old_saint_nick:

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy.

Christmas Day is a Christian holiday, it's true, but it also has become increasingly secular. It is an opportunity for love, charity, and goodwill.

There is some debate within mystical circles if there is indeed such a creature as the embodiment of Christmas Giving known as Santa Claus. But whether or not there is such a being, the spirit of giving itself is very real, be it incarnated in a fat man in a red suit or not.

Throughout this small blue planet of Earth, people have brought trees into their homes, decorated them with lights and ornaments, and placed them in locations of honor. Stockings have been placed on the chimneys. And gifts have been placed under the tree.

Some are looking forward more to the receiving than the giving. But for many, it is the act of giving which warms them, which fills them with the holiday spirit.

Each person, in their own way, becomes a part of this spirit of giving. Each person, in their own way, becomes Santa Claus.

1407 Graymalkin Lane is well decorated, and snow covers the grounds. A massive tree stands in the mansion's living room, and ribbons or pine line stairwells or the walls. As for the X-Men themselves...

quadrimanial:

It was so good to be back. Sylvie was making her way across furniture and particularly sturdy bits of wall decor, everything just like it was supposed to --  Oh. They moved that chair in the front atrium. She couldn't reach it now.

"The nerve, not preserving everything, amberlike, to await my return," she joked to herself as she climbed down and made her way across the floor. For good measure, she grabbed the chair with her top arms and very slowly but surely dragged it towards its more convenient spot.

nextgen_deviant:

It was time to bring Set back into the world and bring about a new age for the Earth. Mammals would no longer be the dominant species and humans, those foul evolved apes, will be slaves once more. Slaves like they used to be before the accursed Celestials wiped out most of the deviants and lizard men.

The priests knew what needed to be done. One of the special deviants, those modified to better fight for Set, would accompany them and take the brides into custody. Teleporting was much easier now that Set’s influence in the world was getting stronger. The priests did it now with very little effort.

The priests teleported in near the brides, they were marked and easy to find now, and once they were alone, a small spell was cast and the bride went unconscious. The priest’s escort picked her up and the trio teleported back to Lemuria.
It had only taken a matter of moments to retrieve all seven brides.

Once they were back in Lemuria, the brides had been dressed in white dresses and cloaks and prepared for the coming of their lord Set. They were then arranged around the serpent crown and the ritual began.

nextgen_holiday:

The grand ballroom of the Four Seasons Hotel on 57 East 57th street was festively decorated for the holidays. A series of lit candles on every table gave off warm light and the dulcet tones of a jazz ensemble filled the room.

People, the upper elite of New York society, Hollywood celebrities, musicians, politicians and New York’s own superheroes moved around the room. People sat at tables and talked, while some moved gracefully around the large dance floor.

Tables loaded with unwrapped and unopened toys lined one wall and at one end stood a very large decorated Christmas tree. Wrapped presents sat under the tree, but they were just empty boxes wrapped for decoration. Mistletoe hung from the ceiling near the tree and people stopped to kiss.

The air was light and the mood happy and festive.

nextgen_misc:

"They sense us, we have no more time to delay." The magus seated himself on the forest floor. Their numbers had gathered, and they were ready to retrieve the chosen one. The others would not let her go without a fight though. They would need to be isolated.

He reached a clawed hand into a deerskin pouch, retrieving a handful of small bones and scattering them across the circle he had seated himself in. He chanted under his breath, calling on not only the primal spirits, but the collective energy of his people. Slitted eyes came into focus, showing a youth of mind that the grayed fur around his face obscured.

"Scatter."

He, and those around the circle, vanished.

~~~

A wave of magical energy came towards the Xavier Institute like a tidal wave, a roar to those who could perceive it. It came through the walls and struck at Chris and those around her. They all vanished from sight, reappearing in various locations. They would each find an opponent waiting for them as well.

The invaders... well, there was no way around it, they looked like Chris. From ears to tail, they were built on the same model as her hybrid form. A mix of colors, ages, and body-types, but they were fighting a bunch of cat-people.

_tsunami_:

Cait was finally done baking and was giving the kitchen a good cleaning after her marathon baking sessions. The past three days had been spent baking, baking and baking. Saturnalia started tomorrow and she had to finish the baking before then. Cait couldn't exactly go out and buy everyone at the mansion a gift, so she baked goodies. She knew everyone's favorites and made sure to include some of each in her baking.

She looked at the clock. Mom, Dad and Twerp Minor should be here some time this afternoon. They always came for the start of Saturnalia and stayed until a few days after New Year's. There was the obligatory visit to Grandfather William's, which they never looked forward to, but it was one of those things that had to be done. The best part was always the Xavier's Institute Annual Snowball Fight on New Year's Day.

Cait wondered where Twerp Major was as she moved water and detergent across the floor with her powers.

nextgen_misc:

"It is agreed then. The time is now."

A ring of faces nod agreement, each speaking one by one.

"They imprison one of our scouts and pervert our blood for their monsters."

"We only wish to live peacefully, and keep our own domain."

"They hunt and murder their own kind for skin color, powers, beliefs."

"We can make them better."

"One race. One people."

"There will be no bloodshed, only transformation."

The tallest of the group stands, holding up a totem. "The chosen one has already been found. She has the gift to make herself one of them with no aid from our magics. Her coat is the color of royalty. She will be the centerpiece of the Ritual of Transformation. For now, watch her. Take her to come among us when the time is right." The totem blazes to life, and two of the members of the group assume human form. Attendants step forward with clothes for them, and they depart.

"No bloodshed. Only transformation."

~~~~~

Two pairs of eyes follows Chris Grant-Pym as she walks through town with her friend.

little_gabriel:

Gabriel's wings flapped hard as he descended slowly from the sky.  He touched down rather gracefully, as one might not expect, and pulled his wings in from their sixteen foot span.  The mansion looked amazing from the ground level, much to his surprise.  He looked at the building, and then at a piece of paper clutched in his hand.  He had written down the location of the mansion after his brief conversation with Moira the Elder.  "This place should lead me to her..." he mumbled under his breathe as he stepped closer to the front door.  And then he stopped.

"Uh..." he began to fumble with his words and thoughts, even itching his bare foot on his leg while scratching his head (which was quite the odd pose), "Do I knock or just go inside?"

nextgen_misc:

The city of London was seeing something straight out of a few horror films. A combination of a Romero zombie film and An American Werewolf in London, sort of. Zombies shambled and shuffled through the streets of London searching out delicious, juicy, squishy brains. Howls drifted up over the sounds of the city from North Surrey in the south to Enfield in the north part of the city. Werewolves and zombies littered the streets and the citizens rightfully locked themselves inside. Any civilian outside was considered fair game and prey to the monsters now roaming the city.

A seedy looking man stood outside of Lillywhites in Piccadilly Circus holding what looked to be a piece of very old parchment. He read the page and the unlucky citizens that happened to be passing by transformed into werewolves or zombies.

icallnopowers:

Back at the Institute again, clutching a slightly ragged bundle of daisies. Art was still at their place; he had business to take care of, but could handle it alone for now.

And there were some things Leech had to do. He knocked on the front door.

marvel_girl:

Rachel was not, to put it bluntly, in a good mood.  She was practically fuming, as a matter of fact.  She stomped down the halls of the mansion, muttering to herself under her breath.

As she did, objects around her would fall of the shelves they were on, as though pulled by invisible hands, all the while golden-yellow energy danced around her eyes.  Picture frames would tilt, tables would slide, all kinds of small phenomena.

"Gaaah...." she muttered, as she reached the bottom of the stairs.  "He makes me so crazy sometimes..."

nextgen_holiday:

“We need to be more grateful. I think there is no true character without gratitude. It is one of the marks of a real strong character to have a feeling of thanksgiving and gratitude for blessings. We need more of that spirit in our homes, in our daily associations, in the church, everywhere. It doesn't cost anything, and it is so easy to cultivate.” - Ezra Taft Benson

In America today is a day for being thankful for the things in people's lives. Today was a day to celebrate family, friends, prosperity and health with food, family and friends. It is a time to reflect on what is important us and to recognize the gratitude we hold for having those things in our lives.

princessbruiser:

Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.

Looking at the gates, Molly Hayes knew one thing off the top of her head.

This place was freaking huge.

"Of course it's huge Mol," she mutters under her breath, pulling her bags up the front door like they weigh nothing. Which, to her, they don't. "There's like, a billion and one other people here." Well...maybe not that many people.

A nervous feeling sat in the pit of her stomach. And Molly was not one to get nervous. The Runaways would be the first people to tell anybody that. She punched the Punisher in the gut when she was eleven years old for Pete's sake!

And yet, here she was, palms sweating, heart pounding, stomach twisting into knots. What if no one liked her? What if she didn't fit in? What if she screwed up royally on a mission? Good Lord, what if Wolverine remembered her as that girl from all those years ago that told him he was a big, stinky, jerk? Man, Chase would never let her live that down...

Chase. Molly couldn't help but feel a little pang in her heart when she thought of Chase. And the rest of the Runaways. Was she really doing the right thing, leaving her family in California behind to join the X-Men? Then again, Nico had been the one that told her this would be a good idea...

She could turn around. Tell Professor Xavier thanks but no thanks. Go straight back to Los Angles and her family.

Molly shook her head. No. That wasn't an option. She was offered a spot on the X-Men, and she was going to wear that uniform with pride.

Swallowing her fears (and praying that she didn't hurl all over whoever opened the door), Molly rang the bell.

nextgen_media:

“We interrupt this regularly scheduled program to bring you breaking news from Times Square. An apparent bank robbery gone wrong has resulted in the deaths of at least eleven people at the 1515 Broadway branch of Bank of America. Witnesses report that a masked man entered the bank and held the patrons at gunpoint. The details of what happened next aren’t clear, but it appears the robbery was stopped when a mutant teenage boy lost control of his powers and killed everyone in the bank. The boy fled the scene and remains at large. If you see this boy please contact your local authorities immediately and do not approach him. He is considered extremely dangerous. “

“As you can see behind me, crews are still cleaning up the site and authorities have the area cordoned off and are prohibiting anyone from approaching the bank. Traffic is at a crawl through Times Square and police are suggesting that commuters seek alternate routes.”

“Anti-mutant demonstrators and pro-mutant demonstrators are already on the scene. Police are trying to keep the demonstrations peaceful, but tension is running high.”

redheadspy:

The trip to Moscow went rather smoothly. With all the kids in the jet, she would have expected some chaos, but after an hour or so in the air, they settled down. Some even slept, which was the best thing they could do with the timezone changes and all. Natasha read reports her nephew sent and had finished the stack of papers by the time they arrived in Moscow in the early morning.

The kids were given a car and driver along with a security detail and were given most of the day to explore Moscow. Natasha spent most of it with her nephew and his finacee. There was a brief meeting with Putin that she somehow managed to get through. Was it bad that she still wanted to shoot the man?

Dinner was a grand affair. A formal banquet with all the trappings and all of the kids were on their best behavior. There wasn't even any bickering between Misha and Anya. Natasha would take the small miracles when she could.

After dinner they retired to their rooms for an hour to change and freshen up. Natasha slipped into her second dress and made a quick call to Tony. Then she headed downstairs to the ballroom.

mishaloganovich:

He got the email from Mom, sent back the information, and now had to tell Cait the party was in a matter of days. And that he'd volunteered her to go shopping with Mom. Tomorrow afternoon.

Mom enjoyed a certain reputation. Misha wanted to make sure that Cait knew it wasn't as bad as they said.

nextgen_misc:

All Hallow's Eve, or Halloween as it has been come to be called, is a popular holiday with children and adults alike. It is a holiday that had its roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain or Summer's End. Samhain celebrated the end of the "lighter half" of the year and the beginning of the "darker half".

On this evening the barriers between this world and the Otherworld were believed to be thin and the spirits, good and bad, of the dead could pass through. The spirits of the family's ancestors were welcomed in while evil and bad spirits were warded off by the wearing of masks and costumes. The costumes and masks disguised one as a harmful spirit and avoided harm from others.

It was also a harvest celebration and time to take stock of food stores for the winter. Livestock were slaughtered and the meat prepared for storage. It was the final harvest of the year and the crops were then stored for the winter. Celebrations included bonfires and tales of the family's ancestors.

It was a celebration of the dead and of the harvest.

Today we dress up in scary and not so scary costumes and masks and go door to door for candy or attend costume parties. It is a night for revelry, pranks and fun.

Xavier's mansion was decorated appropriately to celebrate the holiday. Spiderwebs (fake of course), jack-o-lanterns, ghoulish dummies of witches, mummies, vampires and other images right out of horror movies were strategically placed. Artificial smoke floated inches above the floor and swirled around objects and legs. There would be very few trick-or-treaters because of the relatively remote location of the mansion, but it didn't stop the inhabitants from celebrating.

_tsunami_:

It was less than two short months away until Saturnalia and Christmas and that meant Cait had to start getting gifts for her family. Thankfully the family combined both holidays to make the gift buying easier on everyone, but it was still tough. Cait had very little money as always, so she had to get inventive and make her own gifts.

She knew the perfect thing for Corey, she just didn't really have the skills to make it. It was down to bribing someone to help her. Cait knew the perfect person.

Humming and armed with a plate of freshly baked cookies, she went hunting for His Royal Highness.

_tsunami_:

The Ides of October found Cait in the kitchen at Xavier's baking various types of cookies and even a few pies. The Ides weren't something they celebrated here in the States, but back home they still kept a few of the traditions alive by celebrating. The Ides of October were always her least favorite. The chariot race was always fun, but the slaughtering of the October Horse was not and Cait hated it.

This year instead of watching a horse get killed, she was in the kitchen baking.

nextgen_media:

Los Angeles, California - Does LA have a new resident god? A man showed up in LA calling himself the son of Hercules and had saved some citizens from a bus whose brakes had failed. Could this man be the son of the Avenger and one time LA Champion Hercules? Will he be teaming up with LA’s own team of gods, the Defenders? There has been no official word from the Defenders, but don’t be surprised to see the Olympian battling alongside the Defenders soon. Will the arrival of this god spark more interest in the pagan gods and their religion like the arrival of the Defenders has? Time will tell. CONT on PAGE 2C

Moscow, Russia –The Kremlin today announced the engagement of Tsar Mikhail to Miss Tatyana Sergeyeva. This comes as no surprise as the Tsar and Miss Sergeyeva had been spending a lot of time together in the past few months. Details of the wedding have yet to be released. CONT on PAGE 6F

Washington D.C. – Senator Sloane (R – New York) is trying to initiate talks about mutant registration in Congress. So far there has been opposition to the discussion on both sides of the aisle, but some senators are starting to lend their voices to Sloane’s idea. CONT on PAGE 2A

New York, New York – Billionaire Tony Stark is believed to have been released from the hospital and is now in residence in his posh Manhattan penthouse. There has been no word or comment from Mr. Stark and all efforts to reach him have failed. Mr. Stark was injured in an explosion…. CONT on PAGE 4B

New York, New York - In a press conference today Margaret Donovan-Stark announced that Stark Inc has new contracts to develop and provide the United States military with the latest generation of weapons. Stark Inc. had stopped weapons production years ago when Tony Stark, then CEO, had decided to take the company in a new direction. CONT on PAGE 2A

New York, New York – Reverend Phillip Butler announced today that he will be holding a special memorial service for the victims of the recent bombings of homeless shelters in the city. Reverend Butler has invited all to attend this special memorial service. The service is to take place at the Bowery Mission, the site of the latest bombing. CONT on PAGE 3A

ng_purifiers:

Its all neatly organized and legal, they have the permits to speak, donors and supporters lined up to help legitimize the event, and plenty of television coverage. There's no direct association with any movement or politics - that would be improper, but the Church of Purity is high enough profile to get plenty of guests and coverage of their own, and the Reverand Butler is a rather sympathetic figure in many eyes, having spoken passionately on his cause ever since the deaths of his family. When the noise dies down, he begins to speak. His voice is quiet - he's not a fire and brimstone type, always noted for his soothing voice and long temper. The power of his words comes more through true conviction and personal charisma.

"First, I want to welcome you all here today. As a religious figure, politics is always something of a tricky subject to address appropriately, but I assure you, I am not speaking for or endorsing any candidate. Instead, friends, I am endorsing responsibility and accountability. The topic of registration for the parahuman, and especially mutant population has arisen again in the halls of power. Now I know, many people have pointed to the heroics of some of America's 'super beings' before, and noted that these events helped to table talk of a comprehensive registration act. I want to tell you about another hero. My oldest son served his country. He served overseas, putting his life on the line daily for God and country. He was a decorated veteran, specializing in urban security. As such, he was one of the brave soldiers asked to take on a dangerous assignment - providing peacekeeping services during the trial of Magneto as part of multi-national forces. Indeed, sworn statements from half a dozen attendees, including two of the court officers will attest that it was due to Jason Butler and his unit's services that day that their lives were spared when the trial came under attack by mutants identified only as Fenris. My son's services... my son's sacrifice. You see, he, and a dozen other peacekeepers, brave men and women all, died that day, caught in a conflict between forces they could not comprehend or hope to confront. And while he was credited with saving lives that day, as well all know,Magneto also fled the building afterwards. Its a story we've seen again and again... I am not asking you to unduly punish those born with these strange abilities... but to require them to be held accountable for their actions. Our brave policemen are given more and more restrictive rules in how they do their jobs. And many 'bad men' are freed each day for some lapse in procedure. Our soldiers and security overseas have been questioned and put on trial. And yet time and again, these X-Men, and Brotherhood, and whatever else these secret socieities call themselves defy authority, refuse to be held accountable for their actions, and hide behind code names and secrecy. And yet we hear time and again, they feel they're persecuted and put down... and maybe they are. But the road goes both ways, my friends. If America's mutant population truly wants equal rights... then let them come forth and say they are no better than the rest of us. That they are willing to accept that they are part of something greater... America, including its laws and restrictions. If they wish to style themselves heroes, people... I do not denigrate that noble intent... but let them act like heroes! Shadow vigilantes that we cannot discern from terrorists are not heroes. Those of noble intent... truly, I will stand beside. But so long as no one knows their names, they hold no one but themselves accountable for their actions, they hold themselves as a higher force than our soldiers and police... and so long as we cannot even know who among them was responsible for the deaths of many of our real heroes... how can they ask us to accept them?"

He pauses for a drink of water, nodding thanks to the stage hand, then turns back, the murmuring silenced. "Today, ladies and gentlemen, I stand behind and with the mutant population of America... let us give them equal rights. Let us make them a part of the society we hear so often they claim holds them apart. Let us support mutant registration, not to separate and destroy, but so that we have a means to make them a part of the process... so we can tell the heroes from the villains, so we can punish the guilty and thank the virtuous. People fear what they do not understand. Let mutants come forth from the shadows, and let us know them, not as Magneto, Brotherhood, Fenris, X-Men... but by names. Not merely to punish the guilty... so that perhaps before I die, I can know and confront my son's murderer... but so too that we can thank those who truly have the best for humanity in their hearts, and know them, and strive for true equality. If they truly wish equality with all other men and women, then first, friends, they must submit to the same authority the rest of us live under, that our police and soldiers account to. We cannot allow them to both claim they wish to be equals, be known as just another person, and allow them their cloak of mystery, letting them act without regard to law or accountability. Yes, my friends... today, I stand with what mutantkind has so long claimed they wished... I plead with you to support the registration act as is grows... that we can truly be equals."

_tsunami_:

When Moira had inquired about where she could get a new backpack and some new clothes, Cait saw it as a perfect opportunity to go into the city. They had been cooped up at Xavier's since the Mojoworld stuff and Cait felt like the walls were closing in on her. Even though she spent most of her time down by the lake when she wasn't a few miles down the road at class at the local community college.

It was time to get out and for some freedom.

Cait talked to Uncle Scott and had gotten permission before sending out a text to all the other girls at the mansion. Then she thought about it a minute and sent out a page to the boys. Might as well include them as well. The girls couldnt' be the only ones going stir crazy.

When the specified time arrived, she was waiting by one of the school vans. It was nice being one of the older students who had a driver's license at times.

_tsunami_:

The air was warm and the sun was bright making it a perfect day for a cookout to celebrate Labor Day. Classes would start on the 8th (for those going to college they started a week ago) and it was the last chance to kick back and cut loose before hitting the books.

At Xavier's Institute For Higher Learning tables had been placed out around the pool and the large grill fired up. Burgers, hot dogs, sausage, ribs, corn on the cob, pasta salad, salad and fruit salad were just some of the food available to eat. Soda, water, fruit juice and other beverages were on ice.

Cait had even gone as far as going into the woods yesterday and made some garum. It was a surprise for her brother, the twerp liked the stuff, and making it near the mansion was not an option. It was currently in a small container on the table.

She stood on the edge of the pool and made different water sculptures unpon request. Yes, once and awhile a sphere of water would "just happen" to get out of her control and soak someone.

dream_catcher:

Lucas is usually the picture of self assurance. He doesn't seem to have 90 percent of the awkward of the typical teenage male. Learning a degree of mastery over telepathy and magic at the same time, while being fairly physically adept and active for his age has a way of helping. There's one thing that he hasn't got quite the same degree of confidence on though - girls. There just weren't many his age on the reservation, and he's had to spend a lot of time on his studies.

So its with an unusual bit of hesitance that he heads into the girls' wing and lounge during the day, when its proper to do so and all, obviously in search of someone or something.

ng_mojoforce:

It had been a long two weeks in New York, but in the end they had managed to get quite a few recruits for the new shows. Now that they were just about done here in New York, they'd be heading off to Los Angeles. There were always people looking to be the next big star in that town and recruiting should be easier.

The screening process was slow because the boss didn't want just anyone in the shows. He wanted people that would deliver action and most importantly ratings. Not your everyday ordinary Joe Schmoo off the street would do. The boss wanted people with charisma, or ones who could provide a lot of action. Mutants were great for the latter and they couldn't just come out and ask people if they were mutants. There was a battery of very specific questions and then a small "screen test" to see what they could do.

So far the boss had been pleased with the ones that had been found and sent back.

They had two more days here in New York and then it was off to Hollywood where the pickings would be better and easier. Sweepzweak couldn't wait to get to Hollywood where sun and beautiful women awaited.

_tsunami_:

The days ran into each other and Cait didn't know how long she had been here. She had been pulled out of the cell and taken to a large room. Mojo, the fat disgusting blob from the X-Men's files, appeared before them and informed them of what they were going to do. Cait recognized Ben, Sally, Jenny and Raven as other Xavier students who had gone to the so called audition. They had all been abducted like she had been.

Mojo wanted them to star in shows for him. At first they all refused, but after a few days locked in cells in total darkness they had changed their minds.

Each morning they were pulled out of their cells and put in front of cameras. Cait had no idea what the others were made to do, but she was put in an aquatic setting and forced to fight sea monsters. By the end of the "shooting" she was exhausted when they put her back in her cell. What barely passed as food was slid under the door and she ate it before collapsing from exhaustion.

In the morning the routine began anew.

_tsunami_:

Caitlyn Drake woke to darkness all around her. At first she thought she was in her room at Xavier's, but the hard cement floor told her otherwise. Clearly she wasn't there or at home in Nova Roma. What happened to her? The last thing she remembered was going to the audition for the new teen drama show and then...nothing.

Where was she and how long had she been here? They were questions she couldn't answer at the moment, but ones she would get answers to.

She closed her eyes and sought out any water source nearby. None. Not even in the air. Either the air was desert conditions dry or her powers weren't working. She couldn't sense a drop. The reason why she couldn't became apparent when her hand went to her throat and brushed across cool metal. An inhibitor collar. She was screwed and definitely not in the good way.

She sighed and tried to stand up. A groan escaped her. Her muscles were stiff and sore from lying on the hard cement floor. Her hands went out in front of her as she searched in the darkness for a wall, sliding her body across the floor. When she found one she leaned against it for support as she climbed to her feet.

Now what?

_tsunami_:

The thought of the audition would leave her mind. Cait had tossed the paper away, but she knew the ad by heart including where and when she needed to be if she wanted to do this. She did want to do it. The more she weighed the idea, the more she wanted to do it.

When the day came, Cait called a cab and went into the city.

nextgen_media:

Hollywood, California There’s news of a new teen drama coming out of Hollywood and it’s being reported as being the next big thing. Scripts for the first few episodes are in and now the roles have to be cast. The production company has announced that there will be casting calls in Hollywood, New York, Miami, Chicago, Dallas and Las Vegas. People interested in auditioning for the show should go to the shows website at http://www.newteendrama.tv for details.

New York, New YorkIt seems like New York’s pranksters are at it again. This time they have unleashed their mischief on Times Square. By some means, dozens of people, citizens and tourists alike, were made to believe they were mimes. People were unable to speak and were only able to use pantomime to express themselves. The citizens and tourists were turned back by some mysterious means and the culprit of this dastardly deed still remains at large.


New York, New York Sources have it that there has been a shake up at the top level of Stark Inc. Tony Stark, now former CEO, is still out of action due to last week's car bombing incident. Sources inside of Stark say that an unknown half-sibling of Tony's appeared almost out of nowhere and swooped in to take advantage of Tony's absence. Stark Inc stock fell when the rumors started but has since stabilized, still well below the price from before the bombing. CONT ON PAGE 2.

nextgen_misc:

"When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

Across the great nation of the United States of America people everywhere celebrate the freedoms that they enjoy, the history, government, and traditions of the United States with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, political speeches and ceremonies, and various other public and private events.

_tsunami_:

It was a classic, yet very good, prank. Little brother wouldn't know what was going to hit him. The little twerp deserved it.

The prank had taken some time to put together, many items were needed, and she had to save up enough money to buy the required items. Thankfully they were cheap and she could get quite a few of them. At fifteen had been purchased. Then there was the time she needed to set them all. The hardest part was hiding them. Fifteen alarm clocks, all set to go off at different times, were a lot to hide where they couldn't easily be found.

Once Dirt Boy was out of his room, Cait went to work.

nextgen_misc:

"He didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it." Clarence Budington Kelland

"It is easier for a father to have children than for children to have a real father." - Pope John XXIII

"Fathers, like mothers, are not born. Men grow into fathers and fathering is a very important stage in their development." ~ David Gottesman

princess_mutt:

Moira Hrimharisdottir, in human form, wearing plain brown clothes and a leather coat, crouched beside her sister near the lake at Xavier's. Granny -- that being Lady Doctor Moira Ann Kinross Mactaggart, Midgard's Greatest Physician as she'd proudly told the children of Asgard a thousand times -- was inside talking to the Professor. She and Danielle had thought it best to let them discuss some things alone.

If Granny thought it would be best for them to stay here, she must suspect anything she could do for Danielle would take a while, Moira knew. No quick fix, even from Midgard's Greatest Physician.
Danielle nuzzled her a little, obviously nervous, and Moira silently scritched her behind the ears.

nextgen_misc:

It was just another normal day at Xavier's Institute For Higher Learning. Or was it?

nextgen_misc:

Every year at the end of the school year there was a dance held at Xavier's Institute of Higher Learning. It wasn't a prom so to speak because all the students were invited, not just the juniors and seniors. This year the students were asked what they wanted to do and the consensus was that they wanted to take a trip instead of holding a dance.

Their destination, they decided, was Rome and they would be there for a week.

Rome provided many museums and historical sites for an educational benefit, but it also had many clubs and other spots for entertainment. The days would be spent taking tours around the historical sites and museums around the city. The students would be allowed to go out at night. The older kids would be allowed out on their own, while the younger ones would be allowed out with a chaperone.

Logistics were worked out and a floor of a hotel in the heart of Rome was reserved. Airline tickets were purchased and the students were transported to the hotel.

Ten hours later they stepped off the plane in Italy and were taken to their hotel to freshen up.

_tsunami_:

Cait was practicing with her powers out on the lake. She stood on the surface of the lake and moved water all around her. Columns shot up into the air to crash back down, whips shot out and struck targets on the shore, tall waves rose from the surface only to disappear as quickly as they formed and small spheres rose from the surface before turning into ice daggers and went flying at the targets on the shore.

In her book there was no such thing as too much practice.

_tsunami_:

Caitlyn was sitting on the shore of the lake and playing with the water. She spent more time down here than she spent in her room and she liked it that way. One could never practice with powers too much. Today she had a dozen small spheres of water orbiting around her as she sat and thought about how she was going to tell her parents she didn't want to go home to Nova Roma for the summer.

She loved her home, she just found New York to be more exciting. Professor Xavier said she could stay here for the summer and be an X-Woman now that she was graduating. There was also the option of college. She had been accepted to two smaller schools in the area and one in the city. She just had to decide on one and what she wanted to do.

Cait hated making decisions. She was a more of a "go with the flow" kind of girl.

She concentrated and increased the speed of the spheres as they orbited around her.