Simple Distractions [OPEN]

[rahne]

Rahne started silently with intense green eyes, observing the object with great interest. Sitting innocently in front of her was a large red ball, waiting patiently for the mutant to have fun with it. The auburn haired girl quickly glanced around the room before returning her eyes back on the ball. She has been part of the Xavier Institute for awhile and gradually learned that there was no such thing as privacy. It took the longest time for her to get use to being constantly around people, up t the point she felt suffocated. So when she found a peaceful place with not a student or professor in sight, Rahne was going to enjoy all the time she could have by herself.

After minutes as staring at the lonely ball, she grabbed it and began bouncing it around in the indoor court. After testing the bouncing effectiveness, she rolled the ball away from her to give it more appeal. As if instincts took over, Rahne transformed into a large wolf-like creature with rich ginger fur. To the untrained eye, her appearances might have frighten a person to the point of madness, but everyone part of the school has grown use to her lupine and transit form. Sometimes embarrassed and even ashamed of her gifts, Rahne despised having to change in front of someone and looking at their fear hidden in their eyes.

Chasing after the ball, Rahne stalked before jumping on the ball as if it were her prey. She playfully bit at the ball, containing herself from mauling the ball and bringing its end to a terrible tragedy. The school lost more balls that way and after a complaint from a few students from the lack of ball, Rahne made it her mission to be extremely careful how she handled the balls. But after a few incidents when she swore she had no control, Rahne had almost given up the idea and decided to indulge herself with the ball.

Having pure joy tackling and chasing the ball, her superior sense were so focus on the bright red ball she almost missed the scent of another person inside the rec. room.

[se]

Go to the rec room, they said. Try to meet some new friends, they said. You will be spending great amount of time with these people, so it's best you make yourself acquainted with them.

Kiss my ass, Seán said, but he was already walking down the hallway in the direction they pointed. The school itself was much different from Seán's previous boarding school, the one which wasn't made for freaks. (The one Seán had almost been expelled from a few months prior.) The other school had a reputation across the west coast for being an outstanding academic institution. What did this one have? From what Seán could see, wood-panelled walls which carried the voices of students with ease. A strange collection of mutant freaks with whom Seán was now forced to associate now that he was "one of them."

They promised him refuge, but Seán didn't need it. On the scale of mutant powers, he was pretty much a one, or "might as well not be a mutant." All he had to do was stay away from old people and funeral homes, and he should be good. But no, that was mutant enough for some, hence his arrival to this school.

He arrived in the rec room and looked around at the sad accumulation of recreational objects and--a wolf. Playing with a ball. Seán started and gripped the doorframe for support as a reflex before he remembered (stupidly) that this was an academy for mutants, and unless they enjoyed hunting animals for sport within the confines of the rec room, this was yet another mutant. He stood there in the door for another moment as he composed himself. The flight out here had not been long, but the travel itself--the car ride, the waiting, the bus trip--had been taxing. His eyes were ringed in black liner and his clothing was slightly rumpled, but clean. He ajusted his tie.

"I didn't realize this was a wildlife refuge for fleabag wolves," Seán spoke smoothly.

[rahne]

Rahne stopped to perk her head up from her tenderized ball, to see another student has entered. She mentally kicked herself from her lack of concentration and looking at the deflating ball, the wolf instinctively growled at the disturbance and the hindrance of playing with her ball --the big red ball she’s been eyeing at all day. Outright angered by the whole ordeal of having her playtime interrupted, the huge wolf compared to a large alpha turned her maw sideways to get a better view of the student. A male, dressed as if he were attending a funeral or something formal, was standing by the main doors simply looking at him.

The hackles from her fur rose from the lack of respect from the male intruder’s obvious insult. Blinding by the animal fury within, Rahne was close at losing it but was able to recover on time. To stop herself from growling, possibly fighting, the wolf transformed back into her original form. Slightly blushing at confronting the boy, the auburn haired girl stood up as she pulled the ball close to her --almost as a shield. Having trouble keeping her composure, she avoided eye contact if it was possible after she threatened him earlier with a growl.

"I’m sorry; I didn’t know any one was here." Rahne responded, poking at her precious, yet damaged ball. "I hope I didn’t frighten you with my abilities."

Proving her point this is why she hated the lack of privacy, Rahne had almost the courage to simply lock the doors behind her but would considered stupid since more than all the students could get in some way or another. It didn’t help when the one student who walked in her little had to be someone who didn’t seem the least bit afraid and had to comment on her form—the same form Rahne went out of her way so she could avoid people from seeing it, especially if she didn’t want to come up with an excuse every single time.

[se]

"No, you didn't," Seán lied, though he lingered back by the door still. Seriously? Werewolves? Next thing he knew, Dracula was going to swoop down from the ceiling and drink everybody's blood. They said he was safe here, but he knew that everyone just wanted to round them up to get them out of the way; this was a concentration camp, pure and simple. Safety was no one's concern. His eyes turned to the deflated rubber ball the girl, er, wolf, had been playing with but a moment before. That could easily have been someone's head. That could have been his head.

He turned back to the girl and observed her carefully. She seemed much more timid in human form than she did wolf form. The lethal snarl that had been the wolf's was gone and now there was a girl who refused to look at him. Seán wasn't dumb, at least as not as he let others believe. This girl either used her wolf abilities to make up for what she didn't have as a girl, or she had no control over her wolf side. Either way, Seán knew that the mask of safety everyone proclaimed was as thin as tissue.

"Maybe you should be more careful of your surroundings," he continued. "I'm surprised no one has made a pelt out of you yet."

[rahne]

Rahne flinched at his defensive remark, bringing up an issue of the past she was hoping to forget. She was trying to retrain her brain to remind herself that she was a mutant, someone who wasn’t punished or curse because of something she did. But it was difficult to stop herself from remembering her father and the night an over active religious group chasing her simply because she couldn’t stop her mutation. She looked up at the boy with emerald eyes, his black eye liner enhancing his own brown eyes.

"Why do you assume no one hasn’t tried?" Rahne quietly asked, urging herself to keep her gaze on him. "Maybe they have, but were to slow to catch me."

Rahne could smell his scent from where she stood, a scent that was entirely new to her. Something about it made him different than the other students. She couldn’t place it, but decide against asking since she did not want to anger him. Already he seemed repulsed by her natural abilities and she noticed how reluctant he seemed on being there. Although he wore a full suit, his piercings and eye linger gave him an intimidating look that made him appear distant and eerie. Rahne considered herself a master when it came to misunderstanding someone simply based off their appearances and thought of nothing more than his sharp attitude.

"You’re a new student, right?" Rahne questioned. "I mean…your scent, its new."

[se]

Great, she was smelling him now. He had bathed this morning, though he was sure that he didn't smell exactly pleasant given all the travel, but what did he care? She was just some dumb student here--one of many, he was certain. There were always dumb people wherever he went. Mutants. He had to remind himself that he wasn't surrounded by people anymore but mutants. And worst yet--he was one of them. Admittedly, he hadn't thought much about mutants before he discovered his own powers, and since then he had been trying to get used to the idea of being a part of this non-human entity.

"No shit," he snapped. Geeze, what a way to introduce yourself. 'You smell funny! Let's be friends!' No. It was not going that way with Seán. Besides, what was wrong with looking at someone and determining that the person was new. Smelling people was just plain creepy. "You must be the school's guard dog. Aren't you supposed to be out peeing on trees or something?"

[rahne]

Rahne was very close at chucking her favorite and mauled ball into the boy’s head. She was certain she would enjoy it knocking some sense into him, maybe if she was real lucky it would leave him unconscious. Regretting that she was considerate enough to transform into a human for him, Rahne clawed at the ball hoping to release the frustration that kept building up. Itching to throw her own insults back at him, the girl numbly bit her lip until it ache with pain. Sure enough, trying to distract herself with the ball failed as it laid useless and pathetic in her arms.

"I never meant it as an insult," Rahne replied, trying to remain calm. "You just smell like different, okay?" She blurted out, casually keeping her temper from taking control. "Maybe I should go dog on you. You gave me enough reasons tear your ass apart," the girl called out flustered at his manners and herself for using vocabulary she would never dare to say.

She was ready to follow up on that threat if he dared to continue to push her. During times such as these, Rahne wished she had control over what happens and what comes from her mouth, but for some strange reason the normal sweet Rahne was tempted to go rogue because of this mysterious stranger.

[se]

Seán had no doubt that the girl could do serious damage in dog form; he would have been truly stupid if he thought that she was harmless as a beast. But at the same time, the school provided him sanctuary--surely they would never let her get away with something like that. Seán raised a pierced eyebrow at her.

"Oh, I'm scared," he taunted with mock fear. But the jest disappeared and he said with seriousness: "Do it."

He leaned against the door frame to show that he had no plans of moving anytime soon. This was the in and out of the room, and while he was standing here, he was master of the comings and goings. And what would the girl choose? A mischeivous smile slid across his lips.

[rahne]

Rahne merely gazed at him, yelling at herself that if she accepted his taunt, she could be far deeper than a simple slap on the wrist. His smirk provoked her even more, an urge crawling through her mind just to teach him a lesson and wipe that grin off his face. It was if he was asking her to jump at him with teeth and all. It was a first since many students go out of their way to make sure they were safe from Rahne, but this kid was luring the wolf inside to come out.

"No," She argued. "That would be too easy. You’re not worth it and besides, I don’t need your blood on my hands."

Glancing down at her damaged ball, the one she has been using as a stress release, Rahne held it in-between her nails that gradually grew into claws after the boy’s ridicule. She gave the rubber ball a desperate throw, aiming towards the intruder’s head, hoping it would catch him off guards. Since he came, Rahne wanted nothing more than to see him as prey. But she knew in the end, it would be his temptation that would win.

"Why are you trying to make me angry?" The girl almost yelled at him, ignoring the fact she just attempted to throw a completely worthless ball at him.

[se]

Seán watched as she struggled to control herself. Were all the people in this school so pathetic? Seán won by default in this place.

Thwack.

Seán stumbled backwards as the ball hit him in the head, though with the door behind him, there was nowhere to go. The force of the ball caused him to hit his head on the door.

"Ow! What the hell?" he said as he rubbed his forehead. He regained his composure and shot a glare at her. "That's it? You're pathetic."

[rahne]

Rahne stared awkwardly as the ball came in contact with his skull. Looking completely amaze he didn’t have the knowledge to dodge or hit the ball aside, the girl was only speechless that her moment of impulse actually worked. Following that single moment, Rahne grinned at her accomplishment, no matter how lame it might seem. She considered him still a threat to her self-composure; even after all the insulting he did just so she would lash out at him. But in a rare moment of pure amusement, the girl tried her best from laughing.

"I’m pathetic," Rahne questioned astonished that he still insulted her after that display. "I’m not the one who couldn’t avoid a deflated ball."

The desire to transform settled down in a quick second; she continued to feel irritated, but at least she was not hungry to spill blood.

"Are you sure you’re not the one who should be careful of your surroundings?" The girl replied, using his own insult back at him, pointing out the door behind him.

[se]

Seán glowered. His head ached dully both front and back where the ball had met his forehead and his head had met the door. He didn't like people throwing back his own words at him, and it didn't help that now his head ached and would probably be throbbing within a few minutes.

"At least I'm not the walking flea hotel," he grunted. "I bet mommy and daddy cheered when they turned you over to this place."

[rahne]

Rahne sighed, half-imagining if she did have fleas, giving the majority of them to him. Sure the insults were upsetting her, but she would rather tear his skin apart than let him see they had an effect on her. Taking her time, trying to remain calm, Rahne turned serious and looked at the boy. She was wondering what she done to deserve to be treated as a criminal. Sure, if she had bit him it would make more sense. Yet all she did was what come naturally and perhaps potentially caused a serious bruise.

"I don’t understand,” She began. “What is the matter with you?"

[se]

"What's the matter with me?" he repeated incredulously. (It was everybody's favorite phrase.) He blinked at her, his mouth slightly open, as though he couldn't believe she asked that. (There was nothing wrong with him, of course.) He gave her what could very well be mistaken as a sweet smile and straightened up a little. The one who had turned into a giant wolf and nearly made him piss his pants was asking what was wrong with him. Oh, sweet irony. (There was nothing wrong with him.)

"I'm not the one whose head would make a great souvenier on the fireplace," he replied. His hand plunged into his pocket and he pulled out his lighter. It was smooth and comfortable in his hand, a bic he had swiped off of a shelf from a store back in his hometown. No one ever missed the occasional lighter. His fingers ran over the familiar shape. "You just step outside and everyone goes nuts and wants to kill you. I bet you can't even control your powers. Who've you mauled so far?"

Pot, meet kettle.

He flicked the lighter on and watched the flame dance. The air of the rec room was calm, though there was a light breeze--from an air conditioner, no doubt--that caused the flame to sway ever so gently. The warm glow was as familiar and comfortable as the lighter's shape in his palm. He turned his eyes from the orange glow to the girl's face to see her reaction. Had he struck a nerve?

No, there was nothing wrong with him.

[rahne]

The cruelty in his voice caused Rahne to withdraw, shifting his eyes away from his. Deeply inflicted by his abuse, she unconsciously tugged her sleeves uncomfortably. It was the silence that kept her quiet as her nails dug into the skin of her arms. He hit the bull’s-eye as he bombarded her with vicious claims that were not far from the truth. She desperately tried to shake the vision of fear and condemnation from her mind, but it refuse to listen as the boy’s harsh comments brought back a memory which still haunted her.

"That’s not true," Rahne argued, feeling close to defeat. She denied the brutal truth, but the fact was she was sick that his malicious opinion reflected her own.

She could smell the dancing flame burn before her eyes laid on it. The flicker of the fire was enticing, dangerous but pure. Simply staring at his lighter brought an instinctive fear and changing her view to his eyes that only stared at her, Rahne felt cornered and ashamed. The blaze glimmer in his hand, the light brought the mutant into half a trance -- a memory flashed back to the night she was pursued.

The boy’s features appeared pleased with his work, which she slowly suffered because of his urging. Something inside almost snapped as Rahne took a hesitate step in his general area. It wasn’t a secret that she was struggling to keep control--fighting the impulse to sink her teeth in him. Each step the girl took, it was hard to determine if she would shape-shift or not. She continued to watch him with extreme green eyes, the shape of her nails slowly transforming into claws.

In a quick moment of reaction, Rahne lashed out a hand--not to harm him, but in great attempts to knock his lighter out of his grasp.

"You will listen," she growled towards the boy. "You have a death wish, find it someplace else. You have an issue, seek electro-therapy. Because you’re acting awful stupid for someone who's here for same reasons I am."