Who: Raven, Professor X, Pete Wisdom (and Open) Where: New York City protest rally When: Saturday, May 18, 2013 (backdated) What: A Protest Rally turns ugly, Professor X is at a loss, then Raven drops in and is all "All your rage are belong to me!" Rating: PG-13 for crowd violence.
They had a number of celebrities who were speaking at the demonstration, people trying to demand the overturning of the law, some even minor stars in pop culture. People cheered and waved their signs as someone walked off the stage to Lady Gaga's "Born this Way" and the hostess introduced the next speaker, Professor Charles Xavier.
People weren't too familiar with Profess Xavier other than that he had done a great deal with the organizations that aided in promoting mutant welfare and equality, along with being a large donor to such organizations. They found the bald figure in the wheelchair odd compared to the more energetic speakers who had preceded him. Few would deny that he was a powerful speaker, however.
"My name is Charles Xavier. I am a mutant. And once upon a time I had a dream... of a world where all Earth's children, both mutant and baseline human, might live together in peace. This isn't it. This is today's reality."
He continued speaking about the folly in people seeing boundaries and differences between each other, when the future was so full of hope and possibilities, that the outdated prejudices needed laid to rest for all, mutant and human together, to take steps forward together. All the while he spoke though, his eyes traced a few people moving in the crowd. Their malevolent thoughts were all too easy to sense. He looked at where they were taking their positions, and even as he continued speaking mentally messaged the lead officer in charge of organizing security at the gathering.
Sir, please do not be alarmed. There is trouble in the crowd. I have identified no less than twenty men who mean to cause serious trouble and endanger those gathered.
As if I don't know. Xavier stopped speaking in mid-sentence, looking to the side of the stage where the lead security officer was giving him a mean smirk and a mocking salute. And stay out of my head. Freak.
An imposter. Charles looked to the crowd, sitting forward in his chair. "Everyone! Please move to safety! We're about to be...!"
But it was too late. The thugs pulled thin masks up over their eyes and noses, and dropped the tear gas and smoke bombs. Chaos erupted throughout the confused crowd. The fighting quickly spread, and soon the crowd was a violent mob.
Nononono... He looked out helplessly from where he was, knowing he could reach forward and demand everyone's cooperation. But he cringed at the idea, and closed his eyes instead as people started to jump onto the stage.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The last protest she had been to had been more fun than she had thought it would be. Raven hadn't thought they would be at all, but sometimes they were so full of positive emotions...
This one, though... There was a great deal of positive, yes. But a few ugly traces worming between those hopeful, happy emotions. She tried to trace them, but in the confusion of the crowd, she was having trouble picking out whom without opening herself too much.
Then the chaos... The smoke stung her eyes, made her stomach roll in protest. People were coughing and there was confusion and panic and pain starting to bombard her. And violence. Hateful violence, like an ugly black infection rotting through the crowd and eating away the happiness that had been there. Raven swept upward into the air, looking down at the smoke and bodies moving like a frothing sea of chaos below her.
It was flooding her, devouring her. She could feel it start to tighten her belly, feel the coils of darkness in her start to tremble and rise, expand. All the anger... All the rage... All of it emanating from everyone and pulsing through her.
Too much... too much...
"ENOUGH!"-NUFF""-nuff...
Her layered, powerful alto echoed over the crowd, her hands out and cloak unfurling. A wind edged with ebony swept from her, pushing back much of the smoke choking the crowd below. Then she looked down, her eyes glowing a bright white underneath her cowl and pulled on the anger seething beneath her.
The crowd did stop, staring up, feeling the numbness wash through them as the anger was pulled from them. Some methodically moved away from their attackers defensively, but most just stood, confused and bewildered at the twist on their emotions. Raven hovered in the air, cloak whipping as though by a hot, angry wind, then curled her hand up close to her sternum, grimacing.
She let her soul self take her, the black shape winging away from the numbed crowd.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Xavier looked up at the woman with astonishment. She had done what he would never have dared do, and already the people's thoughts were stirring toward how bizarre and... invasive that was, though they could not feel anger at it. Not yet. Their emotions to anger and indignation were slow in returning.
By the time he wheeled off the stage, the police had arrived, and the crowd was dispersing. The rally had come to a sudden halt as people tried to piece together what all happened and who was responsible and how many injuries there were. Firetrucks had people sitting nearby, breathing oxygen and checking head wounds. News crews were showing up.
It had all gone terribly wrong...
He closed his eyes, fingertips to his temple as he tried to trace the woman in the cloak.