A typical night at the mutie bar

[Jordanna]

"'Ere, Pink, lookit this."

Marnique Jenkins--popularly known to the customers of Lusus Naturae as Pink--leaned her elbows on the bar with a sigh. Beside her, under power of her telekinesis, a worn dishtowel was preoccupied with the task of mopping the battle-scarred wood. Her real attention was grudgingly focused on George "the Ferret" Stubbs as he swayed drunkenly back from the dartboard on the wall, a dart in hand. Sticking his tongue out between his needle teeth and squinting, he spent a long moment calculating his throw (or more likely trying to decide on one of the multiple dartboards he must have been seeing). At last, with a small noise of satisfaction, he let the dart fly with a flick of his wrist.

From further down the bar, there came an indignant bellow. Pink buried her face in her palm and shook her head.

George might have been an expert at throwing knives when he was sober--which was increasingly rare these days--but when he was drunk, his aim was notorious. It was not the first time he'd nailed Hori Kanuta, his usual cohort. One would think that by now Hori would have learned to sit as far out of the way as possible... but "Taniwha" sat wherever he chose, and no one would ever dream of suggesting otherwise to the Maori behemoth.

Not that acting as a human dartboard really did him any harm. With his self-healing power, he would vanish for a fraction of a second and then reappear, as good as new. The offending dart would simply fall to the rough wood floor in the process.

It was clear from Hori's bellow that said process had just taken place once again. Pink looked over to see him stalking toward George. But the animal snarl that bent Hori's craggy face was nothing out of the ordinary, and however violent his temperament toward others, everyone knew that George--who he bizarrely seemed to regard almost as a pet--was one of the two people in the world that he would never harm. (Their mutual employer and idol Nick Tiernan was, of course, the other.)

Stopping directly in front of George, Hori thrust out an enormous fist and grunted. Sheepishly George held out a hand, into which his companion deposited one very bent and twisted dart.

Another day in paradise. Pink rolled her eyes, letting her gaze take in the bar's patrons. It was still fairly early in the evening, but there was already a healthy crowd of customers. They hunched over the long bar, lounged at the tables, or played pool. They were a roughly even mix of men and women. Most of them looked more or less ordinary... but not a single one of them was.

On any given night, anything might happen. A super-powered bar brawl might erupt, a customer who'd had one too many might decide to jump onto a table and show off their mutation--or a confused newcomer to the city might appear, blown in by the breezes of rumor and fate that somehow seemed to bring mutants to Lusus Naturae from far and wide. These were the particular sort whom Pink was charged with watching for.

Her eyes narrowed, Pink mentally let go of the still-wiping dishtowel and physically picked it up, stuffing it into a pocket of her apron. She glanced at her watch; yes, the night was still young, and something was bound to happen.

At Lusus Naturae, it was inevitable.

---

Note: any new players with approved characters who would like to join this scene are welcome.

[skybright]

A few seats down from the Ferret (who had returned to playing Drunken Darts), a wiry figure was also observing the crowd.

At first glance she seemed like a refugee from an old noir detective film -- complete with trenchcoat and battered fedora.

At second glance, she seemed like a refugee from an old B-grade Sci Fi film -- the feline features, mottled gray-and-brown fur, and slitted eyes accounted for that (as did the slowly twitching tail just visible beneath the trenchcoat's hemline).

Regina Dawson, private investigator and Lusus Naturae regular, sipped a rum and coke and observed the room with a studied disintrest that marked her as a veteran people-watcher. As her gaze moved back towards the bar, she caught the tail end of an intense grey stare. The man two seats down looked away quickly.

"Daws" studied the man, a Lusus newcomer unless she was mistaken. He was tall and broad-shouldered, tanned and slightly weatherbeaten, dressed all in black save for a well-traveled denim jacket.

Daws' attention was momentarily distracted by a shout of displeasure from one of the pool games. A short, red-haired man with a pair of goat's horns nestled in his hair was brandishing a cue at his opponent, who had apparently just won through use of his mutant talents. The winner, for his part, looked ready to brawl as well.

"Hey!" The would-be combatants froze at the shout from behind the bar -- when Pink spoke up, the Lusus regulars listened. "Ya'll want to fight, take it outside."

The two pool players opted instead to exchange gruff apologies and start a new game. Distraction thus finished, Daws turned her attention back to the newcomer.

Who was staring again.

Daws felt an flash of mild annoyance -- the man was in a mutie bar for crying out loud, what did he expect? She took a larger swallow of her drink, pushed the fedora far back on her head, and cleared her throat.

"You could take a picture, friend. I promise it'd last longer."

[buddha]

He knew right away he had made a mistake coming here, now he'd let his eyes linger where they didn't belong. It was going to be a long night.

"I'm sorry," Empu muttered "I. . . I didn't mean to stare."

The truth was, he couldn't help but stare. A mutant. Not like him, a Real mutant. With fur and a tail. . .a woman cat in a trench coat. It felt like something out of a dream. He had never expected anything like this.

"I am new here. . . I am. . . plea. . .please forgive me, miss."

The look in the woman's eyes told Empu he had said the wrong thing. It was going to be a very long night

[skybright]

Daws held on to the yeah-I'm-furry-and-what-d'ya-want-to-make-of-it scowl.

She secretly felt bad for the guy -- he'd stammered and apologized, after all, instead of just bolting. But she hadn't made it this far in a tough trade by backing off. In addition to which, there were other regulars who'd do a lot more than scowl at him for staring. Better he learn the lesson early, and without blood loss.

She flexed the claws of her left hand -- not threateningly, just nonchalantly, the way a human woman might examine her fingernails. "This is a mutant bar, amigo. Not one of those clandestine joints in the Village, either; this is Lusus Naturae." She gestured at the goat-horned pool player to emphasize the point.

"And just because you can 'pass' doesn't mean everyone can."

[buddha]

"Pass? I'm not sure what you mean. I just came for a drink."

He was afraid to look the woman in the eyes now, he didn't want to make her any more angry.

"My name is Empu, I am new to this place."

He looked around Lusus and began to notice everything. He hadn't taken his eyes off of the cat woman since he came in. But he realized that he was almost the only "normal" looking person in here.

"It appears that I am a little out of place. Maybe it is you who should be staring at me." Empu always joked when he felt uncomfortable. . .and it doesn't get much more uncomfortable than this. He half smiled and hoped the woman couldn't sense his discomfort.

[skybright]

Daws sipped her drink and chuckled. "I suppose that's one way of looking at it." She studied the stranger -- Empu. He was still ill-at-ease, not daring to meet her eyes. Well, she could deal with that. Studiously avoiding eye contact as well, Daws held out her hand.

"Regina Dawson. I could tell you were new." She looked around: there were quite a few 'vizzies' -- visible mutants -- filtering in tonight. "You might've picked a better night to drop in. There's usually a lot more people who pass in here." Remembering the man's confusion, she added, "And by 'pass' I mean 'pass for a normal human'."

She decided to risk a glance sideways -- and found that Empu was once again staring at her, this time apparently in surprise.

"What?"

[buddha]

Mutants passing as humans? Empu had never heard of such a thing. He didn't realize that there were others like him. He thought every mutant was visibly mutant. He tried to wipe the look of shock from his face and took Regina's paw.

"It is an honor to meet you Regina Dawson. I thank you for your kindness. May I buy you a drink?" Without waiting for a response Empu turned to find Pink two steps ahead of him bringing him a beer and Regina another rum and coke. Empu handed her the glass and smiled.

"Tell me, Regina, what do you do when you're not at the Lusus Naturae?"

[skybright]

Daws had to grin. Empu's look of shock had been followed, in quick succession, by disbelief, wonder, and what -- if she were betting on it -- she would have called hope. He really was new around here; not just to Lusus, but to the whole underground.

She polished off the last dregs of her drink and accepted the fresh one. Then she said, "I know the getup isn't too obvious, but I'm a shamus." She got a look of confusion in return -- that and his careful, slightly formal language told her English probably wasn't Empu's first language. Daws chuckled. "A private investigator. When I'm not at Lusus Naturae I'm generally out sorting other people's dirty laundry and looking for lost souls -- which the found souls generally pay me for."

She fished a business card out of her coat pocket and held it out. The cat's-eye logo of Grimalkin, Inc. stared at the ceiling. Empu took the card, examined it, and pocketed it without comment.

Daws stalled for time by lighting a cigarette and studied Empu for a moment. He was still looking around with a slightly dazed look, as if he'd stumbled into a dream of some kind. She thought he might be one of the rarities whose mutations didn't manifest until late in adulthood.

She blew a smoke ring idly at one of the neons and said casually "So, Empu, what's your story? How long have you been . . . ." She paused, searching for the Spanish slang term, " un hijo de diablo? A mutant?"

[buddha]

Empu chuckled, "I am from Brazil, we speak Portuguese not Spanish but it's an honest mistake."

"I first discovered my abilities at the age of sixteen, three years after my mother and I moved to America. Mãe, my mother, was horrified when I told her of my new found powers. She was a superstitious woman and belived she had been cursed for leaving my father in Brazil." Empu paused and took a sip of his beer. He had retold the story to himself so many times he could tell it in his sleep. He wondered for a moment if he really should be telling Regina this but decided it was alright to go on. "She screamed something to me and ran away leaving me alone." Empu paused for effect. He could see the curiocity was killing Regina and took a moment to laugh to himself at the terrible pun.

"I never saw my mother again, but I will always remember the words she yelled before leaving me."

"Um que é amaldiçoado ser sem forma"

This time Empu would let Regina get frustrated a little. He turned back to his beer and waited for his new aquaintaince to respond.

[skybright]

Daws was liking the new guy more every minute -- although she couldn't help wondering, if he'd been a mutant almost as long as she had (or longer; she couldn't quite peg his age), why he seemed so surprised by everything in the underground. Where's this guy been, anyway?

But at any rate, he could take a straight question -- something that was rare and appreciated, in her business. And he knew enough to turn her own linguistic trick right over on her.

She raised her glass at him. "You've got me, friend. The only thing I can say in any other language is 'mutant', and that's principally just from having it shouted at me a lot. For example, UH-muo," She sipped the drink and continued, "Which is what you'll get called in Chinatown. Portuguese isn't one of thos languages that get shouted at me much, though. So, what's it mean?"

[buddha]

"It means one who is cursed to be without form. It was the only way my mother could explain what was happening to me. You see, my ability is that I am able to change my appearance into other forms or people."

Empu stared kindly at Regina, this was the first conversation he had had in years. He felt grateful for the company and ashamed of how he had acted to begin with. "How long have you been a mutant, Regina. . . may I call you Regina?"

[conava]

A women in her early twenties,walked in to the bar. Just by looking at her you could tell she had fallen on hard times.She walked up to the bar, not really careing about what happened now, just the fact that she was any where but outside at the moment.

[Jordanna]

Taking notice of the young woman who had just arrived, Pink sidled casually toward her, wiping down imaginary spots on the bar as she went. Although feigning lack of interest in this newcomer, she was in fact scrutinizing her closely.

Just another stray... Pink finally put down her dishtowel and looked the girl in the eye. "Wha'll ya have, hon?"

[conava]

Conava looked through her purse,and pulled out a small stack of bills "Whatever I can get for five bucks"

[Jordanna]

With a shrug, Pink produced two bottles of beer and set them on the counter in front of the girl. "Don' drink it all a' once, hon."

[khaosxteam]

Alison entered the bar, sighing softly. It had been a hard day, and although she wasn't old enough to drink, she had a fake Identification card on her, which her friend Brian had created. "Scotch on the rocks." She said to the 'tender, smiling. She may have looked younger then 19, but she acted more sophisticated, as if she were in her late 20's. "How's business?" She asked, her voice dreamy as ever.

[Jordanna]

Her customary bored expression unchanged, Pink shrugged. "Same as eva, hon. One in, 'nother out."

The formalities of carding were rarely observed here, where patrons often had unusual stamina. Pink telekinetically prepared the requested scotch, deftly juggling ice and glass and bottle in midair. At last the filled glass slid across the table toward the new customer.

[conava]

Conava handed her the five dollars,sat down at the bar and began drinking the first beet

[skybright]

"How long have you been a mutant, Regina. . . may I call you Regina?"

A long moment passed before the furred private eye glanced back at her new acquaintance. "Eh?" She chuckled self-deprecatingly and sipped her rum and coke. "Sorry about that, Empu. There's just a lot of new faces tonight, and like any cat I like something new to look at."

She flexed her claws again, silently musing on the questions he'd asked her before saying finally, "I turned at thirteen. 'Home' wasn't much of one, even when I was normal. When I sprouted claws . . . well." She chuckled quietly, without much humor. "I ran out, spent the worst night of my life in the Central Park undergrowth, and I've been prowling the mutant underground ever since. It'll be fifteen years come February."

She examined the now-crowded bar, then glanced sideways at Empu. He, too, was studying the other mutants in the room.

Daws drained the last of the drink in her hand, shaking her head at Pink's questioning eyebrow and raised bottle. Then she nodded to Empu. "It'll get easier, now you've found the underground. Things are tougher and dirtier and crazier down here -- " She waved a hand at the bar's riffraff clientele -- "But you belong, and that's what makes the difference."

She turned up her collar and pulled the fedora lower over her slitted gray eyes. "It's been a pleasure, Empu, but duty calls. We'll be seeing each other."

Then she grinned, fangs glinting in the neon glare. "By the way -- my friends call me Daws."

[Crystal]

Dr. Sara McLain wasn't a big drinker most of the time mainly because she was on call all the time. But this night was different. It had been a hard, long day shift, and she just needed to relax. Walking into the mutant bar Lusus Naturae, she headed over to the bar.

"Pina Colada," she said to the bartender. Her Meridian accent was soft; she had been in New York for over ten years. She pulled some money out of her purse and waited for her drink.

Though she kept it secret she was a mutant, this is where she came for her drinks. Sometimes she needed to be around others like herself. She didn't think anyone would recognize her here, what with the dark club atmosphere and nearly blinding, flashing neon lights.