Red7VII

X-Men: The New Era

Drake “D” Edwards

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Location: Ashford Institute for the Gifted > Courtyard Interactions/Mentions:@KatKook@Damo021@Bounce@BoyMom69035

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In his mind, Drake replayed the comment that Cleo made before about the possibility of there being a telepath within the institution. “I can’t decide if that is really freaky or cool” At the time, he gave a small grunt in response. He was not quite at the point where he wanted to share his reasons for asking, yet. This other person invaded his privacy, sure, but they also seemed to know more about him than he did, teaching him how to unlock his own potential. Whether this person was a friend or foe was still to be determined.

Some time later, they continued to converse and there were more takers on his offer of drink. Drake was more than willing to share the wealth of happiness in a flask. His usual worry that spanned in all directions was aided by the whiskey in that he began getting emotional tunnel vision. Where there was once several problems deserving his attention simultaneously, all Drake could see now was what was in front of him, reacting on his base needs and impulses. He wasn't nearly drunk, but he was feeling good.

As he split his attention amongst the group, usually to whomever was talking at the time, his gaze kept gravitating toward Sally. There was something there, something magnetic, that he couldn't quite explain. Usually his poker face was second nature. That mask was nowhere to be found at the moment.

“Okay, okay. Right, I can go invisible” Drake snapped to attention as the words came into focus. He looked over at Cleo and his eyes began to squinch as he eagerly awaited a demonstration.

"That certainly sounds like it could have its advantages," he mentioned with a small grin. Espionage, privacy, survival... there were plenty of practical uses for invisibility. Afterward, he started silently considering his next step for the day. He met a lot of new people today and dealt with some dramatic situations. It was time to figure out how to wind this day down. Again, his eyes fell on Sally and, as soon as he caught it, he averted his gaze, consciously focusing on any other spot. What the hell am I doing, he asked himself. This is how 6 year olds act. I might as well go pull her hair and run away giggling.

Drake patiently waited for the flask to make it back around to him where he finished off the contents completely before screwing the top back on and tucking it away in his back pocket. "If any of you are ever interested, I've got more in our dorm," he said as an open invitation to all. Drake was old enough that he could buy as much alcohol as he wanted to, just as long as he didn't let the staff know he was sharing it with people that were of a less-than-legal age. "In fact," he started, as he pulled out his cell phone, "It might not be a bad idea for us to all stay connected. We're on Week 1 and we've already had to deal with a couple of attacks and have our safety called into question." He pressed a few buttons on the phone, navigating to the digital address book before handing it off, first to Sally. "If I'm not overstepping, I think it might be a good idea to have eachother's contact info." He subtly raised an eyebrow in anticipation and smiled.

Though this would be his third in nearly three hours, Drake pulled out his pack of squares and took a few backward steps from the huddle. Retrieving a cigarette, he habitually reached for his lighter and was met with its absence. With a smirk and a singular chuckle, he cleared the air of his brain fart, realizing that he had gotten rid of the thing, and pointed a finger-gun vertically in front of his face. With a mild, but noticeable force of concentration, Drake managed to summon a small flame that danced just on top of his fingertip. Using it to ignite his cigarette, Drake puffed the cancer stick until the cherry was securely burning. Then, with but a thought, the flame on his finger vanished. Drake's first exhalation was long and dramatic, exiting his nostrils and giving him a draconic look.

X-Men: The New Era

Drake “D” Edwards

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Location: Ashford Institute for the Gifted > Courtyard Interactions/Mentions:@KatKook@Damo021@Bounce@BoyMom69035

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Drake's attention soon diverted when he saw a familiar, gorgeous redhead approaching. He noticed from before that she had changed clothes, but it wasn't until now that he realized the boots has been exchanged for tennis shoes. He felt a bit like Jack Sparrow when he asked himself Why are the boots gone? He let out a nearly silent huff of amusement. Sally approached the group and extended introductions to those she hadn't met before. Drake looked on while his head was swimming with his previous thoughts about getting back to his old self and took a third gulp of his poison. Hmmm... he mused.

”Is that… is that whiskey?" Sally whispered.

A devilish grin formed on Drake's face as he raised the flask again, this time towards Sally. "By all means, please," he said, offering a drink. "How you doing?" he asked, with a sort of cheeky tone. Part of him truly was concerned for her recovery from the incident earlier. The other part of him was starting to feel a tinge of the alcohol's influence. He could feel the tension in his muscles, a tension that had been building up for over a week, slowly begin to ease, if only just a hair.

X-Men: The New Era

X-Men: The New Era

Drake “D” Edwards

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Location: Ashford Institute for the Gifted > Courtyard Interactions/Mentions:@KatKook@Damo021@Bounce

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Drake looked at Sy with a squint and a perplexed grin as he rested the arm that carried the flask. The way he pronounced the word with a pause in between telegraphed the misunderstanding beautifully. "Nah, bud. Psychic. Eh..." he contemplated on the best way to simplify it further, but struggled. "Have you ever talked to yourself in your own head? What I'm looking for is a person that could also talk to you... erm... in your own head, but not your own thou- Nevermind," he concluded without true frustration. If Sy had dealt with a telepath, it would've been obvious.

He glanced back and forth between Khloe and Cleo before changing the subject. "So, you're 10 years old, defy natural law, and you've made it into this institution of gifted youngsters. You're leaps and bounds ahead of where I was when I was your age, bud," he said as a compliment to his new compadre. "So what's your story? What does your family think of all this?" As he asked it, Drake's mind reached out to the memory of his own family. The parents that couldn't possibly understand and the brother he was to afraid talk to since finding out he was a member of the mutant race. He should really make that call. His brother, at least, was fairly understanding, no matter how unorthodox the situation.

As he thought back to his old life, he silently reminisced on the things he took for granted. He used to hang out with friends of old, shooting the shit and bitching about work. His biggest problems used to be being a little short on bills. He used to chase girls and spend quality time with them, relieving frustrations. I really need to get back on that, he thought to himself of the latter. Lately, his biggest problem was if a group of bigoted strangers were going to look at him the wrong way and act on it. If the institution was going to be attacked from within or without. If the people he knew before were going to welcome or reject him, given his new classification.

Sometimes I miss when things were shitty, yet simple, he thought. He took another swig.

X-Men: The New Era

Drake “D” Edwards

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Location: Ashford Institute for the Gifted > Courtyard Interactions/Mentions:@KatKook@Damo021@Bounce

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A smirk crept over Drake's face as he listened to Syaoran. He was certainly a spectacle to behold already, but hearing his uncertainty regarding his age was equally amusing. Drake looked to the sky, observing the sun's descent so far. It was about that time. He reached into his back pocket and retrieved a small flask. After fiddling with the top, he took a swig of the contents. The odor escaping the vessel was unmistakably from whiskey. After swallowing, a tremor went though Drake's body. The liquor was cheaper than it was smooth. Wiping his mouth with the outside of his wrist, he held the flask out to the others with his opposite hand as an offering.

To call today eventful was an understatement. It was exciting, dramatic, frightful, worrisome, exhilarating and exhausting. And it wasn't even done, yet. He saw no shame in getting a little liquid help to calm the nerves.

"Before I forget, have any of you met any psychics this week?" His tone was leisurely, but his eyes were intense as he asked the question. "I mean like reading minds, talking without speaking type of psychic." He was debating whether or not to give the reason behind the question. Who's to say one of these three couldn't have a secondary or tertiary telepathic power? Best to just ask the question and analyze the response, he thought to himself.

X-Men: The New Era

Drake “D” Edwards

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Location: Ashford Institute for the Gifted > Courtyard Interactions/Mentions:@webboysurf@BoyMom69035@RumikoOhara@KatKook@Damo021@Bounce

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Drake found himself with mixed emotions by necessity. As a poker player would roll a chip across their knuckles, Drake found himself ‘rolling’ a small candle-sized flame across his fingertips, from the pinky to the index and back again. His confidence was soaring and his excitement only continued to build, but the base essentials of this power required him to ironically reach into a dark place. If he wanted an exuberant show of force, he would have to go to the deepest depths of the void within his mind. For something small like this, however, it didn't take a terrible amount of ire now that he had access to the ability.

He was really starting to get the hang of this, though he was going to have to train a lot harder before he could effectively use this power offensively. There was still the unsolved business of the telepath that intervened, but that could have been anyone at this institution, Drake surmised. He resolved that he would try to narrow it down by asking around, trying to figure out who the telepaths are. Find a base and shrink it from there. For now, through, there was other more pressing business. Sally was down, possibly hurt. He totally bailed on the crew outside. Uná 'manifested another Isaac and Nik kicked its ass', whatever the hell that means. He'd have to get with his roommate later to elaborate.

First thing was first, though, as Drake took a turn down another hallway, heading in the direction of the infirmary. As he walked toward the open door, he peered inside and, to his surprise, saw a room devoid of patients. His face took on a puzzled look as he attempted to analyze the situation while also extinguishing the miniature flame from his finger. Maybe she's fine, he thought. I mean surely we would have heard about it if there was a death on campus... right?. He didn't recall hearing any ambulances earlier and surely this secretive institution would avoid submitting these mutants to general health facilities. Drake put one hand on his hip and the other he ran through his hair as he wore a look of consternation, out of educated guesses.

With hesitation, he left the entrance of the infirmary and walked uneasily toward the entrance of the building, intending to ask anyone if they saw a medevac of any sort leave the institution. As he pushed his way through the doors, he surveyed the area, scanning faces and trying to decide who to ask first. He caught a glimpse of a capless Kloe, Cleo and Syaoran.

"Hey, guys, I'm sorry about that before," he said with sincere regret as he walked in their direction. "I'm just trying to get my head on straight and this place is taking me for a loop." Drake continued to let his gaze bounce from face to face among the other occupants of the courtyard. "Shot in the dark, you all didn't happen to see if there was like a helicopter or an ambulance or..." then his eyes fell upon Sally and Api in the distance, who both appeared to be just fine. "Nevermind," he said with a smirk, glad to see she was at least physically safe. Tough girl, he thought at first, soon followed by, Is Api flying?. His brows furrowed for a moment before shaking it off. He turned his attention back to the trio, adamant about not committing the same faux pas twice. It was Syaoran who caught his interest next. "So I gotta ask, bud. How old are you?"

X-Men: The New Era

Haha, yeah. Still one more stage of mutation to hit, but that will be much later. Haven't totally decided on how to execute it, either.

X-Men: The New Era

Drake “D” Edwards

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Location: Ashford Institute for the Gifted > Dorm Room Interactions/Mentions:
@webboysurf@Damo021@Almalthia@ShieldsOfWar

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Drake shot Nik a sideways smirk and stood up from the bed. "You got it, bud," he said and then he shot Nik a pair of finger guns with a cheesy freeze-frame smile. After a two second delay, the top of his index fingers ignited with a pair of small flames dancing upon them. Drake couldn't hold the pose any longer and broke character, chuckling at himself. "This ol' dog learned a new trick!" he said, regaining his composure and moseying over to where his roommate was.

"How's that Nathan guy?" he asked, his tone more serious now. "Everything turn out alright?" He was interested in the answer, but he also needed to figure out how Sally fared after the courtyard fiasco. "By the way, the party out there didn't end when you guys left," Drake informed. "That Isaac dude apparently attacked Sally and she attacked back, I guess. A Cleo chick said one of the staff took her inside, I imagine to the infirmary. Did you see them before you left?"

Drake also thought back to the trio he abandoned in the courtyard. Not my most elegant moment, he thought. He would have to revisit them later and apologize for the rushed departure.

X-Men: The New Era

Drake “D” Edwards

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Location: Ashford Institute for the Gifted > Courtyard Interactions/Mentions:
@KatKook@Bounce@Damo021@BoyMom69035@webboysurf

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Drake’s eyes began to squint as he was listening to Cleo’s story. Uná had already gone to the nurse with the others. The redhead she was referring to must’ve been Sally. Drake recalled seeing Professor Pierce in the background, before he took his leave. A wave of guilt fell over him in learning that he had walked away right before Isaac attacked again. He looked toward the doors of the institution. I hope she’s alright, he thought. After his mind went passed Sally’s safety, it again fell upon the notion that he was in a potentially hostile environment with very little possibility of being able to protect himself or others. Even if he hadn’t walked away, what the hell was he going to be able to do to Isaac to prevent him from hurting anyone?

His attention fell back on the others around him and, with a look of displeasure, he excused himself. “I’m sorry, but I’ve got to go,” he stated simply before turning to the entrance of the building and walking in without waiting for anyone’s response. His mind fell on the lighter again and the incident that occurred before. He made his way to his dorm room and shut the door behind him. It was time to experiment.

He moved to his bed and sat himself before pulling out his lighter. How in the hell did it do that last time, he asked himself, referring to when the flame on the lighter grew to a raging 5 feet tall. He flicked the lighter again and was met with unsuccessful sparks just as before. There has to be something to this, he thought as he tried to concentrate. It couldn’t have been a manufacturing glitch. That flame from before was because of something else. Drake was hoping that it was him; that he was the reason the fire reacted the way it did. It would mean a ticket out of mediocrity, a means to both defend and protect himself and the people he cared about from other mutants. It would mean a lot, and while Drake was still uneasy about being a mutant at all, if he was going to be one regardless then he’d prefer to be one that had an active power instead of just a passive one like being fireproof.

Drake stared at the top nozzle of the lighter and willed it to ignite. He flicked the friction wheel once more. Sparks, then nothing. He tried again. Same result. Drake scratched at his forehead with his free hand, a nervous tick, as he tried to figure out what he was doing wrong. Everything is exactly the same as it was before. Why is it not working now?



His red eye twitched just as he heard the voice in his head. Drake pushed himself to his feet in a panic and quickly surveyed the room.

“Who was that?!” he shouted. It was debatable whether there was fear or fury in his voice. A moment of silence passed before he decided to sprint out into the hallway, looking in both directions for the culprit. The hall appeared empty. Hesitantly, he made his way back into his room. He was in an institution full of mutants. A telepath, he concluded. ’Are you still in my head? If you are, get the fuck out!’ he mentally demanded.



Again, Drake’s eye twitched, but harder this time, so much so that Drake had to harshly rub it to make it feel correct again. He was about to go off on this mental intruder, using every curse word in his repotiore, but he hesitated. He was worked up the first time he tried this trick and it worked. He still wasn’t a fan of having an unwelcome visitor poking around in his mind, but it seemed best to address the things he could control rather than harp on the things he couldn’t.

He sat back on the bed, still looking around the room as if he were going to catch this intruder hiding in one of the corners. Eventually his multi-colored eyes fell back to the lighter in his hand. Use anger... he thought as he tried to recall every memory he had that left mental scars. Every thought of being made to feel little, every injustice he ever witnessed, every fight of which he had ever been a part. His grip on the lighter began to tighten and his teeth started to clench. His face began to get flush and hot as the blood rushed up through his neck. ...make fire. Drake flicked the friction wheel.

PHOOM!

The massive flame produced hit the ceiling and began spreading outward, looking like an inverted waterfall from hell as the overhead plaster began to warp and blacken. Drake’s eyes went wide as he looked on, but this time he didn’t release the feelings he had summoned right away. With sheer force of will, he tried to dial it back slowly and as he did, the flame reacted accordingly, gradually losing contact with the ceiling and shrinking to a manageable size.

It was hard to maintain his state of mind. It was the fury that produced the blaze but all he could feel now was excitement. He just kept going back to his memories, trying to embrace the violent passion. As he stared into the heart of the flame in front of him, he felt a sudden urge to touch it. With his free hand, he did so, putting his palm right in the middle of it. His other hand was still holding down the igniter of the lighter. It dawned on Drake that there was no way that lighter had enough fuel in it to have kept this flame going for any length of time. It’s not the lighter... he thought. He released the igniter. A twisted grin slowly spread across his face as the blaze remained, only this time it appeared as though it was originating from Drake’s hand. His palm tingled in the best way possible. He stared at it and tried to memorize the sensation. He discarded the lighter with his other hand and raised it palm up in the air, parallel to the one that was currently aflame. His eyes shifted between the two as he tried to replicate the tingling sensation from his left hand to his right. The latter was beginning to get warm and he could feel his nerves beginning to stir. With one final push of forced anger, his right hand erupted and became engulfed.

You can control fire, Drake thought to himself. The joy was too much to push away now. Drake closed his hands into dual fists and the fires extinguished simultaneously. “Yes!” Drake exclaimed, raising both fists victoriously into the air as he looked up... and saw the ceiling again, a rectangle of white tarnished by one large black, charred spot just above his bed. “Shit!” Oh well, he thought. Surely Nik will understand.

X-Men: The New Era

Part 3

Uná got a lungful of water since she was breathing in when they went under. She came up fighting for air. What the Hell!!! What Sponger stuffed me in the barrel?!?! She panics for a moment before feet touch bottom and she has her head above water. Coughing out water and realizing that she was in someone's arms she looked up. Joey. JOEY?!?! WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?!?!?!

"Joey...why am I in the pool? What happened?" She manages to sound calm and not freaked out.

"Nathan said to wake you up." Joseph replied as he floated up onto his back, spitting water into the air as though he was a fountain. Coughing slightly, he spread his arms and legs to stay atop the surface before continuing as he choked on a bit of the salt water in the pool. "So I woke you up."

Uná goes a whiter shade of pale. "No." She whispers. Her freckles stand out like bright stars in the night sky. "Please tell me I didn't hurt anyone..." Her bottom lip quivers.

"Maybe Nik's pride." Joseph chuckled as he continued to paddle on his back.

Api heard the splash from under the water where he'd settled about three minutes ago then popped to the surface to see what was up.

Uná blinks a couple of times and tilts her head. "His pride? How so?" She sees Api pop up. "Hey Api."

"Hello" is Api's answer just before he ducks under the water to confirm what he thinks he's seeing; Una is dressed not in a suit but her clothing

"Oh not him..." Joseph muttered to himself upon noticing that his roommate was also in the pool. Stopping, he began to tread water as he addressed Uná's question. "While you were asleep you summoned a whacked out version of that fucker from earlier. Nik tried to hit it with one of his boom marbles," Joseph explained, pausing as he repeated the latter part of the sentence. "Boom marbles, boomarbles, barbles." He stopped, decided on the latter before continuing again. "But yeah, Nik hit him with a barble and it didn't do anything, so pride hurt. No one else." He lied, neglecting to tell Uná about how the illusion had thrown him across the infirmary.

Api popped up out of the water after bouncing off the pool bottom. "Why are you not in swim suits?" he asked puzzled

Looking around, Joseph shrugged before replying to Api. "Didn't see a sign that said I had to be."

Api laughed then said, "There isn't but I believe it's implied."

"Personal preference then," Joseph replied as he climbed out of the pool, pulling his wet shirt off. "Am I okay to remove this?" He asked with a raised eyebrow in Uná's direction.

Uná about to ask Joey if he bothered to tell anyone where he was going to be looked over at Api as he asked a question and went to answer him. Then Joey spoke...then verbal tennis ensued. She was climbing out of the side of the pool and as he asked if he was okay to take off his shirt to wring it out she raised an eyebrow. "I suppose although I don't know why you'd want to when all you have to do is port to your shower and you can shower. Before you do that think you can get me back to the infirmary so that I don't drip everywhere? I don't fancy a wigged out Welshman after me." She held out her hand to him. "Please Joey."

"Hey, not all of us just have a closet full of clean clothes." Joseph responded before taking her hand. "And I'll let you away with it that time, but only my sister calls me Joey." He added before teleporting both of them back to the infirmary. "Look everyone," Joseph exclaimed as they reappeared. "She's awake."

Api sighed and lay back on the water; he was in a truly strange place filled with funny and dangerous people.

Uná looked offended. "I do laundry every other day. It's called responsibility. So Joey what you gonna do about it? Yes I am awake and dripping thanks to quick thinking." She looked at Nik and looked him over to make sure he was okay. "I'd hug you in apology but I'm soaked."

Joseph suddenly disappeared before reappearing in a shirt much too short for his torso as the bottom of it sat above his naval. The pants he had on appeared to be capris on him as he tugged at the crotch as it rode up uncomfortably. "Wear Api's wardrobe." He replied to Uná not phased in the slightest about how awfully dressed he was.

Uná laughed so hard that tears leaked out. "That's more punishment for you than me Joey" Getting the hic-ups she shook her head and she moved over to Nathan. Looking at him he looked a little worse. "Nathan did I scare you or hurt you?" She gave his words from earlier back to him.

Walking over beside Nik, Joseph stood shoulder to shoulder with him as he compared their frames before addressing the other male.
"So uh, which dorm is yours?"

Uná keeps her eyes on Nathan but talking to Joseph. "Don't even think it Joey get a brain and come up with something else." She says Joey sweet as saccharine.

"Like doing my own laundry?" Joseph asked, "Please!"

Uná points at Joseph and turns to look at him a smile that butter wouldn't melt in her mouth. "Go Joey and get out of those wet things and into something dry of your own or I make you take dance classes." She was adorable and terrifying. She meant it.

"I don't think you can do that..." Joseph stated before adding, "Unless of course you dream it." He laughed disappearing from the room.

Uná laughs her eyes sparkling she looked at Nik and Nathan. "He has no idea that he gets to put his hands all over a girl and that dancing is...flirting with the whole body. If he saw my class he'd be begging me to get in. You guys want in? Nik? Nathan?"

Nik was still a little shaken from everything going on, looking between Joseph and Una. In the brief time they had been gone, they seemed quite chummy all of a sudden. He nearly missed the question thrown his way. “Not much of a dancer, so I could definitely use the lessons. There’s one move in particular from this old film that I’ve been meaning to try. She runs towards...” his voice trailed off a bit as he realized he was beginning to ramble, before just clearing his throat and giving Joe a playful punch. “Good moves, lover boy.”

Uná looks at Nik in astonishment. "Are you talking about 'The Lift' in Dirty Dancing?"

His face lit up like a Christmas Tree. “Yes! That!”

Uná grinned brighter. "I think I can talk everyone into doing choreography from that movie."

Nik gave a smile and took a step closer. “You don’t have to convince me. There’s so many iconic scenes and dances from films. Singing in the Rain, Flashdance, Saturday Night Fever...” Una had managed to strike pure nerd in Nik.

Uná's eyes lit up. "Save the Last Dance, Riverdance, Lord of the Dance, Moulin Rouge, Footlose, Strickly Ballroom. Why haven't you signed up yet?"

Nik shrugged. “I’ve got a loaded schedule... but I’m free for private lessons.” He closed his lips, clearly trying to hold back from laughing because even someone like Nik could realize that was cheesy and poor form.

Uná shrugged and turned back to Nathan. "Have you ever heard of the tango? It's a moving embrace. You are in almost constant contact with your partner. Well I need a partner in class I'd see him more than any private lesson I could squeeze in." She turned back to Nik. "I might be able to get you in a couple nights a week, but only if all our homework is done and I don't have to practice with my partner." She turned back to Nathan and sneezed twice.

Nik gave a slight nod, looking around and sighing. “You might want to dry off. You’ll catch a cold.” He looked around briefly for a towel, figuring in all honestly the show-off teleported would just show up with one like he always seemed to.

Nathan was so confused. All the flirting, all the quips. All of the...pain. The nurse, after making sure everyone else was okay from the situation and ensuring the students that staff would need to speak to all of them, helped Nathan remove his shirt. He fought against it, but she was much stronger than she looked. What was revealed was Nathan's bare abdomen...along with all of the scars on his chest and back. Lashes to be specific. He decided right then to pretend they didn't exist and not make this whole weird situation any more fucked up than it needed to be. His mind was on an emotional roller coaster. Uná seemed interested in one of the other guys and then a second later interested in him. He had never had anyone of the female persuasion show interest in him...well other than her.

He was torn, confused, unsure, and his anxiety was on high. Everyone had discussed what happened and moved on all while he sat there in silence, getting tended to by the nurse. Uná clearly made a point to include him by making comments and occasional eye contact, but he was beginning to feel inferior to the more confident males in the room. She was a beautiful...wonderful person, he could feel that about her. He certainly didn't deserve interest from someone like that...Not him. Joseph was more handsome than him. Nik was more intelligent than him. What was he other than...just Nathan. He nodded to Uná with a smile about the dance partner comment, but immediately felt anxious because he knew next to nothing about dancing. The nurse rubbed her hand over his scars...He pulled away, grabbing his visibly bruised ribs.

"Sorry...I...Uh have to go to the bathroom." The nurse tried to resist him leaving but he pulled away in pain. He turned to Nik, to Joseph, and then to Uná. "I'm sorry...I have to go." His eyes broke away from hers and focused down on the floor as he walked out of the door. He didn't even think about the fact that his shirt was still off; that his scars were there for everyone to see. He began to jog away, still limping, towards his room.

Uná watched him wince and leave without his shirt on. She grabbed it and holding it away from her still semi wet body she looked at Nik pausing a second. "The study group is a really great idea Nik. Thanks." She held his hand for a moment then it seemed like she was going to step closer. Instead she gave his hand a light squeeze and indicated Nathan's shirt. "I'll run and give this to Nathan we'll meet you in the Library. Bye Nikolai." She smiled and let go of his hand to run after Nathan down the hall.

Nik raised an eyebrow, watching Una leave before awkwardly looking at Joseph for a second. He shrugged his shoulders and put his hands in his pockets, making his way out of the nurse's office. This was a weird collection of individuals... perhaps mutant was an appropriate term for all of them after all.

Voila! I think Temperance is mentioned in the first part a couple of times, but these passages are definitely worth a read. I wouldn't skip them.