Page 1 of 1

10/8 Game: Windows, Wessles, and Welwet Lounges

Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2011 11:25 pm
by Ferguson
Sitting in the corner Noriko stared at the hands on her knees avoiding everyone, normally she'd be the life and soul of the place, but how do you start talking to everyone when your so nervous?

Sue was having a similar problem with nervousness except she was wondering how to strike up a conversation when she was invisible.

Sooraya took a seat on the sofa, sort of drawing up to herself for now and trying not to glance around too terrible much. The idea of being around other mutants was a new one and one she hadn't quite gotten used to at the moment so her focus was currently on the him of her sleeve.

"So is this place awesome or what?!" Hope grinned at the others in the room.

"It is...quite large." Sooraya looked up as the redhaired girl spoke up. "I'm sure I'll get lost often."

Sue shifted on her seat on the sofa and nodded then remembered she was invisible, "I got lost a lot already."

Noriko jumped hearing the sudden voice as her ears had been straining at the head phones still pouring music round her neck. "Yes it is quite a cool place."

Ankka, on the other hand, had none of that problem. He was in nothing but a pair of shorts, sprawled over the sofa, and fanning himself. "It's too hot." His accent was very heavily Northern European. "Vhy are you all in clothes?"

"Oh yeah! I totally agree. It's really hot here. What's your name?" Hope glanced over to the guy on the couch.

Sue was glad she was invisible already because that comment would have made it happen anyway.

"...who said that?" Sooraya frowned, not seeing the source of one of the speakers.

"Dude, does anyone else see the huge squirrel on the lawn," Sean asked, hiding behind a curtain and peeking through the window, red hair in complete disarray and accent soft.

Noriko looked down at her old faithful blue school uniform, she didn't feel hot at all. "Not really that hot." and now disembodied voices.... the light next to her flickered alittle.

"Ankka." The big blond Fin grinned. "Vhat's yours?" He blew a lock of hair out of his face. "...I'm glad it vasn't just me vith the hearing that."

Sue raised a hand, made it visible and waved, "Hi..."

"Seriously....it's watching me."

"Hope. I'm from Alaska... so this place is like, freaking hot to me. Annnd Sue, stop being invisible..." Hope shook her head a bit. Silly shy people. Hope hopped up to join Sean at the window. "Evil squirrel?"

And with that jump at the appearing hand the lamp next to her blew its bulb. "Sorry!"

Sue yelped at the exploding bulb and rendered herself completely invisible again.

"All squirrels are evil....this beast is looking at me....it's plotting," he looked over to the girl next to him. He blinked like he forgot other people were there ", oh hey....."

Ankka blinked at the exploding lightbulb and the disembodied hand, before narrowing his eyes. "None of you are the Satanists, are you?"

"Hey." Hope smiled at Sean, then looked back at the evil squirrel. "Satanists? I thought this was a school for mutants."

Hobbes cleaned up the first fallen leaves on the school ground with a rake as big as a tree, all the while Calvin was sitting on his right shoulder. The boy looked in through the window where the new people were gathered and waved. Then he returned to telling his friend about the new extreme-sport he was developing built around his zorb technology.

Noriko finding a whole new level of blushing thanks to another exploded light curled up on the chair. "I'm not a satanist.... I believe in Shinto."

"Do you abuse goats in that?"

"Or deer?"

"... I'm going to go get some tea...." Sue got up and went to the kitchen, still invisible so that it looked as though the door opened and closed by itself.

"N-no! we're meant to respect all life not harm it!" Giving Ankka a worried look through her black and blue bangs.

"...why are we looking for Satanists?" Sooraya glanced to Ankka, very confused, then noticed there was a giant robot waving through the window.

"Sue grab me some!" Hope called after her, going back to her seat.

Ankka considered this answer (or maybe was running it through his internal Finnish-English translator) and then nodded. "Good. Good. That is good. I get...annoyed if my deer are abused."

Sue managed to make herself visible - which made making tea without spilling a lot easier. She wandered around the kitchen to get mugs and teabags and milk while she waited for the kettle.

Deer? Sooraya wondered if everyone else was as confused as she was right now. "You have a pet deer?"

Sean turned from the window and sort of hid from it. He looked around the room and his eyes widened ", dude, when did all of you get here?"

"I have many deer. Vell. Family have many deer. Close to five hundred deer. Unless Betsy dropped vhen I got here." Ankka nodded. "Reindeer. Weeery big deer. And goats. And dogs."

"....sled dogs?" Hope asked hopefully.

A circle of bright pink light appeared in the middle of the room with a loud bloonk and an equally pink girl dropped on of it to land gracefully on the floor. "OHmiGOSH! Am I too late for the ... the thingy?" She looked around the room, bright green eyes wide, "You're all the new students right!?"

"I have a dog." She volunteered quietly patting her skirt over her knees for like the hundredth time.

Hope blinked at the pink girl. That was certainly new. People could be pink?

"I think I followed you...in." Sooraya's voice drifted off as she answered Sean's question. There was a pink girl! A very bright pink girl!

Sue wandered back into the recroom with tea for her and Hope and stopped in the doorway - it hit her on the ass as she stood there and made her jump and spill a little. Pink. That girl was pink.

Noriko just stopped and stared, pink like actually pink..... cool. "You look awesome!"

And shades of lavender as well, she seemed to have everyone's attention and she flushed darker, "Umm ... hi?" She gave a friendly wave.

Ankka just...stared at the new girl. "Vell...I...don't think so?" He carried on staring. Then he smirked. Very pink. Very hot, and very pink. His eyes went around the room. This place was looking better than home already.

Noriko gave a ginger wave back smiling, she was going to be social, scary satanist obsessed people or not.

There was a small shriek when the pink girl appeared and Sean dove behind the nearest bit of cover, which happened to be behind the huge blond guy. When he peeked out, bloodshot eyes were wide ", dude..."

"Um, yes, we are the new students. Hello." Sooraya gave a wave. "Um...welcome then."

The redhead got an absent-minded pat on the head.

Sue edged around the others and held a cup of tea out to Hope.

"Oh great!" Clarice fist pumped, "I didn't miss it, booyah!" She held out a hand to the room in general, "I'm Clarice Ferguson, and thanks, I think I look pretty awsome too!"

"Yeah we're waiting on some kind of tour or something." Which Hope found useless considering Johnny had already given her a tour.

Hope took her cup from Sue. "Thanks Sue." She smiled at her.

Ankka held out his hand to the girl. "Donald Blake. I prefer Ankka though." He smiled winningly at her.

"I'm Susan Storm... I already have a brother here..." she tossed in, blushing transparent.

"Hope Spalding." Hope took a sip of her tea, relaxing in her chair.

"Sooraya Qadir. So, do most of you live close?"

"Ashida, Noriko." Giving another small wave and smile, turning her headphones down a little to hear everyone better.

Clarice took the hand and gave it a firm shake, "Hai! You sound like ... not from the US, that's cool, I wasn't born here either! You're really tall too!"

"Okay.....that's pretty cool. Pink blinky girls. Definitely cool," he looked up at the blond and stood up straight ", Sean Cassidy."

"I kind of live here now... packed up everything and left when they came to get me."

"Um no... I live on campus... My home is in the UK..."

"I come from Tokyo, Japan, but welling living here now...."

"I don't." Ankka grinned at the pink girl - and kissed the back of her hand. Could totally play the 'local custom' card there. He kept his eyes on her. "From Soumi - Finland, to you. Is a good place. But not this hot...or this sunny, this time of year."

"Oooooh, this is a lot of names to remember," Clarice said, still not letting go of Ankka's hand, "and I used to live anywhere I laid my head, but now I live in the dorms."

"Yes, it would seem we all live here now. I hope whoever is coming gives us our room assignments as well." Sooraya couldn't help but worry about that a bit as well, not sure how she would adjust to having a roommate.

... EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Kissing hand! Her cheeks had gone from fushia to deep red.

"I live on campus, though I'm going to have to talk to someone about the squirrel problem....I'm from Ireland," he peeked out the window and then looked back.

Hope snickered at Clarice's blush. Had she and Johnny been that sappy?

Sue stopped blushing now that attention wasn't on her and her skin returned to its normal opacity. She sipped her tea and perched on the arm of Hope's chair.

Glancing out the window, Sooraya saw no hint of any squirrels. Dropping her voice, she had to ask. "Does anyone else see this squirrel?"

"I can't wait to meet my roomie! I'm sure we'll be great friends .... unless maybe it's that kitty girl, she was kinda mean when we met, stabbed or not," she looked thoughtful.

Ankka let go of Clarice's hand, sitting (handily) next to the Japanese girl. "Nervous, mmm?" He murmured to her.

"A kitty girl?" Hope blinked a bit.

The door to the recroom opened and the floorboards squeaked as the heavy weight moved over them. "Hello? This where the new students get together?" the large elephantine mutant asked as he peeked in.

Sue stared.... and turned invisible again.

That wasn't a squirrel. Sooraya waved anyway. "Yes, this is where they sent us all it seems."

Hope's eyes turned wide at the appearance of the elephant man. "Uh... er... hi? Yes?" She was rendered speechless.

Looking up at the finish lad she couldn't have felt more small, giving him a shy look before fiddling with her Ipod. "Yes a little am used to having my best friend with me when I meet new people."

"That's not a squirrel. Dude, that's so cool!"

"She's all stripey and wears a bikini, you can't miss her," she then turned as a giant weight entered the room, "Oh, hey!" She blinked over too him and held out her hand, "Clarice Ferguson, I'm new here, we're all new here, what's your name? Can you pick stuff up with your trunk 'cos that would be awesome!"

"Is scary, yes?" Ankka nodded. "I am a little nervous as vell. Shall we stick together, my friend, and be nervous together?" He grinned a little - though he was distracted by...wow. "...They come in all shapes here, yes?"

"It seem so....." staring at the elephant man before remembering her manners and coughing. "Yes that seems like a nice idea." Fingers twitching on her skirt trying not to start skipping songs again.

"Groovy," he said as he stepped fully into the room, looking down at the rather energetic person. He gave a finger to shake her hand. "Rubin Ohari. And yeah, I can pick stuff up, it's not just there for looks."

"So..is it rude of me to ask what everyone does? I'm not sure, first time I've been around mutants..though I guess we know what some people can do all ready." She asked, quite unsure if she should or not.

Invisible Sue sipped tea from her visible mug and kept quiet.

"Hey that's really cool!" Hope decided. Kind of. Freaky... but cool right?

"He said groovy! I like him," Sean announced and walked over, holding a hand out.

Clarice shook the finger enthusiastically, "You have great taste in shirts by the way!"

Ankka smiled winningly at the tiny girl, lounging easily again. "A few fun things." He said off-handedly, playing with the dogtags around his neck. "My favourite is flying."

Hope turned her attention to Sooraya. "I can do whatever you all can do."

Sue looked through her lap, "I think it's obvious what I do..."

"Thanks, you have great taste in noticing great taste." Rubin responded, then looked at the girl who said she could do everything everyone else can do. "You turn into a heffalump as well?" he asked Hope with a smirk.

"I can blow up bulbs and magnetize paperclips....." She wasn't going to mention the power cuts or fires yet.

"I could... If I wanted to..." Hope shrugged.

"I scream," Sean nodded sagely even though he was fairly sure no one was listening. That didn't bother him.

"Better keep that trick until you need to entertain people. Trust me, the phrase 'Elephant in the room' gets twice as funny when there really is one." he told Hope.

"Vell, mine is hardly exciting...Hope, vas it?" Ankka grinned easily. "Unless you vant a little Finnish inside?" He paused, replaying what he just said. "...Vait...I don't think that came out right..."

"I can teleport, though I guess that's kinda obvious, I can also do this-" Clarice held out her hand and focused and a long, sharp looking crystal appeared in her palm, "how is screaming a power ... Sean was it?"

Hope blinked at Ankka. "Wait, what?"

Sue giggled and had to put her tea down.

"I'm pretty sure that's exactly how it should come out." Rubin joked at the Fin's expense.

Noriko just gave him a confused look.

Ankka blinked back. "Vhat? I asked if you vant some Fin inside you." He flushed a little. "I got the vords wrong, didn't I?"

Pink girl was talking to him. He grinned ", it's a power when it hits sonic pitches. I'd show you but I'm pretty sure they'd totally yell at me for breaking all the windows on this side of the school."

Sue giggled again, "I think so."

"...do you think we could go outside then?" Sooraya couldn't help but be curious. "I mean, we can keep an eye and see if our guide turns up but keep you away from glass to break."

"... Oooh, that's kinda cool," Clarice smiled at him, "I would show you what my crystal can do but they'd yell at me for knocking out another student I think?"

"Um... right... so why don't you tell us what your power is instead." Hope tried to smile at Ankka

"I flap my ears, I can fly." Rubin added.

"... Really!?"

"No. Not really."

Sue giggled again at Rubin. "You're funny."

"...I would have loved to have seen that." Sooraya was a bit disappointed but still laughed at Rubin's joke.

"I'm also a ladies man." He said.

Ankka gave the floating cup a wary look, still not ruling out Satanists. But it sounded female. And non-Satanistic. Still. Couldn't be too careful. He smiled at Hope, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "Um. I fly, I fly wery fast. I can lift things and...vell, I don't break easy. Haven't found anything else yet."

Sue fell silent again. So much for being visible.

"We could......I could scare the squirrels away. Well....likely scare the squirrels and all other wildlife away."

"... Awwww," Clarice looked disappointed, "Did someone say we had to go outside? Okay!" She ported to the other side of the window, "Come oooooooon guys!"

"No! Don't do that! Vhat vill I hunt?"

"Not elephants."

"Shall we then?" Sooraya stood up, heading to the doors and jumping a bit as Clarice already showed up out there.

"But it's hot out there...."

"It's hotter in Miami."

Sue finished her tea and got to her feet moving over to hope, "Turn yourself invisible, it's colder then."

"Pfffft, you call this hot? I was born in the Bahamas!" Clarice flailed through the window.

Ankka looked down at the tiny girl dwarfed next to him. "Come on. I'll look after you." He smiled at her.

"Remind me not to go to Miami ever then...." Hope frowned. "But I can't be seen if I'm invisible..."

Sue shrugged a little, "Well never mind..."

Sean decided that this meant climbing out the window.

"Err ok then..." She didn't really want to leave the room in case the guide came but sonic voice? sounded cool! Standing up the tiny 5ft girl patted off her clothes and looked at the door.

"Vait...if you're inwisible...are you naked?"

".... No!" Sue blushed furiously and was glad she was very invisible.

"I like to believe she is."

"I'm not!"

Hope sighed and headed out with the others. "I guess I can bear it for a few minutes.... Come on Sue. If I have to go, you have to go."

Unless she could turn her clothes invisible... "Okay, that's awesome. I mean...so many practical jokes..."

"Well... she CAN turn clothes invisible..." Hope grinned a bit.

Sue giggled, "I can. It's funny."

"Soooo, what're we gonna do out here?" Clarice asked, tossing her javelin from hand to hand.

"I don't believe in practical jokes, I prefer mine to be non-practical."

Was he...yes, the Irish boy was climbing out the window. Sooraya was so very confused.

He held his hand out for Noriko as he stood up, smiling at her. "Don't let my height fool you. I'm not a bad guy. But I vill varn you, I flirt vith pretty girls." He winked at her.

"Well, I believe we had some demonstrations, yes?"

And landing face first in a bush, but quickly scrambled up and wandered away from breakable windows.

Sue stepped outside, blinking in the light and trying to relax enough to at least be almost fully visible.

"Are you...all right?" Yes, Sean confused Sooraya very much indeed.

"If something is bleeding, just rub some dirt on it and walk it off." Rubin suggested to Sean

Ankka just got a confused look before she darted over to the window. "You er coming?" On leg already out of the window.

"Oooh, I love power demos!" Clarice gave a small clap, "Who's up first?"

Slowly, Sue started to become visible again.

...She was going over to the window? Ankka tilted his head, before smiling and nodding, following her. Totally.

Hope plopped down on the grass outside.

"Are you still good to start...I'm sorry, what was your name again?" Sooraya asked Sean, not sure if he was really with them well enough to do too much.

Swinging out of the window she grabbed the drain pipe and scampered down quickly jumping over the bushes and face planting into the grass. So much for graceful.

"No, dude, totally good," he grinned over at Sooraya ", I'm Sean."

Rubin contemplated for a whole second and a half whether he should even try going through the window. He headed for the doors leading to the patio.

Sue sat down next to Hope, fully visible at last.

"Red hair is the best by the way." Hope grinned at Sean.

Ankka dropped out of the window easily, his feet not touching the ground. Pulling his legs up, he crossed them and hovered over to Noriko, holding out a hand. "Vant a hand there?" He grinned.

"Sean, right." She smiled and gave him room. "Should we cover our ears?"

"Nope I'm good!" Jumping back up and brushing herself off. "Just out of practice that's all." Smiling up at him blushing.

Beaming, he nodded ", I love my hair....like my head's on fire when I'm in the sun. Covering your ears would be for the best."

Hope decided it might be best to tap into Sean's power... people were usually immune to their own powers right? She did so. She'd just have to be quiet.

Music going off she pulled her lowriders over her ears just in case.

He chuckled, wondering if half an hour knowing someone was long enough to be offering flights. Probably not. He pulled out a tin. "After you."

Clarice duly put her fingers in her ears.

Sue covered her ears and braced herself.

He looked up. "I'm pretty unbreakable. If I can stand a gunshot by my ear..." He started rolling himself a cigarette.

Racing over to the group she found a small gap to watch, urging Ankka over for the spectacle.

Hope's eyes grew bigger at the cigarette. She turned off Sean's power long enough to ask. "Hey can I have one?" Then she turned it back on quickly.

Ankka bobbed along, like some kind of errant balloon, before passing one over to the girl with a grin and rolling himself another.

"Smoking's bad for you...." Sue mumbled without any real conviction.

Hope mouthed 'thanks' and lit it up. She took a happy puff and sighed happily. Nicotine!

"And so are bears." He jerked his thumb at the scars on his back as he put the cigarette in his mouth.

Hope had to stop herself from laughing at that. She didn't want to slip up with Sean's power on.

Sue blinked up at him then blushed transparent again and looked down at the ground.

Awwwww. Besides the odd irritation of turning invisible, that was kinda cute.

It took a moment, but once he was sure that everyone was ready, Sean took a deep breath and let out a shriek, the trees in the distance ratting.

Rubin rounded the patio's corner and joined the rest there, just in time to hear the most horribly loud sound his oversized ears have ever heard. "ARGH SWEET MOTHER OF GANDHI THAT'S LOUD." he said in what he believed to be his normal voice.

Sue cringed at the shriek and even more at the yelling from Rubin.

Ohhh that was cool. Hope made a mental note to practice with that power for sure. She grinned happily, turning the power off. "COOL!"

Noriko squeaked clutching her headphones ears ringing from both noises and feeling oddly dizzy from it.

"Oh!" Sooraya covered her ears tighter, not having expected something like that. That was LOUD.

Rubin looked at Hope, "WHAT?" he asked.

"I'm going to just request now that you not do that again..."

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Clarice squealed and closed her eyes.

Ankka blinked in the act of lighting his cigarette, the flame going out. He frowned, shook his lighter...then smacked the side of his head, the ringing disappating quickly before he lit the cigarette. "...Vait, that vas it?"

Grinning, Sean looked around and blinked ", what? I thought everyone was ready?" He looked to the blond and pouted ", I can change the pitch and whatnot.....I can use it like sonar...I tried to use it to fly once but just ended up facefirst in a bush."

"Ouch... if I paid attention in class I might know if that was even possible. Maybe we can try it together?" Hope offered.

And he promptly forgot that he had to lower his voice, shattering a nearby window. "oops."

"Flying?" that just sounded like a bad idea...but considering how much pressure that had to take Sooraya wasn't sure it was impossible.

"Oh...I didn't mean...it's not like..." Ankka felt a little bad. "Um. My ears rang...?"

Rubin blinked at Sean, "WHO'S BUSH DID YOU PUT YOUR FACE IN?" he asked in hushed tones.

"... Is it over? My ears are ringing?" Clarice gingerly removed her fingers, "When you said loud I didn't think it would be LOUD-loud ... was breaking those windows part of the show?"

Sue blinked at Rubin then cracked up.

And at Rubin's question she blushed and started to snicker.

"Er....no....Sorry?"

Hope rubbed her ears, wishing she hadn't turned his power off. Now she hurt.

The breaking caused a slow clap from the door, followed by a chuckle as Lorna stepped out to greet those she was supposed to lead around today. "Now that was something!...don't worry, Xavier has the window covered."

"Hello Professor Mrs. Polaris!" Clarice waved again, recognising the green hair from the TV.

Ankka drifted round to face the new arrival, dropping sedately to his feet and immediately pulling the cigarette out of his mouth. "Polaris? Wow. Ve're meeting a lot of famous faces." He grinned at her a little nervously. Eee. Teacher.

Sue waved at Lorna then rubbed her ears a little. She was at least familiar with some of the staff having been there since the start of summer.

Noriko gave a small wave trying to remember if that was the one that drove her from the airport or not.

Hope waved to the green headed lady. She briefly wondered if that was natural or dyed.

"You can stick with Lorna if you like." She gave a wave, grinning. "Well then, this looks like mostly everyone I was expecting. I'll have to assume the others are just roaming around."

Rubin tried yawning, or any other tricks to get the ringing to stop in his ears. He elbow nudged Sean and whispered, "IT'S THAT HOT X-MEN CHICK."

Whoooooa.....hot green haired woman.

"Vell, I kinda stayed put vhere Varlock told me to." Ankka nodded. Hot or not, teachers were waaay out of bounds. Damnit.

Sue giggled at Rubin again.

Hope blinked at Rubin, then looked back at Lorna. Ohhh she had been on TV. That's why she looked familiar.

Stumbling, Sean nodded ", TOTALLY!"

"Lorna or Mrs. Drake...sorry to disappoint?" Though that was a nice boost to the ego right there...if a bit unexpected and with a whiff of creepy.

"Oooh, you call teachers by thier first names in college?"

"I think that depends on the teacher..." Hope offered Clarice

Mrs. Ah fuckit. Definitely out of bounds. Oh well, plenty of potential right here. "Vell. Ankka at your service...I hope I don't get things too wrong, my English...is not so good, yes?"

The ringing finally stopped in Rubin's ears. "Hey, hey, my hearing's back... a little."

"We did at Uni..." Sue put in.

"Sean," he grinned and waved stupidly.

"Hi Mrs Drake." Giving the teacher a respectful bow smiling as her fingers knotted and unknotted her head phone wires.

"I'm Jean-Paul's friend, Clarice, AKA the Astounding Blink!"

Sue couldn't see the point of introducing herself since she'd done that part already.

...Why did he know, without turning, that Clarice had struck some sort of heroic pose at that?

"Um, I'm Hope." Hope waved again a bit.

Oh God, she was definitely going to have to tell Bobby about all of this. "Right, I can take you all on the tour after you've finished showing off if you like?" She smirked at that. "The school breaks often but please try not to."

"No sitting on the fancy chairs, check."

Because she had, it was something straight out of Dragonball Z.

"I have nothing to really show." Ankka gave a one-armed shrug. "Unless you have scales or valls to break or cars to lift...though I'm a good shot vith a rifle in a snowstorm."

"Everyone saw what I do already... kind of can't help it..." she blushed again on cue.

"I can do what they can do so nothing too exciting there."

"Errmmm........ i'm not aloud to show off....." Shuffling her feet alittle bit looking embarrassed.

"Why's that?"

"...........Last time I kinda had the police round home for..... er blowing the power to half the city.... I was really sorry I didn't mean to!" Cringing like she was going to get told off again for it.

Sooraya glanced back to Noriko, not sure if she even wanted to see anything else after Sean deafening

"Already did, ma'am," he saluted

Sue blinked at Noriko and reached to pat her shoulder tentatively.

"Well, we'll work on things on a smaller scale, not to worry." She gave her a smile.

Jumping Sue got a personal show of power as a small spark jumped between the pair. "Oh sorry!"

"Ow!" Sue jumped back.

"Owwwwch, that sounds like a tricky power," Clarice said sympathetically.

"...Makes me glad I don't have powers I can't control, yes? Though I break trees..."

"...And volves..."

"Kinda can't control it so I have to be extra careful...."

"Yeeeeah..." Sue rubbed her hand. "Owie..."

"...And...oh yeah, that bear too..."

"I'm sorry Sue I didn't mean to." Come on look how sorry those huge anime eyes are.

"Bear? Where?" Clarice looked around.

"It's okay..." she gave Noriko a smile instead of another pat. Less painful.

"My mom packed my gloves yesterday so I couldn't wear them, otherwise you wouldn't have to worry."

"Not here. Vas a few years ago. Dad killed it anyvay."

"Gloves?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Well that's...good?"

".......... Wait a bear? huge fuzzy thing with teeth and claws?"

"Awww, why?"

"Not so big. But yes, a bear." Ankka blinked. "Vell, it vas kind of mauling me. I could have died. It's a rug now."

Pulling her headphones back off she tapped her wrists. "I have rubber gloves to help stop me sparking off people. Just builds it up instead so i can burn it off at once."

"Don't you have bears here? Or volfs?"

"I do back home." Hope offered Ankka

Right...bear. "Right, I've got maps...so I say that's good enough for the tour, yeah? Who'd rather go into town?" She jingled the van keys in her hands.

"Oh... that sounds good...."

"Town? Oooh do you know where there's an ice rink?"

"Yes! I vould! Wery much. Coffee? Vill there be coffee?"

"Oh, I'm sure we can find a few."

"Ooooo yeah Ice skating! I've haven't been in like 2 weeks now!"

"I do have your roommate assignments though." She pulled the paper from her pocket.

"Oh skating sounds fun." Hope smiled. This could be great!

Sue looked at Noriko again, "You skate too?"

"Oh ... well ... I guess," Clarice didn't like the idea of shooting things though, "Oooh! Roomies! Who have I got!?"

"Lets see, Sue's with Callie, another pink girl so you should be able to find her easy enough. Noriko and Clarice, Hope and Sooraya."

"Yeah I skate all the time, I even have a few medals." Smiling warmly up at her.

And Donald, Sean, and Rubin, you're each other's roommates so there's that."

Hope grinned over at Sooraya. "Hey Roomie!"

"Oh! Brilliant! We can have some fun!" she smiled, feeling a lot better now she was on familiar territory.

Noriko squeaked bouncing up and down. "Yay I get to share with Clarice!Cool!"

Ankka put his dead cigarette back in his mouth and held out a hand to Sean and nodded to - oh. Rubin was gone. Ah well. "This should be fun. I hope you like drinking."

"Hello!" Sooraya smiled and waved. Well, at least that was one awkward meeting down. "Ice rink? Is that a big thing around here?"

"Roomies!" Clarice bounced over to Noriko, "This is gonna be awesome!"

Sean wrapped an arm around Ankka's shoulder as best as he could ", buddies!"

"I know!" Bouncing back happily pigtails going up and down with her blue ribbons flying.

"Right! To the x-van!" Lorna held the keys aloft, making her way across the lawn for the garage.

Ankka laughed, easily engulfing the smaller guy in a hug. "Yes, buddies!"

Sue followed Lorna obediently.

Flails a bit as he's hugged and grins.

Ankka let him go, relighting the cigarette before tugging Sean along after Lorna, fielding Noriko and Clarice on the way.

Hope followed after Lorna and the others. Field trip!

"oooooo hang on a moment.... before I spark anyone again...." Bouncing off away from the group she pulled a chain of paper clips from her pocket and started unrolling it.

"Eeep!" She was being fielded by the big blond man!

Dragged along, Sean gave the cigarette a sideways look ", mine's better." He grins and wiggles his eyebrows.

"Oooh. Show me later?" Ankka waggled his back with a grin.

And there was Sean confusing her again. "What are you showing now?"

Lorna, doing her utmost not to laugh, was smirking far too much for a laugh to actually matter.

"I'm all about sharing," he looked over at Sooraya and grinned ", my own brand of cigarettes."

Chain of clips hitting the flow her eyes glowed for a second before the energy crackled down the makeshift grounding rod, blue and white sparks arching all down it and paper clips glowing with heat.

"Ooooh, pretty," Clarice cooed as she was dragged past Noriko.

Sue watched Noriko, eyes wide.

"Ow!" dropping the now hot paper clips she blew on the burns on her fingers pouting. "I hate doing that." Handkerchief coming out of her pocket she picked up the clips from the circle of burnt grass.

"That was... wow..."

"...Remind me to come to you if I need something set on fire." He nodded as he trundled past. "You vant a lift, tiny Japanese girl?"

"Now that's quite neat." Lorna chuckled, watching Noriko. "We'll have to train together sometime."

"That's......groovy," he grinned.

"...and another cool power for me to play with." Hope grinned.

Turning she smiled. "No worries or electrocution for awhile now!" Ankka got a head tilt. "What do I need a lift for.... and anyone got a metal belt buckle?"

"Why do you want a metal belt buckle?"

"Um... I do... why?"

"Uh. I have?"

Running up to sue and Ankka she giggled, and attached the now magnetized paperclips to each belt, sort of chaining them together before running towards the garage squeak giggling.

"...." Sue blushed her way into invisibility again.

Ankka looked down at the paperclips, then at Sue, then at his passengers, before Sue was scooped up too. He was a simple man, and being attached to ladies wasn't a bad thing.

"Heeeeeeeeee!" Clarice giggled and then blinked after her roomie.

Sue flailed a little bit then kept very still, blushing even more and turning completely invisible. So embarrassing!

Lorna waited beside the van, grinning back at the students and their shenanigans. This should be a good year. "So, I say we pick up snacks and a drink and then I can give you a driving tour of the place, what do you say?"

"Sounds like a plan..." Sue said as confidently as she could manage given where she was.

"Yes!" Bouncing happily on the spot next to her new room mate grininng.

"Oh dear god, SNACKS!"

"I like that. There better be coffee in there though." Ankka nodded as he came up and put Sean and Sue down - carefully, in Sue's case, as he wasn't sure which way up she was, and patted what he hoped was her head. Not a Satanist.

Sue let out a sigh of relief, feeling her face cool down as her normal colour returned. She ran a hand through her hair and sat down in an empty seat.

"Can I have some pickles, please?" Clarice asked the teacher.

Sooraya climbed into the van carefully, not quite certain what snacks, drink, and a tour would actually mean here but deciding she might as well do as the Romans did so to speak.

Hope hopped into her seat in the van and buckled up.

Norikoe pulled out her purse and checked it. "Yay lots of money for sweets! well if there are any nice ones."

Ankka drifted into a seat, relaxing into it easily despite his size. "Coffeeee."

Noriko clambered in and offered Clarice a hand into the van.

"Vitos serves all sorts of things, it's on me." She started up the van, pulling out. "It's sort of our main hangout place in town, always been mutant friendly."

"God pickles sound fantastic.....pickles.....pickles and coffee. OH! Chocolate! Can I get nachoes?"

"Only vith cheese, my friend. Only vith cheese."

Clarice took the hand and sat next to Noriko, "A fellow pickle fan?" She asked Sean.

"That's a damned shame.....I love pickles!"

"I'll try about anything... just no seafood or peanuts..."

"PEANUTS!"

"What are pickles?" giving everyone a confused look again.

"Pickles are lovely!" Clarice had made a new friend, "What's your favourite form of pickle? I like gerkins."

Sue made a mental note about no peanuts for Hope as she slowly became visible again.

"You're very excited by food, aren't you?" She smiled at Sean, chuckling softly.

"Dills. Kosher dills....I like drinking the juice too. I like food. Are there any hot dogs where we're going?"

"What you can't find at Vito's there will be in the kitchen here. We have to feed a few runners. There's always a bit of everything."

"Eh. I am not hungry. I just vant coffee. It is the drink of my people, yes?"

"Good choice," Clarice nodded sagly, "All you need to know about pickles is that they're good Noriko!"

"Oh, there's coffee my friend. There's coffee." She chuckled, pulling onto the main highway.

"Is there apple cider?"

"Is there real tea?"

Hope perked up at the mention of apple cider.

"Oh ok then.... Can I try one? and I think I could go for a coffee to!" smiling over at Ankka.

"...Is there...is there mead?"

"Is there hard cider?"

"New York is a magical place. There's pretty much everything."

"Are all of you of legal age to drink?" Clarice asked the boys asking for booze.

Sue smiled, "As long as there's tea."

"And liquorice wodka?" Ankka's eyes got big. "I need to be surrounded by the customs of my people in this strange and foriegn land!"

"In Ireland, yeah," he pouted.

"legal age is 21 here yes?"

"Oh god, why?!"

"Not here. Not til April..." she frowned.

"21 yes." Hope piped up.

"Yeah...Vito's..well, Vito's doesn't card all that much so...I'll turn a blind eye."

"Then no alcohol for me." Pouting at her feet, she wanted to try this *cider* and *mead*.

"In Finland, kyllä" Ankka nodded enthusiastically.

"...you are the best professor ever!" Hope grinned at her teacher.

Sooraya kept quiet, not quite sure if she was ready to go this Roman.

"Ma'am...if you weren't a married woman, I'd hug you," Sean put a hand to his heart.

"You can hug, if you go for any grabs I have to beat you though."

"Is too cold to not drink vhere I live." Ankka nodded, looking up at the sky. "This time of year, the sun disappears, is wery cold...I miss the Borealis already."

He walked over and hugged Lorna, giving a stupid smile.

Clarice was not impressed, "I only drink juice, drinking alcohol is against my religion after all."

Hope smiled at that. "They are beautiful, aren't they Ankka?"

"We can be sober together?" Sooraya glanced over to Clarice.

Mind you no gloves.... drunk and no power control yet? "I think I'll stick with coffee for now, I don't want to risk it and accidently fry someone."

"You don't drink ether?" Clarice asked her.

"I just want tea right now..." though if she did drink she'd be less nervous.

"You live in the Arctic Circle?" Ankka grinned. "Yes - I vatch them all the time from my roof. Seen them my whole life, never get tired of them."

"Well, I lived all over Alaska, but part of it was in the Artic Circle yes." Hope grinned at him.

"It is haraam in Islam as well." Sooraya nodded to Clarice.

"I would love to see the northern lights..." Sue put in.

"Haraam? What does that mean, and I'm a Bhuddist by the way," she smiled.

"Well, if I ever decide to go back to Alaska, Sue... you can come with me." Hope patted her friend's shoulder. She didn't count on going back anytime soon though.

"Who knows? Maybe one day, ve vill go in that magical plane of Varlock's and see it." He leant back, watching the city loom over them. "...New York...is wery big, yes?"

Noriko shrugged looking out the window. "Tokyo's bigger.... and prettier looking."

Sue smiled at Hope, "That sounds nice."

"Forbidden." She explained, smiling back. "So we can keep one another company on that."

"Only been to Helsinki once. I vas young, so, can't remember it. I live in a wery tiny willage far from a town called Angeli, so...this is big for me, yes?"

"Yeah I come from a smallish town out in the sticks... this is busy and scary..."

"Oh yeah, it's plenty big but you'll get used to it." They weren't going too far into the city, though, as Vito's was nearby and, as it turns out, Lorna was just pulling in.

"Ahhh, it's sorta the same for me, drinking goes against the precepts, so yeah, we can be juice buddies if you don't mind my pickles."

Sean looked at Ankka with huge eyes ", dude.......say 'wessles'."

Ankka looked at Sean in confusion. "...Vessles?"

"Dammit, okay, say 'vessles'."

"Wessles."

Throws his arms up in celebration!

Sue giggled at Sean and shook her head. So easily amused.

"Oh yes I'm perfectly okay with pickles and juice." She smiled again, though gave Sean just a little bit of a side-eye, not getting what he was doing at all.

Ankka stared at his apparent roommate in absolute bewilderment. "...Did I miss something?"

"What was that about?" giving Sean a most perplexed look.

"Star Trek! Chekov! Come on, I can't be the only Trek fan here."

Hope was beginning to wonder what kind of drugs the Irish kid was on.

"You're not," Sue assured him.

"Whats star trek?"

"Deprived!"

"You aren't! You aren't, that was great!" Lorna was giggling as she was getting out of the van.

"...Chekov? That Russian bastard? You calling me Russian?!"

"Vessle ... isn't that a fancy name for a ship?" Clarice was also part of the 'not understanding' brigade.

"Huh?"

"Hey, he's awesome. Not as cool as Scotty, but still."

Noriko just sat there looking between everyone.

"Oh, we're marathoning some Star Trek when we get back. We've got to fix these cultural barriers." She giggled, shaking her head still and leading the way in.

"Pass." Hope spoke up quickly.

"Woo! Star Trek marathon!" and her nerd was showing.

Ankka eyetwitched. "I am not Russian. I am Finnish. Big difference." It occured to him that the rest of the world probably didn't know about it, and deflated slightly. "...Fins and Russians, ve aren't...friendly. You see?"

"Whyyyyy? It's such a good shoooooow. And I knoooow you're not Russian. But I couldn't resiiiiist."

"I still don't get what Vessle means," Clarice asked, trailing behind the conversation as she trailed after Lorna into the bar.

"Ship."

"It's okay." Sooraya smiled at the Fin as she got out of the van. "People will probably always think I'm Arab."

"Erm.... ok then?" she didn't know what star trek was but obviously they all liked it... Seeing Ankka's eyetwitch she siddled over. "So is like calling me Chinese not Japanese?"

"Resist, Scotty, resist like it's the laws of physics, because I've punched people for less." Ankka ruffled Sean's hair begrudgingly and got out, following Lorna. "Yes, I think so. Is a culture thing."

Hope followed, making a note not to call Ankka a Russian. Ever.

"Oooooooooo." Nodding to herself she unleahsed her self from the restrains of the van and bounded onward in exploration.

He pouted hard at him.

Sue shuffled along behind Lorna. Tea and Star Trek. Today was turning out to be a good day.

The pout got a tongue in return.

"Aww, hug and make up now. You're killing his buzz." She held the door open. "Welcome, to Vito's Velvet Lounge!"

"I want a pickle and some chocolate nachos."

Grumbling good-naturedly, Ankka picked Sean up and gave him a hug, carrying him into the... "...Vhat? That sounds like a strip-joint."

"Think you need to be closer to the bar for the staff to hear when you ask for stuff."

"What, at the same time?" Clarice stuck her tounge out, "Bleeeeh!"

"Wheeee!"

"...it isn't a 'strip joint' is it?" Sooraya was suddenly concerned.

"Strip joint?" Mortified look appearing on her face as she glanced round worried.

"It better not be!" Sue blushed a little again at the idea.

"Well I notice a distinct lack of naked women, so going for not a strip joint."

"No, no. I'm afraid I'm not that cool of a professor. Maybe later."

"Am I the only one here that would not be appalled at the idea of a strip club?"

"They're not playing silly music either, I think it's called the velvet lounge 'cos of the seats," she pointed to the red, velvet lined sofas.

"I'll pass there thanks." Paling alittle.

"No, I vould be right at home too. You comfortable?"

"Quite, thank you."

Sue blushed even more at the idea of later and nearly turned completely invisible again.

Sooraya slid into one of the seats, giving it a quick bounce. "Well, I suppose it is 'loungy'."

Hope took her own seat and bounced a bit to test it out. "Not bad."

Sue sat down quickly and sank down in her seat until her eyes were roughly level with the table top.

Sean was deposited in a seat as Ankka flumped next to him, fanning himself again. "At least it's cooler in here."

"Right, I'll leave you guys to your own devices for a minute. I'll go tell Vito our...extensive and creative order." Well, Vito had to be used to serving stoners, right? Choconachos shouldn't be too new.

Clarice decided to go all out and flop down over one of the sofa-seats face first, "Ooooh, comfy, I could have done with a sofa like this a fair few nights."

"Mead! Coffee! Liqourice!"

"Mango juice!"

Noriko found a spare seat and boucned down, and continued bouncing and swinging her feet of the floor, gotta love being short some times.

"In the meantime, those of you who drink, drink, and those of you who don't, drink the juice." She Vanna White-ed at the drinks being put out on the table before sliding off towards the bar.

"Make sure there's pickles! And coffee! And pepperoni!"

"And apple cider!"

"Best teacher."

"Hmm, yes." Sooraya smiled though wasn't quite as enthusiastic about it as Sean. Though that was a high level of enthusiasm to be matched.

"Mango juuuuice," Clarice sat up and snagged her glass.

Sean practically leapt towards the table of drinks and started concocting what he hoped was boozey and delicious.

Sue slowly returned to her normal opacity again and sat up enough to reach across the table for her drink.

"Yes, juice!" Sooraya grabbed the other one. "I suppose we still drink to something, yes?"

Noriko went over and made her self coffee from the machine before sitting happily back down and snuggling the cup.

The mead was snagged and clutched to him before anyone else could get it...and then the coffee was found. "Mmm...kahvi..." He murmured to himself, sipping it straight black and sugarless. Perfect. He sidled up the seat to Noriko. "You okay?"

"We can toast the new school year and ournew friends?"

"U-huh, just showing my coffee the love it deserves, silly people on the airplane yesterday put milk and sugar in it." Hugging her cup alittle closer grinning.

"Coffee's nice with milk and sugar... just like tea."

Sitting down with a glass of hard coffee apple cider, Sean took a deep breath and sipped it ", it's like...coffee and apples had a baby and then bathed the baby in booze!"

"...I think I found a new friend." Ankka grinned. "That's how I like mine. I vill see if my family vill send over real Finnish blend...you can try it, yes?"

"That'd be so awesome!"

Hope snatched up a glass of the apple cider and inhaled the scent. "mmmmmm"

"Well then, we can definitely drink to that." Sooraya laughed, raising her glass of juice.

Sue quietly sipped her tea, sitting up properly, happy to just listen to the others until someone spoke to her.

Ankka laughed and raised both coffee and mead before pouring a little of the amber liquid into his coffee and drinking.

Clarice clinked her glass against Sooraya's.

"I would like that alot Ankka." Sipping hers alittle. "If I put milk and sugar in my coffee I am probably ill." Smiling warmly at sue before raising her coffee. "Too new friends."

Sue smiled and raised her tea to join the toast, "New friends."

"And a new home, full of very interesting things."

Hope smiled and raised her glass to that as well. "To new friends, new home, and all that jazz."

"As ve say in Finland - Uusille ystäville - ja juotava niillä." He clinked his glass with the others and grinned.

"And boozey coffeeapple babies!"

Well, she wasn't sure about booze babies but she could still have juice. "So what does that mean, Ankka?"

"To pickles and Star trek whatever they are!"

"Huzzah!"

"To new friends - and getting drunk vith them." Ankka grinned at Sooraya. "A good toast, yes?"

"...sure!" She shrugged, laughing, and held up her juice glass to clink with him as that seemed to be what was done.

Sue smiled and sipped her tea.

Hope smiled at everyone. "I'm glad I came here."

"...Also, Nori? These are yours, I believe." Ankka smiled, handing her her paperclips again. "They did not stay sticky for long, I'm sorry."

Noriko settled back and sipped her coffee between blowing bubble in it, feet still swinging happily.

- "Oh thank you, no I didn't have much to ground so they never last." Scooping the paperclips into a pocket. ".... Nori?"

"I think the next four years are gonna be totally awesome, don't you guys?" Clarice asked, slurping her juice through a straw.

"Looks like it." Sue smiled again.

If the fact that Lorna had wandered off towards the karaoke machine yes, it was going to be totally awesome.

"To say your name...sounds wery odd in my accent. Same as Donald does." The name sounded like 'Doon-alde'. "So...Nori sounds better, right?" He smiled at the others. "More fun than wrestling deer into corrals and shooting volfs at any rate."

"I er suppose you can call me Nori then.... " will not eyetwitch will not eyetwitch...see i'm good, sipping more of her coffee for nerves.

Sue resisted the temptation to curl up in her seat. That was totally bad manners in public.

Sean resisted no such urges, sprawling over is seat like it was his throne.

Hope sipped on her cider and watched everyone. She rubbed her forehead a bit, feeling a bit overwhelmed with so many of them so close to her.

Coffee, mead and no Satanists anywhere. This was going to be a hell of a lot of fun. Ankka gulped his coffee, looking around the table. ...Oh yes. He could quite easily get in a lot of trouble here. The grin was purely innocent as he sipped the mead.

"Arigato for a good day every one!" Far to cheerful by half now she had coffee and had calmed down alittle. This year was going to be awesome, her roomate was !PINK!

Sean studied everyone and then looked to Ankka. "I want a piggy back ride."

Hope smiled at them all. Yeah, great year. This would be her best year yet!

Ankka stared at Sean. "Please tell me I fucked up my English again and you didn't just ask to ride me."

Sue blinked at Sean then looked at Ankka and grinned.

"I...think he did."

After a moment's consideration, Sean jumped onto Ankka's back. "High ho blondy, AWAY!"


[Edited on 8/10/11 by Ferguson]