Acolyte Practice: To Be a Team Again.

[Hardlight]

Halfway back to the circle of logs it began- the inevitable and Kevin reached a hand out to touch Legacy's arm "Hold up right there for a sec. You can take a peek if you want I won't tell." Kevin waited and in a hushed voice tried to explain to Johnny what his take on things was and pointing at the scene between Jocelyn Niki and Colossus he began, not in a gossipy way, but just so to explain for his new friend. "Ok, just so you understand right? I'm no gossip."

"Well, you've seen her around right? She doesn't usually say much, not usually much nice at any rate," he bit his lip and hoped he was whispering low enough to not get in the mix of it all. He did not want to draw any attention to himself or Johnny from Haven when she was like that. "But believe me, she really can be sweet when she wants to. It never lasts too long so you have to sop it up like the last of the gravy with a biscuit and hold onto the memory, it could be a while between those moments."

"Like last night. You know she cooked that meal for us and, well I don't know why but she's never cooked before so I guess we won't see that again till almost, uhhh" he dragged it out "graduation?" He looked over at his week's long partner and grinned. "But for what it's worth you don't want to piss her off, she knows stuff," he rubbed his shoulder where it still hurt from when she was showing him some moves days before "and even still there's nobody I ever knew who's more loyal. She has faced off with the scariest guy on campus a couple of times, cause he's like crazy over her friend - the one that got promoted at dinner? Remember? yeah her- and that guy is like six foot nine and he's a psycho HeLLIon!"

He slapped both his hands across his mouth at that. He got a little louder than he wanted to and he looked around, eyes darting fast to see if anyone looked their way. Feeling safe enough that he got away with it he relaxed and said "I really like her, but don't tell her I said that cause I don't know how she would take it. She's weird like that. It might just make her angry or something." He shrugged, not knowing what else to say.

[StormHawk]

"Alright you're almost there... sweet just go to your left a bit.. no you're other left!" Gavin was really trying to give directions to Katana as best as he could even with her nasty attitude since he was being watched like a hawk by Colossus. Plus she got him through it in one piece, though he had his doubts at some point. The least he could do was do the same for her, it wasn't in him to be a total dick and have her mess up on purpose. They had just about finished the exercise with pretty smooth results when all the things started. Gavin watched with an indifferent expression on his face, not really knowing what to think about it. "Man I just don't get how she doesn't like Jocelyn," he said in a low voice, partially to himself and partially to Katana, though it didn't matter if she heard him or not.

He liked Haven, he did from the moment he met her, but sometimes he just couldn't get the shit that she did. Gavin never liked how mean she was to Heather, though he appreciated it big time when she tried her best to get along with her this weekend. It was just a strange mistrust and unreasonable prejudice toward people that he really never got. Her issue with Jocelyn he understood least of all, cause well, he just couldn't see how someone could not like her. She was no threat for Ian since Joce had eyes only for the girls and didn't hide that fact. She was half Atlantean and boosted the Acolytes powerful status by a load of points as a team, and she was just so nice and fun. He liked how he could goof around with Jocelyn and just have fun with her and a few laughs along with it.

Now that he thought about it, it bugged him more and more that Haven would defend someone like Katana who pissed off everyone at least once by being a brat, including Niki's best friend, but then she'd give the sweet Jocelyn crap for having fun. It didn't settle well with him, and Gavin found himself with the need to take a step back and assess his whole take on everything. He shook his head, partly to get his head straight and partly in agreement with what Colossus said. They did need to be on even ground and he wasn't planning on using seniority as a factor with the new people cause that was just unfair. And this shit never ends. Poor Joce, he thought as he took a seat on one of the logs.

[Haven]

"Ah great, now I'm just the nasty bitch again. That ain't what I wanted Chief. I mean I get it, I get that I dug the hole for myself, but what I'm sayin is I already filled it in and then some.. unless you're sayin I didn't and unless I heard you wrong you just said that... didn't you," she looked at him with pursed lips, not agreeing in the slightest, but still knowing he had said that and since the question was rhetorical she kept on going "yeah, yeah.. I know we gotta keep proving ourselves all the time- but that ain't what I'm talkin about. I'm done runnin from my past, and yea it's about time I started runnin to my future. But why her of all people? Damn!"

She threw her hands up and looked at Jocelyn. "The way shes got this ever~ready bunny damn happy thing goin on, hell, I just can't deal with it. Makin me want to gag, it's too much and it's just over the top. Nobody's really that happy, not all the time, it's not normal and it's embarrassing for me. I don't want to be around it. This is some kinda sick punishment ya know? Bein like that out where I come from will get you hurt or worse." She looked at the blue girl for a good long minute or two. Thinking about what kind of happiness she probably got from being somewhere safe her whole life, where people loved her and she learned what healthy loving parents and a safe home felt like. Niki had to admit this school was the best thing that ever happened to her and if she was as blessed as Jocelyn had been to be adopted at this place when she was little her life might have wound up being pretty wonderful too. She might be able to be a little happier, a little nicer, or maybe a whole lot.

"I don't really have a good reason to hate her, but she gotta tone that shit down cause I can't deal with it. Makes me think she some dumb ass, or some kinda clown or sumthin. How can I trust somebody like that with a friendship or aye Dios, with my LIFE? Noo no no." Niki shook her head at it all. It might have been a good idea in theory but it was not going to work in the real world.

"You know you can't just mix some things together at full strength. I learned that down in the Lab. If this is gonna even have a chance at working she gotta tone her crap down and I can do the same, sure.. but I ain't gonna even try if she don't drop all that crazy horseshit and be real with me." Nicki didn't really even have a problem with anybody else on the team, but there was something about Jocelyn she didn't like, and it wasn't her sexuality. That girl was full of it, always laughing and way too happy, at least she figured it had to be something along those lines, that girl had a perpetual grin every time she saw her. It made Niki want to just ball up a fist and punch her dead in the face.

[Diesel]

"That's enough!" Ian said, plain out furious at this point, and in total disbelief that he was actually hearing this come out of Haven's mouth. He rarely, if ever got upset by her antics cause she was his girl and he cared about her, but to attack someone just for playing around? That was just too cold and just embarrassing for Ian with all these new kids witnessing this kind of thing. "Are you serious? You're really gonna stand there and call her all those names just like that? What the hell is wrong with you, you spoke to her all of what two times and she gets this kinda shit cause she's happy? You're really serious about this Niki? I can't believe this shit." He walked to the center of the circle, standing right in front of her and looking at her with new eyes.

"You realize how ridiculous you sound? You bitch all the time about people judging you and all that, and look at what you're doing right now? So what if she's happy? She ain't allowed to be happy about something? It's a nice god damn change to see someone having fun and being HAPPY about life." It was rare that he would ever get this mad, but after the lecture he got about having to have Katana's back because she was a member of the team, and now she was naming the one member of the team that actually didn't single anyone out and added such warmth to the team that it was literally a breath of fresh air for him to have around. Niki holding her at fault because she didn't like happy people was just ridiculous.

"Wanna know what's embarrassing for me? How my damn girlfriend acts to people who don't do shit to her. You're mad at her for being happy, and you think she's fake cause she likes to laugh after you knew her for barely a full day? That's BULLSHIT! I'm in so much disbelief that I can't even believe I'm hearing this from you." Ian turned to Jocelyn then, still beyond furious with Niki's behavior and the fact that all the new kids had to witness that from their first gathering as a team, which was falling apart as time went on. "Joce babe, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that this is your welcoming to the team. I'm damn proud to call you an Acolyte, and I'm glad that you came back here and I got to know you again. Thank you for bringin' Ricki there more out of her shell in just one day, and thanks for being plain out awesome and giving everyone that warmth that we just don't see enough of in people today." His voice still had a harsh edge to it, but softened because he for the first time found himself taking that step back and wondering where his own eyes have been the last three months.

"Niki, honestly I don't even wanna be around you right now. With all the shit, with all the damn anger and heartache that we had to go through, and you have a problem with someone who makes us all smile? That's just.... you know what I don't know what to say to you, and right now I don't wanna say anything more to you. I'm done with this team practice, and guess what, this time I'm the one walking away. Lemme know when you get over yourself," Ian glared at her, so much going on in his head that he couldn't settle on a single emotion. This time, he walked away and he didn't stop until he was far from the practice. His fury was at an all time high, especially when he watched her act like that to Liv just the other day and now to Jocelyn, that was just not going to do, and right then he knew he wasn't in a safe state of mind to deal with it.

[Taffy]

Even though Niki's yells weren't directed at Ricki, she couldn't help but feel something twist inside her chest, as if Niki'd been screaming right at her face. Haven had never exactly been Ricki's bestest friend in the whole wide world, but Ricki'd always had a certain amount of respect for her team mate considering she always tended to stand up for most of the team, and from what Ricki'd heard she'd been through a whole lot in her life, and the fact that she was still standing was commendable- but the respect was beginning to be overshadowed by the pain that Ricki was beginning to feel. Not many people would've considered Ricki and Jocelyn alike on first glance, but truth was, if it came down to personality, the two weren't all that different.

They were both energetic, and had a genuine form of ecstacy to them at all times. They both cared a lot about people, and their friendly attitude wasn't something anyone could ever really question as being fake in any form: the fact that Niki considered that on Joce to be some form of facade took a stab at Ricki, considering the fact that everything Niki said could easily have passed for being aimed at Ricki. If there was one thing about herself, that Ricki considered was something that defined her, was her need to want to help people, and her polite and friendly attitude towards others no matter what. Her energy and brightness also added to a huge part of who she was; and Ricki was pretty sure it was the same with Joce. The fact that Niki was throwing a bitch-fit at Joce for being the way she was, hurt Ricki, pretty damn bad, because not only did she feel as if Niki probably thought the same way about her, but it was also highly unfair and unreasonable of Niki to snap at Joce the first chance she got.

The difference between Joce and Ricki was the fact that Joce was a lot more bold and daring than Ricki could've ever been, and that was probably why, despite feeling daggers in her chest, Ricki still didn't say a single word. Her eyes instead were fixed on Ian who'd walked off, from the Practice Site, with rage like Ricki'd never seen come out of him before. It surprised Ricki; the sudden lack of sympathy that she felt towards Niki- the previous will to try and understand why she was being such a bitch towards Joce completely and utterly gone, and every bone in her body agreeing word to word with everything Ian'd just said. Without really thinking twice on it, Ricki turned on her heel, running after Ian. She knew that he probably needed to be alone for a while- but she couldn't leave Ian in a vulnerable and angry state like that.

He was almost like her older brother, and she'd do all in her power to make sure he felt a damn sight better, because right at this moment, she just felt so much gratitude towards him, even though everything he'd said had been aimed at Joce. Ricki was still aching on the inside due to what Niki'd said, but that part was numbing over a little due to what Ian'd said after her. It wasn't a freaking crime to be happy, and it most certainly wasn't right to have a go at someone because they were the way they were. It took her a bit to catch up with Ian, but when she did the first thing she did was slip her hands around one of his huge arms and looking up at him with a weak smile and worn down eyes. "What d'you say to some Ice Cream, bro?" Her weak smile spread out a little as she stared up at Ian with her baby blue eyes, not having it in her to say anything serious right this minute. She gave him a soft look, knowing that she'd said the right thing before her smile widened further more, though her eyes held their concern, as the two of them headed off for the Mansion.

[Splice]

Talk about a temper tantrum backfiring, Jocelyn thought, her opinion of Haven being a brat only cemented by the little display of everything she just saw. Now she really felt bad for all Pete had to go through with his team. At least back in the day when Ariel was on it, the Acolytes had that stability sense that all the other teams lacked, but it looked long gone now. She really hadn't cared what Haven insinuated or bitched about, it was all ridiculous. It was a spectacular display of immaturity by throwing a fit because she had to do something she didn't like. Joce had no desire to have much of anything to do with the albino with a nasty attitude, but at least she kept her cool about it and sucked it up.

No matter what though, she had no plans to fuel Haven's tantrum and give her any more attention. "Um, I should probably go too. Thanks for the practice Pete, I'll catch you later," she said, small smile coming on her face. It had stunned her a little how angry Ian got, but she had a feeling that this wasn't a first time situation anyways. He really was a big sweetheart and she was touched by sweet he had been to defend her like that, even if she didn't really need it. Biting her lip, she stood up and walked past Haven without a glance and headed toward the mansion as well. She really had nothing to say, and found it all a little silly to be honest.

She liked being happy and having fun, because growing up at the school taught her that with the world as grim as it was, holding on to the good times and making the laughter happen was what made life in general worthy. Jocelyn was weary about letting people get close to her and did in fact go through great lengths to keep her heart shielded, but it was silly that someone accused her of not being real for being happy and laughing, because that in fact was the most real thing about her. Jocelyn remembered after that one really bad attack at the school when she was little, and had been flat out in tears because Kelly and Mike, a.k.a Network had gotten really badly hurt and Tracy had been away at that time. It was Iceman who told her while she sat outside the med lab with her knees curled to her chest that both Kelly and Mike would hate to think of her crying, and that with all the things that life throws, the best thing to do for all of it was to smile, remember something happy and good and that would ease the feeling of all the bad.

It was a lesson to live by, and though she still had to get over her fear of letting people get close to her, she didn't let it stop the flow of laughter, smiles, and good times. Right then though, Joce bit her lip, upset slightly how everything had ended. The wind whipped her hair around her face, making her seriously consider taking flight just because that always made her feel better, remembering how Warren and Jean used to chase after her in the air when she was little and discovered to fly. She could always pass them on their own, though Jean liked to be unfair and use her telekinesis when she wanted to end the chase quick. It was Ororo who was Joce's greatest challenge in the sky, because she would always used the wind to blow her right back. It was those memories that made her take flight for old time's sake, planning on taking a couple of laps around the school before she got to her room to change into her pajamas and go to Shade's room.

[StormHawk]

"Wait! Joce wait up!" Gavin called, turning around and going after the tall, curvaceous Atlantean. It took him a moment to do it, as he was in total shock how everything played out and the fact that it seemed Ian had finally reached his limit of patience with Niki really surprised him. Not to say that he didn't agree that Jocelyn was being attacked unfairly just cause Niki didn't like her being happy, but he didn't expect Ian to explode like that. Then again, after the whole thing that happened with Liv yesterday, Gavin could tell just from the way Ian told him about it that he would be on the edge, but he didn't think anyone expected their even tempered unofficial team captain to explode like that.

His wings stretched out and with one flap, he was up in the air and taking flight, flying after Jocelyn. Though she had only little wings on her feet, she was pretty fast in the air. It took Gavin several wide flaps of his wings to catch up with her. "Gonna split without giving me a good night hug or glomp?" he said with a grin when he was flying right next to her. "Come on, I'll show you a really cool view, though you probably already know about it. I found it a couple of weeks back."

Gavin took her hand and flew with her a little bit out over the other side of the road, the chill not effecting either of them as their bodies were built for flight in both situations. "Check it out," he turned them around and the two got a spectacular view of Xavier's at early nightfall, the moon shining behind it and illuminating it. "Beautiful huh? I love coming up here sometimes to look at it. You forget how really pretty the school is sometimes." They stayed in silence for a moment, taking in the view before Gavin turned to look at Joce's pretty and sweet face. "I like you being happy. I don't want you to stop that, cause with everything we all had to see the past couple of months, it's great to have someone like you around to keep us smiling," he said and squeezed their hand as they spent the next half hour in silence and quiet conversation, flying around in the air and the feeling of freedom coursing through them.

[Colossus]

A large sigh left Piotr, though he couldn't say that he wasn't expecting problems to arise with the exercise and his plan, though he was firm with it. He needed this team to overcome their differences and to work as one. This certainly didn't go as he planned, and he hoped that it could only get better with time.

He'd known Jocelyn since he first came to Xavier's, and it was hard for him as well as any other of the X-Men to not smile when they saw her. She was a reminder of the good times and the joy that came with teaching these kids and watching them grow up. At the same time he had a soft spot for Niki, for though she was hard headed, it was just inspiring to see the young woman she was growing into in comparison to the girl she was when she first came here.

All of his team and many of the students held a special place in his heart, and as for his team Piotr could only hope that they would all earn a that same kind of spot in each other's hearts, because the time was now, and that was all that really mattered. He looked at the team members and sighed, standing up again. "When you are finished with you exercise, you may leave. However, I would like to hold another team practice not tomorrow, but the day after right here so we may go over everything. I asked each of you to spend an hour a day with your partner, which I expect all of you to fulfill. In that hour, I would like you each to come away learning one fact about your partner. Thank you all for coming to practice," he said with a heavier voice and stood back as he watched some students who finished the exercise leave and others continue with their exercise.

Piotr stayed behind and watched all the others finish their exercises, his mind heavy in thought at all that occurred. Still, he had hope for his team, and he would do all he could to have them become friends and care about each other enough to work as a team. His method was different from Kitty's and Kurt's, but for his team he knew it was something they all needed. When everyone was finished, Piotr walked back with them to the mansion, his mind heavier in thought than before as he tried to figure out how to deal with this situation and how to have a team that was at peace with each other.