“Next to music, beer was best.”

[Basil Benson]

"When I was fifteen during winter break."

[Franklin Shinnick]

"I was twelve. When does it usually happen?"

[Basil Benson]

"Some at birth, but many others during puberty. " Basil paused awkwardly.

"I was... a late bloomer in that regard, though I've heard of mutants not developing their powers until as late as 20.

So I got that going for me I suppose. " He laughed.

[Franklin Shinnick]

"There is alot about being a....mutant, that I don't know."

[Basil Benson]

"I bet Jezabelle could teach you lots of things even I don't know." He mused. "She's from Genosha, that mutant island society. They take this sort of thing very seriously."

[Franklin Shinnick]

"Genosha? I've never heard of it."

[Basil Benson]

"It's an island nation populated entirely by mutants that is either a utopian paradise, or a hellhole authoritarian nightmare, depending on who you ask.

Except if the person you ask is Jezabelle Sherlock.

But then again, she has a very unique outlook on many things, it seems."

[Franklin Shinnick]

"Tell me about this Jezabelle."

[Basil Benson]

"Jezabelle is eighteen and a political science student. She's also a member of the Xavier University Pride Society and spends a goodly amount of her free time at rights rallies for the under represented groups. LBGTQ+, Mutants, sex workers, and the like.

Secretly though I like to think she spends a decent amount of her time trolling people online under some shit-poster account she'd never admit to owning." Basil seemed highly amused by this fantasy he'd schemed up, and his tone when discussing Jezabelle as a whole seemed to hold some level of esteem.

[Franklin Shinnick]

"Sounds like a woman who likes a hard fight. What is the Pride Society?"

[Basil Benson]

"It's the LGBTQ+ university club here. She's not President, but she holds a position on the club committee."

[Franklin Shinnick]

"How many clubs are there here?"

[Basil Benson]

"Several, but I don't know them all. The only other one that comes to mind is Chisaki Watanabe's 'Home Team' initiative."

[Franklin Shinnick]

"Home team?"

[Basil Benson]

"It's some club of students who are frightened by their mutations. It's designed to get them acclimated to their usage."

[Franklin Shinnick]

"How bad do mutations get?"

[Basil Benson]

"Bad enough that several students here were actually hospitalized during their introductory phases."

[Franklin Shinnick]

"I didn't realize our afflictions could be so serious. What does the University do for them?"

[Basil Benson]

"I wouldn't quote me on this, but here's how I understand it.

The University isn't the only school for mutants. There's also a secondary school, or a high school as you would call it. That's in the US.

The secondary school does it's best to collect any mutants that really aren't meshing with society for whatever the reason. But there are ones so bad off they're a danger to the other students, or perhaps themselves.

Those students are taken to the Mutant Research Center at Muir.

The University gives Muir patients a second chance at normalcy, provided they can get their mutation under control and adhere to the rules."

[Franklin Shinnick]

"I never knew there were places like this. I only discovered Xavier by chance." Could he have had a chance at a 'normal' life? Franklin wasn't sure how to process that possibility. "I've been a...," the word was so foreign to him, "mutant for years now and have learned how to use what I have but I had no idea there were training facilities."

[Basil Benson]

"All the facilities I've heard of are all related to X-Corp, but I'm sure there's probably a few others I imagine.

Never really looked into it."

[Franklin Shinnick]

"X-Corp? You know alot about this X-stuff. Were pamphlets handed out when you became one?"

[Basil Benson]

"No but... Well, I may be an employee only because of my studies but I am an employee. I figure I should know who's cutting my checks, as miniscule as they may be."

[Franklin Shinnick]

"You're work in the library I presume. I've never had a job before, I just survived."

[Basil Benson]

"I do. A big part of library sciences is on the job training. Because I had the proper certificate, the school does pay me minimum wage while I do so, which is more than the other library science students get.

But there's lots of students working a variety of jobs. Food service, custodial, even in the Union bar. You could always apply for one of those when the jobs open up during summer break."

[Franklin Shinnick]

Franklin chuckled, "I don't exactly have people skills."

He removed his glove and let the electricity flow across his hand. "Besides, I have other ways of making money."

[Basil Benson]

"Tasing people?"