Friday March 23rd~A little thinking at the stables (open)
Jordan had been doing a lot of work at the stables. Part of it was because the slightly anti social cowboy found some comfort in caring for animals. Another large part of his working at the stables on the school grounds was because he thought that he knew more about taking care of horses than anyone else at the school.
Considering that Jordan had been on horseback before he could even walk, he might have been right.
He had already put out grain, hay and water for all of the horses. A bay gelding had thrown one of his horseshoes, so Jordan had stripped the other shoes and reshod the horse. This resulted in a lot of hammering on the horseshoes to shape them to best fit the horse's hooves, and some sweat had run down Jordan's face. He let the horse loose in it's pen, took off his beat up black cowboy hat, and wiped some sweat off of his face. He didn't mind shoeing horses, but when a guy six feet tall but only 160 pounds gets under a creature that weights around 1000-1300 pounds, it takes a lot of work, especially when the critter tries to lay down on the said country boy. "That oughta set the old horse for a while. Nothin' like a little hard work to help clear the mind."
Jordan had an air of satisfaction about him regarding his work. He hated the fact that there was so little that he could actually do around the Institute. For the hundreth time, Jordan wondered what exactly he was doing here. Everything seemed to go wrong, no matter what he did. Jordan was smart enough to realize that his disposition probably caused a lot of people to stay away from him, but Jordan thought that you shouldn't trust anyone until you got a good look at their character. There was a time when Jordan trusted people before he got to know them very well, but it was amazing what having one person that he considered a friend taking part in a school shooting could do for a man's philosophy about trusting others.
In any case, Jordan realized that he hadn't made any real good impressions. Nick probably thought that he was nuts, which Jordan really couldn't deny in his darker moments. Aramaan likely thought that he was a little strange. John, the guy who met him at the Institute, and the pink guy both got a good look at his personal weapon store and likely thought of him as a sociopath. Heck, even Arlen and Scott, who he had met simply by stepping into the middle of a fight, had seemed a little distant from the redneck.
Add all of this up, and Jordan was not in the best of moods. This was fairly normal when he was feeling introspective, since Jordan really didn't like poking around in his heart and soul. He was always scared of what darkness he might find in there. He had already realized that he took a perverse glee in hurting others. He rationalized it by only hurting those who commited harms or evils, but he couldn't deny the fact that he had a dark heart.
Believeing himself to be alone, Jordan reached for his acoustic guitar. Like the young Okie, the guitar was a traditional western guitar that would be at home in the Grand Ole' Opry. Thinking about the songs he knew, Jordan selected one by the man in black, Johnny Cash himself, to describe his mood. Strumming out a monrose tune, Jordan's clear, yet slightly gravelly voice sang out in a song of regret and loss.
I hurt myself today
to see if I still feel
I focus on the pain
the only thing that's real
the needle tears a hole
the old familiar sting
try to kill it all away
but I remember everything
what have I become?
my sweetest friend
everyone I know
goes away in the end
and you could have it all
my empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt
I wear this crown of thorns
upon my liar's chair
full of broken thoughts
I cannot repair
beneath the stains of time
the feelings disappear
you are someone else
I am still right here
what have I become?
my sweetest friend
everyone I know
goes away in the end
and you could have it all
my empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt
if I could start again
a million miles away
I would keep myself
I would find a way
Re: Friday March 23rd~A little thinking at the stables (open
Hey.. hope you don't mind me throwing Racheal your way Wasn't planning for her to appear this week yet, but this situation just seemed perfect lol. I warn you though, I may be a bit slow responding sometimes!
It had been awhile since careful steps and trodden this way. But then again, it had not been. Had it merely been that so much had happened time had fled from her? The lake spurred memories now, and she kept her eyes from it, instead feline eyes turned skywards. The air. That was a place where true freedom could be felt. No wall could hold you when you soared on eagle’s wings. No barriers par your own could stop your flight. The feral mutant smiled to herself. She needed to fly. Later maybe. Because as joyous as it was, she didn’t find flying cleared her head.
And that’s why she was here after all. Her training for the day had gone really rather well. But her mind hand been clouded by thoughts. It seemed she wasn’t going to be able to escape that quite so easily. But that was why she ignored what was once the haven of the lake. Since Saturday, all it had done was provoke memories. And right now, some of those memories she wanted to forget. For now. Which was why the morpher had opted for the stables. She hadn’t visited her equine friends for awhile. She knew there was a risk of running into Heath, his love of Kattalin gluing him there almost. Those were memories she could stand. Her first day, that lovely ride with Heath and Lauren. But more importantly, Shadow.
Not that she would wish to forget completely. After speaking to Connor, seeing how he was… no, she wouldn’t wish that on anyone. Even the memory of that made her heart drop slightly. No one should be as depressed as he seemed. She hoped she had helped somewhat. But, she wasn’t sure. And no amount of assurance could convince her otherwise.
Racheal’s steps paused, taking a slow, deep breath. She had come here to try and clear her mind of that night. And of the Exiles! Gawd, she still wondered who in their right mind decided that they could ever be a team! Nothing seemed to have been taken in to consideration with them. First, the original team consisted of bullies and victims it seemed, not the best combination. And then, after rearranging it, they stuck Nick and Max on the same team! Not that Racheal had anything against humans, nor did she view them as morally below them. But her view’s weren’t shared by the famous school bully. The morpher had been ready to put his head through a wall before. Now she was tempted to forget the wall and replace it with barbed wire! The other’s… well, to be honest they didn’t seem so bad. Jess would always be Jess. Keeping to himself with his sarcastic comments occasionally, normally with his nose in a book. But there was a silent, mutual respect there almost. After the training missions and the fight against the brotherhood, that wasn’t surprising. Fred and Bryce, well, truth be told she hadn’t taken the time to get to know them. Fred freaked her out a little though. The feline morpher had slightly enhanced senses, and Fred’s basic deathness set her nerves on edge. Then there was Garnet. Miss fire mutant herself. Leader of the Exiles. Not that Racheal didn’t respect her as leader. But a deathly fear of fire and a clash with the pyro’s outlook on life hardly made for a good relationship.
The feral sighed to herself. If that wasn’t bad enough, even on a social level they didn’t mix. It seemed that, along with the so-called ‘trouble makers’ of the school, they had narrowed the search by picking some of the richest and poorest students. If they ever tried anything like a social night, the entire institute would know about it. Merely because of the outrage Racheal alone would feel at it. But them, like Saturday, she had come to forget. For now. Always for now.
A soft shake of her head, and she finished her journey to the stables, hesitating briefly as she heard someone moving around. Just another student, probably Heath or one of the other stable lovers. Nothing to worry about. She passed a couple of the loose stalls, clicking her tongue softly on the roof of her mouth, gaining the attention of a few of them. But it wasn’t until she stopped outside one stall that she actually looked at an equine, her voice almost inaudible. ”Hello Shadow..”
The mare inside the stall was a beautiful black. In a way, Racheal had fallen in love with her as soon as she’d seen her. So beautifully shaped, lovely movements. And to top it all, an amazing temperament and a safe ride. Not that Racheal had been riding since that first day. It still felt strange, the idea of riding one of these elegant creatures. They should be running free, with wide open plains before them. Heath had assured her that they didn’t mind being ridden, but it was still weird. She clicked her tongue again softly.
”Hey pretty girl. How’s you?” Her voice was almost a purr as the mare moved over to the stable door, allowing the feral to stroke her long face softly. Shadow probably didn’t recognise her occasionally visitor over any other student who would come to ride. But Feral didn’t mind. It was relaxing enough just being here. ”I’ve got a little treat for you sweetheart..” She said softly, holding her palm up flat to the mare, a small, square sugar cube resting on it. She smiled softly as firm, velvet lips took the sweet treat. ”That nice huh?” She spoke soothingly still, loving this contact.
Emerald eyes turned over the other horses with a smile. Jitterbug was a lovely mare as well, and the other horses all had something going for them. A shrill whinny drew her attention towards one stall. She couldn’t see the horse, but she knew who it was. The single horse she would never approach, though she would watch her sometimes. Storm. She had been warned about the gelding. Such a pity. He was a beautiful creature, wrecked by human hands. She wasn’t around enough for him to trust her, but she still watched him quietly sometimes. ”Okay Storm..” She muttered softly to herself, sighing lightly as she petted Shadow.
It was only then that the mutant started paying more attention to her surroundings, hearing the music coming from not that far off. She must have come from the opposite direction. Racheal listened carefully to the song, head tilting slightly as she gave Shadow a final pet on the muzzle. ”Seems I’m not the only one around” She said softly to the mare as the equine returned to her hay net. Racheal smiled softly, before going to explore slowly.
The song certainly couldn’t be called cheerful, but she had heard more depressing as well. But then, it seemed that half the institute had something bad going for them. It didn’t show often, but the sensitive mutant could feel a tension surrounding the few people she knew. And, as normal, she wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was because she was silently tense. She was planning on leaving soon, and maybe people had guessed. Oh well.
Turning a corner, her green, feline eyes settled on the stranger, keeping silent as she listened to his playing, not out of sight of him but not immediately obvious either. Arms were folded lightly in front of her, over the white t-shirt. She offered him a slight smile, though it wasn’t quite as natural as one would hope, as the song came to it’s seeming end.
”That sounded good..” She said, nodding slightly, though her music opinions didn’t really count for much, considering her distinct lack of listening to the stuff. Still, it had been nice in away. ”Sorry to disturb you… I came down to see one of the horses and heard you playing.” She explained simply. Racheal was one of those people whose voice seemed to change dramatically without her even realising it. For instance, she could be harsh when she meant to be kind, and visa versa. But her voice was soft still, a residue affect from talking to Shadow, still calmed from the encounter with the equine. The feral mutant didn’t really think about introducing herself yet. It just wasn’t a thought that crossed her mind.
"I was wrong, to think that I might belong. But I will never forget what I was... Who I am.. What I did, just to learn that"
Re: Friday March 23rd~A little thinking at the stables (open
Jordan noticed the young woman approach silently, and suddenly felt how bad he looked in comparison. Jordan's features were rather plain looking, but they did have the potential to improve with age. Instead of wearing clean fabrics, Jordan was wearing a pair of beat up and stained jeans with a tucked in denim shirt. The sleeves were rolled up, showing a set of scars on his left forearm from a cougar sinking its claws in him. But mostly, Jordan could tell a severe difference in his hands. His were covered with callouses and scars, and still had some slight brusing on his knuckles from the fight he had intervened in a few days ago.
Jordan knew that in comparison to the lovely lady across from him, he looked like a piece of trash. Jordan noticed that the lady was attractive, but Jordan really wasn't the type to be blinded by physical beauty alone. He had seen to many gorgeous knockouts that were the most petty and shallow people on earth to value physical beauty alone. Perhaps the best way to describe how he looked at Racheal was more like a professional cop might, recording her features so he could recognise her later.
He noticed that the woman's smile seemed slightly forced, but a smile at all was amazing considering the slightly depressing song he had been playing. Hearing her compliment on his playing, a small but restrained smile appeared on Jordan's lips. He also noticed the apparent sincerity in her apology, but wasn't able to understand it since the stables were basically public for the student body. Jordan replied in his slow southern drawl Appreciate the compliment Ma'am, but it is awfully hard to screw up something by Johnny Cash. Still, it is a small miracle that I didn't mess it up. The instant depreciating of himself was a personality quirk that Jordan had. It could get on some peoples nerves, but it showed that Jordan tended to view himself as pretty close to the bottom of society, with little to give to the world.
Jordan noticed the woman's eyes, which looked just like a cougars. He remembered when he got the scars on his left arm from a cougar. That large cat had been on its last legs. It was a old, but still powerful beast. In order to gain that much age, the animal had to be cunning as well to survive, yet it had approached an armed human with no regards for his rifle. Jordan had backed up, wanting to let a creature of such grace go on its way unmolested. Yet the animal hadn't given him a choice in the matter, planting its claws in his arm. What Jordan couldn't figure out is why the animal hadn't gone for his throat or done more damage. the only thing Jordan could come up with is that the beast had known that it was going to die soon, and prefered a quick death in its prime rather than waiting around for disease or age to claim him.
Considering the lady in front of him, Jordan thought that the comparison was probably fitting considering the grace that the woman moved with.
Jordan waved off her concerns about disturbing him, saying "Last time I checked, this place let any student enter who wanted to. Main reason I was here was to feed and water the horses." Jordan wasn't sure if the lady was here to check up on the place, or if she was just interested in the horses well being. Walking over to Storm, Jordan entered the stall and began stroking the gelding's neck. A softer tone came in Jordan's voice as he stood next to the large animal, becoming a much gentler soul around the animal. "This ol' boy had lost a shoe from one of his front hooves, so I tacked it back on him. Took a little while to calm him down, and he seemed a little on edge." A heartfelt sigh escaped from the cowboy's mouth as he said "Poor guy has had it rough."
A dark, angry and smoldering fire appeared in Jordan's brown eyes as he thought about how the horse had acted. In his experience, the only reason horses acted that way was because some jack@** with more stupidity than pateince had beat the horse. Looking at the delicate ankle bones and at the horses head and jaw, Jordan had seen a lot of evidence of past abuse. This pissed Jordan off to no end, partially because he felt as though horse stealing and abuse should be punishable by public floggings. Another reason it enraged the cowboy was because he always felt more kinship with horses than he did with most people. Rubbing Storm's neck, Jordan said with bairly constrained malice "This poor soul has been through a lot. I'd really appreciate knowing who did this so I could.....discuss....this situation with 'em." Discuss was a very light way of putting it. If Jordan knew who had done this, he would have seriously considered calling one of his brother Daniel and ask him to send a set of brass knuckles. Calling his oldest brother Zack would have been out of the question, considering that Zack was far to nice to resort to such brutality.
Realising that he hadn't even introduced himself yet, Jordan said in his normally no nonsense voice, "Where are my manners at? My name is Jordan. Resident hillbilly and school idiot. I reckon in another week or two, a few more impolite descriptions might be tossed my way if this week is any indication." Edited by: Hank at: 3/7/06 1:59 am
Re: Friday March 23rd~A little thinking at the stables (open”Appreciate the compliment Ma'am, but it is awfully hard to screw up something by Johnny Cash. Still, it is a small miracle that I didn't mess it up.” The use of the word ma’am almost made the feral mutant cringe as she watched the other quietly for now. She assumed he meant the song, but she wasn’t to know. Her knowledge of music was beyond limited, the few songs she did know coming from old children’s films.
Just as he had examined her, the feral mutant took in the appearance of this stranger slowly. He was taller than her by a few inches, not enough to be imposing but enough to be obvious. Unlike he thought actually, she didn’t see some scruff bag before her. He seemed comfortable with his attire and that was all that mattered. The clothes she wore didn’t even belong to her, so she was not one to judge. The huntress eyes were quick in their judgement, he was younger than her, though not by much it seemed, a few years at most, and didn’t seem to be an immediate threat. Which was always a plus.
"Last time I checked, this place let any student enter who wanted to. Main reason I was here was to feed and water the horses." Really? Then where was Heath? From the little she had gathered, the young man she had met upon her first day practically lived in the stables. Of course, the thought had failed to occur to her that some people actually attended classes, even Heath who had to a degree seemed on a similar educational value as herself. But at least someone was caring for the horses. Although she rarely came down and saw them, that didn’t stop her loving them. She just felt useless around them.
Racheal watched quietly as he passed her, returning to the stables. And she felt ever muscle in her back tense slightly as he entered Storm’s stable. She had been expecting to hear some sound of distress, even see the muscular young man being kicked out over the door. But there wasn’t. And as the young man continued, he heard his voice soften, not like her own always did when dealing with animals. She didn’t dare draw too close to the gelding’s stable, instead she turned her attention to the soft bay mare beside him, Jitterbug, clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth to call the gentle creature over, stroking softly down her muzzle as she listened.
This ol' boy had lost a shoe from one of his front hooves, so I tacked it back on him. Took a little while to calm him down, and he seemed a little on edge." She nodded slowly, though Racheal’s thoughts were racing. Had no one told him about Storm? Possibly not, else she doubt he would be in there now. Still, it seemed that the relatively young gelding had settled to the other’s presence, even if she felt one ear and dark orb fixed on her, barely visible as she was. Racheal knew better though than to look towards the equine, especially to fix her huntress gaze with their’s.
"Poor guy has had it rough." The nodding continued for a moment, frowning softly as she gently, trustingly, rested her forehead on Jitterbug’s muzzle, softly stroking the cheek of the steady natured mare. The morpher could feel her mood, the tiny changes in muscle movements enough to be able to trust the mare so. She had little experience with domesticated horses, but there were few who could tell you how the muscles worked, what each tiny signal indicated. After all, most people had never been a horse. So they couldn’t know.
"This poor soul has been through a lot. I'd really appreciate knowing who did this so I could.....discuss....this situation with 'em." Her head lifted from the mare, looking towards Jordan in surprise. She knew people loved animals, that was a given a lot of the time. But often they would do nothing more than to coddle the animal. Which was sometimes the worst thing you could do. There were surprisingly few people who honestly felt that animal lives should be treated with in the respect due to them. But the tone of his voice had been what caught her off guard. The controlled anger. Like she would be to see any creature in danger. She respected that, and smiled sadly, before scratching the mare between the ears.
"Where are my manners at? My name is Jordan. Resident hillbilly and school idiot. I reckon in another week or two, a few more impolite descriptions might be tossed my way if this week is any indication."She assumed that most people would have found a meaning in some of that. Not that she didn’t understand to a degree, but personally, she didn’t see the importance. Feline eyes turned to him slowly in thought, working over his words, before a surprise entered those deep green orbs.
”You’ve only been here a week?” She kept the tone of her voice, the sound of surprise, down to a softer level, though she felt the mare she petted tense a little, and her eyes turned back to her, softly soothing her in a way of apology, softly stroking the velvet ears, scratching their base in a show of friendship.
”Sorry.. What I mean is I’m surprised they allowed a new student in with Storm..” She nodded slowly in thought. ”He was abused as a foal, before he came here. They’ve given him a good life as best they can, but he doesn’t trust new faces. Not that I blame him” There was a quiet understanding in her voice, her eyes loosely fixing on the gelding for a moment, before shifting her gaze again, offering every given chance for the gelding to realise she meant no harm. ”But because of it, they tend to be wary of the people who go near him”
Her mind worked over what he had said before, about the lost shoe. Racheal could be pretty clueless at times, and she struggled somewhat with simple understandings due to a genuine lack of knowledge and experience. But her books. That’s where she drew her information from for the knowledge she did have. Her reading was poor, but she coped. And learnt a lot. Shoeing. Yes, she knew about that. Theoretically, there wasn’t much management wise she didn’t know about horses. She just lacked any experience.
”I don’t come here often, so he doesn’t really trust me yet. I’m not used to dealing with other horses either, so I didn’t think it fair on him if I scared him..” A small hand movement motioned towards her eyes. ”And that’s easily done” Since the training missions nearly two weeks previously, Racheal had found herself more relaxed about talking normally with people. Since a few barriers of trust had been broken with a small number of people, there had been little reason not to allow simple things to be spoken of. It made her more confident in herself and her words.
”I tend to only come down to spend time with Shadow. I admit to having a soft spot for her. She’s the first and only horse I’ve ever ridden” And, she added silently to herself, possible the only horse she would ever ride. Not that it hadn’t been enjoyable to a degree. But it felt so strange, so unnatural to be on the back of a naturally nervous creature. The back was where a predator would strike in a hunt, that and the underneath of the neck. Inwardly, the thought made her shudder slightly. She had a horse morph of her own, and to imagine anyone sitting astride it… It would be a death warrant really.
”I’m Racheal, and if you want titles as such I’m the ultimate loner” She smiled slightly, shrugging. Actually, she was the ultimate Exile. Unwanted in the unwanteds. As far as she was concerned, you couldn’t get much further down the social ladder. Even the Exiles were capable of relationships of some description it seemed, or at least gave off a ‘correct’ persona. Racheal? She was nice, but didn’t trust. She could be sweet or spiteful. She had a temper to match her female tiger, but the patience of her Dartford warbler. More than once it crossed her mind that she was a mis-match of personalities in someways, though in all honesty, it was mostly a cover up for the truth. Who did she have, friends? No, though Michael and Connor both bordered on that line. She had offered lines of trust to both of them, as she had to the doctor. Each was offered something slightly different, a hint at the real her. But she refused to make friends.
She nodded slightly again, stroking Jitterbug soothingly still. ”I’m not much of a people person. Animals make more sense to me” She said with a more relaxed smile, her voice still calm, quiet. It would make sense though, that she could read an animal better than a human. With the ability to morph any cat, a horse, an orca, two types of bird, a bear and a dog, she had more animals within her than she did humans. And she trusted them more. They were, as a general rule, more honest, those subtle signs a clue to their thoughts.
"I was wrong, to think that I might belong. But I will never forget what I was... Who I am.. What I did, just to learn that"
Re: Friday March 23rd~A little thinking at the stables (open
”You’ve only been here a week?” Jordan could here the surprise in Rachel's quite voice, and wasn't sure what had caused it. It seemed as if there was a lot of new additions to the student body constantly, so he wasn't sure what one more new guy meant.
”Sorry.. What I mean is I’m surprised they allowed a new student in with Storm. He was abused as a foal, before he came here. They’ve given him a good life as best they can, but he doesn’t trust new faces. Not that I blame him”But because of it, they tend to be wary of the people who go near him”
Ah, so that was it. Jordan couldn't blame the faculty for being cautious about people being around an abused horse. Of course, Jordan hadn't even bothered to ask permission, figuring he would be one of the most qualified on the place to work with Storm, with the possible exception of animal communicators. But even then, he figured that a lifetime of working and riding horses would give him insights that those who use only their powers would lack. Well listen to that. I almost sound like I'm takin' up Nick's side of the disagreement we had a few days back. Jordan though ruefully to himself, having to shake his head slightly at the irony.
Racheal seemed to be deep in thought, but Jordan had no idea what she was thinking of. He remained silent, not wanting to intrude upon her thoughts. Lord knows, Jordan usually needed all the quite he could get when he was thinking.
”I don’t come here often, so he doesn’t really trust me yet. I’m not used to dealing with other horses either, so I didn’t think it fair on him if I scared him.. And that’s easily done” Jordan noticed her gesturing to her eyes, which he had already thought of as cat like. Aparently, his assesment was even more accurate than he had thought. Prey animals tended to be able to spot predators easily. The only exception to that rule seemed to be humans, but that could be because humans tended to be uniquie amongst creatures in that they mainly preyed on their own kind. Jordan had to nod in agreement with Racheal's statement about her eyes.
”I tend to only come down to spend time with Shadow. I admit to having a soft spot for her. She’s the first and only horse I’ve ever ridden” Now that threw Jordan badly. His eyes widened slightly in surprise, mainly because he couldn't even remember a time when he hadn't ridden a horse. He started to come up with a reply, but stopped when he saw that Racheal was about to speak.
”I’m Racheal, and if you want titles as such I’m the ultimate loner. I’m not much of a people person. Animals make more sense to me” Jordan smiled a little at learning the woman's name. At least now he would have a name to go with the face. His smile remained in place as he said "Pleased to meet you. As far as animals go, they tend to be a lot more simpler, but in a good way." The young cowboy nodded his head slightly, and made his way out of Storm's stall. "With animals, you don't have to worry about hidden motives or meanings. They are either going to run from you, hurt you, or trust you. There aren't any lies or deceptions." There was a slightly wistful and longing quality in Jordan's voice as he talked about a lack of lies. Jordan had been betrayed once, and it had left a horrible taste in his mouth. Knowing the results of betrayal, he refused to ever engage in such conduct with every cell in his stubborn body and soul.
Motioning to Storm's stall, Jordan said in reply to Racheal's wondering about him working with Storm, "Storm over there isn't bad. He's just a little scared of folks. In any case, I kinda reckoned I'd probably have a little more experience with horses since I've been riding since before I could walk." A lopsided grin appeared on Jordan's face, showing a little bit of a devil-may-care view towards permission and regulations. "Anyway, I didn't exactly ask permission. It's never been a real strong quality in me."
Jordan had mainly come down to the stable to do some actual physical work. It still wasn't as much as he would do back home, but there were not any herds of cattle to look after or welding that needed to be done. That left what Jordan considered lightweight work of feeding and looking over the horses. Working a little in the stables also helped to remind Jordan of home as well. But one bad side effect was that it made him miss his roping mare. His smile faltered a little, and he sighed thinking about the abuse heaped on Storm. "The best part about riding a horse happens if the rider thinks about it as a partnership. It helps to combine the instinct of an animal and the reasoning of a person." Jordan inclined his head to indicate Storm in his stall and said in a slightly grim voice, "The sad thing about that one is that he probably won't ever trust a person enough to establish that bond." Edited by: Hank at: 3/7/06 11:21 pm
Re: Friday March 23rd~A little thinking at the stables (open "Pleased to meet you. As far as animals go, they tend to be a lot more simpler, but in a good way." The feral morpher was pleased to see the smile on the young man’s face, her own still echoing on her lips as her hand moved to the velvety muzzle of the mare, allowing her to turn and face the other mutant. "With animals, you don't have to worry about hidden motives or meanings. They are either going to run from you, hurt you, or trust you. There aren't any lies or deceptions." Not quite true, there were a few exceptions. But they didn’t apply very often, and even when they did most humans would never have experience with that. There were plenty of anecdotes, of course, of pet’s ‘tricking’ their owners. But anecdotes were all they were.
The tone of his voice didn’t go unnoticed. That tone which hinted at a memory harsh, unwanted but also one which made you who you were, one not to be forgotten. She could understand that. Hell, after talking to Connor the previous Saturday, of course she could! Racheal had sat on both sides of the coin, the betrayer and the betrayee. And neither was pleasant, especially if the former was done with all good intentions only for your self to be proven wrong.
"Storm over there isn't bad. He's just a little scared of folks. In any case, I kinda reckoned I'd probably have a little more experience with horses since I've been riding since before I could walk." Was that even possible? Racheal really wasn’t sure but there was the simpleness in how it was said that didn’t hint at a lie or strange joke, despite the lopsided smile which followed "Anyway, I didn't exactly ask permission. It's never been a real strong quality in me."
"The best part about riding a horse happens if the rider thinks about it as a partnership. It helps to combine the instinct of an animal and the reasoning of a person." The feral frowned a little, not in disagreement as such but in thought. True, if a human could harness the instincts and the power of the horse, and mix it with the mind of a human, the reasoning, that might make for a good partnership. But when was the animal’s sanity in danger? The animal’s welfare? It was all well and good to say that they seemed happy, healthy. But that wasn’t always the truth. It was a tough call.
"The sad thing about that one is that he probably won't ever trust a person enough to establish that bond." The frown on her features saddened now, sighing softly with a nod. It was hard enough to understand humans if you were one, to trust them, especially after years of not being able to. But for an animal. They were two different cultures, and too often people seemed to expect animal to be able to instantly understand human culture. That what an action meant, or the relationship of an object was to a human was the same for animals. And that was far from the truth. She was still nodding, hand still softly on Jitterbug’s muzzle, as she spoke gently.
”Humans can’t trust humans, and to expect an animal to, especially one who has suffered the cruelty of their hands, is near impossible. We’re from two different worlds. A horse was never born to be ridden, and I am not convinced they always understand.” A hand ran down the muzzle of the mare before she turned to face Jordan again thoughtful, letting the mare free to do what she wished for now.
”Don’t get me wrong. That time I rode Shadow was amazing. And she didn’t seem at all distressed, which I admit surprised me. With a bar of metal forced into her mouth and a saddle resting on her back where a predator would strike..” She shook her head slowly, leaning against the door to the mare’s stable now. ”It’s just strange. Maybe they can enjoy it and trust humans. But I’ve seen mustang running free, heck, I’ve even run with them. And to tame such a creature… it just seems as against nature as collaring a wolf or caging a leopard”
There was a quiet passion in her voice. This was more than an animal lover caring about the welfare of animals, it was deeper than that, closer to her heart. She was no wolf, but her twin brother had been. But a leopard, a horse… those were creatures that lived in her among with many others. And it still felt strange, seeing them kept in these stalls, large for some, but small compared to the home ranges they would often have. There was a moment of seriousness in her eyes, before a smile broke on her face as a velvet muzzle was pressed against her back for a moment, a soft snort coming from the mare. She glanced back at Jitterbug with a smile.
”Saying that, they at least, as a rule, seem to enjoy human company. Which I suppose is one good thing. Not that I blame them to some extent. The institute in general is a palace considering the wild. At least here there are no predators. They have steady meals…” She paused, and chuckled softly. ”And even the occasional sugar cube”
"I was wrong, to think that I might belong. But I will never forget what I was... Who I am.. What I did, just to learn that"
Re: Friday March 23rd~A little thinking at the stables (open
”Humans can’t trust humans, and to expect an animal to, especially one who has suffered the cruelty of their hands, is near impossible. We’re from two different worlds. A horse was never born to be ridden, and I am not convinced they always understand.” Jordan agreed with the part about animals not trusting humans for good reason. Heck, Jordan was a human, or at least mutant, and he had a hard time trusting the human race. Jordan also had to agree that horses didn't understand what was going on if they were not trained properly. Jordan's own method of training was to use a horses natural responses and curiosity to help establish a relationship between horse and rider. It took a lot of time, but Jordan was always pleased with the results.
”Don’t get me wrong. That time I rode Shadow was amazing. And she didn’t seem at all distressed, which I admit surprised me. With a bar of metal forced into her mouth and a saddle resting on her back where a predator would strike.. It’s just strange. Maybe they can enjoy it and trust humans. But I’ve seen mustang running free, heck, I’ve even run with them. And to tame such a creature… it just seems as against nature as collaring a wolf or caging a leopard” the wording of "Running with them" caught Jordan's attention. He wasn't sure if rachel had the ability to transform into animals, or if she had animal like speed and abilities in a human body. either one of them would explain her unique eyes. Of course, Jordan's cousin Mitch had golden eyes, but the color gold had nothing to do with Mitch's ability to grow into a huge size.
Though Jordan had to admit to himself, any of those powers were a lot better than his. All what his were good for were in a fight, and the only way they would help there would be if Jordan had screwed up and dropped something or got taken by surprise.
”Saying that, they at least, as a rule, seem to enjoy human company. Which I suppose is one good thing. Not that I blame them to some extent. The institute in general is a palace considering the wild. At least here there are no predators. They have steady meals… And even the occasional sugar cube”
Jordan looked down and shook his head a little in disagreement with comparing the institute to a palace. As far as Jordan was concerned, the institute might be fancy and have a high level of comfort, but it felt wrong to Jordan. There was no where to look where one couldn't see the results of civilization, no where to go when someone wanted to be removed from humanity. Admittedly, Jordan probably wouldn't think that a palace was a good place to stay in either.
"I guess that palace is in the eye of the beholder. Personally, I would rather take the backwoods and range over the 'advantages' of civilization any day." An irritated look appeared on Jordan's face as he thought about a lot of the students around the institute. Many of them were obsessed about gossip and fads rather than paying attention to politics and world events, which bothered the slightly paranoid mutant more than a little. "Heck, the only supposed advantages I've seen in living close to a town lately are keeping up with fashions and really stupid reality shows, both of which seem to be a waste of time."
Jordan's eyes looked at Rachel with a dose of curiosity within them, considering the cat like nature of Rachel's as he asked her "What did you mean by 'running with them' when you were talking about mustangs? Can you change into animals, or do you have the physical abilities of animals?"
Re: Friday March 23rd~A little thinking at the stables (open"I guess that palace is in the eye of the beholder. Personally, I would rather take the backwoods and range over the 'advantages' of civilization any day." Head tilted slightly, watching him with emerald feline eyes. Before coming to the institute, she hadn’t been sure what it was called. And these places he spoke of were the same. Not that she hadn’t seen them. Or been through them. It was important not to misunderstand the feral in one fact. She lived in the cities, generally, but that did, by no accounts, make her a city girl. She lived there because there was more than one hand to offer out pennies to a homeless orphan, more than one shop she could silently find food. But she loved the wild, the freedom, the cleanness of the air.
"Heck, the only supposed advantages I've seen in living close to a town lately are keeping up with fashions and really stupid reality shows, both of which seem to be a waste of time." Ahh, now fashion. That was one she understood. And something she had never been apart of. Reality shows, she assumed, had something with TV, which seemed to occupy the lives of a few people she knew. If it wasn’t TV then it was books, but at least that was an obsession she could understand. She wondered, considering their conversation, if he considered this to be more... ‘civilised’. If he did, then he had misunderstood her like so many. A horse in the hands of any kind owner with the resources to care for it would be living in luxury. She mentioned the institute merely because they were here. And she had only really examined two other horse facilities, one was a race course, the other a children’s farm park. And that had been a terrifying experience for the morpher.
Racheal had been about to express her views when the young man continued, his questions catching her a little by surprise. "What did you mean by 'running with them' when you were talking about mustangs? Can you change into animals, or do you have the physical abilities of animals?" Well, at least it was easy to answer she supposed. Not that she minded talking about her powers anymore. There were far deeper, darker secrets which were slowly being revealed. And that’s what worried her more. Her powers though, she adored them greatly. How could they not? They had saved her life in more than one way.
When she had told the story of how she had lost the majority of her family, she failed to mention that it was that even, so abnormally young, which had triggered her mutant abilities off. Her’s and her twin’s. Jake. A canine morpher, who was had the endurance even her tiger lacked, whose birds and bear were both stronger than her’s. He was older by a couple of minutes, but as is often the way of things when comparing a male and female, she was the more mature. But not because he was stupid. Just, so often he had seemed too distant, uncaring. He had blamed her completely for what had happened, and would nag her about whether they had enough food or not, though he would only ‘hunt’ for himself. But still. He was her brother. Had been. And their powers had ensured that they could eat, that they could survive.
The dark haired female nodded slowly, smiling a little. ”I’m an animal morpher, a shifter. One of my forms happens to be a thoroughbred mare. So, when I said ran with them, I meant it quite literally.” A hand rose, tucking her hair back in quite thought for a moment. ”All my forms hold their wild instincts. A fear of predators or a need to hunt. When I spoke of this place as a palace, I meant it more.. general. I don’t know of the places you spoke of, but I am sure they are no worse.” She smiled gently as she spoke thoughtfully, head still tilted a little, as if it helped her sort through her thoughts. ”What I meant was anywhere like this. Where an animal can be cared for, peacefully, without the fear of predators or disease. There is no competition for food. Every animal, not just the strong and well adapted have a chance to survive. That’s what I meant by palace” The smile never fled her lips as she spoke, her voice still soft, affected merely by being close to creatures she loved so much.
”It’s the same for humans. We crave somewhere we can feel safe, where there is no worry for food and water, where we can fulfil our potential, whatever that maybe. Humans are a diverse species. For example, although there are some here, I would hardly call this a palace for non-mutants. And where one might be happy on a farm, the other may prefer offices.” Or woodlands. Not the streets though. That’s one thing she regretted about leaving, having to return there. She could survive in the woodlands, in the forests and on the plains for awhile. But eventually she would have to return to the towns and cities. And continue a way of live she had thought she’d left behind. But those weren’t thoughts for now. She had company. And the horses were there. That would help.
"I was wrong, to think that I might belong. But I will never forget what I was... Who I am.. What I did, just to learn that"
"You know. I have this power. And yet.... I've yet to sneak in to a girl's changing room!"
Re: Friday March 23rd~A little thinking at the stables (open
”I’m an animal morpher, a shifter. One of my forms happens to be a thoroughbred mare. So, when I said ran with them, I meant it quite literally. All my forms hold their wild instincts. A fear of predators or a need to hunt. When I spoke of this place as a palace, I meant it more.. general. I don’t know of the places you spoke of, but I am sure they are no worse.”
Jordan felt a small amount of satisfaction at guessing Racheal's abillity, but given her eyes it wasn't exactly a hard guess to make. Yet Racheal's not knowing what a range or backwoods were made Jordan wonder about the life she had lead as a mutant. Generally, not knowing basic terms as that meant either a deficent education, being unable to accquire an education, or a foreign background. Given Raceal's command of the english language, Jordan was willing to bet that a foriegn background wasn't in the cards. Jordan also knew that many mutants were forced underground or were caught in the criminal underworld since they had no place else to go, and he wondered if Racheal might have been one of those mutants. It made sense if she had been unable to control her powers, especially if she had been unable to change back into human. It also made sense considering her unfamiliarity with Jordan's choice of words. Really, there was no way for Jordan to make any accurate opinion, and he didn't think that he knew Racheal well enough to ask.
But Jordan did like the power Racheal was born with. Being able to change into various animals, being able to cover more ground and having greater strength, enhanced night vision. They seemed a lot more attractive than the cards the cowboy had been dealt. Though truth be told, Jordan's powers did fit well with his basic personality.
”What I meant was anywhere like this. Where an animal can be cared for, peacefully, without the fear of predators or disease. There is no competition for food. Every animal, not just the strong and well adapted have a chance to survive. That’s what I meant by palace”
Phrased that way, Racheal's position made sense. Yet Jordan had to question if the benefits outweighted the costs. True, there was no competition for resources but at the same time the animals had less room and freedom to move around. Back home, Jordan and his family had always let their horses have free run of a pasture and called them up in a smaller pen for feeding and care. That way the animals got the benefit of a free range with the advantages of constant food, water and health care.
This philosopy also applied to humans in Jordan's mind. Many seemed to enjoy cities and convenance, yet would find themselves unable to care for themselves in the wild. This was one area that Jordan would have no trouble with, considering the time he had spent with his grandfather. His grandfather had been a full blooded Cherokee and an army ranger in his day. He had thought it important that his grandkids be able to survive in case something really bad ever hit the fan. Jordan had actually enjoyed learing about how to survive with nothing more than a knife and some flint and steel for fire starting unlike his siblings.
”It’s the same for humans. We crave somewhere we can feel safe, where there is no worry for food and water, where we can fulfil our potential, whatever that maybe. Humans are a diverse species. For example, although there are some here, I would hardly call this a palace for non-mutants. And where one might be happy on a farm, the other may prefer offices.”
Jordan was sorely tempted to make some sort of remark about Racheal's claim of safe. Safety was the greatest illusion ever crafted in Jordan's mind. Considering that the majority of time in history, there had always been several wars occuring at once with peace being the exception rather than the rule. This applied even to everyday circumstances.
In a more pragmatic sense, Jordan had no belief in peace from personal experience. Schools had always been considered an area of safety and refuge. Yet Jordan could still remember the impact of bullets on his skin. His skin was able to absorb the bullets, preventing them from tearing through him like rocks through paper. But his skin couldn't absorb the impact, making him feel as if he had been hit with a wrecking ball. While Jordan remembered this, a slightly distracted look appeared on his face, and he rubbed his chest as he remembered how that had hurt. The cowboy brought his attention back to the present, not wanting to remember some of his actions right after that.
He remembered the blood he spilled often enough in his dreams.
Jordan figured that he better let his opinion on safety slid for a while, considering most people considered him more than a little paranoid if he ever voiced his opinions. Fortunately, Racheal had brought up one of his pet peeves about some of the students here viewing themselves as superior. "Ya do have a point about regular folks not feeling to welcome here. Sorta seems strange for a place that teaches tolerance being segregated."
Considering the parents weekend coming up, Jordan wondered exctly how his parents or siblings would deal with some of the exceptionally anti-human students. Jordan had been fortunate to not meet any of them yet, and he really didn't here much about them considering that he tried to avoid gossip. "Course I guess part of the thinking is that some of the folks here that hate regular people might give the place a bad name. Kinda been lucky and haven't met any of them yet. But with this parents weekend thing comin' up, I'm gettin' a little nervous about what could happen if any of my family meets some of them."
Worrying was actually a little bit of an understatement. Jordan really wasn't quite as worried about his parents or siblings being hurt, considering that many of the mutants here tended to rely to much on their powers. But considering how overprotective his father was of his family, not to mention the fairly antagonistic streak that ran through the family, things could get out of hand pretty easily.
Re: Friday March 23rd~A little thinking at the stables (openOOC: So sorry about the wait! And the length and quality of this post :S times have been rather stressful here and I'm not much up for posting.. but here you go anyway "Ya do have a point about regular folks not feeling to welcome here. Sorta seems strange for a place that teaches tolerance being segr[/b] True, but from what she gathered, there was enough fear of the past in students here. It was bad enough that some students were afraid of others because of their mutant abilities. The feral mutant couldn’t help but despair silently. Until the previous Saturday, she had had a team member who was scared witless of her, and half of the rest of the team. All Racheal had done was morph during a training session. She had seen humans deal with it better than that!
Racheal, however, didn’t think of the school as a place which taught tolerance, but rather somewhere which tried to defeat intolerance. And yes, there was a difference in her mind. But there were humans in the school. At least two she was aware of and she wouldn’t have been surprised if there was more. Not that that was necessarily a good thing. Team work was an essential part of being a team. But not an Exile. One day, she decided, Max was going to have his head either shoved through a wall, or buried in the mud at the bottom of the lake.
"Course I guess part of the thinking is that some of the folks here that hate regular people might give the place a bad name. Kinda been lucky and haven't met any of them yet. But with this parents weekend thing comin' up, I'm gettin' a little nervous about what could happen if any of my family meets some of them." Well, there was that as well. But there were a lot of regular folks who would like nothing better than get rid of mutants as well. Two sides of the same coin. Admittedly, it irritated her. She wasn’t actually all that used to being around mutants, in the longer term, but these three months… Despite the feeling of being caged by the school walls, there was a certain freedom here, you didn’t have to hide your powers, because most people were in the same boat. But at the same time, after the incident with Paige and the unreliability of her transitions, she wasn’t about to morph in front of people unless completely necessary.
Racheal pondered silently over his words, nodding a little in thought. So… had hadn’t met Max. Good thing too by the sounds of it. Of course, there were other ‘anti-humans’ in the school as well. But she hadn’t heard more than a few rumours about them. But Max, well… simply put, the situation was ‘awkward’. What with their instinctive dislike for other and then having a human in the same dorms as well, it made for a very interesting combination. And not interesting in a good way.
As for parent’s weekend, the feral mutant had actually forgotten about it. Of course, she should have remembered. There had been an influx of people even today. She smiled a little, reassuringly, towards Jordan. ”Don’t worry. Things should be fairly controlled really. From what I’ve heard, there are parents coming here who don’t know their kids are mutants. If they can hide that, we can stop the few people who hate humans from showing their faces” She nodded slowly. Her trust was actually in Dr McCoy for that. After the incident on the training islands, she had come to realise that the teachers actually did know what they were doing.
”You have to remember though, there are a lot of humans who think their better than mutants. Two sides of one coin unfortunately” Racheal leant back against a wall as she spoke, her eyes thoughtful. ”The few humans that are here.. I suppose they have to be checked. But can you imagine what it would be like if a anti-mutant human got in here? Mutants can be dangerous… but so can humans. We’re in dangerous times, because they fear each other” She sighed softly, green eyes fixed on an invisible spot just higher than her head. It was strange, but, perhaps they had different ideas on what safety was. Or perhaps on the levels of safety. She wouldn’t claim that there weren’t attacks on the institute or it’s students, but they happened few and far between from what she knew.
"I was wrong, to think that I might belong. But I will never forget what I was... Who I am.. What I did, just to learn that"
"You know. I have this power. And yet.... I've yet to sneak in to a girl's changing room!"
Re: Friday March 23rd~A little thinking at the stables (open”Don’t worry. Things should be fairly controlled really. From what I’ve heard, there are parents coming here who don’t know their kids are mutants. If they can hide that, we can stop the few people who hate humans from showing their faces. You have to remember though, there are a lot of humans who think their better than mutants. Two sides of one coin unfortunately"
Now Jordan could understand that very easily. From his brief encounter with Nick, he had gotten the impression that Nick thought that a human who could do something a mutant could was alittle above the said mutant. Jordan didn't exactly think this way, as even mutants with abilities had to train to use those abilities. Jordan's limited form of telekinesis wasn't always easy to master, and his cousin's size altering tended to act up at strange times. Heck, a mutant with enhanced senses would have to train to be able to accurately follow a scent. Instinct only takes a person so far, the rest took a lot of training.
Though Jordan really didn't like to think about the school having to protect his family from any anti-human mutant. He hated the thought of having to rely on anybody or anything other than himself. The simple thought that he might have to rely on others for help drove Jordan crazy and brought a vile taste to the back of his throat. Jordan had always been a little prideful of his ability to accomplish things on his own. The realization that there were problems that he couldn't deal with on his own bothered him to no end.
”The few humans that are here.. I suppose they have to be checked. But can you imagine what it would be like if a anti-mutant human got in here? Mutants can be dangerous… but so can humans. We’re in dangerous times, because they fear each other”
Really, Jordan didn't have any real problems with a person not liking mutants. It really didn't bother him if they spoke out about it, since it made it easy to tell who a potential enemy was. But the thought of the damage a violence prone anti mutant could do to the younger mutants at the institute who had only limited control over there abilities had kept Jordan awake for a few nights. It also tended to bother Jordan a great deal since his weapons were being held by the institute, and his powers relied on his weapons a great deal. It also bothered him since he had been in a firefight before, and had come out okay physically. Spiritually might be another question, but Jordan knew that he had the skills needed to protect others.
Being unable to do so drove him up the wall.
Jordan put the nails and hammer he had used back in there place, straightening up the area around there as well. Jordan looked over towards the wall were Rachael was leaning, and asked "You mean to tell me some of the folks here havn't even told their parents that they are mutants? What the heck does putting it off accomplish?" There was a fair amount of unbelief in his voice as he spoke. For a moment, instead of the usual darkness obscuring his gase, a brief glimmer of innocence appeared in his brown eyes. In a way, it illustrated the streak of naivety in Jordan regarding families. Jordan had been brought up to always respect and trust his family, since they were about the only ones you could rely upon.
Jordan also knew that there were families that abused each other, but such enviroments would be a relief to escape from. Jordan didn't exactly realise that some families would blame a child for being a mutant rather than accept it.
Thinking about such possibilities gave Jordan something that his rather paranoid mind could work on. Given the association of parents not knowing about mutant abilities, Jordan had to wonder if some of the parents might not like mutants. Though if that were the case, Jordan had no idea why a person would even associate with their parents. But Jordan also knew that a lot of people got so sentimental over family that it blinded them from the realization that their realitives were idiots."Are some of those parents the anti mutant folks everybody worries so much about?"
If so, Jordan would definitely like to know which parents. Just so he could keep an eye on them just in case. He doubted that even an anti mutant human would cause much problems in this place, but humans and mutants shared the trait of irrationality. Such irrationality often caused people to be a danger to others around them.
If such irrationality caused a scene, Jordan wasn't to concerned about that. He knew better than most how easy it was to remove a problem from this mortal coil in a worst case scenario. A good six pounds of pressure on a trigger, and all of a sudden the threat would disappear.
Re: Friday March 23rd~A little thinking at the stables (open
"You mean to tell me some of the folks here havn't even told their parents that they are mutants? What the heck does putting it off accomplish?" His question caught the feral mutant a little off guard, and she looked at him in surprise. Was it really that difficult to see? Or was it that he was merely naïve about it all? He clearly hadn’t been here all that long, that was easily guessed despite him previously mentioning he’d only been here a week. Almost curious eyes watched Jordan, hiding easily her own silent pains.
After all, how would she know? An orphaned girl whose parents were killed before her powers arose. But then, was it so hard to understand for her to understand really? If her parents were mutant haters, would she tell them? Looking back on it, she was lucky. Her memories of her parents had long faded to whispers, but she knew that, even if they had been abusive rather than kind, she would long for that familiarity. So may, just maybe, it wasn’t so difficult after all.
"Are some of those parents the anti mutant folks everybody worries so much about?" Questions about parents wasn’t exactly the easiest thing to deal with, especially as not only did she not have her own parents, but she hadn’t met any of the others really, apart from a few of the parents who were part of the institute, the most memorable being meeting Connor’s father. But even then, they weren’t exactly the sort of meetings which set you up for a question like this.
Racheal watched Jordan quietly for a few moments before closing her eyes with a sigh. ”Honestly? I don’t know” She said slowly, simply. What could she really say? She tried then to think it through. What would she have done, if her parents were still alive and hated mutants? It was a difficult thing to do. She could imagine them being alive, but not hating mutants. She remembered the little she did of them as being loving people. People who did nothing to harm anyone. And hating mutants would mean hating her and Jake, what would they have done when Jake died?
”I guess… people want their parents to be proud of them no matter what. I mean, even anti-mutants can be nice people surely, and when mutant powers develop later in life, who says the kid isn’t terrified of telling their loving parents that they’ve become something they despise” She spoke slowly, thoughtfully, as if pondering the idea herself. ”I mean, how do you tell someone you love that you’ve done something, or are something, that might hurt them deeply. I don’t really have a comparison to go by. But I guess… it must be along those lines” She said slowly.
How would she have told her parents about Jake? About how her foolish mistake had lead to his death? She wasn’t she would have been able to manage it. She frowned slightly at the thought, before sighing deeply. ”People are scared of hurting the people they love. So they hide things they think might hurt them. I’m not saying that’s the right thing to do. But that’s how things seem to work” She gave a small shrug as she looked towards the young man once more. She couldn’t answer his second question, and she didn’t even try to. What was worse, anti-mutants or anti-humans? Were they as bad as each other. At least, Racheal figured, she could hide for the weekend, maybe fit in some training. And surely most of her team mates would have relatives around. That would keep the dorms quite at least, provided the folks didn’t end up there!
"I was wrong, to think that I might belong. But I will never forget what I was... Who I am.. What I did, just to learn that"
"You know. I have this power. And yet.... I've yet to sneak in to a girl's changing room!"
Re: Friday March 23rd~A little thinking at the stables (open
(ooc: I'm sorry for the lack of posting. Ezboard wasn't recognizing my account, and I had to make this new one. I am deeply sorry for not replying sooner.)
Jordan wondered if he had just stuck his foot in his mouth by bringing up a sensitive subject when Racheal took a few seconds to reply. It wouldn't have been a new experience, considering his lack of social graces. But it didn't keep him from mentally kicking himself repeatedly.
[b] [i]”Honestly? I don’t know. I guess… people want their parents to be proud of them no matter what. I mean, even anti-mutants can be nice people surely, and when mutant powers develop later in life, who says the kid isn’t terrified of telling their loving parents that they’ve become something they despise. I mean, how do you tell someone you love that you’ve done something, or are something, that might hurt them deeply. I don’t really have a comparison to go by. But I guess… it must be along those lines” [/i][/b]
The simple way Racheal said it seemed to indicate that she truely had no idea how a parent would react. This tanked Jordan's thought that perhaps she had been kicked out of her house when her mutation manifested. Her answer seemed to indicate that she had been orphaned.
Jordan had more respect for the girl if that was the case. He valued self-sufficency above all else, and being able to live on her own without outside help showed guts and determination on her part. Heck, the main reason Jordan had any of his rather dark talents in fighting, shooting, and outdoor survival had more to do with his fathers determination that none of his children be victims rather than any obsessive desire on Jordan's part.
[b] [i] People are scared of hurting the people they love. So they hide things they think might hurt them. I’m not saying that’s the right thing to do. But that’s how things seem to work”[/i][/b]
Jordan considered this and had to nod in agreement. Most people seemed to be willing to hide the truth rather than confront a problem head on. Perhaps that was why he had trouble picturing not telling family that you were a mutant. Unlike many families, Jordan's had always believed in confronting a problem head first. [b]"Hmm. Probably right."[/b] Jordan said while rubbing his chin in thought. [b]"Guess I just don't see why folks try to avoid the problem instead of just tackling it right then and there." [/b]
A lopsided grin appeared on the cowboy's face as he said [b]"Have to admit, that little bit of family philosopy has probably gotten us in more trouble than we needed."[/b]
Jordan considered asking Racheal about her own family, but decided that if his suspicion was correct, it would probably be in poor taste to ask her about such a sensitive subject. He also might have to tell her a little about his own family, which had more than its own share of strange folks in it.
Re: Friday March 23rd~A little thinking at the stables (open((OOC: That's okay. I'm going to be slow anyway again. I'll get down to the other post asap for you))
"Hmm. Probably right." It was strange, in many ways, to be talking to someone like this. As if she was perfectly normal and this was a normal conversation between friends even. It was a strange concept. Most of her conversations either ran dry, or had a greater purpose than this. Michael and the book, Connor and well, everything. This just seemed more normal, more relaxed. Not better, just… everyday. Like she was perfectly adapt to being sociable with people she had only known for maybe 20 minutes.
”Guess I just don't see why folks try to avoid the problem instead of just tackling it right then and there." Without thinking of the after affects? It wasn’t an idea alien to her, but she assumed only those who didn’t care behaved like that. But this young man hardly seemed the time to be truly malicious. She had never really consciously known anyone like that, so it was strange in many ways.
"Have to admit, that little bit of family philosopy has probably gotten us in more trouble than we needed." A light chuckle escaped her throat before she could stop it, a smile coming to her face. Everyone had their separate ideas Hiding from problems didn’t work either, she had learnt that the hard way. Instead, her idea was slightly different. She silently tackled her problems on her own.
”Well, at least if you’re tackling them right on, you’re not hiding from them are you?” The feral suggested. ”And hiding from can never solve them.” She fell slowly to a silence, eyes dropping from the man across from her for a moment. That had been Jake’s philosophy. Problems would go away if you ignored them long enough. Got no money for food? Just steal it. No parents? Well, let’s live all our days in some abandoned shed. Brilliant plan. Those weren’t solutions to the problems they had faced, but instead the ways to ignore them. That’s why things had gone so dreadfully wrong that day.
It was as fresh in her mind as today was. She had betrayed her brother to try and solve the problem. And failed. But wasn’t she still running away from that. But she wasn’t ignoring it either. Perhaps that was her main way actually. Sure, she thought she was solving things, but wasn’t she just doing that to run away from all the problems that surrounded her? Wasn’t that what she was planning to do soon?
”I guess there are three ways to deal with a problem. Solve it, hide from it, or run from it” She said slowly, her eyes lifting again gradually where she rested against the way, watching the other closely. ”I’m a bit of a runner, I suppose. If I can’t solve it, I run. But hey, In survived so it can’t all be bad” She managed to joke, but somewhere along the line, she had made herself depressed. Well, that was impressive, the morpher decided. For the ten billionth time you’ve dug yourself into self-pity.
"I was wrong, to think that I might belong. But I will never forget what I was... Who I am.. What I did, just to learn that"
"You know. I have this power. And yet.... I've yet to sneak in to a girl's changing room!"
Re: Friday March 23rd~A little thinking at the stables (open
Jordan was honestly feeling slightly strange. It really wasn't like him to talk with others a lot unless he got to know the person pretty well. But he supposed that being around someone who respected wildlife and the outdoors helped, but he ws still slightly shocked that he hadn't fallen into his usual role of ignorant hick from the sticks. He was really quite comfortable with that role, and liked having others underestimate his cunning.
But instead, he was actually having a conversation with someone he had just met. Even more impressive, he hadn't done anything to aggrivate or annoy the other. Maybe this is that thing Zack always called "Maturity". Jordan thought to himself. If so, I hope it isn't a chronic case.
Jordan heard Racheal's laugh a little at his bit of family philosophy, and could not repress his own grin. Jordan knew that some of his ideas had a tendancy to get him in trouble, but the self reliant young man had decided early to live by his own set of internal guidelines. Those guidelines might be more flexible than most people's but they were still there in his heart.
”Well, at least if you’re tackling them right on, you’re not hiding from them are you? And hiding from can never solve them.” Jordan noticed Racheal's silence and the way her eyes dropped to the ground. He really wasn't sure if he wanted to know the story behind that look. But at the same time, Jordan felt a familar sliver of cold anger burning in his chest. It was the same feeling he had whenever he saw an injustice being done. He had a bad feeling that something along those lines might have happened to Racheal, and his first instinct was to find what it was and smash it, shoot it, stab it, whatever it took.
But unless it was something happening in the present, Jordan knew that his prefered methods would not remove any pain or agony already inflicted.
Jordan kept a steady poker face on, not revealing the turmoil such a small action on another's part could bring up in him. Besides, you don't know what actually is going on with her. You just got a gut feeling and no proof. Another part of Jordan's mind brought up the little fact that his gut feelings were often right, which Jordan firmly ignored.
Jordan hoped that he had been able to keep all of his thoughts off of his face when Racheal raised her eyes and started speaking again. ”I guess there are three ways to deal with a problem. Solve it, hide from it, or run from it. I’m a bit of a runner, I suppose. If I can’t solve it, I run. But hey, In survived so it can’t all be bad”
The attempt at humor was good, but Jordan was a little disappointed at the self-pity. He suffered with a bout or two of it himself, but he normally channeled it into anger or just worked it off. Though his was really more of a self directed rage than pity. His own abilities had manifested when a few nuts in his hometown decided to shoot up his school, and he learned he had a limited form of bullet proof skin by taking a shot in the chest.
Nasty way to learn, and the impact of the bullets hurt like a son of a gun as well.
Then Jordan wished he had his granpa's old shotgun so he could take one of those idiots with him. He got quite a surprise when the dang thing came flying through the window into his little hands. By this time, he was more than a little mad. He had that nasty, cold rage that brings everything into focus. So Jordan decided to kill every one of those idiots.
The self hatred came into play since those guys had actually killed a few folks before Jordan got them. He blamed himself for not being fast enough, despite the fact that anyone without super speed couldn't have done any better.
Dragging himself from old memories, Jordan said in a halfway joking, halfway serious voice "Running ain't always bad. I'm pretty sure there is an old sayin' about descretion being the better part of valor somewhere."
Jordan changed his demeanor into a totally serious one and said "All kidding aside, surviving is about nine tenths of any fight." A wry smile hinting at a dark humor aimed at himself crossed his face. "I ought to know. That little bit of family advice has gotten me into more than a few of them. I reckon that General George Patton in World War Two said it best when he said "Nobody ever won a war dying for their country. They won by making everyone on the other side die for theirs.""
Jordan tilted his head to one side, wondering what that said about his sense of humor considering that he found it to be a little funny. It was obvious to all who saw that he was thinking hard about what he had just said. "Hmm. Guess I might have just won the title for most morbid sense of humor. But the point still stands. Survival is important."
Re: Friday March 23rd~A little thinking at the stables (open
Quietly, the young woman was berating herself for her own self-pity. Normally, it hit her for a few moments when she was alone, or would be channelled into something a little more productive, like survival. And even when it did crop up it was not deliberate. Self pity was a trap she tried not to fall into, but at the same time it was difficult to avoid. Since she was 16, everything she had been through, she had gone through alone, and before that there had only been her slightly self-absorbed twin since the age of five, and he had been less than useless on some matters.
"Running ain't always bad. I'm pretty sure there is an old sayin' about descretion being the better part of valor somewhere." The feral’s head tilted slightly at his words. Not that they didn’t make some sense, on a very basic level. But then, with Racheal, a lot of her understanding of what might be considered ‘typical’ was basic. With next to no lessons ever taken in her life, and all her experiences coming first hand, with the exception, perhaps, of the past few months, to say her knowledge was limited would have been an understatement. Animals, those she was good with. Survival on the streets. And a few other bits and pieces she had picked up on the way.
"All kidding aside, surviving is about nine tenths of any fight." The idea wasn’t exactly a surprise. After all, the entire idea of life was to survive. Animals fought to survive, and to produce offspring. The former included over resources such as food and water. If they didn’t fight for them, they might go without and die. But at the same time, a weaker animal would rarely fight for the resources with a stronger animal unless there really wasn’t another option. Was that all there really was it? Do the best to survive, and run if you had to? Could animal values really be put on people like that? It was one of those problems which made for interesting thinking… but maybe not right now.
"I ought to know. That little bit of family advice has gotten me into more than a few of them. I reckon that General George Patton in World War Two said it best when he said "Nobody ever won a war dying for their country. They won by making everyone on the other side die for theirs."" Although it didn’t make a great deal of sense on a history level, sensibility wise, she had to agree with this Patton guy. In a round about way anyway. Again, her mind flicked to animals and that need to survive. What was the point of dying for someone else, unless it was two children, or some such. Blood relations were different to strangers of course, because one of the main reasons to be alive, in the animal kingdom at least, was to reproduce. So by protecting those related to you, you allowed your qualities to be passed onto future generations by them. There is a genetic equation which works this out more scientifically, but of course, Racheal didn’t know that. And why should she? She could tell you that just from her experience in nature.
"Hmm. Guess I might have just won the title for most morbid sense of humor. But the point still stands. Survival is important." That actually won a small, almost inaudible chuckle from the feral. Sure, maybe as humour went it wasn’t the most… lightening, but at the same time, there was more in the admittance of that which made her laugh than anything else. Racheal nodded slowly though in agreement.
”You’re right, of course” She stated simply, her feline eyes bright in thought. ”After all, there is no point to life without survival. It’s what animal’s try and do everyday.” Why had she failed to see the simpler level like that before he started talking, it was unusual for her to do that. But then, she supposed, it was fairly unusual for her to strike a conversation up with such apparent ease. But at the same time, she was starting to feel dangerous on this subject. It was coming too close to sensitive ground, though, she did reckon it was her own fault.
”Anyway..” She said a little suddenly, moving to softly stroke Jitterbug’s muzzle, the mare waiting patiently for a little bit of attention from one of the humans. ”You said you had worked a lot with horses… mind if I ask where, how?” She watched Jordan as she spoke, trusting her knowledge of animals to warn her in case Jitterbug decided to have an unusual mood shift. It was amazing what you could tell just by the changes in muscle movement in something as delicate as a horse’s muzzle. Or just by watching the ears of a dog. So many more honest expressions than a human. And in some animals, false ones as well.
”I would have loved to have done some sort of work with horses… with any animal for that matter. I know bits about them, and things like how their minds work. But I’ve never had a chance to work with them properly, and have that sort of relationship with them” Trainer, or similar, and animal was a unique relationship, and the best trainers had that built on trust and understanding. Things the morpher had her own problems with. Strangely, perhaps, Racheal could help but wonder what it would be like to be ‘trained’ in one of her animal morphs like that. How would her creatures react? The golden retriever probably wouldn’t care. As long as it was fun. The horse… she could see her spooking constantly. It was also strange, on a different to look at her individual animals as different personalities… but then stranger still that these personas lived within her. But without them, Racheal reckoned she would never have survived, so she never shunned them. Still, she had to wonder.
"I was wrong, to think that I might belong. But I will never forget what I was... Who I am.. What I did, just to learn that"
"You know. I have this power. And yet.... I've yet to sneak in to a girl's changing room!"
Re: Friday March 23rd~A little thinking at the stables (open”You’re right, of course” After all, there is no point to life without survival. It’s what animal’s try and do everyday.”
Jordan's eyes widened slightly in surprise. He was used to talking with his cousin or oldest brother about this stuff, and both of them tended to argue with him instead of agreeing. His cousin Mitch tended to think that survival alone was limiting to the human mind. His oldest brother Zack argued that there was much more to the human experience than simple survival.
Both arguements fitted them, since Mitch was a genius and Zack had been a minister. Jordan still found it funny that an atheist and a man of God could agree with each other on that point.
Anyway, You said you had worked a lot with horses… mind if I ask where, how? ”I would have loved to have done some sort of work with horses… with any animal for that matter. I know bits about them, and things like how their minds work. But I’ve never had a chance to work with them properly, and have that sort of relationship with them”
Now this was something that Jordan could talk about. Living on a ranch and training several of his own roping horses had given Jordan a massive amount of experience with the animals. Thinking about the times he had spent just simply riding around in the pasture, away from everyone and everything else, brought a wistful smile to the young man's face.
"I don't mind." Jordan said calmly in response to Racheal's question. "I grew up in Oklahoma on a cattle ranch that Grandpa originally owned. It was pretty far from even the closet small town." That was perhaps the greatest understatement ever. Living twenty miles from a town of a few hundred definitely qualified as way out there. But part of the reason for living that far away had to do with Jordan's dad seeing what crimes and evil happended in large cities as a cop. He didnt want any of his kids being tempted with gangs or drugs, so he kept them all fairly far away from them.
"First time I was on a horse was when Grandpa was carrying me on one when I was a few months old." A grin spread across Jordan's face as he thought about how mad his mom probably was at that. But knowing his Grandpa, anger probably spurred him on. "Grandpa James was a full blooded Indian, with some Cherokee, Seminole, and Creek in him. He was also the best horseman, tracker and outdoorsman I've ever seen. He's the man who taught me how to train a horse, and that horse training isn't about breaking the animal like a lot of folks think, but about gaining the horse's respect."
Jordan fell quite for a while, thinking about how bad it had hurt him when his Grandfather had died. The old guy might have been slightly eccentric, but he had loved his family fiercely. He had left his weapons, horses, and hat to Jordan, feeling that Jordan had learned his lessons better than his other grandchildren.
Jordan pulled himself from his introspection, not wanting to show any of what he thought was weakness. He thought that if he was going to get all misty eyed, he'd do it when he was alone instead of in fornt of others. Turning back to the issue of horses, he said, "I guess I was pretty good at it, since all my realitives who had horses wanted me to train them. It sort of built up a small reputation where folks were willing to pay me to train their horses." At the very last sentence, Jordan looked down and literally dragged a toe through the dirt. He felt his cheeks start to redden, and hopped that his darker than normal skin kept a blush from appearing. He hated talking about himself in any way that made him seem better than average. He had always partially justified his skill in horse training as being to dumb to quit on the rangy, bucking broncs like any sane man would do. A cynical smile appeared on Jordan's face, aimed only at himself, as he said "I guess the reason they paid me was that I was to dumb to quit when handed a horse that liked bucking and kicking."
Re: Friday March 23rd~A little thinking at the stables (open "I don't mind." A smile crossed her lips at those words, feline eyes bright with gratitude. This was a much safer subject, especially as the other didn’t mind. It was nice to find someone else she could talk to like this. Sure, she was sure there were others she knew who she could do as well, and she had spoken to Heath a little about horses on her first day, but at the same time, it was difficult when Heath seemed to struggle with some everyday sayings she would use. And she hadn’t seen the knight for awhile now.
I grew up in Oklahoma on a cattle ranch that Grandpa originally owned. It was pretty far from even the closet small town." She listened with a smile and a slow nod. She loved being away from civilisation, but at the same time, the cities were where she could survive with ease. There were more people, and tourists brought the best opportunities. Oklahoma… no, she’d not been there but she’d heard of it she was sure. "First time I was on a horse was when Grandpa was carrying me on one when I was a few months old." She was still at home at that age. She didn’t know her grandparents, but the image brought a smile to her lips. She could imagine a kind, elderly gentleman, maybe not that old then, riding a horse with babe in arm. There was something nice about it.
"Grandpa James was a full blooded Indian, with some Cherokee, Seminole, and Creek in him. He was also the best horseman, tracker and outdoorsman I've ever seen. He's the man who taught me how to train a horse, and that horse training isn't about breaking the animal like a lot of folks think, but about gaining the horse's respect." The word ‘was’ wasn’t lost on Racheal. There was the sound of respect in the young man’s voice, and a small nod was given. It was impossible to describe how it felt to loose those you loved. But he had these memories, what he had been taught. He sounded like a good man as well, not one of these who used brute strength on their animals, but someone who trained them by letting the animal want to learn.
"I guess I was pretty good at it, since all my realitives who had horses wanted me to train them. It sort of built up a small reputation where folks were willing to pay me to train their horses." She nodded slowly as Jordan spoke. That was good, surely. That meant he was good with animals and she respected that. How could she not? She loved animals dearly and anyone who honestly cared and tried to understand them was a good person in her books. But he didn’t seem too confident about his own skills, his last sentence bearing truth to that fact. "I guess the reason they paid me was that I was to dumb to quit when handed a horse that liked bucking and kicking."
Racheal smiled softly in though, thinking carefully now. ”I disagree” The words came with a soft confidence, despite having never seen him work. ”From the way you talk, and act around the horses, I’d say you’re more intelligent with horses than you’re letting on. Any idiot can hang onto a horse with a wild soul… but only someone who takes the time to learn to understand them, why they act how they do, can really truly train them”
Softly, she ruffled the mane of one of the horses, who snorted softly, tossing it’s head a little before calming and nuzzling it’s head against her, returning the gesture, as her hand moved automatically, mimicking the movement of a horse’s teeth when grooming a partner. Thankfully, the horse knew better than to nibble back, instead it nudged against her chest.
”I can become a thoroughbred mare… no training or taming, she might as well be a wild mustang. To be able to train a creature like that and not break their soul… that is an achievement. Don’t put yourself down about it” She said softly. She spoke about her morphs as if they were individual creatures, because they were to her, individuals with their own personalities and souls.
"I was wrong, to think that I might belong. But I will never forget what I was... Who I am.. What I did, just to learn that"
"You know. I have this power. And yet.... I've yet to sneak in to a girl's changing room!"
Wasn't planning for her to appear this week yet, but this situation just seemed perfect lol. I warn you though, I may be a bit slow responding sometimes!
Topic Commands
Click to receive email notification of replies
Click to stop receiving email notification of replies
