"Oh!" Now Frank felt bad about asking. If he'd understood her correctly, Blake had been blacklisted for being a mutant... just like Frank had been blacklisted from football. "So you really are a mutant. There's nothing to be ashamed of. We're all mutants here.

"I was kicked out of ESU's football program for being a mutant. I think know how you feel.

"And I did like Dino Dregs, but I really liked that zombie apocalypse film you made, Zimboes."

What could he say? He was fifteen at the time.

"I don't like that word," Gwenyth says sullenly. It sounds like a cow camping. Moooooo-tent. "Don't remind me, I'm still coming to grips with all this."

Gwenyth looks up a little with a tiny, sympathetic smile on hearing about Frank's dashed football dreams. It's not exactly the same because acting isn't explicitly competitive, but it's about common ground.

"You liked Zimboes?" Gwenyth asks, flabbergasted. "Oh- my- gaaaawd! The director of that was was suuuuch a pig." And yet somehow it remains the most successful film she was in. She folds her arms and appears to shrink into herself. Seems like she can't escape being a piece of meat for boys, even here. "So that's the kind of things you like... I see..."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:19, Sat 13 Nov 2021.

In reply to Zoey Fujino (msg # 14):

Kate for her part gave a very authoritative nod of agreement with Zoey's assertion of their state of being.  "Super Awesome"

Then she watches the conversation going on between Frank and Gwen like it's a spectator sport.  A slow grin growing across her face as she see's him stick his foot in it.  It might not be polite to evesdrop a little on their surface thoughts but it certainly was amusing.  And just because she can she grows a fox tail and ears between one glance from Gwen and the next, mentally counting down the seconds before she notices.

"He was barely alive when I saw him."
Mistress slumped back into her chair.  She couldn't quite hide her distress over the news, nor her displeasure when the conversation turned into lighter subjects.  Hardly fitting, she thought, considering the circumstances.

"Now that introductions are over and we've established Taylor Swift is still on the market, I'm a little confused why we're all here. I thought Freedom Force was regrouping and debriefing in light of current events."

She addresses Zoey and Kate, "Who is it who asked you to come to this meeting?" Someone was pulling some strings or planning something behind the scenes.

In reply to Gwenyth Blake (msg # 19):

"Did I say something wrong?" Frank didn't understand why saying he liked one of Gwenyth's movies would produce such a negative reaction. She seemed insulted, though. "Sorry."

He ignored her reaction to the word 'mutant'. Honestly, he felt a little insulted by that, but she was obviously still coming to terms with her new status.

"It's fine," Gwenyth quickly waves away Frank's concern. "I'm used to it." She really should be by now. She smiles and adds "I'm really glad you like my movies though!"

Gwenyth turns to Ana. "I was escorting miss Cooper. She said she would be along shortly, so I am sure she will be here aaaany second now." She glances at the door as if able to summon people with a look. With a soft sigh she instead refocuses her attention on Kate and Zoey. She still doesn't notice the former's tail.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:07, Sat 13 Nov 2021.

Zoey had never heard of this Gwenyth chick, but from the sound of it she exclusively did terrible B-movies. Not that B-movies couldn't be enjoyable, but Zoey wasn't much of a movie person at the best of times. 2D girls were cuter. Well... usually cuter. Gwenyth was unearthly beautiful; she didn't even look real and that provoked some confused feelings. And she was adorably dumb.

"I don't like 'mutant' either," Zoey says, flouncing into the middle of the room and straddling an available chair in a backwards sitting position. "I've been trying to strongarm 'genedivergent' into common parlance but I guess that's too many syllables or something."

She grins at Ana. "Weren't you listening? We're just that awesome, we can do what we please." It was better than admitting that she had no clue how Kate had managed to score an invitation. "Anyways, any probability we can pick up that discussion about what was happening behind the scenes on that island? Ya'll implied you knew something I didn't."
This message was last edited by the player at 19:10, Sat 13 Nov 2021.

Ana Sofía looks icily at Zoey, clearly not reacting at all well to either her grin or her comments. "Yes, Zoey, I have been listening today, including now. You feeling like you can do as you please does not give you permission to be here. If that's why you're here, I can escort you out. As for that island, I cannot comment on an active investigation. I can tell you I'm am hoping to deliver those responsible for the torture and murder of so many mutants to justice. One lead I didn't know about just turned up today."

Zoey tilts her head, recoiling just a little from the icy glare. As much as she presents a devil-may-care attitude getting a look of disapproval like that never feels good. She glances to Kate, silently prompting her to explain the how of their being here. As for the why... "I have my suspicions of a cover-up by agents within the government, and as you are now working for the government you will have to forgive me if I view your investigation as inherently compromised. Or... maybe you don't have to." She shrugs. "I care about this as much as you do, you know."

Some small, perverse part of her can't help but run the calculation over whether those present in the room could actually escort her out by force. Likely not; if they could beat Phantazia they could probably beat her. Even if she could beat Freedom Force she would win nothing by burning that bridge.

Kate looks back to see the guy who had escorted them up has already left, but it doesn't stop her from answering Ana's question.  "That guy," she waves in the general direction of the door even though he isn't there anymore, "Said somebody named Valerie had requested I come with him, and well he left now so either we were supposed to come in here and immediately leave or we're waiting for someone else to come join us.  Does anyone here know a Valerie?"

Seeing that Gwen still hasn't noticed her tail makes Kate look around to see if anyone else is reacting.  It's super cute and fluffy, and how could she just miss it like that even if she is super feminine and pretty, Kate will not be jealous that Frank clearly likes looking at her more because only a bimbo wouldn't have noticed the ears that are twitching in slight irritation by now.

Of course then there is a bigger problem, fishgivinggirl and sourceofcookies are sniping at each other like, like two strange cats! "Come on you two, don't fight.  We're all friends aren't we?  Don't let um, whatever this is make you mad with each other..." 

"Did you know I used to work for the FBI?" the figure walking through the door wasn't Valerie's, but the Legion, who was escorted back by another security guard after he excused himself to use the bathroom earlier "Nothing too exciting.  Accounting"

There were two women in the room he wasn't acquainted with.  The one sitting at the table looked out of place.  She was old enough to be everyone else's mom, and was rather demure.  Not what he has come to except of a 'Freedom Force' agent.  The other one though!  He recognized Gwenyth Blake, of course.  He watched some of her movies (the good bits, at least).   But what would a movie star (even a B-Lister) do at the FBI headquarters?  He stood there, stomped for a moment, as he stared at her stupidly before forcing himself to say something:

"Umm...you're Gwenyth Blake!"

"Okay, so 'Valerie' would be Valerie Cooper, and she's the boss," Frank explained to Kate and Zoey. Kate was looking slightly less human now, with fox ears and a tail. Was this a sign of anger? Aggression? He wasn't sure, but it probably wasn't a good sign.

He reached over and gave Kate what he hoped were comforting little skritchies between the ears.

"So, everyone here was invited. No problems."

Danny just watched and smirked from the corner, watching the social antics play out.
These human's amused him.

"Really, it's fine!" Gwenyth says, forcing on her best Starlet Smile -- the kind so bright and sunny it could scorch countrysides.

Gwenyth watches Frank as he moves. He raises his hands and places them on... on Kate's... huh. "Did you have animal features earlier?" she asks. She suddenly finds herself doubting her memory. Surely the girl hadn't always looked like that? Back before she had become aware of her own genetic status she'd often fought against costumed "mutants" in her films; before it had become a whole social issue it just seemed like fun filmography. For once Gwenyth found herself hoping that someone hadn't seen her work.

Legion enters the room and Gwenyth turns her attention to him. She smiles to him but can't resist putting hand onto her sword in what she hopes looks like a casual pose. "And you're Legion," she says with guarded politeness. "I read your file. You're quite a menace!"
This message was last edited by the player at 00:32, Mon 15 Nov 2021.

... and now there was the promise of bloodshed in the boardroom*.
Danny couldn't believe how awesome this meeting was turning out, and he hoped that every FF meeting ould be this entertaining.

                                     *  that could be a great name for Gwen's next movie!

"Valerie is Missus Tits," Zoey clarifies to Kate. "I honestly never thought I'd see her blouse cleavage again so I never bothered remembering her name." She wishes she could remember a little more about what Valerie looked like, but that deeply plunging neckline kind of stole attention away from the rest of her. Maybe that's the plan all along. Maybe it's the same principle that explains why no one realizes Clark Kent is Superman; they're all too busy looking at his crotch and wondering why he wears his underwear on the outside.

Jeeze, that was a weird mental digression even by Zoey's standards.

She glances over to Legion. "To be honest I'd be surprised if there's a job you haven't had at some point. I bet one of you out there is a cosmonaut."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:51, Mon 15 Nov 2021.

Valerie walked into the meeting room a short moment after Zoey made the comment about her cleavage.  It wasn't clear if she could hear her from the hallway or not, but even if she did, she haven't said anything to the effect.  And it wasn't like Zoey was entirely wrong, either.  Valerie had a penchant for overstepping the boundaries of acceptable office wear, and today wasn't an exception; a black pencil shirt a couple of inches too short, a white blouse which wasn't buttoned all the way up, and a navy-blue jacket to bring some color into her outfit.

In sharp contrast to Valerie was Fiona.  She never bothered much with her appearance, and looked like she rolled out of a biker's club, complete with the faint aroma of cigarette's smoke.

"Hi.  Good afternoon"  Valerie quickly inspected the room to make sure everyone that was supposed to be there, was.  Her eyes lingered on Kate in particular, and she gave the young woman a short nod before addressing everyone else:

"Before we start; I talked to the hospital just now.  Price is in critical condition, and they don't know how long he has.  Danny; I'm going to need you to go there right after this meeting and see if there's anything you can do for him"

While Danny's eyes didn't quite reach up to Mz Cooper's, and lingered where they shouldn't, he nodded, and managed to mumble a "Yes ma'am".

Zoey had been right ... but her comment hadn't actually prepared Danny for the sudden ... exposure.

There she is. With Valerie now in the room there is a sense of formality in place, which means Zoey now has to at least pretend to be serious and respectable. She twists back the right way in her seat and slaps her legs together, folding her hands in her lap demurely. Only her weird 45-degree-askhew ponytail serves as a visual reminder of her defiant nature.

Time to fade into the background for a bit, she reckons.

Kate let herself enjoy the scritches and attention, pressing her head firmly back into his hand and turning so he would get just the right spot at the base of her ears there...



Her eyes slit back open at Gwenyth's question, a smile coming to her lips.  "Oh didn't I?" She gives an artless shrug, artless because she clearly knows she didn't or at the least that she's messing with the actress a little bit from her tone of voice.  It isn't that she's being mean though more playful.  What she doesn't do though is move out from the scritches, scritches are a must.

"Thank you" Valerie let her purse drop to one of the chairs, but remained standing as she addressed the mutants.

"I know it has been a difficult day, but there's a lot of work yet ahead of us.  The Brotherhood's acts of terrorism didn’t result in any fatalities – thanks to your timely intervention, but we fear that they've managed to irrepealably damage human-mutant relations just the same" if that ship hasn't already sailed after the events of the last few months

"There are spontaneous demonstrations all over the city.  People fuming on social media.  Reports starting to come in about Mutants being attacked on the streets"

She paused for effect

The governor is about to declare martial law, and the national guard is going to be called in to enforce it.  President Davis will address the nation later this evening, but she needs to show she's taking action, or she's going to lose all credibility.  This is where we come in.  It's time to take Freedom Force public"

Frank took a seat and waited for Ms. Cooper to continue.

Noting that Valerie acknowledged Kate's presence before making her statement, Ana Sofía sits down, waits, and listens.