Day One: Introductions

[Vergere 1]

Lance just smiled faintly, "I've known for several years. I, ah, accidentally caught her playing around with her ... magic or whatever it is ... when she thought no one was around." He shrugged. "I dunno, I think you guys are all pretty cool. Personally, I'd like to have something like that to play with. Though, I'm not sure I'd like all the grief you guys are given."

Kelly just shrugged, smiling faintly. "Comes with the territory. I've just been lucky enough that my entire family is really supportive of me."

[Rogue 4]

"Yeah...well you're parents have always been cool about that." Natalie said, and she seemed like she was calming down a lot, although this was all a lot of culture shock for her. "My dad...you know he wouldn't let that fly in his house. He's still angry with me that I stopped cheerleading when James died. I'm a freak in his eyes as it is..." She caught herself. "Not that I'm saying that's what I think you are--it's just, that's what he'd...And I'm going to stop talking now."

[Vergere 1]

Kelly just smiled as Lance started laughing. "I am a freak. But that doesn't mean it's a bad thing. Just means people don't understand. And I'll tell you right now, people hate us. I won't lie. There are tons of people that'd just as soon kill us as look at us. Doesn't mean we're any less cool and interesting."

[Rogue 4]

"I understand...I think." She nodded slowly, looking up to Kelly with honest eyes. "I guess...I'll see what happens. I'd still rather it be Lance with the superhearing so I could go back to la la land but...since when does life deal out easy cards? Just one more thing to add to the wish pile."

[Vergere 1]

Kelly hesitantly walked back to the table. "We're here for you, Natalie. We always have been, you know that. And, well, this shouldn't make much of a difference." She smiled faintly, and tried to loosen up the tension, "I mean, I can fly. You just hear stuff."

[Drake 53]

"If I knew it was really a who-knows-how-old mutant chick?" Sam asked. "Absolutely, I would."

***

Marcus was flying over the town, still in his hawk form after the encounter with Natalie on the beach. The wind beneath his wings gave him a feeling of freedom and disconnection from the world. However, he couldn't avoid the feeling of hurt he felt whenever he remembered Natalies eyes and the fear in them. Fear of what he was.

He was angry at himself for having revealed his powers to Natalie. Marcus thought that he could trust her but now he wasn't so sure. It was probably too soon for her. Maybe some day she would see him for who he was but right now she probably only saw him as a freak.

Marcus almost missed the pair of figures on the roof of one of the buildings nearby. A man had a gun pointed at a young girl who looked at though she had fallen.

The thought of saving the girl ran through his mind and he began making parallels to Natalie and the shark. Should he save this girl? Would she think of him as a monster too? Then again, he didn't have to make the mistake of revealing his secret this time.

Marcus banked into a curve, flying straight at the man with the gun. He swooped down and attacked, claws going for the man's face.

***

Sam lost his concentration on holding Mystique when the bird suddenly came out of nowhere and started attacking him. He managed to get an arm up to protect his head but he took a couple bad scratches across his cheek and forehead.

Shouting, he swung at the bird with his free hand. When the animal finally fled, he wiped the blood from his eyes only to find that Mystique had escaped.

"Damn."

[Rogue 4]

Mystique changed forms again, this time to a runner in her mid-twenties. She kept her eye on the bird, following it to where it finally perched.

***

Natalie found herself chuckling, and rose, wrapping her arms around the eighteen year old. "Thanks Kelly." She looked back over her shoulder. "You too Lance. Get over here for hug time you big lug."

[Vergere 1]

Kelly laughed softly as well, hugging her friend gently in return. Lance just smiled and made a show of having to get up and out of his seat, but walked over and hugged both girls, pulling them both off the ground for a moment as he did so. "There're my girls." He looked at Natalie, "You doing any better yet?"

[Rogue 4]

She laughed lightly, smiling as he set her back on the ground. "I think so...it's just been a long day...and I'm exhausted."

[Vergere 1]

Kelly smiled, "Want to go do a bit more surfing? Or would that just not be a good idea anymore today?"

[Rogue 4]

"That usually helps, but I don't think it's a good idea right now." She said honestly scratching the top of her head sheepishly. "I think I'm just going to drive home, check on my dad to make sure he's alright, and then go to sleep."

[Vergere 1]

Kelly nodded. "Understandable."

Lance shrugged, "You be okay driving home, or do you want me to drop you off?"

[Rogue 4]

"Would it be okay if I left my truck here overnight?" Natalie asked. She would rather Lance drive her home under the circumstances, but she didn't want to inconvenience him. "And the Cove will be okay without you for a few minutes?"

[Drake 53]

Marcus perched atop a lamppost, wondering what to do next. He took a look around, watching cars and people go by. There was a women directly beneath him in running clothes. She was stretching while waiting for the light to change at the crosswalk. She looked up at him suddenly with yellow eyes.

That wasn't normal.

He took off from his perch, making his way towards the mall. When he arrived, he found a shadowed corner and transformed back into a human. His clothes were now completly dry. He didn't fully understand how he could go from wet to dry by shapeshifting but he didn't much care right now. He went into the mall, blending into the crowd.

[Rogue 4]

She waited until she was out of sight of passerby to change forms again. This time it was dark medium length hair, tan skin, and an animal-covered shirt. She walked into the mall, searching in the crowds for the person who's face she mirrored. She knew it was only a matter of time until she had his attention.

[Andy 60]

After talking some more with Jean and Scott, Chase decided he'd better go back to the Cove and meet up with Danny.

"I'll be back," he reassured them. Then he turned to Kurt, Lila, and Hailey, "and I'll see you at school tomorrow."

* * *

Danny sulked on a step by the Cove, waiting impatiently for his brother to get back with the car. Trust Chase to do something like that, he thought.

Edited May 6, 2008 by Andy

[Drake 53]

Marcus was backtracking down the other side of the mall hallway when he spotted himself coming from the other direction. Marcus stopped in his tracks, staring at the identical copy of himself.

What the...

He slipped into a side passage that led outside, hoping to get away from his doppelganger.

[Andy 60]

"Finally," Danny said as Chase pulled up beside him, "what took so long?"

"Danny," Chase said after his brother had gotten into the car, "you should really come check this place out."

"For the last time, Chase, I'm not mutant!" He slammed his fist on the dashboard for effect, when he moved it again there was a visible dent.

"Of course not," Chase said dryly.

"Look, it's a Ford," Danny rationalised, "everybody knows Ford's are crappily made cars. I bet anybody could have done that. Anyways, lets just drop it, okay."

"Okay, whatever..."

"Stop at the shops on the way back, I need to get some stuff."

Chase sighed and started off towards the mall.

[Ayingel 24]

Lila thought about the offer. "I guess it couldn't hurt anything. My situation isn't the best anyway." She thought about it a little longer. "Do you have a phone I can use? I need to call my dad and tell him he can stop paying for a hotel room."

[Vergere 1]

Kelly smiled, "Well, I've run the place before. I'm sure I can handle it."

Lance winked, "You want me to take the motorcycle or Kelly's jeep?"

[Rogue 4]

"Oh, my dad would love it if I pulled up on a motorcycle with an older guy." She said sarcastically, then thought better of it. "Let's do it. That old man needs his world rocked every once in a while."

***

Jean looked at her and blinked. "You're living out of a hotel room?"

[Vergere 1]

Lance just laughed, "Older guy, eh? Sorry, I was unaware that I had grey in my hair." He winked, "Let's take the motorcycle. It's a lovely day for a ride. Kelly?"

She just raised an eyebrow.

"Oh come on Kell."

She smiled, "Nope. You gotta get the helmets and keys yourself."

With mock seriousness, "Fine. Be that way. Make me get up."

"You have to get up anyways. But leave the keys to the Cove here so I can not get locked out of something."

He dropped the keys in her lap and went to get the helmets and the key for the motorcycle.

Kelly glanced at Natalie, "You doing better?"

[Rogue 4]

"I didn't mean it like that Lance! I meant that you're four years older and my dad's so clueless that he doesn't even know we're friends."

She looked to Kelly. "Yeah. I think I'm going to be okay."

[Vergere 1]

"I feel the love. Kelly, are you sure you still want to date me? I might keel over and die before..." He flushed slightly, "I think I'm going to go get those helmets now before I say something I shouldn't." He quickly made his way into the back room.

Kelly just chuckled and hugged Natalie again. "I wish I could somehow make this easier for you."

[Rogue 4]

"You did." Natalie smiled genuinely, standing up and stretching sore muscles. "Kelly...thanks for trusting me, even when I was an unpredictable trainwreck. "