The Flowers are Beautiful

[Clutch]

The sun was uncharacteristically warm today, the spring frost having subsided for one single day had enabled the tall finnish girl to dare her venture outside. In a long knitted knee length wrap-around jumper, she held tightly to the sides as her tight skinny jeans clung to her thin legs. It was a far cry from her team colours, what with the jeans being a faded blue and the jumper a slight minty green, but she liked it none the less. The smile which had crept onto the side of her thin pink lips grew as her wandering footsteps brought her toward the 'Memorial Garden'. Although Anastasia was not particularly sure why it was a memorial garden, she enjoyed its tranquility, despite the noise of build work coming from the front of the mansion which travelled through the air toward her. "Moinen hirmuinen häpeä" -Such a terrible shame- She mumbled to herself as her shoes brushed across the dew covered grass as she walked. Not that she cared much for noise, she could always just block it out, yet, today, it seemed wrong to try anything of the sort.

Instead, she tried to find a secluded area where the bushes met, and the flower beds which were budding in season all merged together. The beauty of it all was astounding, that nature, and a little help, could create such magnificent scenes for others to enjoy. Or, as she had heard from the fights days before she returned, to destroy. That particularly was something that Clutch hated beyond all belief, people destroying things wrongfully, it was unthinkable, to destroy such wonders around you for something so trivial as a feud between family. As, that is what she was told she was part of now, a family. A family of mutants, joining together against those who feared them, rejected them, hated them. Yet she held no ill will for those significant others, as, she herself would fear mutants, had she not known about them from the news and the work that they had been doing. Still, it was a particular shame to discriminate those who could not help being who they are, it was in a sense, a racial discrimination. And was that not technically illegal? It was back home in Finland, and many more places. But still, people saw them not as a race, but as 'A black spot on the slate of society' or something of the like.

Alas, the world seemed to think differently. And it was not her way to judge others based on what she knew little on about their oppinions. As there were many others who did accept her new family, her biological one for a start, and her old friends. They were slight jealous if anything, but made sure not to let it get in the way of having her as a friend, which was a very good thing she felt. 'Oh well, might as well make the most of the day while it is still good' she thought with a slightly wider smile. Her footsteps slowing down a little as she reached the corner of the garden. The place she had hoped to reach. The array of flowers blooming through the spring made her breath catch. She didn't even know the names of most of them, yet they took her mind from even the noise of the build work around her. "Moinen ihana kukka , I-KIRJAIN ihme kuinka he aari elatus joten hyvässä järjestyksessä oleva jäljessä aivan että has poissa model after." -Such beautiful flowers, I wonder how they are kept so tidy after all that has gone on.- She mused quietly, as her head tilted to the right in close inspection to one of the more interesting of them. A mixture of orange and red on a tulip that had opened its petals in hopes of absorbing the suns rays which were beating down on them gently from the cloudless sky. "Hei vähäinen määrä ainoa you're aivan ylimääräinen juna areena te." -Hello little one, you're quite special aren't you.- she crooned softly, bending down and blocking its light slightly, so as to be able to stroke the velvet like petals which held such vibrant colours. Today was special, she knew it would be.

[Fleet]

Jumper had hoped to get awat from everyone for a bit and try and sort out all the thoughts and feelings swimming through his head. Wearing a dark blue running suit, his usual casual wear when outside around the school. Something was wrong with him and he couldn't figure it out. Nothing ever got to him. So why was this school and the people here affecting him so much. 'Come on Man' He thought to himself. 'This is nothing but another new school, with more new students and teachers.' Jumper was a pro new kid having jumped around so many schools. His family moved a lot, and it was mostly Jumper's fault. He got into trouble a lot.And then would get shipped off to another school. His parents were wealthy, and seemed to think that Kyle's problems could be solved by throwing more money at it. Kyle would always try and fit in, and want to be one of the cool kids. This would always lead to him trying to hard or doing something stupid and making a fool out of himself and getting picked on. He tried working on teams and playing sports, but the same would happen. He was great at sports, but inside he just wanted to acceptance and approval of everyone. But the first sign of not fitting in sent him into trouble. And the cycle would repeat. After years of bouncing around from school to school, and never really getting close to anything. He never found real friends, or a real cause to belong to. And his parents always shipping him off again and again, he never got close to them. He kind of grew numb and begen to never take anything serious.

The last school he was in is where he discovered his power, and that just made it easier for him to escape. He didnt have to face anythign he didn't want to. No one could pick on him, hold him back or anything. His mind was still swimming as he walked along, not really sure where he was going, and not really paying that much attention. So why was this school any different? Why was he trying so hard to reach out to the students and help them or be nice to them. Why was he seeking the approval of his teachers. And most of all why did it bother him so much that Ember was chosen as Team Leader? She was older, and had more control of her power then most of the others. As she had displayed. But Jumper was great with his power as well, and he thought he definitly was more out spoken and socialable then Ember. "Stop it Kyle!" he spoke out loud as he realized he was thinking to hard about it. "Your better then this!" He straightened himself up and pulled his cocky smile on his lips. Screw them, he thought, screw the other students, they would just find ways to pick on him like any other school, he had already been blown off by two of the girls he tried to get close to. And screw the Teachers, they didn't even try and understand him, he was used to that as well. He would probally be sent away to another school soon enough. Since he already screwed up in front of Cyclops, Beast, and his new Team Leader Rogue. He shrugged and reached up running his hand through his hair as he finally looked around where he was in the Garden.

he realized he wasn't quite alone. The sound of the construction was loud and probally masked the sound of his arrival. He remembered Clutch from the Rec room a little while ago, she had a nice smile and was very pretty. But like the other girls, she would probally not have any interest in him. He barely heard her speaking, probally to herself, as she looked at the flowers, and he could hear what she said, even if he had, he wouldn't have understood it. "So, such a nice quiet place to come and think huh?" He said sarcastically over the sound of the building going on.

[Clutch]

A voice. Suddenly, the sounds of banging and thumping from the build work filled her ears again and she stood slowly to turn toward the sound. She knew it was jumper by his voice, the sarcasm gave it away, but made her smile slightly. He always seemed to either be showing of, or scorning something. That made her laugh. What made her giggle out loud though, was the fact that he had came to the most beautiful of places to speak of his rejection to it. Running a long pale hand through her ebony black hair, Anastasia felt a smile widen across her lips, opening her eyes slightly more in effect of it. "Ah, Jumper. How nice to se you join me ya? You come to see peacefull place?" she asked quietly, tilting her head to the side again and clasping her hands in front of her. The sun was rather hard down on the day, so she wondered if jumper had been wise in his clothing choice, but, to each their own in what they wear.

"Or has something happened? You like to come outside and think if mind is bothered ya?" she asked, moving her arms to lightly fold over her long skelitaly thin torso. That was another thing that had changed in her life since her mutant powers. She had stopped eating as much, and either spent all day using her powers to entertain her or others, or sleeping. Hardly any of her time was set aside to even think about food. So, slowly, she was wasting away. Never the less, she had come to the thought that, eventually, and for her own sake, she would need to put some weight back on her. As, for her height, her stupidly thin body was even more noticable to people. Thus being the reason she enjoyed wearing long wollen wrap-arounds, as it gave the illusion that there was more to her body that there actually was.

"I come here, to see beauty in sunny day, it is very good ya? Not much good weather so far, and sun makes me smile." she said with a soft giggle. Knowing full well that her, rather card-board english probably sounded funny to other people. But, at least she wasnt speaking to them in her native tongue and had bothered to at least learn their one. Much to her mothers distress as she should have have to conform to another way of life just because this school was the only one and based around an english speaking society. It made her laugh again, as the fact that her mother would be upset at her own language developments was because she had developed a super human ability that many people 'claimed' to themself have. To prove this to herself, just as a mind set. She looked down to the tie on her wrap. Flicking her wrist lightly she watched as it slowly tied itself around her, then knotted itself at the side. Much better.

[Fleet]

Listening to Clutch talk about how nice it was here and how beautiful the flowers and sun were, Jumper stopped and actually took a look around. He was never really one to take the time to look at such things. Then jumper looked back to Clutch, looking over her form a bit. Something was different. He didn't know if it were the skin tight jeans, or the jumper she was wearing, but sh elooked thinner then the last time he had saw her. He hoped she wasn't one of those girls who always thought they were fat when they weren't. Or worse made themselves throw up, that would be disgusting. Jumper smiled wide again and tilted his head as he spoke. "You know, your not fa......." Thankfully Jumper's mind was a bit faster then his words. He caught himself just before he said fat. That really would have been stupid of him, especially if she weren't one of those girls. He finished his sentence after only a moments pause. "......far off. I was coming outside to get some fresh air and think about stuff." He hoped he had covered up his almost critical mistake. "But otherwise, Im doing great, and yourself? I haven't seen you in a couple days, what? since the meeting in the Hanger?" He thought back to the meeting, and then the time before when they watched some tv on the couch together. She had the same great accent he liked.

"Nothing much has happened, I have just been training, and it seems they found a replacement for our Team Leader. Some woman called Rogue." He frowned a bit as he thought to meeting Rogue for the first time, and how he must have looked like an ass in front of her. Shrugging it off as he always did and pullign his lips to his cocky confident smile. "So you come out here alone to look at the flowers and stuff?" He slowly walked around the small area looking at everything, and then back to Clutch.

He looked down and watched the tie of her jumper tie itself and he chuckled nodding. "Well it definitly looks like your getting pretty good at that. Been practicing?" He relaxed a bit as she seemed to be comfortable around him, she was smiling and being pleasent. "Yea the wether is great today, especially the sun, but I like the cold so the last couple days haven't been to bad. I like running in the cold air, keeps me refreshed. I was going to go shot some hoops, but felt like walking some first, now aren't you glad I found my way here." Winking and grinning to her. He felt a bit more like himself as he threw the little flirt out there.

[Clutch]

"Ah, i see, ya very good. Thinking here is easy, i come and see, then forget. It is little strange at first, but, when i can i become lost in my mind, i cannot focus on what is surrounding, but on little thing i like and see." she said with a nod, smiling softly to herself and kneeling back down to the ground, not caring about if she would become dirty off the ground, but only on how calm this place made her. "But thank you for asking i am good ya. I come here for to see how peaceful the house is destipe what happened. I am thankful to have missed it, i do not think i would be able to cope like all of you others. But i also feel bad, because perhaps i could have helped some of you not be hurt, it makes me sad to see people not happy, it is not right." she said, mumbling slightly as her brow began to crease in thought. Not often did she become to wrapped up in a negative feeling, but this was an exception. And, as she had said, she felt rather disapointed in herself for letting her friends and team mates down by not being there to help them. "I am sorry i was not there, i am." she whispered lightly with a sigh as she reached a hand out to the flower she had before been examining.

She looked up a little at his question about if she came here to think. Truthfully, she did not fully know why she came here. Her mind just brought her there to . . . be. "No Jumper, i am here on no thought, i walked, my feet took me, i came here, simple." sh said, trying to regain her smile again. Knowing it was normal for her not to be smiling, she wondered if people would care if she went around without it. Not that she had a reason to, well, she did. She felt like a disapointment to others, primarily about the incident, but also at how she seemed to be desperately weak compared to her team mates. She could not hold things within her power for very long, or if they were too big, without being either very tired and passing out from the energy drain, or becoming very dizzy for a couple of days afterwards at the least. Shaking her head again as she realised her thoughts were running away from her again, she looked back up to her friend. "But ya, thinking here is good, it makes me keep my mind strong seen as i am ot in body." she said with a shrug and standing again to dust the dirt off her front and her knees.

At his other comment, a small smile twitched at the corner of her mouth and began to grow again. He noticed she had gained a little more controle over her power, despite her weak body frame. "Ya, thank you. I try work with things small, they make less effort and i do more then, if it is big i am not good i am tired." she said, explaining her slightly, silly situation. "I can move small things, not heavy, but if i do i am very tired, very tired ya." she said with a small shrug and a sigh. "että on elinikäinen" -That is life- she mumbled gently, before turning her attention back to him. "I cannot be outside when it is cold, i do not like it much. I like to be warm, like when people hug, you feel warm, i feel that when it is hot in weather, that is why it makes me smile alot." she said with a more embarassed smile than before, realising how girlish and childish her words were seeming. "But if you like the cold, then you are brave man. I do not like running much, i prefer standing and looking at things, slowing down the world so i can look and study." she said, slowly tilting her head around to observe the garden in its natural wonderment, "Do you not like to slow down and have a look. Many things pass by when you do not, many things must have time taken to properly see them as nature intended." she said with a small nod and a giggle.

[Fleet]

Jumper was still looking around as Ana spoke. Turning and looking to the Mansion, he finally noticed how much damage was done during the attack. The foyer where Colossus, Diesel and the huge elephant looking thing crashed through, the front gate and wall had been destroyed. The grounds were a mess and scorched and torn up. It really was a mess. He was kind of relieved though. For once he wasn't responsible for the mess, and wasn't going to get expelled for doing it. And most of all he wasn't the one that had to clean it up. Turning to look at Ana once again and shrugging. "Don't worry about it. I had the attack all under control. Besides the little set back in the beginning...." He frowned thinking about how Haven had tricked him and nearly took him out all together, she could have killed him if she wanted. Then smiling once again and letting that incident go for now.

"Slow down? and have a look?" Jumper tilted his head a bit at that question. He had never slowed down. He was always looking ahead for the next challenge, the next school, for whatever was ahead over the next horizon. As far as Jumper was considered, there was no time to slow down, how else would you see what is ahead. There is so much to see and do, so much to look forward to. Jumper hardly ever looked back and dwelled on things. Having always grown up bouncing around he never got attached to anything long enough to really appreciate it. "Why should I slow down and look at whats here, when there is so much more to see and do?" It was a sincere question, as he showed a bit of confusion. Jumper really didn't understand the concept. Sure he could appreciate beauty and peacefulness. But once there and seeing it, he would move on looking for more, or the next thing. No one had ever taken the time to show him how to relax and settle into the moment. he had some special moments, but they always seemed to get ruined, or he would get hurt if he tried to embrace them. Like when he tried to get close to a couple different girls, they, in the end, just blew him off.

He had heard her speak her native tongue, but had no idea what she had said, for all he knew she was being nice and commenting on how stupid he seemed in a way he couldn't understand. For all Jumper's cockiness and outward confidence, he was really insecure inside. This is a huge reason why he didn't take anythign or anyone serious, he felt if he didn't bother to give anythign or anyone the time, they couldn't hurt him. Just liek when he was bounced around schools. And right now after all he had been through, this was still just another school, and he was already preparing himself for the next transfer. Always moving ahead and never stopping. He really didn't want to go, it was just how it was for him growing up. And worst of all, Jumper would never admit to himself, that it was his own fault he was always transfered.

[Clutch]

Clutch wasn't sure if she was more shocked, or sympathetic at Jumper. Never slowed down to look? How could someone never take time to see what was already around them, it seemed silly. "What do you mean why is it not obvious?" she asked, almost in a slight outraged confusion. "Jumper, do you never sit down and just, have a look at what is there and see what is around you, if you keep moving then you miss more things than you think." She said, bringing a hand to her neck and lightly rubbing it in thought. Looking around her, she felt the smile try and twitch back to her face, but it didn't, she couldn't bring herself to smile at that moment. "Jumper, listen. You may think that if you are quick and fast that you see more, but you are wrong. I've never seen anywhere but my home and this school. Nothing else. But i see everyday things that the day before i didn't, to make grand picture that i could paint in my head of where i come from, what i have seen, where i have been since i was a little girl." her voice raising a little before it quietened down again as she continued. "Could you sit down, and tell clearly, what the places you have seen are like? Could you tell me EXACTLY what was there?" she asked, shaking her head a little.

Looking around her for a moment, she pricked her ears up lightly, a smile springing to her face in thought. Being out and around the school grounds meant that she was accustomed to seeing things regularly. "Here, i show you." she said softly, walking up behind him and pushing him forward lightly with the little strength she posessed. As she was strangely tall, she didn't need to do too much to see over his shoulder, but still held onto it with one hand while her other pointed out into the woods behind the garden. "Stay still for me please, watch where i point, you see what i do." she whispered close to his ear, smiling gently. After a few minutes, she gripped his shoulder a little harder and watched as a couple of wild rabbits scurried around the undergrowth of the wood. "stay . . .very . . .still." she whispered slowly, continuing to point as they came slightly closer toward the garden, poking their little heads out toward the flower bed. Their ears upright and alert because of the buildwork, but still, if the two students stayed quiet, they might stay.

"They see us, and they hear us. But as we are still, they see no threat and feel safe." she whispered, making sure she would still be heard about the work, but only just. "Now, look here." she said, physically turning both of them around to face the trees, making sure not to scare the small creatures in the garden. "You see that tree? in the forest. I have been here for three days every day, and only now can i see a birds next sitting on that top branch." she whispered, before letting go of him and stepping back, waiting to see if he would run off or not. It was difficult to make someone stay still for long periods of time, especially guys, even harder when it was because of nature. "Do not become all smug and sarcastic at me now please, i show you what i see, but now i was your thought. Do you still think it better to be fast and quick ALL the time?" she asked, gripping one arm with the other in almost a fearful mannor.

[Fleet]

Jumper raised a brow as he listened to Ana, she seemed so passionate about this. Jumper could not understand why. It seemed so natural for him to look ahead and keep moving to the next thing, or the next goal. The jock in him was always looking forward to the next game or the next challenge. He reached up and ran his hand through his hair lightly. This definitly wasn't what he planned on getting into here. Then as Ana turned him around and began pointing out the rabbits and the tree with the bird. He tried watching those things, but all that kept crossing his mind was what was in the next tree, or the tree on the horizon, or even across town. There was so much to see and not enough time to see it all.

"Ana, I am not sure what to think here. I see the rabbits and the bird in the tree, but why should I sit here and look at just a bird and a couple of rabbits, when I can see a hundred trees, and a hundred rabbits?" It was the simple arguement of quality versus quanity. And to try and make Jumper understand slowing down would be a challenge for anyone. His whole life on the move. Jumper also found it hard to sit still and look at rabbits and trees. Those kind of things never really held any interest for him. There were very brief moments in his life when things slowed down. When Ana asked him if he could ever really tell exactly what was in the places he had been, he couldn't. But he could tell you the key moments in a game he was playing when everything slowed down for him as he was playing hard. Or the first time he got close and the girl he had a crush on. But thats when the memory of how he got hurt by that girl when she blew him off hit him and he snapped out of those thoughts. His mind racing on trying to get past them. "I just do not see the point on dwelling on things that much." Jumpers usual smile faltered, but only for the briefest moment and then returned.

It was his turn to ask the question now. "Don't you ever wonder what else is out there. Where else you could go and what you could see. Haven't you ever felt the rush of exploring, or the adrenaline of running fast with the wind against you? There is nothing like that feeling. Besides I'm at my best when I am moving. I react faster, think faster. Everything is so much clearer." Jumper's eyes shined with the thoughts. He could almost feel the power in him that fueled his power when he was dialed up. The pull of that rush was almost addictive and would be a huge reason why he could never really understand standing still.

[Clutch]

Looking down a little, Anastasia crossed her arms over her stomach and heaved a small sigh. "What is wrong with what is right here?" she said, answering his question with one of her own. Her voice quiet, almost a whisper as she fought with a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach. Hurt? Anger? Regret? She was not sure why, but she felt a little hurt in herself as she thought she may be a little too different for people to understand her. She felt so close to what was around her, because back home, that was all she knew. Never having thought about it before, she realised how simple and plain a life she had actually had. Never moving home, nor school. Never had she felt the need to look ahead for anything other than what she had at that preasent moment. And her obvious thinking that everyone else shared this experience was something that had probably sheltered her own mind from seeing anything else.

The way Jumper had acted after she showed him what she believed to be natures miricles, had hurt her, and quite a bit. And she didn't know why. Had she been that locked away in the back of her mind that she never even imagined having to try and look for anything else. Was she so scared of losing what she already had by leaving it that she refused to grasp other things, other opportunities, other emotions. "Jumper . . ." she started, looking up at him with a look of both hurt and fear in her eyes. "I have never wanted to see what else could be there. I need not anything but what i have, if i leave it, i might never see it again. I do not see why people want to lose something for another, it is too confusing." she said, raising one hand to her head lightly and taking a deep breath.

At his other question, she looked over at him, almost with an angry tone she answered. "I need never see more than what i need. I feel no need to be moving so much because i know the earth moves itself. I have enough right here, i don't need anything else!" she was so desperate to show everyone how to be calm, that it upset her probably more than it should when they didn't react well. "All i need is right here, and no i have never felt anything like what you said. I don't run, i don't find any need to, i don't go anywhere at speeds unless it is for safety. If i did i wouldn't be here, i'd be out there!" she said, in almost a yell, pointing her finger in the direction of the forest and watching as a few twigs were ripped from some of the smaller trees and sent flying back into the wood with a loud SNAP[/size]. Still it didn't deter her, she was angry at herself now too, for becoming angry. She wasn't happy anymore, and she hated it. But, with her face pulled into a scowl she turned her back on her friend and knelt back down toward the flower bed, a sad look taking over her normally cheerful face, but hidden from view.

[Fleet]

"Whatever!" Jumper said as it seemed Clutch was getting upset at him for asking a question. "You can ask me why I do not ever slow down, and thats ok? But when I ask you simply have you ever looked for whats next, your going to get upset?" Jumper shook his head. This wasn't what he needed right now. He had already had a wierd and not so good day, and now out here where he was trying to get away and think about stuff, he was going to get this. Are all girls this confusing and fickle, Jumper had to wonder. It seemed every girl he talked to in this place were emotional roller coasters, and Jumper was tired of going on that ride.

Once more Jumper shook his head and then shrugged. This time he was sure he didn't do anything wrong. So pulling his smile back to his lips as Ana turned his back on him and stopped talking, he guessed the conversation was over. Turning to look back at the mansion and the mess and all the work getting done. He figured he wouldn't get to much peace around here. And apparently he touched some kind of nerve in Ana, just like he did with Aqua and Lurai. They all seemed to blow him off or try and hurt him. Well this time he wouldn't let it happen. He held his head up and kept his smile on his lips. "Well I'm off for the next adventure I can find. Enjoy the garden." He said lightly and sincerely.