xp_logs | Forge and Sooraya, Monday in Budapest (Reply)

After the news about Barath's nomination, Forge and Sooraya find themselves swept up in the celebrations along the streets of Budapest.

The streets were alive with celebration, there was really no other way
to say it. Sooraya wandered through the busy crowd, watching wide-eyed
as mutants of all sorts reveled and cheered, slinging arms around one
another's shoulders and waving posters and flyers with Barath's name
plastered on them. She had one hand in her pocket clutching the phone
that Nathan had assured her would be able to reach him at any time,
anywhere, and she kept an eye out for anyone from the school. Even
though the atmosphere on the street was cheerful she was afraid of
getting lost or swept away in the crowd.

"Falafel?"

Forge had noticed Sooraya's chador amidst the crowd. While
Budapest had a significant Muslim population, few of them looked up at
the large spires and elaborate architecture like a tourist would. He
sidled up next to the small girl and handed her the foil-wrapped pita,
raising his own in his other hand. "These are great, I totally need to
come to Europe more just for the food."

Even though she had been watching the crowd closely, Forge had managed
to all but sneak up on her and startle her with the offer of food.
"Thank you," she told him, realizing as her stomach grumbled that she
was actually quite hungry. After taking a bite her eyes widened and
she looked up at the young man happily. "I think you are right. This
is very good. I will like to eat this all the time."

Forge nodded as he swallowed another bite, looking around at the
parade. "You know, I always thought of Budapest as this quaint city
you read about in history books. Not an actual, you know, metropolis.
Lot of neat history here, although if Mr. Dayspring asks, I never said
that."

This earned a shy smile and a nod from the Afghan girl. "Yes. It is a
country of nine hundred years old," she told him solemnly, remembering
what she had learned in Heroes Square. "With much history of that
time. It is different from a city in the United States, I think. It is
not so old, there... it does not feel the same."

"Yeah, our history's more... spread out. Younger country, lots of
cultures," Forge agreed. "You're right, it's different here. Europe's
like a whole other country. Well, since it is. Lots of whole other
countries." He caught a glimpse of a poster being carried by, with
Barath's face prominently displayed, along with a slogan in Hungarian.
"Wow. We just had dinner with the incumbent Prime Minister of Hungary.
The first mutant to ever be elected to a major world leadership
position. Interesting times, indeed."

"It is a good sign, for the world, yes?" Sooraya nibbled at her
falafel thoughtfully, her gaze constantly being caught by a
brightly-colored flag or an enthusiastic passer-by. "I hope it will
not mean bad things will happen," she said after a while. "That people
will not try to make it an example and do bad things to it."

"He's a good man, Minister Barath," Forge said thoughtfully. "He knows
this'll make him a target, and he's willing to do what's right anyway.
You ask me, that makes him as brave as any of the folks we know
putting themselves in harm's way to do the right thing. Did you see
him on TV, after the bombings? He's a guy who's not going to back
down, not from anyone. People might try to ruin it, but I don't think
they'll succeed."

He chuckled and shrugged, then cheered along with a folk song being
sung by passers-by. "My mom was right, all this work's turning me into
an idealist. Worse things to be, I guess."

"There are many worse things," Sooraya agreed. "And I am glad to think
he will not let the bad things win. I will like to see this same thing
happen in New York – it is better to have happy people in the street
than dinosaurs." Smiling to show she was aware of the humor in her
statement, she crumpled up the foil from her falafel and stuck it in
her pocket.

"We live in New York," Forge said wryly. "Stick around long enough, we
might just elect a dinosaur to Congress."