[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

[blackhourglass]

[That much Nat laughs at. It describes both of the men named Clint Barton that she knows. There's wide world of differences between the two, and she now chides herself for ever really comparing them. He'd just found her at the wrong time and place, but occasionally worlds do collide. In the same way, she knows that she will be known for herself as well as her differences from the other Nat.]

That much I know. I imagine that might be true for all Clint Bartons in existence. I honestly feel really bad, and we might speak again. I am more prepared for things now. Let's say the doll experience smacked me in the face with all the emotions I hadn't processed yet.

[There's a simple shrug, because anyone who had been through that, even a little bit understands what those stupid plush things did. They fucked all of them over and without any foreplay to put it rather crudely, Nat thinks.

Nat's been a little more open and understanding since her death. Before it, she kept to herself a lot more. She only had a couple of friends at the most, and yet here it's hard to keep to that number. There's a part of her that broke, she thinks now. The part that fought so hard to protect her heart from pain, from allowing anyone else in because she figured she wasn't worth it. Sacrifice does a lot for a person.

Laughing, Nat shakes her head.]

Nah, he mentioned you were here and that you were his ex-wife. If there was more I don't remember it. I was really in a daze when I got here. [a pause, and a shake of her head.]

She might, but I don't personally know her. I was not a part of that S.H.I.E.L.D., I don't believe. After the initial S.H.I.E.L.D was destroyed by Fury, Rogers and myself due to Hydra Infiltration, it was eventually rebuilt by Director Phil Coulson separate of the Avengers. We might have been aided by them during Sokovia, but I'm not even certain of that. I know the Steve here of course, and my adoptive-ish sister, Yelena and Peter Parker, all from my world. I think that covers it. I'm slowly meeting people, doing my best.

[mockingbirdy]

Of course he had to bring that bit up. [She laughs, it's clear she's not actually angry at Clint about that. They are on good terms.]

Clearly he just needed everyone to know he used to have a hot wife.

[Bobbi files away the information shared as she takes a sip. It's a lot, but useful in putting together this map of whatever that alternate world was like.]

I'm hearing the whole doll thing was a mess for everyone. Not that I find it particularly surprising. [She shrugs, trying not to think about just how unpleasant she found the whole thing.]

I met Steve in the maze, he seemed nice. [It's the Peter Parker that is surprising. With the way he talked about no one knowing who he is she didn't expect anyone to know him at all. Odd had that come up so soon? She doesn't mention it though. ]

[blackhourglass]

Clearly. It's good to know that he had someone to take care of him for a while, especially someone feisty enough to handle his bull. He needs it.

[There's a bit of laughter in her tone. One of the messes that came from her initial meeting with him stemmed from the fact that he brought up, or did she? that he wasn't the Clint from her home-- the one married with kids. She didn't care about that, but there was something deeper she was missing about the whole picture, and the more she tried to understand what he was saying, the larger the hole she dug for herself. It went in giant circles and eventually she wore herself out, and had him in an emotional tizzy.

The more she looked back, the more she regretted the entire conversation. It had her sighing, but the past was the past and Natasha knew better than anyone that it couldn't be redone. It lived on, and so did she.

Bobbi seemed cute, and clever. That was clear. ]

If I never have to see a stuffed pig again, I'll be happy. Ugh. I am loathe to find out what this place has in store for us next, but onward and upward. That's always how life plays out. One thing after another. We're made for it, right?

[If anyone was made for this shitshow that Etraya was putting out it was someone like Natasha. It may throw her off balance occasionally, but she was great at finding her center again, pulling on the masks that she needed to and adapting to the situations around her.]

Steve? He's the best. Really. He kept me going during the snap, we were close. The last time I saw him was probably a few days before my death? So, it's good to have him around.