[SEMI-OPEN MINGLE] Baby dive in, the water feels fine

[agoddessonce]

WHO: Storm agoddessonce and friends
WHEN: a weekend in July
WHERE: At the Xavier Institute for Mutant Education and Outreach - Poolside
WHAT: Ororo felt like arranging a small, private pool day (semi-open mingle log)
NOTES\WARNINGS: Alcohol will be served so some underage drinking might slip through the cracks (please know that Ororo Disapproves Though). If your character has ever interacted with Ororo, even once, then please feel free to assume she'd invited you over to come and spend the afternoon at her place. Swimsuits highly encouraged!

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the pool;

The pool at the Institute is sparkling and inviting under the sun, glittering under the shade of the old mansion. It's a shame to see it go to waste day in and day out, so Ororo has invited a few people she's already met through her months in Etraya to use it. The water itself is cool and refreshing, and though there's an impromptu sign at the edge that proclaims POWERS ALLOWED - BUT NO HORSEPLAY to discourage rough play, there's also a tall diving board set up at one end. Guests are free to use it as they will. If any injuries occur - there's a reasonably well-stocked nurse's station inside the mansion!

Ororo had also spent a couple of days visiting Kwik Trip to see what kind of floats they could get for the day. Various pool floats are available (donut rings, pool noodles, and a dubious looking tank floatie) for guests to use and share. Try not to bother anyone who's just trying to relax!

the food, the drinks;

Ororo has no plans for the day to turn into anything particularly fancy or rowdy; she'd just wanted something casual and simple, an excuse to take a swim with some friends new and old, and to get to know the people of Etraya a little better. What better way to help people feel more open and relaxed than with a couple of drinks? There are a couple of coolers sitting around, open and full of ice and snow, with soda, juice, beer and a selection of fruity, ready-to-drink cocktails for guests who might want a drink to help them relax or break the ice.

She trusts people to self-police, generally, but will still personally, stringently remind folks to keep the alcohol from anyone sixteen and under. Do not test her! :)

There's a grill going as well, with typical barbecue fare: burgers (both vegan and beef), hot dogs, chicken wings and roasted vegetable skewers. Ororo has probably asked a friend or two to take turns manning the grill, but anyone is welcome to cook their own food to their liking. Plates are available to one side, with a range of salads, snacks and sauces and dips. Guests can dine at various seating areas set up around the poolside and in the shade.

the poolside;

There are plenty of loungers sitting around, to share or to drag into a corner to use for yourself! It's a day to relax as much as it is a day to mingle. People are free to bring their food and drink over to them, or use the chairs to work on a sun tan.

There's a basketball court not too far off from the pool here people are encouraged to play a game or two. Perhaps something easy that doesn't need a team - Horse, or a game of one-on-one? Ororo doesn't know the exact rules, but as long as no one's bursting any basketballs, she won't be upset.

the mansion;

Tired of waiting under the sun? Need a bathroom break? A select few of the mansion's rooms are open to use - the kitchen, the nearest bathrooms, and the rec room for anyone who wants a nap. If you wander upstairs, there are numerous rooms that don't see much use - one wing houses old classrooms and study rooms, an empty library, some faculty offices. The other wing has some locked bedroom suites - only a few of which are currently, actually in use. Be warned that if Ororo or some other X-Men sense or catch you lingering up here, they'll gently (... or not so gently, depends on who catches you and how they catch you) redirect you right back downstairs.

The elevator and the sublevels are completely off-limits and impossible to break into, kept secure by a combination of private codes and mutant biometrics. Nothing to see here! Just carry on. ♥

The party will last til the evening, at which point Ororo will invite people to come into the large kitchen of the mansion to piece together some dinner, or dry off or take a quick shower. If anyone's too tired (or too drunk) to go home, she'll personally take charge of turning the rec room into an impromptu blanket fort for people to sleep on couches. It's fine, none of the furniture is actually vintage or antique around here. Probably.

wildcard;

Feel free to come up with your own starters for poolside shenanigans! If your character has threaded with Ororo even once, assume you've got a personal invite for them and a +1. Hoping to keep this mingle light and easy to foster a bit of CR before the mission log goes up next week!

Comments

[venatoris]

[ He's got his shirt back on at least - can't be standing over a grill shirtless, safety first! No accidental grease splashes here. ]

Well, I got one here with your name on it. How d'you like it cooked? Rare and bleeding, charred to a brick? Though I'm not sure I can bring myself to do that to an innocent burger..

[agoddessonce]

[ She's also pulled a shirt on before coming over - safety first indeed!! - and somehow it's nice and dry despite fluttering around the poolside to mingle with drinks the whole afternoon. Now she's grateful for it, she sees those grease splatters. ]

An innocent burger? Are you not eating what you cook here, then? [ She didn't peg him for a vegetarian! ]

[venatoris]

[ that's hot. ]

Oh, I've already had two. [ three ] It's just blasphemy to turn a good piece of meat into a brick.

[agoddessonce]

[ thanks boo ]

Blasphemy, hm? Can't have that.

I'll have it how you like it, then.

[venatoris]

Can do.

[ He flashes as grin and looks pleased; Sam is so picky with what Dean feeds him, to have someone just trust him is freakin' amazing. ]

This is a nice party you put together.

[agoddessonce]

Is it? [ It's seemed pretty alright so far, and she certainly looks pleased. ]

I could use more music, but that's something to fix for another time. Other than that, I'm glad you're enjoying yourself - and helping, too. [ She smiles gratefully. She'd reach over to touch his arm, but. He's sort of a hazard at the grill. ] I am rather hopeless with this sort of thing, so I appreciate the help.

[venatoris]

Next party, we'll bust out the boom box.

[ Though if Dean picks the music, it's gonna be a bunch of classic rock and Taylor Swift with some Beatles mixed in. ]

Anytime, I like cooking. My brother doesn't ever appreciate it so it's kinda nice to do it for people who do.

[agoddessonce]

Only if you have found some good music by then. [ She says it because she hasn't heard much music since they'd arrived. If he has access to some, maybe she'd ask him to share! ]

But what else do you cook? Apart from these expertly grilled burgers.

[venatoris]

I like baking, but I'm great with making steak - in the pan or on a grill, obviously.

[ He flips one carefully, lets it sizzle and settle. ]

All kinds of stuff. Make a bangin' lemon chicken.

[agoddessonce]

We have an oven in the kitchen. [ She nods to the mansion behind them. ] I've not used it myself, perhaps you might like to try some time? [ It's probably not rigged to fire lasers at anyone. Probably. Maybe. ]

But that lemon chicken sounds delicious. That's something I would definitely like to try. A fresh change, I think, from diner fare.

[venatoris]

Sure, can do. [ There's one in the bunker but cooking for just himself is boring. Cas doesn't eat, and there's always an assload of leftovers if he makes something like that. ]

Definitely. Don't get me wrong, love a greasy plate of bacon and eggs, but it can get a little old.

[agoddessonce]

Well, give me a call the next time you are free and in the mood to cook. [ She has to know in advance. Mostly because she's always flying somewhere, but also... ]

It's wiser to let the other residents of the mansion know when I have guests over. [ So they don't get surprised, or accidentally threaten him or anything. ]

[venatoris]

I will, for sure.

[ Mansion, fancy fancy. It's awesome. ]

Makes sense. I haven't had anyone to the bunker, just Cas.

[agoddessonce]

[ Let her give you a personal tour some time, Dean! Hopefully with no suspicious mutants following after them. ]

What is in the bunker? If I may ask.

[venatoris]

[ a tour of her BEDROOM badumchhh ]

Normally, an absolute crapload of dangerous artefacts and items, tons of ancient texts and manuscripts...vintage porn. [ Like, there's more, but Sam's the one who catalogs it. ] But most of it doesn't work. The books are blank, the weapons might as well be cosplay quality. I'd say ten percent is actually what it's supposed to be.

All the vintage cars in the garage are basically oversized Tonka cars. Except the impala.

[agoddessonce]

[ .....hopefully without any curious and/or suspicious mutants after them! (badumchhh.) ]

Ah. So it is a storage unit? Or something of a... restoration and display center? [ Or is it really just a place to store a lot of... collectibles? ]

[venatoris]

Uh....more like war bunker.

[ it's a real classy place. ]

On the outside, anyway. On the inside it's actually pretty nice.

[agoddessonce]

Mm. Sounds like something I would need to confirm for myself. If you would not mind a visit, anyway.

[ this is NOT a come on, she's just curious! ]

[venatoris]

I don't mind at all. I'd be happy to show you around.

[ Normally, no one enters the bunker - not at home. But considering everything is blank and more toylike than actual artifact, he sees nothing wrong with it. ]