X-Traction

It is quiet and tense inside the Blackbird. You all are returning from an ambassadorial meeting in Washington DC. Anti-mutant sentiment has been running high lately and spineless politicians are bowing to the political winds. The meeting did not go well. You heard all of the usual arguments about why mutants are too dangerous to be left "unaccountable" and that with great power comes great restrictions. New legislation is on the brink of making mutants second-class citizens.

Cyclops, which of your team member embarrassed you during the meetings? What did you do about it?

Wolverine, you lost your temper. What happened?

Nightcrawler, one of the politicians used an argument from your religion. How did you respond?

Jubilee, one of the politicians rudely dismissed your opinions for being either young, weak, or a woman (perhaps all three). How did you react?

Gambit, your prior criminal record was used to subtly threaten you. What was the outcome?

Some poor schmuck was going to have to gather up the desk Logan had left in several pieces, cart it out to the dumpster and go through the bother of bringing a new one in tomorrow morning.

"Couldn’t help myself! They’re out of their blasted minds if they think it ends with a desk getting split in half!" he grunts, knowing the others will have been tip toeing around him all night if he didn’t speak up now.

"I’ll cut the whole place in half if they push me far enough!" he says, his anger bubbling over again, but knowing he should probably be trying to make amends with the others for his outburst!

"And I'll burn the evidence!"

Jubilee crosses her arms and pouts, before groaning and scratching her head in frustration. Her personal flub was standing up to that one senator and declaring that at least she was out there helping people. Unfortunately, the senator took that and ran with it, using the opportunity to both humble brag about the widely popular bills he had helped pass as well as deride her for using her powers unchecked as a vigilante (as hypocritical as that might be for his initial dismissal of her capabilities).

"Agh, I'm so annoyed! How'd that old fart turn things around on me like that!?"

"We must turn the other cheek Logan," Nightcrawler tried to talk Wolverine down from his frenzy, although the same words were used to ironic effect earlier in Senator Heinlein's reply to Senator Kelly's call against the mutants. Heinlein had attempted to convince the assembly that the mutants would calmly accede to the demands made of them and accept whatever legislation would be passed. Sympathetic to be sure, but too quick make all the concessions that would reduce whatever few rights still remained. Both positions were untenable. "Starting a fight in the general assembly is the surest way to turn human sentiment against us and use up whatever goodwill we still have left. Already we left Jean behind, to have her at the meeting would've been too threatening for them."

Gambit looks at Jubilee sympathetically. "Hey petite, dey be de real criminals here, stealin’ de people’s money to pay for only what dey want."

He then frowns as he recalls Senator Kelly shouting about who knows what criminals could be hiding among these "unregistered mutants using their powers to hide their sordid history." The politician then looked at him as he mentioned how the program would help identify and punish those harboring criminal fugitives. He couldn’t help but think of Rogue and the other X-Men as he charged up one of his playing cards in his pocket.

After Wolverine decided to cut up a desk, he was one of those who helped guide him out of the room. He couldn’t help dropping a charged card in the trash can by the door as they left. He was distracted by Senator Kelly’s threats and forgot how much he had charged the card up as it exploded seconds after they exited, ensuring no one would be following them through the fire that started as sparks fell on a nearby senator’s desk.

As he sits at the controls of the sleek Blackbird, flying the team home to Salem Center, NY, he considers the day. He didn't expect much progress on mutant relations going into the meeting, but Wolverine's outburst coupled with Jubilee's quips to a senator didn't help things. Gambit's explosion of the trash can which resulted in several congressmen becoming drenched when the sprinklers came on was the worst. All of it was caught on cameras and broadcast to the world.

Scott donated significantly to the favorite charities of Senators Harris, Cortez, and Cruz. It was an expensive olive branch and probably didn't mend fences, but it was better than Remy's exit, he told himself.

"Team, I know we didn't meet the senators on common ground and they were only looking to score points for their bases," Scott says in a calm, but firm tone. "But your childish antics only served as red meat for anti-mutant hate groups like the Friends of Humanity. In the future, if the cameras are on, you need to maintain decorum. Even if we were never going to win that fight, there's no reason to make them seem... right to be afraid of us." He glances back at Nightcrawler, silently hoping the German will offer some support.

Wolverine was tempted to say that they ought to be afraid of him. If they wanted to something to be scared of, he was more than happy to play the boogeyman!

"Red meat." he snorts derisively. "That’s what they want to make out of us! Jackasses want to turn us into mutant burger meat!"

He lets his claws loose an inch, and wishes he could challenge some of the representatives to a fight that Wolverine could win.

"Minced Mutant, coming right up!" he barks bitterly, as if he was a line-cook in some anti-Mutant establishment.

Jubilee sticks out her tongue, fake grimacing.

"Ick, that's not going to win you any Michelin stars. Let's leave the menu tonight to Cajun."

Gambit grins at Jubilee, "Dat always sounds good to me!"

He then turns to Cyclops. "Maybe Gambit helped cool off de senators from dere crazy ideas with dose sprinklers, no?"

When Cyclops doesn't reply and stonily continues flying the plane, Gambit takes out his deck of playing cards and shuffles them. He starts to shuffle them in more and more complicated ways as the tension seems to grow in the Blackbird.

"Hungry!" Wolverine grunts, not meeting the face on the screen.

"Aside from that, we’re all doing just peachy!" he says, sickly sweet. He knew she wasn’t calling them up to talk about their feelings.

The appearance of Jean helps Scott relax and he barely hides a smile as he replies, "It's good to see you, Jean." He ignores Wolverine's answer, even though it does make him think about peaches for a moment. "We knew they wouldn't work with us, but we couldn't allow them to move without speaking out for our people. I just wish we had more friends in government." He can't help but check on her and the X-Men they left behind at the mansion, "Is everything alright with you?"

Jubilee sighs, slumping in her seat.

"Yeah, let's hear some good news. Someone won a lifetime supply of ice cream? Hank figured out how to make the flavor in bubble gum last forever?"

"Most people cannot know anything beyond what they see with their own two eyes. I am not angry with them, I pity them, and I worry more for those whom they lead, blinded by their lack of sight." The elf crouched on the armrest of his seat, tail flicking behind him in a sinuous manner as always when he was deep in thought, troubled by what was to come. "Something will come out of this, and I don't think it'll be good."

Wolverine brings a big fist up to his face in annoyance, and massages his hard skin and muttonchops.

"Yeah, Scott. Can you check that out for us?" he says, with something of a sting. "Promise we won’t get in your way this time around." he says, sweet as he can manage, though entirely fake and obviously so!

Scott turns his head just slightly toward Wolverine but ignores his saccharine words. "Send us the coordinates, Jean. The team will check it out." He raises his voice to address everyone, "Team, some people need our help." So saying, he flips a few switches and guides the jet towards the coordinates Jean provides.

"Don't worry Jean we'll find them. Missing mutants are our speciality." Nightcrawler replied in all earnestness. "On a plane, hmm..."