Room 309, Tala, Stephanie, Hannah, Welcome to the jungle.

by **Tala Davis** » Sun Jul 03, 2011 8:03 am

Room 244 has been rebuilt to look more like a zoo exhibit. Out of place was the tall wardrobe, bed and foot locker, even the built in closet had been converted into hideable rabbit hutches.

"Once again, thanks. So, you want to see him?"

by **Sean Hall** » Mon Jul 04, 2011 2:27 pm

"I would like to see what's in the box I've been helping you push around," Sean smiled,.

by **Tala Davis** » Mon Jul 04, 2011 3:29 pm

"Go stand by the door and be ready to leave and close it if I tell you. We've been together only a few months, he may not appreciate you being here too." She smiled and moved around the crate, slowly lifting the heavy metal gate.

"Okay, Aolani. We're here, we also have company still, so please be good." She stepped back and a large male clouded leopard slowly stalked out of the crate. He paused and looked back over his shoulder at Sean. He tested the air then huffed before stretching and leaping up into a over hanging limb.

"Aolani, Sean. Sean, Aolani, or Cloud, my bodyguard."

by **Sean Hall** » Mon Jul 04, 2011 3:32 pm

"He's impressive," Sean said sounding suitably impressed, "Wait bodyguard?"

by **Tala Davis** » Mon Jul 04, 2011 3:49 pm

"My parents are super protective...in fact I've only ever left the XI campus on few occasions, even then the number of cats in the immediate areas and the collateral damage increased drastically. I'm the daughter of two former X-men and the twin of a current X-man... Aolani was the compromise so I could come to XU."

Aolani made a meowling growl and Tala moved over to a large cooler chest and fetched out "dinner", tossing it up to the large carnivore. He caught it then dropped it on the the limb and gave her a look.

"Well, I'm sorry, you know I can't let you out until dark and I'm not making you a fresh one with company here. Deal."

by **Sean Hall** » Mon Jul 04, 2011 4:03 pm

"Well, a big cat will certainly be a nice extra layer of security," Sean said, "I've never met an animal empath before, certainly explains the number of crates I saw with the live animal label."

by **Tala Davis** » Mon Jul 04, 2011 6:37 pm

"Food mostly, though that one there is a friend." She stepped over to a smaller animal crate and opened it, letting a silver fox step out then quickly claim the bed.

"Ren, Sean. Sean, Ren. I think of her as my spirit guide."

by **Sean Hall** » Mon Jul 04, 2011 6:44 pm

"It is very nice to meet you Ren," Sean said, "Spirit guide, huh?"

by **Tala Davis** » Mon Jul 04, 2011 7:42 pm

"A gift from my mom. She grew up without anyone, so she adopted some Pacific Northwest Native American ways. A family friend told my parents that my shifting ability was mostly a defensive ability and it had manifested as a fox in my psyche. At 15, mom got me Ren."

by **Sean Hall** » Mon Jul 04, 2011 9:04 pm

"Sounds like she means a lot to you," Sean said, "Shifting and animal telepathy. Sounds like you got the better end of the powers bargain."

by **Tala Davis** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 6:54 am

"Not at first, but having Mom and Dad actually know what I was going through helped." She rummaged around in a box and pulled out a pink leash. In an instant Ren was up off the bed and standing by the door.

"As if puberty wasn't hard enough, throw in a the ability to understand the insensate chatter of local squirrels and the temperament of a cornered fox and you get me at 13." She chuckled and opened the door for Sean.

"Let's walk, he needs to explore the room in private and she need the exercise."

by **Sean Hall** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 6:48 pm

"I would too after being in a box that long," Sean said with a smile before exiting through the open door.

"Most of the more impressive powers seem to have a downside when you first get them. I was fairly lucky to get stuck with only being able to detect mutant powers."

by **Tala Davis** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 7:03 pm

"Well, when a good majority of us tend to be techno colored, that's not that hard." She chuckled and lead the way back out to the Quad.

"Useful ability though, you can help make sure the ones who need the most help get it. You would do well at XI with the younger kids."

by **Sean Hall** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 7:08 pm

"Until at twelve you accidentally out some poor guy at a fancy dinner gala," Sean said with a sad smile.

"I hadn't really considered that," Sean said, "Probably because until I started attending uni here I'd only gotten to know a few other mutants and one of them is my roommate here."

by **Tala Davis** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 8:30 pm

"We're people, just like everyone else, except we tend to make things go "boom" when we least want it to." she chuckled.

by **Sean Hall** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 8:46 pm

"That would explain the rise in paranoia since I started classes here," Sean chuckled. "So are you going to join the teams like your parents?"

by **Tala Davis** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 9:14 pm

"Time and practice are what most mutants with active abilities need. I would think by now, most people would have a good handle on things, but then again I've had a support system most don't. I knew I was a mutant from birth. Unless an individual is twisted, most people don't want to hurt others. So those who have "boom" powers tend to be skittish. Plus, not everyone has had a wonderful welcome into the world, some have been abused, misused and all around hate for something we never really chose to be."

by **Sean Hall** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 9:29 pm

"True, and that is why schools like this one or the institute exist, why X-Corp exists," Sean agreed, "Having a power without so much... 'boom' just means you have to be a tad more careful while taking classes here."

by **Tala Davis** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 9:46 pm

"You need to develop faster reflexes, duck and cover, the key to survival when a classmate goes nuclear." She smiled and chuckled.

"As for joining up, I don't know. It wasn't for Mom, suited my Dad better, but it tore Mom up inside when he was gone. I can defend myself and I can call "friends", but I'm no good against heavy hitters and that's usually the ones that cause the most trouble."

by **Sean Hall** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 9:51 pm

"Hasn't stopped some people from joining, with the X-Teams handling some more mundane threats they've opened things up a bit," Sean said, "I would join, but I just can't stand wearing spandex."

by **Tala Davis** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 10:11 pm

"I'm sure you could find something that would suit you, if you really wanted to join. Spandex does have a practical purpose, close fitting and movable, nothing to grab on to. Any other hobbies?"

by **Sean Hall** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 10:15 pm

"Spelunking, camping, most anything involving the outdoors really," Sean said, "I spent my summer holidays the last two years of high school volunteering with an outdoor education organization."

by **Tala Davis** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 10:48 pm

"Sounds like my summers when my parents didn't have missions. Having feral parents and a fox in your head makes the forest a very welcome place. Growing up there was a clearing in the woods next to the campus, it was my special place."

by **Sean Hall** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 10:57 pm

"Always good to have a place to escape to," Sean said, "It was how I escaped being around people with more money than common sense...and there are few things better than a fall day in a forest or lying in the dark in a cave."

by **Tala Davis** » Wed Jul 06, 2011 8:52 am

"I prefer forest to cave, but you're not alone. Besides, common sense isn't so common." she smiled.

by **Sean Hall** » Wed Jul 06, 2011 8:40 pm

"The sad truth," Sean chuckled, "How about you? What kinds of hobbies do you have?"

by **Tala Davis** » Thu Jul 07, 2011 11:41 pm

"The nature stuff, like you, not into the extreme outdoors stuff though. Also books, I love to read, got that from my Mom. I'm also the perfect Geek girlfriend. I actually like watching games played, not really good at them myself. I also got into mini painting while I was with my ex, he was a gamer so I painted his mini's for him."

by **Sean Hall** » Thu Jul 07, 2011 11:59 pm

"I'm sure you'll make somebody here a very happy Geek," Sean said then smirked, "I wouldn't know a miniature from a chess piece or an xbox from sony's thing."

The most artistic thing I do is drawing. Mostly pencil and charcoal sketches when I'm camping, or spelunking."

by **Tala Davis** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 10:39 am

"Mini painting's about as easy as coloring in a coloring book, nothing hugely creative .Do your sketches look the way you want it to? If so, then that's way better then the stick people doodles I can do."

by **Sean Hall** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 7:19 pm

"Nothing wrong with stick people doodles," Sean said, "That's how I started. I've gotten a little better since then, I think."

Sean pulled a sketchbook out of his pocket and opened it to a random page before handing it to Tala.

by **Tala Davis** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 7:38 pm

She smiled then pouted.

"Way to make a girl homesick." she chuckled sadly then handed the sketch book back to him.

"It's really good. If you don't choose a job in the "community" you could always try Graphic Arts and try to make a living off your illustrations."

by **Sean Hall** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 7:50 pm

Sean chuckled.

"I honestly wish I knew what I was going to do, my parents would probably like me to go into business, but I've never really been a city person," Sean said, "How about you? You figured things out yet?"

by **Tala Davis** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 8:14 pm

"Not sure. Hero work rarely pays the bills unless you're associated with a known group. I'm really passionate about Mutant Rights, but not sure if I have the backbone for the big boys. I'm a decent dancer, but by no means pro."

She laughed.

"Who knows, maybe I'll go back to the States, reconnect with my ex, be a millionaire's trophy wife. I'll have to bleach my hair...get new boobs." She chewed her lip and shook her head.

"I suppose this is what college is for, finding out who we really are and what we really want to do.

by **Sean Hall** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 8:25 pm

"That is what we've been told most of our lives, right?" Sean asked, "I can't really see you as just another trophy wife."

by **Tala Davis** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 8:42 pm

"That's what his parents said. Well, not those exact words. "Wolfed out" during a formal dinner, it was messy." She shrugged and smiled.

by **Sean Hall** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 8:45 pm

"I think the word 'messy' is sort of implied when you say 'wolfed out'," Sean smiled. "What's it like? Being able to shift I mean."

by **Tala Davis** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 9:43 pm

"Not so bad for me, I don't really change too much from what I am now. Have you ever been so mad your skin begins to feel hot, or so scared your heart feels like it's going to burst out of your chest? That's mostly what I feel when I change, hot all over and heart thumping. Ever flex your inner ear muscle, it makes a sort of "woosh" sound in you head? That's how I change, sort of an all over little body flex, makes my ears "woosh" too." She chuckled.

"For me, I've never been "two minded" like other animal shifters. I've always understood that everyone, mutant and regular human still has that wild instinct. It's just quiet, but still there. Mine's just louder and stronger, I listen and do or don't do, no real moral dilemma at most people seem to have."

by **Sean Hall** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 9:49 pm

"It sounds like you're lucky in that regard, I've only heard stories about people feeling like they have beasts chained up inside themselves," Sean said, "Shows that even among mutants we have our stereotypes."

by **Tala Davis** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 10:01 pm

"It's hard for anyone to come to terms with the natural "beast", even without mutant powers. Take sexual attraction, people fight and fight that instinct all the time, it's so easy to accept it and "tell" yourself later or not now or not him or not her, they rather deny it all together, ignore, bury it until they end up making a stupid mistake. You add mutant powers to that taught behavior of repression and the feral shifter has to be locked away for a year in isolation."

by **Sean Hall** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 10:10 pm

"It gets that bad for some people?" Sean asked.

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