Simple Distractions [OPEN]

[se]

((I made the attack hit; I hope that's okay. I figure large claws + swiping at small object = ouch.))

Seán smirked when he saw that he had, indeed, touched a nerve. No, not just a nerve--the nerve. Like many mutants, she had some sort of "troubled" past (that was not hard to figure out), but this was a great source of weakness for her. The incident inflated his ego.

Until she started coming at him, her body morphing into that of a wolf. No, worse than a wolf . . . it was somewhere in between human and wolf, a mesh of human and animal that could send even the bravest person running in terror should he not expect the encounter. Seán was, more or less, prepared for her to attack--not that he wanted to be hurt (or worse), but it would be nice if she got into some royal trouble for--

Her hand whipped out and the lighter clattered to the floor. Pain spilt across Seán's hand and he looked down to see two large, red scratches opened across his pale skin and blood already dripping out. What the hell? She had attacked him! Isn't this what you wanted? Unprovoked attack! He hadn't even raised a hand to harm her! It hurt--hell, it hurt--and he clutched the injury with his other hand. It's not that bad. He'd probably need stitches or amputation or--It's not that bad.--Some sort injection to keep wild wolf disease away. And now his lighter was on the ground, and he wasn't about to pick it up lest the girl seize the opportunity to rip his head off.

Great planning, asshat, he thought to himself as he stared at the girl. His hands were warm with his own blood, but he didn't dare look down to see the damage that had been done.

"Noooo, I'm not here for the same reasons you are," Seán spat. He narrowed his eyes at her. "I'm here for an education and to train my powers. I chose to come to this school. You're here because no one out there wants to see your damn face! No one wants a werewolf living next door to them, and your parents don't want a werewolf in the same house. Go to hell where you belong."

[rahne]

Rahne’s claws scythed at something hard, not the lighter she original aimed for, but made in contact with the boy’s hand. Pulling back her arm, as if he burned with fire, the girl glanced at what she done. He might have not looked down to sum the damage, but Rahne refused to take her eyes of his injury. The scent of his blood filled the cool air--the fire belonging to his light long but forgotten. Unlike what Rahne assumed the boy was thinking, the blood did not drive her into an insane beast or want to go all vampire, instead the sight of blood had the complete opposite effect.

“I’m sorry...I..." Rahne stumbled with her words, gasping for air in-between breaths. It had been a while since any one intentional tried to provoke her; every one of them had the common sense not to make the quiet girl angry. So when the boy idiotically chose to tempt Rahne to lose her self-composure, the auburn haired girl never thought she would follow up on her threat. Genuinely concerned, however more for a selfish reason than just his well being, Rahne felt the need for tears as her standstill was shattered.

"Are you okay--?" Rahne question interrupted as the boy painfully made aware why the reason she was here. But completely denying the fact he was responsible for her lashing out, the multi-color haired boy tried convince he--maybe himself--he was at the institute on his own free will. A second lingered looking at his scars than up to him, Rahne frowned unable but to express her distraught.

"I never meant to hurt you," Rahne apologized with guilt in her eyes. "I didn’t mean to scare you either. Unless you can read my mind, you can’t understand the past like I can’t understand yours. So don’t act reckless just because I happen to be the first student you met. It wasn’t me who is making your life miserable."

[se]

Seán looked at her in disbelief. Really? Really? This was all his fault now? He couldn't believe that she'd try to pawn this injury off on his own. What the hell were they teaching these kids at the school? Better yet--why was he even here? It was clear that he was not nuts like they were; was this some sort of sick joke?

"Oh, cute. Is that what they teach you here?" he spat. "Push your issues on someone else to rid yourself of involvement in your own actions? You sliced my hand open, and now it's time to learn today's lesson? Shit, no wonder they keep you off the streets so you don't get run over by a car in your stupidity."

[rahne]

Rahne, no matter her half transformation between human and wolf still combined, shot a frustrated look at him. Forget she could have caused a life-threatening injury; Rahne wished a simple glare could kill. As soon as he opened his big fat mouth, Rahne could feel the heat of her anger rise. It was as if he could speak a lone word and that would be enough to piss the girl off, whom normally had a very sweet temperament. Upset by the bashing, her fragile demeanor already on the line, Rahne growled between a sigh and her attempts to erase her tears.

"If you weren’t an idiot, you might have learned something. Imagine that." She took the opportunity to fetch the lighter, feeling unsafe near the crazed-maniac who couldn’t keep his mouth shut. Rahne couldn’t stop the tears, but defensively snapped when the school became his new target. "As you kindly pointed out, you’re here on your own free will. You insult the very school you are now a part of. Maybe that’s a reflection of your own stupidity."

[se]

She was crying now. The tears streamed down her half-human, half-animal face, but they were there. Seán felt a bolt of triumph burst through him. Another day, another school. Same old idiots, different form. This place wasn't going to be so bad as long as he managed to hide behind the protective shield of its rules. (Abusing and using the rules . . . yet another thing that would never change.) As he watched the girl-monster in front of him, he felt his lip curl up ever-so-slightly with glee. He didn't even bother to demand that she give him back the lighter that was rightfully his.

He held his injured hand so tightly, his fingers turned blue. But at least he had fingers. He released his grip just enough to not cut off circulation to his entire hand. What was the punishment for this--how much trouble would the girl get into for injuring him, an innocent passer-by?

"Yes, I can see that this place isn't as elite as the brochure makes it out to be," he replied coolly enough that it made the glee expand. A bleeding injury, a crazy wolf girl, and someone with her hands on his lighter--and yet he could still come across as nonchalant as ever. He still had the touch. It's the only thing you have. He gave a small grunt at the thought and adjusted his good hand over the injured one once more. Go in for the kill. "But if everyone is as hot as you, honey, I'll stay."

[rahne]

The hesitation in Rahne’s docile persona immediately shown she was filled with emotional trauma. The utter abuse from the new student plus her fragile psyche added up to plane crash of problems. She was already displaying severe personality disorders and when the boy came pushing down the walls that took years to build, that once dangerous and predatorily aggression was slowly rising. If the boy was aware of it or not, the half-lupine state didn’t mean she was struggling with her animal instincts. Oh no. The poor and ignorant boy had no clue that he just dug his own grave.

The boy was a new student, Rahne thought to herself, probably never having the safety of a pack. The girl thought of the school as her family, a pack which supported her. She was a highly wild mutant, held back by humanity’s morality. Rahne wasn’t a human fighting with nature’s instincts. She was in an alpha’s psychological state of mind that felt obliged to protect her family from a hostile threat. The boy wanted to boost his own ego, and he just dominated the wrong pack member.

"That’s enough!" Rahne snarled, forcing herself in front of the boy. "You think you’re superior to us. You might find me weak, stupid, and a pain. But you will not single out my family as part of your ‘breaking-them-down’ games."

"Grow up! You’re not a child at home where mom and dad can protect you. You’re in a school that houses the strongest mutants on the planet; who will kill you for less then what you said to me." Without realizing it, her form grew larger, a massive claw aimed towards the wall next to him. "Smarten up if you like it here, or die trying to abuse the next student you see."

[se]

Seán did his best to cover up the shock of seeing her grow even larger. He shouldn't have been surprised considering that she had been full wolf when he entered and thus he knew her full stature. It just looked . . . bigger up close. He put on the cocky expression once more. It was like sliding on a pair of shoes, made that much easier because the girl in front of him had unknotted completely.

Her words expressed her desperation for the school. A family. Seán knew most mutants were kicked out of their homes or mistreated by those they once loved just for being mutants, but the way in which this girl clung to the school was almost impressive. Almost. Except judging by her reaction, he knew everything he said had been true--this was all the girl had. Seán didn't care. He hadn't even fooled himself into thinking that he had a home back in Portland. A house, a roof, food on his plate, yes. But a home where people loved each other--maybe if they really pretended and thought of only sunshine and rainbows they could have continued to live the lie of their perfect existence. Seán, unlike this girl in front of him, did not need the school the way she did; he didn't need anything. (Jealousy. What's jealousy?) Her attempts to corner him off and scare him away of her "pack" did little to intimidate him on an emotional level.

But scare the shit out of him that someone may slit his throat in the middle of the night? Now that was a different story. His powers were weak; he couldn't defend himself against anything, in these walls or in the outside world. The only thing he had now--the only reason he was grateful for this academy--was the protection it offered from other mutants.

"Keep telling yourself that," he replied. He watched her draw back for a blow. Was she seriously going to hit him again? Clearly she did not like it here if she was going to get herself expelled. Strongest mutants, huh? How strong can one be if one cannot contain oneself?

Jealousy. You know what that is.

[rahne]

Slam~

The blow was aimed next to the boy’s head. If he remained still as night, the punch would not inflict any head injuries. The wall crumbled beneath her strength, her eyes glaring dead straight into his. The turnaround in the situation made the girl uncomfortable about her threat. It wasn’t the first time she had transformed unwillingly, let alone unnoticed, only to intimidate those who continued to her push her last nerves. She would have never harmed him intentionally; the school was her haven from the cruelty outside, but she didn’t want this boy to make the last sanctuary she had into a living hell.

"You don’t have to love this school as much as I do, but I care a great deal." Rahne responded, summoning most of her courage to stand up for herself. She refused to resume into her human form, taking that the boy will only listen when he was cornered--literally. "This is my home and I will defend it. If it has to be, it can be your home too. You just have to stop pissing people off."

[se]

Seán didn't know whether he should duck for the punch, but all he could manage to do was flinch as her fist came at him. It missed, whether intentionally or not, he didn't know; he could hear the wall next to his ear shattering and bits of debris and dirt scattered into the air. Shit, she could have bashed his face in with a punch like that!

Stop. Stop provoking her. You've done your damage, now leave, he told himself. But he could not gather the strength to move. Keep pressing her buttons, end up dead. The logic was simple; it could be his brain splattered everywhere and not the plaster of the wall. His heart thumped in his chest. But why stop when you're ahead?

Seán licked his dry lips. It was much easier to taunt her when she was further away, but he had passed that limit awhile ago.

"Last time I checked, you're far from a person," he began. It was a weak retort, so he followed it up with something stronger. "You're going to get yourself expelled if you punch me like you punched the wall. And then what? They'll euthanize you like the dog you are."

[therealmyth]

Johnny sighed as he once again noted a troubling scene. ~Why are all the new ones so aggressive?~ he thought to himself with a smile, considering he was pretty aggressive himself. He entered the scene, "Weren't you just at the infirmary?" he asked the emo ki. "What's the problem this time?" Johnny could tell that there was a lot of tension in the air. He figured he'd have to get rid of it fast. He was still unaware of the emo's kid ability.

[rahne]

Rahne’s ears perked at the voice of another stranger, an x-men she has never been introduced yet. He was already coming to end the fight, and Rahne was unsure to remove herself from her dominating stance or keep still. The boy seemed to respond better with physical threats and did appear to be listening to her now that his safety was on the line. As soon as the x-man interrupted their ‘disagreement,’ Rahne impulsively growled but lowered herself in case he felt in danger.

"Why do you continue to press your luck?" Rahne asked in disbelief. "Haven’t I made it clear enough for someone thick-skulled as you are?"

The girl failed to follow up with her latest threats, but holding firm against the one bully that still having his fun. Since another person came in the picture, she stayed still-- the boy’s remark about expel echoing in her mind.

[se]

Seán saw the guy he had seen in the gardens enter the rec room and he started. Well wasn't that just great? Now they were probably going to double-team and beat his ass. Cheaters. He gripped his bleeding hand harder and realized with the guy's comment that he would have to go to the infirmary again.

"Shove off, Sparky," he spat. "And take Fido with you. Make sure to get her fixed."

[therealmyth]

Johnny sighed and put a hand on the girl's shoulder, if she allowed him he would send a soothing pulse through her body, "Let him go. It's not worth it," he looked at the guy, he was irritated and not in the mood,"As for you, I'm pretty sure you have a death wish, don't you? If you want to die so badly, punch me."

[rahne]

Rahne tense beneath the grasp of the new guy, the one identified as ‘Sparky.’ It did little help that he assumed the fight was over, but Rahne did not argue against him. The spark did send a clear message and however not strong like he intended, it did very little to ease the irritation that has been on the rise since the arrival of the boy.

"It shouldn’t make a different," Rahne responded. "He’s very set on his ways."

[se]

Seán didn't know which one to glare at harder. They were both beyond irritating, and he couldn't believe he would have to go to classes with the likes of these people. Once again, he thought back to his old boarding school in Oregon. At least it was normal there. (Not that he would have been able to stay there much longer with his long list of detentions.)

"Don't you have a fire hydrant to sniff?" Seán shot to the girl. He turned to the guy and rolled his eyes with a smirk. All talk and no fight, that's what the guy was. Until he could slip a dirty punch in. Seán would have to watch himself with this one, though in a proper fight, he'd win anyway.

"Drop dead." He turned to the door and grasped the handle with his bloodied, yet uninjured, hand. Best to peace out of here before they did some serious damage. He was sure he'd be able to clean up his hand in the bathroom to avoid another infirmary trip, and he probably had some clean cloth of some sort in his suitcase.