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Post by KittsMitts on Aug 31, 2024 7:23:22 GMT
The X-Factor podcast occasionally hosted guests – from prominent global mutant figures to local celebrities and friends. Whether they were a mutant with a story to tell, or someone with enough influence who was willing to meet them on their level, the pool of potential interviewees kept growing. A good thing, too – there was always a new anti-mutant sentiment popping up. The more they got and kept people talking, the more public and normalized they were, the safer they could make things for mutants who couldn't hide. Their guest today, though, was not a mutant. He was just a man. Matias Jacinto made a great guest for X-Factor for juuuust enough reasons that it hadn't taken much prodding from Kitty to get Scott to agree to invite him on. Not only was he currently the largest hiring body of mutants in the world, but he was also a prominent public figure and fiscally ethical celebrity who'd been incredibly well-spoken and outspoken about issues that mattered a lot to Kitty. She'd been researching his previous interviews – she didn't want to ask too many of the same things, but also wanted to get some specifics on things he'd only touched on in the past, alluding to or outright stating a history with discrimination that made him sympathetic to others from similar walks of life. The issues many other interviews had skirted past to remain fluff pieces were exactly what Kitty wanted to dig into. She was confident with a guest like this, their audience would feel the same. Kitty Pryde was dressed for success going over talking points in her head as she waited outside of the gate of the Xavier School. When possible, they invited guests to record in their in-house studio, and though it wasn't far from NYC, she was still elated when she'd gotten his 'Yes.' Scott was still finishing some audio set up he'd insisted on trying (that she'd undoubtedly check over once she got back), so she was alone at the gate waiting to see in their guest of honor. |
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Post by Countess on Aug 31, 2024 14:42:55 GMT
Matias steps out of his car onto the gravel driveway, dressed perhaps a bit ostentatiously. It is a good color for him, magenta, and he chose it rather specifically. He knows his audience here, and wants to give the impression of someone not... too... dangerous. Not the frightening owner of a private army. No, not that at all. Be a shame if he came to this place, a school of mutants, and did anything but be approachable. He has put the darker sides of him deep within the recesses of his mind, locked away in case any pesky mind readers decided to go for a swim. That wouldn't do, to have his nature known... He has had no trouble so far with the telepaths of the world, perhaps his more animalistic traits made him difficult to read. "Ms. Pryde?" Matias asks, lifting a hand to shield his eyes from the sun. He smiles, something a little goofy and disarming. Practiced. Perfect. A hunter learns to blend in. He has arrived in a Toyota Prius- hybrid and not a luxury car. He is a practical man in regards to cars- his first had been a Ford Bronco, and he still has it. Calls her Veronica. He was dragged from it. Matias whistles, his eyes going past her to the mansion. "Beautiful place to grow up," he comments, then returns his gaze back to her. Matias has done everything he can, and then some, to repress his more feline side... He isn't exuding that aura of fear, but it comes at the cost of the lobotomization of his Instinct. If he is legitimately in danger, it will show, but everything else... crickets.
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Post by KittsMitts on Sept 1, 2024 4:31:46 GMT
'Just don't be a fangirl, Kitty.' Her hands clasp in front of her as Matias pulls up, the closest she can get to sitting on them. In spite of her self-control, there is an excited spark behind her eyes and smile when he steps out of his car. She notes the practical option, and politely takes in his outfit with an air of approval. He smiles, greeting her, and her polite smile widens to an amiable grin as she steps up to meet him.
Kitty's look follows his eyes to the mansion, then comes back at his compliment of it. There is a streak of pride she doesn't bother hiding in regards to it; it is not her accomplishment even with the parts she contributed, so she feels no shame being proud of all that's gone into it. And the state it's managed to remain in despite countless repairs and rebuilds...
"Yes. It certainly was," she agrees. Felt like a sunk cost fondness sometimes, but a fondness nonetheless. She holds out her hand for a shake. "Mr. Jacinto. I can't express how exciting it is to host you. Thank you for coming all this way – And please, call me Kitty."
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Post by Countess on Sept 1, 2024 16:07:38 GMT
"Then please, call me Matias. I'm excited to be here, too," he offers her, smiling still. He takes her hand, and he does that very American squeeze. It isn't too harsh of a grip, simply pleasantly firm. "The drive was a nice change of pace- I haven't gotten to come to upstate New York in a while," he says, letting her hand go and motioning to the gate. "Mind opening her up for me? I'll give you a ride back to the school," he says, looking down the driveway. It isn't that terrible of a walk, but he is polite enough to not make her take it alone.
"Kitty," Matias murmurs, a bit of humor on his tone. A private joke, for him and him alone. "Forgive me- I have a fondness for cats, and seem to keep running into strays," he says, smiling as he thinks of the cat he found in his home... "What will we be going over today? I went over the talking points, but I like hearing it from my interviewer. Are you still willing to let me plug a couple of my pet project philanthropies? I made sure they did not discriminate against powered individuals, X gene positive or no."
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Post by KittsMitts on Sept 2, 2024 17:20:38 GMT
"Matias, then."Kitty smiles at that, a private accomplishment getting checked off in her head. Her handshake is similarly professional and warm, strong in her own way. "Oh, yes,"she turns when he mentions the gate and sinks her arm through a thick post. She leans a touch towards it and though he cannot see her hand there are motions like she is tapping something. She holds the position for a few seconds, and then the gate starts to open and she extracts the intangible arm for a pleasant clap of her hands together. "I'll take you up on that offer."
She moves to the side of the car as he speaks, looking at him curiously over the hood. "I didn't know you were a cat person,"she says, tone shifting to more conversational now that the initial pleasantries were done. Even in the return to the work-related subject, her tone and expression remain serious but personable. Comfortable. "Right. We'll be going over your status as the current highest employer of Mutant workers, your own perspective on Mutants taking part in everyday life alongside non-Mutants, and what in your own history led to the forming of that perspective. We can go as shallow or as deep as you like, and if there are any subjects you would prefer I stray clear of, please let me know and we can skip any question that might pertain to it."Kitty pitches expertly.
"We want to have a conversation, and that can go many directions. It's a controversial subject, and your company is one of the prime examples to the students that there is a life out there that doesn't have to center around fighting for our right to exist. More to life than being an X-Man," she continues. It is clear this is one of her passions.
"And please, plug away. Your philanthropies are one of many reasons I trusted we could invite you on,"she finishes and her more serious expression breaks into a warm, knowing smile again. She has been following his work, and she's okay with letting him in on that. Letting him see a sliver.
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Post by Countess on Sept 2, 2024 17:55:21 GMT
"Mark of a good man, no?" Matias asks, not really looking for an answer. "Cats represent the divine feminine. You can tell a lot about a man by how they think of cats, how they treat them, how cats react to them, and so on," he says, then smiles. "Or so my mother told me," he adds, giving a shrug to suggest that while he listened to her, he doesn't think it is the god honest truth.
"Is that the appropriate term? Mutant?" Matias asks, polite as he follows her to the other side of the car, taking the time to open the car door for her. "I have heard a couple, I want to be sure," he says, closing the car door to walk around to his side. It gives him time to think- what is off limits? His lips purse slightly. Things she wouldn't know about, couldn't possibly know to ask about. To all the world, Matias is a normal man.
When he gets back into his car, he pulls it out of park. "Perhaps a safe word is needed?" he asks, then chuckles a little. "For my own benefit, of course. I listened to some of your other interviews, you can be..." Matias starts, looking for the right word. "Ruthless," he finally chooses, and he seems to think of that as a positive aspect. "However, I will know the boundary if we hit it. Evolving consent, and all of that," he says, pulling up on the drive. His eyes are on the road, but his lips are curved to a small grin. He's flirting, harmlessly, but it is there.
Matias hums slightly in thought, an almost purr. "Everyone deserves a life on their terms, as long as they don't use it victimizing others," he says, and for a second, the beast flickers to life. His knuckles go white on the steering wheel, then it passes. He relaxes. No more slip ups.
The car gets parked appropriately, and Matias is quick out of his place to open the car door once more for Kitty. It isn't anything to do with her gender, but his respect of her. Mother raised him old fashioned, but he took some things and left others behind. If Kitty were Scott, or Logan, he would have done the same.
"Perfect, Kitty," he says, her name a low rumble in his voice. "I have been looking forward to this, I admit. Would it be appropriate to ask for a tour? Once our business is concluded, of course. I am very... curious. Never went to boarding school, and I hope it isn't like the military," he says, chuckling.
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Post by KittsMitts on Sept 5, 2024 7:47:18 GMT
Kitty's eyes light with recognition. She'd heard similar anecdotes, and the fact it came from his mother (and that she hadn't come across it in her research of him) had it feeling like a glimpse at something more personal. There's a lift to her cheeks, a pull to her mouth that accepts his feelings on it with humor. It was a warm tale, if only that.
Kitty is already expecting to reach for the door when it becomes evident he's going to. Surprised, she automatically (goes intangible and) brings her outstretched hand back to her side to move out of the way, letting him complete the gesture. “Mutant is what I am," she answers. "There are others: Homo Superior, Metahuman, X-powered... Some people prefer to mince words, I don’t. Mutant is the most accurate. I'm as much a Mutant as I am a Jew. Dancing around it is pointless, and just gives people the power to use it against you." The Star of David on a thin silver chain around her neck catches the light as she lowers herself into the car. It is a beautiful day out.
They get in the car, she tucks her legs to the side and arms across her lap to be comfortable in the seat, and she listens as he drives them. Her eyebrows raise automatically at the mention of a safe word, mouth curling up. Her expression relaxes back down as he continues, and Kitty smirks. They’d had a few less than savory guests on, and as a result she’d torn more than a few assholes. He doesn't give any indication he wants her to tone it down, so namesake pride swells in her chest. Not to mention this wasn't her first time around the block, and she knew flirting when she heard it. Well, that's an ego boost. "Of course. Communication is the most important part, I respect that. You've been very open - I'm sure I'll follow your cues just fine," she answers, a pleased pink brightening her blush a smidge. Poking the lion and meeting his energy.
His serious tone is a surprise given the playful nature he'd had, but as it echoed her own feelings on the subject she found her brow furrowed in agreement over an unpleasant piece of the world rather than any concern. He could be an intense person. So could she. It wasn't something she had any right to feel critical of. "I couldn't agree more," she says, her own intensity softened compared to him, and the mood shifts back to where it was before. They pull up, and she once more is turning towards the door to the car when she spots him coming around again. In truth, she could just phase out, but he was her guest, and he seemed determined to do this. Most importantly, it didn't feel like it was diminishing his respect towards her. If he started throwing coats over puddles or shielding her delicate sensibilities, they'd have to have a talk.
"Thank you, Matias-" Kitty turns in her seat, knees poking out of the door and looks up at him when he says her name. There are a couple stray butterflies she didn't quite squash. She glances down to step out with her heel to the driveway, and is able to look back up at him a mere moment later when she stands with a warm, friendly smile. "Of course! It'd be my pleasure." She... can't help but let a laugh slip at the military crack, one that's full of too many stories to get into. "No. Dorms and Phys Ed instead of Barracks and Boot Camp. Though our gym teacher might disagree..." she says amicably. For a moment, her face grows serious.
... Students are encouraged to learn to defend themselves. A byproduct of the world they are born into. And learning to control their powers is a fundamental every student is taught, but we are not a military." ... anymore.
Then she is all smiles again, and turns her upper body towards the building first, arms coming forward to indicate the large door up the front steps. "Well, with that, Matias! Follow me." she says, only then fully turning to walk them up.
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Post by Countess on Sept 5, 2024 21:30:53 GMT
Intangibility... such a useful gift. Matias muses to himself for a time. He is careful not to let his thoughts wander to places they shouldn't, keeping to the light of the Here and Now. So- for now- he is with a lovely young woman, preparing for a conversation that hopefully won't turn into an interrogation. She would have to do a great deal to make him sweat. No- this likely will just be like every other interview he has been in on this topic, granted she might be decidedly biased in his favor. Doesn't hurt, does it?
"Mutant. Thank you," he says, nodding his head in her direction. His eyes are caught by her necklace, stowing that information away. It doesn't bother him, nor does it change his perspective of her. Her people have struggled doubly so, then. Trauma has a way of imprinting itself into genetics, changing who an individual is and all those that come after them. He, too, comes from a decimated people. She is lucky she still has her God- so many of his have long since died. Only a scant few remain.
Matias gives her a smile when he is allowed a tour. He has no nefarious intentions, of course. Children are sacred. He politely laughs at her quip back, and he raises his hands in surrender. "I don't have it in me to go through that again- how about we skip the gym?" he asks, chuckling.
Ah, yes, back to seriousness. She doesn't fault the school, nor her, for teaching self defense. He is curious about that, wondering what exactly they are taught. Martial arts? Weaponry? Firearms? If he had to venture a guess, Krav Maga. It is a good defensive martial art developed from street fighting- and what the Israeli military excels in. He knows it well. It works well for women, he imagines it would work well for children, too.
"Lead the way, Kitty," Matias says, motioning to the building. There is something about the way he says her name, that hint of a Spanish accent... It clashes with the somewhat lopsided and goofy grin he has on his lips, but pairs well with his smoldering eyes. He had made her blush once, he figures the best way for him to leave a good impression is to keep gently toeing that line.
"I take it you went to school here as a child?" Matias asks, walking in step with her. He has a heavy, almost feline grace to him. His feet barely make a sound as he walks carefully. "I have to ask, it is what I have always asked in these situations... is the food any good?" he asks, grinning. You can tell the quality of a place by how they feed their own.
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Post by KittsMitts on Oct 8, 2024 2:44:14 GMT
And lead the way she does. Kitty's stride is confident, every step of the familiar path muscle memory. She doesn't fight the flattered lift to her shoulders, or the lightness it adds to her walk. In kitten-heeled pumps, she's light on her feet (ready to run at a moment's notice), and her smile is pleasantly complemented by the lingering light pink on her cheeks. They are already heading up the stairs when they exchange words further.
"Yes - it was a smaller operation then," she answers. The food question has her laugh loudly - not that she'd held back before, but this was warm and full. "Back in the day it depended on who was cooking. Ororo was always the best - Logan and the Professor... well, for a Canadian and a Brit they could've done worse," she said, expression shifting colorfully with the genuine nostalgia the question had conjured. "We would usually commandeer the kitchen from one of them at least once a week. Some of us took more creative liberties than others," she says, a false primness intentionally failing to disguise exactly who that might have been. Coyness aside, she opens the door for him and goes on: "Now things are more... organized. Can't say I don't miss the mayhem a bit, but I can't knock the results."
Kitty follows him inside, letting him take in the entryway for as long as it felt he was looking before indicating the stairs. "We'll be on the second floor. To the right."
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Post by Countess on Oct 9, 2024 16:12:18 GMT
"Sounds like home, like a family," Matias comments. Found family is what many of the younger generations hold onto, and he understands the merit of it. He has one of his own, brothers and sisters in arms. He wonders if she is close with her family. All too often, there is a great rift between a mutant and their parents. His hands flex briefly, something possessive and dark trying to surface. "I am sure you have many stories, both kind and unkind. Family has a way of doing that, when they are truly kin," he says, merely saying words now to fill the silence for just a moment. His focus is elsewhere, pulling tight the strings that keep him together.
"Liberties?" Matias asks, laughing easily. "Do I want to know?" he asks, looking to her as she opens the door for him. He gives a bow of his head in thanks. Heeding her directions, he follows them to a tee. Taking in the entryway doesn't seem to be what he is one to do, but even a glance in his direction proves he is clocking every single entryway, every window, every person. She has been with people like him, people who simply cannot turn off that side of them, the threat assessing side. Be it military, X-men, or simply trauma, it is how they move through the world.
"A fine place to learn," Matias says, walking up the steps. He says it quietly, breathing deep for a moment. Everything is dulled, colorless. There are still notes here and there, children, chemical lemon, deodorant, perfume, to many things mingled together. If he felt he could, he would let loose a little, but this is a place of telepaths. Untrained, nosy, and powerful telepaths, at that. He fears the trained and moralistic ones less so.
Dig enough, you'll find anything you like in someone's mind.
"How long do your interviews usually last?" Matias asks. "I have a free afternoon, for the tour of course, sans the gym..." he jokes. "If things go well, I wouldn't mind coming back, speaking on my business. We are always hiring, though I promise not to head hunt," he adds. "We have a fine graduate program, similar to the military, and I can pull strings in certain colleges or universities. If your students can be discrete, many will look the other way," he says, knowing the prejudice. "There are also online schools now, a viable option for those who do not have the luxury others do."
Matias blinks, then laughs, opening the door this time for Kitty. "Forgive me. I am a very mission or goal oriented person. I've barely stepped in, and already I see work to be done, action items for myself. Tell me if I am overstepping, Quetzalcōātl knows I can be... overbearing."
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Post by KittsMitts on Oct 21, 2024 2:17:46 GMT
Kitty's smile only grows in warmth. She nods at the caveat - she knew the truth of it intimately. "It is a Family, in the ways that matter. The good and the bad,"she confirms. Her tone shifts colorfully often, but for that moment it is soft and accepting. She grins mischievously at his comment on her liberties. "Let's just say the week they invented edible glitter was the best week of my life, and maybe the worst week of Scott's."
She follows his gaze, not surprised at his bearing. In an unfamiliar place, given his background. A handful of students are meandering, chatting or heading to class, and they get a small smile and greeting as they cross their path to the stairs. Kitty has followed their path with her eyes, trying to determine if they're heading where they're supposed to or cutting class when Matias chimes back in. Her chest swells with pride. Those students slightly further away do a poorer job of disguising their active googling and whispering about Matias. Though the mansion was less isolated than it used to be, it was still a boarding school. New faces always generated a buzz.
They climb as he speaks, and she finds herself pausing on the landing as she takes in the information and offerings. She continues after him, once again relying on muscle memory to tread the familiar path as she is already running through lists of students and categorizing who may benefit from his connections. Her mind is organizing the ideas by relevance like a spreadsheet, when he catches himself (and therefore catches her). His laugh pulls her back to the present instead of the future, and she laughs along with him.
"Nothing needs to be forgiven. I am entirely on board with all of that –– Forget overbearing, I promise I've already got enough ideas to make your head swim,"she says with a sharper grin than before, more akin to how she felt when he commented on her interview style. He'd activated that same goal-oriented part of her brain, and she was very clearly a woman awakened. One thing stood out in particular, though...
"Quetzalcōātl? The Aztec God?"she asks, then holds up a finger. "Actually, hold that thought. I'm dying to pick your brain some more, but that's what the interview is for. We've got plenty of time; To answer your question, they typically last a little over hour once the mics are on, but there is no set time we need to get this done in. We're open as long as you are today. Speaking of..."
Kitty stepped into the room, nodding in thanks at the opened door, and calls out to the man already there, "Scott! Our guest is here. Meet Matias Jacinto."
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Post by Bixir on Nov 1, 2024 23:36:42 GMT
Scott Summers was a man who had an opinion for just about everything, and twice (or even thrice) that when it came to the podcast. It was his pride and joy, and just as much Kitty's, too. Every episode was special, even when it was mostly to promote local charities for mutants and other minority communities (especially when Coffee A-Go-Go was hosting events...). Matias Jacinto was no exception. Scott had made sure to do his research, and he was (genuinely!) looking forward to getting to know the man himself. Security was a touchy subject, and no less for the X-Men. It had taken some convincing on Kitty's part to get him to play along. Even he had to admit that they needed those voices here...
...that, and seeing him in the flesh, Scott had a couple other ideas as to why Kitty had wanted to do this interview. Scott was at the door nearly at the same time that the two of them were coming into the recording room. Scott, as ever, dressed mostly formally, from the blazer to the baby-blue button-down to his teaching slacks. He offered his hand to give Matias a firm, friendly shake. "Matias. Welcome to Xavier's. I trust the welcome wasn't too chaotic?" He gave Kitty a quick side-eye behind his red glasses.
The room itself was plain, but well organized. Equipment had already been set up, and mics were arranged at the table. There wasn't much to look at, but it was, after all, the school's recording studio that they rented out for the occasion. It got the job done, and with three people, it was just enough to not feel crowded.
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Post by Countess on Nov 7, 2024 2:46:33 GMT
"I don't mind answering about my faith," Matias says, laughing at Kitty's exuberance. It is good natured and natural, he slipping perfectly into the people facing persona. When he walks into the space they will be recording in, he takes everything in. The equipment is of fine make, finer than he would have expected when the building gets demolished almost yearly. The kids deserve good things like this, but even more, they deserve safety and normalcy as much as they can have, at least.
Next, he assesses the other man in the room. He moves like someone who can handle themselves in a tussle, body muscular in that way, too. It makes sense- he has seen videos of the man and his abilities.
Matias takes Scott's hand, firmly shaking it back. It is a pleasant pressure, not painful in the way some men feel they need to exert themselves in a bid for dominance. Matias has nothing to prove here, not like that. "Scott, pleasure to meet you," he says, letting go of the man's hand. "Not chaotic at all, Kitty has been a fine host. I've even bargained for a tour after this," he says, smiling in a rather disarming way. He has practiced it so many times. It is slightly lopsided, goofy even.
"I am ready if you two are," Matias says, looking over to the sitting arrangement. "Where would you like me to be?" he asks, deferring to them.
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