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[x-shinobi.livejournal.com]

Near the end of the meet-'n-greet, Bethany ducks outside to catch a bit of air. Angelo comes out for a smoke, and they chat a bit. The idea of Bethany visiting the school is broached.




As fun as the actual purpose for being at the meeting was (hey, who doesn't like feeling productive and useful?), Bethany had to admit, she'd had a lot more fun just shooting the breeze with Amanda. Well.. Bobby and Angelo were okay, too. As the meeting began to close, she'd excused herself - a break from sneaking peeks at Amanda over her coffee was definitely in order, before more people noticed - and ducked outside, where she can be found seated on her skateboard near the door, idly watching the traffic move past. She's wearing a rather snug gray t-shirt, with olive cargo pants and skateboarding shoes on her feet, her black hooded sweatshirt yoinked on over the rest as the weather begins to cool off.

Angelo spots her there as he leaves the coffee shop, and veers over to join her, settling on the ground beside her. "Hey, Bethany."

"Hey," Bethany replied, looking up with a lopsided grin. "They finished wrapping up already, or did you just need a break, too?"

Angelo grinned back. "Bit of both. They're about done, an' I needed a smoke." He produced his pack and lit up, holding it out to her from courtesy. "You want one?"

She held up a hand, shaking her head. "No thanks. Don't smoke. Knock yourself out, though." Bethany twists in place to peek back towards the door, absently stuffing her hands into her sleeves to keep them warm.

Angelo nods, tucking the pack back into his pocket. "So what brings you out here?"

"Was getting a little stuffy in there, that's all," Bethany replied, looking to Angelo again with a quick smile. "Bit warm with all those bodies crammed into one place. Needed to come cool off, get a little air."

Angelo smiles back. "Fair enough. 's not bad, this thing. Think Jamie's really onto somethin'."

Bethany nodded. "Oh, definitely. Gonna make sure I've got some chalk in m' backpack this week. I'll spread that symbol like a plague, mark my words."

Angelo chuckled. "Good for you. Be careful, though."

"Amanda said something about hexing anybody who gives me hell," Bethany mused, not entirely serious. "But it was for something completely different, and I understand she really shouldn't, anyway. But I'll be fine, don't worry. I run fast. Besides," she added, wiggling her eyebrows, "Dad's a cop. Anybody who fucks with me better damn well be able to run faster than the entire NYPD, or they're screwed."

Angelo looked momentarily wary, before pushing it back down, reminding himself that she didn't know about his past. "Your dad's a cop? Yeah, I can see how that'd be useful. Only if you know who they are, though."

"You'd be amazed what they can do with a vague description and a neighborhood," Bethany smiled, looking a bit curious at Angelo's wariness, but quickly dismissed it. Why wouldn't a mutant be a little wary of state employees, after all? "If I don't do a gig with the Bugle later in life, doin' somethin' with the department would be pretty cool. Dad would probably be torn between glee and a stroke, though."

Angelo laughed. "Wants to keep his little girl safe? Well, it's understandable. Just tell him at least he'll be there to look out for you."

Bethany nodded, grinning cheerfully. "'course he does. He's a good dad. An' he'd be there to look out for me, whoever I partnered up with would be there to look out for me, the entire PD would be there to look out for me.. s' a tight-knit group. S' cool."

Angelo smiled. "Sounds great. The mansion's kinda like that, most of the time."

"I get that impression. Not like public school at all." She chuckled, slowly shaking her head. "Lucky bastard."

Angelo grinned lopsidedly. "Yeah, I really was. Gettin' to come over here, I mean."

"LA's a long way away. I'm glad somebody found you and got you out here." Bethany grinned, reaching over to give him a light, affectionate sock in the shoulder. "So. What say you, me, Paige, Amanda, and whoever the hell else wants to come go out next weekend?"

Angelo nodded with a grin. "Sounds good. I'm gonna try an' get Bobby out too - he could use it." He hesitated, then added, "Just - gotta ask you not to mention the Friends of Humanity. He's had run-ins with them before, an' he needs not to hear about them right now."

Bethany blinked, briefly frowning in thought before quickly regaining her grin. "They ain't exactly my idea of fun conversation, so sure, no problem. Won't have a peep about them outta me."

Angelo nodded. "Thanks. Wouldn't've brought it up, but it's been kinda hard to get away from them on the TV an' stuff lately."

"Know the feeling. Poor Epcot." She made a bit of a face, looking back out towards the traffic. "Pass me your smoke when you're done with it?" she asked suddenly, a lightbulb almost visibly going off over her head.

Angelo blinked. "Uh. Sure... but why? You don't smoke."

"Just want to try something," Bethany shrugged, eyeing a clear spot of the sidewalk thoughtfully. "I'd use a pen, but I doubt it'd take as well."

Angelo nodded, took a final draw on his cigarette and handed it over, curious to see what she had in mind.

She took the cigarette, managing not to eye it with obvious distaste. "Thanks. Now, let's see.." Bending forward, she reached down, pressing the ashy end down against the sidewalk - and draws a circle-enclosed X with the ash. "..mmh. Yeah, chalk'll be better. Gotta pick some up on my way home."

Angelo chuckled. "Yeah, that'll last about five minutes 'fore somebody walks over it an' kicks it all smeary."

"Bah, let 'em. I'll just draw more." She paused, eyeing the cigarette butt before giving it a toss towards the parking lot. "Not with that, though."

Angelo grinned. "Ahh, you're a healthy type", he said lightly.

"Can't skate if I'm busy wheezing, dude," Bethany laughed, rolling her eyes and dusting her fingers off on her pants.

Angelo shrugged, still grinning. "Fair enough. You so have to meet Alex."

"I know an Alex, but I don't know if it's the same one," Bethany grinned, shrugging her shoulders.

"Alex Summers?" he asked curiously. "If your Alex is from the school, we've only got one."

"If he is, he hasn't mentioned it. Most mutants don' really advertise if they can avoid it, y'know?" Bethany shrugged again, smiling a bit. "Drag him along this weekend, we'll find out."

Angelo nodded. "Sure, I'll see if he's up for it. An' his girlfriend, too, if that's okay."

"The more, the merrier," Bethany grinned. "I don't mind, no."

Angelo grinned back. "Cool, then. Her name's Lorna, I think you'll like her."

"I seem to like most of the people you and Shinobi put me on to, so I'll take your word for it," Bethany smiled. "Can always use more friends."

Angelo brightened, an idea striking him. "Y'know, you should come up to the school sometime. Maybe just you to start with, more people later. Or whatever."

Bethany blinked, tilting her head slowly as she considered this. "Y'think I could? I mean, I know the school has more kids there than show up to these meetings.. an' if they don't come, there's probably good reasons why not.."

Angelo shrugged. "Well, it's not like it'd be a full-scale invasion. You've pretty much shown we can trust you, an' I don't think one person comin' up'd upset anyone too much."

"I hope not. I hope I'm not quite that off-putting. Kill my street cred real quick." She thought for a moment, then shrugged, nodding and grinning lopsidedly. "Sure. I'll ask my folks, you ask.. whoever you'd need to ask, and we'll see."

Angelo nodded. "Will do, an' I'll let you know when I've got permission. Don't think it'll be a problem at all - after all, you'd just be comin' as a friend of mine or Shinobi's."

Bethany nodded, grinning brightly. "Well, cool, then. Really curious to see the place, y'know? I mean, I saw the CNN thing, but that isn't the same as actually *going* there."

Angelo nodded, grinning wryly. "Yeah, I was kinda hidin' in the basement when they filmed that. Few of us didn't wanna do it, so we just hung out an' played cards instead. Place is... impressive, yeah."

"Can understand why you wouldn't have wanted to be on it," Bethany agreed. "Besides getting recognized on the street, that Tilby woman.. just too damn perky for me, thanks. Makes Joan Rivers look like a freakin' zen master."

Angelo laughed. "Yeah, I watched the finished product. She's scary."

"Tolerable if you hit mute," Bethany admitted, waggling a hand. "But only barely."

Angelo thought. "Can't remember who did do it, now, 's been a while since I watched it. 'm pretty sure Jamie did, an' Kitty..."

Bethany nodded, her brow furrowing in thought. "I can't really remember, either. Ah well. Not too important, I guess."

Angelo nodded. "Guess not. Oh, well, you'll meet a lot of them when you come up."

"One hopes I'll survive the experience," Bethany chuckled, looking back towards the door again. "Few more people like I've met today, and I might not want to go home."

Angelo grinned. "Most people up at the mansion are pretty great, yeah. If you get pounced by a little green boy, don't worry. He has to be careful with most people, 'cause his power is to turn other mutants' powers off, so he'll be really happy to meet someone where he doesn't have to ask before goin' near them."

"Pouncing little green boy," Bethany echoed, looking a bit bewildered. "I think I can survive a pouncing little green boy."

Angelo laughed at her expression. "His name's Miles, an' he's only about seven. Cutest kid ever."

Bethany blinked once, then grinned oddly, propping her chin up in a hand. "Then I can definitely survive that. Got a weakness for cute."

Angelo nodded, then thought of something, glancing around before telling her quietly, to avoid random people overhearing, "Oh, an' just to save you a shock, since she doesn't wear an image inducer in the house - the woman he thinks of as Mom is Alison Blaire."

"Alison B-- you're shitting me," Bethany blinked, giving Angelo a skeptical look. "You aren't shitting me, are you?"

Angelo chuckled, having expected more or less that reaction. "Nope. Remember that trouble she had with the stalker, a year or two back, right after she came out as a mutant? Well, guess where she went to hide out."

"Good place to go hide," Bethany nodded, boggling a moment longer before shaking herself. "Cool. Just don't tell the others. They? Are into her brand of pop like nobody's business."

Angelo nodded. "Only told you 'cause you're comin' to the house. Can't have you droppin' dead of the shock, after all."

"Might be comin' to the house," Bethany corrected, holding up a finger. "Got to make sure my parents don't mind, still."

Angelo nodded. "Yeah, of course. You think they might?"

"Won't know 'til I ask," Bethany shrugged. "They're open-minded an' all, so I doubt it'll be a problem, but dad might want to tag along or something."

"Well, I don't think that'd be a problem if they agree with you on this. Could always get Shinobi round to talk to them", he suggested lightly.

"Dad wouldn't take him seriously, and mom'd be too busy trying to check him out," Bethany replied, dismissing the idea with a shake of her head. "Don't want to creep the guy out."

Angelo laughed. "An' here I was thinkin' he was the perfect person to talk worried parents round."

Bethany shook her head, grinning wryly. "Not my parents. He's in teenie-bopper magazines, dude. Far as dad's concerned, he's just another piece'a eye-candy for girls my age to fawn over."

Angelo grinned. "Yeah, I guess you could take that point of view. Hell, even Sarah got recognised a few weeks ago."

"Amanda told me," Bethany laughed, her grin going mischevious. "Can see why she'd get recognized, though. S'a lucky son of a bitch."

Angelo blinked, suddenly working something out and kicking himself for being slow. "Yeah, he is, an' I think he probably knows it better than she does. An' never tell Paige I said that."

"Paige? Why would'ja need to keep that from her?" Bethany cocked her head to the side, blinking curiously.

Angelo chuckled. "I meant the first part, an' I was jokin'. Mostly."

"Oh, that he's a lucky sumbitch?" Bethany hazarded, nodding slowly and flashing a grin. "I'll keep it t'myself. Don't think you need to worry, though. I mean, Sarah's taken, Paige knows you're crazy 'bout her - I assume - so hey. No harm done."

Angelo grinned. "Yeah, I know. An' yeah, she does. But better safe than sorry", he finished lightly.

She nodded, reaching over to give Angelo's shoulder a squeeze. "True enough. You, Angelo, are a very considerate guy."

Angelo blinked. "Er. Okay..."

Bethany quirked an eyebrow. "What? You are. You know how many guys wouldn't bother playin' it safe with that? Most guys are assholes."

Angelo shrugged a little uncomfortably, still not used to compliments even from those who knew him very well. "True, I guess."

She eyed him a moment longer before she shrugged it off, stuffing her hands back into her sleeves. "Getting cool out here," Bethany observed, pursing her lips. "Maybe we should duck back inside, see what's takin' so long?"

Angelo nodded easily. "Sounds good to me - they probably found a whole new thing to talk about that we're missin'."

Nodding, Bethany pushed herself up to her feet, scooping her board up and tucking it under an arm. "Heaven forbid we miss the discussion on how decaf mochacinnos can be utilized towards widespread mutant/human peacekeeping efforts," she replied dryly. "C'mon."

Angelo grinned and followed her back into the coffee shop. "Right behind you."