22 Unvarnished Reality #22

Senator Kelly's scoff echoed through the grand ballroom as he retorted, "Luckily that is not up to you to decide! I don't know if you've been living under a rock, but here, in this great country, the people decide which hand is most fit to wield power!"

Evan's response was laced with a hint of amusement as he chuckled lightly, unfazed by Kelly's assertive tone. "That is true, but people can be misled by false rhetoric, and I'm here to expose your words for the hateful bigotry that it is," Evan countered, his voice carrying a touch of righteous indignation. The audience's attention shifted between the two men, drawn to the heated exchange unfolding on the stage.

Kelly's eyes glittered with a mix of irritation and challenge as he locked gazes with Evan. "The nerve! To claim my words are false rhetoric when you've just stated that mutants are capable of doing good!" Kelly's retort carried an undercurrent of defiance, his posture rigid as he defended his divisive stance. With a palpable intensity, he added, "Pray tell, what good have those freaks done with their powers?! Have you not heard of the many acts of terrorism and atrocities committed by the Brotherhood of Mutants?!"

Evan recognized the trap concealed within Kelly's words, and he willingly walked into it. He shook his head, his expression unwavering as he met Kelly's gaze with a resolute stare. "As I've said, mutants, like humans, are capable of committing both good and evil acts,"

"The Brotherhood of Mutants is only one side of the mutant coin.." Evan replied evenly, refusing to let Kelly's attempt to corner him succeed. A confident smile curved Evan's lips as he briefly glanced at Ororo before redirecting his attention to Kelly. "The X-Men are the other side of this proverbial coin," Evan continued, his tone steady and assured.

"Not only did they act to stop the Brotherhood of Mutants at every turn, but they have also saved many lives and prevented many tragedies." The room seemed to hang in suspense as Evan's words settled over the audience, inviting them to consider a different perspective.

Kelly's face lit up with a jubilant gleam as he saw Evan walk right into the trap he had set. Urgently, almost dismissively, he shot out his words, "Who are these X-Men, but a group of delinquent and lawless vigilantes?!" His voice carried a tone of righteous indignation as he pounded the table with a sharp thud, his frustration evident. "What gives them the right to take the law into their own hands?!"

Evan's smile remained unshaken, his composure a stark contrast to Kelly's fiery outburst. His response was measured and unwavering, "The Good Samaritan law, among other things... As a senator, I expected you, of all people, to recognize such a simple fact. But I suppose it doesn't matter."

Evan's gaze bore into Kelly's, a subtle challenge in his eyes. "Even if that were not the case, would you rather people with extraordinary powers sit on their behinds while the world burns around them?" The chill in Evan's tone was palpable, a reflection of his conviction.

The room seemed to hold its breath as the tension between the two men thickened. Evan's words were a direct challenge to Kelly's narrow perspective, an invitation to consider the complex moral landscape that mutants navigated.

Evan's voice remained steady as he continued, "If that is the case, then it's fortunate for us all that such a decision is not in your hands." The implication hung in the air—Kelly's brand of prejudice and fear should not dictate the actions of those who held the power to make a difference.

An eyebrow arched with curiosity, Evan pressed on, his voice carrying a note of challenge, "Tell me, Senator, what do you think would have happened if the Avengers didn't rise to action when the Chitauri invaded?" The question lingered in the air, a pointed reminder of the critical role that individuals with extraordinary abilities could play in times of crisis.

Kelly's expression revealed hints of frustration, his features contorted as he fervently argued his point, "This and that are completely different matters! The Avengers are heroes who work hand in hand with the government to protect us all!" His voice carried a tone of certainty, a conviction that his perspective was the unquestionably right one.

In response, Evan's lips curled into a skeptical smirk. With a slow, dismissive shake of his head, he retorted, "Mere sophistry." Evan's gesture encompassed the gathering of influential figures around them, his implication clear. He intended to lay bare the stark double standards that underpinned society's perception of superheroes.

Evan's focus shifted to the crowd, his arm extended in a sweeping motion as he addressed the elites surrounding them. "To the average human," he began, his voice projecting clearly, "someone like Thor is no different than the mutants. Yet, he is venerated like a hero, while the X-men are met with prejudice and suspicion."

His arms crossed firmly over his chest, Evan's stance exuded resolve as he continued dismantling Kelly's arguments. "Not only is Thor more powerful than the vast majority of the mutant population," he asserted, his tone unwavering, "but he is also an alien claiming to be a god of all things. Yet, no one is calling for his expulsion from Earth or worse."

Evan's gaze turned cold, his eyes like ice as they bore into the sea of faces before him, each representing power, influence, and privilege.

"Because, at the end of the day," his voice held a hint of disdain, "he isn't perceived as a threat to those in power. He will carry out his duty and then return to Asgard, leaving their control and status quo intact."

Evan's commanding presence held the attention of the assembled elites, his voice cutting through the murmurs and whispers that had taken over the ballroom. "I urge you to consider this," he began, his words ringing with conviction, "people are a reflection of how they are treated." His gaze swept across the room, each pair of eyes drawn to him by the sheer force of his words.

The gravity of his message was underscored by a faint but undeniable warning that threaded through his tone. The audience, accustomed to polite conversations and superficial exchanges, found themselves confronted by an unvarnished truth that demanded introspection.

"Most mutants only wish to live their lives and be free from prejudice and oppression," Evan continued, his voice unwavering, "But if you persist in treating them as monsters, you leave them with little choice but to conform to the very preconceptions you hold." The room was charged with tension, the truth of his words hanging in the air like a weight.

Kelly, his frustration evident, clenched his teeth in response to Evan's challenge. A vein pulsed on his forehead, a physical manifestation of his rising ire. He attempted to interject, his voice sharp with anger, "Is that a threat?! You dare to—"

Evan's patience had worn thin, his tolerance for Kelly's rhetoric reaching its limit. In a dramatic turn, Evan swiftly pivoted to face Kelly, his gaze locking onto the senator's. With an authoritative boom, Evan's voice reverberated through the room, commanding the attention of everyone present. The cacophony of voices died down, swallowed by the sheer force of Evan's presence.

"I've had enough of your drivel, and I refuse to intertain your bigotry any longer," Evan's declaration was sharp, unyielding. In that moment, it was as if the very atmosphere of the room had shifted, bending to his will. He exuded a power that was both tangible and intangible, a force that silenced even the most obstinate dissenters.

With a controlled yet assertive tone, Evan continued, "I've made my point, and I will take my leave." His words hung in the air, a finality that brooked no argument. A pregnant pause followed, each individual in the room grappling with the weight of Evan's message.

Evan's gaze swept over the assembled guests one last time before he turned to exit the ballroom, his steps measured and purposeful. The hushed silence that followed his departure was a testament to the impact of his words, a fracture in the facade of privilege that had been carefully maintained.

As the attendees slowly began to disperse, a palpable tension remained, mingling with a newfound introspection. Evan's presence had been a disruptor, an agent of change that had dared to challenge the established norms. His words lingered, echoing in the minds of those present, a seed of doubt planted amidst the certainty that had once held sway.

...

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