Katana
Acolytes
Leah Okami
Posts: 258
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Post by Katana on Jun 16, 2009 21:31:47 GMT -5
Hugging him tightly Leah allowed a single tear to roll down her face. "Thanks. It means the world." she said. She was so incredibly relieved for herself but she also felt a wave of sympathy for him. "I-I honestly can't imagine not knowing about the past. It must be very hard. When I was in the foster homes there were kids who didn't know jack about their pasts...taken as infants or toddlers and passed from one home to another. It was hard stuff to find but there were still records and people who knew, as much as the CPS workers tried to hide them, and there probably are for you too. Maybe Ms. Frost can help you find that stuff...like over the summer when we're out of class. That and maybe talk to TruSpirit...he can tell a lot about who a person is, you know. Showed me a lot. And of course anything that I can do, I'll do."
She wanted so much to make things better for him yet she didn't really know how, just a few suggestions that he probably had already tried but she had to say something. She had to do something no matter how futile. As a child when things were bad with her abusive parents, Katana had taken solace in the love of her grandmother and in the stories and traditions her grandmother related to her. She couldn't imagine having to struggle through all of the cruelty and ugliness in this world without any memories and any sense of belonging to keep one grounded. Well, in her case it didn't really keep her grounded most of the time, but it did pull her back from the precipice each time she got close to giving up and becoming hateful like her father or stringing out on drugs.
As for her own issues, she pushed them to the back of her mind. Now was time to concentrate on Alex, not get into a long process fest about her sexual orientation and sense of self worth.
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Chupacabra
New Mutants
Alejandro Rivera
And from my tortured shape No comfort, no escape
Posts: 104
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Post by Chupacabra on Jun 16, 2009 22:03:20 GMT -5
They stayed like that for a while. Alex had felt much better that he had said everything that was on his chest. Like a huge weight have been lifted. His breathing was deep and his cheeks wet with tears. He collected himself and wiped his face of the tears and saw Leah's tear when they let go of the hug. His slowly raised his hand over to wipe her tear. He gave her a genuine smile.
He had listened to her suggestions and they were good ones. It had never occurred to him to ask for help to search for his family. Before he arrived at the mansion he only had a few weeks of memory. He hadn't really had the time to think about his family and look for them. When he arrived at the mansion he was still new to things and had to adapt. It wasn't until now that he gave in to his urge to find out about his past. Even if he didn't like what he heard.
"Sounds good. I'm sure with all the resources of this school Ms. Frost can really help. And you have helped a lot by just being my friend."
Alex was at a loss for words because of what Leah had just done for him. It was a very satisfying feeling to know she cared for him. The day had barely begun and Alex was already at his limit.
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Katana
Acolytes
Leah Okami
Posts: 258
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Post by Katana on Jun 16, 2009 22:36:56 GMT -5
Leah didn't say anything. Words seemed superfluous at a moment like this. Instead she just sat their on the floor next to Alex and held his hand for a few minutes. Just sitting was calming and she could almost see in her mind her spirit cat crawling up into her lap and sitting with them. I wonder what Alex's spirit animal is. she thought as she leaned her head against his shoulder and just let go of the tension of the day.
Trying to domesticate the inner alley cat Mato had shown her was very hard work, especially today. Not only had Sky's poem struck a nerve but the loud applause that followed and Ms. Frost's seeming failure to do anything about it grated her. It was just more stress. More stress like the harassment at lunch and in the halls. More stress like the social ostracism. So she finally spoke again. "You think I'm a good person but everybody else doesn't. I've done a lot of stuff I shouldn't and they're not gonna forget that. It's like that Greek dude with the rock. King Sissy Face or whatever. Even if he changes and is all dedicated and stuff and pushes that rock up the hill like a good hard working guy its just gonna fall down again. He's cursed forever. I know its just been a short time but I'm trying here and today Sky reads her dumb ass poem and its all about how ugly and stupid she thinks I am. The whole class laughs. Then there's the stuff at lunch every day. I mean I could turn into Mother Theresa and they'd probably still hate me." Taking a deep breath, she continued, "And being a mutant and maybe a dyke the rest of the world's gonna hate me too. It's like there's no place I can run away from that rock. And I'm kinda afraid that well you and Ms. Frost are gonna give up on me too if I make one more wrong step, and I don't know if I can hold it together and keep going up the hill." She paused for a second. "I'm just so tired and scared...I mean I shouldn't even be talking about this. You got much bigger problems which you didn't make and here I am wanting pity for something I brought on myself."
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Chupacabra
New Mutants
Alejandro Rivera
And from my tortured shape No comfort, no escape
Posts: 104
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Post by Chupacabra on Jun 16, 2009 23:10:14 GMT -5
Alex sighed. Leah was so troubled. She had been bottled up all this time and she finally exploded. It was meant to happen. No one can hold out forever. Alex knew that now. That running away from the problem never helped. He had to face and accept his problems. Alex felt now that his problem was Leah's pain. He allowed himself to let go of his other problems for the time being and help his friend.
"It really doesn't matter what they think about you. It's how you feel about yourself. And as long as you have those few people who care about you it doesn't matter what the world thinks. And do you think I came this far as your friend to give up now or anytime soon. I know you are a great person and you have the potential to do great things.
He lifted his free hand and pointed to her heart, "It's everyone else's loss that they don't know how you are in there. Because those people who make fun of you do it to try and make their pain go away. Cause God knows that they have it ten times worse. And you don't have to try and please them. You have to please yourself and those who believe in you. And as long as you try to push that rock up that hill I'll be there to help."
Alex bent over slightly and kissed her on the cheek. He hoped that what he said had gone through to her and helped her understand things better. He was hoping that she could be happy and not worry about what the people who tease her think about her.
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Riff~Raff
New Mutants
Riker Garnier
Wolfish in every way *smirk*
Posts: 295
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Post by Riff~Raff on Jun 16, 2009 23:20:01 GMT -5
At that moment, Riker turned the corner and found exactly who he he'd been looking for the past day. The look on his face was far from happy and relaxed, it was the face of a brother protecting his twin sister from the idiot dumb enough to hurt her. "You," he growled looking at Chupacabra. He barely glanced at Katana, never being one that gave her the time of day to begin with. "Oui lass, take a bloody walk outta here. I need ta have a wee talk with me teammate here," Riker growled out. It wasn't a request, it was a simple command. Riker was the Alpha on his team and he needed to teach the runt what happens when you attack higher members of the pack.
He grabbed Chupacabra's arm and hauled him up, dragging him down the hallway and around the corner that was completely empty. He slammed him against the wall, hair sprouting over his body and fangs growing deeply. "What the f@ is your bloody problem eh?" He growled out venomously. "I been puttin' up with yer bloody STUPID ass for months now. Ya purposely go against the bloody pack jus' cause ya think to be stubborn, ya constantly mouth off when we tell ya ta do something, an' now ya bloody attack me twin sister? Someone who's above your rank?!" *WHOP*[/b] Riker stuck him right across the face with his claws, leaving four distinct scratches on his cheek with blood lightly trickling out.
"Your gonna learn a new lesson today Runt, and yer gonna learn it well. Yer the bottom pit o' the New Mutant pack, ya did nothin' in these entire months ta prove yourself. Ya walk in like ya own the place, not respectin' anyone on the team an' anyone who don't suit ya. That ends right bloody now. Yer gonna go and apologize to me twin for not knowin' yer place. Yer gonna apologize ta our team for not respectin' them an' given yer best to us. An' finally, yer gonna bloody remember what happens when ya overstep that line." Riker's claws dug into Chupacabra's shoulders and he brought him forward and slammed him into the wall again. He was in almost full feral form and had to control himself. "Are we bloody clear on that? Answer me Runt," he growled out maliciously, daring for anyone to interrupt him.
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Katana
Acolytes
Leah Okami
Posts: 258
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Post by Katana on Jun 16, 2009 23:47:35 GMT -5
Alex's words and the kiss on the cheek were very comforting. Turning and looking into Alex's eyes and was about to tell him how much help he had been, when Riker came flying around the corner and practically pounced on Alex growling "you" in a voice filled with rage. When the wolf boy commanded Katana to leave her first instinct was to grab her knife and fight him to protect her friend. While part of her believed she could win a more rational voice won out. Come on, girl. You fight him and even if you win you lose. He'll just get Alex another time. You gotta deal with this smart. Getting up she left the knife where it was and ran behind them. But Riker dragged Alex around the corner before she could catch up as she tripped over her perennially untied boot laces and fell to the floor. "Sh*t!" she said angrily. She then got up and headed more slowly and deliberately around the corner to find Riker with claws buried in Alex's shoulder threatening him and yelling at him about respecting authority.
"Hey," Katana said to the wolf boy. "I know your angry and you've got every right to be. But if we want to talk about respecting authority its Ms. Frost's and Kitty's jobs to do the discipline." she said having overheard him tell Alex to apologize for not respecting the team. "So let's all calm down here and they'll handle it. They're more than capable of punishing Alex and protecting your sister." Alex had told Katana about what happened with Puppy-Love and she was pretty sure this had to be the cause of Riker's rage. "You know he wasn't exactly in his right mind either when that happened...the transformation is mind and body and he can't really control it well yet. He'll apologize. We'll work to make sure it don't happen again, but let's not turn the school into Fight Club. I've gone that way and believe me it doesn't help. You think it will, but it just makes it worse." Well she hadn't literally resorted to fisticuffs but verbal fight club and tantrums sure.
Katana didn't expect the boy to listen. He and his sister were both batsh*t insane as far as she was concerned. Ever since the night Puppy-Love attacked her for having Jumper's scent on her, Katana had tried to avoid the wolf siblings and had considered them unstable. I mean she wasn't exactly stable herself but she hadn't ever really attacked anybody. She'd accidentally hit Frostbite with a pizza box when she chucked it in anger but that was it except for talk. Great, so what are you gonna do if he doesn't stop. she asked herself. Go get the knife? You might be able to take him before he seriously hurts Alex and get yourself expelled and who would protect him then. She thought maybe she could yell for help but that wasn't likely to reach anybody in a deserted hall. No she had to talk him out of it or provoke him into attacking her instead. Well, she could do the later easy. Everybody was provoked by her. For once she smiled at the the thought, ever so slightly.
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Riff~Raff
New Mutants
Riker Garnier
Wolfish in every way *smirk*
Posts: 295
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Post by Riff~Raff on Jun 17, 2009 0:02:37 GMT -5
Riker heard and smelled Katana approach, knowing exactly where she was without having to take his eyes off the runt. "Was I BLOODY FECKIN' TALKIN' TA YA??" he growled out to Katana still looking at Chupacabra. "Stay the bloody hell outta' this, it ain't none o' yer god damn business. People already hate ya enough cause ya can't keep yer filthy nose outta there business, so take a lesson and leave this between us New Mutants. Ya ain't in me pack an' I could care less 'bout ya, ya bloody reject." He was not letting Chupacabra get off from this, and no whiny drama queen that he could easily rip to shreds after a lifetime of hunting creatures bigger, smarter, and faster than her was gonna get in the way.
He slammed Chupacabra into the wall one more time. "I asked ya a bloody question Runt. Keep yer girlfriend outta this and handle it like a bloody man fer once in yer life," Riker growled, still in feral form with fangs protruding, threatening to make a move as any sign of threat or just something to further piss him off.
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Chupacabra
New Mutants
Alejandro Rivera
And from my tortured shape No comfort, no escape
Posts: 104
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Post by Chupacabra on Jun 17, 2009 0:10:20 GMT -5
He had heard the yell of a power hungry dick. He barely heard his accusations of him attacking his sister when he was picked up and dragged to the other end of the hall. He got slashed in the face when he could feel the rage building inside him like the day before. Alex had to warn him before it was too late. He understood where he came from but there was no need for this violence. Alex was smashed against the wall behind him.
"Riker! It was an accident, I could not control myself," Alex screamed as he tried to get across to his teammate, "Stop this before its too late." When Riker brought up his pack mentality it made Alex snap like he did with his sister, "I...am...not...a...dog! I am part of a team not part of your stupid pack."
Alex's eyes filled with red as his anger got the best of him. He began to shake as the transformation began. He could feel his body expanding into the beast that had consumed him the day before. His clothes ripped off and he was fully transformed. He barely fit in the hallway. His eyes were on Riker. He was now too big to be held in the same way. Alex looked down at Riker as Alex filled the hallway with a roar of fury.
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Katana
Acolytes
Leah Okami
Posts: 258
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Post by Katana on Jun 17, 2009 0:17:47 GMT -5
I knew he wouldn't listen. This is bad. I gotta get his attention away from Alex. I could disparage his sister it will hurt my rep even more but it should get him coming after me instead giving Alex time to get away. She was pretty convinced she would fare better against Riker than Alex as her friend was still injured and also there was the ever present risk that he could transform again, and if he did exactly what would emerge would be impossible to say.
However, before she had a chance to act, Alex's attempts to explain were turning into unintelligible screams and as he shook violently the transformation began. Holy sh*t. Katana thought. She screamed at Riker "I told you he can't control this crap. Now get the hell outta here before it gets bad. You may hate me for butting in but believe me you don't wanna be here right now." As she finished Alex's clothes completely ripped off and he stood completely transformed in front of them.
Katana rushed up to him, brushing past Riker , and threw her arms around him. "Alex, it's me. It's Leah. It's alright. You're gonna be alright. I know your in there. Please listen to me." she said as she stroked the fierce beast's fur, aware that any moment it could slash her with its claws or crush her. She cooed and stroked the fur trying to calm down her friend. This is not the way I wanted to die, she thought morbidly, as her confidence that this would work was not high.
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Riff~Raff
New Mutants
Riker Garnier
Wolfish in every way *smirk*
Posts: 295
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Post by Riff~Raff on Jun 17, 2009 0:51:15 GMT -5
Riker was completely feral now and he didn't hesitate acting. His primal mind and strategic human mind working hand in hand and he grabbed Katana by the back of the shirt, ripped her off the freak of nature of his teammate and threw her down the hall away from them. "I FECKIN' TOLD YA TA STAY OUT O' THIS, DUN MAKE ME BLOODY TELL YA AGAIN!" he growled at her and then launched himself at Chupacabra. He bit right at his neck, sinking his long fangs into it the now tougher flesh. His claws grabbed his head as he moved himself behind the transformed teammate, the claws digging right in the area between his eyes, piercing through the skin and blinding him just from the nerves in that area.
Taller and hairier all around himself, Riker used his jaws and grip on his head to fling Chupacabra so hard against the walk that he heard a distinct *CRACK*[/i] in the wall behind him. "Our team is a bloody pack ya Fecky the Ninth. I knew ya were bloody stupid but now I see you're also fecked in the head." *WHOP* Riker swiped Chupacabra hard on the side of the head, sending him flying down the hallway again and leaving him half disoriented, not that his reflexes would be a match for Riker's animal instincts.
He ran over and pinned him down with his claws, growling down at him menacing, readying himself to bite right in the nerves in the neck to paralyze him at any move from the transformed mutant. "Now ya listen, an' ya listen good. Yer gonna calm the F@ down. Now. Cause if ya don't do this now, I will not hesitate ta make it so ya cant move for the next couple o' days," Riker growled, one clawed hand wrapped around the beast's neck tightly and other arm on his chest pinning him down. His strong legs held Chupacabra's arms down and he never took his eyes off him, waiting for his next move. "Ya got one minute Runt. Start calming the bloody hell down yerself before I make ya. Ya wanna talk like a man, start acting like one."
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Onyx
New Mutants
Jasper Bellford
Dont let the darkness consume you....
Posts: 187
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Post by Onyx on Jun 17, 2009 5:52:36 GMT -5
Out of seemingly nowhere, a heavy ball of hissing and buzzing energy was suddenly thrown at the half wolf student. Nothing big enough to cause him any pain but to simply remove him from Alex. Down the hall with one arm out stood Jasper with a dark look on his face. He knew the crap Riker was putting up with as unofficial team captain and head of the 'pack' but if he was caught attacking another student it would end badly. "Riker, be steel for a meenute." He said in a low voice. Onyx was pissed enough he would have to spend his weekend cleaning the stables with Alejandro; but if there was any sort of team punishment to go with it from the two boys fighting he would go insane.
Going over to his friends side he gave a stern look. He knew his position in the team and it was not above Rikers leadership, but he hoped for once the wolf boy would listen and not do something he would regret. "Eef mizzz Frost catches jou, vhe vhill all be een more trouble zhan vhe already are." He said, speaking to all three of the other students. He had no authority but right now he was the only one not attacking or being attacked. "Look, Alex, vhe need to have a talk viss zhe team viss jou. Vhe are all trying und vhe look bad vhen jou cannot stop changing. Vhe all look bad." He said, narrowing his eyes before looking at Leah.
The girl had some bad press and right now she was doing herself no favors, she was not part of the spat between the two boys and getting herself involved was just going to get her in more trouble. "Katana, vill jou leave zhem alone. Zhis is concerning zhe New Mutant team, jou are an Acolyte. Vhe need to talk to Alex vissout jou trying to act like a hero." Jasper wasn't having any sort of 'im a tough girl fear me' crap from her. He came from an area worse than she could imagine. And he had done things that would haunt anyone. She scared no-one.
"Leave, or be quiet. Zhey are jour options. Do not make me get to the state my team mate ees een already. Because I fight dirty." He finished, turning around to face Riker. Who, hopefully had not jumped on Alex again. "Let us find Keetee und vhe can talk viss her. Eef vhe need more team practice zhen zo be eet. Don't lower yourself to zheir level mein friend." He said with a curt nod. Folding his arms and waiting for whatever sort of yelling he would get from his pack alpha.
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Riff~Raff
New Mutants
Riker Garnier
Wolfish in every way *smirk*
Posts: 295
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Post by Riff~Raff on Jun 17, 2009 10:38:54 GMT -5
A growl escaped Riker as he stood back up, sense in full overdrive and ready to attack if Chupacabra even tried to lift a paw. "Jasper you're a bloody Beta, and me best one if I say so. But that bloody Fecker needs to learn control. Now. I know animals, I know how they bloody react," he growled out looking at Chupacabra and snarling. "It bloody needs is to have its bloody well being threatened to listen an' do what we need o' him." Riker kept his glare on Chupacabra the entire time, ready to launch at him if he didn't calm himself down. He was already was disoriented from that carefully calculated blow to the head. Not enough to give him a concussion but enough to slow his movements and reflexes.
"Kitty named me ta rally ya pack together, ya know that as well as I do. Welcome to wild Beta, it ain't any different from this. That over there is a bloody animal, an' I know how to talk to them. Ya know bette', trust me more than that ta know what I be doin'," Riker growled out to his friend before turning to face Chupacabra completely. He liked Jasper, he was a good beta, had a good head on his shoulders. The good in him often clouded his mind on the simple fact that though Riker could be rough, he knew what was best and how to handle it. He dealt with a much more vicious and deadly pack since he was born, this pack was much easier to handle. Right now, with the scratches on his twin's face, he had enough being patient with this idiot. He realized now that with an animal like that, there was only one way to handle it.
"I told ya to change Runt, and I meant now or me teeth are goin' ta your neck. And I won't miss," Riker growled to Chupacabra, speaking to him animal to animal. Jasper was a good Beta, he would take care if it was taken too far, but Chupacabra will learn now the hard way since it seemed to be the best way.
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Chupacabra
New Mutants
Alejandro Rivera
And from my tortured shape No comfort, no escape
Posts: 104
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Post by Chupacabra on Jun 17, 2009 10:47:57 GMT -5
Alex looked down at Leah. He could feel the beast getting ready to swipe her away. No not Leah, not her. I wont let you! He could feel his want to protect her overcoming his anger. What she was doing was working. He could feel his body calming down as he finally got control of his body. He could feel himself about to turn back but that was when Leah got thrown down the hall by Riker. No!
He was about to make his was over to Leah and see if she was alright. At this point he was halfway through transformation. His mind was there but his body wasn't. The instincts of the beast were not there to fight his battle for him. He tried his best to shake Riker but he was too fast. He wasn't a match for his speed and experience. He had one advantage and that was his strength. He knew if he got his hands on him he could do some damage.
That was when Alex was on his back and Riker was over him and finally still. He knew that this was his chance. He was getting ready to swing hard and wide. That's when a familiar ball of energy hissed by and took Riker with it. Alex looked up the hallway and saw his roommate and teammate Jasper standing there with a look of darkness. He began to speak and what he said made complete sense. If Riker was a sane being which I'm pretty sure he is not he would listen to his teammate. And it was true that he couldn't control his transformations. He tried hard just not to transform but it seemed to irresistible to provoke him.
Alex was also meaning to have a talk with the Team and give an apology of sorts. He wanted to sincerely apologize for his behavior the last few months. He knew he had been hard headed and stubborn but it was hard for him to conform. He also wanted to address that a team was not a pack and that he was not a dog. And he personally believed that the dogs needed to be put on a lease and disciplined. There was no need for Alex to worry about being attacked by feral dogs on a daily basis. Alex just sighed and banged his head lightly on the floor. He had no intentions of getting up just yet. All he did was look up to see if Leah was ok.
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Onyx
New Mutants
Jasper Bellford
Dont let the darkness consume you....
Posts: 187
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Post by Onyx on Jun 17, 2009 11:28:33 GMT -5
"Ja, Vhe need to make him understand. But zhat ees not zhe vay een a school. Outside jou can rip zhe crap out of each ozer, een 'ere jou need to be careful." Jasper said calmly putting a hand on Rikers shoulder. He was careful not to try and anger him any more than he already was. Even if he wanted to attack the guy too. "I know jou are angry, und I am too. But reepeng hees throat out een zzhe meedle of zhe school vill not solve anyseeng." He said, looking back at the pathetic figure slumped on the ground not speaking. It was about time he learned what his place was in the team.
Sure, Riker worked them like a pack. It was probably easier on Jasper as he was the Beta, but everyone else knew their place and worked within that system. It worked. Without it there would have been no way for the team to have grown as much as they had. Sure they had problems now and again but everyone apart from Chupacabra seemed to get it in their head that if they want the respect and protection from the team they needed to pull their weight. What he did seemed to slow them down more than anything.
"Look, I'm not saying don't get it out. Vhat I am sayeeng ees zhat jou need to be outside first. Eef zhey catch jou fighting een zhe building zhen vhe are all een for eet. Out zhere jou can tear each ozher apart. Or ... jou can set heem right anyvay." With a slow forming smirk he turned back to his mate and gave a low chuckle. "Een any case, jou can call eet character buildeeng."
With a hasty look at Katana still on the ground, moving to Alejandro in front of him and Riker there was nothing he would have liked more than to embed his fist in the guys throat. But he knew well enough not to fight in the school. If they went out to the woods or something It would not be so bad. "I trust jou to know vhat jou are doeeng Riker, but know zhat I dont vant you getteeng een zhe bad books of zhe teachers."
The guy needed to let off some steam, he had been so angry about what happened to his sister that it was hard to stay off his side. Jasper liked the wolf boy, he was very clever and driven. But what he made up in animal instincts meant that sometimes his judgment too was a little clouded.
"Jou." He pointed at Alex. "Get up und stop pretending jou cannot hear or understand us. Vhe 'ave been more zhan patient viss jou. Jou are treated no differently zhan anyvon who does not vork well. Jou are een zhe wrong und you knew eet. Een zhe next team practice vhe will find out exactly vhat needs to be done." He said, almost barking out at the boy. For all it was worth, Jasper hoped that even just getting him to listen when they where in their room he might understand. But it never sunk in.
"Leesten vhen vhe tell jou. Vhe-" His finger pointed between Riker and himself. "-vork well viss zhe team. Zhe team works viss zhe pack system. Even eef jou don't like eet, eet works. Now. I vill tell jou again Alex. Do not theenk zhat because you can't control your mutation vhe vill hold jour hand und treat jou like jou are five. Jou are part of a team, und as a team vhe work together. Eef jou don't work viss us zhe vay vhe are vorking. Then say Halo to our backs, und don't expect us to help jou vhen jou need it. Jou earn respect Alex. you don't command eet." Some of the words he used from a speech his own father had told him when he was a little younger. The time when he was afraid to ride his motorbike, and afraid to simply go out and get the shopping for his parents.
Those words - in a sense - he knew needed to have been said by the Alpha of the team. But he felt it best if he said them, knowing that he shared a room with the boy meant he could bring it up whenever and wherever he pleased. "Are vhe understood?" He finished, looking down with his eyes dark and cold.
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Katana
Acolytes
Leah Okami
Posts: 258
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Post by Katana on Jun 17, 2009 17:31:37 GMT -5
Leah was not at all surprised when instead of giving even a second's consideration to the logic of her words, Riker grabbed her by her shirt color and violently ripped her off Alex, throwing her down the hallway. The throw was hard and she hit the floor with a large thud that sent pain shooting through her body. As she slammed into the floor she heard Riker cursing at her and yelling at her to stay out things. She also heard his threat about interfering again. The guy's f'ing mental, she thought. Sure he's got reason to be angry but Alex can't help it and Riker should bloody well know that. If he wants to protect his sister than he needs to find a way to prevent the transformations not act like Vlad the Destroyer, all braun and no brains.
She was about to try speaking yet again, to see if she could get through to the wolf boy, when she heard a sickening cracking sound as Riker slammed Alex hard into the wall and then threw him down the hallway as well. There's no reasoning with him now. I'll just have to block him best I can until help can get here.
She was about to try her hand at sitting up so she could call for help when a crackling ball of energy shot across her field of vision and into Riker, launching him off of Alex like a cork out of a champagne bottle. Well, actually more gently than that. It was just the right amoung of force to remove the boy without hurting him. Before she could turn to see where the energy came from, although she had a couple suspects in mind, she heard Jasper's voice clearly explaining to Riker that he didn't want him to get in trouble. Finally, somebody's acting sane around her, she thought with relief.
Well not quite sane, she thought, as Jasper proceeded to tell her to butt out of NuMutant concerns and said that as an Acolyte she had no place trying to step in. No place trying to prevent a fellow student from getting brutally beaten and maybe even murdered. My God, if Jasper had walked down the hall and seen two Acolytes killing each other would he just pull up a chair, get a soda and watch? Had he no sense of compassion at all? Of decency? She wanted to shout at him. But that would not help. She thought of calmly telling him that a beating was everybody's concern, that they were all students and shoul all look out for each other, and that she had no interest in butting into NuMutant internal affairs so if they wanted to talk to, even scream at Alex like half way civilized people she wouldn't lift a finger. But somehow she didn't think her protests would help things. She was just thankful Jasper wasn't letting Riker beat the crap out of Alex.
Riker, however, seemed to see himself as a law above all else. The risk of drawing Ms. Frost's wrath and the logical intercedings of his teammate, Jasper, seemed to have no effect as Katana listened to him admonish his teammate for getting in his way and smugly say that he knew how to handle things. Then Riker went back to threats and trying to intimidate Alex into changing. F*ck, he can do that from now 'til Dooms Day and it will never work. He's got to be calm to change back. How the hell do threats calm somebody down? Through many long conversations with her best friend she had learned that his changes were induced by intense stress, well as near as either of them could tell, and would only go away when he calmed down. Along the way she had learned that her being there, and particularly her holding him calmed him. It had seemed to be working this time as before Riker had ripped her away Alex had seemed to her to untense somewhat, to be momentarily less feral, and as she looked over at him now, to see if he was OK, she noticed that he was partially changed back to his normal self. I have to get over to him and get him all the way back. But how do I get by Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, she mused to herself about the two other NuMutants.
Just then Tweedle Dum started to speak. He talked a little to Riker and then stood over Alex and gave him a nice long lecture. Now why didn't they just lecture him in the first place? Katana thought. The speech actually made some sense. While she hated to admit it, Alex's inability to control the changes once he became agitated did not completely absolve him of responsibility. The boy, like Leah herself, was a hothead who became upset very easily, and he did very little, as far as she knew, and she knew him well, to alleviate stress or learn to cope with it better.
When Jasper's speech had finished she said softly but steadily, "I'm not trying to interfere with your team's affairs or your talking to Alex. Just didn't want him killed, he's my friend. Or for that matter to see Riker hurt. Alex's mind kinda goes when he changes. Also I can calm him down. And if he gets calm he starts to go back. Yelling and beating won't change him back although I can certainly understand, she said to Riker, "your anger. "Look none of you like me, but let me go over to him and I'll calm him down so he's actually in a shape to listen to what you say and really hear it. You're right he can learn better how to not get so agitated." Chuckling slightly she said, "Almost as bad as I am" in hopes of lightening the mood. "But once he's upset it comes and only calming him down works." They'll either kill me or listen, she thought. I'll put $10 on their killing me.
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