Issue 1 Downtime

The cafeteria seat could have been empty, except for the tray of food sitting there that seemed to be feeding a person who wasn't there. Alex had gotten tired of people jumping whenever he said anything when he was around them, so he'd pretty much just stopped talking. And that got old after a while, so he'd just taken to avoiding people altogether. So consequently, he had no idea what was going on, and was pretty sure no one even knew if he was still around or not. I miss being me...

A tray of food drops down on the table (causing some of the food to splatter on said table) and then 'Brigid' falls into the corresponding seat and starts stabbing her food with her fork, not really eating.

This time it was Alex's turn to jump. "Ah... you okay, Kay?" he asked, pretty sure he was about to get his head bitten off.

"No." she grumbles. "Theresa doesn't want anything to do with me anymore, Brigid thinks I should just hide in a room somewhere and not use her power cause she hates it but I'm not allowed to feel bad about my power, even when Brigid somehow manages to turn my body into some kinda pin-cushion."

"Okay, does everyone wait until I turn invisible to just go nuts?" he asked in a total 'what the hell' voice. "We all know what Brigid's issue is... what the hell's up with Theresa?"

"She doesn't want me around when I look like Brigid cause it's 'too awkward' so she'd rather not even talk to me." she says, producing a faint screeching sound with the fork crammed against her plate.

"Too awk- Oh what the fuck. You're stuck in someone else's body, and your girlfriend won't even be there for you because it's 'awkward'? That's bullshit."

"I know, right? But no, I'm just determined to be depressed."

"Screw 'em," Alex said, toying unhungrily with his food. "Maybe it's not so bad that no one even remembers I'm here."

"Not even Brigid?"

"I don't think being one of the only four humans in the middle of prehistoric jungle really instills a habit of going to anyone for support when things are screwed up," he grumbled. "And at least you're still a girl. Me being around would probably be a hell of a lot weirder for her."

"I guess, yeah..." she says. "I... well I guess I keep having to remind myself that I'm not talking to Aisha. Sorry."

"Eh. It's a lot easier to remember when it's right on the front of your mind 'that isn't my girlfriend.'"

"Yeah..." she says awkwardly, looking down at her plate. "That is kinda awkward, isn't it?"

"Well yeah it is, but come on. We're mutants, we've been dealing with 'awkward' since we got here, right?"

"I guess... And not like I was asking her to make out or anything. Just wanted to hang out." she mumbles, pushing her food around some more.

"Exactly. Instead of, y'know, acting like the shit you're going through is a big burden on her?" He shook his head, taking a drink. "Sorry. None of my business, I know."

"Well you're right. It's bullshit. So screw her." she frowns.

"So... just a thought I had... you think maybe this is some test they're doing to see how we all react? LIke... y'know, we figure it out, and they say 'Surprise! You passed!'"

"Well if it is then I'm failing it." she says and it's hard to tell if she's just down on herself or so stubborn she'd want to fail just to not do what might be expected of her.

"Yeah, I like that idea better just because it means they know how to freaking turn us back eventually."

"Well they said they'd change us back on Monday. Right? That's what everyone's saying."

He sighed. "Yeah, is it Sunday yet? This blows." He shook his head. "So... I know how Brigid would probably answer it, so I'll ask you. What's it like? I mean, the power and all."

"It kinda sucks most of the time, to be honest. Like, you can hurt people with anything. Getting dressed is like watching a Jackie Chan movie in your head. But on the other hand it's freaking sweet in the Danger Room and you never feel worried about yourself you know? Just about everyone else around you."

"Huh," he said, mulling over that. "I always thought she lucked out when mutations were handed out. Now I'm not so sure," he admitted.

"It's still pretty sweet. But maybe I just feel that way cause she gets to look human. And cause I don't feel like I have to hide somewhere if something bad happens again like this."

"Yeah, that sucks," Alex griped. "Got enough to prove when I'm me. Like this, though?" He just shook his head, losing track of the fact that no one could see him do it.

"What do you have to prove anyway?"

"Eh, I don't know," he admitted. "Just... all I ever hear at home, right? You have to be the best at everything. You have to stand out. Can't rely on people." He took a drink. "I don't know. Might also be that it's annoying as hell when everyone acts like I'll get hurt all the time here. I mean, I turn into metal for god's sake, it's not impossible but it's a lot damn harder than everyone else."

"Yeah I don't know what the hell's up with that. At least with me they got a reason to worry." she mumbles.

Alex shrugged... again, kind of pointlessly. "I don't know, you seem pretty good at not doing anything retarded to get hurt. And it's not like you just sit out and hide or anything."

"Except that time campus was attacked and I hid in the basement or the time I got kidnapped and had to be protected by a dinosaur."

He shrugged. "Well, nothing's perfect. I mean, you were good at the marina. ANd there were guys with guns and everything."

"I guess..."

"Still, Theresa yelled at me for that. Kinda. She sure as hell didn't like it. But I guess that doesn't matter anymore anyway."

"Hiya guys." Christie said as she walked up, carrying a tray "Mind if I sit down?"

"I'm right here," Alex said, quickly, even reflexively, it sounded like. "WHich... I guess is why there's a tray here that you can... see... shit. Nevermind. Shutting up."

"Sure, go ahead."

"How's it been?" Christie asked.

"Shitty. Managed to piss off Theresa, Brigid and Mary all on the same day cause apparently everyone's gone stupid."

"That sucks." Christie said "What happened?"