So we meet again... (CLOSED)

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He sighed brushed his hair back. "Only about a week really. So other than getting into bar fights with you I havent really had much of an opportunity to get out and meet many new people. Anybody in particular that I should meet?"

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"Most of the people I knew when I was here before had gone when I returned, and I haven't met many new people," she paused and sipped her drink, "Since I'm technically still a student, I'm not in a position to run with the big dogs yet, but I'm older than most of the other students, so I don't fit in there, either." She shrugged in a what can you do? kind of way. "What brought you to the institute?"

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He shrugged in return and gave a soft sigh. "I suppose you could call it a little forced coercion from the friends and family at home and at college when they found out that I was a mutant. I guess you could say that didn't really take it so well. So, I was forced out of college, kicked out of the house, and somehow managed to find my way up here a week or two ago. It's really starting to grow on me." He chuckled.

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Betsy frowned. "It blows my mind that people still react that way," she said, an edge to her voice. This was a sore spot for Betsy, not because her family and friends had reacted with hostility, but because it just didn't make sense to her. Like any prejudice, it was willful ignorance, and it was unacceptable. It was Betsy's opinion that, instead of ostracizing a loved one with a mutation, one should be proud of them. It was a gift. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."

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Alec shrugged. "I'm not." He fiddled with his drink and looked up again. "Having to go through all of it has taught me what the real face of human nature is like, and its shown me that I've got to be a lot more selective about who I trust and with what." He looked back up at her. "Its not a bad thing, it was just a painful lesson that I had to learn...but sometimes the most painful lessons are the ones that make you a better person down the line no?"

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Alec had a point. It was through overcoming obstacles and all that other Lifetime Movie stuff that made one a stronger person, and Betsy knew that. "I'm glad you were able to take something positive away from the experience, but it doesn't justify the way people treated you. People have no right to act that way."

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"I agree". He smiled grimly. "And that's why we must teach them." He'd dealt with far too much to continue sitting back peaceably all the time and take trash talk and discrimination from someone who he could quash in a matter of milliseconds.

"By no means am I an advocate of a mutant revolt in the streets...but that doesn't mean that I don't have my doubts sometimes. At any rate, for now its best just to lay low and correct the ones that are wrong only when they are begging for it and when we can get away without getting caught." He recalled the incident at the bar briefly and showed just the hint of a smile through the scowl that had been developing as he spoke. "Which for us is most of the time I guess."

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"I couldn't agree more. Cheers." Betsy held up her drink at the simple toast she'd made. "Though I wouldn't mind a riot in the streets now and again, I think taking them on one at a time might prove a little time consuming." She smiled, though she was only joking slightly. The friends Betsy had been making lately were causing her to change the way she thought about things.

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"I'll drink to that." He raised his glass and downed it quickly. He began to wonder if all the mutants at the Institute were as militant as he and Betsy seemed to be. From their conversation at the bar he realized Betsy didn't know many of the other mutants that well either...but, by her virtue of knowing the location of the club, she had apparently made friends at the Hellfire before him.

"So...know of any like-minded individuals here in town? I hear its always best to hunt in packs." He let out a slightly serious chuckle and wondered what would come next.

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Betsy was new to this game, but not stupid. After meeting with Magneto and Sonic, she felt initiated. She knew there were still a lot of things for her to think about and a lot she would have to learn. She barely knew Alec, though, and had no idea how deep his convictions went. There were plenty of mutants that felt that outrage at the prejudices they faced, but still sided with the X-Men when it came to where the humans fell in the grand scheme of things.

Instead of answering directly, she quirked an eyebrow and said, "In my experience, the thrill of the hunt is better one on one."

She made a mental note to get in touch with Sonic and let him know that Alec may be of interest. As the new girl, she didn't want to assume anything. Plus, for now anyway, she was enjoying Alec's company for personal rather than political reasons.

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Alec took note of her roundabout answer, smiled, and countered with his own. "Or in pairs."

He took another sip of his drink and grinned sheepishly. While this had hardly been the kind of idea or setting that he'd had in mind for a first date, Betsy was beginning to intrigue him. He could only wonder what kind of friends she had met here before and he briefly felt a twinge of jealously as he wondered if she'd met any other guys here before...he quickly shook the jealousy off and steadied his composure as she began to speak again.

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Betsy giggled at his reply. "True enough," she replied, then finished her drink. "So, tell me something non-mutant related about yourself, Alec. It seems like so many of my conversations these days revolve around either politics or genetics, fighting or adjusting to new powers or surroundings... I'd like to have a regular, boring conversation about pets and hobbies." While the idea seemed appealing for the moment, Betsy tended to get bored easily. She motioned to the bartender without taking her attention away from Alec, a skill that stemmed from her being a social butterfly, but seemed somehow unique to her.

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Alec shrugged and smiled. "I'm afraid there isn't too much to tell. As for family and such...well, a lot of that seems like it was years ago for me...and to be honest, I guess I'd rather just forget about them." For once he felt like he could actually be honest with someone, but he didn't wan't Betsy to feel like he was dodging the question. "But as far as I go, I guess I do like a few things besides politics and this whole mutant world domination bit..." He flashed a quick grin, "Music for instance, definitely a lot of the older stuff. Classic rock, classic country, the rat pack...a plethora of things really, but I guess the one unifying quality about them is that they're old. The newer stuff has never really been that appealing to me."

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Betsy nodded, another of her social skills was being an intent listener, or at least appearing as such. When people talked to Betsy, they tended to feel that she was genuinely interested in what they had to say. "I listen to some classic rock, but I like a lot of punk and kind of obscure stuff, I guess." The bartender arrived with another drink and Betsy thanked him.

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Alec nodded. "That's not to say I absolutely loathe all newer stuff, just most of it. I actually enjoy a little bit of punk and obscure stuff as well. Ever listen to the Dresden Dolls or Ludo?" It was a long shot, but those were both fairly newer groups that he had listened to and grown to enjoy.