[h3][i]Freddie Blackwell[/i][/h3][hr]Freddie was rather relieved to learn that Mari had theatre studies with Miss Brown. The teacher wasn't particularly special, as far as he was concerned; Freddie didn't quite understand how an American teaching Shakespeare could possibly be a good idea, but she at least seemed competent. And of course, the arts were his forte, and studying alongside Mari only sweetened the deal. If his memory served him well, they would be allocated their roles for [i]Macbeth[/i] today, following last weeks auditions. Freddie had auditioned for the part of Macbeth himself, of course. He was always the lead, after all, and he expected it to be no different at Corrigan.

"Seriously, I can’t wait to be done with this place, every day is the same routine." Mari spoke up, and Freddie nodded in silent agreement. The girl already knew that he shared her stance on this forsaken academy, but even had Freddie wished to discuss it he did not get the chance. "Speak of the Devil..." Mari cursed, causing Freddie to look in the direction of her frustrated gaze.

Fen was heading right for them, smiling somewhat oddly. In fact, as he drew closer, Freddie's anxieties waned a little... Something seemed off about him, of that much Freddie was certain... Though he couldn't place what. In all the times he'd met Fen, he'd felt this strange, near-sinister pull, enticing him to draw closer like a moth to a flame. But now..? ...Nothing.

“You two wouldn't happen to be going to that party later, right?" Fen asked. As he spoke, Freddie only grew more intrigued... Why was Fen acting so... [i]Different[/i]? "Because I'd love to see you there." he finished, winking at Freddie. Even without that strange aura of his, Freddie couldn't help but swoon silently at the gesture; the world smudged and melded briefly, and whilst it seemed that Mari was delivering a particularly sassy response, Freddie registered not a word of it. He barely noticed the arrival of Jack, though that much was not entirely unusual. The son of Catwoman was notoriously stealthy.

It seemed that Jack suspected 'Fen' of being an impostor; more specifically, he pinned the blame upon that troublesome Martian, S'tann S'tonn. Freddie's eyes narrowed in anger for a brief moment, ready to unload his various frustrations upon S'tann in the form of a venomous barrage. 

"Why, you wretched bast--" he began, before being cut short as a pair of hands slid around impostor-Fen's body. Soon enough, the head of real-Fen poked over the doppelganger's shoulder; Freddie was certain of the authenticity this time around. The real Fen just oozed a certain magnetism that was... Well, it was completely unmistakable. Freddie gawped mindlessly, his mouth open ever-so-slightly as Fen shamelessly caressed himself, purring sultrily all the while. It was almost too much for the British teen to handle, his cheeks flushed with rosy pink. 

"C'mon, Freddie," Mari insisted, though the boy was powerless. He was utterly transfixed upon the display the two Fens were putting on, that he hardly noticed her get up and leave the table. A short moment later, Fen kissed himself on the cheek and released his grip on the doppelganger, and Freddie began to regain composure. Wanting above anything to avoid conversation with Fen, especially following the heated scene, Freddie made his escape.

"M-Mari," he muttered, the girl already way out of earshot. "Uh, wait up!" he said, hastily rushing to his feet and hurrying out of the mess hall. Though, unbeknownst to Freddie, he had left more than a half-eaten apple at the table: his black leather satchel remained tucked beside his seat, forgotten in all of Freddie's flustered disposition.

When he got outside, Mari was nowhere to be scene. Freddie had learned that she had a tendency to move quickly, given her ability to float above the ground, so he was not entirely surprised. He was grateful in some ways for the cool chill of the Autumn air, but the persistent drizzle was simply ghastly. It was a fair walk to the liberal arts wing, and Freddie did not intend on being crowned as the production's lead role looking like a drowned rat.

Collecting his thoughts, Freddie focussed as much concentration as he could muster as he looked to the skies. It was a welcome distraction, for as he watched the dull grey clouds begin to part and dissipate, so too did the tempest within his own mind; allowing him to push aside those thoughts of lust and homesickness that had bothered him all morning. As the rain finally stopped, Freddie made his way across the lawns, the sodden grass squelching unpleasantly underfoot.

Upon arriving in Miss Brown's classroom, Freddie instinctively pulled up a seat beside Mari. He grinned sheepishly, trying his best to avoid the judgemental side-eye of disapproval that the half-alien was giving him. 

"What?" he laughed. "What's a lad to do?" he asked, batting his eyes at her playfully. "I am a man of simple needs." he joked. Then, he grinned mischievously, recalling the events of last night. "Speaking of which! You vanished rather swiftly last night, madame." he jibed, his voice full of implicit ideas. "And a little birdy tells me she had the place to herself!"

Seeing Mari's reaction and knowing they had a short time before class began, he assumed the stance of a seasoned gossip: one leg crossed over the other and his chin resting upon his palm as he looked at her expectantly. "Come now, you saucy minx," he insisted. "Spill!"