Why can't I admitt
That when you're gone
I'm afraid of being alone?
Posts: 1007
(8/21/04 10:29 pm)
X-Force: Slowly learning to work together..New Edit: Invisible thread being returned.
ooc: Be nice to me.. I didn't mean to do a long post.. I just went through posting withdrawls.. which is odd coz I'm behind in a few places.. *coughs* ..See Jenn, this is what happens when you and Matt both get a life! *Glares and folds arms* Humph! *Waddles off*
It was amazing really, Riley had been lucky to be placed with friends, placed with good decent people, people he knew he could trust and he hoped they trusted him back. So why was there so much distant between each member? Sure he understood the space he and Catherine had, well alright so he also understood why he and Angela weren't talking as much and.. Maybe it was just him? Maybe everything was fine except that he was having so many problems and they were all effecting his team and their abilities to work efficiantly.
The night had been mostly been spent outside school grounds, Katie had spent the time with Catherine since Riley had spent the day with Graham and Forrest training for their basketball practice. They had gotten back late, just after one, Riley didn't want to disturb Catherine, nor did he desire the thought of sleeping. Everyday that passed was always so much more painful then the last, the mornings just taunted him with all the hours left in the day and the nights teased him, pretending it was all over only to have a new day approaching all too quickly.
Even Katie wasn't comforting him as much as she once had, there was only such much puppy love could do for him, and his endearing little puppy did adore him as much as he adored her, but it wasn't the same love from another human. If he wanted just adoration from something he could have just stayed with Professor Maggie Walsh as her 'Pet Project' which used and abused constantly in the name of 'science and the greater good'.
All Riley had ever wanted to do was make her proud, his memories alter and twisted and played with so much then at long lengths of time he truly did believe his own parents had died. Maggie had been the foster mother type who had taken him in, trained him to fight, to be strong and brave, taught him how to survive, how to hunt.. how to kill. Was he afraid of her? Sometimes Riley wondered if he was, but how could you fear someone who had done so much for him for so long, she always kept him with Forrest and Graham, usually teams and members where shifted, but his fear of being torn from them and left on his own had been seen by Maggie so she kept him with them for better productivity on his part.
A homesick forteen year old had to be constantly entertained with different things, and he wouldn't even hold a gun for the first few months. Not until they started with the special classes, slowly getting them into the proper frame of mind, none of them knew they were getting brainashed or drugged.. or genetically altered in any way. It was all so casual, go to the medical room for treatment, special medication before missions to protect you from certain dangerous demonic... things.. They'd sit in rooms in the underground base, sometimes for hours, listening to Professor Walsh or her assistants, later they had started watching things, things demons had done. Massacers, slaughters, bodies, innocents, children, parents, families, then they where shown monsters, demonic beasts, 'hostiles'.. And the young recruits where the heroes, they were the champions that would protect the young and defend the innocent, guard over the abused and be the hand of justice that would deal out the punishments to the unholy creatures normal law enforcers were unable to deal with.
It was so hard, breaking the desire to get out there into the night and hunt, prey on those that prey on those who don't deserve to die. Hunting them, casting fear into their own cold abominations they call their hearts, punishing them as those monsters punished others, hurting them, humiliating them.. studying them and their unnatural ways was just a bonus, all in the noble persuit of science and protection.
That's all Riley's ever wanted to do, just to help people, how could his life become so complicated? He was born on a farm in the middle of nowhere in a simple town of Iowa, he wasn't meant to be like this, he was meant to be one those hard farmers, who's only concerns involved tending the land and animals, organising the next family gathering and helping out around town. The most exciting thing ever to happen to him was when he rescued a dog who's owner force to fight in pits with other dogs. The man had dumped the dog in the Finn's 'backyard' (in one of the distant fields they owned) after it got seriously hurt during a fight just outside of Iowa, he didn't have the money nor the time to tend to a let down that couldn't handle himself in the pit.
Riley knew all this because after he took the dog in and looked after it, after weeks of trying to calm it down, trying to untrain the damage someone had done to the newly named 'Troy', it's old owner saw Riley walking with it to his grandparents shop. The man had tried to take it off the thirteen year old, but Riley had gotten upset that someone was claiming the dog, his parents said if anyone comes looking for him that Riley had to give it back.. Riley knew that man had to have treated Troy horribly, no animal can turn so vicious for no reason, Riley refused to give his new companion to the man and it had been the first time anyone had started shouting and screaming, throwing foul insults at the young boy until his grandfather heard the commotion as Troy started snarling at the older man. Riley had been allowed to keep it because the police knew about that mans illegal dealins with dog fights and he wasn't permitted to even own animals any more.
The puppy, Katie, was the daughter of Toby, who was one of the male puppies in Troy's first litter of pups, Toby looked so much like the dog Riley had rescued. Riley spent time up in Iowa with Catherine during the Christmas holidays, sometimes he'd play with Toby and he'd get images, flashes of memories that had been lost to him. It was strang though.. he fought so hard to undo what man had done to an animal, only to walk right into the same situation the following year just before his forteenth birthday.
This time it was Riley that was being abused by the people that 'owned' him however..
The classroom was dark and empty, a pale stream of moonlight poured in, enough to vaguely see the outline of his desk. Riley moved through the shadows and slowly descended into his chair, there was a team meeting at 9am, it was five in the morning, his body ached from the struggle with the T'chokal that had wandered into the city. It was unusual for them to be around here, in fact he hadn't seen one since he was nineteen, and that was in a jungle, where it had been feeding of tourists and natives and any poor soul finding their way into its path.
Another fresh memory resurfacing, another horror show for him to be entertained with during the nights when he slept, so he'd figured out a way to avoiding them.. he just tried to sleep as little as possible. It wasn't really an option, even when he did rest he'd toss and turn and wake up eventually, always weak and pale, his skin clammy and his head spinning. At first it only happened now and then, and it was always the image of the cybernetic terminator, stepping into the cafe bar they were all sitting at.. Catherines delicate body hitting the ground after a gunshout thundred through the area. Riley didn't understand what or where she had been hit, his inability to see blood - and even if he focused enough to vaguely understand that there was blood, he'd get distracted and forget about it right away - it ensured that he had no idea that his unborn child was in any danger other then something being wrong with its mother.
He still had that dream, they were worse now though, even things that shouldn't frighten him seemed to terrify him, but that dream did hurt him, all the time, and no it was occuring more often. Now for the past week every time he woke up it was a struggle just to move, it hurt to breath, as if breathing would make him even more sick then he already felt, his chest was heavy and his mind clouded, his body unable to fight the gravity that engulfed it, holding him down, refusing to allow him to get up.. something that Riley wasn't enthusiastic about doing on the best of mornings.
Stay awake. That's all he had to do, just focus on something, anything, Riley leaned back in his seat, staring ahead at the empty chairs and smaller school desks before him. Being a teacher was strange, it was a different type of leadership, their futures depended on what he taught them, it wasn't a matter of life or death.. it wasn't very exciting either. When he was younger he really wanted to be a teacher, and when he was at school as well, and even last year, he was telling Catherine how he wanted to be one. But it was different now.. you can't jump out of the fast lane and settle in the slow one smoothly. He missed the adrenilan rushes, the challenges, the danger, he loved danger as much as he hated it at the same time. The thrill of being out there, the risks, the pain, it had sustained him for all these years.. and now he had nothing.. Nothing important enough to make him happy, not challenging enough to feel alive, Catherine had made him feel that, being with her he had experienced emotions and sensations that he'd never imagined. Life is about living, the pain people feel can only be healed by living, life can only be worth something if the person is willing to embrace it. But right now that hardest thing for Riley was to live in this world.. it wasn't what he was used to, it wasn't his life.. Catherine was his life, and she went way, she took the reason for living away from him, she took away his life.
The room slowly grew darker, sounds echoed in the distance, smells drifted around him... the nightmares returned to haunt him..
=====
Beads of sweat and the climents heavy moisture soaked Riley's skin, a tickling feel as a droplet creeped down from the side of his face, running down to the back of his neck. The t-shirt he wears is soaked beyond saturation point; a little more perspiration won't make a difference now. Watches the branches of the trees above him, trying hard not to breathe in too deeply. He hates the smell of rotting fruit from the jungle floor, although he likes the Morpho butterflies that eat it. Doesn't mean he stops hating the scent, no matter how pretty their iridescent blue wings are when the butterflies land.
He watches the canopy, waiting for a glimpse of the T'chokal that's been hiding here during the day and then slipping into San Ignacio at night, eating its fill of foolish tourists and any natives unfortunate enough to have no shelter from the darkness. The demon is hard to spot at night, impossible to track since its body temperature is too close to human to be able to use the infrared. So his platoon is lying outside the ruins of Xunantunich, hoping to catch sight of the T'chokal in the canopy. It likes the sun, or so the research says. Riley can't imagine anything wanting to get any warmer than the ambient temperature of the jungle, but he's stopped trying to think like whatever he has to kill..
There's a crackle of sound from his radio and he keeps his eyes trained on a clump of green that seems a little denser than the surrounding foliage. Pulling out the walkie-talkie from his pocket he thumbs the button, pushing it down while he spoke. "Finn. Go." A harsh whisper, a command, something he lived for, something he missed now without admitting it, and now it begins again, the hunt, but he had nothing to do with it.. and that left a bitter taste of unspoken disappointment.
Riley winces at the volume of the voice that calls out over the radio "Blue Team took it out over by the caves. Mission accomplished. We'll take it back to camp sir." That's Newsome, the radio man on Riley's team. 20 years old, and slightly overeager in Riley's opinion, one year older then Riley himself, but his height fooled some of his older comrades into thinking he was older then them.
"Roger that. Red Team out." Clicking the safety back on the rifle, Riley lets his neck muscles relax, closes his eyes and swipes his arm over his forehead, pushes sweat into his hair and lets the arm rest over his eyes. If he lays there with his eyes closed and ignores the shrieking of the parrots, he could almost get himself back to July in Iowa, about six years ago.
Humid, sticky, heavy air, close to a solid thing when you move through it. All that's missing were the popular boys from his school, a pickup baseball game with whoever else is too hot to work the fields but just fine with sweating out six or seven innings on the diamond.
"Hey, Captain. You comin' in?" Riley looks out from under his arm to see Newsome standing over him, radio on his back. Bright red bandana tied like a do-rag around his head, and no matter how many damn times he's been told about bright colors as attractors, Newsome seems to think he knows better. Young, dumb, gonna live forever: Riley's seen it too often. Shipped home plenty of Newsomes in body bags.
"Private, if I see that thing on your head again, I'll set fire to it. Am I clear?" Heaving himself to his feet, Riley slings the rifle over his shoulder, picks up his radio again and calls the code - mission over, report to home base. The rest of the team slip up silently, coming out of their hiding places about twenty or so feet away from him, with a wave of Riley's arm they begin their hike back. When Riley turns back to Newsome, the bandana is gone, sometimes Riley couldn't understand why Maggie had put this man on his team, he just wanted to get back to base, it was one of the first missions he'd been split so long from Graham and Forrest who were sick and recovering back home.
The rain starts before they get another thirty feet towards camp. Perfect. At least it was a shower of sorts, but each droplet was hot, sticky, causing the heat on his body to increase even more. He was getting sick, he needed his medication to help combat whatever he was getting, Riley didn't know at the time that it was simply withdrawls from not having his dose of 'special' formula which was called their medication, it made him feel better so he had no reason to doubt that it wasn't helping him hen he got sick on missions. It didn't happen often, he just spent too long away from camp, longer then he was meant to, Professor Walsh wouldn't be pleased, but they got the job done, that had to be something to make her think positively and not that he went against orders.
Once back at the back Newsome drops three mangoes on the table and sits on the rickety chair with his back to Riley, pulling a knife from a sheath he wears under his arm. Riley leans over and taps him on the shoulder as Newsome starts to cut into the first one.
"It's not ripe, Private. Toss it, eat the other two." The private's eyebrow rises with irritation as he looks back at Riley, and if it wasn't so hot, if Riley wasn't so tired, he'd snatch that fruit out of the man's hand and stomp on it.. well.. Riley would like to assume so anyway... Instead, he shrugs. "Suit yourself, boy. You have watch tonight, and you'll stand it no matter how sick that makes you." Sometimes people thought Riley was a little harsh, or pompus, he didn't care, he got the job done and that's all that mattered.. other then making sure he does his best to keep every one of these men alive.
Snaging one of the other redder fruits for himself, Riley eases his own knife from his pocket, unfolds it and slices in through the outer skin. The scent hits him, sweet and ripe, flesh juicy, bright orange, and fresh. He's eaten enough pre-packaged food to last him several lifetimes. Cutting the halves into quarters the delicious feeling that engulfed him as he bites into one, letting the sticky wetness run down his chin to the green t-shirt he wore. It's already stained; a little fruit juice won't make it worse. His taste buds prickle at the flavor of the fruit, like the fresh fruits from back home, the Initiative had no idea such simple pleasures would cause Riley to keep remembering his home, it was shortly after this time that he truly began to get homesick.. when he started to fight back.. when everything he knew started to crumble apart.
No matter how often he eats mangoes, he still longs for the taste of something more familiar instead. Now his sense memory fires up from that warm sweetness. He's spent the better part of the last eight days thinking about being anywhere but here, and today the taste of mango stirs a painful longing for his mother's homemade peach ice cream. God, he'd sell Newsome to the closest Maranthik demon colony for one dish of that, sweet and soft and full of gritty sugar and chunks of the peaches that she spent the morning peeling. Closing his eyes, there was another slow bite of the mango and tells himself it's peach-flesh on his tongue. Wills himself back to sunset in Huxley, post-barbeque on a Friday night. Images of the old ice cream tub, the grain of the wood, the coarse crystals of rock salt inside. Imaging his father lifting it to the picnic table he'd built by himself. Recalling his grandmother prying off the lid and dishing it out quickly, everything melting almost as fast as they could eat it. They'd eat the whole batch in one sitting.
The sound of swearing pulls Riley from his daydream, watching as Newsome scrapes his fingers over his tongue and around his mouth, digging out as much of the mango as he can. "Frickin' turpentine," he says, spitting again, and Riley raises an eyebrow at him, never one to say 'I told you so', though his slight dislike for the arrogant man made the urge feel stronger then usual.
"Told you it wasn't ripe." Alright, so Riley wanted to take pleasure in his smarts for once, he's tired of people thinking he was just some country hick with no knowledge of the real world. He jabs one of his uneaten sections with his blade and offers it to the other man. "Here, this one's fine. Get the taste out of your mouth." The image of the offering blurs in Riley's dream, it wasn't really a dream, a memory, it's what Riley wanted though wasn't it? To remember things? Remember the things that were stolen from him.. lately he wishes he didn't remember anything, the thought of taking the drugs still in his possession from the Initiative was increasingly becoming overwhelming.
Watching Newsome devour the piece of mango to the skin, teeth scraping every morsel he can manage before he tosses the rind to the table. He looks on as Newsome picks up the third mango and eyes it suspiciously. Riley hides a smile and spears his last chunk of quartered fruit, eating slowly, wishing hard not for any further distractions in hopes of drifting off into another day dream, but he knows it's not going to happen.. and it shouldn't.. he wasn't allowed to lose his focus.
"Is it safe?" Private Newsome holds the lone remaining mango out to his captian, for once not looking on Riley as if he was some sort of pompus prick that didn't deserve his attention. Riley didn't really mind being called that by other soldiers, even commenting once 'Hey, it took me years to get this pompus, I'm very proud of what came out of all my effort.' Graham had laughed almost uncontrollably at the comment Riley had given one of their other team mates.
Riley grins around the mouthful of soft fruit, using the back of his hand to cover the mouthfool of fruit he was still chewing on. Nodding as Riley waves his hand, then gets out of the chair and picks up the discarded skin of the ripe mango. Might as well put the farm boy knowledge to its good use, so he points to the rich, red color with his knife blade. "The red ones, Newsome. Stick to the red ones," While the captian speaks he's folding the blade away and pocketing it.
Riley heads back to his tent, still tasting mangoes and wishing for peaches. One summer they'd shipped out from Pease, New Hampshire to Atlantic City, New Jersey. Special assignment, very low-key observation. The transport broke down in Philadelphia, and they were stuck there for three hours. Hot, humid, and all of them sweating and uncomfortable in the dark uniforms. Graham found the vendor first. The rest of the platoon bought him out of his stock.
Lemon ice, and not prepackaged, the real thing. Homemade, with little bits of zest and rind in the ice, crunch of sugar that hadn't dissolved scraping over his teeth, a sharp bite of lemon that he never managed to find again. Riley thinks maybe it was the water there, or the exact ratio of juice and rind to sugar, but nothing ever managed to hit him like that, all sweet-sour and so wonderfully refreshing.
They get some lemons down here, some limes. Not the same, though, and even if they could make ice, he'd take a bath in a tub full of it before he'd waste it trying to make frozen dessert. Riley won't even attempt to ruin that memory with something pathetic, not when he knows that even a glass of his grandmother's lemonade would fall short. Grinning to himself at the sacrilegious thought, knowing his grandmother would do everything in her power to not just match that vendor's lemon ice, but to improve on perfection. Something in her is all steel under those soft gray curls and pretty ruffled aprons, some drive to be the best. He's all too familiar with it: if you can't be the best, then get out of the game.
Everything faded out, everything but motion, his feet, moving through sticky mud, they were back out on patrol again, final sweep of the ruins and the cave to make sure the T'chokal was operating alone. Images began to return, his platoon is on the final perimeter and the rain makes it next to impossible to see anything more than five feet ahead. It doesn't ever do anything other than pour here. Drizzle is a word for other countries. Belize takes its rain seriously and offers it up in sheets of gray that plaster hair and clothes to your body and turn the floor of the jungle into sucking puddles of mud. Working in these conditions makes him almost wish for a transfer back to the coast where the worst thing he had to worry about was sunburn, those damn sand fleas that left half his men covered in red-ringed bites, and a few of the privates' unfailing ability to get drunk and talk too much.
There's a shift in the canopy, and Riley's finger twitches on the trigger, tracking the shape as it moves. It's nothing but a capuchin monkey, watching the creature for a momen, Riley shakes his head. Too jumpy for his own good. Even as he's lowering the rifle, something tingles up his spine, some weird sixth sense that he prays is wrong but knows at once is dead-on accurate. The scream is high pitched and fades too fast to a choking gurgle.
By the time he's made it to the body, mangled on the filthy ground, Newsome's been eviscerated and the T'chokal is moving towards the rest of Riley's platoon. With with a numb anger, but a strong hatred, Riley fires a shot in the air, pauses, fires another and then follows the trail. He doesn't get far before he hears the sound of the rest of his men taking out the demon. Images blur again, his mind struggles to keep the story flowing, now he's head ing back to Newsome's body.
The rain chooses that moment to stop, cut off abruptly. In the heat, the smell of the dead man's blood hangs suspending in the just-rained humidity, copper scent inhaled with steam and all the other scents of death and decay of the tropics. Riley spies the bandana, twisted into a rope and tied around Newsome's forehead to keep the rain from running into his eyes. He squats beside the body and uses his own knife to cut the straps of the radio from Newsome's back, would this soldier still be alive if Riley had just burned that damn thing? The smell of the blood forces Riley to swallow down hard so he won't be sick, when it mixed with all the other scents it was hard to breath, he may not *see* the blood, but he knew it was there, a coppery taste on his tongue just from the scent of it.
No one was there.. no one was there to see one of his men had died, they'd only kno from a report, a sheet of paper or an email. His life was just starting to get back into routine after his incident with Clare, but this had been the first death since he returned, somehow he thought he had gotten better, stronger.. He shoulder have been more careful, should have protected the foolish man, too stupid to listen to sound advice, to self-absorbed to care for the danger he put those around him.. yet Riley managed to blame himself.
What was the point in wishing for something more other than this? Who would want a programed killer as their son or the father of their children? Who wants a hollow freak like him to touch them? No one would save him, the last one who tried gave up on him, she left him, left him to be swollowed back into the world that had stolen his life away before he had a chance to live it.
Suddenly he wished for the simpler days, when all he had to do was study and learn, work and play, where going out and doing missions was just repairing old ricketing fences. He thought of the nights he laid shyly in a bed beside a shallow girl who smelled like vanilla and lime, and he longs for those mangoes again, and thoughts of peaches and homemade ice cream.
=====
The sun had crept up into the sky, Riley's form slumped forward over his desk, the morning rays hot, it was going to be a warm Friday today. Nine o'clock, or around than, it had to be, the door opened and the friday rush of students in the halls was enough to sit up suddenly in his seat, the palms of his hands pressing down into the table to push him up and keep his balance as he shot a glance towards the door. For a second he was a little disorientated, realizing he had fallen asleep at his desk a few hours ago, the ghostly hunger for fruit lingered in his mouth as he watched members of his team enter the room.
Lifting his hand rub his eyes and then wipe away the tiny beads of sweat that had begun to form on his forehead, his hand moved threw his hair and then dropped to his thigh, rubbing lightly on the fabric of his black jeans. He had a long sleeved dark green shirt on, the sleeves still rolled up from when he left his room before coming here earlier that morning. He had smaller bruises along his arms and neck where the demon had gripped hold of him tightly, there was no way you could have close rang combat with a demon and not get away without getting hurt. The bruises weren't dark though so if he was lucky he could get through the day without them catching anyones attention, he'd put special cream over his skin to help make them go away, even the painful ones on his back would be fainter spots tomorrow. Two days and he'll be good as new. As new as a used and discarded person could be anyway.
"Morning everyone." Even though it was hot he rolled down his sleeves and crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned back a little as he smiled rather charmingly, he'd not let others see how sick and weak he felt at this moment, he'd rather be stoned to death in some primative culter then lose the respect of his already struggling team. His morning sickness will wear off shortly, he just had to play it out as best he could without anyone getting into a fuss over him. Only Catherine was allowed to be concerned about him, no one else, maybe Graham, but even than it was a maybe, he would be humiliated if anyone else saw him or knew him to be in a weaker condition than his best.
To Be Continued: X-Force Members Only
It's like in my dream. You come to me, make me smile, then leave me alone to cry.
Taylor Andrews
Team : Gold Strike Force Co-Team : X-Treme
Iceman
Bobby Drake
Team : Red Strike Force
Shinzon
Scimitar Commander
Matthew Rosenberg
Eldest of the Rosenbergs
Lady Death Strike
A Clawed Huntress
Posts: 282
(8/22/04 7:46 pm)
Re: X-Force: Slowly learning to work together..
Neither Sean or Taylor really appreciated having to get up for the early meetings that the teams had been arranged, but they did it anyway, knowing that their position in the team was more of a privilage than a chore. The pair had walked down to their meetings in near silence, a few murmurs about what the meeting could be on, but nothing else. This was manly due to Taylor's half-opened eyes and almost uniteligable responses to anything that Sean had to say. They had told Ben that they would meet him down there as it was usually the easiest way to go, especially when it involved waking Taylor; but for once Sean was also greatly preoccupied.
His father was still laying in the med bay, and the news about his illness had hit him hard. Scott and Sean weren't the closet of pairs, but Sean liked to think of their relationship and bond as strong; the only reason it was less than some was because like Sean had inherited, Scott was very passionate towards the work of Xavier's teams and so there were times where Sean wouldn't see either or both of his parents for up to a few weeks at a time. Obviously he had confided in Dawn with what had happened, however Taylor didn't know everything, just that his uncle had been taken to the Med bay. All Sean had wanted to do this morning was spend it lying beside his girlfriend in their bed, their warm bodies close, Sean able to comfort himself in her hold. But once again duty had come between his needs and the pair had to split apart for their different meetings, Sean quickly arriving at the class room as told.
Sean masked the wear and tear on his face from the torment his mind was playing on him and opened the door. He had been the first of the team members to arrive, they walked into an empty room, all except for Riley who had seemed to have suddenly stood as they entered, a slightly dazed and tired expression on his face. Sean looked towards him and smiled, closing the door softly behind him.
"Morning everyone." Sean moved closer to where Riley was and spoke; "Morning Riley, is there anything I need to know in particular before we start?" Sean spoke with a neutral tone, he didn't want to seem like he was trying to take Riley's place again as his enquiries often seemed to spark in his team leader, but as he was the Riley's second he felt he should be told anything important to start off so that they could both show the team a unified leadership.
Sean smiled a little as he looked at Riley in a hope that it would help to settle anything the older man thought; after the Harmony mission tension between the pair had relaxed a little since Sean had been seen to have some weakness by Riley, he just didn't want that to all be in vain by Sean stepping over the ever changing line that was Riley's fraught emotions; fraught by both his past, his present and his future. Sean could never read much from him through his powers, but he had often been able to sense the overwhelming feeling of pressure his leader felt and all Sean wanted to try to do was relieve one aspect of that pressure if he could.
(OOC: Edited, sorry got X-Force and X-Tremem mixed up, I have ridded this place of Taylor :ev
Why can't I admitt
That when you're gone
I'm afraid of being alone?
Posts: 1010
(8/23/04 2:03 pm)
Re: X-Force: Slowly learning to work together..
ooc: *Stares* Hey, why is Taylor here, we don't want him! *Folds arms and sticks nose in the air* He's GSF, we're X-Force, we are sooooo much better then him and his group!
"Morning Riley, is there anything I need to know in particular before we start?" It wasn't just the simple insecurities, which had to be expected when you consider where he was from he was one of the best, the strongest, the smartest, here he was just another face in the crowd. Maggie had called him her Prodigy Soldier, probably it was because of Riley's trusting and loyal nature, it made him highly vulnurable to the brainwashings from people he thought were his family and were meant to protect him.
Usually he had been told something and was to pass it onto others if needed be, he hardly discussed matters, maybe sometimes with Graham, if he was worried about something, but he'd never really debrief someone before debriefing an entire group, what was the point? This was different, he was going to have to come with terms about that, they weren't a platoon, they weren't marines, and they weren't going to use and abuse him and he sure as hell prayed they wouldn't leave him behind once something new and improved came along.
..Like Sean for example.
There appeared to be a faintly blank look about Riley as he thought of a response, the meeting had been arranged by the other teachers and in truth he hadn't put time aside to think of a topic since yesterday afternoon when it had been.
"Um," Alright, now all he could think about were damn peaches, he felt like an idiot having a team meeting and not having anything planned, "..I don't think so." The way he said it made it sound as if Riley was a little lacking on any idea towards the meeting, yet the way he looked made it seem as if he had things planned - more truthfully he was quickly planning things out now as he thought and tried to see if Sean would need to know of it first.
There was a slightly awkward silence for a moment, Riley shifted his weight faintly from one foot to the other, though it was barely noticable. Team work, you'd think he'd be more comfortable with it, and it wasn't just Sean on this matter, he always had to distance himself from the ones around him when he was a Captian or Special Agent. It felt alien sharing the responsibility, having someone he shouldn't have to distance himself from, a part of him wished that someone was Catherine and the thought distractd him a little before he spoke.
"..Is.. would you, I mean.. anything that you'd like to discuss.. with anyone, or me?" Well, that took a whole lot of effort, he felt exhausted just saying that, and hungry.. really hungry.. another distraction crossed Riley's mind as he wondered when was the last time he actually ate and what the heck was up with his sudden desire to have friut icecream? The dream was a little faint in his mind right now so i didn't really occur to him what had happened in it, only faces of men, soldiers, demons, someone had died..
It's like in my dream. You come to me, make me smile, then leave me alone to cry.
Taylor Andrews
Team : Gold Strike Force Co-Team : X-Treme
Iceman
Bobby Drake
Team : Red Strike Force
Shinzon
Scimitar Commander
Matthew Rosenberg
Eldest of the Rosenbergs
Lady Death Strike
A Clawed Huntress
Posts: 284
(8/24/04 12:30 pm)
Re: X-Force: Slowly learning to work together.."Um...I don't think so."
Sean felt the awkward silence drop over them, although for him personally he didn't really mind that Riley had nothing to tell him in advance; Sean was second in command and if there was nothing that was important enough to discuss before the rest got there then it didn't make sense to just waste the time. Sean smiled and nodded a little at Riley and then turned to take a seat near the front of the room when Riley spoke again.
"..Is.. would you, I mean.. anything that you'd like to discuss.. with anyone, or me?"
Had his emotions been that obvious, had his personal problems already come in between him and his job on the team. For a moment he panicked not knowing what to say to Riley, he slowly turned back to the older man, trying to make his expression neutral, if he showed to much weakness now then Riley might not think him fit enough to go on the missions and he desperately didn't want that; he needed to show Riley he could be depended on whenever and whatever happens and so if he left this meeting then all that would be gone and whatever this was all about Sean bet he wouldn't be involved anymore.
"Uh....no, it's ok Riley it's nothing, we've got to focus on the team meeting.....as you know...obviously." Sean found himself stuttering as he was flooded by what to say, he couldn't think, he had lost his composure which he had worked on all the way down here. Taking a deep breath he stopped and looked directly at Riley; "I'm sorry, I'm ok, the important thing here is to get on with this meeting and get your team ready to do whatever this is all about." Sean talk was more to himself at points, getting his composure back and getting his mind set off of what was happening with his father and to the meeting at hand. Once again that awkward silence seemed to fall and Sean's gaze dropped to the floor avoiding Riley's eyes.
Why can't I admitt
That when you're gone
I'm afraid of being alone?
Posts: 1013
(8/25/04 5:54 am)
Re: X-Force: Slowly learning to work together.."Uh....no, it's ok Riley it's nothing, we've got to focus on the team meeting.....as you know...obviously." Now he sounded like Riley when Riley's get's highly nervous around Catherine. She was one of the few people he actually stutters to on more then just a few occasions, he had been especially bad when he first returned to the school with a blank memory.
Although feeling a slight concern, Riley outwardly showed no change in his expression towards Sean's unusual behaviour, though part of him did feel bad to make the other break apart like that.
"I'm sorry, I'm ok, the important thing here is to get on with this meeting and get your team ready to do whatever this is all about." The sudden withdrawn body language Sean displayed surprised Riley a little, he'd been out all night and more then just a little self-absorbed with his own problems that he wasn't in touch with the troubles of other people. He also had a partially noticable emphasis on 'your', something Riley has been waiting for him to say for so long and yet now that he's addressed the team as his there was a heavy feeling settling over him.
"Uh-ah, you're not pushing responsibility all onto me, we mess up anytime and you're still getting half the blame, now sit down for the group discussion I haven't planned yet." Riley sat himself down on the edge of his desk as he kept speaking, "I'm sure it'll be really fascinating, possibly even interesting, most likely dull and boring. I can just see you're all reeling with enthusiasm so I won't keep you in suspence any longer.." The playful sarcasme was added as he noted basically everyone looked as if they wanted nothing more then just dragging themselves back to bed for extra sleep.
"Uh.. we're.. hmm," He thought again for a moment, but then seemed to think of something and had a more alert and 'incharge' expression, "Alright, starting from now on we're going to be stepping up in our training, we can't just rely on Sean blasting all the things that are far away and me pounding things that get to close." He glanced at the different faces, Angela Hughes was mostly staring down at her desk since she hasn't been in the same room as Catherine for a while now and she still felt horrible for suggesting Cat tag along with Riley to his parents place where she got shot and lost her baby.
"From now on I'm organizing two hour training sessions, the first hour you will be learning hand-to-hand combat, Sean and I will be showing you step by step instructions on executing different offensive and defensive physical attacks." Riley had to assume that they at least knew the basic's after all this time at the school and fighting in the Danger Room, but still, he was going to make sure they all learned everything they needed to know in order to stay alive.
"This will go on for at least two months until I know for sure that when we're sent out into the field we're going our prepared and no one is going to be left defenceless." There was a pause before he grinend, "Now aren't you all glade you woke up early to hear that wonderful news?" A glimpse of his older personality was starting to resurface the last couple of weeks, though it was weak and sometimes far between. Even Riley couldn't stay depressed twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, though he was doing a good job trying.
"Catherine I especially think it's important you start using your agility to your advantage, after all, they can't hurt you if they can't touch you." There was a slight smile given to her, relishing the chance just to speak with her in front of others, usually they were alone, and don't get him wrong, he adored speaking with her when no one else was around, it meant he had her whole attention. But sometimes it was great to know others are watching him speak with her, almost as if he was proud just for them to know she still tolerated speaking to him even after all that's happened.. though mostly not many people know nearly half of what's gone on between them.
I can't dream another dream without you by my side..
Re: X-Force: Slowly learning to work together..
She personally didn't see why they had to have a stupid team meeting so early in the day ... she didn't have any lessons till eleven o'clock today and was accustomed to being able to sleep in till late. But instead she'd had to drag herself out of her warm bed and all the way down to some silly meeting with a team that didn't ever seem to do anything. The only reason she was coming was because Riley was there, her heart skipped a beat quickly as she thought about him. Everything had been so strange between them since Iowa, at least they were friends again now and she hardly dared to think that they could ever be more than that after what had happened to them. It was her own fault though, she knew it was, she ought not to have pushed him away from her like that when she found out her unborn child had been killed. If she'd just let him be there for her then she wouldn't be stuck in this situation now would she..
There was a small whine from behind her and Cat looked over her shoulder as she hefted her bag off her bed and onto her shoulders. At the doorway there was a young looking black dog, it had a friendly but anxious expression in it's eyes as if wondering if she were about to drive it away. It didn't seem to have a distinct breed about it but there was definitely some collie in it somewhere. The rather ploomy tail that was attached to it was wagging slowly and a pink tongue could be seen inside it's mouth while it panted slightly.
'Hi Lisa.' Cat said smiling and recognising the dog at once as one of her friends. There was an excited bark from the dog as it pushed the door open fully and came into her room, it's whole backend moving as it wagged it's tail furiously. The creature bounced around her looking excited, licking at her hands and barking at her until she hurried out of the room after it. Lisa then seemed to settle down, happy to lead Catherine to the classroom where the meeting was to take place.
Riley had his attention on Sean as she moved into the room, Angela was already there but Cat took a seat a little distant from her since she wasn't really sure if they were speaking or not. Lisa was the only one who seemed to be making overtures of friendliness to her, it hadn't occurred to Cat that perhaps Angela felt guilty since the Iowa trip had been her idea. Lisa suddenly transformed back into her human form, brushing her hair down and trying to act like it didn't bother her that she'd been licking Cat's hands only a few minutes ago. It was hard for her to control the urges she got while she was another animal. Since she'd been possessed she'd been finding it easier to transform into larger animals and had been practising to try and keep her mind off what had happened to her. She rationed that it was better to lock away everything that had happened in the back of her mind and not think about it rather than dwell upon it like someone like Cat might. But then at least Cat would be coming to terms with what had happened to her, Lisa was refusing to even talk about it.
She took a seat in between Cat and Angela in the hopes that she might be able to be some soft of bridge between the two of them. She knew Angie still liked Cat and she was sure that Catherine wasn't upset with Angela ... she just couldn't work out where the problem was lying and what she could do to get the two of them talking again. But then if they had to all work as a team then Cat would have to start interacting with them wouldn't she? Lisa didn't like the new personality that the agility mutant seemed to be gaining, the sit in the corner one, it wasn't fair that people seemed to be shunning her, she hadn't done anything wrong and she didn't deserve to be punished for what had happened to her.
"From now on I'm organizing two hour training sessions, the first hour you will be learning hand-to-hand combat, Sean and I will be showing you step by step instructions on executing different offensive and defensive physical attacks." Cat wasn't really listening to him, she was more worried about the fact that he had bags under his eyes and looked so tired. She had no idea what he'd been getting upto a night, but she'd be horrified if she ever found out. After all he had no team out there with him, no one to come running if he was cornered by a group of demons.
"Catherine I especially think it's important you start using your agility to your advantage, after all, they can't hurt you if they can't touch you." Her name spoken on his lips gained her attention and she blinked a couple of times, trying to remember what he'd been saying. There was a little nod from her, a bit shy about being singled out by him in front of everyone. What if they shot at her though? That was what had happened in Iowa and her mutant abilities didn't seem to have done much for her then. But then perhaps if she'd not been so concerned over Riley who'd been in pain she'd have noticed the danger and been able to get out of the way in time.
Cat: It feels like my world is slipping through my fingers and I don't know how to hold onto it
Why can't I admitt
That when you're gone
I'm afraid of being alone?
Posts: 1015
(8/26/04 4:00 am)
Re: X-Force: Slowly learning to work together..
It seemed to be rather quiet amongst the group, not that anyone really had anything to say, it made Riley feel awkward though, Sean aside they were all supposed to be his best friends and it seemed lately they had little to do together as a group anymore. With Riley been so detatched from the group for such a massive amount of time, as well as Catherine, it wasn't surprising they were struggling like a newly created group.
"The other day, after midnight, you all should be aware that X-treme and my other group, X-change had taken part in a rescue mission to Harmony" There was a slight pause since Lisa was part of that group and she hadn't attended the mission, Riley didn't want to sound as if he was hinting towards anything, he already had Jean Summers talking with him about her concerns towards Lisa's behaviour. "It came to my attention that this school is gravely uneducated towards handling demonic entities." A slightly nervous fidgeting began as Riley's fingers fiddled about with the edge of the desk he was sitting on, only Catherine and a minor few who knew even less then Cat were aware of Riley's past and he was still very tight lipped about it, even though as far as everyone was aware the Initiative had been destroyed.
"I think some of our next battle simulations will orientate around demonic threats, we live close to a bee-hive of demonic activity, I think it's best if at least one of our teams were full equiped in handling any threats from hos-." A sudden pause, a blink, and smoothly continues "-hostile demons." Sleep was definitely needed.. he wouldn't sleep of course, maybe he'd doze off in the library during his studying time, his eyes looked over towards Catherine for a moment, glancing at the others as if paying attention to anyone's reactions, but again focusing on Catherine every other look.
Around her he never had to lie or hide, he never had to worry about anything other then trying not to screw things up again, it was so hard this time though, at least last time she left him she had gone so far away that he couldn't see her. Now he sees her all the time, he would have thought that was better, but it just made everything more painful, he had no one to talk with any more, he didn't want to bother Catherine anymore, not now after everything she has said to him.
Sometimes when he was sitting beside her, all he wanted to do was lean over, resting against her, close his eyes, pretend that everything was alright, he wasn't hurting, he wasn't alone. Maybe Sean ought to take the lead of the team, although Riley wouldn't admit to not being well, there was still his responsibility to taking care of the team and if he took them out there was always a risk that he'd get sick and not be at his best for them. Though Sean didn't look as if he was ready to handle taking charge either, had Sean always been like that or had something happened that Riley wasn't aware of?
"Since there's a lack of team work going on between us, and I understand a great fault of that is directed towards my desertion and undeserved negligence towards my responsibilities as your commanding officer." Sometimes Riley had a habit of sounding as if he's watched one too many war movies, but it was hard for him to forget years of service and the formal way they tender to speak, "Next weekend I want everyone to keep your scheduls clear, I think it's about time we did something together." Now starting to play with the golden chain that had been a christmas present to him from Catherine, Riley started glancing over at Sean as he spoke. He hadn't planned anything and he didn't know what other people had planned, but when it came to team work, social lives have always be second in Riley's life.
"Sean and I will have to talk over it, but some time away and just between us should be good," Riley didn't know about the team missions taking place the following day, but as far as he'd be concerned it was all the more better to get the group working together more then once. Besides, the team missions worked on them fighting together, and although Riley would have some sort of training plan set for them on his outing, he'd want it more focused on them just learning to 'live' together.
Catherine saw into his life, she knew that they shared rooms with someone from their team, and the lower ranks all bunk together with four to a room. There was too much distance between his group, it was no wonder they weren't 'family' like how he was accostumed to, they just got together on occasions, he needed to step things up. And he'd be lying if he said he wouldn't enjoy the added time he'd get to spend with Catherine.
"I think that's about it.. if any of you have problems like working the weekends, just tell me, I'll sort everything out for you." Lifing his hand, Riley ruffled his hair slightly, then combed it with his fingers, he stopped when Angela spoke out curiously., she also didn't sound as if she was too excited about the whole 'going out together' thing.
"Riley, don't you have a game every weekend?" There was a slight shrug in reply, that's exactly the point though, it was just a game, he needed to focus on the team.
"I have a game Tuesday, I'll tell my coach that I won't attend the weekend one," Riley wasn't on a contract yet, he was just a trail run while the man he was replacing served out his suspention. As far as Riley was concerned if it caused any problem with his handling of the team he will quit, the school has its own basket ball team anyway, he didn't care that he'd not get paid to play, that's not even the reason he was doing it in the first place.
"Anyone else have anything to add?" The curious question was asked to everyone, glancing at all of them with a little smile that easily revealed that he was tired.
Riley had a few things he wanted to do with his team, he thought of teaching Catherine how to handle a gun, she's been shot at enough times, she ought to know how to shoot back. He had a few weapons, she could use one and he'd be able to show her how to aim.. he'd have to stand really close to her then.
I can't dream another dream without you by my side..
Team : X-Force Footy Obsessed One Charm of Good & Bad Luck
Posts: 159
(8/26/04 10:39 am)
Re: X-Force: Slowly learning to work together..
Morning had to be the worst time of the day for many teenagers around the world, Lauren was no exception to that group, always wanting the mornings to be cut out of the day. The night before the luck mutant had planned a sleep-in, a free first thing in the morning was always good as it gave that extra bit of sleep, however, being told that there was a meeting at nine the luck mutant had to set her alarm to wake her up earlier so she could get ready and be there on time.
With the alarm set you’d think it would be hard not to wake up on time, but when it first went off Lauren slapped the snooze button and fallen back to sleep. The problem was, her alarm clock was old and when the snooze button was pressed it would turn the alarm off, meaning that it wouldn’t go off in another ten minutes.
Twenty minutes before the meeting, Lauren’s eyes slowly opened to the sound of birds singing loudly outside her window. Blinking a few times she noticed that the light that was coming through a crack in her curtains was rather bright, and she turned over in her bed to check the time on her clock. Noting how little time she had to get ready she jumped out of bed and grabbed the first thing she found in her closet that matched. Today’s clothes being a pair of pale denim jeans and a pastel green t-shirt.
Slipping on her boots that she had brought a little while back she began to make her way towards the classrooms hoping that she wouldn’t be late for the meeting. Twenty minutes wasn’t much time to get ready for Lauren, she normally liked an hour in the mornings before she did something, having some breakfast and taking her time to get ready, allowing for the odd distraction to delay her a little. The thought of breakfast while passing the kitchen made her come to a halt for a moment. She loved breakfast and just realised that she was hungry for some toast but she decided against stopping since she was already running a little late and continued her way to the teem meeting, excusing herself when she bumped into the odd person every now and then in her rush.
Her soft brown eyes looked around the classroom as she entered it, to no surprise she was the last one but was lucky enough not to miss anything apart from the ‘Morning Everyone’ Riley had said moments before she entered. There was a silence between all the girls and Lauren was probably the only one who didn’t know what had gone on. Well, she talked to Angela the most out of the three of them, she hadn’t told her about what had happened but Lauren wasn’t going to be a sticky beak and nag to find out if Angela didn’t want to say.
Taking a seat while the leader and co-leader talked, Lauren made a mental note to get a new alarm on her next trip to the mall. Still sleepy she yawned a little, but made sure to cover her mouth since she didn’t want to be rude. Not long after, Riley began speaking and the luck-altering mutant had to try and focus to keep herself from zoning out and not paying attention to what the X-Force leader was saying, which was quite a hard task for someone who was easily distracted.
"From now on I'm organizing two hour training sessions, the first hour you will be learning hand-to-hand combat, Sean and I will be showing you step by step instructions on executing different offensive and defensive physical attacks." While she normally would have found that somewhat exciting if she was wide awake, the thought of learning hand-to-hand combat only made her more determined to go back to bed. She blamed her alarm for this, if she had of had her hour to causally get ready she wouldn’t be so tired!
"This will go on for at least two months until I know for sure that when we're sent out into the field we're going our prepared and no one is going to be left defenceless." Two months?! Though she complained silently in her mind, it was probably good for her to learn this with her power not really being much of an attacking power. It wasn’t that luck was in no way dangerous, it could be if Lauren was angry or upset but it was also still uncontrollable. She had gained some more control over her power, being able to use it when she wanted a little more often but there were still plenty of times that luck would be given out without her consent and the problem was she never knew when it happened.
"The other day, after midnight, you all should be aware that X-treme and my other group, X-change had taken part in a rescue mission to Harmony. It came to my attention that this school is gravely uneducated towards handling demonic entities." If it wasn’t for her coming to Xavier’s she would have laughed at what Riley had said. Sure, her over-active imagination allowed her to believe in such things but deep down she would have some sense in her that told her demons weren’t real. Since coming to Xavier’s she has learnt otherwise. Though, she wasn’t going to deny that it did sound weird that their team was going to learn about demons while most of the world was led to believe they were all fantasy.
"Since there's a lack of team work going on between us, and I understand a great fault of that is directed towards my desertion and undeserved negligence towards my responsibilities as your commanding officer. Next weekend I want everyone to keep your scheduls clear, I think it's about time we did something together." Lauren drifted off into thought for a moment, wondering if she had anything planned for the following weekend. Nothing came to her mind so she figured that there was nothing going to then. At least she wouldn’t have to cancel out on anything.
As Riley began to conclude the luck mutant seemed to wake a little more. It wasn’t that she didn’t like being on a team or the people in it, she just wanted to get out so she could have some good breakfast and hopefully fully wake so she doesn’t walk around like a sleepless zombie all day long. Angela asked about his weekend games and Riley didn’t seem to mind missing out on one.
"Anyone else have anything to add?" She didn’t and hoped that no one else would either since she could feel that a rumble in her stomach was coming. The luck mutant knew that she was hungry, she didn’t need her stomach to tell her. Hopefully she’d get to feed it shortly and keep it quiet for the time in-between that and her next meal.
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