xp_logs | Noise & Confusion...: Valentines Day Coffee Brawl

Valentines day takes one interesting turn and then another for Nico, Catseye, Angelica, Yvette and Julian.

The decadent aromas of chocolate and coffee mixed together inside the cafe off main street; creating an atmosphere that- when combined with the soft lighting of a crackling fire and harmonic strumming of an acoustic guitar- made Julian realize just what day it was. Being single and in such a small school, the holiday had snuck up on him, but he had to wonder if it had done the same to Nico, who was sitting with him in a darkened corner of the shop. More awkward was the fact his ex had walked in and sat down with another familiar face just a few tables away. Julian couldn't help but wonder if she or Yvette had spotted them given the darkened conditions of the room- and if so, what were they assuming?

The side effect of Yvette's odd eyes was that she tended to be able to see better in dim lighting and she'd spotted Julian and Nico in the corner as they'd walked in. For a moment she'd considered suggesting another venue, but Angel was already heading for a table, showing no outward sign that she'd seen the pair. The Albanian girl had followed, sitting between Angel's point of view and that particular corner and wishing she was taller so she could be sure of blocking the way.

Did she just see two blue shiny eyes? Cursing under her breath, Nico tried to move out of the line of sight of the two newer arrivals, but of course, when you are sitting it's a bit of a tricky movement, so her efforts were rather futile. Instead of keeping making a fool of herself, Nico looked at Julian...and felt without words for a couple of seconds; a voice in her head kept asking what the hell was she doing there. Why did she accept to come here with him? It was blurry and confusing. "So...", started in a low tone, trying to keep her voice down. "Do you feel as out of place as I do? Black doesn't go well with Valentines." And she had even tried to reduce her make up and look more festive.

"Oh, is it Valentines Day?" he feigned surprise, "guess I'd forgotten." The young man cleared his throat and ran a hand through his hair, a little awkwardly. "Um, yeah, a little I guess," Julian made a motion toward his cup of hot chocolate. "It's been a while since I had some of this stuff that I didn't make." With a nervous smile he looked back to her impassive gaze, a beat passing before he realized that she'd been looking for confirmation that she looked good. "Oh, you look..." he searched for the right word, "great, by the way." Inwardly he kicked himself, outwardly he smiled brightly and chuckled a little louder than he should have.

Over at the other table, Angel blinked and looked away from the pair as she grabbed for her glass of water. The seating evened out some of the height difference but not enough so that she didn't see her ex-boyfriend and new classmate at the table together. It was Valentines Day, they were both (as far as she knew) single ... and it left her feeling a weird mix of happy for Julian and sadness because she did sometimes miss them being Them. The fallout afterward had pretty much clinched her inability to get back with him, though they both might have wanted to at some point, but, still.

If wishes were fishes...

"God, I could kill for some fish," she muttered, grabbing for the menu.

"The fishies are mine!" Catseye exclaimed teasingly as she caught Angel's comment with her sensitive ears as she let the door to the cafe close behind her. She bounded happily over to Angel and Yvette's table. "Hellohello! No it is okay you can eat fishies if you want to Angel. Apparently it is a special day today so I am supposed to say Happy Valentines Day," she said with a nod. "I am here to get some fishies and bring supper to Nick because he is grounded. Are you going to eat fishies too Yvette?" she asked curiously.

"I think I will be having something else, but I do not know yet." Yvette smiled at the catgirl, grateful for the distraction she caused. "And the happy Valentine's Day to you also. It is a pity Nick is being grounded - this is your first Valentine's Day as the couple, yes?"

"Yesyes!" Catseye answered excitedly. "I do not understand why there must be a special holiday for couples because it seems that if you like someone you should tell them all the time not just on one silly holiday but if I do not do something for Nick for Valentines Day he
might think I do not like him as much as other couples like each other so now I am going to bring him fishies. Did you go say hi to Julian and Nico?" she inquired curiously. "Julian and Nico are here eating just like you two are and I think it is nice that we are all here together even if I cannot stay but how come you two do not go sit with Julian and Nico?"

"We didn't see them until we sat down?" Angel offered, knowing it was a bit lame but it was still true.

There was no time to answer Julian when Catseye pretty much killed the whole mood in the place, which Nico didn't mind, since she was sure she would be saying a lot of things she might end up regretting later, but also made her aware that Yvette and Angel out of all people were not too far from them, and they knew Julian was with her. But of course, that didn't mean anything, at all. Why was she getting more and more nervous then? "Oh crap", muttered as she slowly turn to check on the other table, smiling a little to them before turning back. "Suddenly I think we should have gone somewhere else..."

Quirking an eyebrow Julian looked at the other table and gave a small, inaudible gulp when he saw who had also arrived in the cafe. "Why? It's not like this is a date or something..." he blurted out in a slightly squeaky voice- instantly regretful of having said it. Nico just stared at him without changing her expression, silent for some seconds. "Yes", finally said, a little too high. Then some sort of smile. "Yeah, not a date, at all. That's crazy." She was feeling crazy, alright. But instead of throwing the boiling hot cup of coffee in his face, Nico sighed and looked away, suddenly feeling more embarrassed than angry. "I mean, you wouldn't really fall for someone like me, right? This is just...a joke."

"Oh my god," Julian said plainly, turning toward her and again regretting not choosing his words more carefully. "I mean," he stumbled, "what, did you think, I mean." This was not going well. Shifting uncomfortably he took a moment to collect his thoughts.

"Wait, okay, so you were asking me out? You've always hated me though!"

The catgirl's keen hearing had picked up the conversation between Julian and Nico and the scent that accompanied nervousness began to permeate the air. She narrowed her eyes and turned from Angel and Yvette's table without speaking, her long legs carrying her smoothly
and quickly, making her look every inch like the predator she was, over to Julian and Nico. "Hi Julian and Nico! Are you having a nice date? You are here for a date yes? Because today is a sillystupid holiday for couples." The fact that Angel and Yvette were here as friends wasn't lost on her, but Nico thought she was here on a date and Catseye didn't want Julian to hurt her feelings by saying they were here as friends.

"Oh dear." Yvette was watching what was going on with a growing feeling of dread. There was going to be a Scene. She hated Scenes, not the least of which people stared at her normally, but raised voices made it all the worse. "Perhaps we should go to another place, Angel?"

"Well, I was stupid back then, and so do you, alright!" So he had used the 'you used to hate me' argument on her. "But you know, we aren't the same people we were before, or so I think. At least I'm sure I have changed, and you...well, I think I never really gave you much of a chance." She finished the sentence with a shiny blush, still not looking at him. She turned towards Catseye though, feeling torn between telling the girl she could handle it, and just yelling at her. She couldn't do the last though. "Cats...please let me handle this." Her voice had some of a tense edge, but it could be worst. Much worst. Finally facing Julian, Nico decided to get things done and over, if that was the only thing she could do. "Look Julian, I don't want to bother you, so I want to know...if you still hate me." Well, she at least asked something. Angel, studiously not watching the ongoing events, nodded at Yvette and reached for her purse. "You know, former roomie of mine, I think that's the best idea I've heard yet," she commented, glad they hadn't really had a chance to get comfortable and get something to eat. The last thing Angel wanted to see was Julian making an ass out of himself.

Again.

"What? No, I don't hate you," he'd never been overly fond of her back in the old days, but that was a lifetime ago. "What kind of person do you think that I-" 'Shut up, Keller!' he told himself. "I mean- ugh, this isn't going well."

Nico moved closer, her mind pointing out she didn't have the faintest idea of what she was doing. "No, it never seems to go well." She gave that much to him; it was as if they could never go past the issues they had since the moment they were introduced. "Okay, so, eh...let's say you invite me out, alright, and I say yes." Nico also shifted on her seat. "What next? What do you want me to think about this Julian? Because I can think a lot of things." God, why was she being so cryptic?

"I didn't- but I-" he started and stopped several more times before finally throwing his hands up. "Jesus, I just can't win with you Nico. I thought you wanted to go get a cup of cocoa with me, but if you don't, then let's just go." Julian grabbed his coat and stood up.

"Oh, you want to win!?" Nico stood as well, her voice maybe a little higher than it should be. The goth grabbed Julian by the collar, turning him around and pulling him closer. "Well, you win; enjoy it." And then she kissed him, and she suddenly forgot where she was, and what she was doing. She was somewhere else, probably in Heaven.

Julian wasn't sure what was going on. One second they were arguing and the next...he was kissing her? She was a good kisser too. Without even thinking about it his hand was around her waist, pulling her close.

"Right, who wants pizza?!" Angel asked suddenly, nearly leaping for her purse. Regardless of how she might feel - and who knew what that actually was - the thought of watching Julian make out with Nico was enough to send her scrambling. There were some things no one needed to see.

"Pizza, yes. The very good idea!" Yvette agreed hastily. Getting Angel out of there was an even better idea. "Catseye, will you come also?"

"First I will get my fishies but then yes I will come get pizza and then I can bring Nick fishies and pizza!"

Watching from outside, Simon stood at the edge of the street to avoid suspicion from the mutants inside. He waited for a vehicle he could easily grasp with one hand to pass so he could make his entrance. Nothing would stop him from taking Julian out. "Dammit, it had to be a fucking moped," he hissed, stepping into the road. Without a word he stepped in front of the vehicle and, when it skidded to a stop before him, threw the man to the side of the road.

The next moment the vehicle was hurtling through the air with all the force he could muster, heading straight for Julian and Nico. The shattering of the large glass window that showed off main street from inside the cozy cafe was enough of a warning that Julian knee-jerked a telekinetic shield up around himself- which, given her proximity, also managed to contain Nico. Unfortunately, due to those pesky laws of physics, the second the baby blue moped hit the shield it knocked the young teek backwards, but not with the lethal force his adversary had intended. Slowly getting up, Julian looked around for the source of the commotion, shocked an accident like this could have even happened without some idiot's intention paving the way. Nico's world went from a nice numbness to the sudden push of the car hitting the shield, sending her flying away as well; that was so not the way to finish a kiss, at all. "What the..." Nico turned around, confused and lost, until she managed to focus on the hole the car had made, and in the person standing outside...but not for too long. "Ah, fuck it; I'm going to die in Valentines."

Cautiously, Angel raised herself off the floor from where she'd automatically dropped and attempted to shield her head. There was no moment of silence - people were starting to yell and scream, scrambling away from the vehicle that was now in the middle of the cafe. Her purse forgotten, Angel instead focused on more important things.

"Yvette! Catseye! You guys okay?"

A shard of glass had embedded itself in her hand, but Catseye pulled it out and watched it heal without much discomfort. "I am okay. Yvette?"

The spiky girl's dress was in ribbons and her hair was stiffening, but she nodded. "I am also." She glanced around, searching out for injured patrons. "Is there anyone who is hurt? We should be helping."

Tables crashed as Simon jumped through the window. He picked one up and held it in front of him, a combination battering-ram-tower-shield, and started marching forward. He thought about hurling more things towards Julian, but decided that crushing him would be more satisfying. The strength coursed through him as he moved, his vision tunneling towards his former-friend. Now to finish this, he thought, issuing a throaty growl to announce himself.

"Oh hell," Julian said, dusting himself off and spotting the advancing hulk of a teenager. None too happy to see his old friend, the teenage teek tossed up a barrier in front of himself and Nico. With only moments to spare, Julian scanned the room and spotted his teammates.
Switching to X-Men mode, "Knuckles!" he shouted. "I'll deal with Simon, can you handle getting people out of here?"

"Yes, but you cannot be fighting him alone, J-- Lazybones!" Yvette called back, already surveying the damaged cafe and trying to work out how to evacuate the panicked people without putting them in more danger. Hopefully there was a back door. "The teamwork, yes?"

"Pants should help Lazybones if he cannot fight alone," Catseye suggested with a nod to Yvette's teamwork comment, "I can help Knuckles." She liked these trainee names very much.

Nico needed a moment to understand what had just happened with every body's names. "Ah, those are..." Horrible, but if they end up saving my life, whatever.. Being surrounded by potentially X-Men was reassuring, even when Simon looked like he could eat them all.
"Guys, guys, I'm already here, so I'll help J--ah, you know who!" Nico reached for a piece of glass from the ground, cutting her hand. "When Blood is Shed, let the Staff of One Emerge." Looking at Simon charging at them made Nico actually wonder if she should hide or run, but they thought of leaving Julian alone...Here we go... "Hey, does he have anything remotely similar to a weakness? Something related with being boosted maybe?" She was obviously talking to Julian here, the girl unsure of being able to stick to the codenames.

Driving the table forward with the force of an 18 wheeler, Simon was completely oblivious to the girl's presence. Debris flew across the interior of the coffee shop--smashing into the counter and walls with enough force to knock frantic bystanders off their feet--as he tore
through tables and chairs without slowing down. Must. Kill. Julian.

"Nico, get the hell out of-" was all he got out before the mac truck of a teenager collided with the semi-visible barrier he'd constructed. The force of which sent him flying backwards again, behind the counter. "Pants!" he shouted, slowly getting up and putting up his barrier again- cursing the fact that Nathan had never taught him any offensive uses to his powers- "Little help with the bull please?"

Angel was already moving before Julian had even hit the ground. The patrons of the cafe were wisely diving out of the way from Simon, giving her an easy and direct route. Her powers made her stronger and more than capable of taking at least some abuse. But it was dangerous to use it indoors and near people, so she compromised, taking a running leap to ignite in midair so she could head straight for the attacker.

Bad guy he might be, Angel had no desire to injure him with her fire and so she dropped her powers right before impact and let gravity take over. She managed to aim her shoulder into the small of his back seconds after the fire died away, turning the more deadly impact into
a football tackle.

Simon's body slammed sideways with the impact because, even with the strength to stop an oncoming train, his feet weren't set well. As his body fell sideways his eyes opened wide and he let go of the table. Looking around, trying to figure out what hit him, his eyes fell upon
the girl who'd caught him off guard. He didn't have time to waste on her at that moment, but he committed her image to his mind so he could deal with her later.

Standing up, the large teenager squared himself towards the larger part of the cafe and looked for his adversary. He couldn't find any sign of Julian. "Where the hell are you, you little fucking brat!"

Then the raging beast in him had a brilliant idea. Reaching down, he grabbed for the girl. "If you don't come out and face me like a man I'm going to crush this little red-head like she were a fucking tomato."

"Let it never be said you're smart, you jackass," Julian muttered to himself as he slowly stood up from behind the counter, hands raised in the air. "Okay, dude, leave her alone. You're here for me, so here I am." What Simon couldn't see was the invisible wall in front of
Julian.

Yvette's heart leapt into her throat at the sight of Angel being grabbed and her first impulse was to attack him herself. But she had said it, they needed teamwork, and if they didn't get the civilians out of here, someone was going to be badly hurt. "Cheetara!" she called to Catseye. "There is the back way through the kitchen! Be making them go through there!" Then she bent to hack away at some debris from the broken window which had trapped a young couple. "Please, do not be scared," she reassured them. "I will not hurt you."

Catseye let out a hybridized human-cougar roar of indignation at the sight of the man saying he would crush Angel, but when she made a move to go try to help, she heard Yvette's voice and it stopped her in her tracks. Her tail twitched angrily, as if she was debating with herself
whether to follow the order or go help her friend. She snarled and nodded. "Yesyesyes, come this way people, we are going to help you yesyesyes," she called out instead, forcing confidence and aloofness into her voice, as if she did this every day. She used her hands and
her tail to help direct people, ushering them along as Yvette dug them out.

Simon had grabbed her by her throat and shoulder with both hands and Angel reached up to try and remove his hands. A surge of panic and anger washed through her and for a moment, her features rippled beneath a surge of flame. Her instincts were driving her to slip into
her second form but she fought it done, still unwilling to do that much damage to someone. Instead, she focused on exciting the microwave particles to not induce flame but heat instead.

"Let go of me!" she snapped, half kneeling and half held up by Simon, as her skin went from warmer than normal to scalding hot in seconds.

Screaming in pain, the big man released Angel. He had enough presence of mine to push her away with a smash from his elbow, but not enough to dive for cover. She flew a few feet before crashing into an already destroyed table. The burns on his skin caused him pain, serving to
fuel his growing rage against his former friend. He took one step forward before realizing just how exposed he was.

Julian sent the wall of force crashing toward their adversary. Tables and chairs rolled along in a wave as it hit Simon, knocking him backwards. Keller pushed further, sending the wave out the front window the moped had come in. The only thought in his mind after was how much his hind-quarters hurt from the strain that had been put on the stitched up wound. He hoped none of the little sutures had torn. "He's down, but not out, come on," the young telekinetic said, pushing his way through the rubble of the cafe toward the door.

"Oh, you guys totally let me watch the whole thing from the sidelines..." Nico was already ahead of Julian; the guy was so tough he would be on his feet in no time. "I might not be a trainee, but you can be damn sure I know how to put a guy down." Pointing the Staff at
Simon, Nico focused on a spell at full power. "Demi" She had just said the word when space apparently curved over Simon, as if a massive ball had fell on him, making cracks under him and pressing the boy against the ground. "Now fight gravity if you can."

"Nico, stay back," Julian grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled her toward himself. "He's stronger than...well..."

The weight pressed down on Simon, as the cracks in the floor grew larger, and he grunted. Each passing moment brought a renewed anger to him, and he stared at the girl standing in front of Julian. "You really shouldn't fuck with me." As he spoke he pushed himself
up to his full height and charged at the pair. "Now you'll see why." He launched a devastating hay-maker at her face, hoping Julian would step in front and take the blow. It would be a glorious way for his former friend to die.

Unfortunately, Julian disappointed his old friend by tossing up a shield and pulling Nico back. "Stay away from her!" he shouted, his eyes starting to glow with a greenish haze. Without thinking, he launched the blockade forward, sending Simon flying toward the street...with the super-strong teenager landing directly on-top of his car. "Son-of-a!"

With the bystanders outside at the back of the cafe, Catseye picked her way through the debris that littered the space and out onto the street to Julian and Nico. "Anyone need help here?" she inquired casually.

"Oh come on! I should have totally turned you into a mouse." She didn't mind being pulled away, knowing that if Simon could actually endure getting crushed by enough pressure to turn a normal person into tomato sauce he was seriously boosted, and angry, and that
didn't just work with her. "Just how strong does this guy is!?" She almost winced at seeing Julian's car getting crushed by Simon, but nothing could do about it. Turning at Catseye, Nico shrugged. "I'm kinda lost with all the funny names, but besides that, I think we are pretty okay here..."

Absorbing most of the impact from Simon's flight, the car had been bent out of shape--the front and back raised slightly in the air while the middle dipped downward. "I didn't think you had it in you," he coughed, pushing himself up from the wreckage. Simon fell to one knee
as he took a step back towards the cafe, his head spinning wildly. Hell no, he thought, not until it's ended. He wanted to keep fighting but his body wouldn't cooperate. He propped himself up on his hands and waited, saving his strength for one final effort. He sorely hoped Julian would come to gloat over him.

"Okay, ow," Angel's voice preceded her as she gingerly stepped out of the front of the cafe, a hand rubbing at her side and then up to her shoulder. "Oh good, looks like he's done for the count but, uh, let's double check to make sure..."

"Oh, let me turn the gigantic threat to society into a tree, please?" Her pride was still a little hurt with Simon ignoring her spell just like that. "It won't be permanent... unfortunately."

"No!" Yvette's response was stern. "You should not use your magic like that, not when he is already beaten. Cheetara, can you be turning into BigCat to check he is not pretending?"

Catseye thwapped Nico upside the head with the palm of her hand in response to her comment about using magic. "I am your familiar and I say no magic too just like Knuckles no no no. If I turn into BigCat can I have fishies after?" she asked, then transformed anyway. She went over to Simon and nudged him with her head. "I think he is sleeping," she answered when she'd returned to the group and transformed back."

The sound of sirens in the distance finally became all too clear for the group of super-powered teenagers as the full scope of the damage done to the cafe' was finally realized. The once beautiful facade was now in shambles and the interior might as well have been gutted. But everyone was safe and Simon was down. "He wrecked my car," Julian said blandly. "God I'm glad I've got insurance."

The police pulled up to the scene like something out of a movie, skidding their cars into position along the rubble strewn street. Unfortunately, not having seen the fight start and knowing Xavier's kids on site, the police exited their vehicles only to level their firearms at the team. "Get down on the ground, now!"

Angel's jaw dropped as she quickly moved to kneel on the ground. "Oh my god, you've got to be kidding me!"

"But I want my fishies!" Catseye protested in a hiss to her friends, though she knelt next to Angel, not too sure what was going on but pretty sure following her friend was a good idea.

"But we were helping!" Yvette protested, her hair noticiably growing even spikier. Several guns were cocked and pointed in her direction and she gulped and joined her two friends on her knees. "Please, do not be shooting?" she quavered.

Instincts told Julian to either wrench the guns from the hands of the lawmen or to knock them all over with a telekinetic wave and run. Fortunately for everyone involved he got down on one knee then carefully put himself face down on the concrete with his hands on his head. "This just isn't my day," he mumbled.

Nico looked at the guns pointing at her, and sighed. She didn't do anything though, getting to her knees as well; they had had enough troubles for one day. "Really now; worst Valentine's ever."