Out in the Wild - Wolverine's class (Wed, March 28th)
(Takes place the Wednesday after the Nature of Truth... the 28th?
Also wasn't sure how many there'd be in their group so I kept it vague. Note that the class split up into groups so not everybody who takes this course has to be in this thread!)
This was most definitely not him. If there had been an entry for "un-Matt-ish course" in the dictionary, Wilderness Activities would certainly have been part of the description. And still there he was. Why? Well, Matthias wasn't entirely sure about that, but there was this sneaking suspicions that it had something to do with toned, sweaty bodies and all this crawling through mud they were doing. The downside of it all was that you weren't allowed to just watch, comfortably seated somewhere less exhausting and with some popcorn. No, you had to join in the "fun", but as most of the others actually liked pushing their bodies to the limit, there was no point in complaining if he didn't want to be discovered as what he was: a couch potato.
Albeit a lucky one. While other people who spend most of their time at the computer, playing video games or eating ridiculous amounts of food were growing into miniature marshmallow men at some point, he didn't. Simple as that. Or hadn't so far anyway. At more than one occasion, Matt had cheerfully announced he'd have grown 'fat and bald' when turning 25 as his metabolism couldn't possibly keep up being this ridiculously high forever. Naturally, he hoped this wouldn't be the case after all, but it was good to prepare others for the sight should his prayers not be answered. That being said, Wilderness Activities maybe was a good thing after all, if only to keep the annoying voice in his mind low that kept telling him he would become large and fluffy if he didn't do some sports. Well, mission accomplished.
There was just one real problem here... Misty green eyes shortly glanced at Max's athletic form close by, suppressing a sigh. To call their status odd would have been the understatement of the century. 'Clueless' was probably more fitting as far as Matt was concerned, the other's outburst in the MedLab having changed everything at a point when he had thought Chadstone had got over his doubts and uncertainties. He clearly hadn't. Considering the suspicions about Max's father having found out about their thing and beaten up his own son, however, that maybe made sense. At least in the infamous school bully's strange little world Aurora's and his 'prank' had shaken up so violently.
There wasn't any point in these thoughts though, was there? He couldn't take back things that had been said or done, and more importantly, he didn't want to either. Maybe it wasn't the best outcome – if the current situation deserved that title – but still better than most alternatives. There was quite a large part of egoism in his not wanting any of the past events to be made undone, but still the motives weren't entirely selfish. As hurtful as it had been for Max, in the long run he hoped it would lead to freeing him from his father's destructive influence. And hope was all it would remain, for – as Matt had realised a while ago – there was nothing more he could do.
Thus emerging from his world of thoughts, he raised his head to notice something strangely out of place in the narrow corridor of closely entwined bare branches they were making their way through. Near soundless walking was not a problem for the light-elemental who had been practising it for quite a while now in order to make his shadow-walk ability more useful, but getting through and around bushes was a whole different matter. "Right track, I'd say," he told the others in a hushed voice, pointing at a small, torn piece of dark-coloured fabric dangling in the barren undergrowth ahead to his right.
He had to admit this was kind of fun. Nothing he would have wanted to dedicate his life to, but a nice change from sitting in class, listening to some teacher's monologue. At least considering the X-Men's work, there was also some practical use to it all which was always good to motivate people. Summer, however, Contrast was already dreading to think of. He hated mosquitoes... and as he knew all too well, the Training Island had its very own swamp. Memories of the team missions weren't all that hard to deal with for Matt as the Brotherhood's attack hadn't really touched him. Before he had really known what was going on, it had already been over, and so he could still easily trust that the increased safety precautions the Institute had taken to ensure nobody could enter this place unregistered were reliable. And if they failed again? He so happened to know chances of anyone finding him when he didn't want to be found were quite low...
Re: Out in the Wild - Wolverine's class (Wed, March 28th)
Wilderness Activities. Essentially it seemed to be nothing but a few simple strolls through a wooded area. A degenerate form of camping when you think about it. All in all, it was a rather nice waste of a time. Then again, that's what all of Trip's classes were. A way to pass time. Plus, it subjected him to human interaction. Social deprivation and self confinement were both things the young mutant unfortunately had ample experience with. Half a lifetime in juvenile detention had made sure of that. Being ever the pessimist, Trip would never go so far as to say it, but this was a nice change from that environment. Even if most of these people did seem boring bland and just plain pathetic.
The certain amount of irony in play kept him amused for the moments time. Already Trip felt so horribly out of place. All prepared to takeoff on a nice little romp through the forest. It was hypocritical really. This was the sort of thing that garnered the ruthless chastising of another. Someone else would have been verbally castrated by now. However the humor of it all kept such a fact planted in the back of his mind. See, this here was just about as close to being a boyscout Trip would ever be. Well, unless of course someone we're into that sort thing.. But, that'd be an entirely different matter all together.
If his fellow classmates were expecting team co-operation or a helping hand, Most of them had another thing coming. There was no way he'd be carrying around anyone's dead weight. It was so much easier to shove them aside and continue on. Not to mention there was a certain humor value in that. Because whether the world wanted to admit it or not, there was in fact humor in the misfortune of others. Sure most might have thought that a bit cruel of him. But, that was how Trip survived. He looked out for number one. In a few rare instances however, there have been exceptions though. Those close to him. As of yet there wasn't really anyone he'd go so far as to call a friend. Not here. Though Max and his friends did seem too bad.
Despite the sun and it's seemingly fraudulent promises of warmth, it was still a rather nippy afternoon. An old pair of jeans and a T-shirt, as cliché as it was, seemed to be a fairly good idea here. It was fairly easy to assume there'd be some kind of dirt involved, so style probably shouldn't be of the utmost important. Not that Trip didn't look good. Of course he did, that was a given. Comparable to the sun being bright, or water being wet. Two previous days of rain had dampened the soil. Each step would ever so slightly shift the weight of those who dared tread upon it. Thus, the young mutant had chosen a pair boots for this evenings little stroll.
"Right track, I'd say,"
A voice came, drawing his attention for the moment. Not that it was really of any interest to him. It was just another one of the schools countless rejects. Whether he be band geek, another depressive loner, or what; it didn't matter. See, the simple fact was, that it was just another waste of space. Something utterly unimportant.
Re: Out in the Wild - Wolverine's class (Wed, March 28th)
Being free of the medlab, being free of the school in general, it was all strangely pleasing… Max’s very core numbing to the whispers of the school, the confused drama of what happened, the chatter that went from being excited arrogant tales of just revenge for all the people Max had assaulted to gradually watering down to nothing more than a possible myth which most were slowly shrugging off as storytelling. Days, no one owned up to the supposed assault on the school’s most proclaimed bully, even if lately he had stepped back, the gently simmering aggression was a put of for most students who rather not get in Max’s bad graces by holding any serious grudge. But if someone managed to get to Max, if someone managed to not only hold out against the well known anti-human activist but to also escape unscathed or uncaught, that was indeed a feat a fair few students would like to cheer. But if such a thing happened wouldn’t the one responsible be discovered? Likely so, and since no student was reprimanded and Max made no hype about it, then only rumours could fuel the supposed attack and then rumours became exaggerations and misconstrued ideas and with that illogical scenarios began to rise and at that point any realism that may have been able to sway people towards believing the attack had occurred was gone.
No one knew Max had brothers. Max hadn’t even known he had a half brother till last weekend and so he was just as surprised as everyone else when they both stopped by. The things Max had learned from his eldest brother, the new string of events that were spiralling forth from their arrival, it left a bitter numbness to the nineteen year old. People could feel it, there was a cool cruelty simmering dangerously under the false calm, an untapped anger waiting to explode under the slightest of pressure. Two of the class mates going out of their way to avoid Max after one tripped into the troubled teen… Max was well known for his violent temper, as random as any storm and just as quick and unpredictable.
There was an anger brimming just below the surface since the weekend, Max was always a tempered person but he seemed so much more volatile lately, especially towards Matt… there was a silence that was cold as it was indifferent and yet an unexplainable need for his company too. Not that Max made any efforts to seek said company out, but now that he had it in this small ‘team for the day’ exercise he was hardly running from it either. That didn’t mean Max was content with the guy, not at all… things started going wrong the moment they met, everything they shared was just another reason for why his father now hated him, before Matt came everything was fine, all Max had to deal with were his parents constant bickering but now he didn’t even have that! Who cares if they were a bit hard here and there, and everyone gets annoyed with their parents and no kids are so perfect as Max’s folks had always wished for him to be. Things weren’t fantastic but they weren’t bad either, Max was content, now he had nothing! Though that wasn’t true… he got James back now… that was something, that was something indeed, something Max always dreamed of happening, always waited for, and now it had happened, it was here… but at what cost? Maybe it was too high a price… Max would pay it, or at least try… but could he possibly pull it off? He didn’t think he could, he wasn’t really sure what he was supposed to be fighting for, and everyone seemed to think it was so clear cut and easy to see… so why couldn’t Max see it?
‘Aren’t you tired of smiling Max?’
Sapphire eyes stayed trailing along the floor of the forest as they walked, faded grey jeans picking up dirt on their hems, brown leather boots trudging along with the occasional squelch of mud heard beneath the souls of his feet. A dark near on black navy blue three quarter sleeve top was worn, red words written in red spanned the center of his chest, not too large, yet their contrasting colours making it easily noticeable ‘Ride Free’ were possibly two words that summed Max up pretty nicely as far as sex went. At least as most would care to assume, and in some ways they were absolutely right, and yet they weren’t at the same time.
"Right track, I'd say," Max would have scoffed… if he had the energy to bother. Nothing Matt would ever do would be anywhere along the ‘right track’ and at this point Max was angry enough to happily shove as much anger on him, even if there was a part of Max that knew it was unfairly placed in some regards. There wasn’t even any effort in studying whatever fabric it was that found its way on the branch, it was there, whoop-di-doo.
Max had to admit one thing, even in his state… he was pretty damn glade that Trip was here too, the guy was different in so many ways. And more importantly, he didn’t force pointless conversation, which Lara often enjoyed getting into, as if hearing the sound of her own voice was somehow soothing for her. Not that many guys minded hearing her prattle on, she had a tendency to move her hands around as she spoke and there was no telling where those slender fingers might land given enough time… she was always such a tease. Still, it was nice to have someone that didn’t feel the uncontrollable desire to push for a fill of the silence.
Re: Out in the Wild - Wolverine's class (Wed, March 28th)
He waited for a reply of sorts for some seconds, some sign that he had been understood. Anything. It didn't take long for him to realise it was in vain. There are different types of silences after something has been uttered, and this one wasn't the breed where people just hadn't heard you. He was being ignored. Some kind of vacuum space seemed to appear in his stomach, and some more seconds passed in which he just moved on into the direction he thought the piece of fabric hinted at.
Matt often had problems figuring out what he felt, mixing things up and only realising his mistake later on. Attraction mistaken for affection, hurt pride for depression – you make it a habit to contemplate your own feelings if you happen to misinterpret things a lot. Not always of course, but often enough to be called kind of customary. And yes, he was well aware that was pretty odd, but it wasn't as if he talked about it, so people wouldn't know. Fortunately. Having a reputation of being slightly unusual was one thing, being considered strange in a negative way another. The light-elemental was pretty sure it hadn't come to the latter yet and he didn't intend on allowing that to change.
Fists clenching, Matt realised he was angry. It had been either that or some sort of sadness and he found himself strangely satisfied he didn't let it get to him enough to trigger the latter. Anger was so much easier to cope with; it didn't go as deep. And it was easier to hide and get over. Making his way along the path that seemed to be the right one, Contrast pondering saying something but decided against it. Blinding them and simply turning invisible went through the same routine and were discarded as options, that would have been overreacting. No, if they wanted to play the fun little ignoring game, he could just as well join in. Not that there was much to deliberately not notice about two guys doing nothing but walking but it was the thought that counted.
It was amazing really how quickly you could fall out with someone to whom you had been rather close before. And still he couldn't understand how everything could have gone so wrong. No matter how much he pondered the whole thing, Matthias just couldn't find anything that warranted Max's reaction. Except for the initial "prank" of course, that had, however, been completely harmless. Nothing had happened at this point, nothing. Impressive really how Chadstone managed to avoid realising how it had been his own bi-curiosity that had pushed him to... try out things. Impressive how convincingly the castle of lies he had built up around himself pretended to be the purest of truths.
This wasn't the time for him to pity or treat the rich kid's delusions though. There was a temporary end of patience he had reached and as willing as Matt had been to reach out to him, for now there had been too many times at which Max had thrust aside the proverbial hand offered. The contrasting mutant needed a break. The "Whatever," he had muttered stepping past the tatter of cloth seemed to be the motto of his trail of thoughts afterwards, up until the black-haired youth decided to rather focus on the lesson's aim rather than personal stuff. There'd be plenty of time for that later... when there wasn't that risk of attracting Wolverine's not exactly benevolent attention. The one thing he needed least at this point was getting scolded for a lack of focus.
Re: Out in the Wild - Wolverine's class (Wed, March 28th)
What were they even doing out in the middle of nowhere like this? Was there some kind of point to this game? Hell, what exactly was the game then? Instructions, where there even any, had eluded him. It likely could have been a lack of attention on Trip's part that left him so clueless. Was this a glorified game of hide and seek or something?
"Whatever,"
It seemed someone had a little attitude. Who knew just why though. Maybe he was expecting that instant team work, or some friendly chatter. Neither of which were going to happen. Yet, it seemed like a more personal reaction. The thought of the two having been in a relationship never even remotely crossed his mind. In fact the nameless face seemed more like a mark than anything. The type of kid that went through hell on a daily basis. That one person you just love to torture.
There had to be something else better worth his thoughts, and it didn't take long for her to come to mind either. Lara, that irresistible siren. So forward and devious, not to mention beautiful. She was practically a female version of himself. Which was A thought that not too surprisingly added to her appeal. Trip's lips took on the shape of a smile just thinking how fun it'd be to beat her in her own game. Sure, she could easily be a one time conquest. But, what fun was that? The total experience was what mattered, not just physicality. What Trip wanted was to drive the girl crazy with anticipation. To consume her every thought, as she herself had likely done to many a man before. Admittedly though, by those standards, thinking of her technically put Lara a step ahead of him already.
Lara did seem like fun. But, she brought up an unusual dilemma for the young mutant. Morals weren't typically something Trip had to deal with. Yet, Max and his small group of friends seemed to be a perfect social fitting for him. The problem was just knowing where her and Max stood. The two didn't seem to be directly involved with each other, but there was a certain amount of chemistry he had observed. Perhaps the two were each others standbys? Maybe they had A little friends with benefits sort of thing going on. It was something Trip wanted to look into, just to be diplomatic... Alright, so he was a little curious too.
Max. That was right! Someone that could possibly make this situation a bit less drone. Trip made a conscious effort to straggle behind so that he'd fall back toward his recent acquaintance. It was an action that almost inevitably would lead to the anguish of some poor fool. In this case though, there was only one apparent victim at hand. "Any idea how we got stuck with the anorexic chick..?" He intrigued, skipping past greetings as if the two of them had been chatting along the entire time. Every word there was clearly malicious, yet they only served for entertainment value. Call it a cruel whim if you'd like.
Re: Out in the Wild - Wolverine's class (Wed, March 28th)
Even if Matt seemed less than pleased with the forced silence, Max was relieved that the shadow-walker allowed it regardless, his attitude twigged a slight anxiety but other then that Max took the silence as an answer to his previous wishes. Matt was… confusing. If not his personality alone, just the whole thing the two had together, the thing that Max denied and yet had thrived on for a few wild occasions. They didn’t talk much at all, perhaps that’s why Max could pretend that the other older student was nothing more than a momentary toy, play with here and there and then kick it under the bed when the job was done. At the same time… there was something about Matt that coaxed a part of the young Chadstone from his polished shell, from the protective layers that felt all confining and restricting. Not that Max could explain what it was that caused this interest in the other, and if not exactly ‘interest’ then a form of bizarre curiosity that tugged in the back of Chadstone’s mind. Paige too now… it wasn’t like the confusion that Max had towards Garnet, it wasn’t that sort of uncertainty, but there was something similar, this strange devotion he felt from people that – as far as Max knew – had nothing to gain from looking out for him. So why did they act as if they were interested in him? And was Garnet acting as if she despised him when Max could clearly see how interested she still was, just that she covered it up.
Paige… that girl was lost between hate and timid lust, her girlie crush however wasn’t reason enough for Max to understand why she healed his broken arm in medlab when his pain would only just be transferred to her in the end, even for a brief moment. People don’t do things without expecting something back, neither Paige or Garnet were accepting or warming to Max’s advances… Paige found him attractive, but there was something stopping her from being comfortable with him and he wasn’t sure why.
"Any idea how we got stuck with the anorexic chick..?" There was a slight flinch in Max’s eye, just the slightest, thankfully unnoticeable to either whom walked nearby, their little hiking group turning into some pained excursion that threatened not to have a happy ending. Normally it wouldn’t bother Max, he was with an ok enough group, even if Matt was the cause of a few problems, there was always something about the guy that seemed to tug at the back of Max’s mind, something that meant it was important not to totally shut the guy out of his life, even if all Matt had done seemed destructive and counter productive.
Agreeing to the comment would definitely boost the relationship with Trip, which Max was actually rather interested in at this point, but that lead to two negative outcomes, one being that Matt turns around and has a go at him while revealing the very thing Max was trusting the other to keep a secret, and two, if Matt did proclaim their little endeavours, then there was no telling how Trip would react. All Max had to go on was his father’s out bursts and that alone was more then enough to send shivers of uneasiness down Max’s spine. Not because he thought Trip would try beating into him, Max could handle himself in a fight and take whatever’s thrown at him and give a good deal back. Only there was always more then abuse, there was always the shouting, the declaration to the world about whatever it was that riled Max’s father up. And last thing Max wanted was half, if not all, of Wolverine’s students running around spreading the news that Trip was screaming out Max was even possibly interested in guys. Because that was all some stupid mistake, something went wrong and Max wasn’t sure what, but he wasn’t into guys, one guy got him into something Max wasn’t so proud of but that hardly meant anything. It was an accident, a mistake, and some twisted act that was done for reasons that weren’t like whatever it was people thought he might have done them for. Max wasn’t exactly sure what his thoughts were trying to say, but he knew they were trying to back up the fact that he was far from being a disgrace, and just because he did something that was so stupid it didn’t mean anything…
"He has his flaws…" If destroying ones grasp on life and shattering the world one was accustomed to can be called a ‘flaw’ "…but when he’s not up himself or poetically inclined, or thinking he can voice his own opinions at will and make no sense the rest of the time, he’s not half bad." Max gave a cocky tilt of his head slightly back as he studied the back of the light elemental. "He can go invisible… now imagine him armed with a camera and locked in either Mrs Summers or Munroe’s room…" A wicked grin played, and Max didn’t really think of the fact that he was trying to lift Matt’s rank from ‘anorexic chick’ to something more palatable. "That’s if you’ve not already done such things." The chuckle came in amusement at the thought, it would be fun though, to have shots of the more attractive teachers smuggled away in their own personal collection. Sure, it’d be near on impossible to get away with, considering their headmistress was a telepath, but perhaps that’s what made it all the more appealing to try.
Re: Out in the Wild - Wolverine's class (Wed, March 28th)
It could have been such a pleasant day. The students were sheltered from this month's cold by the bare but densly growing trees that formed the training island's forest, barely touched by man and of that certain unspoiled, wild beauty coming with it. The sun's gentle warmth spoke of mild days to come, the end of winter, and had he been with people who were able to cherish that, it could have been a thoroughly enjoyable trip, no pun intended. But whatever appeal nature had for this youth who normally held a 'look, don't enter' type of attitude towards such frighteningly non-urban places, his company - if one could call them that - made sure there wasn't much pleasure to be found here.
The long silence could have been a prime chance to relax. Dry leaves, the few ones that had survived both winter and past days' rain for whatever reason, rustled under their feet. The forest floor's moistness saw to adding the occasional squishing when somebody stepped into a miniature waterhole, concealed by uncongested soil, that wasn't enough to soak shoes but to produce some sort of sound. There weren't as many birds to be heard as there'd be later in the year, but already some early homecomers were breaking the relative silence with their chatter. Was it already time for them to start looking for a mate, Matt wondered, or would that begin when leaves were forming a thick, lush canopy?
It was nothing but an attempt to distract himself from the words he didn't receive from his two fellow students, and he knew it. But what would have been the alternatives? No, he had pondered them before and this was definitely the best way to get through the whole ordeal. If it remained like this, things would be bearable, no matter how uncomfortable he personally found this particular breed of silence. A moment later, the light-elemental realised he really shouldn't have thought that.
"Any idea how we got stuck with the anorexic chick..?" he heard Trip's jeering voice from behind. To Matt it seemed the newbie had purposefully spoken loudly enough for him to pick up every word easily, and he was probably right at that assumption. Already it was obvious that this guy was the archetypal bully, something that made his last name so very ironic. It seemed Fate had felt particularly inspired whenever She had come up with it. Le Faye wasn't too far away from meaning "the fairy". Close enough a resemblance to be noticed by Matt anyway - and considering mythology knew quite a few cruel creatures of that type, maybe it wasn't all too ill-fitting after all.
'Anorexic chick'. His hands, that had loosed up in the meantime, were clenched to fists again - knuckles white, fingernails pressing into the flesh so hard, had he not known that it was almost impossible, he would have thought they'd cut it. Fair enough, he was more on the skinny side of things rather than anywhere else, but he liked to think he didn't look emaciated. He was just gritting his teeth over the fact where his recent haircut entirely took the effeminating aspect off his looks, when he realised what he was doing.
*Are you seriously having some internal arguement about what that twat said?!* he asked himself in disbelief. But that's exactly what he always did when insults were thrown his way. He didn't take them as what they were, but considered what they meant literally, when in most cases that mattered so much less than the fact that they had been said. The added anger at himself let him clench his fists even more to keep himself from just turning around and doing something utterly stupid. White light crackled over his form, so weakly it wouldn't necessarily be noticed, flickering unsteadily, his body trying to vent the fury inside of him. Somehow it hadn't yet fully realised that was no longer possible.
Max words didn't help. In fact they were even counterproductive. What was Chadstone rambling on about there? Again he internally examined what was said, again he hated himself for doing it. Gods, how he wanted to step out of this charade for a moment and just scream at the idiotic absurdity of the whole situation. What was going on here? Why did he have to put up with that? Who had given either of these guys the right to judge him with their holier-than-thou attitudes - and on what ground?
More questions popped up, all of them likely to increase his anger, fuel it with a certain kind of self-righteousness that wasn't entirely ethical either, but at least made him feel a bit better. In some sort of way at least. The moment in which he could have said something to Mark's initial comment had come and ended as Max replied. But really, what was there to say? There was no smart comeback that would get him out of this thing, no matter how clever it would be. And he seriously doubted he could manage anything far above the level of 'Look who's talking.' No, it certainly was the better choice to try and keep what little dignity he could claim his own. Yes.
Re: Out in the Wild - Wolverine's class (Wed, March 28th)"He has his flaws…"
"…but when he’s not up himself or poetically inclined, or thinking he can voice his own opinions at will and make no sense the rest of the time, he’s not half bad."
Such an interesting response that was. Max made such an effort to tread both 'sides'. As if he were passively trying to defend this other person. Which brought about a growing curiosity, how did the two know each other? That was the only reason there could be. Childhood friends maybe? Perhaps a friend through friend tie in? There were a few other possibilities, but those stood out thus far. Why else would Max be so political about such a simple comment? It wasn't like Max was one of those random bleeding-heart pests that try to do the right thing and come to the defense of others.
Being corrected like that wasn't exactly high on his list of favorite things. Yet, somehow that was frivolous. That reaction, it revealed a side of Max that he had thus yet to see. It was another small piece of what was still a puzzle. Actually, it was more of a mental profile. Trip although he was what you'd call a bully, he was a more cerebral breed. He liked to know who and what he was dealing with. To know both the strengths and weaknesses of those around him. Even Matt in his silence gave an brief tidbit of his persona. He seemed to be a doormat. The type of person devoid of a spine, the ones that were just so fun to walk all over.
"He can go invisible… now imagine him armed with a camera and locked in either Mrs Summers or Munroe’s room…"
"That’s if you’ve not already done such things."
Yeah yeah, invisibilty. Alright. So? Mark had already got the point. He should tease the anorexic girl. Max didn't have to try an sell him off as something more than that. A brief meaningless attempt to appease he who had likely been offended started to form in his mind, yet was quickly shoved aside by something far superior..
Before he knew it, his surroundings were gone. There was nothing anymore. Nothing but the sweet alluring image of his favorite fascination. Her image burned so brightly into his mind. It was a face he couldn't forget. Those bright green eyes, piercing through her fiery untamed locks, just staring him down like a wildcat ready to pounce... Sadly, the brief fantasy came and went. Which wasn't really a problem. There'd be more. There always were. Mrs. Summers had a way of consuming his mind like few others. There was only one way to get her out of his mind. But, that in itself was one hell of a task. To romance an older, married, telepathic woman. Sure, it was a bit far fetched. But, such things weren't completely unheard of... It'd just take some creativity.. Thats all.
It took a minute to recall just what they had been talking about. But, it came to him. "Give me a little bit. I won't be needing invisibility to get in Mrs. Summers room. But... I might need a camera man..." Came an ever so confident retort. What was worse yet, Trip although having a bit of fun with his words, was genuinely serious. His arrogance was that profound. "So, who's Mrs. Munroe..?" He inquired, his eyebrow raising slightly in conjunction with that mischievous grin. If she was anywhere near as captivating as Mrs. Summers, this was definitely something Trip needed to know.
Re: Out in the Wild - Wolverine's class (Wed, March 28th)
So here they all were, back at training island as if nothing had happened. At least that’s how it looked from where he was standing. Or rather crouching, because this was, if nothing else, a lesson and Logan always took his lessons seriously! Unlike some of his students! Even after what had happened here such a short time ago they still paraded around as if this was some kind of school outing. Which it most definitely wasn’t!
This was Wilderness Survival.. with the emphasis on survival, and the sooner they got that through their heads the better. Because like it or not any mutant, any indeed any person implicated in the mutant cause, was constantly on the front line of a battle they sometimes didn’t see coming and yet which they had to be prepared to wage. Or at least to live through! And as their enemies had so recently proved it could spring on you anytime and above all any place. Even one you thought of as safe, but which so obviously wasn’t..
The Canadian teacher sighed. That was rather harsh. Logan knew that Hank had been beating himself up extensively over the Brotherhoods attack on the island. And lets face, even Wolverine had to accept that the security measures protecting the students had been extensive. They just hadn’t been extensive enough. And they never would be!
Security systems after all were conceived to handle known threats.. or maybe.. if you were lucky enough to have people like Hank and Forge designing them.. to anticipate and neutralise unknown ones as well. But here was no getting away from one overriding fact. When you were dealing with mutants anything was possible. Factor in demons, aliens, demi gods and all the rest of the crap that the X men had thrown their way and the job of keeping the students safe became an impossible one.
Hell… Logan watched the three boys making their way through the forest recognising Max as he passed,.. they couldn’t even keep them safe in the school itself. Only years of practise stopped Wolverine’s claws from slipping out as he felt his anger rekindle as he thought of what Chadstone had done. Hank had called in his friend to work with Daredevil and confirm his suspicions as to who had really been behind Max’s attack and the duos heightened senses and tracking abilities had soon put a name to the culprit. His own father!
Steven Chadstone! Pillar of society! Champion of the mutant cause.. or at least his own warped version of it. Sadistic bastard who deserved to have the shit beaten out of him like he had beaten it out of his son! Logan would have been happy to oblige. It fact if Hank hadn’t stopped him it would already have been done. And it was certain that if Wolverine ever happened to run into Max’s father in a dark alley then an unfortunate incident was definitely going to happen.
For now though he would follow Beast’s lead, .knowing that if Chadstone ever managed to force the good doctor into a rage, which given the circumstances wasn’t out with the bounds of possibility then he would find himself facing just as much animal fury as Logan himself could muster. And as far as Wolverine was concerned it would serve him right.
Here and now though Max strolled on as if he didn’t have a care in the world.. or perhaps one care. That of not getting himself dirtied up. A sentiment his companion seemed to share. In fact the only one of them actually keeping his eye on the ball was the one who looked most out of place here in the forest, the pale dark clothed boy who’s sharp eyes spotted the , too Logan at least , blatantly obvious clue and pointed it out to his fellow students.
“Right track, I'd say “ Short and too the point. Not bad, though Logan would have preferred a silent gesture. But then again, giving away their position to potential enemies didn’t seem to worry to these guys. Ok , it was just a class not a training exercise. But if you didn’t start picking up good habits here then it would be too late when you were actually in a life or death situation. Logan just didn’t know what to do to get that through their heads.
He would have thought that Max at least would have shaped up given his close shave during the recent attack. But no, here he was exchanging malicious gossip with the new student as if he had never been shot or seen his team leader fall. And what they were saying was hardly conducive to teamwork either. Which gave all the more credit to the subject of their discussion for not rising to the bait, even if Logan could see that it cost him to keep his anger in check! Good. Someone at last who took things seriously. And kept out of conversations that were definitely out of order!
Oh Logan was used to students fantasising about the other teachers. It was only to be expected, after all drop some stunning women into a school full of teenagers and the hormones were bound to take over. Not that it was only the female members of staff who had their cult following.
There were more than enough sighing girls following Remi’s every move and Scott’s good looks had won him his own admirers. Hell Hank practically had a harem though that was more due to his fatherly influence rather than his joking claim to be a babe magnet….. which was just as well Logan thought now that he had found himself such an explosive mate. And as for Wolverine….. well.. there were some pretty weird girls out there. Some who even thought that short hairy men with questionable tempers were some sort of sex symbol. Go figure!
So all in all talk like this was bound to happen. And Logan should have been alright with it. Usually would have been alright with it. But… this was Jean they were talking about .. Jean whose husband was dying……..whose bed this presumptuous kid was talking about as if it was something just anybody could get into whenever they wanted to. And like it or not that pissed him off.
Logan forced himself to take a deep breath, knowing that he was overreacting, Ok these two needed to be brought back in line and fast. But possibly not by him ripping their heads off in a most litteral fashion. No… there were other ways to get their attention. And maybe even to get their minds back on the subject in hand.
Swiftly and silently Logan started to move flanking the boys easily to position himself a little ahead of Matt as he made his careful way through the forest. It was easy enough to judge the angle, waiting till the trees momentarily cut off the others view of him. Then Logan emerged just enough to catch his eye and placing one finger on his lips beckoned the young goth to slip into the undergrowth beside him.
Now scream ... he told Matt with a grin as he himself threw back his head and let a bloodcurdling howl split the air. He hadn’t lived for years with the wolves for nothing… it was the cry of an alpha male falling on its prey . And he hoped more than enough to bring his two wayward students back to earth with a bang.
There's just somethin' wild inside me pullin' me to do things I don't understand.
I can't figure it. It's like tryin' to explai
Re: Out in the Wild - Wolverine's class (Wed, March 28th)
In the end, they were nothing more than presumptuous kids. That's what it was all boiling down to and what every passing second verified. The thought of either of them having anything above a platonic student-teacher relation with Phoenix was ridiculous already, but knowing Storm from being on her team made it so much more laughable a thing to even consider she would fall for either of the two. Oh both Chadstone and LeFaye were well above average as far as their looks were concerned, and Matt certainly wasn't one to deny that truth, but these looks would merely have been enough to become some bored upper-class lady's toyboy. It was both amusing and irritating to hear Mark indulge in his exaggerated ego as if it were an expensive perfume which everyone but he noticed was somewhat revolting.
The contrasting mutant didn't realise it at this point, but Trip's overbearing demeanour worked like a magnet, drawing most of Matt's attention onto him and by this redeeming Max again a little. Everything is relative, even people's negative character traits, and compared to this one, the "infamous school bully" was the sweetest boy around. Considering the turn in events that would ensue not all that much later, it clearly was for the best that the gravity of Planet Mark helped keep the light-elemental's attitude towards the other in check.
Distraction was on a high as Matthias, maintaining the position at the head of the group, walked the moist ground of the forest, struggling to keep his senses at least that little bit alert to his surroundings that he wouldn't walk into a tree. Well, that at least he managed, but even fully focused and armed with infrared sensors his chances of noticing Wolverine's approach would have been near zero. There was a reason why this guy's field of expertise centred around combat and stealth. He basically was an embodiment of both.
There was a surprised flicker of electric white around his form as Matt spotted the short but well-toned figure of their teacher as if popping into existence, soundlessly. Well, he could walk silently enough himself, and although not entirely sure what exactly was going on, he responded to Logan's motion with a nod and swiftly made his way over to him. "Now scream..." The words were simple enough, and yet it took a moment for Contrast to figure out what he actually meant.
The howl that followed made it rather clear though, and as it pierced through the cloak of late winter silence, scaring birds into headless frenzy, Matt found he didn't have to call onto his acting talents all that much. Primal instincts made sure his system was flooded with the perfect chemical cocktail for panic. Likewise, his scream was as real as it would get with his conscious mind still working, as he put all of what his body threw at him to just turn and run into the cry of someone who, well, was pretty sure he wouldn't live to have to defend that slip of self-control. Of what good that whole thing was supposed to be, Contrast could only guess. It was probably for the best that things could hardly get any worse than they already were.
There comes a time when everyone of us has to take over responsibility for their actions. It stands to argue whether there is also a time when we can get rid of it again.
Re: Out in the Wild - Wolverine's class (Wed, March 28th)"Give me a little bit. I won't be needing invisibility to get in Mrs. Summers room. But... I might need a camera man..." Tough talk was always tossed around, especially in Max's presence, some people found it hard spending time with Max, who had a lot of glamor and talk orientated around him and his family. The few who did spend time with Max regularly enough soon realized that Max rarely ever talked about family or try and discuss political stands that his father made, not unless it was a heated debate about how great mutants were and how pathetics humans were for mistreating them.
"So, who's Mrs. Munroe..?" The fact Trip didnt know Storm was like a blow to Max, Munroe, Jean, Sage.. basically walk into a class room with a female teacher and you're heart was bound to skip a few beats. This is what made Xavier's so worthwhile to Max as a kid, even as he rebelled against the thought of being there (his father had painted a very negative picture of the school). For an outsider though, Max had to admit that Trip wasnt really able to know the key figures of the school as well as was expected for an X-man wonnabee or the official team itself. Sure Max never really figured he had a chance with any of the teachers, he never really put more then his basic charms on the elder ladies.. not because of the fact he respected boundries, that wasnt it at all. Teachers didnt find it hard at all to see that Max had his selection of problems, and so it usually ment Jean was almost overly maternal and most of the other teachers had a strictness to them that felt almost confinding to the often disobediant youth. Hardly the best feelings to have when fantasizing about someone.
Just as Max was forming together the words to use to describe Mrs. Munroe, the alarming uproar further ahead of them caused all thoughts to scatter. The hairs on the back of Max's neck rose and in a fluid motion his skin greyed, images of the gunfight flickering instantly to mind and his body bracing itself for what could possibly come. Over the years Max had built up a very self destructive survival tool, one that helped him deal with all the problems he ever faced. One that enabled the youth to blissfully ignore what his mind or heart told him and carry on as if all was normal, as if there was nothing complicated in life but other peoples odd behaviours. Behaviours that, if they bothered Max enough, he could just turn his back on and walk away.
This had always worked for Max in the past, at least so it had seemed, many would probably have another thing to say about it all but right now Max wouldnt really be able to understand what they were trying to suggest. All that mattered was the here and now, and right now things went from playboy talk to panic, or at least on the road towards caution. Max was too accustomed to student pranks, a fair few he had pulled himself, so instead of running around freaking out Max glared towards the source of the sound and let stone fists clench in impatience and demand to see what was going on.
"Who the fu-" The words stopped out of distraction as Max noticed that they threesome had dwindled down to a twosome, Matt was nowhere to be seen! The screaming cries seemed so much more real once Max found he had difficulties imagining Matt pulling some sort of prank like that. Quick glances proved that Matt wasnt in sight, so did that mean it was Matt screaming? It was hard to make out the voice at such a pitch, but suddenly the threat of the brotherhood returning seemed to be kindled and the thought that Matt was being hurt... he couldnt turn to stone as Max could, a gun wound or knife stab was all the more serious for the older student!
"Matt!" A casual calm was forced, but the uncertainty of what was going on echoed in Chadstone's tone still, concern finding it's way onto the youth's features. Hesitantly Max moved towards where the screaming seemed to come from, but as his stoned arms brushed aside the ferns and branches there was nothing there but a sudden silence that unnerved him a little. Was it silent because Matt was gagged or could something worse have happened? There werent as many people this time around on the island, so there wasn't as great a chance of overwhelming the enemy as last time... Assuming it was the same people who attacked.. assuming they were getting attacked. Logan was hardly the sweetest teacher, but he was effective, for all Max knew Logan had set a trap and Matt just freaked out when it got triggered.
Re: Out in the Wild - Wolverine's class (Wed, March 28th)
Not that he really cared, but the doormat had apparently pulled ahead a good distance. It was fine by him. Go on ahead and wander off if that's what he wants to do. It wasn't his fault the boy couldn't take a little teasing. That was just too bad now wasn't it. Matt could have just said something. You know, show a little spine? But no, that didn't happen, he chose to run instead. At least thats what Trip told himself as the deep howl lashed out from the trees. This.. This was not his fault.
"Who the fu-"
Who? Didn't he mean what? Wait, this was a training island. Property owned by a school. There wasn't likely wildlife here with exception for insects. So yeah, there was pretty much only who's left. Sure the doormat could be messing with them, but that howl didn't really sound like it'd come from such a person. In fact, there was only person in mind that seemed capable of such a sound. "Its Logan.." Came a seemingly confident reply. There was no one else. It had to be him. This was even his class. It was him... right? Despite logic, doubt kept its firm hold.
"Matt!"
He heard Max calling out. It wasn't a bad idea, but they needed to stay calm. "Wait.. Come on over here, Max." Came a composed and focused direction. He didn't need Max rushing off into the unknown just yet. That'd only be stupid. Despite his abundance of negative qualities, Trip in this frantic moment mirrored the skills and demeanor of an actual team leader. His initial reaction, was to scan the trees nearby. All he needed was one good branch and his mutant abilities could prove more than useful. The two of them, Max more importantly knowing the area, could scan the nearby landscape in hopes of catching sight of something unusual. "Your more familiar with the island than me. I'm going to boost us up onto that limb." Trip informed the stone mutant.
Unlike other mutant abilities, there was no real sign that Trip was doing anything while using them. Nothing shined or became luminescent. There was just a small undetectable area where gravity was easily defiled now. There was however a rather determined look, followed by a sudden upward acceleration of his body. Acceleration probably wasn't the best choice of words. It was a more fluid movement, reminiscent of a rewinding a video. The jumbles of nearby branches made it simple to find both footing and stability. "Move to where i just was... and I'd try not lose your balance." Came another instruction, his attention focused on the empty ground where he formerly stood. One hand remained free and ready to stabilize Max, the other grasped firmly on a limb above head.
Looking down like that was a bit odd. One certainly couldn't be afraid afraid of heights, seeing as how this particular perch was a bit higher than he the young mutant had anticipated. He was probably about four and a half to five meters from the ground. Needless to say, falling wouldn't be a very good idea. But, in Max's case, Mark was already prepared to break a fall in case of a miss-step or something.
Despite his initial unwillingness to co-operate as part of a team unit, Trip had found himself trying to do just that now. It was almost funny how a little focus and direction could effect him so positively. Even despite his opinions of Matt, Trip was adamant about finding him. It had become some sort of a competition, one he refused to lose. Besides, afterwords he could both gloat and Haze. What more could a person want?
Re: Out in the Wild - Wolverine's class (Wed, March 28th)
What the hell!! Ok Logan had wanted, if not exactly to put the fear of god into his pupils then at least to shake them up a bit! What he hadn’t expected was for the only one amongst them who actually knew what was going on to have the shit scared out of him. Still it was all too clear to Wolverine’s feral senses that only part of the scream he had asked Matt to produce was due to any acting talent his pupil might have possessed. The rest was all too real.
Oh well at least he hadn’t turned tail and fled. Logan sighed. That remark wasn’t called for and he knew it. This stunt wasn’t something the kid had exactly signed up for and besides Wolverine was all too well aware of what his reputation was like around the school. While the words psychotic killer didn’t exactly crop up in everyday conversation they did hover at the back of a lot of peoples minds .
Still maybe it wasn’t his bad rap that had set Matt’s nerves on edge. After all the howl of the wolf was linked to all mans oldest fears, it called up a reaction that was inscribed in the genes and stemmed from the most basic instinct of all. The need to survive.
And after all wasn’t survival the name of the game here? Or at least it was meant to be. And if he chose this way to remind his student of that fact then that was his business and no one elses. Signalling Matt to stay close and keep low Logan began silently to circle back knowing that his less adept pupil would leave enough of a trail for the two other boys to follow if they actually decided to get their asses in gear.
Logan wondered exactly how they would react to his little unannounced practical exam. It would be the first time he would get to see the new kid in action so to speak so he didn’t really know what to expect on that front but he was all to sadly aware of how difficult it was to motivate Max into anything like positive action. God knows he’d been trying for long enough.
It was so damned frustrating in fact, that sometimes Logan had actually to walk away before he exploded. Ok there were kids that just weren’t gifted when it came to this sort of stuff but that wasn’t Max’s case. He had the physique and the stamina to make it out here. He just didn’t care enough to try. And that was something that pushed Logan’s patience to the limit.
He did seem to be doing something now though which was good to see. Or more exactly hear, for Logans senses brought their words clearly to his ears even if the undergrowth kept them hidden from his sight as it kept both himself and Matt concealed from theirs.
Even better was the fact that Max was actually listening to the new pupils suggestions…. suggestions that in themselves were far from being stupid….. Get a vantage point. Nice! Good use of his powers for a beginner. This guy was one to watch that much was clear however irritating his personality might be when he wasn’t under pressure. But then you didn’t get put on a team because of your social skills, hell Logan proved that more than adequately all by himself. You got put on a team because you could think on your feet and this guy could certainly do that.
“Holy crap” Logan whispered to Matt as he watched the two boys concentrated their efforts. I should kidnap you more often. he told the his ‘captive’ with a grin “ We have just produced a minor miracle! Max Chadstone actually showing some team spirit! And just when Id given up all hope! “
There's just somethin' wild inside me pullin' me to do things I don't understand.
I can't figure it. It's like tryin' to explai
Re: Out in the Wild - Wolverine's class (Wed, March 28th)
The moment of fear went as quickly as it had come, and left nothing but slight embarrassment as he thought to spot a certain amount of surprise upon his reaction in Wolverine's eyes. He remembered having heard that dogs could smell fear and wondered whether it was the same with his teacher, whether he knew that his scream had been more real than pretended. If he did, at least there was no respective comment but just a motion to follow; a fact, Matt certainly was very glad about. Following gave him the seconds to calm down that he needed, the time it took to convince his body that there really wasn't all that much panic-worthy going on at this point.
Unsure of what exactly the older mutant was going for, Contrast decided walking as unobtrusively as possible was probably a good choice. His steps were barely audible as he evaded things on the ground that could create noise if he stepped on it and actually succeeded for the most-part. Not leaving any tracks was something he hadn't been able to practise as much and thus Matt found he wasn't all too successful at that. It wasn't the best surface for beginners in that field though, as he told himself as an excuse. Considering his powers and how he relied on not being noticed, the light-elemental made a mental note to ask Logan at some later point to teach him some ways to avoid leaving too obvious marks. It would surely come in handy.
Squatting down with him to watch the other two, Matt couldn't understand a word of what they were saying, lacking the heightened senses Wolverine could call his own. However, what he saw was enough for him to know what the latter meant. Granted the contrasting mutant knew some sides of Max that deviated greatly from his public display of careless egocentricity, it was still surprising to witness him free-willingly join forces with another. Then again, he had been getting along with Trip well enough that it surely didn't really cost him all that much effort as it would have to work together with, say, Anna Frost. If he hadn't worried about it coming out as disrespectful, Matt might have mentioned that fact to Wolverine, but as things were, he rather decided to keep his thoughts to himself.
"What now?" he whispered after a few moments "Is there some sort of continue or do we just wait for them to find us?" The question was posed rather neutrally, only a hint of curiosity in his tone. In a way, this was like a mission, and so in Matt's mind, that was how it should be treated. "I can make it more difficult for them and turn invisible, if you want...?" There was some doubt shining through as he realised he still wasn't sure what this whole thing was supposed to result in.
For everyone comes the time when they have to take over responsibility. It stands to argue whether there is also a time when they can get rid of it again.
Re: Out in the Wild - Wolverine's class (Wed, March 28th)"Wait.. Come on over here, Max." Trips voice caught Max's attention and the youth turned to the calm tone of his team mate. "Your more familiar with the island than me. I'm going to boost us up onto that limb." Max didn't figure the guy meant 'give me your foot and I'll give you a step up' sorta boost. And as Max moved towards trip his assumptions were discovered to be correct. The other lifted himself into the trees and of all students, Max was someone who found pride in mutant powers, even those not his own.
"Move to where i just was... and I'd try not lose your balance." Came the next instruction that, while Max did give a brief hesitation, he then swiftly complied with the request. It was always fun sharing the experience of someone else's powers, to see what it was like to be gifted with something else other then merely turning to stone.
A light headed sensation seemed to come over Max as he began to get pulled upwards, confused a little on what he was supposed to do all Chadstone had to rely on was mimicking Trip's own previous rise. How exactly he was going to stop... well Max put his trust in the fact Trip had that all under control. And sure enough an arm was reached out in preperation for Max's arrival, an arm which was met with Max's own grasp. Help was given to get Max safely onto the branch with Trip, and it took a moment longer before Max's grasp was loosend. Another moment was given to check his footings were secure and then a attention was given to his surroundings.
"Ok." There was the greatest urge to ask 'what the fõck am I looking for?' but in the end Max decided it was a waste of energy to bother asking.. he probably wouldn't get a very helpful reply. "Well there's a tree that looks suspiciously out of place." The sarcasme oozed off the words, as well as a touch of impatience, however despite it, Max's eyes continued to look around for something. And there it was.. movement... a brustle of shrubs below and not too far off... ok at least from this height, it made everything look so easily accessible. A finely toned arm pointed out towards the movement, or at least where it had been in any case, what else could he do? Point and scream 'There! There! Over by the bush!'... Yeah, even he knew how stupid that'd be.
Re: Out in the Wild - Wolverine's class (Wed, March 28th)Well there's a tree that looks suspiciously out of place."
Max’s comment, although minorly annoying, slipped in one ear and right out the other. While grating, it was a remark that at the same time Trip found vaguely amusing, as he himself likely would have responded in a similar manner. “I’ll find a gardener, you keep watch, make sure it doesn’t make a run for it…” He mused rather inattentively. Mark, whom seemed to be dead set on spotting something, had slipped off into his thoughts. His mind was racing to analyze their situation. The previous screams seemed convincing on one hand, yet they weren't very drawn out like one might expect an animal attack to be. The will to live is a strong impulse. It just didn’t seem likely that we’re any animals in this area capable of snuffing out a person’s life so swiftly. Matt may have looked rather scrawny in his opinion, but he really didn’t seem to be the type that would simply lie down and play animal fodder. Besides, this was way to perfect a scenario for it not to be part of Logan’s class. A wilderness survival class where a need for wilderness survival skills seemed to be coming into play? Really? That just seemed way too convenient.
What could have been a slight movement among the trees came into his peripheral sight. Unsure if what he had seen was merely his eyes playing tricks, Trip almost passed it off as such. Luckily Max’s gesture confirmed the movements. "Somebody's playing games with us, Max." Trip spoke softly, a bit humored now. He liked games. More so he liked winning games. Mind games, board games, physical games; it didn’t matter, as long as he won them. “We can either let them play their little game and just chill here til class ends…” He added, not minding the idea. Surely, if they stayed stationary, it’d be a whole lot harder for someone to sneak up on them. Besides, it was less work. There was no reason Max had to be dragged along by his competitive nature. “Or we can see how they handle losing.” Trip’s confidence had grown by leaps and bounds now that he felt he had a better grasp on the situation. The blatant arrogance saturated his every word. In his own mind, he was infallible. The thought of them being outwitted never once came to mind.
Ever so casually, Trip stepped away from the safety of the branches, only to drop back to the ground. Not that anyone would really notice it, unless looking closely, but his landing was broken of course by means of his mutant abilities. A brief glance went in the direction of the rustling, only to dart back to Max. Hopefully he hadn’t jumped too quickly. Because even though Trip hadn’t said it, he intended to break his fall too, he wouldn’t just leave him hanging there. Now that’d just be rude.
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