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Post by Jordanna on Sept 3, 2006 21:11:29 GMT -5
"You'd be surprised," Proteus mused. "There were more mutants around back then than people think nowadays. The obvious ones were just a lot better at staying out of sight. They knew if the rest of the world found out about them, it'd be harder on the ones who could pass--and the passers knew it too, so they took care of the ones underground. It wasn't the way things should have been, but it was what worked."
He shrugged, then smiled at Daws. "Something tells me keeping out of sight wouldn't have sat so well with you, though."
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Post by skybright on Sept 3, 2006 23:16:08 GMT -5
Daws laughed. "What was your first tipoff?" She smiled and waved one hand. "I never saw the sense in trying to hide what I am from the world. It'd be too much work, for one thing, and for another . . ."
She shrugged broadly. "I'm proud of the person I am -- fur and all. If anybody's got a problem with me, it's their problem. I did enough apologizing for who I was before I turned. I don't plan on doing any more."
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Post by Jordanna on Sept 4, 2006 22:33:25 GMT -5
"The ones back then were as proud as you were. But staying out of sight was a self-sacrifice for the passers' sake--and that took a different kind of pride." Proteus shrugged ruefully. "Anyway, it's academic now. Mutants are out in the open. The visible ones are taking their knocks like troopers, sure, but now the passers have to work even harder to hide in plain sight."
Vance scowled. "Excuse me if I'm dense, but you sound like you approve of the idea of mutants staying out of mundie society."
"I'm not a confrontational fella, Major." Proteus sighed. "When you've seen as much history as I have, you realize there are certain patterns people as a species are never gonna break out of. You can spend your life trying to bail out the ocean, or you can trim your sails and ride out the swells." He smiled wryly. "I'm sorry if I sound negative to you young people, but I'm only giving you my experience."
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Post by skybright on Sept 5, 2006 0:28:53 GMT -5
Caddy smiled wryly and shook his head, looking uncharacteristically serious. "Well, talkin' as one of those who try to walk both sides of the whole mutant-human society thing, I'm sorry -- but I just don't agree. The way I see it, there was a time when people thought it'd be better if blacks and whites stayed out of each other's societies, too. Except that eventually people realized that 'seperate but equal' never actually means 'equal', y'know? It just means 'seperate'."
The doctor shrugged. "Yeah, there's still not total equality between blacks and whites -- or, y'know, between men and women. But we're still a lot closer to it than we were a century ago, because people were willin' to do the dirty work of fighting for it. And I really believe that a time's gonna come when the difference between mutant and mundane won't mean any more than the difference between black and white. I'm countin' on it -- and I'm working towards it." He smiled. "Even if I'm bein' sort of sneaky about how I do it."
Hubert raised an eyebrow at his housemate. "Caddy, I believe that's as serious as I've ever seen you."
The doctor broke into a brilliant grin. "Yeah, don't get used to it. I mostly leave the stirring noble sentiments end of things to guys like Major Vance."
Hubert smiled and shook his head, looking back at Proteus and the others. "I know it sounds strange, coming from someone with my particular background," he said, "But I hope Caddy is right. As hard as I once worked towards the goal of a world without mutation . . ." he ducked his head sheepishly, "I've come to realize how empty such a world -- or a world where the two parts of humanity are forever at odds -- would be."
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Post by Jordanna on Sept 5, 2006 22:19:20 GMT -5
Proteus smiled rather sadly. "Well, like I said, the optimism of young people is a comfort."
The lights dimmed again, and Alex and Grace reappeared on the stage--clad as court jester and princess. A pun-filled comedy skit preceded another uproarious song and dance, which included Alex leaping off the stage and capering between the tables. On his way past his friends, he gave Miriam a sloppy kiss on the cheek, and winked at the rest.
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Post by skybright on Sept 5, 2006 22:33:17 GMT -5
Daws laughed along with the rest of their companions, and grinned at Miriam. "You certainly found yourself a one-in-a-million original, Doc." She said. "They broke the mold when they cast Alex Malone."
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Post by Jordanna on Sept 5, 2006 22:45:43 GMT -5
Miriam laughed. "I know it!"
Sitting beside her, Henry looked away from the group and Alex's continued antics, with an expression of resigned unhappiness. He fondled his punch glass as though he wished it were something stronger.
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Post by skybright on Sept 5, 2006 22:59:51 GMT -5
Daws caught the unhappy look on Henry's face and sighed faintly. I guess there's no way everyone can be happy all the time, she thought with a twinge of remorse -- and then opted for changing the subject.
She nudged Caddy's elbow as Alex and Grace took their bows and ducked offstage again. "So what've you two been doing out there in Queens with all that stuff we 'liberated' for ya?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. "You two mad scientists come up with anything cool yet -- anything you could explain in English?"
Caddy shot a quick, unreadable look at his housemate and then gave an elaborately casual shrug. "Oh, y'know." He leaned back in his chair and smiled smugly. "Just your typical mad-scientist stuff. Brains in jars and things."
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Post by Jordanna on Sept 5, 2006 23:15:25 GMT -5
Caleb gave Caddy a wide-eyed stare. "Whoa... really?"
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Post by skybright on Sept 5, 2006 23:28:36 GMT -5
Caddy grinned and nodded enthusiastically. "Well, sure! I mean . . ." He caught Hubert's mildly reproachful look and amended, "They sort of make me keep the brain jars at the hospital where I work, I think because one of the other guys I work with accidentally dropped one on his kitchen floor one time."
The doctor shrugged broadly and grinned. "But there's definitely things of a sciencey, Frankensteinlike nature going on in our basement. Bubbling test-tubes and electronic gizmos and the whole nine yards."
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Post by Jordanna on Sept 5, 2006 23:34:09 GMT -5
"Wow!" Caleb breathed. "Can I see sometime?"
Sid leaned over to give his son a friendly but fatherly poke. "I don't think you'd better 'til you're a little older. He's got his pet monster in that basement, an' it eats little kids." He winked at Hubert.
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Post by skybright on Sept 5, 2006 23:42:27 GMT -5
Hubert nodded gravely and leaned closer to Caleb, voice lowered to a confidential whisper. "It's true. That's why there aren't any small children left in our neighborhood."
He raised an eyebrow at Caddy, who was stifling a laugh, and added "But perhaps one of these days when Caddy's taking the monster for a walk, I could arrange to sneak you in. When you're older, like your father says."
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Post by Jordanna on Sept 5, 2006 23:54:01 GMT -5
"Wow," Caleb repeated in awe.
His oldest sister Tara merely smiled, but Holly rolled her eyes. "Ya big baby. He doesn't have any monsters. He's just a doctor, like our Doctor Grimes."
"He's a mutant-doctor," Caleb countered. "I bet he knows all kinds of--"
Sid's hand reached across the table to clamp over the boy's mouth. "What did I tell ya, kiddo?"
Caleb flushed and slouched a little lower in his chair. "Okay, Dad."
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Post by skybright on Sept 6, 2006 0:05:21 GMT -5
Daws shook her head and smiled at Sid. "Kids, huh?"
Caddy crossed his arms and put on an exaggerated sulk. " 'Just a doctor', y'hear that? I don't even get credit for movin' stuff with my brain."
Hubert raised an eyebrow. "Moving things with your mind, Cadeceus. The power of your brain has been a subject of some debate."
Caddy threw up his hands. "Abuse. Nothing but abuse."
Hubert chuckled and then glanced back at Caleb. "And anyway, even if we don't have monsters in our basement . . ."
The purple-skinned scientist reached over and suddenly plucked a quarter from the air behind Caleb's right ear and handed it to the boy with a conspiratorial smile. "There are still more things in heaven and on earth than are dreamed of in the philosophies of big sisters."
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Post by Jordanna on Sept 6, 2006 21:51:02 GMT -5
Caleb blinked in surprise at the quarter that had suddenly been deposited in his hand, then stared up at Hubert admiringly. "Wow, cool! Can you teach me to do that?"
Vance smiled faintly at Hubert. "There's an unexpected talent. You and Handy oughta swap notes sometime."
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Post by skybright on Sept 6, 2006 22:03:51 GMT -5
Hubert chuckled self-deprecatingly and waved one hand. "I'm sure I'd have nothing at all to compare to his talents. I only picked up the very simplest of tricks when my son was a child. They amused Joseph to no end, though."
His look turned suddenly wistful at the mention of his son, and he turned back to Caleb with a faint smile. "You see, the first thing you do is learn to hold your hand like this . . ."
Daws grinned as the scientist focused his attention on teaching the youngest Rosenstein sleight-of-hand. "You're certainly right, Hubert." She said, thinking of the first week she'd spent in his company, "There are more things on earth than anyone could dream of."
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Post by Jordanna on Sept 6, 2006 22:27:48 GMT -5
Proteus raised an eyebrow at Daws. "Seems like there's an interesting story there. Like you, I'm curious, but I've got enough respect not to pry. Interesting, though."
"Let's just say Doctor Hubert has changed a lot since we first met him," Miriam replied with a smile. "--And for the better."
Finished playacting, at least for the moment, Alex and Grace were taking turns fulfilling song requests from the guests. Alex would mimic a singer's voice if he was asked. However, Grace was proving to be far more popular on this night, thanks to the boisterousness of Vance's ex-soldier comrades.
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Post by skybright on Sept 6, 2006 22:42:28 GMT -5
Daws grinned and glanced sideways at Major Vance. "Looks like Gracie's become a one-woman USO for your end of the resistance, Major." She said.
As Grace finished the last refrain of the most recent request, Daws gestured to Alex. "Hey, Alex," she called, "Can you do 'I Get a Kick Out Of You'?"
Veeru rolled his eyes with a tolerant smile. "You and Sinatra." He muttered.
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Post by Jordanna on Sept 6, 2006 23:08:24 GMT -5
Alex shot Daws a relieved grin, bowed, and nudged Grace away from the microphone, making faces at the rowdies who grumbled in disappointment.
Miriam laughed. "Poor Alex. He's going to get his feelings hurt if he's not the center of attention here."
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Post by skybright on Sept 6, 2006 23:26:08 GMT -5
Daws laughed. "Hey, it's his turf, after all. He can't help it if Major Vance's boys don't get out much."
"Maybe you oughtta start recruiting a women's auxilary or somethin'." Caddy offered helpfully. "Keep them amused."
Daws shot the doctor a playful glare. "You suggesting that women are only useful for amusement, Caddy?"
Caddy shook his head quickly. "Perish the thought. I'm not that particular brand of crazy."
"So much the better for you," Daws grinned and turned her attention back to Alex's singing.
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