Blonde Psychobabble

[Sketch]

Max wasn't paying the others too much mind. To be honest, Dorian talked too much. Hands shoved in his pockets, the freshly liberated New Mutant trudge along behind the others, feet scuffing the path. He couldn’t understand the need to fill every void up with incessant chatter. How was one supposed to think when they were being bombarded with words nonstop? It never crossed Max’s mind that he was just way out of practice interacting with others. He had no concept of social necessities or politeness. Three years might not have seemed like much but it was almost a fifth of his whole life and it had done a number on him.

A shiver trolled down his spine and he knew without looking that Jocelyn had just moved out of his range and the blue rose he had given her had just disappeared. Shame. He'd never made a blue one before... “Wow.” The word had made it past his lips before he could think to stop it and his steps slowed until he was just standing there, staring in awe. Max would always appreciate the time it took to create something like this… the good old fashioned way. Mutant Mansion or not, this was most certainly built by hand, brick by careful brick. It would have taken him ages to draw something so cleanly and he whistled, appreciating the real artistry that had gone into making his new home. The huge Phoenix statue caught his attention and just the corner of his mouth ticked up into an uncertain smile.

Cool. Max tipped his sunglasses back so he could get an unimpeded look and he let out a low whistle. There were some things that even he couldn’t replicate with a drawing. Class and elegance for starters. The fell unnoticed to the ground, the plastic making a small clatter as it hit the cobblestones, but Max was mesmerized. His fingers itched for his marker and vaguely he wondered what would happen if he drew a bird made of fire...

[Taffy]

A low whistle caused Ricki to stop her skipping for a moment and turn around, looking rather shocked, considering there was no one else around but her. But that's where she was mistaken: in her slight haze of simply skipping over to the Mansion to catch up with her friends, she'd missed a guy with funky shades also entering the couryard from a different path to hers. He wasn't someone Ricki'd seen before, and Ricki'd been at the mansion all day today, so she assumed he was new. She found it amazing how there were new mutants joining them everyday- it was nice, in Ricki's opinion. The family was growing and it was just such a good thought that there was a place for Mutants like herself to call home, where they wouldn't be judged by others.

"Hey! Did you just arrive?" Ricki asked, her voice friendly and chirpy as she skipped over to the person, not really thinking twice about it as she did it. Socializing came as naturally as breathing to Ricki Day, and she just loved meeting new people. This guy had a bit of a mystery thing about him, considering he was wearing shades. It sort of confused Ricki because it wasn't really all that much of a sunny day, but hey- maybe he just liked his shades. Ricki wasn't going to judge. "I'm sorry- it's just that I don't recognize you, and we all just pretty much know everyone around here." she added, unneccissarily, smiling pleasantly at the boy.

"Oh... were you looking at the Phoenix Memorial Statue?" she added, raising an eyebrow as she skipped closer a bit so she wasn't speaking as loudly across the courtyard. "It's beautiful, isn't it? It's in memory of Jean Grey... the X-men." She looked at the statue in awe as she always did- it was such a beauty. Ricki could only wish that she could create something as beautiful as that statue.

[Emma Frost]

Descending the staircase with half a mind to simply vent her rage on Stephen for his belligerence and disobedience with designs on tortures the likes of which she hadn't used in years. She caught herself as she literally alighted on the landing like something out of a Jean Harlow movie and took a breath. It would do no good, it was after all what the Shade was after, and the arriving students didn't need to see that side of their new Headmistress. She didn't want them to know her in all of her full villainousness, at least until they got their first homework assignment.

Gathering her composure she proceeded the rest of the way down the stairs to open the front door. A softer look on her features than usual greeted them all since she was conscious to send the right signal with her first impression, a welcoming impression. "Well, hello everyone. Echo, TrueSpirit.." she said as she held the door open and let them in "Hope dear, a room has just opened up for you.. it's the one next to the snow filled suite, you can't miss it. Mato I trust you enjoyed the restful retreat?" Her tone of voice was just this side of sarcastic, she had a hunch things were not exactly restful, they had returned with one of the Avengers.

She was curious why he'd escorted the children back to the school and was a bit eager to ask of the happenings with her Hellion Decibel. Since she'd been attached to Excalibur under Dazzler's supervision, and was working with Dane and MI13 overseas between tour dates, Emma hadn't had much word. She hadn't expected her to write often but a postcard or two would have been nice. She'd have to send him back with a chiding to deliver to her wayward Rockstar upon his return to the U.K.

"Hello Dorian." She said as he was next up the steps. "I'd like to see you later, after 'things' quiet down." Her head nodded as she let the corner of her lips lift into a quick smile. "We'll see if we can't make that a more recognized dream.. together.. alright?" She noted how he reacted to the door and the tiles of the foyer and then the chandelier. The wood paneling however, old and reclusive as it was, must have offered the boy some measure of comfort as he chuckled slightly at it. "Help yourselves to the source of that mouth watering dinner. Follow your noses to the kitchen. Feel free to introduce yourselves to the children gathered there." She called in to Hope, Mato and Dorian.

Stepping out onto the front stoop she watched as the strangely cartoonish Saturn Sky rolled up behind the last of the new arrivals. She noted how Sheldon's brother took care in watching him as Ricki bounded up. Emma would have to have a talk with her about that. This skipping walk of hers was not becoming of a young woman, to be sure, but it also gave away something of her mutation as in mid-skip she did seem to almost 'bounce'. Emma folded her arms and watched silently, tempted to shield her presence from their minds, but then noticed the fine darkening as it gathered around the fringes of the courtyard.

Softly she scolded "Shade, you get yourself in that Mansion right now." Her hushed tone of voice was not meant for anything save the nearest bit of darkness to hear, so she knew it wouldn't disrupt Sketch and Taffy. As she took mental stock of all that was going on at the school and on the grounds she closed her eyes to let her mind search out, a task she performed more than several times a day. Being the one responsible for knowing all that happened was burdensome but rewarding in it's own right. Oh dear she shook her head at what Frostbite and Haven were up to.

[Sketch]

It was an almost eerie slowness that Max turned to look at the bouncing, blonde kid that was grinning up at him. He blinked, his eye-shine flickering out in that brief moment he shut his eyes. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! It was going through his head, even as he pressed his lips together in a tight frown. Where the hell had she come from? What was he supposed to do? She hadn’t introduced herself. She’d just skipped over, popping up like one of those horrific Jack-in-the-Boxes. Admittedly, she was a lot easier on the eyes than those freaky clowns, but the big smile and the chipper bouncing made him recoil a bit
. Did people really just… pounce on you like that?

Max looked back up at the statue and shrugged. It was beautiful, graceful and in motion somehow. He could appreciate the skill that had been put into the sculpture. There was love in it. “Yeah.” His voice was low, barely more than a grunt itself. “I’m new… Jean Gray is dead?” Last time he had really known anything of the X-men, Jean Gray was practically their queen… his eyes shifted slightly to see the others filing inside. Speaking of queens…

Emma Frost was standing in the doorway and with a shiver, Max simply looked down at his feet, his sunglasses upside down on the cobblestones. “Do you have a name or are you just going to keep smiling at me like I’m supposed to guess?” He picked up his Ray-bans and dusted them off, sliding them back up his nose. Hands in his pockets, Max looked down at this grinning, blonde girl and felt supremely uncomfortable. Things were so different… he was different than he had been before he’d been locked up. He hadn’t realized just how much until he was surrounded by people. “I’m… Max.”

[Hoax]

The walls were whispering, actually whispering, and Dor grinned. There would be secrets in these halls, floors, walls, ceilings if he so chose to take the time to discover them and the thought brought a quiet chuckle from him as he strolled into the mansion, luggage in hand. Not bad, he concluded, looking around. A fella could get used to this. Yes, sir. Of course his eyes fell on Ms. Frost and Dor took a moment to clean of his glasses before placing them back on his nose.

“Ah look forward to that, ma’am, thank ya.” Something in his luggage shrieked indignantly and Dor sighed. “May Ah please put my things away? They are being extra vocal all shut in the way they are. Apparently, my sneakers and my polos ain’t on good terms with each other.”

The smells from the kitchen were making his mouth water, but the truth of the matter was that Dor didn’t do well in crowds… or in kitchens. Cutlery, appliances, garbage, light fixtures, food… there were simply too many things present to make Dor comfortable going in there with others. It was likely they all thought he was nuts already and he wasn’t much interested in making a fool of himself. He was a Jameson after all, and he had an image to maintain. He could hardly talk to his bologna sandwich in a room full of people, even if it was singing Yankee Doodle while he bit into it. Dor looked up at Ms. Frost, hoping she would understand that he needed to get rid of one noisy mess before he went looking for another. “Where should Ah hole up?”

[Taffy]

Ricki was sort of taken aback for a few moments as she stared unsmiling at the guy. That was a... strange way to react to people. She'd met people who just ignored her, she'd met people who met her energy. This guy was quite different though... he wasn't quite outspoken nor blunt but in a way he was. It was confusing Ricki; but Ricki being Ricki simply pushed the thought away and allowed her smile to sketch it's way back on her lips, holding the same energy and brightness to it that it initially did. "Oh, I'm sorry... my name's Ricki. Codename Taffy." she replied, before her mind fluttered back to another comment Max had made.

"... Jean Grey is dead, yeah." she added, her voice slightly uncertain because she didn't know if he was being sarcastic or not. Some people tended to mock Ricki a bit due to her over-chatty attitude, but Max genuinely sounded surprised. Ricki went with the latter, deciding to give him details, while internally wondering where on Earth Max had been for the past two years. "It's been nearly two years now... it's really shocking... how you dont know." she looked at him, her smile shrinking a bit, her expression holding a certain amount of awe.

"So uh, I assume you're probably looking for Miss Frost?" she mused trying to make conversation. "Has she mentioned what team you're going to be on yet? I mean she doesn't always, but she does sometimes. I mean some people arrive and they know their code name and everything... but like I was given mine once I got here."

[Sketch]

For a moment Max just stared down at Ricki, totally unaware that the look on his face was far far from friendly. His brow was drawn down into a rather distinct and disgruntled ‘V’, his mouth twisted into a scowl. Honestly, he was just confused, trying to wrap his mind around the fact that this statue was, in fact, a memorial for one of the X-Men. He looked back up at the Phoenix memorial and shrugged at the bouncing blonde. What could he really say to her? The truth? I’ve spent the last three years, eight months, and nine days locked away in my room. Let’s be friends… Max didn’t see that working out. Instead he answered her questions with one of his own.

“Why would someone call you Taffy?” Max’s voice was hardly more than a growl as he glanced at Ricki in his peripheral. He knew the codename would have to do with her mutation, the same as his own. Perhaps she put people into sugar comas with all that saccharine in her personality? Max nearly smiled, imagining Ricki infecting her enemies with diabetes. “I’m a New Mutant,” he said in his abrupt, gruff manner. At least, he thought he was. That’s what the voice told me… He glanced again at Emma Frost, standing in the doorway. He didn’t need Ricki pointing the woman out. Max was confused, not blind. Without another word, or even a grunt of acknowledgement, Max walked away from Ricki to join his brother at the Sky and say goodbye.

[Emma Frost]

"Oh, Dorian.. yes by all means" she said looking into the foyer through the open front door "You will be rooming with Max two doors down from Ian and Gavin. I'm sure the doors will share with you who resides behind them.. second floor.. boy's dorms are to the left." She gave a slight nod to him, then looked back out to the courtyard. Poor child, his mutation is far more curse than gift.

Ah, Ariel .. Scott's very own 'go to sergeant at arms', bringing up the rear - finally, I see Emma noted as the tall, sinewy and bronzed Brazilian-born Amazon walked up to the front of the gate that marked the entrance of the courtyard. She wondered for a moment how the weekend went for her, but the temper of her gait told her enough, she didn't feel she even needed to ask the girl. As a courtesy of course she did just that as Hotwire made her approach to the front of the mansion.

"And did everything go as you had wanted?" Emma asked knowing full well the girl had expectations for her free time, every young woman did. "I understand you had some 'stow-aways' along for the ride?" She smiled slightly if not too unkindly, knowing there was little love the girl had for anyone, save those she counted as her immediate family.. her team of Corsairs.

Emma, it was true, was the den mother to the rivals of her team. Den mother to a den of 'serpents and cut throats' she recalled Ariel once calling her Hellions. Though one on one they might be friendly to a point, as a whole the Hellions were of an entirely different mind altogether, thanks to their Captain Inflict and his right hand Rumble.

[Hotwire]

"Yeeeeah," Ariel said with a slight annoyed face as she approached the White Queen. "Some stow-aways. Didn't go exactly as I'd wanted, but, well, what do you expect in this place?" she asked with a dismissive shrug. "Brought you guys home a guest, at least, so I guess it turned out alright enough," she said stopping in front of the headmistress as she saw a couple of the new kids stick around in the foyer.

It was safe to say that the weekend she had hoped would be peaceful had indeed been the exact opposite. Before leaving in the first place she'd hoped to have the time to get some sort of grip on her anger and keep it down situations where it counted, but despite that hope she knew she shouldn't have expected anything else but for her trip plans to go awry. Not that it was completely bad, of course, since she did have some fun aside from the whole haunted forest shenanigans. She'd gone swimming, she'd taken some good kind of chill pills, if that was what you would kindly call them, and she'd enjoyed some time in the outdoors. All in all, it was...decent.

Adjusting her stance to have one hand rest on her hip, Ariel smirked slightly at the headmistress. "So, I see we have some new kids around here to deal with now. I've gotta say throughout the whole weekend I been wondering what on Earth have we been missing here? Not a day goes by without something happening as you know well," she said, half wanting to know, half not wanting to know. She was still somewhat in weekend-mode and wanted to grasp the last of the peace she could before getting back into routine.

"Actually, maybe don't tell me. Not sure if I really wanna know. Knowing the....how do I say this nicely...children that run around this school, I'm actually sort of surprised it hasn't been demolished or something," she half-laughed with a shake of her head. Ariel saw the others who had walked in start to spread around and settle in, which reminded her of her bag, which she somehow almost forgot she had slung it over her back before she'd left the garage. "We all set here? I need to stop my by room and drop my stuff off there. I want to get things back in order before I do anything else tonight," she said, wanting to get settled back into her room. It'd been a long weekend and she wanted to stop for a moment before she stepped back into the insanity that was the Academy and everyone in it.

[Taffy]

Ricki was left hanging in mid word as she stood at the same spot and watched Max walk towards another guy in a cool looking car. Ricki didn't know what to make of him- in all truth that was frankly rude, but no, it wasn't right of her to judge. She didn't know this person well enough... maybe he was just a little antisocial? Or perhaps, a little overwhelmed, hence was unsure of how to behave? This was one of the few things about Ricki, which could be considered both and upside and a flaw: she always tried to make excuses for people to herself, in order to see the best in them, despite all that they did.

But at this moment in time, Ricki was trying pretty hard not to feel hurt nor offended: sure, she was used to people telling her to hush up and the sorts, but she couldn't actually remember someone simply walking away from her without any form of warning or signal. She was trying, she really was, but it still managed to get to her a little. She could simply just turn around and walk away: go see Ivy and just get on with finding Katana to see how their day had been, but who were we kidding? That was impolite, on Ricki's behalf. She'd wait until Max finished speaking to the other boy and check with him, just incase he did actually need any help after or before he spoke to Miss Frost, before taking her leave.

[Hoax]

"Thank ya, ma'am." Dor nodded, his eyes still trained on Ms. Frost well after she turned her attention to Ariel. How was he supposed to learn anything with distractions of that magnitude? He shook his head clear, well aware that Frost was unlikely to be impressed by his inappropriate thoughts. Shouldering his bag again, a lopsided smile ticked up half his mouth. At least the Headmistress had been kind enough to acknowledge that his power had a use. Few people saw it as such. Talking to lawn furniture, plastic bags, and doorknobs... it was more insanity than mutation. Still, he had found a way to make the most of it...

"Huh?" Dor's lazy smile slid off his face when he realized who Frost wanted him rooming with. His dark eyes slid to Max over by the car and he sighed. Dor didn't think much of the quiet, grunting guy with the stupid sunglasses. The artistic types were always so temperamental, and quiet as Max was, Dor didn't doubt that the kid was going to be a nuisance. "Sketch... right... Hey, fella!" Dor raised his voice to get Max's attention. "Hurry up and say g'bye. Ah ain't gonna stand here waitin for ya."

Leave the boy be, Dorian. A smooth, intelligent voice distracted Dor and he scowled. You will have plenty of opportunity to make enemies very soon. Pace yourself. With a nod, Dor heeded the words that no one else could hear. He simply rolled his eyes at his roommate and hauled his heavy bag up the steps. He had unpacking to do.

[~ N.P.C. ~]

"Hey what're you waitin for? That was the go ahead sign man" -"yeah~ the go ahead sign ~ hehee" Sheldon said and then his T-shirt repeated. "Look, school is a time to chase skirts and screw up your life, in the most fun way you can imagine and that includes messin with cute blonde chicks that come skipping up to you bouncing their tits in your face- you got it?" "Yeah - you GOT it!?!"

"I'm sorta likin' this shirt now. I need more people in my life who think I'm the shit!" 'You're shit!" Sheldon's face dropped at the shirt's misquoted taunt, but then he shook it off and grinned. "So OK you got it? You understand? The words I'm saying gettin inta that little mutie head o'yours?" He teased, tapping his little bro in the side of the skull. "Go and have fun, hell with learning. You can make for yourself anything you want, hell you did it for mom and dad for years- right here, right now.. you just get out there champ and take your swings. No regrets.. right?" "No regrets!!

Sheldon clapped his brother on the shoulder, but then pulled him into a tight hug. The T-shirt's muffled cries of not being able to breathe made them both chuckle. "I'm gonna keep in touch with you, so I want some good juicy tales of teenage debauchery.. make me proud kid." With a tousle of Max's hair, possibly the last time he would ever be able to get away with it, Sheldon sent him on his way. He took another minute to unload the rest of the bags from the Sky and then with a wave he hopped in the car and drove off.

[Sketch]

Max watched the sketched out Saturn disappear down the drive and absently tried to settle his hair back into place. Sheldon’s departure was not the easiest thing for Max. Sheldon was an ally, at least somewhat familiar. Now he was among strangers. Strangers who talked a lot and seemed to expect him to respond in kind, expected him to just know things. Like Jean Gray’s death. He hadn’t known, and the babbling blonde had looked at him like he was brain dead. Not exactly the best first impression. Can’t be helped, now, he thought to himself. He cast a glance at Ricki over the top of his shades, his eye-shine glinting. He didn’t quite agree with Sheldon about ‘the go ahead’ whatever that meant. Besides, she was annoying. And blonde. And annoying.

He didn’t have any bags so for a moment he just stood where Sheldon had left him, wondering what his next move was supposed to be. He purposefully ignored Dorian. Max didn’t take orders from people who belonged in rubber rooms. Talking to doorknobs didn’t seem like much of a mutant power. More like Dor was just touched in the head and no one noticed yet.

Still clutching the marker in his pocket, Max slowly went up the steps to stand in front of the woman in white. Eyes wide behind his shades he grumbled a greeting before dropping his gaze to the ground. Once again, his hands were shoved deep into his pockets, his shoulders hunched. As far as he could tell, this was his new warden, and a telepath to boot. Immediate dislike blossomed in his chest and Max glared at his sneakers. He didn’t know much about Emma Frost, but Sheldon had gone into irritatingly great detail about this… White Queen. Max chanced another quick look to her face and scowled. It seemed he’d just gone from being a prisoner to being a pawn.

[Emma Frost]

"Max, it does get better. Trust me." Emma said as the boy seemed a bit out of sorts and she couldn't blame him. He'd gone from a place of relative protection, as his prison not only kept him in but it kept the world out, to one he couldn't yet trust. She knew, to his eyes she must appear as odd as all the rest of the mutants he had encountered, yet she knew young boys and their desires.. so tempering that oddness was also.. the lust. Her outfits were meant to inspire more than that in some, but for this one it was unnecessary and well worth it to see the shine behind his eyeshine.

"And you will be rooming with your new friend Hoax. I intend to make things better for the both of you, it is after all our goal here.. so no more worries about close quarters with stranger strangers than you'd desire to share space with, alright? Good, now that that is settled." She motioned for him to come into his new home and a mid swing of her arm she was struck with the knowledge of something going on in the kitchen.

Her telepathic inquiries set to a dull subtle hum she could not help but pick up on the events unfolding a few meters down the hall from the front door. Knowing that her Shade was heading that way, as he slipped past Diesel and Rhetoric on their way to the foyer made the matter less than out of reach, plus as it was a school after all someone was going to learn a lesson. Emma herself was curious as to how things might unfold. ~* Stephen.. make yourself useful and put an end to that business in the kitchen before it gets beyond tenable.. I know you must be quite hungry by now so indulge but remember what I said about drinking too fully from the cup. *~

Trusting her Hellion to know full well what she would mean she turned her attention back to Max and smiled as he entered "Welcome to your new home." Her greeting not insincere, but cut slightly short at the sight of Bobby Drake and a nondescript school vehicle pulling up to the front of the courtyard, she turned back to step down and wander her way slowly up to the van. Finding it a lovely spring evening and checking the just opening buds of the courtyard's flowers she approached the passenger side window.

"Now Bobby, don't forget to pick up the children at the bus station. Some of them have been there for long enough to have attracted some attention so do be as discrete as the situation allows. When you get back I'd like a word with you about teaching your little disciple how to frost out her room mate. I expected her to learn that trick eventually on her own, you didn't need to rush her to it." Emma scolded softly but firmly. "And if you will direct your eyes to the front door you will see what your lesson hath wrought."

She stepped aside to allow him to look beyond her to the front of the mansion where Liv and Ian were about to emerge. She had known for some time how unhinged Lorelai might yet become. Frostbite's personality traits were something of a mystery when she first arrived. Yet since her time in LIMBO and the way she'd put herself first, then her vindictive nature peeking through and how it had ruled her to the detriment of everything sweet she once was, Emma was considerably more intrigued as to the girl's potential. Sometimes in her position she had to make a show of concern for a student, yet where her concerns truly centered was a closely guarded secret.

[Iceman]

Bobby sighed when he saw Liv and Ian walk out of the door, though Liv was dressed in some nice clothes, he could see her swollen lip right away. He shook his head and cursed under his breath, raking a hand through his hair. "I'd tell you I'll talk to her, but honestly Em, I don't know how much good it will do. Every time I try to talk to her it just turns into a mess," he said sadly with a defeated look on his face. He was at a loss what to do, and to be honest he didn't know if there was a way for him to fix things. "I'll stop by later anyways Emma, I wanted to talk to you about some stuff anyways." He forced a smile on his face and tried to get his easy attitude back before Gavin and Heather got there.

"Don't worry, I'll be quick when I grab them, I have a feeling that they won't wanna hang around there anyways," Bobby said knowingly, exchanging a glance with the pretty blond. "I'll bring 'em up to you and Scott when I get here, I figure they'll want the low down and you guys know it better than me." He craned his neck to see if Gavin and Heather got out yet, not feeling like waiting in the car longer than he had to.

~~HONK~~ ~~HONK~~[/i] "HEY LOVEBIRDS, ahaha Lovebirds ya hear that Em? LET'S GO!" Bobby yelled and honked the horn again to get them to hurry up. He half expected them to have gotten caught up making out in the hallway or something. He still remembered what it was like to be that age and going on a date with a pretty girl, so he could only imagine what was taking them.