be ‘Mr Reynolds’, but if he was uncomfortable at all with ‘sir’ then perhaps it would be the same with that. But just calling him ‘Zack’ just felt strange.
”I’m from Auburn originally” He decided to venture slowly down this route, after all, he might as well strike up a conversation with the man, and small talk was something he’d actually been trained to do. ”But I spent a lot of time in D.C. for work, I’m down here visiting an old friend of mine for awhile.” He though of his young mutant friend with a smile. Hannah Orrico, a truth-sayer. A lovely girl even when her powers weren’t forcing her to be sometimes painfully honest.
”What about you? What could bring Mr Zack Reynolds, a cowboy by all appearances, to the big city?” He asked with some light humour. There was no point in being all serious with the stranger, what was the point? There was a high chance he’d never see the older man after today, and some extra knowledge about anyone never did any harm when freely given. Well, not really anyway.
"I was wrong, to think that I might belong. But I will never forget what I was... Who I am.. What I did, just to learn that"
"You know. I have this power. And yet.... I've yet to sneak in to a girl's changing room!"
Re: Just a little sightseeing (open)”Wesley Fawkes Though most people call me [/i] Zack didn't know anyone named Fawkes, but that was no surprise. Zack did get the feeling that Wes wasn't very comfortrable using only his first name. Zack silently thanked God that none of his siblings were here to toss out their pet nicknames like Padre or Preacher. If Wes was uncomfortable with his first name now, he hated to imagine how bad it would be on Wes hearing what they would likely say.
”I’m from Auburn originally But I spent a lot of time in D.C. for work, I’m down here visiting an old friend of mine for awhile.” Zack was a little curious about what work Wes did. Zack himself had been both a minister and a police officer before, but was now just wondering what his place actually was in the world. Judging by Wes's smile, this friend probably had to be someone he hadn't seen in a while.
”What about you? What could bring Mr Zack Reynolds, a cowboy by all appearances, to the big city?” What indeed? Family loyalty. His baby brother had just moved to an entirely new area of the country, had manifested mutant abilities, and had been in the middle of some rather nasty business at his school.
Given the humor and the situation, it wouldn't be prudent to reveal everything to a stranger. But he could at least reveal the main reason for being in this city. "Actually, my reasons are pretty close to your own. My little brother was accepted into a school for uniquie individuals." Zack hated having to use any deception, even regarding an issue as volitile as mutants. It came to close to a lie for his comfort. Mearly uttering that much of a deception made him squirm uncomfortably. "They have a parents weekend coming up, and our folks were not able to get away. So they sent me to make sure he hadn't done anything to impulsive." Zack said the last part as a joke, but it was preriously close to the truth. Jordan had never been one to follow rules he deemed annoying, and he always had problems with authority. Zack occasionally had similar problems, but he had a great deal more tack and discretion in dealing with delicate situations.
Zack kept his good humored smile in place as he said "There is also a cousin who was accepted, but him and his mother are not on the best of terms, so I thought that I should show up since he gets along with me a little better than my other siblings." It was a little strange, but true. Mitch the atheist was able to get along with a man whose desire was to be a man of the cloth. Zack often thought that Mitch maintained his atheism just to have something to argue with him about. Which was fine by Zack. Unlike many religious people, Zack did not think for an instant that he could save souls. The salvation of souls was the work of God, not of man. All man could do was try to relieve the suffering of their fellow human beings.
Re: Just a little sightseeing (open) "Actually, my reasons are pretty close to your own. My little brother was accepted into a school for uniquie individuals." The phrasing of the sentence made the young invisibility mutant pause. Now didn’t that just sound like Xavier’s? He blinked slowly, still smiling though part of it was a mask as the humour drained from behind it. Did that mean this man was doing what he had? He assumed the man to be an honest sort, but at the same time he couldn’t be certain. Though why should he worry? The chances were he was in the same position as Wes himself, merely a friend/relative, meeting with someone they cared for.
They have a parents weekend coming up, and our folks were not able to get away. So they sent me to make sure he hadn't done anything to impulsive." A knowing smile covered his face. Where else except Xavier’s could it be? Surely few other places could have unique students with a parents weekend fast approaching? He relaxed slowly, thoughtfully. Did that mean this stranger was a mutant or not? It made for some interesting contemplation. Of course, he knew there was a chance he didn’t, but the young agent liked the mystery, provided he eventually knew the truth.
"There is also a cousin who was accepted, but him and his mother are not on the best of terms, so I thought that I should show up since he gets along with me a little better than my other siblings." Wes nodded slowly. That made sense, and in fact the young agent thought it might have worked better as a family weekend, rather than a parent weekend. That way he would have known Hannah’s aunt would have gone. Though she had apparently already sort of refused to go to the school unless needed. Which Hannah seemed uncertain about.
Wesley paused as the food was brought over, instinctively sitting back as he accepted the sandwich and coffee, smiling at the waitress in thanks. Taking a sachet of brown sugar, he stirred it into his coffee, thinking carefully. This priest/cowboy guy was here to see his brother and cousin at the gifted school, most likely the same one Wesley was currently staying at. The invisibility student wasn’t really sure what he was doing over this ‘parent’ weekend. It promised to make the school full, but at least he wouldn’t be so alone in the visiting stakes. But at the same time… He wasn’t officially Hannah’s family, just a friend, an adored figure unfortunately in his mind considering he thought of the younger as a sister.
”Do you mean Xavier’s school?” His voice was calm, not looking up from his coffee, before his stead gaze lifted. ”The school for the gifted? That’s where my friend is.. where I’m stay” He smiled slowly as he spoke, taking the moment of seriousness from the government agent’s voice. He was surprised to meet someone else with a connection to the school in such a random place. But then, perhaps randomness attracted randomness. He took a sip of his coffee, smiling at the thought.
”I didn’t know about the parent’s weekend till I got here, otherwise I might have been more prepared.. as it is I’m down for a couple of weeks at least. Hannah, my friend, her parent’s could come. Not that she doesn’t get on with them, but, let’s just say they don’t know everything about her or much about the school. So inviting them would have been somewhat awkward” He said with a chuckle. He could understand his friend’s fears though. Especially as her priest father had tried to cut off their relationship when Wes’ mutant ability arose. Still, it was easier when your parents knew and accepted it, and he was pretty sure that the Orrico’s wouldn’t abandon their daughter. Hannah didn’t believe him though.
The man had relaxed somewhat now. If this was someone for Xavier’s, he couldn’t be a suit, besides, he was a cowboy by the looks of things, and somewhere into the 18 year old, that held a strange boyish attraction as it did to most younger teenagers, and there was a moment of nostalgia for the teenage years that were robbed from him. Strange really. Maybe it was because the profession was so ‘manly’. But he didn’t know many guys who hadn’t liked the idea to a degree.
"I was wrong, to think that I might belong. But I will never forget what I was... Who I am.. What I did, just to learn that"
"You know. I have this power. And yet.... I've yet to sneak in to a girl's changing room!"
Re: Just a little sightseeing (open)
Zack had a feeling that he might have trod upon some unstable footing. He had a feeling that Wes was taking this conversation a little more seriously than he had before. Zack thought that Wes could have picked up on his discomfort at redirection in the conversation. Often, his friends and realitives had remarked that Zack was easy to read. It was a big part of the reason why Zack rarely lied or tryed to decieve anyone, since he almost always wound up getting caught.
”Do you mean Xavier’s school? The school for the gifted? That’s where my friend is.. where I’m staying" Zack breathed a huge sigh of relief at hearing this, since it meant that Wes knew about the school being a shelter for mutants. For all Zack knew, Wes could be one himself. But in the place Zack's discomfort about deception vacated, a huge pile of guilt concerning Zack's misdirection took residence.
”I didn’t know about the parent’s weekend till I got here, otherwise I might have been more prepared.. as it is I’m down for a couple of weeks at least. Hannah, my friend, her parent’s could come. Not that she doesn’t get on with them, but, let’s just say they don’t know everything about her or much about the school. So inviting them would have been somewhat awkward”
Zack winced slightly in sympathy at Hannah's predicament. At least his parents knew about Jordan's mutation and accepted it, even if his father liked to kid Jordan about not having a useful power, like superstrength or clarivoance. But Hannah was still better off than Zack's cousin Mitch. Mitch's mother hated what he was, and wasn't on very friendly terms with her son.
Zack was still feeling guilty about his small act of deception, especially considering that his faith led him to believe that such a chance meeting couldn't be a random occurance. But first, he thought that he better answer the question Wes had asked first. "Xavier's is the school that they go to." Zack said in a calm voice. "But I think I owe you an apology. Deception isn't in me, and it is something that I hate." Zack felt his cheeks start to have a slight burning of shame over his actions, even though most would find simply rephrasing a sentence a mild crime. "Yet I thought that a little bit of discretion was needed to protect the secrecy Xavier's has. I am sorry for my deciet." Simple words, but Zack spoke them with a feverent sincerity and humility that showed the simple faith of a simple man.
Re: Just a little sightseeing (open)
The young agent watched the emotions pass through the older man’s eyes, and smiled. Inwardly, he laughed. He could imagine what was going through his mind, because it was the same relief that Wes had felt only minutes before. Knowing that the person before you had that simple knowledge which could lift a burden from your shoulders. He couldn’t help but wonder if Zack had been to the school yet, or if he was en-route. If he was en-route, he automatically wondered if he could save the price of a taxi and get a lift home.
"Xavier's is the school that they go to." Nodding slowly with a slightly self-pleased smile, the invisibility mutant couldn’t help but be pleased with the semi-informed guess. Saying that, surely the name it’s self wasn’t a secret, just the truth behind the guise. Still, it seemed good that this man was visiting family there, to know that people out there still had family who cared no matter if they were mutant or not. Saying that, it wasn’t like his own mother didn’t care. Just he rarely got to see her.
"But I think I owe you an apology. Deception isn't in me, and it is something that I hate." Wes’ eyes widened a little at the other’s words. Deception? It was hardly deception was it? After all, the entire name of the school lead to the misleading cover. Xavier’s School for the Gifted. Just because the gifted happened to be mutants and not the super intelligent.. it wasn’t a lie. It wasn’t deceit. It just wasn’t the tell the entire story. And there was nothing wrong with that, seeing as it hurt noone and helped a lot.
"Yet I thought that a little bit of discretion was needed to protect the secrecy Xavier's has. I am sorry for my deciet." The agent smiled gently, eating slowly in thought, sipping his coffee. Oddly, perhaps, he had a lot of varying moods. Unlike most 18 year olds, he didn’t always want chips and a burger. A nice chicken salad with some dressing was perfect to him. At the same time, sometimes all he wanted was to gorge on fast food. He listed quietly to the cowboy, before giving a slow shake of the head.
”There’s no need for an apology. You hardly deceived me. Just because you missed out some of the information… it was for the best really.” The young man nodded with a gently smile, though the blush brought a mild amusement to the youth’s face. ”After all.. it only claims to be a school for the gifted it’s self, that’s how my friend found it. So you did nothing more than do what was normal” He said gently.
”Have you been to the school yet? It’s beautiful up there” He said with a smile. True, he was being a little sneaky here, aiming for, at the worst, a reduced taxi fair. Not that Wes minded spending the money, but there was a natural urge to save. He had been an only child of a single mum with a poor paying job before becoming unemployed. So saving was high on the list of priorities.
Hannah: "In this world we're forced to make choices everyday. We don't always know the consequences. But it's how we react to them which makes us who we are"
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