The Clearing: Green Strike Force
Alexandra Moore may have been a team leader but she had just barely crossed the line between student and adult and crossing that line hadn't involved learning to pilot any sort of vehicle so the GSF team leader had nothing on the flight to distract her save the comments from behind her. Instead her mind wandered as she gazed out the window at the landscape far below. She was a worrywort and that was half the problem for she thought far too much about everything, analyzing every action she took then reanalyzing it long after there was no way in which she could undo it. The Team Leader almost rolled her eyes as she thought to herself how horrid this overanalyzing was bound to be once they started making split second decisions one after another.
In the back Tessa Macneil was also anxious but in a different way, sneaking occational glances at the other resident faery then blushing ever so slightly without even realising that she was doing it or what her true motivation behind her actions was. Her thoughts would change rapidly as she focused for one moment on the team mission, excitedly wondering what it was they would have to do, and a moment later reliving the fact that she would be there with Scott and that Scott was a faery and the only link she had to her kind. Tess seemed almost to spark with energy and enthusiasm and her eyes were lit with a fire that couldn't be dimmed.
The pilot gave Lexi notice that they were approaching their location and the redhead was well aware that she looked almost like an excited child on her first flight as she looked down, wanting a glimpse of their starting location. The leader turned herself in her seat, her head twisting less than elegantly with her.
"We're going to be ready to land in just a moment," Lexi said, issuing a friendly warning to her team. She didn't want them to be unprepared or for anyone to complain about the change in motion as they touched down. Tess in particular seemed less than phased though. She was sitting by a window and her violet eyes peered out at the clearing which was to be their starting point.
It was nice enough, the sort of place that would make a good campsite or something with it being just large enough to be a comfortable space for a group of people while still being surrounded by the forest. Lexi was the first to take a step outside the confined vehicle into this place which was to be their home for the next few days. Her team followed after her as she stepped out and removed the few things she had brought from the vehicle.
Once the Green Strike Force Team were more or less assembled around her Lexi began, trying to hide the worry she felt with a confident air she had practiced back in high school when she had had a fear of public speaking and had to give an important speech.
"I know that right now most of you are probably wondering why you had to get through not only this mornings training session but also be dragged out here to the middle of nowhere," the redheaded leader began. "Well as you know there are alot of new students and new teams, ourselves included. New teams that haven't had field training and students who have never been involved in any actual situations and who have learnt only from experiences watching others or in the danger room. We haven't actually trained against true opponents and we need to hone our skills which brings me to this."
Lexi glanced around, her eyes encompassing all of her audience, seeing the confusion and anxiousness in the eyes of some of her team members. In this moment she ran through what she wanted to say next one more time to make sure the words didn't come out in a jumbled mess, after all she was a perfectionist at times.
"I know this is disappointing but we're going to be here today and tomorrow which means we'll be staying overnight so I hope no one had any important plans." Trying to lighten the mood she added playfully, "on the brightside you get an excuse to not do any homework for your classes this weekend."
"So here's the main idea." Lexi was serious once more. "Every team is located on this island that we've landed on, each one located in a different part of the island. Four team have the objective of trying to reach a certain point on this island, a target if you will. Blue Strike Force, X-Force, Exiles and ourselves are those teams." Here the team leader paused once more, allowing this to sink in. A million thoughts crossed her mind as she watched the faces of her teammates register various emotions and as she wondered if they would take this exercise and do what was required with minimal complainning and few problems.
"Now here's where the training part comes in, while we try and get to this location the remaining teams will be trying to complete their goal which is to prevent any of us from reaching that point. If we co-operate with any teams then we'll have points taken from us and if we reach the area we'll have points granted." Lexi paused once again and wondered if she sounded too mechanical in her delivery, like some sort of robot. She wanted so badly to make a connection with this group of students who weren't so different from her in age that she was actually becoming more and more nervous. She was slo nervous about this task, wondering what such a new team who had had their first meeting only that morning could do in this sort of situation. It wasn't that she didn't have faith and thought poorly of her team but that there was a certain amount of worry and scepticism that had come with time she suposed and it was hard to shake.
"We've got a map for directions and some supplies but we will need to gather more as we go," Lexi said after a moment, explainning some of the less important details now that the main objective had been set out for the team. She glanced around the wooded area a few metres away from them on all sides and remembered her own experiences here. She had been a member of a training mission too once, young and inexperienced half full of fear and half of excitement. God had it really been a few years, it almost seemed like it had been yesterday. It felt odd to be the one in control and Lexi almost wanted to step back from this controlling power, she half wanted to be told what to do and not to be held responsible for plans or anything that might go wrong. However she was an adult now and heading towards the rank of teacher if she continued her studies at the institute as a student teacher and that meant responsability.
"Now we'll need to keep our eyes open," Lexi said, avoiding the use of the word peeled there lest she confuse Scott. "The other teams don't have to just chase us, they can lie in wait and set up traps which means that we have to be on guard or we might stumble into a trap or ambush. Now we've got to get moving since there's a large amount of ground to cover but I want to make sure we all understand and there are no questions before we set off so any questions speak now or forever hold your peace," Lexi finished, adding the last line with the ghost of a smile. Prepared or not Green Strike Force the team that she was on, no her team was setting out to face whatever might be thrown at them in just a few minutes. She didn't speak now, keeping herself quiet in order to hear any questions that might come her way as she picked up the bag of supplies and slung it over one shoulder. It was almost time to embark.
OOC I checked with Karen that Ben would help Michael so no God Modding!
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*So far so good* Michael thought to himself *Ok* he amended *Maybe that’s an exaggeration considering how bad I feel but lets face it, things could have been a whole lot worse.*
With Ben’s help he had managed the seemingly endless trip from the med lab to the rendezvous point, arriving as he had planned before his other team mates in order to have a chance to pull himself together before he had to face them. When he had found the plane waiting for them he had been even more relieved that he had done so.
Manoeuvring his way on board on his crutches had been less than graceful. The morphine Dr McCoy had administered had kept the pain sufficiently at bay for him to function but only just. By the time he had got to his seat and strapped himself in he had been pale and shaking, his eyes squeezed tight shut to hold back the tears.
He was glad the others hadn’t had a chance to see how difficult it had been for him. It was bad enough that Ben had, thought without the other young mans assistance Michael knew he would never have managed. Still at least the rest of the team didn’t have to know what an ordeal moving around was for him. There would be time enough for them to find that out later
*Or maybe not* he reflected. It all depended on how long this trip was going to take.*I might be able to change to Hood as soon as we land* he thought optimistically.* *Surely it would be Ok to leave my body here in the jet and then, provided we don’t spend more than a couple of hours in this place, wherever it might be, then I should still be OK when the time comes to reintegrate.*
It was an odd and disturbing way of measuring time that his injuries imposed upon him, everything revolving around the spacing between the indispensable injections. He was more than a little worried about the unknown duration of this trip but he had insisted on coming on it despite the doctor’s protestations and now he was just going to have to live with the consequences.
He had been a little surprised that the blue furred mutant had eventually relented and allowed him to leave med lab, only insisting that he take a small package with him.A package Michael was not to open till he arrived at his destination. Michael hadn’t argued, grateful as he was to the doctor for the chance to participate in the mornings mysterious activities. *He must have realised how important this team is to me* Michael thought to himself. *Today is the first time we’re all together. If I miss out on that I might never fit in.*
Still as he had sat watching the others climb on board and settle in he had wondered if he had done the right thing. Even with the drugs the pain had been frighteningly bad. There was certainly no way he could put any weight on his right leg The mere thought of doing so made him feel sick. Now it stretched out stiff and awkward in front of him, the flaring pain fading to a dull insistent ache as the miles passed.
Michael didn’t really feel well enough to have a conversation with any of the others. He had managed a smile and a wave for them as they had boarded the plane, hoping they wouldn’t see that the walk from med lab had all but exhausted him before they had even started.
It had been so different in the Danger Room earlier. Hood was made for action and Michael had explored his abilities with growing delight. It was one thing to feel that the arrows would fly true, it was quite another to watch them do so, unerringly hitting their targets. The training had been hard, forcing him to weave and dodge relentlessly, to push himself to the limits as he interacted with his team mates. And yet that to had been a joy, the fluid graceful movements of his astral form so at odds with his own halting progress.
Still he couldn’t stay as Hood all the time, and when he had reluctantly regained his own body the fatigue had hit him hard. It may have been Hood who had participated in the training, it was Michael’s energy that fuelled him and after so many months of enforced inaction the effort demanded was considerable. As the plane flew on he felt himself slipping off into sleep, tiredness and drugs combining to drag him under as his body cried out for rest. "We're going to be ready to land in just a moment," Lexi’s voice jarred him awake, leaving him at first confused as to his surroundings. Then he remembered and looked hastily out of the window gasping with surprise and alarm as he took in the unfamiliar surroundings. They were in the middle of nowhere! A lush forest surrounded the clearing the jet was obviously going to set down in. Michaels heart sank Not exactly ideal terrain for crutches
*I hope I was right about being able to stay on the plane* he thought. *Althought I suppose we could hide my body somewhere safe in the woods. I mean it’s just a short field trip, right?*
However it seemed the other students were all effectively getting off of the plane ,leaving Michael with no choice but to follow. Carefully he stood up , feeling the pain already start to throb hatefully in his leg as he tried to catch up the crutches in the relatively confined space. Fortunately Ben was there to help holding them for him as he hopped free of the chair. Michael gave him a grateful grin as he struggled his way off the plane and into the clearing.
Once he joined the assembled group Lexi started to explain why they had been brought here to this wilderness and Michael began to feel growing unease and concern. It didn’t sound like a simple field trip. In fact it sounded like this was going to take time. A lot of time.
"I know this is disappointing but we're going to be here today and tomorrow which means we'll be staying overnight so I hope no one had any important plans.] He only vaguely heard the rest of her explanation as his mind tried to absorb this one overwhelming fact.
Now full blown panic had set in. *I’m not ready for this’*he thought wildly.* I’m not equipped. I don’t have ……….* The addicts one basic concern tore at him.* I don’t have any morphine with me and I need it* he thought bitterly. *I m a damned junkie and I can’t go that long without a fix.*
The words were harsh and full of self loathing in his mind. Every time he thought he had come to terms with the fact of his dependency something like this happened to prove that he hadn’t Not even a little. He hated it with a passion that had remained undiminished since the accident. *How can I admit that in front of everyone* he thought ashamed. *Ok Maybe they’ll find out sometime but not like this.*
He closed his eyes in despair then suddenly opened them again as hope flickered into life The package! The package the doctor had given him! It nestled tucked inside the loose fitting shirt he was wearing.
Like everything else the shirt was far too big for him, his body almost painfully thin from months of ill treatment. He realised he made a poor showing compared to Hood. Younger, frailer, the pain he felt all to obvious in his eyes. Just like his need for the drugs was at that moment.
*Dr McCoy must have known I was coming here*he thought frantically.* Surely that’s why he gave the package to me. It has to be morphine. It can’t be anything else*
It was all he could do not to rip it open there and then so great was his need to be sure. He forced himself to be calm trying to concentrate on what Lexi was saying while every fibre of his being screamed at him to open the package. *It’ll be all right he told himself. I just have to relax.* But it was almost impossible to do, as he quickly realised..
The casual way Lexi announced that there was a large amount of ground to cover brought a look of shocked disbelief to his face. A look he hastily tried to conceal before the others noticed it. *Ok I should just give up right here* he thought resignedly. *Its all too hard. Maybe when I’ve had more time to recover I can try again. If they’ll let me.* But it felt so much like giving in and he had sworn never to give in. *That’s all very well* he told himself *but sometimes you have to admit that you just can’t do something and let it go.*
Lexi was looking at them expectantly waiting for any questions they might have. *Yeah I have one* he thought *Can I go back please?*
He had almost opened his mouth to say just that but at the last minute he knew he wasn’t going to, his basic stubborness and determination kicking in even as part of him hoped it wouldn't.*I’ll probably give in soon* he told himself. *But not just yet.I can hold on for a little longer*
Instead of an admission of failure the question that came out sounded tired and a little shaky but nonetheless defiantly committed to the operation.
“Is the jet staying or going?” he asked Lexi. “Its just I don’t know if you’d prefer me to wait here with it while Hood goes with you, or if you’d rather I actually came along with the rest of the team? Either way is OK by me”
Re: The Clearing: Green Strike Force
Ben once again found himself thinking what a long weekend this was turning out to be. He had gone from three months of doing nothing but attending lectures and hanging out with Sean and Taylor and now he was embarking on rescue missions and, by the look of the forest they were rapidly approaching, wilderness survival. Well at least he enjoyed camping and such like and had developed a fair number of basic survival skills in scouts. He had had some of the best moments of his life camped out in a tent and although he knew his parents worried because of his illness he would not let them keep him at home.
But right now he highly doubted that the biggest test of his skills was going to be limited to seeing whether or not he could light a fire with just one match. He had no clear idea of the tasks they were going to be set but Sean had told him of enough crazy real life adventure stories that he was slightly worried. He hated to admit it but he was not so much worried for himself but for some of his team mates. It could have been the affect of having trained with X-treme the day before but he just felt that this team was going to come a long way to succeed in the tasks ahead.
He looked up from his seat in the plane and noticed that Michael had fallen asleep. This wasn’t the time or the place to start him on a team but it had been obvious in the conversation he had had with the other mutant that he was determined to fit in to this team. Michael was probably about 17 and well in a rather shocking state, he looked like he needed a full week’s sleep and at least three hearty meals a day. It was probably a good thing that Ben’s first encounter with Michael, when the young man was actually in his own body because the difference between his real self and his astro-projected self was mind blowing.
However if anything Michael had proved a incomparable strength of mind, Ben knew that if he had been through anything like what Michael had been through he would just want to curl up and hide. But no not only did Michael want to be a relied upon part of green strike force but he also managed to keep a genuine smile on his face…well most of the time. It was obvious now that the other man was trying very hard to keep his pain at bay not to let it show so as not to burden his team mates. Ben smiled a sad smile, the feeling of being a burden to others was one that he knew well and he was going to do his utmost to make sure that Michael did not have to feel that way.
With a sigh he turned to look at the rest of his team mates. Lexi had a nervous look about her one that reminded him of his first science project. He had put it together from things around the house that he knew had potential and thrown them all together to create a working machine. He had been so proud but so sickeningly nervous when the time had come to test it in front of his parents. To Lexi this team was her science project and the pieces had been imposed upon her, he would do his best not to let her down.
May seemed to have a kind of nonchalant attitude towards this whole team business. She had made no effort to present herself and it was only thanks to Lexi that anyone knew her name in the first place. But she had been impressive in the danger room and he knew that she was not one to mess with. She had the same kind of stance as Madison and Frost and he knew that they were dangerous. He felt somewhat reassured that at least someone on the team had shown some obviously “kick ass” power. He felt bad about thinking of it that way but after sharing the danger room with Sean, Taylor, Connor, Madison and Frost that could take on an army single handed he was having a hard time readjusting his train of thought to allow for a team that could be just as powerful but that needed organising in the correct way. Green Strike Force was never going to be a team that could just go charging into places, they were going to have to be in charge of more strategically based missions.
Finally his gaze came to rest on Tess and Scott and a wave of guilt ran through him. He was so embarrassed and ashamed that he had not seen the faery prince straight away. It had taken Michael’s quite explanations and Scot faery tales to trigger Ben’s belief in the mystical creatures. How often had he passed the blue eye faery in the corridors of the institute without knowing Ben had not purposefully been an unbeliever it was just that he had never had any reason to question his point of view. ? It must be so hard to be invisible to all that do not believe. He had always thought that the power to be invisible must be a great thing, you could play pranks on people or in his case just disappear when you put your foot in things. But to be permanently invisible even when you most desperately needed to be seen? A shudder ran through him at the mere thought of it. Well at least being on the same team as Scott was going to provide him with plenty of time to get to know him. He just hoped he hadn’t made too much of a bad first impression.
"We're going to be ready to land in just a moment,"
Lexi’s voice startled him somewhat, turned back to see that Michael have been woken by this announcement. God he looked bad well they were just going to have to look after him, Ben could think of no better way to bond a team together. Going through his pockets he located his gloves, shades and hat he had been glad that their initial meeting had been outside as he had had them with him for that and had not had to return to his room to fetch them. His allergy was annoying but if he was careful and took layers off as needed he would be fine.
When the plane landed he helped Michael with his crutches as the space was limited in the jet as it was obviously hard enough for the other mutant to get himself out of the seat let alone grab the crutches as well. Making sure that the Michael got out the plane safely, Ben went to going the group that was assembling around Lexi.
"I know that right now most of you are probably wondering why you had to get through not only this mornings training session but also be dragged out here to the middle of nowhere. Well as you know there are alot of new students and new teams, ourselves included. New teams that haven't had field training and students who have never been involved in any actual situations and who have learnt only from experiences watching others or in the danger room. We haven't actually trained against true opponents and we need to hone our skills which brings me to this. "I know this is disappointing but we're going to be here today and tomorrow which means we'll be staying overnight so I hope no one had any important plans."
A whole weekend? Well he certainly had no plans except maybe sleeping but it looked as if the idea off spending a whole two days out in the woods came as kind of a shock to some of his team mates. He was sure he saw Michael wince visibly, how were they going to play this whole Michael and Hood thing anyway?
"So here's the main idea. Every team is located on this island that we've landed on, each one located in a different part of the island. Four team have the objective of trying to reach a certain point on this island, a target if you will. Blue Strike Force, X-Force, Exiles and ourselves are those teams. "Now here's where the training part comes in, while we try and get to this location the remaining teams will be trying to complete their goal which is to prevent any of us from reaching that point. If we co-operate with any teams then we'll have points taken from us and if we reach the area we'll have points granted.”
Well it defiantly sounded like a challenge and the idea of being tracked was somewhat unnerving. He was not familiar with all the teams listed, he knew that Taylor and Sean were on different teams though and that was kind of a relief but the thought that the rest of X-tremes were out there possibly trying to ambush them was daunting. And Talia she was out there as well, what would he do it he came up against her? He shook his head, he would not be a liability to this team Talia or not they would come first! His attention was caught by Michael’s question.
Re: The Clearing: Green Strike Force
At first it seemed highly ridiculous to actually sit in something so large and have the people sound as if this strange thing they were in was going to take them somewhere. The training hadn’t gone overly well in Scott’s mind, mainly because the quiet girl ended up having strange webbing abilities that she could attack with, and the fact she handled everything so easily uneased Scott. Frightened might be over exaggerating but there was definitely an obvious jittery look with Scott when the frightful looking girl wore her strange uniform. The web of a spider was a powerful tool to ensnare a small fairy so Scott couldn’t entirely be blamed for feeling anxious around May, most of the spiders he’s encountered have either taunted, threatened or almost succeeded in devouring him.
There was something bothering Michael, Scott could feel it in the other, he could see it in his eyes and sense it in the core of the astral projecting mutants heart. All Scott could do was offer a splendidly warm smile in reply to the friendly greeting he received when boarding the strange aircraft.
Sitting beside Tessa calmed the Prince, she was very kind and he realized every ounce of fear he ever had in meeting her was unwarranted. The other males were sitting together; Ben and Michael seemed to be friends and Scott found it difficult to try and talk with Michael since he was still a little crushed by the fact Ben had been the only one of the entire team not to see him. That made two people who he was uneasy with and two who he found hard to talk with and then there was Tessa who he was so excited to know that it gave her company a different sort of awkwardness compared to all the others.
A movement was felt when the jet began to rise, the jerking motion result in Scott’s hands snapping out and grabbing onto the arm rests instantly. It took a few minutes before he relaxed, his wings poised up as he had leaned forward a little, at one point leaning a bit over Tess to stare in amazement as the aircraft lifted into the sky. A bright grin spread over Scott’s handsome features and didn’t fade for most of the flight, his attention easily shifting from one thing to another, both inside and outside the plane.
"We're going to be ready to land in just a moment," A squirming motion took hold of the Prince as he grew overly eager to disembark this metallic bird and feel the wind caress his skin and the earth beneath his feet once more. It seemed almost as long for the plane to land as the entire trip had been for Scott, who felt more confined then he cared to admit.
First of all when the plane began to settle on the ground, Scott leaned over again to glance out the window, before offering Tessa a keen smile and then looking over at the leader and watching as she started to leave the plane. Bright eyes had watched and mimicked Tessa’s use of the seat belt when they first sat down, and again they had turned to watch her as she unclipped it and freed herself from its secure grasp. Trying not to appear overly eager to leave while following behind their leader and yet being sure to remain closer to Tessa since it gave him an oddly warm sense of security being with her in this new environment.
Miss Parker folded her arms once the group had gathered outside, something that appeared to be a character trait since she does it often. The red head gave the others a rather simple smile, it had been made quite clear that she was not as inexperienced as the rest of them, in fact she was rather adept at her abilities and seemed perfectly aware of what she could handle and her limits. Poor Scott on the other hand was clueless as to what they wanted him to do half the time – hurting things had not really been his most favourite option and he was hopeless at athletics at this moment. Not that Scott wasn’t athletic himself, he was highly agile and a faster then any human in flight, even in human form he was quick, but he wasn’t used to using his environment and having wings meant things like ladders and other climbing devices had been both new and frustrating for him to handle.
"I know that right now most of you are probably wondering why you had to get through not only this mornings training session but also be dragged out here to the middle of nowhere," Trying to stop himself from looking so greatly distracted with things, Scott’s expression had taken on a look of pure concentration that come across more taxing then a session in the Danger Room. "Well as you know there are alot of new students and new teams, ourselves included. New teams that haven't had field training and students who have never been involved in any actual situations and who have learnt only from experiences watching others or in the danger room. We haven't actually trained against true opponents and we need to hone our skills which brings me to this."
Whispers of contempt echoed in the back of May’s mind as Venom voiced his own thoughts on this leader of theirs. Fair enough she was young, May could see the point of the newly named ‘Sin’. However even if she was inexperienced and of less knowledge then May, the young Parker cared little about being a leader and would be loyal to this woman of similar age if she proved to be a worthy and trustful person to lead this strange team.
"I know this is disappointing but we're going to be here today and tomorrow which means we'll be staying overnight so I hope no one had any important plans." It was simple to tell that indeed Scott did have plans because of the traumatic expression that guiltily encompassed his face, he’d been assuring the creatures all day and all yesterday that he wouldn’t forget about the meeting and he would be there to take part! They had wanted to address something and had been desperately keen on the Prince’s input, whatever it was they planned on discussing he had not actually been told since he was running from one thing to another and could never really talk. "on the brightside you get an excuse to not do any homework for your classes this weekend." A sulky look replaced his previous one, at least that was something, he had to write a lot of things for English that he had been having trouble with. He knew the sounds different letters made but he was clueless how to spell so many things, and so his spelling was horrific and he was meant to be trying to improve it… But admittedly he’s been getting a little lazy with class work lately.
"So here's the main idea." Delicate wings lifted from his back and reached skywards, a very gentle motion in them and as they faintly twitched they would catch the golden rays of the sun and cast a pale brilliance of colour in his clear iridescent wings. "Every team is located on this island that we've landed on, each one located in a different part of the island. Four team have the objective of trying to reach a certain point on this island, a target if you will. Blue Strike Force, X-Force, Exiles and ourselves are those teams." Another alert poise of his wings was seen as he heard X-Force, that was Riley’s teams! And BSF used to be Connor’s but Scott knew he had been shifted onto that new team with Arlen and Heath, Bronze they had called it… Wasn’t Connor here as well? He could have sworn the feral was hanging around the hangers with Riley at one point.
"Now here's where the training part comes in, while we try and get to this location the remaining teams will be trying to complete their goal which is to prevent any of us from reaching that point. If we co-operate with any teams then we'll have points taken from us and if we reach the area we'll have points granted." So that means Arlen, Connor and the others were out there? An excited look flourished once more on Scott’s features, the Prince wondered what it would be like to get passed them, Connor, Heath and Riley all tried so hard to help him in different ways, it would be splendid to show them how it all paid off!
"We've got a map for directions and some supplies but we will need to gather more as we go," Unfazed by the statement of them having to collect more food, Scott remained perked and eager, after all, he usually satisfies himself on the sweet nectar of the school flowers anyway. Then again, he has taken a fond enjoyment of the jams and honey, Connor insisted he try some on bread to help fill him up and at first Scott had been hesitant but eventually tried it and some of the kinds of breads were actually nice! He still hasn’t gotten to the point of eating other kinds of foods, even things that are sugary and he’d thought smelt nice seemed to be avoided, he wasn’t sure why, possibly a mixture of fear for the unknown and a concern towards unwillingly abandoning all his fairy habits and customs.
"Now we'll need to keep our eyes open," May found this amusing in a sense that at least it was something to get the new teams working together, but at the same time she didn’t really find herself a happy camper, despite her desire to not cause any mischief or anguish. Scott himself was busy wondering if they were permitted to close their eyes when they went to sleep, he wasn’t sure if he’d manage to keep them open during his rest…or were they not going to rest for two days? "The other teams don't have to just chase us, they can lie in wait and set up traps which means that we have to be on guard or we might stumble into a trap or ambush. Now we've got to get moving since there's a large amount of ground to cover but I want to make sure we all understand and there are no questions before we set off so any questions speak now or forever hold your peace." The tender lips of the fairy Prince parted for a moment, but then closed again as he realized, despite his thousands of questions, none probably where of enough significance to actually burden his leader with at this time.
Playing games seemed pointless when May knew exactly what was out there, her time would have been better spent on the streets actually doing what she does best, and that’s taking care of trouble by getting into the thick of it. Still, even with Sin’s incessant grumbling, May decided it was at least a chance for her to get an understanding on these new team-mates of hers, and perhaps they’d realize she wasn’t as helpless as some have mistakenly assumed. A spiteful thought thrown towards A.Corp before she was pulled from her mind as her attention was diverted towards Scott’s wings.
"Your wings are catching the light, perhaps it’s best not to flutter them about as you are doing." Although just putting forward a polite suggestion since it was pointless to be stealthy when there was something so easily eye catching, Scott’s eyes slipped over towards May and there was immediate obedience as his wings dropped instantly down against his back. Upsetting the web shooting human was not something Scott was at all keen on doing with his natural fear of spiders and anything related to them, but even he registered how submissive that must have appeared and his Princely pride made him feel awfully awkward for having done it so hastily.
Though there was no sign of any wind, the branches of the trees swayed gently, leaves rustled as if an unfelt breeze tenderly swept over the tops of their canopy. This drew Scott’s attention, which relieved him greatly since he could move on from that embarrassed feeling to focus on what was happening. It was all so discreet, and humans rarely tended to sit and trees when they had important things to keep their mind on so they’d never pay attention to the splendours of the wild nature around them. Scott gave Tessa a delighted little grin full of enthusiasm, finally losing the apprehension of leaving the school since this was not a place crowded with strange human edifices.
"Can you hear what they are saying to us? The trees are overjoyed to have us on their atoll, they are youthful and have never seen our kind before," Whispered the Prince, unsure if Tessa could understand and feel the things that the trees around them were expressing. It wasn’t only that she was just a half blood, but not all young fairies have such finely turned abilities in connection with nature, and his ability to sense emotions and being of Royal lineage all helped him tune into nature a lot easier then most others his age. Now a question did come to him, one that was of importance, or at least one that seemed important to Scott, he thought over it for a moment but decided it was just easier to ask.
A wave of panic was felt and the peaceful sensations of the woods left Scott who glanced around for the source of the distress. It surprised him that it was Michael, the human still struck the fairy as one closely related to the elf kind, so wilfully strong and his skill with the bow did little but fuse that thought into Scott’s mind. There seriously did appear to be something dreadfully worrying about the young mans condition. Due to the Prince’s playful nature many assumed him to be rather naïve, but in a sense he was probably able to take notice of more things then most people due to the connection he has with the things around him. If only there was something the young fairy could do without appearing to be smothering the other with pity or making him feel troublesome for the group. Baring no intentions other then wishing to help, Scott knew sometimes even the kindest intentions of assistance can sometimes make another person feel worse.
“Is the jet staying or going?” Somehow Scott had the feeling that Michael was hoping for it to be staying. “Its just I don’t know if you’d prefer me to wait here with it while Hood goes with you, or if you’d rather I actually came along with the rest of the team? Either way is OK by me” Cynical look crept into the very core of May’s eyes, not from May herself but Sin most definitely was piecing together all the bits of information he was seeing and hearing and coming to the undeniable conclusion that this boy was going to be a nuisance at the best AND worst of times. The intellectual Miss Parker on the other hand had no real opinions at this point in time, though admittedly she’s never been one to enjoy baby sitting, that was usual when she was flying solo, though a part of her wondered why Michael was pushing himself so hard when it was obvious he wasn’t ready for any of this yet. Then again, May was hardly one to talk about not being ready, her grasp on controlling Sin was still very taxing and it was proving difficult to remain in constant command of the unruly symbiont.
"Lexi," Unlike Heath or Arlen, Scott easily got used to dropping any formal words to accompany the name of who he addresses, but still he spoke the name in a way filled with both formality and respect as he would have usually placed into whichever formal word he would normally have used instead of the actual name. "If joining the other teams is forbidden, does that mean getting help from nature and creatures has also been forbidden?" After all, for Scott nature seemed like another player on this island, he did not understand that it was hoped for students to try to use the world around them as a hand in helping them succeed. However, admittedly, not many students can quite literally ask nature for a helping hand in matters.
The way he used the word ‘forbidden’ also hinted to him not entirely understanding what Lexi had said, that they were permitted to join forces but it just reduced points, people would have to decide if they should risk joining powers with someone at the cost of losing points if they think they’d be unable to reach the end on their own. Some teams have reached the meeting point in the end but not had enough points compared to others, so even the last one to arrive could have more points and thus win. There was more then just winning the race they all seemed to think these games were – who could get to the point first – but also it helped Xavier himself get an understanding of how the different teams worked, maybe there was a time where he needed people willing to team up with the enemy to get the job done. This was all a test, but it tested more then powers, it tested characteristics, tolerance and the will amongst other things of each team member, sometimes mixing up the teams with different experienced people and a variety of personalities was all you could do to really push the students forward.
Re: The Clearing: Green Strike Force“Is the jet staying or going?” The red haired team leader's head jerked up and her eyes met those of Michael. At first the question puzzled her. She knew the answer but not why Michael would bother asking or why the prescence of a plane would make any difference, especially since they'd be leaving the site so quickly.
It was a moment later that the realization dawned on her and a spark ignited in her eyes that showed she understood. The way his powers worked meant that they'd have to find a spot for Michael's body as his power came out through Hood. She was a team leader, suposed to anticipate problems and to come up with solutions for them so why had this escaped her? Lexi tried to think quickly as Michael asked if he should go with the team or carry on as Hood. She needed an answer and she needed it now.
Lexi looked at Michael. He had been controlling himself quite well but she has had a friend who went through therapy when she was younger after not walking for months and was certain that he wasn't letting on just how much he was affected.
Well a clearing was not a great place to just leave Michael's body out in the open, it would be better to find a more closed off space that was not so exposed, Lexi reasoned to herself. She unfolded the map, hoping to locate a possible place where they could stop along the way, a place that would be easily accessible to get back to. Michael knew his powers and his capabilities better than her though and this was afterall a training exercise for all of them so she decided to leave it somewhat open. She really didn't want to sound like she was flighty or incapable of making a decision and yet was she really qualified to tell Michael to keep on going if he couldn't make it or to tell him exactly what to do. Lexi sighed almost inaudibly. It was difficult being a team leader and making decisions or passing them off on others and she was beginning to think she wasn't ready for this sort of responsibility.
"I think," Lexi started carefully, "that because you know your powers and your capabilities better than myself that should be your decision to make. The thing is this is an awfully open space and it might not be wise to leave your body exposed like this so it might be best to move on at least into cover somewhat. We have a map here so you can see what you think, that might be best." The redheaded team leader breathed a small sigh of relief. That was one question answered although exactly what he and the team would think of the answer was another question alltogether.
Tess, on the otherhand, was having a much less trying time of it. For one thing the jet ride was almost pleasant with Scott beside her. The danger room session had made her a little nervous with so many of them with such different personalities trying to come together but they were starting to get there, starting to become a team. She had seen the nervousness in her fellow faery's face at May's strange spider costume and had to admit that spiders made her more than a little jittery herself but May, while not the most approachable person she had ever encountered, didn't seem so bad.
Scott beside her on the flight was exciting and her body seemed filled with energy as she found that while she was usually able to sit still and pay attention her toe was tapping with the excitement today for some reason. She wondered if the handsome blue eyed faery's emotions were contagious since he seemed so amazed and curious as they lifted off. For once a flight was not endless but seemed quick for they landed in what seemed to be no time at all.
Tess listened to her leader's explanation, all the while her toe tapping inexplicitly. It all made sense to her and the faery could think of no questions so she nodded her head and kept her mouth shut mostly, favouring Scott with the occational sunny smile as Lexi went on. The blonde woman watched as May offered a suggestion and as Scott's wings instantly dropped. Pseronally she found it a little rude to say that out of nowhere and so abruptly and her mouth tightened into a thin line momentarily. She also couldn't help but notice Scott's immediate obedience and remembered his actions during their training session.
She's really intimidating him Tess thought and her violet eyes showed something of sympathy although certainly not pity. She understood to a certain extent and knew that it must be so hard for someone raised among faeries. It had been hard enough for her at first and she had been raised as a normal human, or perhaps normal wasn't the right word but as a mutant. Tess knew that a full faery's hatred of spiders had to be worse than her own too. She shuddered when she saw one and drew back but other than the excuse that it was in her blood somewhere she hadn't really known why there was such a great fear and has for awhile simply passed it off as arachnephobia.
There was energy in the very atmosphere, that much Tessa could sense, the excitement building within her a mirror of the island foliage surrounding the group. "Can you hear what they are saying to us? The trees are overjoyed to have us on their atoll, they are youthful and have never seen our kind before," Scott whispered to her and Tessa tried to listen very carefully. She was disappointed when she couldn't hear all that he did even though a part of her had known even as he asked the question that she couldn't sense nature in the same way that he did.
"I can't hear it," Tess said, a bit of her disappointment shining through in her voice. "I can feel it though, such excitement," she whispered back and a smile reappeared on her pale face. She couldn't communicate with plantlife, only with animals but the faery girl could pick up sensations, albeit very general ones, from the landscape around her as if their emotions were a part of the air she breathed.
Tess was drawn back to their leader as Scott addressed Lexi. It was an interesting question, one that Lexi hadn't thought about. She didn't know Scott in the same way that she did Tessa and hadn't known about the communication with plantlife although now that it had been brought up she did recall the animal communication power aspect.
"We're aloud to use our powers on the island and while some people may have more active powers in a different sense that they use I don't see anything wrong or in the rules against using yours. I don't see a problem with getting help from nature at all," Lexi said, pleased with the question since that use of powers hadn't occured to her before.
"Well if that's all the questions then I think we can begin to move ahead," Lexi said with a smile. "We've got a map and help from mother nature herself," she continued with a reference to the two faeries and to the female deity nature was often thought to be in other times. "Our main priorities should be heading out in the right direction, making sure we have all our supplies and finding a place for Michael's body. Once we've got a good start then we can all contribute, while walking, to form a strategy to find the best course to our meeting point and we need a method for dealing with any teams we may meet along the way." Lexi took a step back from the group and gestured. "Without further ado," she said, trailing off. This was going to be a long and somewhat different sort of trip.
Re: The Clearing: Green Strike Force
From Lexis’ answer Michael assumed that the plane would not be staying around otherwise she wouldn’t have been worried about leaving his body in the clearing. Although he had been more or less expecting this to be the case nevertheless his heart sank. Looked like he’d be walking after all. He tried to fight down the sense of dismay that threatened to overwhelm him.
*Lets just take things nice and easy* he told himself.* *Lexis has more or less left it up to me to say when I have to stop. All I have to do is keep going as for as long as I can and then hope there’s a convenient place to hide” He closed his eyes for a moment regaining his composure, trying to convince himself that all would be well.
When he opened them again it was to catch a last glittering sight of Scott’s wings before the fairy folded them rapidly away at May’s suggestion, his usually smiling face a little crestfallen. What the young woman had said was true and infinitely practical, they did catch the light and so undoubtedly would have attracted attention if anyone had been watching them. *Provided they could see him at all that is* Michael reminded himself. Still the young mutant was sorry to see their radiance hidden away. Just looking at them made him feel better, as if they were the visible sign that not everything in the world was cruel and ugly.
The fairy prince didn’t stay downcast for very long . Soon he was looking round the clearing with obvious enthusiasm. *I wish I could do the same* Michael thought to himself. Despite its undeniable beauty all the island represented for him was a potential minefield, every piece of uneven terrain, every rock and boulder just waiting to catch at his crutches and send him sprawling to the ground. He much preferred the Prince’s vision of things.
Scott’s talk about the trees and their welcoming excitement brought a smile to Michael’s lips, chasing away his own problems for an instant as he tried to imaging how it would be to see the world through a fairy’s eyes. *Every thing would be a wonder and a delight* he thought wistfully. *It must be a marvellous feeling’*
Scott’s question too revealed unexplored possibilities that Michael couldn’t even begin to envisage. To be able to really commune with nature, to be at one with the land and know what it was feeling… Michael snapped out of his reverie. Feelings! Hadn’t Scott said he could sense peoples emotions?
*Oh please* Michael thought * Don’t let him be picking up on what I’m feeling. That would be too humiliating for me not to mention what it could be putting him through* Exciting as it was to be surrounded by people who possessed such wide ranging powers nevertheless it did have his drawbacks. Being unable to fully hide what you felt was one of them.
*I’ll just have to get used to it if I want things to work out* Michael realised suddenly. *Sure, I don’t want to be a burden, though to a certain extent that’s exactly what I’m going to be. But if I spend all my time trying to prove I’m Ok when I’m patently not how will I ever be of any use. Won’t it just make things worse if I refuse to ask for help if I need it? There’s a fine line between determination and stubbornness. I’d better be careful I don’t let my pride push me over it.*
He looked round at the other students and felt some of the tension ease out of him.* I’m not in this alone* he told himself. *I’ve been so worried about not letting the team down that I haven’t taken into account the fact that we are a team. They’re going to be there for me just like I’ll be there for them. After all that’s what this training mission is all about, isn’t it. Getting to know each other. And that means learning about each others weaknesses as well as their strengths.*
Suddenly things didn’t seem quite so hopeless. He didn’t fool himself that it was going to be easy, already his body was protesting and he knew the walk through this treacherous terrain was going to be a nightmare. But still, if he had to admit that he needed a hand it wouldn’t be the end of the world. He had to start getting close to these people, letting them get to know him as he really was not just as he’d like to be. Michael as well as Hood. *I just have to do my best and trust that that will be enough for them. And if its not then at least I’ll have given it my best shot. Even if I fail that’s got to count for something, right?*
Lexi was summing up now, getting ready to lead them out on the mission.
"Our main priorities should be heading out in the right direction, making sure we have all our supplies and finding a place for Michael's body. Once we've got a good start then we can all contribute, while walking, to form a strategy to find the best course to our meeting point and we need a method for dealing with any teams we may meet along the way. she concluded .
*Hmm Walking and thinking at the same time, that’s going to be challenging.* Michael though ironically. Still he refused to let his newly found resolve falter.
“Without further ado…..” As Lexi and the others prepared to leave the clearing Michael took a firm grip off his crutches and hobbled over to Scott and Tessa aware of how awkward his progress looked and the fact that his discomfort was painfully obvious. Still there was a determined grin on his face as he said “Some field trip eh? Not exactly what I was expecting. I’m thinking of phoning the travel company and getting my money back.”
Re: The Clearing: Green Strike Force
As Ben listened to Lexi answered Michael’s question his heart sank a little, it was going to be a long and painstaking walk for the other mutant. Ben had been able to see how much Michael’s leg had troubled him on the even floors of the institute and now by the look of things the floor was going to be far from even… he was just going to have to see if they could find a compromise. He was good with maps and it may just be that their target was not that far away although it was highly unlikely that it was going to be as close as a couple of miles.
Ben mind was brought back to the conversation at hand, May had said something about being discreet and the faery prince was asking if there were any specific rules to this task. As it turned out there were none so every team member was going to be able to use their powers to their full extent.
Lexi gave them their main goals for this mission: provisions, navigation and with a bit of luck a convenient place for Michael’s body. Well all of those things seemed to be pretty much essential and as it stood they could only achieve one of the three for the moment and that was working out where they were going.
Taking a deep breath he decided that it might be a good idea if he offered to do the navigating. He smiled, it had taken a long time and a lot of head banging before his scout leaders had managed to get him to read a map properly but in the end it had paid of… he just hoped someone had thought of providing them a compass with that map.
Glancing over at Michael to make sure he was ready to go he noticed that the other mutant had already got into the whole team bonding spirit and was making his way over to Tess and Scott. It would be nice to get to know other people, especially for Michael who had only been here for a couple of days.
Seeing that he was not going to be needed around Michael, Ben decided that he would try and help his friend by finding him a decent spot to leave his body. He walked up to Lexi and offered her a smile. The two of them had not as yet spoken one to one and it was slightly awkward.
“Hey, I figured that I should tell you that I don’t have a problem seeing Scott anymore.”
He did not let her comment on that statement, he was to embarrassed about not seeing him in the first place, he did not need reminded that if Michael had not managed to talk him round to the idea of fearies they would all still have a major problem.
“Anyway if you need someone to navigate I’m not too bad with a map. And if you could show me where were headed to I can try and see if I can find a decent place for Michael’s body. Oh and if you had a compass that would help.”
OOC: If someone could tell me how far were goignt to have to travel I can try and incorporate some kind of plan in my next post that is unless someone else want to do it
Re: The Clearing: Green Strike Force(Did most of this at the internet place... forgive me if there's any inconsistancies, I tried to fix it all but I may have missed things!!)
"I can't hear it," Came her reply, although it wasn’t unexpected he did wonder how strong her fairy blood was since he has never seen a halfblood before and isn’t sure of their link with nature. "I can feel it though, such excitement," That was still something indeed, and her smile seemed to form an automatic smile in Scott.
"We're aloud to use our powers on the island and while some people may have more active powers in a different sense that they use I don't see anything wrong or in the rules against using yours. I don't see a problem with getting help from nature at all," There was a pleased sensation inside of her and it delighted Scott since he always did worry that his ramblings annoyed or bored others. He wasn’t used to not understanding so many basic things, being a Prince he was very well educated in his culture and the abundance of cultures around him, unfortunately the human culture was mainly just learnt from stories they told. And not all the stories were exactly true, a lot of them were very brutal and described them as often vile monsters without any manners, like wild giants roaming the lands.
"Well if that's all the questions then I think we can begin to move ahead," Admittedly Scott had a few more but none that were really about what they were doing… mainly he wasn’t sure what points where, and there seemed to a few different times these point things were mentioned. He wondered if it had to do with actual points, as in something sharp and pointy, but then that didn’t make sense… where they going to get poked with sharp things depending on how well or how poorly they do? "We've got a map and help from mother nature herself," An excited look spouted on Scott’s features as he wondered how Lexi managed to gain help from mother nature, though there were many spirits of nature she was the most powerful of all. It was only after he thought about the likelihood of the powerful spirit taking part in these games that he realized she had to be talking about his and Tessa’s ability to commune with nature.
"Our main priorities should be heading out in the right direction-" That sounded like a good idea Sin thought rather sarcastically, May offering a slight crooked smirk in the corner of her lips at his mental comments in her mind, though negative they were somewhat amusing. "-making sure we have all our supplies and finding a place for Michael's body." Scott glanced over towards the boy, he did not understand at first why Michael had those things he was holding onto, but soon the purpose of the crutches became clear. It was extremely rare for fairies to be born with physical deformities, but many have been wounded and harmed with their fragile bodies easily damaged by the grabbing hands of excited children trying to catch them or escaping some other sorts of creatures. Generally they had magic to help cure their seemingly fatal or permanent injuries, Scott wondered why humans did not have the same abilities, surely there had to be great healers that could mend that leg of his? "Once we've got a good start then we can all contribute, while walking, to form a strategy to find the best course to our meeting point and we need a method for dealing with any teams we may meet along the way." While Scott’s eyes grew distracted with other things and his mind slipped away from what Lexi was saying about teams and methods of strategies, May found herself hoping they’d run across a team sooner rather then later.
"Without further ado," A slight tilt of his head showed Scott trying to figure out what she was saying, but realized mainly from her body language that they were to start moving off.
The curious fairy found himself peering over the leaders shoulder for a moment to stare at the map within her hands, there was greens and blues and a lot of lines and scribbles, none of it made any sense to him but he did have a highly amused expression. They were going to find their way using this thing? He felt like chuckling, however he had been wrong with the jet so he was going to try and not judge these strange tools the humans used too poorly till he knows for certain their worth.
There was a beautiful melody in the air, a delightful sensation that hummed with a brilliance of chimes that not only echoed inside the very core of the enchanted Prince but also was seen as the flora themselves seemed all the more vibrant within the presence of the fairies. Every part of Scott screamed out for him to just zoom off and take in the simple pleasure of rushing through nature, it was hard for him to act like the other humans and gave a slight look of anxiety when his attention shifted constantly from one thing to another.
Wouldn’t Michael get lonely left on his own? Admittedly Scott was perplexed as to the sudden change from the elf kind appearance to this weaker more human wreak. Earlier that day the boy hadn’t been limping around like that, in fact he had been amazing, a spring in every step. Understanding that the difference was because his power came into play when he was better Scott didn’t feel the need to question but still wished he understood more clearly what caused the different in demeanour. There was a struggle to remember the blondes warning from earlier this morning about him being a burden of some kind, still Scott could see more then the shell and what was within was still worth admiring.
“Some field trip eh? Not exactly what I was expecting. I’m thinking of phoning the travel company and getting my money back.” Scott offered a smile despite not having any idea what the human was on about, he was just amazed that Michael was keeping up such a brave face.
“Hey, I figured that I should tell you that I don’t have a problem seeing Scott anymore.” Although not intending on ears dropping it wasn't like there was a great distance between them all and Scott was very keen on picking up things when he was paying attention so carefully in this unfamiliar area with unfamiliar people. The Prince glanced a little towards Ben before staring down at the ground a little. Scott assumed that the other could see him now, the older looking man had glanced at him more then once, even if they were awkward and a sense of humiliation filled him.
“Anyway if you need someone to navigate I’m not too bad with a map. And if you could show me where were headed to I can try and see if I can find a decent place for Michael’s body. Oh and if you had a compass that would help.” Scott was looking over towards the leader and Ben, listening a little unsurely as they once again talked about leaving Michael's body. The only reason Scott wasn't panicking was because Michael had mentioned once before about being in two places at once.
"What is a compass?" The words slipped out, not really matching with his thoughts but a question that he had on his mind none the less. A whistling of birds in the trees had Scott glance up at them and quickly reply to their questions. "Oh, no thank you, he might fall." One of them tried to say his branch was strong enough to hold anything, his mate offered a rather indignant reply and flew off to see if she could be of more help for the Prince. "oh, you don't have-thank you." They all were really eager to be of help and Scott wasn't used to so much attention, being the youngest of five tended to leave him in the shadows often. He was just glade most didn't address him and the few that did only called him Vohan.
For a moment Scott had an impressive little smile that hinted he wasn't used to that amount of attention, but then he focused on Michael once more. He wasn't overly concerned since the others where going to also try and find somewhere for Michael, maybe Scott could ask some of the creatures to watch over his body.
"What happens when you sleep?" Unsure if it was something he was allowed to ask without making the other uncomfortable, Scott seemed a little nervous regardless of the eager delight he seemed to have talking with the astral projectin mutant while Ben and Lexi where discussing things. "Will you be alone?" That was why he didn't like the idea of asking, being alone probably wasn't the best thing for him, whether he wanted it or not. "I could fly back really quickly to keep you company if you wanted." Scott added keenly in case the answer was yes, his wings excitedly lifted but his eyes darted over towards May for a moment as she was looking around and they similtaniously dropped down again.
Re: The Clearing: Green Strike Force
As Lexi finished speaking and took her first steps she glanced at Michael, a split second's gaze but one that was analytical enough for the Leader to attempt to see how Michael was coping with her plan of progression. He didn't look so bad but as soon as the group began to move she looked back once more and this time his pain was evident. Lexi cringed to herself as she absently twirled an auburn lock of hair. Am I asking too much of him? she asked herself. It was their very first mission as a team and it had been brave of Michael to venture along at all and now to ask this of him, Lexi felt like a tyrant even though she remembered the phrase 'no pain, no gain' well from her childhood. There was nothing she could do now though and she couldn't sacrifice her entire team for Michael. Lexi could rely only on the fact that he would tell her when he could go no further, all she could do was trust him to make this judgement as she had given him that option. For if he went on too far and injured himself further the new leader didn't think she'd be able to forgive herself.
Tess, with her sensitivity to nature and her natural sympathy with people, nearly winced as she saw Michael attempt to hobble over to her and Scott. It wasn't meant to come across as the sort of pity that people in predicaments of pain usually hated, more as an expression of genuine feeling and empathy. Yet despite his discomfort Michael's face wore a grin as he said, “Some field trip eh? Not exactly what I was expecting. I’m thinking of phoning the travel company and getting my money back.”
The faerie girl glanced over at Scott who didn't seem to know exactly what Michael was saying although Scott appeared pleasant and nodded. "Yeah this is a major waste, and to think it was between this and Tahiti," Tess joked, playing along with the other boy's lighthearted comment.
"What is a compass?" The seemingly random words burst from Scott's mouth but Tess remembered when things had been new to others she had known and she remembered spending time with Aisha whose world was so different from her own that she had to learn what several things were for or remember them from her childhood. "It's a tool for navigating, finding your direction so if you're North or South and what way your destination is in," Tess explainned, hoping that her explanation would suffice since she hadn't really felt the need to use a compass much during her life thus far.
The violet eyed mutant watched and listened as Scott spoke with the birds. She listened closely and picked up their conversation herself and smiled brightly as Scott talked back. It was such a new and exciting experience to have someone with her who could also talk to creatures in nature. Always in the past she had receieved questionning looks and had had to explain. As a child it had been even worse as other children had assumed, the few times she forgot and used her powers to talk back, that she was talking to nothing or was only pretending animals could talk. She had never thought she'd find someone who understood let alone talked back and the experience was so wonderful that Tess felt her whole face brighten for no other reason than that one. She smiled also at Scott's excited questions, his curiosity was something she found interesting and amusing and the questions he asked were always interesting even if they were things no one else would ever ask. To have a faerie friend was shaping up to be even better than she had dared to hope.
Lexi found herself walking alone in front with Michael having joined the two faeries behind her but she was not left in solitude for long as Ben approached her with a smile. They had not yet spoken one on one and the conversation was a first in that respect. Since he hadn't approached her directly before the red haired mutant wondered briefly what he could have to say to her but she soon recieved her response.
“Hey, I figured that I should tell you that I don’t have a problem seeing Scott anymore". Lexi's relief at this statement was immense and her smile grew. This would make things alot easier for the team as a whole and for Scott himself since Lexi had seen the disappointment fill his blue eyes at being invisible to one person. She did not get a chance to comment though as Ben moved directly on. “Anyway if you need someone to navigate I’m not too bad with a map. And if you could show me where were headed to I can try and see if I can find a decent place for Michael’s body. Oh and if you had a compass that would help.”
Lexi smiled back at him, glad for the offered help. "Well I took geography so I'm alright with the navigating but I don't know much about Michael's powers. You seem to know more than me thanks to experience so if you wanted help find a spot that would be great," she finished and her smile almost beammed now. Having heard about some of the other teams and the horror stories of their training room sessions and meetings Lexi was relieved to have a team like this who were willing to co-operate with one another. They may have their weaknesses as I have mine, she thought to herself, but teamwork right off the bat makes up for it. Indeed strength and use of powers would come with practice, time and experience but students actually learning to like eachother was a little harder to teach.
Lexi pulled out the map from her pocket where she had placed it a moment earlier and unfolded it so that it could be seen but would still allow them to walk without obstruction of view or slowly the pace too much. The Green Strike Force Leader's eyes scanned the surface, finally finding the destination. "We're headed up here," she said. "It'll be a long hike but our path is almost due North." Allowing Ben a good look at the map Lexi stopped speaking, letting him look it over and decide for himself.
Suddenly remembering one more point she had forgotten to mention Lexi addressed the group as they walked, or hobbled as the case was for one, along. "I forgot to mention it but although we're aloud to use our powers remember that part of this mission is to not rely fully on power strength but also on the natural resources around us". She stopped for a moment and favoured both faeries with a smile, "With two faeries we shouldn't have a problem and if you find anything that you think might be useful to our mission to help us along the way please let us know Scott, Tess or anyone else. Please remember not to wear yourselves out with the usage of your powers, we do need to conserve strength as this is a long weekend but it is also important to use what we have when needed so there is a judgement call involved there for each of us to make."
Re: The Clearing: Green Strike Force"Yeah this is a major waste, and to think it was between this and Tahiti," Michael’s grin broadened at Tessa’s reply.*So she had a sense of humour!* That made things easier. Sometimes it was simpler to pass things off with a joke than to go into the gory details. He had noticed the look on her face as he had approached but it had held neither contempt nor pity, just the sympathetic understanding that one might expect from a concerned team mate.
It cheered him up considerably that the others hadn’t seemed to outraged by his awkward presence. He had tried to warn them that he was bound to cause problems but there was a difference between being told something and seeing it with your own eyes. But no one had said anything negative. Even May had seemed to be ready to give him the benefit if the doubt. Out of all his new acquaintances it had been her reaction that he had feared the most.
He had seen how she handled herself in the Danger Room. It was clear that she was much more experienced than the rest of them, a cool and competent fighter with an impressive array of powers, she made most of them look like the rank amateurs they undoubtedly were. Only Ben had shown something approaching a degree of training that could compare to hers. So Michael had half expected her to underline the very obvious down side of having to drag him around; slowing down the team; forcing them always to take his safety into consideration. That she hadn’t done so made him feel more optimistic about the whole undertaking. If they could work together then maybe they could really make a go of this.
He listened as Ben offered his help with the navigation, mentioning in passing that he now had no difficulty in seeing the fairy Prince. That was already a great step forward. Michael realised how lucky he was to be on the same team as Ben. Having an even faintly familiar face present at the team meeting had gone a long way to helping Michael overcome his initial trepidation at being suddenly catapulted into this unfamiliar world.
Later however when Darklight had accompanied Michael from the med lab to the awaiting aircraft he had known how to help without making the other boy feel too self conscious about his disabilities. Present, but not smothering, always waiting for Michael to manage on his own but there to assist if he didn’t. It was a line lots of people didn’t manage to walk and Michael was grateful that he had found at least one team member who did so with ease.
Now Tessa was explaining compasses to Scott. The two fairies seemed to enjoy each others company. Tessa’s face lit up each time she looked at the Prince and Scott… well he delighted in her as he so obviously delighted in everything that surrounded him. His excitement was contagious lifting Michael’s spirits as he forced himself to keep up with them, taking care to keep his weight off his leg.
He had had a lot of practice with crutches even if in more recent times he had progressed to the use of a cane. *Wonder if I’ll ever manage that again* Michael thought a little sadly.*Anyway now’s not the time to think about that. Let’s just remember how to get along with these things.Come on* he told himself *Its like riding a bicycle Once you learn you never forget*
Some of the old proficiency was coming back making his progress slightly easier though still precarious and pain filled when he heard Scott’s question. "What happens when you sleep?"
At first he was unsure that the fairy was talking to him, he had been having conversations with all manner of things as they walked but turning his head Michael saw the remarkable eyes looking at him, their gaze curious and friendly if a little nervous. "Will you be alone? I could fly back really quickly to keep you company if you wanted."
Michael was absurdly touched by his concern. Far from considering him a hindrance the fairy was worried that he feel lonely and lost. “It’s kind of you to offer Scott. Its true that you’ll have to either leave me behind at some point. Or carry me I suppose. Which will be embarrassing. I doubt I’ll make it all the way to the rendezvous point like this* He glanced down briefly at the crutches then back at Scott.
Michael had caught a brief glimpse of the map. It had seemed like a very long way to their objective. Much further than the two mile radius he had with Hood. It was all very well to talk of hiding his body somewhere but what then? He could only go so far, then Hood would fade and he would find himself as Scott so rightly said alone.*I’ll just have to keep going for as long I can* he thought *and try to think of a solution. Hood is my useful form not this one. Ill have to work out a way to get him into play.* However for the moment he hastened to reassure his team mate.
"You don’t have to worry about me though. I wont really feel like I’m alone It doesn’t work like that." He struggled to find a way of explaining his strange powers in terms the fairy would understand. “ Hood and I, its more like a caterpillar, dreaming of becoming a butterfly. ” he said eventually
“This body, my real body is the caterpillar. But I reckon that was pretty obvious” he added with a grin.“When I sleep as you put it the dream butterfly Hood comes out, leaving my body empty."
"Hood can do all the things that I can’t" he went on "just like the butterfly can fly whereas the caterpillar has to crawl on the ground. But its still the same creature deep down inside. Its just the form that has changed.Though in the case of Hood its not a real form. Just a very convincing dream of one."he concluded.
"So while I’m Hood my body might be alone somewhere but my consciousness will be wherever he is.” He looked apologetically over at the prince “Does that make any sense at all?"
Re: The Clearing: Green Strike Force"Well I took geography so I'm alright with the navigating but I don't know much about Michael's powers. You seem to know more than me thanks to experience so if you wanted help find a spot that would be great,"
Lexi smiled wildly at him, she seemed to have lost some of the tension that had been visible in her eyes since this morning. He smiled back at her, it did indeed seem that their team was coming together Scott, Tess and Michael were holding a conversation to their right and May walked on their left.
As Lexi took out the map Ben looked at May, she had not really spoken much and had that confident yet mysterious thing going on… Maybe he should try and talk to her once the route had been planned out. Turning his attention back to the map and the point to which Lexi was pointing to Ben groaned. It was going to be a LONG walk and it looked like it was going to be mostly through forest. All of this would make life very difficult for Michael.
By the looks of it their trip was going to be around 16 miles long. 16 miles! How where they going to manage to cover that kind of distance without killing Michael. Ben’s mind raced, he knew that the other mutants power had a radius of around 2 miles but by the look of things there wasn’t going to be anywhere they could leave his body that would be of any use to them. He sighed, they were just going to have to wait and see how far he could walk and then make a decision on what to do. It was a shame that Michael felt to embarrassed to be carried, although the task of carrying him would have been a difficult one as the terrain was pretty unstable. And regretfully he could carry himself; Ben had seen that Hood was reabsorbed into Michael’s body upon contact.
The map disappeared from his sight as Lexi turned to address the rest of the group. She spoke about using natural resources the island provided and to be careful not to over use ones powers. It was at that time that Ben realised that they were probably going to have to find food and such like on there way, so he was going to have to keep his eyes open and his mind sharp. He could not afford to go around mopping because the situation seemed impossible, he was now aware of the possible problems that they could encounter and he would deal with them as they arose.
“Well it looks like we go North then. I can’t see anywhere that would readily offer itself to hiding Michael’s body so I suggest we just keep walking and deal with it when he feels he can’t go on. Oh and we might want to go round that swampy ground,”
He pointed at the part of the map that signalled swampy ground, they did not to go through it just past its fringes but with Michael’s crutches soft ground was a bad idea.
“because crutches and mud don’t mix.”
He smiled broadly at her before indicating that he was going to go and see if he could get a conversation out of May. He walked up to her and matched his pace to hers. He walked quietly for a short while as they passed into slight tree cover. He looked up, with the special sun specks that had been designed for him he could actually look up at the sky through the trees and the sun/shade/sun effect did not affect his allergy. He could not stare at it long as it did make him slightly dizzy, instead he turned to May.
“Hi, we haven’t really been formally introduced, I’m Ben.”
He knew it was a pretty cheesy way to start things of but well he hadn’t thought of anything better to say.
"Yeah this is a major waste, and to think it was between this and Tahiti," For a moment there was a slight feel of being left out of what was being said, however it didn’t bother him so much as made him wish he knew more about the odd phrasing of words humans so often used, and Scott was pretty sure they were speaking of other lands they knew about.
"It's a tool for navigating, finding your direction so if you're North or South and what way your destination is in," Although the explanation was simple enough to understand, Scott was amazed at how such a device would work, a moment given to ponder that theory left his mind spinning with only additional confusion. He’s already accepted that humans were unable to sense things with nature and therefore Scott’s natural sense of direction didn’t make him think too long on the human’s lack of such a basic gift.
"Well I took geography so I'm alright with the navigating but I don't know much about Michael's powers. You seem to know more than me thanks to experience so if you wanted help find a spot that would be great," May listened yet without appearing to be giving her undying attention, after all the conversation didn’t even involve her, instead the hazel eyes easily wondering off to watch the trees and any sounds that may have caught her attention.
"We're headed up here," Though part of May wanted to go and see the map and figure out where they were heading, another part wanted to at least keep that a secret so there was at least some mystery to this whole outing.. "It'll be a long hike but our path is almost due North." North huh? That didn’t seem too bad, perhaps things will prove more interesting once they get deeper into the island. May refused to look back at Michael, she didn’t want to risk Sin’s control slipping and the chance of him seeing any sort of scornful prejudice and intolerance that the alien symbiont felt so strongly. Everyone had their down points, a partly insane, foul mouthed alien blob was just one of hers like Michael’s bad leg was his. As long as she didn’t get too involved with them then there was no chance of slipping up and getting on anyone’s bad side, so far they all seemed to get along nicely and she knew she was going to be the one to put a sour rain cloud over the heads of this ‘perfect’ team.
When Lexi addressed the team again Scott wondered how talking with nature could prove taxing, but ignored that detail since he knew she was being serious and that he could still get worn out if he remained in his human form constantly. After all, for him, walking was far more tiring then flying, which is why he was worried about the whole lack of sleep that he fears Lexi meant when on about keeping ones eyes open constantly. Though of course he knew it was also to do with being watchful, not many could keep a continuous state of alert.
“It’s kind of you to offer Scott. Its true that you’ll have to either leave me behind at some point. Or carry me I suppose. Which will be embarrassing. I doubt I’ll make it all the way to the rendezvous point like this” The boy glanced down at the crutches, and Scott followed gaze out of curiosity, it seemed very awkward to move with them and yet he was managing it quite well with all things considering.
"You don’t have to worry about me though. I wont really feel like I’m alone It doesn’t work like that." A blink was followed by an expression of intent listening – come a horde of dazzling phoenix’s or a stampede of wild unicorns, Scott’s attention will not wane, this the Prince was determined to achieve! “ Hood and I, its more like a caterpillar, dreaming of becoming a butterfly. ” The structure caused a somewhat surprised lift of Scott’s brow, admittedly, he can’t recall offhand many humans other then Heath and occasionally Riley and Connor speak of nature in a way to translate things for Scott. Not that the Prince found it undignifying, having everyone struggle to translate simple things in a way they figured he’d understand, on the contrary he enjoyed it so much.
“This body, my real body is the caterpillar. But I reckon that was pretty obvious” A warm smile spread without any sign of condemning the obvious statement with a show of agreement, instead one of pure exuberance towards the cheerful thought that this human was indeed a friendly one. “When I sleep as you put it the dream butterfly Hood comes out, leaving my body empty." Like an abandoned cacoon… Well, Astral projection went completely over Scott’s head but put like that it made perfect sense that the intelligent Prince could easily handle piecing together.
"Hood can do all the things that I can’t" Like an Elf and a Dwarf. The thought caused an amused twinkle in Scott’s eyes which would have probably been difficult to see considering they were already alive in an array of excitement, like an abundance of diamonds scattered over a bright magnificent sea on a clear summer day, "just like the butterfly can fly whereas the caterpillar has to crawl on the ground. But its still the same creature deep down inside. Its just the form that has changed.Though in the case of Hood its not a real form. Just a very convincing dream of one." Scott was running things over in his mind, realizing how headstrong he has gotten over this whole ‘elf kin’ side of Michael, another amused tug at his the corners of his lips brightened his smile as he pictured Michael being a short little Dwarf with head strong pride and then turning into a magnificent elf with such precision and grace.
Even though there was a polite little smile on May’s lips as she listened to everyone, her mind appeared highly distracted with her own thoughts and she didn’t fully consider the fact that everyone was starting to form bonds and she was going to be the only person who wasn’t part of those bonds – aside from the leader that is. It wasn’t like Lexi could quite literally buddy up with any of them, she wasn’t really allowed to, she had to make sure they understood she was their leader out here, not their best mate, otherwise there will come times when things will become very strenuous. Of course that didn’t mean she couldn’t befriend all of them, they could all become the best of chums, but there will always be that line that separates Lexi, as long as she is their leader, she can never ignore that unseen yet ever present line.
"So while I’m Hood my body might be alone somewhere but my consciousness will be wherever he is.” Now there was no problems for the Prince to understand Michaels powers, unless someone else tried to explain the scientific facts along with all of that, Scott was perfectly fine in understanding exactly how it works. “Does that make any sense at all?" An assuring and ever prominent smile flourished once more to show he understood, giving a slight bow of his head to signal his yes, his eyes closing shortly as was habitual when doing that gesture. The bright gaze fluently returning to the young man, maybe in this world Scott seemed a little naïve and clueless, but in his world, he was well educated and highly knowledgeable in all sorts of things.
"You’re body is a shell in which you live, yet your cage has an open gate wherein your mind can escape, and your spirit soars freely from its confines." Although saying to show he understand, there was also the chance he misunderstood and therefore recapping it allowed any errors to be corrected, a proud grin was worn to show how he enjoyed the hopeful chance he may have gotten it all accurate. The bombardment of emotions caused the rather common occurrence in most light eyed individuals, and that was a slight colour shift of his eyes, the excitement setting afire violent bursts in their depths as chemicals effected the hue, the colour not an unusual one in the fairy lineage as Tessa was proof of that. Just as his eyes turned a steely grey where sad, depressed, or even extremely angry, however Scott was oblivious to the shimmery violets starting to burn in his gaze as he thought.
"Your butterfly has the aptitude of a noble elf," A slight flicker of mischief dazzled his gaze as he added, "And your caterpillar the obduracy of a dignified Dwarf." Although Dwarves are fully aware of what they can and cannot do, they can push themselves to their limits without foolishly transcending them, true that not all could do such, letting their pride cloud their judgement, but the popular ones you read about don’t tend to let such things get the best of them. It was lucky for Scott that not only were the enchanted races of his world told in many stories by the humans, but also that this human in particular was quite the booklover and read a great deal many things. So when Scott did refer to his own world there was less chance of him getting those blank stares that he’d consistently achieve with many of the precious few who saw him – being one of the reasons he had gotten so fond of Connor and Riley.
"One’s weakness is another’s strength; ones strength can over come another’s weakness, you are shrewd to know your spirit is the strength that over comes your limitations, and lucky to have such an incredible capability." Granted there was still the fact that Michael’s body was left in a state less then safe, forming another weakness on top of his leg, however in a team Scott didn’t see that as too big a problem, there were many of them, and he wouldn’t mind if he had to stay behind every time just to watch over the human. However the way Scott formed the sentence was rather vague in regards to the fact he used both the term ‘spirit’ and ‘capability’, hinting that perhaps the Prince may have been referring to the boys strong will, that perhaps that was Michael’s strongest attribute… then again Scott could merely have been referring to Hood as the spirit as he had done earlier, that was for Scott to know, and others to access and contemplate – if they even picked up on the subtle hint. After all, he was a fairy Prince, there were still the times his blood lineage got the better of him and added that sparse enigmatic comment or two.
At least both the things he said showed the relatively young fairy that he could be both playful and serious, without constantly having his head in the clouds or his heart heavy with distraught. The same gleaming smile returned as he watched the boy for a moment, slightly getting distracted with either watching his feet (after all, the amount of times he’s tripped over was uncountable) and Tessa as he randomly kept slipping his eyes back towards her – partly so that it didn’t appear as if he wasn’t including her and partly since he was at the point where it seemed a good sprint around the island was what he needed to get the exuberant amount of positive energies drained out of him… though even then he would probably still collapse with a grin and a chuckle.
During the conversation the others had been having, Ben had finished talking with Lexi and seemed to have shifted over towards May, Sin’s whispers making the other mans presence fully known even if she was deaf, dumb and blind. Wonderful, He scolded in the back of her mind, Just when things were getting boring, he comes to irritate us as well. May quite stubbornly ignored the alien’s cruel statements, it wasn’t so bad really, he wasn’t speaking, for May that was the best kind of company in her opinion, the less communication she has with others the less chance of Sin saying something to ruin any chance of them wanting her around.
“Hi, we haven’t really been formally introduced, I’m Ben.” The first thought that came to the other dimensional girl was ‘My grandfather was called Ben’, her eyes had turned to look at him, on the verge of actually saying just that before she merely offered a small smile. Interesting move Parker, you going to smile at them for the entire trip? She berated herself irritably before looking away and studying the path ahead, her eyes flicking over the trail before returning to him.
"May," Yes, she was entirely aware that saying her name and smiling politely probably wasn’t the greatest of replies but she really was at a loss on what else to add. Of course there was going to be curiosity about her, she was the only one who didn’t introduce herself… And they were all chumming up at the moment, they’d probably get annoyed if she continued being evasive, she had to say something, but she didn’t want to lie, and lying was the only way she could really continue interacting with these people. Come on, she was an other-dimensional girl from a possible future who was on the run from some twisted person who was after the alien symbiont which has attached itself to her. Can anyone else so trouble with a capital T? Who would want her around?
Well avoiding this forever wasn’t going to work and either was remaining absolutely silent, she just had to make sure to keep things short and perhaps later when they got to know her a little she can try and get into the deeper details over Sin…perhaps she ought to settle with just saying she has a split personality…
With her hands warmly hidden away in the pockets of her dark green cotton jacket, the front zipped up just over her chest but not right up to the collar, enough to reveal the tight red top beneath with a black spider on the front of the costume hidden, extremely dark green greens were worn beneath with black leather boots, it wasn’t like she had a great deal of option on what she wore – all she had was what Xavier’s rooms were filled with for newly arriving students. Lucky for her Sin could double as a wardrobe, unfortunately she was a little nervous over going out and fighting with only her symbiont on, after all, a loud sonic sound or hot fire and the symbiont peels away from her skin – which would leave her naked. Since she had worn her Spider outfit under the symbiont’s armour earlier that dad, May still had that on under her clothes, which she had worn over her costume in the morning before and after their training session in the danger room. The young photographer had distracted herself with taking pictures with the camera Xavier had given her in an attempt to prove they meant her no harm and in hopes that May would fight for control instead of letting the insane Venom have control.
On the front of her shirt, hanging by the collar, was a pair of thin-framed silver glasses, slender with an emerald hue to their lenses that were without any frame around them. For now her hair was out though she had a hair tie in her jacket pocket, the tight fitting costume under her clothes was making her all the more uncomfortable since she was getting warm from walking and she was sure she was just going to get hotter unless the weather got colder, and taking off her jumper mean either showing her costume (and she has noticed Scott’s apprehension towards her and the spider emblem she often bares) or rather conspicuously allowing Sin to form a false ‘shirt’ over her costume. Well, come to think of it, why can’t Sin create the shirt while she had the jacket on? That sounded like a good plan she decided, but she’ll put it off for now… when she gets hot she’ll change. The boots were not real, they were just Sin’s make shift armour, beneath which she wore her costume’s boots. About her waist a belt of black leather, silver rings run along the center of it, small holes inside the rings with a pouch on her left and a slender pouch on her right side. The one on her left had her mask neatly folded in it, the one on her right her camera and two smaller pouches beside them held smaller devices she arrived with, her spider tracers and such for those emergency situations she’s all too familiar with. Growing up in a dimension where mutants were hunted down as if they were criminal’s taught her to always be prepared, even if she wandered just down the hall she’d not feel secure unless she had a utility belt of some fashion about her waist.
"You’re worried for him," There was something in her voice she hadn’t intended to be there, that slight feel of uncertainty and yet wishful thoughts that someone would feel such a way for her, it had been a few short years since her parents were murdered by the sentinels so there wasn’t anyone else who was there to worry over her save for Felicity, and even then May pushed her friend away. There was a faint little smile as she looked ahead, she didn’t miss being smothered, but she did miss having someone worry, even if she’d just get annoyed with them always fussing over her. It just seemed odd to her that he would be concerned for the safety of the other boy when there were so many others around to help him and share his burden. "If there’s a problem, we can bear him, we’re stronger then the impression we gave earlier," Her gaze shifted back to him, completely oblivious to the fact she was addressing herself in the habitual form symbionts tended to do, since they weren’t perfectly merged together, May still fought to have her own mind and Sin refused to give up his independence and merge with May’s way of thinking. Thus making them two completely separate individuals that both still addressed as such, even when regarding their joint actions, a habit that was extremely hard to break since she’s been doing it for so long, though when she wasn’t so alert and more relaxed she found it easier to be herself and address herself as ‘I’.
Re: The Clearing: Green Strike Force
Tess looked over, watching Michael and Scott interact with a slight smile. She was curious by nature, finding Scott's questions amusing. She also liked that their team, which had previously seemed so divided with herself and Scott, Ben and Michael and their leader and May each standing seperately, seemed to be bridging the gaps. Tessa was a peacemaker by nature and she often made friends easily although at first the mutant teens at the institute had been wary of the half faerie. Sometimes she had felt the gap deeply, the fact that her powers were different from those of the others and that no matter how friendly they were she would always be apart from them for it. It had gotten better as the months passed and she made lifelong friends but there had still been pangs that she assumed most adopted children felt around this point in their lives. Pangs for home or for something, some little fragment of where she was suposed to belong to hold onto. Violet eyes glanced over at Scott with a twinkle. In Scott she had found a connection to her past and more than that. He wasn't just someone like her, he was someone who she enjoyed talking to and spending time with. Scott was just..Scott and she liked that although she couldn't seem to admit just how much.
The Faerie girl listened to the caterpillar-butterfly analogy with a slight smile crossing her face. She found it an interesting nature comparison and listened with curiousity at the explanation Michael gave since she herself hadn't known much about his powers. Before Scott's question she hadn't given much thought to his abilities to be honest but there was a great deal more to everyone's mutant powers than a simple sentence, if nothing else she had learned that during her months here.
“Well it looks like we go North then. I can’t see anywhere that would readily offer itself to hiding Michael’s body so I suggest we just keep walking and deal with it when he feels he can’t go on. Oh and we might want to go round that swampy ground.”
Lexi nodded as Ben pointed to the patch that signified a swamp upon the map of the island. She couldn't help but smile ever so slightly at his help and the chatter behind her from Michael and Scott and for a moment she felt very lucky to have a team like this.
“because crutches and mud don’t mix,” Ben added and Lexi nodded. That had occured to her briefly but she wasn't keen on tramping through a swamp anyway if there was a way to avoid it. She caught Ben's broad smile and seemed almost dazed by it. It was odd that the two of them who had been so awkward before would now be so friendly and yet it felt right and she was glad of it. It would have been difficult if she, a first time leader, had gotten a team she couldn't manage and the friendliness of them made it all a great deal easier on her and her nerves. He left and Lexi folded the map up so it was easier to glance at and to walk at the same time. She looked back over her shoulder to make sure everyone was still keeping the pace, concerned about Michael more than anything, and her eyes focused on Ben introducing himself to May. Lexi hid her smile, so pleased that the team were beginning to really come together and, if she used the rather cheesy word, 'bond'.
Tess smiled as Scott did. Michael's explanation had been carefully thought out it seemed and she understood every word which, for a non science person like her, was a good thing. Some people had tried to explain their powers to her in sciemtific terms and it had never gone well with Tessa always nodding and the knowledge going right over her head. Scott recapped Michael's words and Tess continued to smile for the words Scott used were beautiful. She had picked up that he didn't understand some terms that humans used but also knew that his word choice, while odd, was pleasantly refreshing and beautiful. She looked as his eyes seemed to change colour in an instant, reflecting a violet like her own and gazed in wonder. He had very bright eyes, she had noticed that right away when meeting him and it made sense for hers had always been brighter than most as well. The colour change accentuated them though and Tess had to yank her gaze away.
The Faerie girl smiled at his comments. She didn't know of the creatures in the world that was hers by heritage but she did love to read and always had so the mention of otherwordly creatures was not lost on her although she didn't realise that they were real. Tess had always accepted somethings and her mind was open to nearly anything but until she saw something she didn't really ever think about it and she hadn't thought of Elves and Dwarves as anything more than fictional characters she had found once in the pages of a fantasy novel. It never even crossed her mind, obvious as it was, that Scott hadn't read so many human books and that his comments were based elsewhere. She noticed also the including eyes of Scott and was welcome. Had she ever felt like she was butting in on the conversation she would have moved ahead or to the rear to give the boys space.
Lexi twirled a red lock around her finger absently as she studied the map. It wouldn't be wise to go directly through the centre of the island. Her gut told her that much as did experience. There was often a hunter team closer to the meeting point in the centre of the island and she would be remiss if she didn't learn from her experiences as a part of a training team as a student. Her Team Leader had told them all that carefully, probably for them to store away as future knowledge. They'd been walking for awhile now and Lexi knew that soon they'd all need a rest, particularly Michael although he was putting on a brave face. Studying the map once more Lexi thought that if they curved around to the East and then curved back it would be wiser. It meant a longer walk but the direct route was not always the one to talk and her team needed to learn that.
She stopped and turned to face her team members with a look of authority but flexibility and kindness so that she didn't come across as an evil dictator.
"Alright I've been looking over the map again and I think it would be best if we vered off course to the east and curved back to avoid the true centre of the island where Hunter teams will likely be lying in wait," the auburn-haired woman started. "I know we can't keep up a pace forever so we're going to keep moving then we'll break for food and some rest. This means we have to be on the lookout for anything we can safely eat on this island because we don't have many food supplies, we're expected to fare for ourselves out here."
Lexi paused for a moment, her eyes gazing across the team making eye contact to get across her point. "We'll keep on walking and then we'll have our break, find a spot for Michael's body nearby and then Tess and Scott if you wouldn't mind later scouting ahead for us that would be a big help. How does that sound to everyone? Remember nothing is set in stone and if you have a suggestion you can feel free to put in your imput." Lexi finished a little nervously, hoping that no one thought of her as a horrible person for having planned ahead and made these plans. They were only tentative and could be easily adjusted or changed if anyone found fault but Lexi was hoping she'd get this small triumph, a plan that worked and that her team respected her for because she was too low on confidence in her leading abilities at the moment to be entirely turned down. She had stopped walking earlier and was waiting for everyone to offer somesort of an opinion whether it be 'yay' or 'nay' or even just a non committal mumble. Lexi wanted this to be a democracy sort of a team and she hoped that this came across in her words.
Re: The Clearing: Green Strike Force
Michael laughed in delight. *Gimli and Legolas rolled into one! Now that would be something.* Scott’s analogy showed clearly that he had not only understood Michael’s powers but had also appreciated just what they could represent to someone in his condition "You’re body is a shell in which you live, yet your cage has an open gate wherein your mind can escape, and your spirit soars freely from its confines."*Yes. That’s exactly it* the young man thought. *That’s what Hood is. Freedom and grace. It’s great that he can see that.*
Scott continued to speak, his words indicating sympathy and respect for Michael’s efforts to overcome his handicap rather than any sense that he would be a liability to the team. It was so much more than Michael had hoped for and it lifted his spirits further to feel Tessa’s companionable presence at his shoulder. “Well I’m not sure if I can keep going for as long as a dwarf would but I’ll certainly give it a try” he replied with a grin.
To one side he could see Ben and May walking together occasional words of their conversation drifting back in his direction. "If there’s a problem, we can bear him, we’re stronger then the impression we gave earlier"Some of the happiness he had been feeling seeped away in spite of all his attempts to be rational.
*That’s me they’re talking about* he thought, feeling the blood rush to his face though he knew that the phrase had been uttered in an obviously helpful way, too wrapped up in his own reaction to even wonder who this mysterious ‘we’ she was taking about could be. . He looked down at the treacherous ground hiding his blush from his companions as he struggled to get his emotions under control.
*It’s an offer of assistance* he told himself *Like Ben passing me my crutches or Scott volunteering to stay with my body. She’s trying to make things easier for me, they all are. It’s up to me to lean to accept their help that’s all.*He took a deep breath and gave himself a mental shake, forcing himself to focus on all the positive indications he had received from his fellow students, his natural optimism and determination soon coming to the fore again.
It was strange. As they advanced things got both easier and harder at the same time. Easier as Michael began to relax mentally, realising that this band of strangers he had found himself so unexpectedly part of was beginning to form into a team and one in which he was apparently a welcome part. Harder as he struggled to force his tired body to keep going over the uneven terrain.
Even though they had only covered a small distance, had indeed hardly even started their journey, he could already feel it begin to protest, the movement of the crutches pulling at the recently healed wound in his side, his stronger left leg throbbing with every step as it took his weight. The cheerful banter slowly died away as he was forced to concentrate all his efforts on merely putting one foot in front of the other. The crutches allowed him to keep his shattered right leg off the ground but the mere act of walking sent spasms of pain down it that the morphine was having a hard time keeping at bay. Despite all his brave words the fact remained that he was in no condition to walk for 18 miles and he knew it as well as the others. *Even if I could stand the pain I’m going to slow them down, no matter how hard I try not to* he admitted to himself *Its just a fact of life*
As he struggled to keep up he turned May’s half heard proposition over in his mind, reluctant to be reduced to such an eventuality yet honest enough to know that it was probably the only way forward. *For goodness sake Michael get a grip* he told himself sternly.* You already said to Scott that you’d probably have to be carried sooner or later. Why is that so hard to accept. No one else seems to be having a problem with it, so just swallow your damned pride and recognise that it’s the only reasonable solution.*
He raised his head, looking at his team mates and his leader in particular. She was consulting the map as she walked along obviously trying to figure out the best way to proceed. *She’ll have to take me into consideration when she plans her next move* he thought.*As if things weren’t complicated enough for her on a first mission with a new team. She’s let me keep me my dignity in all this, leaving it up to me to say when I need to rest instead of just ordering me to switch to Hood where I can be useful. The least I can do is to put the good of the team first. If May’s really able and willing to carry me maybe I should seriously consider that as an option.*
He was just about to make his way over to Lexi in order to discuss this possibility when she turned back towards them motioning for the team to stop. "Alright I've been looking over the map again and I think it would be best if we veered off course to the east and curved back to avoid the true centre of the island where Hunter teams will likely be lying in wait"
*Good* Michael thought to himself.*She may be thinking about me but she’s not letting my needs influence her decisions on what’s best for the team as a whole Sure her plan means that we’ll have to walk further but it gives a better chance of staying safe and getting the job done and that’s what counts.*
"We'll keep on walking and then we'll have our break, find a spot for Michael's body nearby and then Tess and Scott if you wouldn't mind later scouting ahead for us that would be a big help." He smiled slightly, his appreciation of Lexi growing by the minute as he saw her try to balance her obvious concern for his well being with the imperatives of the mission. "How does that sound to everyone? Remember nothing is set in stone and if you have a suggestion you can feel free to put in your input."
He sensed a slight anxiety in her voice as she finished outlining her proposals.* She’s new at this too* he realised *It must be really daunting to have all this responsibility suddenly dumped in your lap. Still she needn’t worry She’s doing fine.*
“Sounds good to me” he said “Though if its all right I have a suggestion that might make everybody’s life easier.” Mentally he crossed his fingers hoping the others wouldn’t see how hard it was for him to say this out loud, not realising or an instant how bad he looked or how much of a feat it was for him to have come this far unaided. "I’ve been thinking about the mission and I reckon we might lose marks if everyone doesn’t turn up at the finishing point. In one form or another” he added with a grin. “Now wherever we stop isn’t going to be within two miles of that point so if my body gets left there then Hood wont have the range to make it all the way. And you can hardly keep coming back and shifting me, that would just be daft."
"So" he said taking a deep breath "given that its pretty obvious I’m not going to be able to walk the whole way I would suggest that if May thinks it can be done and is OK with the idea that’s she should…….” When it came to the moment he still hesitated over the word. “………carry me for some of the way. I know it’s a bind but it’s the best solution I can come up with.”
He looked Lexi in the eyes, his own still half filled with the shame he felt at having to make such a suggestion. “What do you think Lexi? Would that help?”
Re: The Clearing: Green Strike Force
“Well I’m not sure if I can keep going for as long as a dwarf would but I’ll certainly give it a try” The flurry of excitement inside Scott swirled wildly, an eager hopefulness for the simple fact Michael knew of these people from Scott’s own world, a hidden world that was older then the one human’s believe to be solely theirs. As humans progressed beyond the enchanted realms, shutting out their brethren with disbelief, the worlds slowly seemed to split, still one, yet totally different. There were still humans in the other realms, still spell casters and barbaric tribes, but the fairies rarely dealt with them, the woodlands around their home had three warring tribes that at the same time also relied on each other for help an support, trading things, watching the different ends of the forests and alerting each other to danger… A fact that puzzled Scott, if they could work together in those ways, then why did they constantly fight each other?
But these humans were something extraordinarily different to any of their kind of from his world, even the infamous schools of humans that study the arcane magic’s of their ancestors were completely different to these humans. Tessa had not appeared confused either, so did that mean that she too knew of the other races that dwelled in his lands so hidden away from their populace?
With the delighted thoughts of possible discussions of a world he missed so dearly, Scott didn’t fully notice the drop of exuberance radiating from the male human until Mike actually struggled to push forth his optimistic attitude to drown out his other emotions of uncertainty and humiliation. So many things were expelling so many different sensations that it was hard for Scott, who hasn’t been so joyful since… well… long before he even left his Kingdom. He has been happy, but happiness was easy for Scott to achieve since so many things pleased him or calmed him. But true happiness, like that of meeting new friends, not one, but many, pushed the joy to levels exceeding that of the common brightness he was used to.
Purposefully avoiding staring at Michael after it become obvious something had bothered him earlier, the natural worry of having done or said something wrong crept into Scott after Michael’s eyes had down cast to the ground and conversation quietened. But before concern could settle in, he had noticed the uncertainty within Tessa as well, which increased the likelihood that it had been directly something Scott had done. The boy’s joy faded after May spoke, although confused he didn’t want it join the soured mood that Michael had momentarily fallen into, even if he had covered it quickly he lost the joy he had previously gained. Instead Scott turned his eyes over towards Tessa, their bursts of violet intensity that fogged the startling blue pupils gradually beginning to fade, a brighter smile flourished on his lips before he once again focused on where he was walking.
Although unburdened by physical handicaps, Scott’s own pace began to dwindle slightly as they ventured further, still possessing the graceful strides of not only his elegant race, but enhanced further by the refined rank of a Princely position that demanded style and poise with every action. Recently his arms folded, baring wings may be freeing and lovely, but human’s did not create clothes suited for such biology as a fairy. And Scott wasn’t aware he could just ask the Headmistress for special attire to be prepared for him, so instead Scott merely cut slits in the back of the shirts and carefully stitched the edges to keep them from taring wider. He was a fantastic tailor, watching his nurse mend his clothes for the past thousand years was bound to improve his skills in the area. But thicker material, such as wool, loose leather, etc, often hurt or made the base of his wings uncomfortable. Plus it made it difficult to fly, so Scott usually wore only nice fitting shirts and if it was cold would have to tolerate having his wings folded beneath the tops, which wasn’t comfortable with his habit of constantly using them or twitching their delicate forms.
This short distance was most likely the longest walk he’s ever done in a single go without rest or flight, but if May got picky about him raising his wings then flying around with a tail of fairy dust sprinkling behind him was definitely not going to please her. Though if he tried really hard he could stop his wings now and then from producing the dazzling effect, he was too young and hadn’t practiced enough to do that trick properly, it made him such an easy target for those that might be chasing him but it just wasn’t something he has set his mind to practicing a lot.
For someone who appeared so fit he really didn’t look like he was enjoying the walk merely by the way he’d stare at the different things that crossed his path, usually a simple stone he could easily step over no matter the size was given a reluctant look of dissatisfaction. It wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy the walk, it was more the thought that if he tired himself out before they actually did anything then he was going to be even more useless then he felt he would be if in top condition.
Constantly trying to distract himself with other things, by small talk, a cheerfulness still evident despite his hidden discontent, at least he thought it was hidden, he didn’t realize the disheartened glances he’d drop unintentionally to the uneven ground. And then Michael seemed entirely focused on his own footings and Scott didn’t want to risk disturbing the other male – he could feel the struggle inside Michael and contrary to gaining Scott’s sympathy, instead Michael achieved a great deal of respect. Entirely fit and healthy and yet the Prince inwardly complained to the travel when here beside him was a boy wounded and in aguish in such extreme levels attempted to carefully be hidden by pride and stubbornness. The elder fairy may respect all things, and saying Michael has his respect may appear to some to be rather bland – since Scott respects all things right off, be them trees or birds or people – but this felt different, more potent then any other he has gained before.
What concerned Scott was that Michael was pushing himself to the boundaries and this may in the end only worsen his condition. If instead of a human Michael had been a fairy, that of Scott’s people and one who Scott was born to protect and care for, the Prince would have insisted at this moment that Michael stop pushing himself to these extremes. A fault with Scott was that he couldn’t shut off his attitude of guarding those around him, of watching out for them and caring for them, it was not just something he was raised and taught to do, it was his own personality and although he was never one to smother not everyone enjoyed an overly friendly hand at the ready every moment of every day. And thoughts like these reminded Scott that it wasn’t his job to deal with the problems of humans, but he could still worry for them, couldn’t he?
At the moment Lexi stopped, Scott’s attention was turned back towards some distant chatter of fighting birds arguing with what he gathered from their far off remarks to be a snake on their tree. It wasn’t correct for Scott to protect an animal from another animal that was hunting them, because then the hunter would starve, that still didn’t mean he enjoyed the thought of creatures being frightened by approaching predators. Still they were far from that tree and he was mostly hearing the echoes of the trees that carried the whispers of warning in their rustling leaves.
"Alright I've been looking over the map again and I think it would be best if we veered off course to the east and curved back to avoid the true centre of the island where Hunter teams will likely be lying in wait" The voice of their leader pulled Scott’s attention back to focus on his current situation, a grateful pause where he stood beside Tessa with the slightest hint of breathlessness taking hold on the fairy unaccustomed to solely walking any sort of distance. The thought of teams laying in wait for them made him feel a little like some timid creature being preyed upon, he really didn’t look forward to any sort of hostile conflict, however he was quite honestly clueless on how these teams handled encounters with each other.
"We'll keep on walking and then we'll have our break, find a spot for Michael's body nearby and then Tess and Scott if you wouldn't mind later scouting ahead for us that would be a big help." So they’d continue walking, apparently break something, find a spot of Michael’s caterpillar to rest will butterfly Hood flies free, when did they get to rest themselves!? He felt much more at ease when he was assigned to scout ahead with Tessa, that way he could at least return to his natural state and fly instead of walking around everywhere, he was quite amazed at how human’s manage to do it so easily.
"How does that sound to everyone? Remember nothing is set in stone and if you have a suggestion you can feel free to put in your input." Scott’s own stubbornness restrained him from asking when they’d stop to rest, he’s heard people mention break before and he just doesn’t understand the need for them to just randomly plan to break things… what do they break? Riley had said; ‘I have a break now’ and Scott had thought he broke a bone or something and had gotten quite concerned asking if Riley was ok, the assistant teacher merely shrugged a little and said he was going horse riding – Scott has decided some things regarding humans were just too far out of his reach to grasp at times.
“Sounds good to me” leaning down, Scott rested his palms against his slightly bent knees for a moment, the base of his feet, the back of his legs, his knees, they all started faintly getting minor aches. “Though if its all right I have a suggestion that might make everybody’s life easier.” Curiously Scott looked up while still in a position which looked as if he just ran a lap around the oval at full sprint instead of their steady walk. He wasn’t exhausted, his legs just weren’t used to the stress of supporting and carrying his weight over any sort of distance save for across a room or down the hall. Usually in the school he’d zoom around in his natural state just to mainly avoid having people walk into him – a rather depressing occurrence that was really starting to eat into his self-esteem at times. The Prince’s majestic wings rose off his back in an effort to stretch them, dazzling blue orbs slipping over towards May who was quietly watching the ground between Michael and Lexi.
"I’ve been thinking about the mission and I reckon we might lose marks if everyone doesn’t turn up at the finishing point. In one form or another” Was that really such a bad thing? It was if losing points meant they weren’t going to get stabbed with pointy things, the whole idea seemed absurd and Scott was positive he was misunderstanding the phrase. “Now wherever we stop isn’t going to be within two miles of that point so if my body gets left there then Hood wont have the range to make it all the way. And you can hardly keep coming back and shifting me, that would just be daft." Raising a brow slightly at the last word, not having heard a human speak of it before and it rarely was used by his people though he knew exactly what it meant and for some reason the Prince found the word and use of it in the sentence to be amusing.
"So" May’s hazel gaze drifted over towards Michael as he slowly started to get to the point he was trying to address, "given that its pretty obvious I’m not going to be able to walk the whole way I would suggest that if May thinks it can be done and is OK with the idea that’s she should…….” A stab of compassion hit Scott as he stood up straight and realized what Michael was getting at, Scott’s been in troublesome situations before and he’s never gotten the strength to ask for help, though has always been glade to receive. It had been something hard to deal with regarding his brothers, Scott always saying he could keep up with them when it was bluntly obvious he couldn’t and never asking for help and only at the most stressing of times accepting the offered assistance. This was different though… he knew the people who tried to help him, he grew up with them and they usually tended to his needs and his health and upbringing, Michael was about to ask this of total strangers, something Scott could never see himself doing at this point. “………carry me for some of the way. I know it’s a bind but it’s the best solution I can come up with.” May had been curious how they intended to be running back and forth shifting his body all over the island, at least Michael had some sense to realize that would be an absolute waste of time and if they leave someone with him then it would most likely be her and she was not going to be overly cheerful being left alone with an unconscious body and Sin chattering away constantly in her mind.
“What do you think Lexi? Would that help?” This time May offered the other red head a look that expressed the fact May was merely waiting for the order of yes or no so that she could prepare to carry the wounded boy.
"His weight would be of no burden to our movements nor hinder our pace." The other dimensional time traveller assured in case that helped their leader make a faster decision. Is this what we’ve been reduced to, pack horses for the weak and useless? Ignoring Sin’s whispers of insult and humility, May quite casually waited for Lexi to decide what was to be done, looking completely neutral on whatever option was chosen.
Re: The Clearing: Green Strike ForceOOC: sorry for the quality of this post guys I’ve been suffering from writers block so I hope it is ok. Oh and I hope you have a merry Christmas.
“May”
That was all she said for a long time, but for Ben it was enough. It was the first thing she had said since reprimanding Scott and it was also the first time she had offered her name to anyone.
Ben walked by her side respecting the silence… he had a kind of gift in that he possessed a sort of inbuilt knowledge of people. Going on what he had seen of May he had deduced that she was the kind of person that would come to you or not at all. There was therefore no reason for him to make small talk as they walked and besides he knew that if he made an attempt at conversation then he would just end up making a fool of himself.
Besides he had had experience with companionable silences over his last trip home. One of his close friends had suffered the loss of a relative and shunned any kind of comforting. So it had been that the only way that Ben had found to show his support was to accompany his friend on silent walks around the country side. It was this way that he had discovered that a quiet walk was sometimes worth a thousand words.
May seemed lost in though and the only sound was that of the conversation being held between Michael and Scott. It sounded like something about butterflies but he could not be sure and besides it was not really any of his business, it was not polite to eavesdrop. He smiled, no matter how many times you told yourself that it was not polite to do something you always ended up doing anyway. It was human nature…
He looked over at Lexi who was looking at the map again with a look of concentration on her face. She obviously knew what she was doing and although he could offer to help with navigating he had no real idea of what to expect of this training mission. So he just trusted her to make the right decisions and looked back over at Michael who seemed to be battling on as best he could.
“You’re worried for him,”
The unexpected outburst from May drew his attention back to her. It seemed like a strange statement to make but it revealed to him a little more about what May was like. She was clearly not from the same kind of background as him or a lot of other people around the school. She reminded him somewhat of Mitalah the girl he had met in the common room; he had later been told that she was from the past, the faraway past. She had not understood some of the notions he had tried to describe.
He felt that May was somewhat similar in the fact that she had not been expecting him to be worried about Michael. This was something that just came naturally to him but then again the institute held such variety that he had stopped been surprised by a lot of things. But he liked her and decided that it would be worth while trying to get to know her better. Besides she had been the only one who had not looked completely baffled by his description of his powers which had revealed to him that she knew more about science than most. Yes she would be a very interesting person to get to know…
He was about to give her an explanation about why he was worried when she stated that if needs be they could always carry him. He automatically assumed that the “we” she was referring to was the team and though no more of it.
“True, it’s not going to be elegant but it would work.”
It was at that moment in time that Lexi turned and ask them to gather round. She proceeded in explaining that she thought it would be wiser to take a slightly deviated course to the flag in order to avoid falling into an ambush. This all made perfect sense to Ben as it seemed logical to him that the hunter teams would be placed in their way. The idea of a break was also a welcome one although he was not being weighted down by a heavy pack he felt like they needed to rest and to gather their thoughts.
He smiled as Lexi asked for everyone to voice their thoughts on the matter; she was trying to be as fair as possible while still instigating her ideas. He decided that he liked her and trusted her as a leader. She was different from Connor and Riley in the way that she relied on her teams input rather than waiting for them to come to her with their issue, if they had any.
He was not surprised when Michael spoke up seeing as Lexi’s question had indirectly been addressed to him. He listened carefully to what Michael had to say and as the other mutant went on he realised what it was costing him to admit that he could not make it to the end without assistance.
The idea of being carried was not an endearing one but for the teams sake it was the best solution. It seemed to Ben that this whole team mission thing was a compromise for Michael; on one side he got to get out and about, meet new people and prove his worth but on the other he also had to face the fact that his body was not going to keep up and if he wanted this life he was going to have to rely on others. It was going to be a hard thing for him to live with but it he could do it, it would forge friendships that would last a lifetime.
Ben had to admit that he was sort of started went Michael suggested May should carry him, firstly because that meant he had overheard bit of their conversation which in itself was no problem and secondly because he had not really thought about who would carry his body. It had seemed obvious that it was the best solution but Ben had not really stopped to think about the details. Now that he did it seemed natural that it should be May seeing as she possessed spider strength. They could carry something like seven times their own body weight so Michael should be no problem for her.
It appeared she thought so as well and wasted no time in expressing her views altough her turn of phrase was a bit strange. However he did cring somewhat at the bluntness with which she expressed her thoughts; it was apparent that she had meant no harm in saying it that way. It seemed that she was the kind of person that if they had something to say they would just go ahead and say it. He smiled, diplomacy was a fikle thing and tended to be absent when most needed.
As his thoughts moved on he figured he should give his opinion to their waiting team leader even if it was only to agree with her. Besides he though her whole idea of sending out the fairies as scouts was a great plan as it would help them avoid any ambushes or pitfalls they might otherwise have encountered.
“I think a break would be welcome and if Scott and Tess would be happy to scout ahead it would be really usefull”
He smiled at them, there wasn't much else he could do. He was one of those people that tended to like to be in control of things and often ended up stepping on peoples toes. He did not want to end up overstepping his role in the team an therefore decided to keep everything he said short and sweet and more importantly discuss any ideas he came up with with Lexi.
Re: The Clearing: Green Strike Force
(OOC to Angie: This post was already getting long so I didn't progress things too much but if you agree than Matt and I were talking about having Tess get caught in a magical trap (perhaps set by dawn?) belonging to SSF in order to start to bring the two teams together so if you want we could progress in that direction and Tess and Scott can make conversation as they fly out and then I can have Tess get caught in my next post if that sounds reasonable and if not we'll think of something else )
Tess was enjoying the mission thus far even though she was not the athletic type open to long walks. The hike was challenging enough but nature surrounded her and there was no place the half-faerie would rather be than in the middle of nature. Around her she could hear the rustling leaves and the excited chatter of birds and best of all Tess could feel the energy of nature refreshing her, their joy at the precence of Scott and herself resulting in vicarious excitement. It was an awakening experience but the violet-eyed young woman was drawn from her experiences as she overheard their leader and Ben speaking, May with them. From the words she could pick up that the conversation was about Michael and Tess shot a brief look in his direction to see if he had overheard as well. Sure enough he seemed to have noticed for his gaze was immediately fixed at the ground. Tess didn't know everything about how a person would react in a situation and she was no empath but she had a suspician that his downward glance hid a blush.
Michael always seemed to optimistic though, at least to the faery girl he did. Even having undergone the worst he seemed to stay positive or at least to put up a facade of an easygoing manner. Sometimes Tess wished she had such optimism. It wasn't that she always had negative thoughts and she felt so lucky at times but some of her experiences had shaken her and at times she wished for more. She had longings to know everything about her past and her heritage, particularly about her people the faeries and only now that she had met Scott was that longing starting to dissipate. It had been an ache inside of her for so long now and even when optimistic and all was right with the world Tess couldn't help but feel like something was missing. Michael likely had alot missing from his life and yet he remained so happy or at least wouldn't allow himself to look like he was having difficulty no matter how much of a challenge the mission must have been for him so far.
Her thoughts faded slightly as they continued their walk for Michael's cheery demeanor seemed to die as he continued to concentrate on making his way through their hike successfully. Tess sympathised with him although she couldn't say from experience what it was like to know you had to go on despite physical pain so great as his must be. The closest she had gotten was the feeling of violation that had gone through her when she had been posessed by a wraith and that had been more than enough pain for her liking. Lexi was speaking now and Tessa brushed a stray blonde hair behind her ear as she listened to the words of their leader.
Tessa smiled at the planning Lexi had done, happy to be of some use to the team and willing to scout ahead so long as Scott was similarly willing. She shot a violet gaze in his direction, hoping that he was content with the role Lexi had thought up for them. Lexi's openness and willingness to change her plans was also helpful and Tess found herself quite glad for their leader's flexibility although the faerie knew that this was also likely because of Lexi's own insecurities about leading a mission for the first time. Shuddering Tess thought of how glad she was that the responsibility and challenge of a team leader was not on her shoulders for she didn't know how she would be able to carry such a mantle as that.
“Sounds good to me”. Michael was the first to state his approval although he also had a suggestion, “though if its all right I have a suggestion that might make everybody’s life easier.”
Lexi's eyes fixed on the mutant, assuring him that she was willing to listen and take into consideration whatever proposition he might bring to the figurative table. "I’ve been thinking about the mission and I reckon we might lose marks if everyone doesn’t turn up at the finishing point. In one form or another”. Michael's words made sense and Lexi realised that she had been going about things the wrong way. Michael himself, not just Hood, had to reach the finish point. How could she have been so blind to not realise such a thing? Inwardly the sense mutant kicked herself for her lack of forsight.
“Now wherever we stop isn’t going to be within two miles of that point so if my body gets left there then Hood wont have the range to make it all the way. And you can hardly keep coming back and shifting me, that would just be daft." He had a point here again but Lexi knew that there was more to come and if her sense intuition and just plain common sense was correct it was a solution.
"So given that its pretty obvious I’m not going to be able to walk the whole way I would suggest that if May thinks it can be done and is OK with the idea that’s she should…….” he hesitated and Lexi sympathised, realising how hard it must be to admit that he had a weakness and needed help. It was never easy to ask for help and especially in a team situation like this. She respected him all the more for managing to bring it forth. “………carry me for some of the way. I know it’s a bind but it’s the best solution I can come up with. What do you think Lexi? Would that help?” His eyes were now meeting hers and she thought she saw shame there. Silently Lexi wished it didn't have to be this way. It was difficult enough to watch him carry on despite the pain he must have been feeling and admitting that he needed assistance was even more difficult.
As Lexi and Michael talked Tessa found herself listening absently but also being alert to the nature around her. The walk was strenuous but she had taken phys-ed despite it being one of her least favourite subjects and she wasn't yet panting, only slightly exerted. She noticed Scott looking like he had walked much farther than they just had though and concern washed over her. Was it because he was used to being a fairy or something or were faeries less capable of exerting themselves? There was so much she had yet to learn, so much she should really already have known. She watched his wings rise off his back in a stretch and thought they were beautiful for she had only previously seen her own wings and the Prince's were far more dazzling. Listening as she watched Scott's wings Tess' attention returned fully to the topic at hand as Michael found the strength to ask for help. She had never been able to do that, never found that sort of strength to ask something of near strangers and perhaps it was somesort of faerie independence or maybe it was just her personality that caused that. Whatever the case Tessa thought it very brave of him to ask.
Lexi's gaze flickered over at May to make sure she was willing and the look she recieved in return indicated that May was prepared to help. Despite her quietness thus far May seemed willing to help when asked and that was a huge relief to the firsttime leader. "His weight would be of no burden to our movements nor hinder our pace," May assured her and Lexi smiled in May's direction, a silent thank you to the other redhead for her offer.
“I think a break would be welcome and if Scott and Tess would be happy to scout ahead it would be really useful”. Ben offered his thoughts and his agreement and Lexi tried not to let her team members see as she let out a breath she hadn't known she had been holding until just then. To have people agree with your thoughts and to back up your actions was a feeling of great refreshment and offered a moment where Lexi wasn't second guessing herself. It was just one moment but one so greatly needed. Glancing over at the fellow redhead May, Lexi said aloud, "Thank you May, I think that would be most helpful and Scott, Tess, if you don't mind scouting ahead in about ten minutes I think we'll walk on for that long and then we'll have a rest."
Tess' only thought was that she hoped she'd get a bit of a rest in there with the scouting and she nodded her approval, glancing at Scott beside her. Then the map was away and they were walking onwards once again. The next ten minutes passed quickly for the redhead and the blonde as one kept running over actions to come and the other took in everything around her with renewed interest in her surroundings.
Once the time had passed Lexi swung the backback off her shoulders and placed it on the ground in front of her. The spot where they had stopped was not what one would call a full clearing and there were enough trees around the shield them from cover yet enough space so that they could sit and not be uncomfortable or divided. Tess swung down her own backpack, glad to at last be able to rest for a time.
"Alright team we'll stop here. There's some nutritional snacks in the packs but we've got to ration this so eat sparingly and keep your eyes open for non poisonous berries or anything we can eat," Lexi announced. At this her eyes fell on Scott for with his nature communication abilities and knowledge of the natural world he probably knew better than the rest of them how to find food and other needed substances.
Tess had about five minutes where she sat fairly quietly just enjoying the feeling of not being on her feet before Lexi's look came in the direction of her and Scott. "If you wouldn't mind flying ahead and keeping an eye out for other teams and for any traps that would be a great assistance," the leader said addressing the two of them and violet eyes met blue ones.
"Shall we?" Tess asked with a gesture forward indicating that they should go on. Tess concentrated for a moment and the wings upon her back which had previously not been visible revealed themselves as translucent dragonfly wings. It wasn't her usual form for them but she felt like a change and often the appearance of her wings at any given time would reflect her moods, these particular wings indicating her relative peace of mind and yet nervous excitement about the mission.
"So um do we change to faerie form or just fly at normal height?" Tess asked. She couldn't help it. It seemed like the pressure was weighing on her and she had so rarely transformed in front of others that the prospect was daunting. Somehow with another faerie transforming it would seem less strange to her she knew but Tess wanted to be sure this was how he wanted to do things. She didn't know much about faeries even though she wanted to expand her horizens. She was so worried that she would do something wrong and that he would look at her strangely and even though the reasonable part of the faerie girl told her that nothing like that would ever happen she was a worrywort at times and particularly now. So her violet eyes rested on him, leaving their journey up to him even since he had never spoken his approval of this scouting plan aloud at all.
As the Faeries prepared Lexi made it clear through her actions that they would now have some time to spend doing what they would and she took a sip from the water bottle contained in her pack. A part of her wished that conversation would start up between the four of them and that the awkward silence would dissipate but there had been no indication of that in the past minute and now she could only hope, both that the planned break would go well here and that Tess and Scott would fare well on their scouting trip.
Re: The Clearing: Green Strike Force
Some of the birds gave voice, some took to the wing whilst others fell to deathly silence as they watched the stream line figure move stealthily beneath their branches. The compact, spotted hued feline moved in almost silence, it’s large paws barely disturbing the forest floor as it stalked in search of prey. One rounded ear flicked as it past beneath a particularly noisy nesting bird’s tree, both flicking back in annoyance. She had no interest in birds. Their wings and perches made them difficult prey. Instead, the feathered beasts would give away her position to any larger prey she may be fortunate to cross on this island. The black tipped tail flicked slightly. How was she supposed to find anything substantial enough to feed the entire team? She highly doubted that anything as large deer managed to inhabit this island. Perhaps, ironically, they might be some of those rabbits she had mentioned wandering round this area. The large cat licked her jaws at the thought. It had been a long time since her last hunt.
The morphing mutant paused briefly, the jaguar it’s self questioning her pause. They were there to hunt, so why had she forced them to stop? Feral shook her head slowly, ears flicking as she gave a gentle growl at herself. No, they were here to scout. Hunting was the second thing on their list, if they could find any prey that was. The jaguar silently repelled the thought. She was a soul spirit. Why scout? What was the point? Prey had scouts to try and stop themselves being caught by her canines. Hunters didn’t scout. Racheal wished there and then that she could sigh at the Jaguar’s ‘sense’. How could she explain to this strong, independent beast that they were prey, for now at least? Her tail and ears flicked at the mounted confusion and tension between the two. Feral hated to inflict human thoughts on her morphs, but sometimes it was necessary.
Moving on in a naturally stealthy silence, she wondered how far behind her zigzagging path the rest of the Exiles were. Okay, so Racheal hadn’t exactly tried her best to fit in really, but still, she continued to class herself as the outcast of the outcasts. At least the others seemed to have some actual conversational skills, even if it was only the continuing sarcastic comments passing between Jess and Max. Oh well, at least she had a task to perform, even if, once again, she had been sent to do it alone. Not that she minded working alone, no; in fact it was one of the few things she enjoyed. But surely that didn’t exactly help towards building this new team?
Perhaps, if the morpher had been paying more attention to her scouting duties than her hunting ones, she would have noticed the sounds of voices long before. But her sensitive hearing had been too busy flicking through the disturbance the birds had caused her, her nasals searching through the rich forest scents to find her prey. She knew there were others on the island, so the sound of voices didn’t exactly seem out of place. In fact, they hardly registered to her distracted mind until she *almost* tripped into the small area where Green Strike Force had chosen to rest.
Fortunately, her senses kicked her before she actually stumbled into them, keeping to the undergrowth as the jaguar slid to it’s belly. Darn her easily distracted thoughts. The feline lay motionless, not only assessing the team before her, but also trying to discover if there was a silent escape route. Considering she had not actually done much during her three month stay, and had certainly not taken the time to get to know anyone, it was hardly surprising that she didn’t know who the team was, yet alone if they were a hunter team or another prey team. But her mind had already decided it was better not to risk it.
Well, she recognised Ben at least, but the other members were a mystery. It was true that she had grasped a glimpse of Scott on her first day, but that had been little more than a moment in a rather hectic day, and so her memory of seeing him was too faint for her to recognise him. Silently, she tried to decided if she actually knew which team Ben was in X-treme, she knew that after their mission on Thursday, but as she already knew that they weren’t here in that team, she still had no idea.
Her sigh was mental only, swift paw turning sharply. Her thoughts had, in reality, only caused her to pause for a moment, and the graceful feline had quickly turned, racing off in the hope that they had either not noticed her, or had no interest in her. Silently, the jaguar was puzzled. They hadn’t seemed strong enough to take her on, so why were they running in apparent fear? Racheal silent scolded her feline counterpart. It’s not fear, just part of the game, partly trying to comfort herself for her own stupidity. Great, so now the scout was running into teams! Well, as soon as she felt a far enough distance between them, she would slow and re-start her hunt.
((OOC: Excuse randomness of post lol *rushes Racheal off scouting lessons* hehe))
"Things change. It's a fact of life. Things are born, things die. That doesn't give you an excuse to complain"
Re: The Clearing: Green Strike Force(I’m cool with whatever you have planned! I can play along with whatever happens, so go ahead and do your stuff! And if it’s a magical trap it would make sense that Dawn set it… I can’t see the Brotherhood getting THAT knowledgeable on trap making in two hours )
“I think a break would be welcome and if Scott and Tess would be happy to scout ahead it would be really useful” The comment of ‘being really useful’ caught Scott’s attention, the fairy Prince turning his sea blue diamonds over towards the older looking man as he finished speaking. Useful. Now that’s something that hasn’t often been stated when regarding Scott’s actions or abilities. Being the youngest of so many siblings in such a high ranking family of course left him often out of the loop on many matters that he was ‘too young to understand’ or be part of at the moment.
Their leader herself seemed torn between worry and relief on a few occasions, especially at this moment, getting a sympathetic smile from Scott who was quite honestly glade for these rare times where he was not expected to be in command or have such strong influence on matters being decided. By heart Scott has always been more of a guardian then a true born leader. He preferred the friendly diplomatic approach then setting down strict guidelines and demands, he wasn’t sure he could ever take the responsibility of such dramatic life changing decisions. Perhaps he often gets over looked regarding important matters, but he would never wish to have been the eldest of his family, being the baby may be trying and frustrating at times, but it was not only the position he was born into, it was the one that suited him best.
"Thank you May, I think that would be most helpful and Scott, Tess, if you don't mind scouting ahead in about ten minutes I think we'll walk on for that long and then we'll have a rest." Well look at that, May was being helpful, like the good old times with her other-dimensional travelling team of misplaced marauders. Those members of the lost group however had no choice but to put up with Sin’s callous behaviour and relentless remarks. They were morally bonded to keeping May with them, unable to leave her in a world that was not her own and yet at the same time fully aware that May herself felt as if she lost her place in the world she was truly from. Besides, she could be thrown into a thousand different other dimensions, unlike them, there was no chance for her to return to her own place, her world was unwritten in pages of the future with stories so horrific she could never willingly stand by and allow such things of her world to be repeated.
This group had every chance to leave her behind, to cast her aside and judge her ‘unfit’, her personalities so torn between helping them and ripping into every moral fibre they had with callous malicious, emotionally and mentally devastating remarks that Sin could give out so freely. Ten minutes seemed like a small amount of time to carry him, and considering Michael’s hesitation towards the humiliation of such an action, May figured he would prefer travelling the last few minutes on his own. It put being discreet with her powers on hold, she could quiet simply carry him in her arms but she knew that would put her at a disadvantage if they encountered any problems. Therefore he would have to settle with being carried on her back, with her alien symbiont’s abilities she could form a crude seat of sorts for him with straps to hold him securely in place. Out of the two options the last one who be the lesser of the degrading offers of help, at least in May’s opinion.
The reservations towards the problematic encounters with Ben earlier melted somewhat as Scott noticed the fact that the other was now not only noticing him, but assessing the usefulness he was able to provide regarding certain situations. Thoughts were silenced a little as Scott caught Tessa’s eyes, offering her a slight smile before looking towards Lexi once more. During the walk, the feathery friend Scott had encountered earlier reappeared but had been thankfully declined when she stated there was a safe place to hide the Prince’s friend. The gentle whistle of the male dragon-winged fairy being that was heard from him, saying much more then it appeared with such a seemingly simplistic form of communication.
Upon entering the clearing Scott gave a highly enthused look around and a delighted smile as the woman appeared to be settling. He may not be panting and gasping for air but his legs felt stiff and the moment of rest only promised the coming chance of being allowed to fly off as ‘scouts’. At least he figured they could fly, it made sense to him, they were able to be the tiniest and fastest (he assumed Tessa was as fast as a normal fairy during flight). The thought of being forced to walk around like a human hadn’t occurred to him, otherwise May could have been sent as one of the scouts instead of both fairies, it seemed more then a coincidental choice.
"Alright team we'll stop here. There's some nutritional snacks in the packs but we've got to ration this so eat sparingly and keep your eyes open for non poisonous berries or anything we can eat," A flutter of enthusiastic and playful wings came alive on Scott’s back as he gently leaned his body forward until his stomach and chest safely met the ground. The front half of his body was lifted somewhat from the ground as he supported himself with his elbows, tired legs lifting from the ground and crossing playfully as his wings neatly folded on his back once more. Keeping his eyes on Lexi enabled the Prince to catch her gaze and realize she was probably counting on his help with supplementing their food supply.
It was peculiar to think of humans eating berries, though he supposed they did have those delicious crushed berry spreads they call ‘jams’ which Connor introduced him to. But most of the time they ate a hole array of really odd strange things that most of the time Scott couldn’t even guess what they were or where they came from. After that comment everything seemed to go quiet, Scott’s arms eventually folding and his head turning to rest down on them, the magnificent gaze seemingly captivated by the nearby cluster of plain flowers in his direct line of sight. The somewhat sore legs finally drifted back to lay on the ground, recovering fairly well from their exercise even in the short space of time they had to rest.
"If you wouldn't mind flying ahead and keeping an eye out for other teams and for any traps that would be a great assistance," Lifting his face, Scott looked over towards Lexi and then over at Tessa who had been quiet and thus Scott assumed this was some sort of ‘quiet time’ which was best for him to not interrupt anyone. The Prince’s type of ‘relaxing’ was more of a going wild and dancing about open fires or mystical energies willing to appear and play with them, giving a fantastic effect for whenever a fairy held a gathering of any kind. Even a single fairy has a chance of coaxing others to join them in a dance or game of sorts. The more wild a fun time he has usually the more relaxed and uplifted he becomes, but then again, that was fairly common with most people.
"Shall we?" Once again shifting his position so he was sitting up on his elbows, Scott threw Michael a glance – though he didn’t really have a reason behind it – and then climbed up onto his feet without the aid of his wings. There was an obvious bounce of excitement in his body language during the short moment he adjusted his weight on his feet, curious eyes trying to catch the previously unseen wings which now where somewhat obscured still by her form, offering his ever usual vibrant smile that seemed to persistently grace his lips in the meantime.
"So um do we change to faerie form or just fly at normal height?" ‘Normal height’, she said that as if this was the height expected of their people, at first it came across as a surprise, one which was barely noticed on his expression save for the momentary lack of reply as he thought. A very obvious look of shyness befell the Prince as he somewhat threw the others a side glance. If he shied away and waited till they left the group before altering his size they may consider him rude or childish, and Tessa appeared a bundle of worries as it was. It was shame that caused his bashfulness, merely the fact even after all this time it wasn’t common for others to be around when he shifted form and it wasn’t too far off to say he did feel a little intimidated by their monstrous size and the vastness of the world when he was in his natural state.
"Perhaps it shall be more diligent to revert to the smaller embodiment of ourselves to lessen the chances of being seen. We shall also be quicker and cover a greater distance in lesser time." The suggestion, and that’s exactly what it was, slipped out quietly, yet not low enough to be unheard by the others. Usually he would call his smaller form his ‘natural state’, and it was observable this was the case when he would sleep or was suddenly shocked/terrified and revert back to his true appearance. Never confuse his shyness for the aspect of shame, because Scott is very proud of his heritage (race wise as well as his bloodline) which is evident in itself when his playful nature becomes all the more prominent at times when he’s as his true fairy self.
It was more the fact Tessa was worrying so heavily that urged Scott to take the first step, he was after all used to being the ‘example’ for others considering his important role. And it wasn’t just amongst his own people, though he was far more acclaimed within the Enchanted kingdom, most mystical entities of that world are aware and most commonly highly respectful of other important and high ranked officials from communities far out of their jurisdiction. Similarly to the human society all usually familiar with popular royal families, presidents, prime ministers or other correspondingly influential officials of their culture.
Allowing the blue crystals to be emersed in darkness as he closed his eyes, an unnecessary step and yet one that helped him keep the vision of others pushed to the backer reaches of his thoughts while he concentrated on the essence of magic needed to induce his change. For that’s exactly what it was with Scott, a natural spell brought on by the enchanted abilities within his blood, but a spell nonetheless, and one that required energy to remain active – perhaps not a lot, but still draining over time. With concentration also came the aura which momentarily engulfed his body, the white shimmering light not radiating off him but more as if the skin itself was inwardly glowing. An aspect that was – for survival’s sake – short lived as the male fairy reverted to his true state, after all, fairies had been around for countless millennia’s, over time slowly adapting to the use of magic and very gradually becoming less ‘flashy’ as it were, however it was their nature to ‘shine’ and so it was impossible to completely change their true selves without destroying who they were, and even if they could change and become less extravagate without any negative effects, most would not wish for such a fate.
Although lacking the fantastic braids of flowers often woven into the hair of the his female counterparts, the fairy Prince’s wings taking an even great appearance of elegance, though still similar somewhat in appearance as before, they had a slightly slender base with amongst other minor shifts in the shape at their ends. From the base of his wings to the edges there were a few hair width extensions which ‘spiked out’ faintly at the edges of his wings, adding greater strength and also heightened sensitivity as well. The enchanted ‘chameleon’ outfit he wore in his natural state already shifted to a blend of fantastic natural colours in order to better camouflage his whereabouts. The majestic wings seemed to unnaturally take on an almost silken cape appearance when folded on his back, as if blessed by some enchantment which contrasted to the usual manifestation they had when lifted off his back.
The silken ‘cape’ that fell to his ankles came alive as it lifted, strengthening as they stretched out to form strong wings able to support him flight. Without delay the Prince lifted himself off the ground so he could into the air where he felt more comfortable (considering his size in comparison to humans, it was no wonder he had developed an insecurity about being on ground level where they easily, and often quite dangerously, overlook him). A bright grin was almost carved onto his attractive features by the excited (and enjoyment) that grew from finally being able to see another fairy, it was different to see Tessa in her fairy form then it was to see her in her human one, perhaps it was just the homesickness Scott himself had been feeling, but to see her as she was made him feel as if he was seeing her for the first time.
However such delights could not be dwelled upon, as they had both been given an assignment to complete and he wanted to do it right considering this was the first time someone of this nature had ever been asked of him, if you don’t include his offer to his family to try and locate the missing mer-prince the previous year. With an energized boost in his demeanour, a slightly golden shimmer of ‘dust’ unintentionally being generated by his wings causing an often considered extraordinary yet vaguely noticeably sight. During the day the shimmer was naturally golden for Scott, at night it was silver, this was not a common effect for most of his kind and only one other brother, his eldest one, had the same effect, along with their mother. During sunrise or sundown at times the two hues would blend, offering an even grander sight to witness.
Giving the others one final look as they made their way out of the small area Green Strike Force had taken up as resting grounds, Scott couldn’t help but notice the way that nature responded to his change, as it always did, by seeming to burst with a vibrancy that was basically ‘unnatural’ in the human world. If people knew what to look for, they could easily tell when a fairy was around, and this wasn’t something Scott could change, as it was a natural reaction even nature didn’t have a control over when responding to the potent mystic energies that even a single fairy often has within their veins.
Even though May appeared as if she was staring into space, the girl had somewhat watched the whole thing with the corner of her eye, occasionally focusing on the two creatures before drifting her attention once more onto an invisible mark. Just as her father, May’s metabolism was increase, therefore she grows hungry at a much faster rate then others, even if she doesn’t do anything requiring much effort, so the secretive young woman quietly picked away at her offered ‘nutritional snack’… though Sin had his own name to describe it and it was far from being so polite.
Re: The Clearing: Green Strike Force
His suggestion seemed to have been accepted with a minimum of embarrassment on all sides,something for which he was sincerely grateful. Just part of the plan, another problem overcome in the only reasonable way possible. May’s matter of fact attitude made the whole thing easier and Michael determined to thank her for her proposition and her understanding as soon as they stopped to rest. *Which won’t be for another ten minutes* he reminded himself .*Ten minutes How bad can that be* Certainly it didn’t sound like a lot when you said it like that but in reality it felt like an eternity as his aching body stopped merely protesting and started screaming at him to stop and stop now. Michael’s world narrowed to the small stretch of ground beneath his faltering feet, so much so that when Lexi finally did find a place for them to rest he didn’t even realise for a few moments, continuing to stagger onwards until her words finally sunk in and he allowed himself to drop thankfully to the soft ground.
Shaking with the aftermath of the effort he had expended, he braced his back against a tree and leaned forward cradling his head in his hands as he let the pain wash over him. There was no question of him entering into conversation with the other members of the team. It was all he could do to keep from openly weeping as the relentless throbbing in his legs bit into him. Desperately he glanced at his watch, willing it to be time for his next injection even although he had no idea how he was going to manage his medication without attracting the unwanted attention of his fellow students. *That is always supposing I was right about what Dr McCoy gave me *.he thought worriedly, feeling sick panic rising in him as he imagined how things would be if he had in fact been mistaken.
Almost frantically he glanced up at the scattered team noting that for a few brief moments at least they seemed to be busy with their own preoccupations. As discretely as he could, Michael reached into his ill fitting shirt and pulled out the small package Beast had pressed upon him as he had left med lab earlier that morning. With trembling hands he teased the brown wrapping paper apart and opened one end of the box he found within. Syringes. The familiar transparent capsules, the word Diamorphine printed clinically on the labels.
Michael sighed with relief, his blue eyes darkening with need and desire as he looked at the drugs.* Its too soon* he told himself rationally. *I’m not due another shot for at least an hour.* But the needles were gleaming in the depths of the box, singing their siren song of relief and transitory comfort. His hand was reaching out towards them when suddenly the brightness of their cold metal was eclipsed by a shimmering radiance that dragged his hungry eyes upwards and broke the spell.
Tessa had unfurled her wings, the sunlight briefly reflecting on their gossamer surface. Their beauty caught the breath in Michael’s throat, a stark contrast to the ugly necessity of the drugs he held in is hand. The implications of what he had been about to do registered fully upon him. It was so easy to make excuses ‘Its been a hard day’ ‘I’m not fully recovered from the stabbing’ ‘It wont matter if its just this once……’ All true. All legitimate reasons to open the box and take solace from its contents but finally all excuses just the same.
Michael shut his eyes and took a steadying breath .*Ok I need this* he told himself *but I don’t need it just yet.* Purposefully he resealed the package and tucked it away once more into the folds of his shirt, trying to ignore how hard it was to do so. *I am not going to be more of a burden to this team than I have to.* he resolved. *I can’t do anything about my legs but I can sure as hell keep the drugs under control.*
He forced himself to focus on what was going on around him watching the fairies get ready to patrol while Lexi and the other members of the team settled down to rest. He saw the team leader take a long drink from her water bottle and suddenly felt his own thirst and hunger rise up in response.
He hadn’t eaten anything solid for a long time, the strange machines in the med lab having fed their nourishment directly into his system via the myriad of tubes that had been attached to his body. It had literally been months since he had eaten his fill a fact to which his all too thin form readily attested. Now the rations contained in the packs looked more than appetising and he eagerly bit into one, relishing the taste and texture on his tongue as he washed it down with the fresh cold water. It didn’t take the pain away but it made him feel better all the same and some of the unhealthy longing faded from his eyes to be replaced by his usual determination.
He looked around at the others and grinned “These things aren’t nearly as bad as they look” he said, breaking the silence as he folded up the empty wrapper. “Or maybe I’m just desperate.” He rubbed his leg gently as he spoke trying to ease the muscles a little. “Anyway while we’re stopped I’d like to say thanks to all of you for being so understanding about…..well everything.”
He looked especially at May and Lexi as he continued . “ I want you to know that if I’d realised we were coming on something as demanding as this today I would have stayed behind. I mean, I know I’m never going to be exactly on top form but things are especially bad at the moment and I’m not dumb enough to think I could pull this off in the state I’m in.”
He smiled a little shamefacedly. “Don’t laugh now, but when you talked about a team outing I was expecting something a little….. calmer. School trip. Science museum. Visit to the zoo.”he said with a laugh “I don’t know, but definitely not this. Still” he went on “I can’t deny that I did use my ‘irresistible charm’ to talk Dr McCoy into letting me come along, so I have only myself to blame.”
Michael had been wondering for some time now why the doctor had agreed to let him leave med lab knowing what lay ahead of him. It had to be more than just the fact that he wasn’t supposed to reveal the secret of the training mission. McCoy didn’t strike him as the sort of person who would let someone put themselves at risk just to keep a rule. No there had to be something else
.* Perhaps he really let me come because he knew it would force me to make a choice. One that I’d have to have made sooner or later anyway if this whole team thing was going to work out. Either ask for help and be of some use or struggle on stupidly and fail the mission, maybe bringing the others down with me. Well I guess now we all know what the answer to that is*
“Anyway here we are, so tell me. Are things always this exciting at the institute or” he asked with a tired but wicked smile “did I just get lucky?”
Re: The Clearing: Green Strike Force
(OOC: Hope the trap is okay, I made it up thanks to a suggestion from Matt. If not and if a magical trap would work differently just let me know and I'll rewrite.)
Tess had to smile at the excitement in her fellow faerie as he rose to his feet. He seemed so unmarred by negativity and worry at times and it had its effect on her although it wasn't always visible. His enthusiasm was contageous it seemed and she felt slightly less nervous about her faerie side that had for so long been hidden from view. He was so comfortable in his skin, so to speak, whereas she was still getting used to revealing her abilities to anyone. Throughout her childhood she had kept secrets and told lies about her heritage, urged on to do so by her parents. Now Tess was free but it still seemed strange to her at times to be showing off her wings and revelling in the joy of being able to talk to nature. It didn't help her nerves though and she was well aware of how worried she must have appeared to Scott as she phrased her question.
"Perhaps it shall be more diligent to revert to the smaller embodiment of ourselves to lessen the chances of being seen. We shall also be quicker and cover a greater distance in lesser time." Tess smiled over at him, glad that his answer had been phrased in such a way as to come across as a suggestion since in retrospect she was sure it had come across as a stupid thing to say.
The loss of the brilliant Azure shade of his eyes was momentarily crushing for she had become so accustomed to the spark of light there that their closure was peculiar. Light engulfed him and Tess, who had never seen anyone's transformation to faerie form before, was amazed by the brilliance of colour. 'Your light coming down so bright, transformation,' she thought faintly to herself, finding the word from a song her parents had used to play for her fitting in these circumstances. She took him in as a child might if they were suddenly faced with a fairytale kingdom or the realisation that all they had been told was false had not been a lie afterall.
The reassurance that it was all right to change was all she had been waiting for and with that Tess clamped her own eyes shut. Her transformation, probably thanks to her mutant blood, was less flashy and nearly effortless but she still liked to concentrate as she completed it. When finished she was similar yet their were differences. Her wings were now irredecent and shimmered with more colour than a rainbow her painstakingly straightened locks now hung in loose blonde ringlets framing her face. A circlet of ivy and petals enveloped her head, the bright colours of the flowers still not comparing to her violet eyes which had remained unchanged. Unlike Scott though, her clothing hadn't changed save for in height to accomadate her new form.
Tess smiled shyly at him, still caught between the strangeness of being in faerie form with another of her kind and the rightness she felt when she looked upon him like that and thought of herself in this natural enviroment. It was startling to the faerie raised as a human for much of her life to know just how right it was to be a faerie. The sensation was mostly delight and yet with it that sense of being torn between two lives. If she ever had to choose what kind of a selection would she make?
Tess hadn't really been in the untamed wildnerness much before. The closest she got was sitting in a tree to read a book or the occational piggyback ride when she was younger by an accomadating hare. She had never felt the excitement of nature like this before and it was both an exhillerating and a calming sensation that resembled the rush she was sure musicians must get from the crowds they played to on tours. Another smile in Scott's direction and this one was more confident, revealing a Tessa who was sure of herself even in this state and her excitement at the rightness that was overwhelming. The fear and worry wasn't gone but it was supressed now and the female faerie didn't think it would rise to the surface anytime soon, at least not while she was with Scott and was here.
“These things aren’t nearly as bad as they look,” Michael joked and Lexi glanced at him, relief evident in her look. Not for the first time she felt thankful that she gotten this team and not a more demanding one in terms of co-operation. Michael had been a true trooper, not complaining throughout the mission so far as he might have and although she had thought it before she thought again that she was lucky to have someone as persistant as him on her first ever expedition. “Or maybe I’m just desperate.” That brought a smile to the redhead's face. Not only was he not complaining he was doing his best to break up the awkward silence that had cloaked them as soon as they had stopped to break. “Anyway while we’re stopped I’d like to say thanks to all of you for being so understanding about…..well everything.” Michael's look was directly partially at her and more relief washed through her, refreshing her as she realised that he was thankful partially for her. Perhaps she could do this, could lead this team onwards towards something resembling success. The unusual feeling of actual hope danced through her and Lexi felt a renewed energy that came without consuming anysort of snack. She had eaten a large breakfast anyway and her appetite was rarely good when she was nervous, which was most of the time.
“ I want you to know that if I’d realised we were coming on something as demanding as this today I would have stayed behind. I mean, I know I’m never going to be exactly on top form but things are especially bad at the moment and I’m not dumb enough to think I could pull this off in the state I’m in.” Now Lexi's heart went out to Michael as he spoke, knowing that he felt he was bringing the team down when in fact he hadn't been a burden so far and wouldn't hold them up so badly, she perhaps naively thought, in the future so long as he could be carried and Hood could emerge.
“Don’t laugh now, but when you talked about a team outing I was expecting something a little….. calmer. School trip. Science museum. Visit to the zoo.” That was said with a laugh and again Lexi felt sympathy. She had known what they were getting into here, she had been prepared and able to pack accordingly and be in top form. Michael and for that matter his teammates hadn't had that same chance. They had been thrown into this blindfolded and while that approach certainly had it's ups it also had drawbacks...ones like this. Lexi wasn't so worried about how her team would do. They were a new team led by a first timer who honestly was second guessing her own actions most of the time and they were up against teams so much more experienced. Her main goal was just to finish decently and she knew that maybe the 'good enough' attitude wasn't the greatest idea at the moment but Lexi was more concerned now in getting everyone to the finish line than in getting them there first.
“I don’t know, but definitely not this. Still I can’t deny that I did use my ‘irresistible charm’ to talk Dr McCoy into letting me come along, so I have only myself to blame.” Lexi had wondered at first if he would be able to join them in his condition and the fact that he had asked to be allowed to join them had impressed her. He was a true team player and what's more this team was full of them. May had stepped up when the opportunity had arisen despite not appearing to be much of a people or team person before that. That as it was did, as far as Lexi was concerned, give them an edge that she had heard other teams with problems within did not have.
“Anyway here we are, so tell me. Are things always this exciting at the institute or” Michael asked with a sort of smile that showed he had a sense of humour in all of this at least, “did I just get lucky?”
"Bit of both," Lexi answered with a greatful smile for the opportunity to make conversation and break the silence. "The training missions are always quite the surprise. I remember my first one. Our leader didn't give us any hints so I was completely in the dark about the whole situation. I'm just glad I didn't wear my sandels that day," she continued with a little laugh at the memory. It never even occured to her then that she might be the leader of one such mission one day. She had been so young then and even though it wasn't so many years ago, five or six she thought, it still seemed miles away. As she spoke she wondered about the faeries and how their scouting mission would go. Lexi had realised that the chance to let Scott stretch his wings could be beneficiary to him and to the team and Tess seemed a little insecure at times and could use an example to follow when it came to faeries, she thought to herself about the violet eyed girl she had become friends with before their team.
Nearby the girl in question glanced over Scott once more with a little smile which seemed to be meant as an expression of this whole new world that she was suddenly a part of and of their connection in this way. She didn’t want their scouting mission to pass slowly in silence though so Tess made the first move towards conversation as she spread her shimmering wings and took to the sky, side by side with Scott. She wasn’t a practised flyer since she didn’t fly every day and for years as a child had barely exercised her potential in this way.
“It seems different somehow,” Tess said softly to him, clarifying her statement by adding, “being in this form together I mean. I’ve transformed before but I still think of being like a human as natural and I’ve never flown with another faerie before.” There was still a hint of something in her voice resembling awe and joy at this entirely new and wonderful experience. “When we get back, after this mission is all over I’d love to know about faeries, you’re the first link I’ve had to my past”. This was an eager statement and her violet eyes momentarily brightened with curiosity and hope before dimming once more as she faltered in her confidence. “That is, if you would want to.” So far he had seemed to enjoy talking to her and vice versa but maybe it was just a passing connection and he didn’t want to spend time explaining to her things about faeries that he had known all his life.
Suddenly remembering that they should be scouting and paying attention to the natural world Tess turned her attention to nature all around her. She was caught up in the sensation of flying and so taken by the feeling of the world recognising and responding to their presence and yet she missed the momentary reaction of nature as they realised where her close to the ground path was taking her.
Tess was trapped before she knew it, caught within a trap that could only have been created with the use of magic. Four stones which had previously looked like any other rocks were now glowing with blue light and the miniature Tess had been caught between them. The moment she had been caught the light of the four stones had converged in a point at the top, effectively putting her within a cage. Tess, who had always felt more comfortable in her larger human form, reacted first in fear as she glanced worriedly around her at the surroundings. It took her several seconds to calm down enough to talk rationally.
“A trap,” she realised aloud. “One of the teams must be by and I’ve just run into one of their traps.” Her thoughts were directed more at herself than at Scott but she looked up at him, realising the other faery was hovering nearby. “I’m alright but I’ve been caught and I don’t think I can be sprung so easily.” At that moment Tess remembered the rest of the team they were a part of. “Scott you have to warn the team to be on the lookout, there’s some team around here they’ll have to be ready to fight.” Her face clearly reflected her frustration at the situation and her helplessness. The fear was dissipating only to be replaced by a self sense of stupidity. ‘How could I be so stupid? I got caught up in the moment and stopped paying attention. I’ve let them down unless somehow they can magically spring me from this thing’. Had it been any other trap Tess would have had more faith but she didn’t know how much magical knowledge her companions had or if this was even possible. There was also the slight worry because she knew that Scott would have to leave her behind here while he flew back to warn the others. A spark of hope still burned inside her however. ‘Scott knows about magical things, maybe he knows what to do or one of them does anyhow’. It was a faint hope but it was something to latch onto and latch Tess did. She could at the very least remain positive for the time being and hope for the best.
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