Pre-barbeque

[24d_245t_tcdd]

Even aggressively under-socialised heroes with virtually no external hobbies or entertainments have certain chores which they must do, regardless of inclination, time, or other pressing matters. Chores such as the utterly mundane need to go shopping. For food. Plain, ordinary, food.

So, of course, Agent Orange is not dressed as himself, but rather as his secret identity, which is rather more secret than most. He is wallpaper; about as ordinary as it is possible for a man to get with virtually no feature standing out sufficiently to be a starting point for a description should he be witness to or suspect in something.

He was standing in the vegetable section of the store, a Whole Foods because he found the price an equitable trade for the quality of foods, doing meal planning for the week as he judged the benefits of asparagus versus those of bok choy.

Comments

[futures_of_ash]

"We have to be inside, in the Danger Room, and we have to have a ball that can take a lot of damage." Kitty admitted. "Plus there has to be a whole new list of fouls."

"Yes, it is a foul to spin an illusion of the ball and make the real one invisible." Rachel piped in, knowing that one from the baseball game. Frost had NOT been amused. "And no altering the net."

"It is far easier to play without," Kurt admitted, mixing a salad and pushing it into Rachel's hands before settling in on his own. "That way we do not lose the point of playing. Competing we can do in other ways, but a game is meant for fun."

[24d_245t_tcdd]

He nodded at the information given, eating for a while before saying, "You must need to make that kind of adaptation for most things."

[futures_of_ash]

"It is much akin to training any attribute," Hank allowed, forkful of steak being used as a pointing device. "Children learn how not to destroy their world as they grow, we do the same. Granted there are sacrifices in general living, as per the furry forms you see and how society reacts to them and other, less tangible ones such as Kitty's hardships with interacting with the physical when distracted, but the original goal of this institution was to teach children how not to take out jet planes when playing baseball." And that was that really.

[24d_245t_tcdd]

Again he nodded, mentioning, "My world does seem to integrate those with powers better than yours does. Most large cities have something set up to assist those with powers in learning their limits."

[futures_of_ash]

"I believe I speak for us all when I say we woudl very much like to hear about such programs." Hank admitted, turning his attention full upon James.

"Things here haven't gone well in the integrating area." Kitty added with a grimace. "Most recently a war waged over the Mutant Registration Act."

[24d_245t_tcdd]

"Powers and mutations have been occurring for a sufficiently long time, in my world, that those with them comprise a significant minority of the population. There is a greater chance of speaking with a mutated or powered person than there is in finding a black man in Japan, for the most part. Being unpowered in every way, I have not seen inside any of the programs. My occasional partner would be the one to question, he was born with quills."

[futures_of_ash]

"One might assume your reality managed a reasonable and sane response to such a growing population, whereas ours did not." Hank rumbled gently, shaking a finger at Kitty when it looked like she wanted to say something else. "Perhaps Rachel can look into it, should you allow her greater access to your home city."

Rachel, in the middle of poking at her salad, looked up. "...I can't exactly research sanity guys. If his world is more stable than ours it's not something I can bring back here."

[24d_245t_tcdd]

James shrugged a little bit, "You could speak with Spang, however, if you wished more information about the programs."

[futures_of_ash]

Rachel tilted her head, thinking it over, then reached out to poke his nose. "Would you mind if I did? Your world, your partner, and I tend to confuse people." All things to consider!

[24d_245t_tcdd]

"I do not mind, so long as you give him no information about me." They were only partners in a very, very limited way. They worked together now and then.

[futures_of_ash]

"Will you introduce me or should I corner him on my own?" Just so she knew how to play things out! She could pretend absolutely zero knowledge of James if that was what he wanted!

"The proper term is 'meet him', Rachel." Hank reprimanded gently.

[24d_245t_tcdd]

"I think he will be less confused if you find him on your own." he said after a moment, "You may note that you know Agent Orange, if you wish."

[futures_of_ash]

Yes, the rest of the team was eying James and...laughing in one form or another. "...less confused..." Kitty finally laughed, waving at Rachel, who was sticking her tongue out. It seemed the only proper response!

"I'll make sure he's not standing on a roof or something! Should I wear spandex? Or do heroes in your world have cards or something to ID them?"

[24d_245t_tcdd]

"Our dress is not uniform. Wear whatever you are comfortable in." He responded to Rachel, then looked at the others, "Spang does not know me. We work together at times. He is, however, quite used to people appearing in order to grill him about Agent Orange. His girlfriend is assigned to my case with the government."

[futures_of_ash]

"But I don't want to grill him on you." Rachel pointed out, then glanced down at her battered jeans. "Le-"

"Spandex." Kitty cut in easily.

"Right, spandex."

"Try 'Agent Orange referred me to you about training programs.' Rachel." Hank offered, not unkindly. "Avoid anything like 'for the good of my world', or 'tell me of your planet'."

Rachel laughed and repeated the phrase dutifully before waving a fork at the crowd. "I was going to go with something like 'Hello, you're Spang. Can we talk'."

[24d_245t_tcdd]

James was quiet as the others spoke to Rachel, figuring that they'd be better at social than he was. His own conversation with his partner tended to be along the lines of "That way", "duck", and "Thank you but no".

[futures_of_ash]

There was a lot more suggestion, to the point where Rachel was cradling her chin in her hands and kind of staring bemusedly at the group. She was certain the 'well, if he balks you could save him from a burning building or something' suggestion had been a joke but that was hardly useful. "New plan, I send Hank to talk to Spang, I hang out with James."

"Rachel, smile...it will be fine." Kurt finally broke in. "And finish your salad. James would not suggest it if you were not capable."

"Capable isn't the question!" Rachel snorted but took another bite from her bowl anyway. "Maybe there's flyers? We could just get flyers!" All kinds of programs had pamphlets!

[24d_245t_tcdd]

"Many of the specialized schools do have recruitment information, much like private schools of a more traditionally educational bent. Competition to meet and exceed federally mandated levels of control and reliability is fierce, and bad press results in total shut-down of the program. My world does not like to take risks with it's powered population."

[futures_of_ash]

Rachel blinked and stared at James for a while, obviously thinking hard while the rest of the team kind of debated the merits of such an approach...

"I've never attended school." Any school. "I just live in one."

Oh. Right. Quiet table now yes.

[24d_245t_tcdd]

"I would offer to enrol you," James said blandly (enough that between that and his natural lack of expression it was impossible to tell if he were joking or not), "however I am fairly certain that you would have no peace with a letter of recommendation from Agent Orange."

[futures_of_ash]

"Power school or real school?" Rachel asked curiously. "Power really isn't a problem?"

"She could teach any psionics class you care to name and a host of others I doubt anyone has yet to feel the need for." Hank offered proudly, it was a very clear, almost uncle like pride.

"But if attending taught you the system they use and how it's run..." Kitty countered, thinking it over.

"...I'd probably scare them if they didn't like my recommendation from James." Rachel finished with a grin.

[24d_245t_tcdd]

"Either." he allowed, "Cross-dimensional travellers are not unknown, so we have a couple of schools set up to assist in integration of persons from alternate realities so that they can live normal lives.

"As well, my recommendation would not be disliked, it is simply that as a complete logistical unknown people would spend much of their time attempting to grill you on my particulars."

[futures_of_ash]

"Ah, then I would get angry before I scared them." Instead of doing it unintentionally!

"As anyone would." Kurt agreed, stealing a pea pod from the remainders on the table. "Given that you are a friend in either incarnation and one does not simply hand out such particulars no matter the prompting."

Plus...well, yes, that calm statement was a little worrisome. Hank was making a mental note. "Rachel, please no killing foreign government officials or even lightly maiming. It wouldn't go over well in the long run."

[24d_245t_tcdd]

James took another bite of salmon, chewed and swallowed, and then stated, "I cannot blame my government for it's worry. They are used to having files on all of those who practise vigilante justice and the fact that I am a complete cypher worries them."

[futures_of_ash]

"Well, the other option is to show up at a school, find the person in charge, and make a personal request." Kitty tapped her fingers thoughtfully. "You can be a little...intense...when you want something Rae." That left Agent Orange out of the picture?

"Governments worry," Rachel agreed. "With cause in the case of vigilantes a lot." Yes, she was thinking of people like Frank Castle. "But you don't have a record of undue harm or killing, right?" So...why worry?