[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/ky8aDHU.jpeg[/img][/center]

Ben had finally gotten his Uncle Matt to drop him off at the skate park. He had been hoping he could go to Venice Beach, but Matt hadn’t wanted to go there. Another day he supposed. This skate park was near the school. 

Danni had suggested that Ben could probably make friends at the skate park, but so far he hadn’t had much luck. He had gotten some time on his wheels, which was what he wanted more than anything. He had also started asking around for what the parkour scene in the area looked like. There were some options, which he was thankful for. 

To Chase, there was nothing more freeing than feeling the wind against his face, the ground beneath his wheels, and the sound of them rolling against the pavement. It was one of the few pleasures Chase had nowadays, especially at night when the world was asleep and he was unable to doze off like the rest of them. His eyes were closed as he fell down the bowl, using the sounds and feeling to help him navigate when to open them next. But just as he did, he spotted a familiar looking Bug Boi off to the side, board in hand though all alone. The second Chase's board went airborne, a shadow opened up before him and he vanished, the sounds of his wheels and board appearing behind Ben as he pressed back to stop and twirl around him. [Color=585c74]”Sup Bug Boi? I didn't know you skated.”[/color]

Ben did not know what to think of his luck. This guy was from the stands at the Contest. He hadn’t expected to meet him here. He had sort of hoped that the guy was going to go to Strange Academy or something. Of course he was transferring to Margret Carter. He frowned, realizing he had never gotten the guy's name. 

[color=cde0e1]”My name is Ben. You know you never told me yours.”[/color] Ben moved up in the line as it progressed forward for the next person to have their turn in the bowl. 

Chase held his board behind his head, hands dangling from over the top of it as he walked backwards to keep Ben in sight. [Color=585c74]” Oh Riiiiight. Big Ben the Bug Boi. I'm Chase by the way.”[/color] He said with a sly smirk as if his name was some sort of secret. 

From out of the bowl came Marlena, riding on a board that went down, then up, and [i]over[/i] the entire park for a brief moment. She practically flew overhead, her feet miraculously sticking to the board as if she had stuck magnets in her shoes earlier that morning. In the air, she lazily turned 360 degrees, and came falling back down. The wheels hit the surface of the bowl, and she went back the other way.

She flipped again, only forward this time, then caught the board in her hand, and landed on one knee. That was a trick she was still working on, and she’d made progress with it so far. With a satisfied smirk on her face, she walked away from the rim and into the direction of the line.

Ben ignored Chase for a moment as he watched Marlena do her trick. He was in fact impressed. He did wonder if she used powers to get it to work. But couldn’t be sure. He turned back to Chase.

[color=cde0e1]”Alright,”[/color] Ben said. He wasn’t sure what else to say about it. At least now he knew what to call Chase. Other than annoying popcorn guy. 

Chase let out an impressed whistle as he turned to see what had snagged Ben's attention so fiercely. He recognized the girl, she'd been at the victory party after the contest, something Bug Boi was oddly not present for. He ruffled Ben's hair before motioning for him to follow. [Color=585c74]”That was a sweet trick, I've [i]gotta[/i] know how she did that. C'mon I wanna talk to her.”[/color] For some reason he didn't wanna leave Bug Boi behind. He looked a bit pathetic all alone waiting for the bowl, and a skate park was no place for lonely bullshit. 

[color=b940da]”Who, me?”[/color]

Marlena flipped her board around, rolling the desk across her wrist like a stick and letting the momentum carry it up into a resting position against her shoulder. Marlena was wearing a black button-up shirt t-shirt, printed with roses all over it. Half a dozen bracelets of different varieties hung off her wrist, and a pair of sunglasses were draped around her neck, suspended by a yellow rock necklace.

Ben seriously considered staying in line for his turn. He was a few people away, but it was a short enough line that he didn’t mind losing his spot. If he had gone to Venice Beach he probably would have cared. He also wouldn’t be dealing with Chase. 

Ben sighed and followed him. He nodded at the girl. His own board held sideways tucked against him, wheels in, at a slight angle. He wondered briefly if Danni would consider this making friends. Back in London his friends had all just sort of happened because they all lived in the same complex. They were the same age and all inhuman. Their friendship had been one mostly of convenience. But he still missed them. He dropped his board, wheels down and put one foot on it, rolling back and forth. 

[Color=585c74]”Ain't he just a man of many words? That's Big Ben by the way. We were admiring the trick, definitely had to have a bit of power coming behind it yeah? So how'd you do it?”[/color] Chase dropped his board from his shoulders, placing the tip of the it onto his shoe with the bottom of the deck outwards to show off the designs and stickers he'd placed on it over the years. 

[color=b940da]”Give you three guesses.”[/color] Marlena held her hand up a few inches away from her board, and the whole thing began to float out in front of her. She swiped a finger left, causing it to pivot on its side like someone had spun a top.

[color=b940da]”Name’s Marlena.”[/color] She flashed a smile at the quiet dude.

[color=cde0e1]”TK.”[/color] Ben said in almost a half whisper. His powers, while he liked them, weren’t that flashy. Mostly he had ended up with increased proprioception and the ability to talk to insects. If it weren’t for the fact that the insects obeyed him his powers might have been dismissible. Telekinesis was wicked cool though. He wondered what the limitations were for Marlena.

[color=cde0e1]”Nice to meet you. That is a rad power.”[/color] He did not want to explain what his powers were suddenly. He felt a little small. Not just the height difference between him and the other two. They were both about 16 centimeters taller than him. 

[Color=585c74]”Sweet. That's Telekinesis right? I just got shadow powers, no idea if they have a name for that or not.”[/color] Chase held up his free hand as shadowy smoke began to dance in his palm before he snuffed it. [Color=585c74]”It comes in handy at times. Especially for traveling, its [i]much[/i] quicker than walking, and quieter too if I need to be stealthy.”[/color] He did of course neglect to mention his other power, but no one needed to know about it.

[color=b940da]”That’s the one. I like pushing forward and keeping the board to my feet with it. Good practice. You do anything fun with that? As in not sneaky or walking.”[/color] She pointed at the shadowy smoke.

[color=cde0e1]”I think that is just Shadow Manipulation or Shadow Teleportation,”[/color] Ben said. He was thankful that no one had asked what his powers were. It was cool that Marlena could use her TK to control her board.  

Chase shrugged. He didn't pay much attention to the naming of powers really. His own were fairly new, but a major part of him now. Especially with how drastically it altered his body. [Color=585c74]”Oh shit, aren't you also going to Peggy Carter's School for Mystical Delinquents?”[/color] He asked as he looked towards Ben. [Color=585c74]”Bet you've got some super cool power, the quite kids always do. What is it? Super strength? Laser eyes? Wait hold on…you can morph into a massive kaiju!”[/color]

[color=b940da]”Who’s Peggy Carter? I know there’s a [i]Margaret[/i] Carter…”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”What?”[/color] Ben looked at Chase confused. What he was confused about was not the most apparent thing. 

[Color=585c74]”Peggy, Margaret, Maggie, who gives a shit. It's just California's call to heroism. Nothing more nothing less.”[/color] Chase rolled his eyes. 

[color=b940da]”You guys are going there, too? I’m pretty new myself, just got here a few weeks ago.”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”Yeah I’m going. I don’t start till the new year. I just moved out here.”[/color] Ben’s accent indicated he was British. He did not answer Chase’s question about his super powers. 

Chase crossed his arms, dropping his board to the ground and placing his foot atop it as he rolled it back and forth. [Color=585c74]”Same. New rents are making me go, says it'll be good for me. Feels more like community service than anything, but at least it'll be cool to learn powers I guess.”[/color]

A part of him wanted to ask them how they got their powers. Were they born with it? Given them? Or were they like him? One of the many other kids taken and experimented on. His face soured for a brief second before he pushed the thought away. Deciding to himself he wouldn't want to bring the subject up, if only because it would mean they'd want to know the same of him.

[color=b940da]”Pretty much how I got here, too.”[/color] Marlena grabbed her board out of the air and leaned on it like a cane. [color=b940da]”My dad sent me here, thinks it’ll be good for me. Hoping he’s right, since I’m a long way from home.”[/color]

Ben shifted, looking at Chase fully. ‘New rents.’ Implying old ones. Meaning Chase was either a foster, or adopted. Like Ben. He wasn’t sure about Marlena. She said ‘my dad,’ which probably meant her actual father, but not necessarily. Were all three of them orphans? Were all three of them in the same boat? Struggling to figure out who they were in a world where their parents didn’t exist any more. He had felt so lost and unmoored since his parents’ deaths. They had been so instantaneously removed from his life, and he was expected to just keep going. To change everything around him completely and still function like a normal human when he barely found reason to breathe. 

 [color=cde0e1]“My uncle adopted me. He brought me here.”[/color] He nodded in agreement. He was here because someone else decided it was the best plan for him. Uncle Matt hadn’t even considered staying in London. Hadn’t considered letting Ben go to Braddock. Just moved him to the USA, to California, to LA for some other place and school and people Ben didn’t know or care about. Braddock had been the place he was going to go because his friends were going there. Now they were going to go without him. If they saw each other again, like in the contest next year, they’d be on opposite sides of the field. Ben sighed. He didn’t want to skate anymore. 

[color=cde0e1]“Do either of you know parkour?”[/color] 

Chase looked towards Ben. Debating on if he should say what he wanted to say. It was weird, all three of them seemed to have a few things in common, skating and some parental figure said this school was ‘good for them' and dropped them off. [Color=585c74]”Least your uncle took you in. My new rents are total strangers, they're cool though. Even if they put me here.”[/color] He wanted to ask Marlena how far was far? He knew from Ben's voice he was at least from across the pond. But Ben's question took him by surprise. 

[Color=585c74]”I know you have to yell it before you do a trick or you'll fall. Aaaaand that a skate park may not be the best place to do it, but…that can change. Could try and make everyone else here vanish, or make us scarce and head somewhere else.”[/color]

[color=b940da]”I think I’ll stay in Cali for now, maybe another time.”[/color] Marlena liked the occasional adventure, but she knew better than to run off with strange boys she just met. [color=b940da]”Never did much parkour, unless you count the board and wheels. Must be different, climbing building instead of sliding off them, yeah?”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]“Pft. I mean kind of. It’s cool if you don’t want to right now.”[/color] Ben shrugged. [color=cde0e1]“It’s the other thing I do. Other than skating.”[/color] [i]And talking to bugs.[/i] He didn’t want to pressure Marlena. And he wasn’t sure he wanted to hang out with just Chase. With three of them the situation could be a little less intense than it was during the contest. He was warming up to Chase a little. He had no idea about Marlena yet, but she seemed chill. [color=cde0e1]“I think I’ll get back in line for a turn.”[/color]  

Chase raised an eyebrow towards Marlena's comment. [Color=585c74]”I wasn't exactly planning on taking us outside of Cali. I figured just another location or maybe an In'N'Out or something.”[/color] He looked towards the line before them and back at Ben. [Color=585c74]”Wanna skip the line Big Ben? I'm sure they'll let you if I ask.”[/color] He grinned.

[color=b940da]”There’s gotta be something around here that’s less packed. It’s December, did everyone in town just get a board for Christmas?”[/color] Marlena joked.

Ben's uncle was sitting in his car waiting. So Ben didn't want to leave either. The incident at the store had made Matt happy in the end, but he had laid down some ground rules. 

[color=cde0e1]”Nah, no need to break skate park etiquette.”[/color] Ben shrugged. He just wanted wheels down. He wanted to move. [color=cde0e1]“This isn't the biggest park. I think it is just busy because no one has anything else to do. At least it is near the school. It'll be easy to visit.”[/color] Ben was glad the conversation had drifted away from heavier topics. He didn't want to talk about his family or his powers. He just wanted to skate or move. Parkor was his usual way of doing that. 

[Color=585c74]”Skateboards and Puppies. The only two acceptable gifts that people give each other this time of year.”[/color]

[color=b940da]”Clearly, you’ve never been given a copy of Mortal Kombat,”[/color] Marlena sassed. [color=b940da]”Good to see there’s a skate scene in this city, I’ll be content. How often do you guys plan to come here, in the near future? I bet you’ll see me around a lot.”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”It’s close enough to school I’ll be here on weekends and probably quiet school days. It is close enough to home that during the break I’ll swing by as often as I can. Just to get out of the house. It is chaos right now.”[/color] Ben shook his head. [color=cde0e1]”So yeah, I’ll see you around.”[/color] 

[Color=585c74]”I skate everyday, only time I don't come is when I'm told something bad gonna happen. Kinda have to listen to someone who can see the future you know? Beyond that…its how I clear my head, especially at night.”[/color] 

[color=b940da]”See the future? Got some psychic in the family?”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”If that’s the case I’ll keep that in mind. If I don’t see you here, just leave.”[/color] 

[Color=585c74]”Is it really a psychic if its just a mutant power?”[/color] Chase joked. [Color=585c74]”You're cool enough I'd shoot you a text if I knew to avoid it. Can't spend all my life here anyways, and I do skate around.”[/color] He pulled out his phone and went to toss it towards Ben before he stopped and simply just handed it to him. [Color=585c74]”Feel free to add your number.”[/color]

[color=b940da]”Mutants can be psychic, can’t they?”[/color] Marlena leaned over the short boy’s shoulder, pulling her phone out.

Ben held Chase’s phone. He had to think to remember his number since he got a new one when he came to the US. Then he typed it in with his name Ben Moss. He could tell Marlena was leaning over him and he glanced up, waiting for her to copy the number before passing the phone. He offered it up to Marlena if she wanted to put her number in too. 

[color=cde0e1]”Thanks.”[/color] His phone now had two local people in it. [color=cde0e1]”Shoot me a text to let me know who you are. Not many people have my number yet here but I don’t want to mix you up.”[/color] 

Chase shrugged. [Color=585c74]”Beats me, I'm not mutant so I don't really get all of that.”[/color] He took back his phone, quirking an eyebrow towards Ben before texting him so he knew who he was. [i]Hey Big Ben, it's your boyfriend from the stands.[/i] 

Marlena put her number in next. Then she sent a text from her phone, just a skateboard emoji to verify it actually worked and that she wrote it in properly.

[color=cde0e1]”Uh...”[/color] Ben’s face was red hot. [color=cde0e1]”No. I...”[/color] He cleared his throat. [color=cde0e1]”You’re joking right?”[/color] He asks Chase. 

Chase looked at Ben, a smirk on his face. [Color=585c74]”You tell me Big Ben, do you want it to be a joke?”[/color] He handed his phone over to Marlena so she could input her number too, not once breaking eye contact with Ben.

[color=b940da]”You guys need some privacy, or…”[/color]

She typed her number into his phone too, and just gave Ben a knowing look.

[color=cde0e1]”I... I don’t know.”[/color] Ben admitted, answering both Marlena and Chase. He hadn’t really thought about it. He wasn’t even sure if he [i]liked[/i] guys that way. He felt very hot. And crowded. He took a step away from both of them. They were so damn tall. It was a little frustrating. He needed to move. 

[color=cde0e1]”I don’t know.”[/color] He said with a bit more surety in his voice this time. [color=cde0e1]”I’ve known you for like five minutes. Maybe. I’m not against the possibility of that kind of relationship. But I don’t know.”[/color] He was repeating himself. He had seen the text from Marlena come in. A simple skate emoji. He’d know easily it was her now. 

[color=cde0e1]”I’ve never been in any sort of relationship.”[/color] Ben told them. [color=cde0e1]”I don’t really know what all is involved in that.”[/color] He felt like he was spiralling a little now and shut up. 

Chase grinned as Marlena asked if they wanted some privacy. Chase may not have minded it, but he wasn't going to push the subject. He ruffled Ben's hair with one hand before wiping it back off on his pants. [Color=585c74]”Hey no worries! We can take it slow little bug, I'll let your rent know I may take you out to a burger joint some time, see how you feel. The real wine and dine experience…minus the wine I guess. Maybe a Coke.”[/color] 

Ben fixed his hair. He nodded nervously. He wasn’t sure how to proceed. He didn’t even know what to do with his hands now that he had fixed his hair. 

[color=b940da]”Nice.”[/color] Marlena was not a hypocrite, she could hardly judge the quick jump to hitting on someone just after meeting them. After all, she [i]did[/i] have a certain waterbender’s phone number in her contact list as of a few days ago.

[color=b940da]”Speaking of Coke, I don’t think the line’s getting any shorter.”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”Right, skating.”[/color] Ben mentally thanked Marlena a dozen times and moved back into the line. He needed the distraction from the conversation. He had been annoyed with Chase in the beginning but he had grown on him a bit. They had stuff in common. 

[Color=585c74]”Don't sweat it. Future boyfriends got you covered.”[/color] Chase looked towards the line before him, feeling as the luck around him rose. [Color=585c74]”Hey, new kid here's trying to use the bowl, y'all mind letting him go first?”[/color] At once the crowd looked towards Chase, then Ben, then decided to disperse to other ramps and grinds at the park, leaving them the only ones waiting. [Color=585c74]”See? Just gotta ask nicely sometimes. Now go skate your little heart out.”[/color]

Ben looked up at Chase a little surprised, but smiled. [color=cde0e1]”Thanks.”[/color] He moved forward and dropped over the edge of the bowl, a proper acid drop. All the stress and freaking out that he had just gone through disappeared as his wheels hit the concrete. Ben had a regular set he liked to do, he had already done it once here before he had run into the others. But the comfort of the moves felt right, it was almost a form of meditation. Up and down the bowl he went. It wasn’t too long, not so as people would get annoyed waiting. He hit a couple of his kickflips better than normal. And he did a full 360 instead of what would normally be a 180, that had almost thrown him off but he was able to finish his set. He landed and was grinning. Feeling better with it. Of course it had been less spectacular than Marlena, but he didn’t have the powers to make the tricks she did work. 

[color=b940da]”Nice, man!”[/color] Marlena called out when he landed. She remembered struggling with kickflips once, they were always a good trick to see someone else pulling theirs off with ease.

[Color=585c74]”Kinda cute right?”[/color] Chase commented to Marlena as Ben began to skate. He watched him, focused, in his own world. It reminded him of…well himself. How he felt when he was on wheels. When Ben finished, Chase held out his hand in a fist bump. [Color=585c74]”Sweet moves my Big Ben, I didn't know you could ride like that.”[/color]

Ben grinned and fist bumped Chase. [color=cde0e1]”Thanks. I’ve been skating for years, so I'm just new to town.”[/color] He looked over at his shoulder as the line started moving again the next person dropping in. 

[color=cde0e1]”How did that work? I’ve never seen a group of people lined up move aside like that before.”[/color] 

[Color=585c74]”I never said what you were new to. Not my fault if they think I mean skating.”[/color] Chase flashed a smile at Ben, kicking his board up into his hand as he held them both up in a surrendering motion towards Marlena. He began to walk backwards, trying to pull on Lady Luck's might, but struggling to do so at first before he finally felt it click. [Color=585c74]”No idea what you're talking about Mar, I simply just asked.”[/color] He dropped his board onto the ground stepping on it with his left foot as it hung off the edge of the bowl, facing away from it and towards Ben and Marlena. 

Chase dropped down backwards, arms out wide as he let the momentum take him for a bit before he placed more weight onto the back, lifting the front of the board in the air as he swiveled out of fakie and into a normal ride. To those watching they'd see that Chase rode Mondo style, not typical or widely accepted, but neither was he. He ramped up the speed, flying off the side and grabbing his board as he got some air, performing an airwalk into quick kickflip before landing back down. Keeping momentum he shot back up into an Alley-Oop, landing just off where he'd wanted to and having his board snag the corner of the bowl and causing him to fall backwards. Shadows quickly enveloped him and spat him back out at Ben's feet. [Color=585c74]”Look at that,  already falling for you.”[/color] He managed to get out through winces before he laughed at his own failure.

[color=b940da]”You do that often?”[/color] Marlena watched him teleport and eat dirt, and an amused grin was on her face. It was cool that superpowers could be used to ride in unique ways.

Ben rolled his eyes at the cheesy comment. But he offered his hand for Chase to help him back to his feet. 

[color=cde0e1]”With that landing I doubt it. Though, the rest was good.”[/color] He wondered if his own power could be used more for skating. He had found that it mostly was focused on combat while doing parkour but maybe he could expand it. His friends had messed around with that sort of thing but he hadn't gotten to test it out.

[Color=585c74]”Only when there's a cute boy around, so I guess there must be. Unless you mean slink in the shadows, that's a new trick and one I am very very fond of. It's helped me out more times –”[/color] Chase froze for a moment as fresh memories flooded back before he blinked them away. [Color=585c74]” than I can count…Sorry must've hit my head harder than I thought. I'm gonna have a sit, go board if you'd like. Bowl’s all yours.”[/color]

[color=b940da]”Going next.”[/color] Marlena dropped her board to the ground, gave it a kick and leapt onto it. Her knees bent down, pushing momentum into the board. Then, she popped the board up, and careened down the side of the bowl. She kept most of her weight low to the ground, and rose up as she neared the other end of the bowl.

When she began to ascend, Marlena let the laws of physics take the wheel. First, her momentum pushed the board towards her as she grabbed the nose. Second, she started to spin wildly. Like a tire rolling away, backflip after backflip. She pulled three before the wheels of her board hit solid ground once again, rolling away slowly.

As Marlena skated, Chase tilted his head up and looked at Ben, still standing behind him. [Color=585c74]” Man she's so good. I haven't really been in my game lately, mind keeps wandering.”[/color] He paused, watching as invisible gears seemed to turn within Ben's mind. [Color=585c74]So…no relationships before huh?”[/color]

Ben watched Marlena, impressed again by how smooth she was in the bowl. He stood near Chase and when he spoke Ben looked down at him. [color=cde0e1]”She is good. Kind of wish I had seen her before she had powers. Just to compare. I’m sure she was still good though. That skill isn’t coming from any power.”[/color] He nodded to the question. 

[color=cde0e1]”None. Just my mates and I hanging out. There were some relationships in the group that went beyond just friends. But I never had anything. Not even what I’d consider a crush really.”[/color] He thought of his mates, he thought of the schoolmates. None really were interesting in that way. Danni came to mind. 

[color=cde0e1]”Not against a relationship. Not really. I just never found anyone I liked that way.”[/color] 

[Color=585c74]”Makes sense I guess.”[/color] Chase stared forward towards the bowl, a part of him wondered what that was like, having no crushes. He'd had a few, gotten his heart broken a fair share of times and broken others as well. [Color=585c74]”Yeah, she's got a good set, both for powers and skill. I wonder what else she can do.”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”Well, we all go to the same school now. I’m sure we’ll be seeing her around more. That competition was intense. Maybe next year we’ll see her on a team.”[/color] Ben was glad he hadn’t been in the competition. He would not have held up as well as the others. He wasn’t as good at fighting as half of them. The only thing he could have hoped to do was freak the competition out with bugs. 

Chase laughed [color=585c74]”What? You don't want to compete in it too?”[/color] He leaned back onto his hands, staring up once more at the dark curly haired kid. In some ways he reminded him of an old friend. [Color=585c74]”Suppose that means I'll be seeing you around more too. Maybe we'll even room together.”[/color] 

[color=cde0e1]”Not really. I believe there are other ways to be a hero. You don't have to fight to be one. My parents were heroes in their own way. My dad was completely human, but he saved lives.”[/color] Ben shrugged. Chatting with Danni had helped him realize this. He hadn't ever wanted to fight not really, but knowing there were other ways to be a hero felt right.

[color=cde0e1]”Maybe. I won't know till the semester starts.”[/color]

[Color=585c74]”I don’t know, seemed fun though. Being able to let loose with your powers, hero or not. The money is certainly nice at least.”[/color] Chase knew Ben was adopted, recently too from the sounds of what he'd said back at the contest. He wondered how fresh that wound was, how vulnerable he would be willing to be? He didn't have any love left for his own late parents, not anymore, but it seemed Ben still did. [Color=585c74]”What'd he do? Your dad I mean.”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”He was a pathologist,”[/color] Ben said after a moment of hesitation. Maybe if he hadn’t met Danni and already talked about this he wouldn’t have said anything. Or maybe since he knew Chase was adopted too he was willing to talk about it. 

The only pathological thing about his parents was that they were liars. Chase's eyes darted away to the ground. [Color=585c74]”A doctor? Damn, that is hero material huh?”[/color] It was clear he must've liked his father quite a bit, he wondered what that was like. [Color=585c74]”What was it like going to school in Britain? Got funny uniforms or something?”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]“He had a doctorate, but he considered himself a scientist.”[/color] Ben was wishing Marlena was done with her run. She was a buffer. But the change in subject was easier. He could talk about school.

[color=cde0e1]”Yeah we had uniforms. They were pretty standard. Modern outfits. The school had a lot of normal people and a mix of students that might be something else. But the education was good. Better than what I've heard about here.”[/color]

Had Ben been holding Chase's hand, he would've felt how cold it ran the moment he mentioned his father being a scientist. A bit of panic ran in him, illogically asking himself if he was one of the ‘scientists’ he'd slaughtered. One of the many who poked and prodded and experimented on him. But it couldn't be, he was from England, too far away to be connected, yet his mind raced all the same. He realized he'd stayed quiet for too long, stayed in his own memories for too long. Chase cleared his throat. [Color=585c74]”Yeah, the programs here can be really weird. My last school, the one I'm transferring from, has some weird ass program. They asked a lot of odd questions, made us watch videos for what felt like hours sometimes. Some sessions I barely remember. But, I bet you looked adorable in those uniforms.”[/color]

The sound of Marlena’s board cut in, as she swerved back over to them. She put one foot down on the ground and knelt down on the other. [color=b940da]”Are we sharing tragic backstories? I just got sent here from Brooklyn, personally. The weather's rough this time of year.”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”What was Brooklyn like? So far I’ve only been here and in New Orleans.”[/color] Ben hadn’t seen Marlena as he hadn’t gone to the after party. The different parts of the United States were so different. The place was massive. Each state almost a country on its own. Ben had seen so little of it he couldn’t be sure about any other part of it yet. 

Chase scoffed at Marlena's interruption. Nothing against her, he actually found her (and Ben) nice to be around. [Color=585c74]”What's so tragic about that? Brooklyn can't be all that bad and Cali's real nice. Skates great, Surfs great, got everything you could want. “[/color]

[color=b940da]”Oh, Brooklyn’s nice. Wouldn’t trade it for the world. Imagine LA, but it snows more and there’s an island. It’s New York, so it’s bigger. Louder, but you get used to that.”[/color]

Chase looked towards Ben, then Marlena, then back at Ben, as a wicked idea formed within his mind. [Color=585c74]”Maybe we can visit it sometime. No rents, no distractions, just us three and Marelna's usual spots for food, skate, and fun. Could try and go cross country, may take a bit but I think I can swing it.”[/color]

The idea of traveling cross country to go to a city Ben had never seen was a little thrilling. He had taken the tube and in general had a lot of freedom back home. His uncle was a bit stricter about things but maybe he would settle down. The US was new and different so he was willing to let some of the new restrictions stay for a while but Ben knew he would chaff under it eventually. His eyes widened at the prospect and he found he wasn't against the idea. It sounded cool and fun. And the US was so big there could be things to do as they made their way. 

[color=cde0e1]”That sounds wild. I'm in.”[/color] He agreed. It would have been something him and the mates would have done. Maybe a back packing trip eventually. They never wanted to be totally tethered. And there were so many new bugs to learn and meet in the US.

[color=b940da]”Sounds fun. We’ll have to do that sometime, not soon though. My dad will lose his mind if he calls and I’m off in Narnia or suddenly back home.”[/color] Marlena did enjoy a good adventure. Her dad already had a few conniptions about the way she was out late at night. She didn’t want to give him a stroke.

Chase was dumbfounded. He hadn't exactly expected either of them to say yes. He worried if his powers could even take him that far given he'd never tried to jump states before. But he could always drive if he needed to, or hitch a ride in a train going the direction he'd wanted. There was one that took them from one coast to another. [Color=585c74]”Sweet. Well let me know when soon is soon enough ok?”[/color] He looked towards Ben, thinking about how he may want to see some sights between locations too. National Parks maybe? Those were always cool, and it helped with orienteering a bit, not that he'd done so since the fall out. 

Chase pulled out his phone, quickly typing a text over to Ben. 
[Hider=@Ben][color=585c74]”If Marlena can't make it, you wanna visit some National Parks over break? My treat. ❤️”[/color][/hider]

[color=cde0e1]”I would have to get permission too. My uncle is here, waiting in the car for me. But I doubt he’d let me go right now anyway.”[/color] He pulled out his phone when it buzzed and looked at the text, he hadn’t been surprised that it was from Chase considering he had just used his own phone. He felt a little bad about texting a separate conversation right in front of her. He thought about it, it was still early in the break between Christmas and the start of the school year. That was in mid January. He sent a quick response. 

[hider=@Chase][color=cde0e1]”Yeah, I still gotta get the green light. I'll hit you up after I chat with him.”[/color][/hider] 

Marlena pulled her phone out to check the time. They were here a while, it seemed. [color=b940da]”I’m thinking… Maybe after things wind down at the school? Because it’s gonna be January soon, it’ll be a lot.”[/color]

Chase leaned back onto the palms of his hands, looking back up towards the sky. [Color=585c74]”True. Guess there's a lot to do before then huh? Don't really got much time.”[/color] He ignored the buzz of his phone, Chase hadn't expected Ben to be so obvious and reply right away but here they were. While he was starting virtually a brand new life, he didn't have much to do if he was honest. Being incapable of sleep gave you an extreme amount of time to do things, he was also still within the same area of where he used to live to now so the ‘transition’ had been fairly painless. 

[color=cde0e1]”We’re still moving in and settling. My uncle moved too, he was in San Francisco before. But he can work from here.”[/color] They had unpacking to do. 

[color=cde0e1]”School starts on the 15th right?”[/color] Ben wasn’t sure what else to talk about with them but he did want to talk still. Chase obviously wanted to do something else. Ben couldn’t tell what Marlena wanted to do. 

[color=b940da]”Think so. I still need to figure out what I have to take and what I can get away with putting off.”[/color] Marlena sighed. [color=b940da]”Not looking forward to fighting someone, but I’m guessing that’s what they’ll make us learn.”[/color]

[Color=585c74]”Please, that's the easy part. Besides its probably fighting dummies or something. I don't think they'll condone kids fighting each other.”[/color]

[color=b940da]”I dunno, the whole world watch some kids do that a few weeks ago,”[/color] Marlena noted. [color=b940da]”Should probably head back soon.”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”We literally met at a place where they summoned a god basically. They have some science stuff I’m going to take, not just fighting.”[/color] He glanced at Marlena, [color=cde0e1]”It was good to meet you and hang out. We should hang out again.”[/color] As awkward as it had been, he did like her company. 

[color=b940da]”We should. Won’t be hard to find me.”[/color] She grinned. [color=b940da]”Guess I’ll get moving. See you guys around, maybe?”[/color]

[Color=585c74]”See ya, Lena. I'll stick around a bit.”[/color] Chase looked over towards Ben to see what he'd do.

Ben waved, [color=cde0e1]”See ya.”[/color] He looked over to Chase. [color=cde0e1]”I’m down with sticking around a bit longer. Probably can’t be too much longer though, my uncle will want to go soon.”[/color] 

Chase stood up and gave a gentle punch to Ben's bicep. [Color=585c74]”Sweet. Wanna roll?”[/color]

[color=cde0e1]”Yeah.”[/color] Ben grinned, wheels on the pavement was why he had come here after all.