Mᴜᴛᴀɴᴛ Aᴘᴏᴄᴀʟʏᴘsᴇ 6: Tʜᴇ Vᴀʟʟᴇʏ

07 || 𝐀𝐍𝐙𝐄𝐍

Bayard and Leonardo are face to face, shoulder to shoulder, hip to hip as they walk to the front of the school and seat themselves at an outside table. Bay's horse is grazing on some fresh grass on the school's lawn, being watched over by Leo's guards.

The new man Leo had just met sits down, folding his hands in front of him on the table as he looks at the blue-eyed reptilian solidly. "Look..." Bayard began. "I understand you're protecting yourself and your people." He paused, sighing deeply and trying to find his words-- all he could do was laugh nervously at Leo. "Well, I think I should start off by welcoming you to Spokane."

Leo nodded respectfully. "Thank you, Bayard."

"Sure, of course. So," Bayard begins again. "What brings you to Washington, Leo?"

The leader of the high school chuckled at that question, revealing his smile to Bayard for the first time. "That's complicated. It's a long story."

"I like long stories." Bayard says to Leo.

Leo shrugged, figuring out how to start off. "My brothers and I are from New York. We met some friends, lost our father, traveled and... it's all a bunch of sh*t, really."

"I'm sorry to hear about your father, mate." Bayard says. "My greatest condolences."

"Thanks," Leo said, redirecting the conversation on Bayard. "What about you? Where are you from?"

Bayard gladly answered Leo. "Boise, Idaho. When the apocalypse began, I came here to help some friends. Soon, I realized it was safe to...well..." He trailed off, holding out his palm to show Leo he is a mutant, too. Bayard's palm formed white ice crystals with a small stream of fog arising, the material cracking lightly. "I'm an Ice Manipulator."

"You're a mutant." Leo smiled at Bay, watching him close his hand.

"Indeed." The man grinned. "I'm not a danger to you or your people, Leo. Here in Spokane, we help each other."

"Who is 'we'?" Leo asked him.

"Ah," Bay cleared his throat, crossing his arms before continuing. "There are more communities here in this city. Seven of them in all--well, eight now that you are here."

"S-Seven?" Leo stuttered. "There are others here? How many?"

"Quite a bit." Bayard replied calmly. "Most of us are mutants, though."

Leo looked down at the table, seeing out filthy it is, infested with debris from nature. "So, it's true; humans are fading away?"

Bayard nodded sadly. "Yes. It's only a matter of time until they're extinct."

Leo had no idea that humans were going to see a future of going extinct. He began to wonder if they're weak beings who don't deserve to be on this earth or if the infection just attacks them more than mutants. "Man..." Leo mumbled, hearing Bayard's horse snort.

"It's terrible, I know." Bay said, getting back on track with the previous topic. "I lead Central Valley High School, or as we know it, Woodward-- a mirror replica of University High School." He noticed that Leo was having a difficult time taking all of this in and leaned forward on the table, feeling the wind tickle the tops of his hands. "Leo, maybe you should meet the other leaders. It'll do you some good."

Leo nodded in agreement. "Maybe, yeah."

"I can arrange a meeting, but first things first--" Bay is interrupted when he heard his radio go off on his hip. He responds to the noise by speaking into it. "This is Bayard, go ahead."

"Bayard," Says a male on the other end. "Our patrol spotted a few mutants and horses heading to North Side. We got an update and they're there. Cormac says they belong to the newcomers at University. They're safe, too."