Christina tried not to watch openly as a boy was marched into the training room. She'd not seen anyone apart from the scientists in almost a week - save for a glance of a six-year old boy leaving the training room one day - and it was hard not to gape at someone her own age. He was accompanied and seemed to be monitored by Dr Hagueson, the guy she had guessed was the head scientist around here, so she guessed he must be someone pretty special.

She wondered who he was and why he was here. Did he have a 'different skill' too? What could he do? Her question was soon answered when he began to focus on the chunk of metal laid before him. The team of scientist that were supposed to be monitoring Christina had turned to stare at the youth and so Christina was free to stare at young man without fear of scolding or punishment. He had clearly had had it as rough as her - he wasn't exactly sporting a fresh haircut - but despite this, she could still see signs of a handsome man lurking beneath the layer of dirt. Then again; maybe her lack of human contact with anyone apart from balding, middle aged scientists was clouding her judgement.

She felt her jaw drop as the metal began to severe as if ripped open by giant, invisible hands. It seemed to break apart until it was nothing but a shower of sparkling particles suspended in mid air, swaying into mesmerizing patterns. Everyone appeared to be holding their breath as the hypnotic process took place before their very eyes. Christina felt her eyes drawn to the man himself; he was concentrating, hard, but a slight grin was gracing his features, as if he truly enjoyed doing it. Christina wished she felt the same way about working with her ice. She only associated it with fear and punishment. What he could do...was incredible.

She was forced to turn back to her own task, as the scientists snapped at her, glaring. She turned her attention back to the glass of water stood on the stand and raised her hand. She could feel the raw power pulsing around her body but an elastic band of fear kept it from spilling out - every time she tried, she would instinctively draw it back into herself. This carried on for several minutes until the scientists began to clear their throats impatiently. If she didn't manage it, there would be punishment.

But she couldn't. She needed a degree of emotion with which to control her ice and right now, all she felt was numbness. She shook her head defeated and Dr Granger grabbed the collar of her shirt, pressing his face near inches from hers. His eyes were glittering with anger. She felt her cheeks blush; a small part of her was painful aware of how all of this was in full view of the young man. The only person who didn't automatically dislike her would know she was a failure. It's not that she couldn't do it - she could feel the raw energy, flooding her limbs, desperate to be unleashed - but she didn't know how. It felt like something was blocking it somehow. It's not like any of this scientists knew why.

"Not quite trying hard enough, are we?" Dr Grange said sharply, his lips curling in distaste. 

Christina stared back blankly. Any fear or anger had long since drained from her. She nodded robotically. Dr Granger, seeing his method wasn't yielding any results, let go of her and pushed her roughly back onto the cross. She stumbled slightly but kept her balance and resumed her focus on the glass. This time, she allowed a tiny flicker of sadness to leak out, feeling her eyes well up. She could see the top of the glass rapidly frost over with ice. She pulled it back again and stood, waiting.

"[i]Hagueson gets the metal prodigy, who could probably move mountains and we get this one - who can barely chill a glass of water[/i]", he muttered to one of the other scientists, who nodded in agreement. How awful for you, Christina thought bitterly but she kept her mouth shut. Verbally voicing any complaint was more trouble than it would be worth.

Because the scientists were always right, of course.