Welcome to XG: Decimation!

[Bishop]

Bishop sat at the outside picnic tables, soaking up some sun while he worked. The peaceful grounds at Xavier's always made Bishop feel calm. After his near fight with Rogue that had actually turned into something approaching a decent understanding. Maybe he was making progress, after all. He sat quietly at a picnic table, the workings of his two plasma guns laid out on a cloth before him. It felt strange being able to work on the advanced guns out in the open, but in this setting, most wouldn't even blink an eye.

He wore a dark undershirt and jeans, giving his skin as much room to soak up the sun rays as he could. The sun was just starting to set, sending off golden rays along the expansive grounds of the mansion, and he was feeling more and more energy soak into his body, replenishing some of the energy he'd expended so quickly in Alaska. His nicks and bruises were already feeling better after a couple hours out in the sun, and for the first time in a long time he was starting to feel at peace.

He examined one of the coolant pieces on the plasma weapon, narrowing his eyes in the sunlight as he looked at the weapon. He saw a flash of something pink out of the corner of his eyes again, near the trees. He'd spotted it a little bit ago, as well. The detective chewed on his bottom lip and idly scratched at the dark tattoo over his eye, peering carefully towards the flash of color. He saw it again, and smiled finally. "You can come on over," he called to the trees. "If you want to come closer. I can use the company, anyway."

Bishop casually began fitting the pieces of the gun he'd been working on back together, wiping down each piece with a rag before he set it back together. Even the minute oil on his fingertips might damage the intricate inner workings of the weapons. He glanced up again and waved towards himself, trying to call forward the person watching.

[Pixie]

[Coming from "Fairy Reaping" with Kevin.]

The new boy was an antisocial, rude, psychopathic, patheti-sad wannabe-goth in an unflattering color. And that was that. Coming down from the fourth floor, Megan felt pissed off... and guilty... and lonely... and hurt... and tired... and jetlagged... and... and pissed off!

Megan stormed through a hallway and passed a mirror, automatically looking when she saw an unfamiliar girl, and then groaning exasperatedly when she realized it was her. Even I can't take me seriously with that pink hair. She wanted to find Colossus and talk to him. Or Nightcrawler, Angel, or just about anyone she has met so far who she already knew would be on her side. She wouldn't tell on him exactly. She wouldn't even bring him up, but she needed to be around someone who liked her and was actually glad that she had been forcibly taken onto a jet, crammed in an airtight suit, and shipped across an entire ocean.

She couldn't find Colossus anywhere. Damn, why does this place have to be so BIG? When she looked outside, the fresh air blew into her face and soft grass parted under her bare feet. First she took a nice, slow, deep breath. Then, Megan started to run.

Running barefoot through the woods was exhillerating, especially after her mutation, because now she could feel the wind against her wings. She ran as fast as she could, dodging between trees and pretending that she was flying. You know, if it wasn't for the heights thing, I could totally do this all the time. The SPEED part is fun...

It wasn't long before she ran out of breath. Megan might have been energetic and bored, but she was no athlete. Slowly she walked back towards the X-Mansion's huge backyard, which was finally completely cleaned up from Friday's birthday bash, and watched a strange new figure sitting at one of the picnic tables.

There was a muscular black man in a tank top, and he was taking apart, cleaning, and then reassembling stuff.

...guns?

What the hell kind of superhero has GUNS?

He looked up and she ducked behind a tree. There was a tattoo on his face. On his FACE. Megan wondered where else he had them.

He saw it again, and smiled finally. "You can come on over," he called to the trees. "If you want to come closer. I can use the company, anyway."

Oh, good. So this wasn't going to be like one of those times where she believed she was being friendly but got completely chewed out by an overreacting brat. Still, Megan didn't know this man. He wasn't on television and she'd never heard any rumors about him. But still... he was here, and clearly too old to be a student. Therefore he was probably an X-Man. She approached cautiously.

He glanced up again and waved towards himself, trying to call forward the person watching.

Megan cleared the rest of the space between them in a sort of half-run, half-prance, her wings bouncing along behind her.

The real question: Should I bother to introduce myself since everybody here knows my name already?

Naw. Bugger it.

Instead, she slid onto the bench on the other side of the table where the man sat, and asked the first thing that came into her head.

"What's an X-Man need guns for?"

[Bishop]

The girl had started over cautiously, and Bishop had to smile and look back down at his guns as he worked. He wondered if he was really that spooky looking in a house where there were two blue men and a man who sprouted knives from his knuckles. When Bishop looked up again, she was no longer just walking, but more running. Or skipping. Or some bizarre amalgamation between the two. She was running at him the way he imagined a Disney character ran. The sudden change between cautious approach to dancing rush made him wonder if she was going to attack him. With puppies.

Bishop glanced over his head to see if a rainbow was getting ready to crash down on his head and kill him dead.

When nothing happened, he looked back at the young girl, and noticed the strange, almost insect-like wings that were on her back. So that explained why she was more worried about him than the other more obviously mutated X-Men. She sat down across from him, and glanced at his guns.

"What's an X-Man need guns for?"

Bishop considered it. It wasn't a terrible question, as far as questions went. "Better to have them and not need them than to need them and not have them, isn't it?"

"Besides, I use them with my powers," he said. "I can channel energy, turn them into plasma blasts from my hand. These guns take that energy, and focus it better than I can." He glanced up at her. "Why? Do guns spook you?"

[Pixie]

Bishop considered it. It wasn't a terrible question, as far as questions went. "Better to have them and not need them than to need them and not have them, isn't it?"

"Not really, no." Megan knew that America had some of the most lax laws on owning and carrying guns in the world, and according to her dad, that's what made it such a dangerous and barbaric place. That and the death penalty. "Societies have been getting along without guns for ages, you know. In Wales we just hit each other with sticks, like civilized people." She smiled up at him and winked.

"Besides, I use them with my powers," he said. "I can channel energy, turn them into plasma blasts from my hand. These guns take that energy, and focus it better than I can." He glanced up at her. "Why? Do guns spook you?"

Kind of. Megan had never actually been this close to a gun before that wasn't locked behind a case of some kind.

"Sir, I grew wings yesterday. Went from a flat back to full grown within ten minutes. Just ripped right out of my back. It'll take more than these trinkets to 'spook' me."

"So, these don't use bullets? They're just kind of like, special mutant-guns? Who made them? Can I hold one?"

[Bishop]

"Societies have been getting along without guns for ages, you know. In Wales we just hit each other with sticks, like civilized people." She smiled up at him and winked.

"Hey, you get the homeboys in the projects to start hitting each other with sticks instead of using pieces, I'll sign up for your world. Until then..." Bishop shrugged and fitted another piece of a plasma gun together.

"Sir, I grew wings yesterday. Went from a flat back to full grown within ten minutes. Just ripped right out of my back. It'll take more than these trinkets to 'spook' me."

"Fair enough. I just nearly got my head ripped off by werewolves. I agree that a few guns aren't going to scare you." Bishop looked thoughtfully at the girl, wondering what his first response was when his powers manifested. He wished he could offer some words of wisdom, but he had no clue what his reaction had been. For all he knew, it had been stark terror and he'd hidden in a basement for a month.

"So, these don't use bullets? They're just kind of like, special mutant-guns? Who made them? Can I hold one?"

"No bullets," Bishop confirmed. "Special mutant-guns. And I guess." Bishop fitted the last piece together with one of the guns. He wiped it down with a rag, and extended it out to her. He paused and pulled it back. "You don't fire plasma bursts out of your hands, too, do you?"

"Just want to make sure this thing won't accidentally go off. Nobody else has the power to make these things work. Not that I've encountered, anyway." He extended the weapon out to her. "Any other of these things you see, stay away from them. They're dangerous. You treat this one like you would any other gun, besides. Keep it pointed towards the ground away from you or anybody else, and your finger off the trigger. No exceptions. Okay?"

[Pixie]

"Hey, you get the homeboys in the projects to start hitting each other with sticks instead of using pieces, I'll sign up for your world. Until then..." Bishop shrugged and fitted another piece of a plasma gun together.

Megan did her best not to laugh at his casual use of words like 'homeboys,' 'projects,' and 'pieces.' She had grown up living in one cottage all her life, between the forest and the sea. The gangland he was describing was almost like a fantasy world to her. Something that only existed on television to give superheroes something to do.

"Fair enough. I just nearly got my head ripped off by werewolves. I agree that a few guns aren't going to scare you."

"Cool! I heard a little bit about the werewolves. You were on the mission in Alaska? I was in New York during the dinosaur thing. Sort of. Like, I was there, but I was on the jet. And passed out. But still there."

"So, these don't use bullets? They're just kind of like, special mutant-guns? Who made them? Can I hold one?"

"No bullets," Bishop confirmed. "Special mutant-guns. And I guess." Bishop fitted the last piece together with one of the guns. He wiped it down with a rag, and extended it out to her. He paused and pulled it back. "You don't fire plasma bursts out of your hands, too, do you?"

"I dunno. Let's see!" She held out her hand expectantly, eager to feel the weight of the metal in her hand.

"Just want to make sure this thing won't accidentally go off. Nobody else has the power to make these things work. Not that I've encountered, anyway." He extended the weapon out to her, and she took it eagerly, although she fumbled a bit trying to find the correct way to hold it.

"Any other of these things you see, stay away from them. They're dangerous. You treat this one like you would any other gun, besides. Keep it pointed towards the ground away from you or anybody else, and your finger off the trigger. No exceptions. Okay?"

"Yeah, sure." She stood up and pointed the gun toward the grass in front of her as she examined it. It was heavier than she thought it'd be. "It's not a toy. Plasma only. Shoot the ground. Trigger bad. Where's the trigger? Oh! I see..." She continued to shift the powerful weapon between her fingers, trying to imagine what it would be like to fire it. At last she held it one-handed and sideways with her head cocked, glaring down the barrel at one particular clump of grass.

Your ass is mine, ladybug...

"So... guy who hands dangerous weapons over to teenagers and foreigners... what's your name?"

[Bishop]

"Yeah, sure." She stood up and pointed the gun toward the grass in front of her as she examined it. It was heavier than she thought it'd be. "It's not a toy. Plasma only. Shoot the ground. Trigger bad. Where's the trigger? Oh! I see..."

Bishop smiled as she fooled around with the gun. In her hands it'd be as effective as a toy lightsaber. He turned back to the other gun, assembling it with precise, expert moves. Whenever he had learned to disassemble and reassemble his guns, the training had stuck. He glanced up at the girl as she sighted down the barrel at the ground, about looking like she thought she could do some damage. The look on the kid's face was almost comically intense.

"That's a Clint Eastwood look if I ever saw it," he said lightly.

"So... guy who hands dangerous weapons over to teenagers and foreigners... what's your name?"

"Bishop," he replied. "Lucas Bishop. Everybody calls me Bishop, though. And that thing in your hand is about as dangerous as a brick would be. And since you don't exactly look the bludgeoning type, I think we'll all be okay."

"What about you?" He asked as he slapped the last part into the second gun and slid it into the holster he had sitting on the table. "You got a name?"

[Pixie]

"That's a Clint Eastwood look if I ever saw it," he said lightly.

"Thanks!" Megan answered, even though she was vaguely aware that he might be teasing her, "So... guy who hands dangerous weapons over to teenagers and foreigners... what's your name?"

"Bishop," he replied. "Lucas Bishop. Everybody calls me Bishop, though. And that thing in your hand is about as dangerous as a brick would be. And since you don't exactly look the bludgeoning type, I think we'll all be okay."

"How do you know I'm not the bludgeoning type, Bishop?" She turned and placed the gun back on the table in front of him, trying to narrow her eyes in an intimidating manner beneath the pink curls that had come loose while she was running. "I'm a mutant. Appearances can be deceiving."

Besides, according to the media, all mutants were dangerous. Why not her?

"What about you?" He asked as he slapped the last part into the second gun and slid it into the holster he had sitting on the table. "You got a name?"

"Megan Gwynn." She held out one hand for him to shake, "And I don't actually bludgeon people. I just drive them insane by making them inhale a hallucinagenic dust that comes out of my body. Wanna see?"

She was, of course, kidding. Not only because she didn't want to make a man with guns hallucinate, but also because she still had no way of choosing to dust people on a whim. She'd have to really freak herself out first. Maybe if he really wanted to see, he could point one of the guns at her... but that would be exactly the type of person she wouldn't want to make more unstable.

[Bishop]

"How do you know I'm not the bludgeoning type, Bishop?" She turned and placed the gun back on the table in front of him, trying to narrow her eyes in an intimidating manner beneath the pink curls that had come loose while she was running. "I'm a mutant. Appearances can be deceiving."

Bishop regarded the girl for a second, smiling slightly. With the curly, pink hair and the fairy-style wings on her back, not to mention the generally sunny disposition already displayed, he still couldn't find himself worrying. "Not that deceiving," he replied.

"Megan Gwynn." She held out one hand for him to shake, "And I don't actually bludgeon people. I just drive them insane by making them inhale a hallucinagenic dust that comes out of my body. Wanna see?"

He chuckled at that, looking over at the slip of a girl. "That's all right," he said, and took her hand. He gave it a good shake and then picked up the gun she'd set down. "I had a lot of hallucinogenics for lunch. I'm trying to cut down." He set the gun in the holster, and began to set them down in the case. "It's nice to meet you, Megan."

"How long have you been here at Xavier's? You just got in yesterday, with the dinosaur thing going on?" He looked at her, picking out her age. Even without the pink hair she'd look young, and he had her pegged at not much older than sixteen, if that. Xavier hadn't had many students lately.

[Pixie]

He started chuckling, and Megan was glad. It made him seem more human when he was relaxed like that. Otherwise, between the tattoo and the guns and the tank top with the muscles... he looked like the Daywalker. Meg had the distinct feeling that vampires and fairies didn't mix.

Although, Gambit seemed to like me.

"That's all right," he said, and took her hand. He gave it a good shake and then picked up the gun she'd set down. "I had a lot of hallucinogenics for lunch. I'm trying to cut down."

"Suit yourself. The dust doesn't affect me, but I hear good things."

"It's nice to meet you, Megan. How long have you been here at Xavier's? You just got in yesterday, with the dinosaur thing going on?"

"Yeah, I did." She lifted her chin proudly, "I was the third mission! There were werewolves, and then the dinosaurs, and then me! Huge riot, it was all over the news, even in America. People at Stonehenge started going bloody crazy, and it took me a while before I figured out it was my fault. Police came, and they went crazy too. Prancing about, singing about fairies and nonsense. Finally the X-Men had to come and get me, and Colossus brought me here. And I've been here ever since... and now I'm talking to you." She paused, then added, "The end." And nodded.

So that he'd know she was done. Right.

[Bishop]

"Yeah, I did." She lifted her chin proudly, "I was the third mission! There were werewolves, and then the dinosaurs, and then me! Huge riot, it was all over the news, even in America. People at Stonehenge started going bloody crazy, and it took me a while before I figured out it was my fault. Police came, and they went crazy too. Prancing about, singing about fairies and nonsense. Finally the X-Men had to come and get me, and Colossus brought me here. And I've been here ever since... and now I'm talking to you." She paused, then added, "The end." And nodded.

It was "the end" that got him. Everything up until then was normal, and a little strange. The image of cops prancing around and singing songs about fairies made him smile, but nothing like "the end". He grinned widely, nodding. "Sounds like you had an adventure, too," he observed. "The one in Alaska wasn't one I'd prefer to remember."

He closed up the case with the guns and set it aside, looking at Megan. "So you're here now? I mean, did they tell you how long you'd be staying?"

The girl was nice enough, and besides a certain degree of wariness, she didn't seem to know he was a cop. Even if she did, she didn't sound like she'd been a mutant long enough to distrust them as badly as a number of other mutants might. It was kind of nice, talking to somebody who wasn't wondering if he was going to be entering all their words into evidence.

Besides, the kid's exuberance was almost infectious. Even if she wasn't shooting LSD into the air.

[Pixie]

You know, for a dangerous, gun-toting, inked-up mutant guy, you have an adorable smile.

She kept that to herself. Something told her, after her confrontation with Jubilee, that most X-Men preferred not to be referred to as 'adorable.'

"Sounds like you had an adventure, too," he observed. "The one in Alaska wasn't one I'd prefer to remember."

"Why? Were you bitten? Did you go all, 'Rrrrr...'?" She raised her hands like claws and made an inquisitive, snarling face.

He closed up the case with the guns and set it aside, looking at Megan. "So you're here now? I mean, did they tell you how long you'd be staying?"

"Yeah! Well, no, not exactly... we haven't really talked time-limits or anything, but I am a student here now, so I imagine I'll be sticking around until I'm grown... or until I annoy enough people to warrent their shipping me back to Wales. I am trying be be good, though, Bishop," she assured him, "I figure if I can make it until Christmas holiday without getting forcibly gagged and locked in my room, then I've pretty much made it. What about you? How long have you been an X-Man? I've certainly never seen you before."

She hoped he wouldn't take that as an insult. It could be that he was just an X-Man who chose to stay out of the limelight, like Sage. Or it could be that he was in the media all the time and she had just never heard of him, in which case he might be offended.

[Bishop]

"Why? Were you bitten? Did you go all, 'Rrrrr...'?" She raised her hands like claws and made an inquisitive, snarling face.

Bishop grinned again at her snarly-face. "No," he replied, shaking his head. "I managed to avoid any of that. The werewolves were only interested in white meat. Wolverine had the worst day, but I think he's used to that."

He closed up the case with the guns and set it aside, looking at Megan. "So you're here now? I mean, did they tell you how long you'd be staying?"

"Yeah! Well, no, not exactly... we haven't really talked time-limits or anything, but I am a student here now, so I imagine I'll be sticking around until I'm grown... or until I annoy enough people to warrent their shipping me back to Wales. I am trying be be good, though, Bishop," she assured him, "I figure if I can make it until Christmas holiday without getting forcibly gagged and locked in my room, then I've pretty much made it. What about you? How long have you been an X-Man? I've certainly never seen you before."

Bishop blinked after all of that, trying to follow along. The girl was definitely a talker. Then it occurred to him that she was asking him a question, too. "Uh..." He wondered what the right answer was. Was he really an X-Man? Did anybody else consider him so, even if he did? "Not very long," he admitted. "I think I have your stay beat by about a day. That werewolf mission was my first gig with the X-Men, you could say."

"I think you're in a pretty good place here," Bishop said. "If anybody can help you out, it's the people here. I doubt anybody here will be voting to ship you home anytime soon."

[Pixie]

"Uh..." Bishop seemed lost for words for a second, and it occurred to Megan that with her thick accent, she might have been speaking too fast for him. Americans as a whole tended to drag out their words. But finally he indicated that he'd understood her.

"Not very long," he admitted. "I think I have your stay beat by about a day. That werewolf mission was my first gig with the X-Men, you could say."

"And to think, you could have just come to England and gotten high with me, no teeth involved" Megan smiled and shrugged, "Live and learn."

"I think you're in a pretty good place here," Bishop said. "If anybody can help you out, it's the people here. I doubt anybody here will be voting to ship you home anytime soon."

"Y'think? Thanks! Yeah, I like it here. It's very..." Different. Trippy. Freakalicious. "It's very... very something. But I'm not looking to pack my things just yet. Mostly because I have no things just yet, but when I do, rest assured I'll be seeking to keep them here. After all, us new guys, we have to stick together," she nodded her head up at the much taller adult very matter-of-factly. "I'll try to make sure you don't embarrass yourself too much. Maybe you can keep me from getting eaten by the faculty."

[Bishop]

"And to think, you could have just come to England and gotten high with me, no teeth involved" Megan smiled and shrugged, "Live and learn."

"You got me there," he agreed. "If they'd told me I could go trip the light fantastic in England with you instead of nearly being devoured alive, I'd have signed up for your mission."

"I think you're in a pretty good place here," Bishop said. "If anybody can help you out, it's the people here. I doubt anybody here will be voting to ship you home anytime soon."

"Y'think? Thanks! Yeah, I like it here. It's very..." Different. Trippy. Freakalicious. "It's very... very something. But I'm not looking to pack my things just yet. Mostly because I have no things just yet, but when I do, rest assured I'll be seeking to keep them here. After all, us new guys, we have to stick together," she nodded her head up at the much taller adult very matter-of-factly. "I'll try to make sure you don't embarrass yourself too much. Maybe you can keep me from getting eaten by the faculty."

The detective nodded at that, and offered his hand to Megan over the table. "You have a deal," he said. "Besides, I haven't met anybody who eats anybody. Yet. So I think you'll be all right. And I can use all the help I can get not to embarrass myself. As long as you don't get me to prance around and sing about unicorns, I think we'll get along okay." Bishop looked the girl in the eyes. "Because I really don't want to sing about unicorns."

[Pixie]

The detective nodded at that, and offered his hand to [Megan] over the table. "You have a deal," he said. "Besides, I haven't met anybody who eats anybody. Yet. So I think you'll be all right. And I can use all the help I can get not to embarrass myself. As long as you don't get me to prance around and sing about unicorns, I think we'll get along okay." Bishop looked the girl in the eyes. "Because I really don't want to sing about unicorns."

"Oh don't worry, my friend," Megan grinned at him broadly, shaking his hand for the second time, "I'm sure there are plenty of other things to sing about. But I do promise not to dust you, if you promise not to let me get, what did you call it... 'spooked.' Anything or anybody sneaks up on me and I can't really help it. It's just sort of like... 'Ahh!' then 'Fffm!' and it just happens. That's the other reason I'm here, to learn control."

Suddenly she realized that she still hadn't asked the question she had been wondering from the beginning.

"Say," she asked, peering up at him curiously with one brow raised, "Do you go by, 'M' too? 'Cause, I don't know if you knew, but you've got bit of something on your face, just here..." She pointed to her own eye where it mirrored Bishop's eye with the large black tattoo on it.

[Bishop]

"Oh don't worry, my friend," Megan grinned at him broadly, shaking his hand for the second time, "I'm sure there are plenty of other things to sing about." Bishop quirked an eyebrow at that. Not for me, kid, he thought to himself. Some just weren't the singing type. "But I do promise not to dust you, if you promise not to let me get, what did you call it... 'spooked.' Anything or anybody sneaks up on me and I can't really help it. It's just sort of like... 'Ahh!' then 'Fffm!' and it just happens. That's the other reason I'm here, to learn control."

With another grin--they seemed to be infectious with this kid--Bishop nodded. "Sounds reasonable to me," he allowed. "I guess getting spooked is as good enough reason as any to make everybody dance and sing about leprechauns and rainbows. Lots of people do a lot worse when they get scared. You start to feel scared, talk to me and I'll see if I can't help." It wouldn't exactly be much help if she got suddenly startled, but fear could creep up on you in different ways, too.

"Say," she asked, peering up at him curiously with one brow raised, "Do you go by, 'M' too? 'Cause, I don't know if you knew, but you've got bit of something on your face, just here..."

"I do?" Bishop asked, and rubbed idly at the tattoo on his cheek as if it was nothing more than a smudge. "Did I get it?"

He smiled with his joke and shook his head. He started telling the story before it occurred to him he hadn't mentioned he was a cop, yet. "I was working a case, one of my earlier ones. And it was an undercover thing, this gang who had tattoos similar to that. Like a badge of honor. I had to get into the gang, so I got the tattoo. It's just been with me ever since." It was, of course, a total lie, but it was better than saying he didn't know. Just woke up one morning with a giant M on his face. Damnedest thing.

[Pixie]

"I guess getting spooked is as good enough reason as any to make everybody dance and sing about leprechauns and rainbows. Lots of people do a lot worse when they get scared. You start to feel scared, talk to me and I'll see if I can't help."

"Oh yeah? And then what are you going to do, start shooting?" She teased him, but secretly was really touched at what she assumed was an offer of protection from whatever might scare her.

Why not? Can never have too many superheroes watch your back.

"Say," she asked, peering up at him curiously with one brow raised, "Do you go by, 'M' too? 'Cause, I don't know if you knew, but you've got bit of something on your face, just here..."

"I do?" Bishop asked, and rubbed idly at the tattoo on his cheek as if it was nothing more than a smudge. "Did I get it?"

Megan just rolled her eyes and waited while he prepared his real explaination.

"I was working a case, one of my earlier ones. And it was an undercover thing, this gang who had tattoos similar to that. Like a badge of honor. I had to get into the gang, so I got the tattoo. It's just been with me ever since."

"You did it to get into a gang while you were undercover?" If it was possible, her eyes were actually growing wider, "That's hardcore! What happened then? What'd the gang members do when they found out you were an X... wait... you've only been an X-Man for two days? What'd you do before? Were you a secret agent or something?"

[Bishop]

"Oh yeah? And then what are you going to do, start shooting?"

He smiled at that, and patted the case. "Only as a last resort," he joked, smiling as she looked at him curiously and asked about his tattoo.

"I was working a case, one of my earlier ones. And it was an undercover thing, this gang who had tattoos similar to that. Like a badge of honor. I had to get into the gang, so I got the tattoo. It's just been with me ever since."

"You did it to get into a gang while you were undercover?" If it was possible, her eyes were actually growing wider, "That's hardcore! What happened then? What'd the gang members do when they found out you were an X... wait... you've only been an X-Man for two days? What'd you do before? Were you a secret agent or something?"

Bishop almost winced that he'd let the cat out of the bag so quickly. He was kind of enjoying talking to somebody just like they were regular folks. At least, as far as X-Men were concerned. "No," he said reluctantly. "I don't think you could say that."

"I'm a cop," Bishop said. "With the NYPD. I've been assigned to liaise with the X-Men for the city of New York. And help out when I can. Before that, I worked with the Major Crimes Unit."

[Pixie]

"I'm a cop," Bishop said. "With the NYPD. I've been assigned to liaise with the X-Men for the city of New York. And help out when I can. Before that, I worked with the Major Crimes Unit."

"NYPD? Like in the movies? As in, KNock Yo' Punkass Down? Wow. I didn't know you could be a police officer and a superhero at the same time. Like, I know the goals are ultimately the same, but aren't superheroes kind of basically criminals anyway? Vigilantism and all that? Seems like the two would conflict, but--" she shrugged, "You would know better than I do."

Then she yawned, and felt guilty about it, because she was genuinely interested in the coversation with Bishop. It was just... she was tired. It would still be a few hours before the sun set, and yet Megan was already getting tired. Stupid jetlag. Stupid big world and its time differences. That reminded her... she had to call her parents before it got too late on their end.

"So... what happened? What happened with the tattoo gang? Did you arrest all of them, or just the leader? Did they find out you were a cop?"

[Bishop]

"NYPD? Like in the movies? As in, KNock Yo' Punkass Down? Wow. I didn't know you could be a police officer and a superhero at the same time. Like, I know the goals are ultimately the same, but aren't superheroes kind of basically criminals anyway? Vigilantism and all that? Seems like the two would conflict, but--" she shrugged, "You would know better than I do."

She said Punkass and Bishop wanted to have her say it again so he could record it and play it over again whenever her wanted to chuckle. At least she didn't look at him like he'd just pooped a frog like a lot of the others around here. "Well, that's sort of what I'm here for," he admitted. "Make sure everything stays on the level, legal and legitimate. The city and the federal government both want to make sure they're apprised of what's going on. I think, and this is just me, that they know they can use the X-Men. Who else do we have that can really handle the serious mutant issues? I mean--"

And then Megan yawned, and Bishop cleared his throat. "You know, that's just how I see it. Keep things straight." He nodded.

"So... what happened? What happened with the tattoo gang? Did you arrest all of them, or just the leader? Did they find out you were a cop?"

Bishop began to grin. "You're wondering if there was a gunfight or a car chase, aren't you?"

"Usually, things don't get to that point," he explained. "I never had to fire my gun in the line of duty as a police officer. Once you get the evidence, you come down on somebody, they know they have better chances going to court. There's no such thing as a criminal genius, at least not so far as your average New York cop is concerned."

[Pixie]

"Sorry," she said sheepishly when he cleared his throat, "I wasn't yawning at you. So what happened? What happened with the tattoo gang? Did you arrest all of them, or just the leader? Did they find out you were a cop?"

Bishop began to grin. "You're wondering if there was a gunfight or a car chase, aren't you?"

Megan nodded eagerly. Yes. That was exactly what she was wondering.

"Usually, things don't get to that point," he explained. "I never had to fire my gun in the line of duty as a police officer. Once you get the evidence, you come down on somebody, they know they have better chances going to court. There's no such thing as a criminal genius, at least not so far as your average New York cop is concerned."

"Ah, I see. So in other words, you're having more fun with the X-Men in one weekend than you have for the past five years as a cop." She sat back down at the picnic table and held her chin her her hand, smiling innocently up at him. "Also, you didn't answer my question, Bishop. Usually things don't get to that point, you said. So what happened this time?"

[Bishop]

"Also, you didn't answer my question, Bishop. Usually things don't get to that point, you said. So what happened this time?"

Bishop looked at Megan thoughtfully for a second, smiling. "That time, nothing, really. The arrests happened without incident." He didn't want to lie to the girl any more than he already had. "We were all pretty lucky." He looked at the girl, and decided to give her a story that had happened. "But, that was one time. We weren't so lucky with another case."

"It was a standard investigation. A gang attack on a mutant. A kid had just exhibited powers, and the local tough guys decided to show him it was their territory. Put him in the hospital, and since I worked mutant investigations with the Major Crimes Unit, I was able to wrangle it. We snatched up a couple of their less...strident members. We flipped them and managed to get an address where the rest were laying low."

Bishop picked up his case and set it on the grass near his feet, resting his hands on the table as he looked at her. "We pulled a raid, every single one of them thought they were soldiers. We showed up, and they started shooting. Only morons start shooting at police when they show up at your door. Luckily, nobody got killed. SWAT got two of them. Used shotguns with beanbag rounds. You ever see those? Fire pellets with these little beanbags. Hurt like hell." He looked at Megan and was reminded he was talking to a fifteen year old girl. "Sorry," he said.

"Anyway, they got two, the third managed to get out the back, and I snatched him out of the alley." Bishop shrugged. "Nobody got killed, lucky enough. There's one of the exciting stories for you, and it's not even that exciting."

[Pixie]

Megan listened to his story, on the edge of her seat. A bunch of criminals in New York had beaten up some kid for being a mutant? That was weird. According to the papers, the criminals were the mutants.

"We pulled a raid, every single one of them thought they were soldiers. We showed up, and they started shooting. Only morons start shooting at police when they show up at your door. Luckily, nobody got killed. SWAT got two of them. Used shotguns with beanbag rounds. You ever see those? Fire pellets with these little beanbags. Hurt like hell." Her mouth fell open and she shook her head. No, she had never seen those. She had never heard of those.

"Sorry," he said.

"S'okay." She gestured towards her back again with one thumb, "Wings, remember? Ripped out of back. World gone crazy. Mass riots at Stonehenge. So, beanbag rounds? Not a problem."

"Anyway, they got two, the third managed to get out the back, and I snatched him out of the alley." Bishop shrugged. "Nobody got killed, lucky enough. There's one of the exciting stories for you, and it's not even that exciting."

"Sounds awfully exciting to me," Megan continued to hold her chin in her hands, "I only yawned because of the stupid timezone change, but I'll get over it. Sorry." The thought of yawning made her yawn again.

"So... people don't really like mutants in the city, huh? What happened to the mutant kid in the hospital?" She asked, "Is he okay now? How come he's not here?"

[Bishop]

"Sounds awfully exciting to me," Megan continued to hold her chin in her hands, "I only yawned because of the stupid timezone change, but I'll get over it. Sorry." The thought of yawning made her yawn again.

"Nah, it's all right," Bishop replied, her yawn making him yawn, and he wasn't even tired. "It's a hell of a flight. You're still on Wales time, I imagine. It'd be about ten o'clock there. It must be getting pretty late for you."

"So... people don't really like mutants in the city, huh? What happened to the mutant kid in the hospital?" She asked, "Is he okay now? How come he's not here?"

Bishop shrugged. "His mother picked him up and left the city," he replied. "She didn't have much. She got some money together, and got him out. She didn't want him up here. The poor kid talked with a stutter after the beating. Limped." He shook his head. "Just bad all the way around." It had taken most of Bishop's savings to get the woman enough to set up out of the city, somewhere they wouldn't be bothered. "I think they went west. Someplace less crowded, where they could be left alone."

He looked over at the girl. "That's why I say you're better off here. Lots of people around here look at what you are," he glanced at her wings. "And they won't even give you a chance. "Not saying that's everybody. That's not the entire city. That's just some people, and it was a rough neighborhood, besides. But at least here you know everybody's on your side." He smiled at her. "We're all in the same boat, right?"