Players:
Summary: The students take advantage of the hot tub in the basement of the dorms.
Date: January 27, 2013
Log Title: Battle of the Sexes
Rating: PG
Xavier Mansion - Ramsey Dormitories Basement
In the basement of the Ramsey Dormitory Building is the poolroom. It's one big room containing lockers, changing rooms, showers, a hot tub and a pool. In the middle of the front half of the room has a hot tub big enough for at least twelve people. On the left and the right side of the hot tub a double-sided row of lockers sits on either side. Against the walls across from the lockers three changing rooms sit against the wall. Wooden doors and a light inside give those changing privacy since there is no separate girls and boys side of the room. In the corner of the room where the lockers are a shower sits so people can wash off the chlorine before heading upstairs if needed. In the other half of the room sits a large in ground pool with a diving board on the deep end. Inner tubes, rafts, pool basketball hoops and other pool toys are available for people to use.
It's late at evening, but despite that, the dormitory facilities are always open. Which can be evidenced by the fact that there's music playing in the hot tub area. It's about as warm as summer, and just as muggy in there as the water is bubbling happily and steaming hot, while Ahmed seems to have put his cellphone close by on a chair, with one of those mini-speakers set up with it blaring out some remix of 70s dance music with a dubstep backbeat. Sacked out in the hot tub, there's a cooking magazine in his paws, with a couple other subjects close by… video games, and music it seems. As he turns the page, one of the side effects of his power means that every so often a little greasy bubble of ectogoop comes up from him and then pops and evaporates into the air. If you can ignore that little weirdness, and the fact that there's a cat-man in the tub… there's nothing abnormal about this!
Stepping out from one of the changing rooms wearing a pair of swim trunks that go down to his knees, and with the deathstar on one of the legs, is Nicholas. The scarred word 'Mutant' is visible on his chest along with several slash type scars can be seen on his back. "How's the water Ahmed?" He asks not even waiting for a response to slowly lower himself into the water. "Why haven't we done this before?!"
"Cos nobody wanted t'be th'first?" comes Shane's voice as she pushes out of one of the other changing rooms. Her own swimsuit, a simple black one-piece with a neckline at the collarbones, arms bare and bomb-bearing vine tattoo sleeve on her right arm fully visible. "…..Guessin', anyway. Me, din' wanna risk it," she says as she slides into the water on the other side of the tub. "…But beat m'self t'shit inna Danger Room t'day, 'n shower jus' didn't sound like enough."
Turning himself slightly, Ahmed aims his arm towards the timer for the tub… and then with a Spider-man style gesture he fires a 'line' of goop right at it. It splatters and webs over the knob, which then is turned and clicked back over for another 15 or so minutes. Releasing the strand, it collapses and evaporates as the snow leopard grins hard, "You too? It's totally weird, but lately I've been feeling a bit stronger and faster… either that or I'm just feeling better lately. I dunno. But this is awesome. And no, I'm not shedding in the tub." Sticking his tongue out at the others as he then adds, "Anyone got some choice in music? I got a year subscription to Pandora as a christmas present from Doctor McCoy… and the complete works of Rudyard Kipling."
"I don't think either of you would like my music choices, but if you don't hate Keith Urban…." Nicholas says knowing it's not in Shane's taste at all. His eyes look at the goop on the dial. "I don't know if I'm ever going to get used to you doing it, at least it disappears." He sinks down in the water so only the tops of his shoulders are exposed. "I've finally been getting back into a Danger Room routine. Need to get better."
"Meh. Don't care either way." Wrinkling her nose on principle at the name of Keith Urban, Shane lifts a shoulder, and starts carefully washing over her tattoo. "Looks pretty badass when y'do that, though. 'N Nick, 'f you wanna pull Danger Room with me SUndays, be cool. Just, gotta find time, 'tween school, projects, 'n tutorin' m'roomie. Girl's kinda…. sheltered, I guess?"
Ahmed slips out of the tub for a moment, and puts on something that at least is agreeable to most there. Mumford and Sons. As the upbeat rock-influenced folk starts to find the acoustics of the room and settle in, the drenched feline slides back into the water with a sigh, his normally plush and luxuriant tail looking rather haggard because of carrying so much weight. "You're talking about Amunet, right?" He asks, and then reaches for his magazine once more, "Can I join in on the Danger Room with you? Or at least watch maybe? The two of you always look really well coordinated in there."
"Amunet…." Nicholas says before shaking his head. "I just don't understand her. She's so…strange." He doesn't understand the girl at all. "Sure, I'll have to join you next Sunday, I haven't really done much in a long time. Honestly I don't know how well coordinated we are anymore, I imagine that Shane has surpassed me in Danger Room stuff since I've been out of it for so long."
"Sure AHmed, s'cool. Wouldn't mind. 'N Nick? I give it, mebbe, three weeks'r so. Ain't gonna be hard t'come back from a leg, 'n what y'got from th'fight. Hella lot easier 'n th'PT y'had b'fore, anyway." Pausing to dip her head under the water, she rakes her hair back with a deep sigh. "She's weird, yeh… but like I said. Sheltered. Which's weird, considerin' she lived 'n City, but whatever. Jus' means she's gotta catch up."
Ahmed nods once towards Shane, "Thanks. And… I know how that is… I mean… I live in a pretty tight-knit, family kinda thing. Everyone knows everyone, and you sorta have to earn trust before you can get any sort of conversation going." Tilting his head towards Nick a moment, he reaches over and splashes some water his way, grinning a bit more before he adds, "You also have to think… to HER, you're just as weird. You're not like any guy she's known, or she was supposed to know because of her family." His eyes close as he leans back, fingers tapping along with the beat of the music, "This is going to sound really weird… but I can't wait for this summer. Driver's ed."
Nicholas makes a face as the water is splashed his way then ducks under water for a second. "You didn't have her looking at you like you were some hero because you were kidnapped by the Church of Humanity." He mutters before giving Ahmed a double take. "Wait, how old are you Ahmed? You're not sixteen yet?" For some reason he thought they were closer in age. "I miss my truck, she was a great vehicle."
"Should start lessons too, I guess," Shane sighs. "Couldn't cos o' th' legal shit back my old school, never really thought 'bout it til now. Mom never asked," she finishes with a shrug. "Guess it's jus' another thing t'figure out."
"You aren't any weirder than anyone else in the tub." Ahmed replies, a little bubble of blue goop rolling up to the surface and popping, leaving a colored cloud of steam that quickly dissipates before the smell can get to anyone. The feline male smiles, as much as his muzzle allows for it in his state, so his jaw sort of hangs a little before he continues on, "I turn sixteen in September… but from what I understood about states law, you all let your children get learner's permits at fifteen." In the background, the music changes from the folk rock that's playing to some slightly more contemporary pop.
"I only had my truck for a few months, got her for my sixteenth Birthday." Nick's voice trails off a bit and looks down before shaking his head and answering Ahmed's question. "Depends on the state. In North Dakota I could get my restricted license at fifteen, but I didn't have time to take all the classes since it would have been too much driving for my parents with running the stables, driving me to and from school and everything else. I'll be eighteen in August." He jumps slightly at the sound of Amunet's voice. "Uh, hey there Amunet." Nick's voice is filled with that awkward tone of being caught out talking about someone behind their back.
"Sure," Shane says, rolling her eyes at the boys' apparent inability to answer a simple question. "C'mon in 'f y'got y'r suit on." Slipping down a bit further in the tub, she lifts a shoulder. "Woulda gotten permit at fifteen, m'self… Cos, well… LA. 'F y'ain't drivin' soon's th'calendar clicks over, y'r either too broke t'live 'r too stupid t'be trusted onna road."
Moving out of the changing area, Amunet has on what looks to be a copper colored one piece with of all things a wrap around for her arms and shoulders. Looking a bit sheepish she moves to the most unoccupied part of the hot tub. Closer to Shane, but not close enough to touch. Sighing softly when the heated water touchs her skin, the faint hint of fluttering eyes showing her contentment for a moment before she opens them again and looks to the others, just listening now after a soft, "Thanks."
Ahmed just gives Nick a rather smug look and, then replies, "No problem… and don't worry about the 'weird' comments. Everyone gets them. Shane should tell you about how shy I used to be. I'd hide in my full snow leopard form, and act like a big hundred-something pound housecat around everyone." Once more his jaw drops in that weird feline expression as he reaches for one of the magazines and opens it up, this one on music, "Everyone's got an adjustment period here… I mean c'mon… we're all basically being taken from our own problems, and dropped in a class with a bunch who have the same. And for most of us here… it was for the better."
"It wasn't really about if you were cool or rich, having a vehicle. It was necessary. To get to school it was a forty five minute drive. Nothing is close in Sheridan County." Nicholas says sinking down so he's shoulder height in the water, arms folded over his chest, subconsciously hiding the scars from Amunet. "Yeah I guess you don't want me telling Amunet how you used to be. Since you always used to mope and claim Shane didn't like you."
"Aaaaan' welcome t' th'school's third-favorite pastime," Shane says, budging over a bit to give Amunet room to sit. "Boys thinkin' they're funny. First place's a tie; bein' surly, 'r Danger Room." In contrast to Nick, the slight young mutant sits up a bit straighter, lifting her tattooed arm out of the water to give it another dousing. "Figure I could take th'silver in bein' surly on talent alone, m'self."
A small giggle comes from Amunet as she ahh's softly, "Well the Danger Room can be fun I spose… not that I'm any good in there, but I like to watch the rest of you practice." Before then shrugging, "I'm starting to settle in now, I've finally stopped turning in my assignments on paper." Her eyes rolling faintly, "Took me a while, but I'm getting there… " Glancing to Nicholas faintly but then away again. "I don't know, watching you all be surly is kind of entertaining for me really… specially when the insult war gets goin."
Ahmed uses a magazine on modern music production to hide the fact that he's silently laughing his tail off, but his shivering shoulders are a dead giveaway at that. The reading material is put to the side, and the anthro feline pushes out of the tub for a moment, sending several more of those greazy blue bubbles popping up around his form, turning into soap-bubble like constructs in the air that float up about a foot before bursting. He doesn't even seem to apologize for that as he moves over to his phone and speaker, and starts hunting through what's available, while dripping copiously on the tile floor. With his fur matted down by water like this, it makes him look rather thin.
"Well I'm sure as heck glad that my surliness amuses you." Nicholas snaps at Amunet, none to amused by the comment. "And whose taking gold Shane, me or Q?" He knows the two of them are peas in a pod when it comes to their wonderful moods. "Sorry I'm not happy or fun or pleasant or a ray of sunshine but…. I just can't be."
"Chill, Nick," Shane says quietly, letting a breath out through her nose. "There's room f'both'a you at th'top." The most amusing avenue stressed, Nick gets a placating look from the tattooed girl. "'Sides. Bein' a ray o' sunshine's practically a job title 'round here; hardly more'n one person at a time c'n manage it, like."
Amunet just looks at Nicholas when he snaps at her, apparently not quite as on edge these days as she was when she first got here. Her only response to be a small smile and a lifting of her brow. "You dont' wanna be happy mary sunshine? Then don't be. Last I knew you hadn't done any name changes or anything, just be you." She says simply before then glancing over to Shane.
"Give them five minutes in a hot tub, and I'm already missing my all boy's school." Ahmed says as he rolls his eyes, and changes the music genre to modern country/rock. Taylor Swift begins to sing in the background, her now-famous song about kids dealing with bullies, and he then readjusts the hot tub time before slipping back into the water, causing some fresh bubbles to come up around him, "See… what you don't get is we balance each other out. I'm Canadian… so, according to your Americans… I'm genetically predisposed to be nice, polite, and helpful to everyone here. That being said…" The water hiding the amused lash of his tail, "Let's not turn the hot tub into boys versus girls."
"Amunet, it's not that I don't want to be, it's that I can't." Nicholas says quietly and ducks under the water for several moments. He pops back up just in time to hear Ahmed's comments about being Canadian. A smile crosses his face and he shakes his head with amusement. "You're so full of it Ahmed." He jokes then closes his eyes and just listens to the music for a bit.
"Don't f'get hockey 'n syrup," Shane notes. "Sides, 'f that kinda shit was genetic, then I'd've shown up tan 'n blond talkin' 'like, ohmigawd, Becky, the walls, in the mall, are totally totally tall!" The last half of her sentence comes complete with a total mannerism change; her eyes widen, head tilts to one side, and her voice loses its typical mumble entirely for a vicious Valley accent. "Anyway," she says, settling back into the water, "boys versus girls, nobody wants that. Girls win, alla time. 'N nobody ends up happy."
Amunet just gives a grin in Nicholas' and Ahmed's direction before going back to relaxing in the water. Grinning a bit at the girls vs boys ruling by Shade but otherwise saying nothing. "That was scary, don't do the valley girls again." Unable to keep from laughing at the picture Shade made.
Ahmed snorts out and one of his ears flicks, "If she doesn't have to talk valley, I don't have to say eh, eh?" Leaving that there with another grin as he looks over at Nick, and flicks some blued water droplets his way, "Here I am defending you, and all I get is that?! Hmph. I'm going to follow the grand tradition of my feline ancestors, and groom myself obsessively now." You would think it's a joke, but then his left leg comes out of the water with the kind of boneless grace only a cat can pull off, and he starts slowly moving his face over, as if he was going to lick his own shin!
"That's just Shane's natural accent. She mutters like that to hide it." Nicholas teases knowing he's going to probably pay for that response later. "You're the one claiming to be predisposed to being nice, polite and helpful." He jokes. "And thank you, for grossing us all out in return since I am sure the chlorine filled water combined with fur tastes amazing. I think I'm going to choose to just sit here and enjoy the water. It's nice having this inside but I can't wait for the weather to get nice enough to actually enjoy it again."
Shane looks at Nicholas, one eyebrow slowly rising. "…That so," she says, voice slow, thoughtful, and dripping with scorn. Almost like a magician would, she raises first one hand out of the water, turning it this way and that. Then the other hand, moved the same way. The first hand's fingers curl down, all but the middle, turned directly to face Nicholas. Cupping that finger with her other hand, she pulls them both back below the water level… and the only warning is a brief flash of crimson from the outstretched middle finger, before a fairly sizable amount of water is sprayed in Nicholas' direction, accompanied with a pressure wave beneath the water that everyone can feel, and threatens to slosh a good deal more out of the tub.
Shane may have an attack planned on Nick, but it's while Ahmed is working on trying to gross people out and only once those nostrils are in line with the perfect angle that Amunet does the same thing to him. Making sure that the water wave is aimed not to splash out, but angled up. A small hint of a giggle coming from the girl even as she gets splashed by Shane's need to drown Nick.
Getting splashed with water mid-contortion causes Ahmed to duck a bit and cough slightly as it goes down his muzzle, "Ugh… bleh… gross!" Turning his head to cough a few times and then ends up spitting once to clear his palate, "Hey… neutral nation! Neutral nation!" In this state, more of those odd blue bubbles form up around him a couple of them reflecting images in the place, one of the making it look like there's someone watching in the background, which then vanishes once more in a POP. Settling back into the pool, he looks at his magazines, which Shane's splash has liberally soaked, and sighs once, "Mister Parker leant me those… oh well."
Nicholas reaches up his hand to wipe the water off of his face. "See the problem with girls are, they can dish out a joke but they aren't one to take a joke in return." He runs his hand through his hair to make sure it's not too messed up in it's wet state (not that he wears his hair all that neatly when it's dry) and returns to keeping his arms folded across his chest. "Next time in the Danger Room, when you think I have your back…you're getting one of Connor's dodgeballs in your face. Sorry, I used my telekinetics the wrong way." He looks over at the soaked magazines and raises an eyebrow at Ahmed. "Why did you bring magazines to a hot tub where there is water and lots of steam anyway?"
Shane winces visibly upon seeing the magazines, hunching her shoulders. "Shiiiiiiit, sorry Ahmed… Um. Fuck. Shit. Okay. I c'n prolly r'place'm. Order'm online. My fault anyway. 'N Nick, he proly wasn't thinkin' anyone's likely t'set off'n M-80 inna pool. … ……Prooooolly gonna catch crap f'that, too. Oh well."
Amunet just gives Ahmed a grin at his yelling out being a Neutral Nation. Going back to listening tot he conversation though now and again she glances towards the doorway. "Hey you know, I'm think I'm gonna go work on that history assignment. Thanks for letting me join in all." Moving to slide out of the hot tub.
Ahmed looks between his two friends and then up at Amunet a moment, before he says, "No… that one's on me Shane… it's a habit I started as a kid. See… at home, reading anything but stuff that was useful was kinda frowned on, and it was really hard to read stuff even in my room because my parents or someone else would try and check on me a lot. So I got into the habit of borrowing comic books from friends and hiding them inside magazines, and reading them in the tub. It was the only place I wouldn't be bothered long enough to get a whole issue in." At the mention of homework, he groans as well, and rolls his muzzle to the ceiling, "Thanks for reminding me… math… math math mathity mathing MATH…"
"Leaving already? Good luck on your history homework." Nicholas says giving her a wave good bye. "I can't imagine having parents be that restricting. My parents, I don't want to say they didn't care what I did, but they were definitely more lenient. I think they would have pretty much let me get away with anything."
