“Come,” Namor said, voice low and unhurried, lifting one like a coronation relic. “Adorn yourself with the sacred light of antiquity. Or the mid-’80s. The distinction grows murky."
A pause, drier than dust.
“Two for a dollar. Support the senior trip.”
Felicia laughed, bumping into him with a half bared shoulder possibly a little harder than necessary as a collection of sophomores timidly handed her ones. Hair teased within an inch of its life and sprayed pink, face a map of glitter and stars, Felicia was a glam rock queen in metallics and neon, her pointed toe knee high boots keeping her only a couple inches shorter than her companion, but still less of a heel than she'd like. Her smile would glow under the black lights.
"Isn't he the most?" she asked, tucking the cash into her belt bag as he began doling out black plastic wrapped bulk buy toys as if they were gold bars. "Truly outrageous."
“Outrageous is an aesthetic,” Namor replied, glass-smooth. “Reckless is a flaw. I happen to be neither. But I understand the confusion. Altitude often looks like spectacle to those watching from below.”
He scanned the crowd with the casual confidence of a man who believed he could name every threat in the room.
“They did elect me, after all. One assumes for the gravitas. It appears I’ve confused spycraft with discernment. Try to keep up.”
"Oh, King," Felicia replied, saccharine but only mostly unkindly. "They elected Rex McKenzie. And possibly as a pretty figurehead, given Guthrie is second in command."
"Tubular!" she said, shifting with a pretty smile at a junior, taking their ticket and a fist of ones before gesturing them towards Namor. "It's an 80s party. A human era full of neon, and this is lingo. Which you'd know if you'd bothered to read anything we spies sent you. Try to keep up, or at least your head down for those of us who aren't just cheekbones."
Namor handed off another bracelet with a motion that could have been mistaken for benevolence — if it weren’t so imperious.
“Ah. Tubular. A word with too many limbs and no spine.” He regarded her attire, faintly amused. “You’ve embraced the era’s glitter with devotional fervor. I presumed camouflage. Operative strategy. Reflected light.”
Then he looked at her — not briefly, not politely. As one might observe a star and count its gravity.
“But no,” he said softly. “Not disguise. Bait.”
He tilted his head just slightly. Not indulgent. Not fond. Something quieter.
“This crown they placed on my double — ‘king of the court,’ such endearing theater — is camouflage enough. Tailored, bestowed, and as performative as your shine.”
His gaze dipped — slow, intentional — not to objectify but to study the radius she carved into space.
“Tell me,” he asked, voice lower now, almost intimate, “do we wear these roles because they fit... or because it’s easier to hunt when no one’s watching for claws?”
"I can only answer that for myself," Felicia said, watching a stream of teens crack their glowsticks and head inside the gym. A moment alone, her smile moved to something else, still dishonest but without veneer, an eyebrow raising. "I can fit any role, but in my experience? People seem to mind getting stepped on less when it's from a pretty face they don't see coming."
2015: While out for a jog, Bobbi runs into Sharon, and the two get to know each other (and their abilities) while making future plans. Topaz talks to Matt and it isn't a disaster.
2017:Green-Eyed Monster: Johnny posts about being taken on a mission; Molly emails her team to mention that Namor was the only mutant not impacted by the emerald’s toxicity; Molly emails Topaz asking for help with her emerald-caused vomiting; Matt posts the mission report to xp_teams, describing the takedown of the Sapien League and the recovery of the emerald. Talking about Sooraya’s project, Angelo lets her know he and Jean-Phillipe are thinking about getting married.
2023:A Haven to Call Home: Afraid Inez won't survive the so-called mutant plague, Quentin adjures Clarice to take her to what he considers her only hope: Radha Dastoor; After curing Inez, Radha explains her vision to Quentin and offers him a role in her future.
2024: In the kitchen, Gaia runs into Emily and Marius. To Hank's horror, Sharon S. makes herself known.
2003: Marie-Ange has a precognitive dream about the fact that Mystique is once more pretending to be Bobby.
2004: Amanda crashes with Sarah for the night, unable to stand the stress. Haroun and Sam test Sam's new application of his powers. Moira and Nate talk about having a family and the complications for them. Pete approaches Marie-Ange about being kidnapped. Emma pushes Manuel to use his powers more actively as befits the White Knight. Marie-Ange, Amanda and Sarah are taken to Istanbul by Pete and Domino.
2005:With Malice Aforethought: Mystique uses Paige's form to seduce Forge. High Cost Of Living: Marie-Ange has a vision of Remy's death and Amanda raises the alarm; Jake, Betsy and Madelyn track him down and bring him back to the mansion where the medlab team struggle to save his life; Amanda intercedes without permission and uses Selene's teachings to drain energy from those around her to partially-heal Remy and is confined to her room as a result; Manuel announces Frank the Lizard is dead as a result of the drain; Nathan talks to Amanda and finds her unrepentant; the staff make the decision to expel her. Jennie visits Tommy.
2006:Mommy Dearest Redux: Amanda sends Sam back Kurt's tags; Sarah and Marie-Ange drag Amanda to the pub as she is clearly not capable of working; Nathan brings a brooding Ororo food. Crystal and Medusa visit the Snow Valley offices to say thank you for their role in finding Jennie.
2007:Carmen Animi Vermium: Monet goes for her tests at the hospital with Clarice. Forge arranges Guys Night Out. Nathan gives Kevin a pet - a fiddler crab called Eddie. Marie and Garrison go to Germany early, and he surprises her with an invention of Forge's that lets him kiss her longer than usual.
2008: Bishop and Amanda spar - carefully on Bishop's part, at least. Yvette talks to Jay about Laurie and Kosovo.
2009: Jubilee posts a fairy tale involving herself. Laurie takes a tour with Yvette of the lower levels, they run into Logan and then Yvette makes a suggestion to Laurie.
2010: Garrison and Piotr have manly bonding time over hockey and beer. Looking for Lex, Vanessa runs into Piotr and they talk about training methods.
2011:The Problématique: The team plans their rescue strategy; Lex and Bishop find a potential facility and snatch an armed guard to interrogate him; Bishop and Lex torture a guard to find out whether Vanessa is in the facility; Lex and Doug sneak up to the facility to tap into the cameras for interior surveillance; The assembled team works on a plan to rescue Vanessa; Warren announces on x_team that they've found Vanessa and they're going in to get her; Doug lets Snow Valley know they've located Vanessa and are headed in to retrieve her. Meggan e-mails Korvus to let him know her dress' color for the upcoming alternative Homecoming.
2013: Maddie and Sue attend the homecoming bonfire, where Sue uncovers Maddie’s dark secret.
2014:Higher Than Hope: Following the attack the night before, the teens meet up, and accusations fly as they try to figure out who betrayed them; Doug emails Garrison and Scott to tell them about the X-Force raid and pass over intelligence to them. Rogue and Julian take advantage of the day to watch some TV and eat popcorn, while Julian manages to convince Rogue to watch Breaking Bad instead of Sharknado.
XProject Announcements and News:
Opening message from Dex, Mighty God-King of the XP Wiki Project:
I'd like to announce the official opening of the X-Project wiki. What is this strange thing, you say? Well, over the last seven months, the players of X-Project have been labouring to produce a wikipedia responsitory of our game. Unlike other games, which have a life span around the same length as a mayfly, XP has been going since May 2003.
Proving that none of us have any lives what so ever.
Almost four years of content can be daunting, but no more! On this wiki, you will find full character bios, timelines, month by month game summaries, lists of important NPCs, locations and events. In short, a vast plethora of information and details on the game. Included are tidbits about how plots were made, details you never knew about your favourite characters (like Gambit, right? Everyone here is a big Gambit fan. No? No one? To hell with you all!).
Take a look and tell us what you think. Lots more content to come, and if you have suggestions (or this encourages you to play), we're easy to find.
Dex.
Thanks to all those who have volunteered to help, and whose hard work made this project possible.
Please contact x-project-wiki (at) googlegroups (dot) com if you have questions, suggestions or want to volunteer to help.
