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Summary: Ahmed, Nicholas and Shane aren't in the best of moods and all need to let out some anger.
Date: July 10, 2012
Log Title: Venting, Lots Of Venting
Rating: PG-13
Xavier Mansion - Gymnasium
This big room with wooden floors is build with powered students in mind; the entire room is power proof. Blast the walls all you like, they are not breaking. The gym can either be one large room and it also has dividers to make it two smaller gyms. This large Gym has basketball nets, equipment to set up equipment badminton, volleyball, hockey, soccer, gymnastics, fencing, and everyone's favorite, dodge ball.
After hearing a bit of the news from Quenton yesterday, it's been weighing on Nicholas, badly. Knowing he needed to let of some steam he's come down to the gym where he's currently shooting some hoops, which he's not so good at but one in every five balls do go through the net. It gives Nick something physical to do instead of just wanting to smash anything, and everything, with his powers. He's dressed for the gym in school issued gym shorts that come to his knees and an Xavier's t-shrit sporting a bit X in a circle on the chest.
Emerging from the girl's locker room, Shane tugs at the wrist-straps of the kickboxing gloves fit over her hands. Having been there for the disaster, it likewise weighs heavily on her mind, and thus she clomps toward the pads set up on one wall without comment, aparently not noticing Nick's presence. Once in front of the pads, she raises her fists, takes in a deep breath, and starts to simply wail on the equipment. Her form is a lot better, thanks to the advanced combat classes, but clearly at the moment technique takes second priority to just beating the living crap out of something.
And this is what Ahmed walks in on… not in his large cat shell like normal, he has on his own gym clothes, his bag bearing the cross for his old school and done in red versus Xavier's blue, with the grip of what looks like a sword coming off the back. Looking back and forth between the two for a moment, he arches a brow, and then says to break the din, "Uhhhh… did I miss something? Because the pair of you are giving off some pretty harsh vibes at the moment." And the cat-eyed teen then moves off to one side and sits against a wall, digging around past a portable video game system and a couple comic books to where his MP3 player is stashed.
Nicholas attempts a layup, and misses, before stopping. He grabs the ball before having to chase it down to far and starts to spin it between his hands. "Hey Shane." He says obviously out of breath and he looks to be dripping a bit of sweat which has also soaked through his shirt. "Hey Ahmed…when am I not in a bad mood?" He says to him in an excuse to hide what's bothering him. "Shane, Quenton showed up after you left…"
"Figured," Shane grunts, slamming her fist into the pad a couple more times. "Just said 'fuckit, mebbe he'll say somethin' later.'" A quick, exceedingly sloppy jab combo later, she turns and rests against the pad, running her hands through her hair. "Sup Ahmed… Yeh. You missed somethin'. Everythin' fuckin' fell apart f'Quenton. *Everything.*"
Ahmed's eyes and face pretty much say it all. 'Right'. And he pushes up off the wall and takes out a thick padded jacket, pants, and a fencing mask from inside the bag, starting to strap it into place over his gym clothes, "Yeah, you know what? I'm gonna let you two be angry for a bit… that allright? I'm not really equipped to deal with things Quenton related." Then he stands up, takes up the mask, and draws the saber from his bag. Off to one side he goes, and begins to practice slashes and thrusts.
"It's just not fair!" Nicholas almost shouts as the basketball is hurled against the wall with a significant 'slam'. "We're teenagers, we're not supposed to go through this bullshit! Again, I wasn't there for someone, again! Is there something written in the damn fates that says we're not supposed to get a good life?! That everything, from this point on is going to be shit just cause we have super powers?! FUCK!
Ahmed is actually given a fairly poisonous look from Shane. "Yeah," she murmurs quietly once the feline teen's back is turned, "guess y'need t'make a shoppin' trip, 'n pick up a few dozen more fucks." Eyes snap to Nicholas as the ball is thrown against the wall. "Nick? You didn't get told. Ain't on you. I was *there.* Said I had 'is back. 'N shit went down… I *freaked.* 'N I gotta wonder, 'f I'd'a done *anythin'? Mebbe his dad'd still be alive."
Ahmed does not even break stride as he continues his practice, "We're not? My parents knew kids our age taking up weapons to fight warlords and occupation forces that were sometimes on the same side." Another step, cut, withdraw, thrust, "You have kids in africa who are taught to hate, to kill, to rape… to be monsters, after they are ripped from their families." Step step, thrust, slash, backstep, "God knows what other things we've been protected from by being here… but we're lucky. Lucky that this school exists. Lucky we were given the chance. I am sorry if I sound insensitive to you, or to Quenton… or to all of it… but what am I supposed to do? Worry myself to death? Be afraid? I'm already afraid." Thrust, thrust, sweep, "I'm afraid all the damn time, thanks much."
"Now you know what I deal with every day Shane. Every day I think, maybe I could have done something and my parents would still be alive. Now instead of it being your boyfriend's Dad, imagine if it was your own. There's not a day that I don't think that." Nicholas spits out maybe a bit to harshly at Shane. "I know what it's like to lose both your parents in the same day. And I know what it's like to have them die because of you. So I'm sorry if I'm pissed off that a friend of mine is going to have to live like this everyday cause it's -not- easy. And with Quenton, it's going to be worse." He takes a deep breath and walks over to lean against the wall. "You know, I asked to go with him, I knew he would rage if he went. So at least you were there instead of me, who was sitting around here doing nothing, again." He then looks over at Ahmed and just shakes his head. "Next time I'll remember to keep that in mind, you've made me see how lucky I am. Thanks." The irritation and sarcasim isn't hidden in the slightest.
Shane's eyes move from Nick to Ahmed, the slight, yellow-haired mutant seething in silence. "Finally, she steps away from the wall, a faint blush of crimson light leaking from underneath her glove. Spinning, she drives it against the unpadded wall, loosing a minor, but still startlingly loud, explosion safely against the powers-proof wall of the gym, the glove almost entirely obliterated once the dust settles. "…Yeah I got it," she says, her voice dull and sullen, as she stalks back toward the locker room.
The good thing about a mask is that you can hide the tears, even when your voice is trembling a touch. The saber falls to Ahmed's side and it's the reflection off the walls that catches his voice, "You two are so full of it, it makes me want to puke. Quenton loves you… everyone at school knows it, even if he's a titanic cock. But more than that… he obviously respects you, and it's obvious it's mutual. You did what you could, but instead of being relieved that he's allright, and that you're here for him… you're beating yourself up over what more YOU could do." The saber then drops from his hand to the ground, "His father is gone, and I am sorry for that, but that's on him. Not you. Not either of you. In this life, you only get the chances you're afforded, nothing more and nothing less. I might think Quenton needs to be put through a wall about every other Sunday, but that doesn't change that he still has you. Both of you. So not everything fell apart."
Ahmed then adds with a bit of anger in his voice, "You both might think I'm a colossal jerk at the moment, but I think you both need to pull your heads out of your butts and think about what's best for him, and not kvetch over how much it just sucks for YOU."
Ever so calmly, Nicholas reaches out a hand and lifts the basketball using his telekinesis. He clenches his fist and the ball promptly explodes with a loud 'POP!' "I'm pissed because he has to go through what I'm going through and it sucks to know that he has to feel this much pain. Got it? And you're so god damn insenstivie all the time it makes me want to smack your furry face." He growls out at Ahmed before throwing the remains of the orange and black ball at the wall using his powers and storms after Shane. "Shane, wait up!"
Shane spins around, fixing the mask with a hard glare. "You don't *get* it, Ahmed. 'N y'know what? Fine. You don't wanna. You don't *ever* wanna. I was *there,* dammit. Soon's he got a look at me, it all jus' went away. But before that? He did shit he ain't *ever* gonna be okay with, 'n I let it happen 'cos I was too much of a fucking *coward* t'step up 'n have his back like I said I did. So yeah. He's still got us. But ain't gonna stop me from wonderin' what coulda happened if I'd'a sucked it up and jumped in. Ain't gonna stop me from losin' sleep, seein' what he did t'that werewolf. S'go on. Say I'm selfish. Fuckit. You don't get it. *Be glad.*"
"Nick, if you could stop being such a monumental tool for five seconds and listen to what your FRIEND is saying…" Motiong with a hand to Shane, Ahmed continues on, "You'd realize… her brain's on the right track. There's just a point you have to realize you need to stop beating up on yourself because it's not what the other person wants. I'd bet real money right now Quenton's probably scared you're both scared now of what he's going to do to you one day, or even accidentally. He needs the reassurance that it doesn't MATTER." Then the same hand taps himself on the chest, "I am not someone who can talk to Quenton… deal with him… or even understand him. So I'm gonna stay out of it. Because the last thing he needs is someone else pissing him off without meaning to. DO. YOU. GET. IT." Turning on his heel, he picks up the sword, and goes back to his exercises.
"I'm not just pissed off about Quenton losing his parents, I'm not just pissed off about what happened to me I'm pissed off about the whole darn situation!" Nicholas says to Ahmed. "We're supposed to be teenagers, but we're never going to enjoy this time of our lives because we're mutants, don't you see?! Shane got beat up cause she's a mutant, your parents won't acknowledge your existance, my parents are dead, Quenton's parents are dead, Taylor's ex-boyfriend dumped her because she's a mutant, shall I continue?! IT'S. NOT. FAIR. It's not just about me, or Quenton, or anyone, it's about us being mutants and because of it we're not allowed to have a peaceful life and there are two things we can do about it, jack and shit. We're just forced to watch people we care about be hurt, or killed, because of what we are. Do /you/ get it?"
"Godfucking dammit you're both pretty, all right? Jesus." Scraping a hand through her hair, Shane closes her eyes. "It's all just fucked up, yeah. Thing is, Nick… you don't 'spect it to. 'N I ain't got nothin' t'say 'bout that, cos 'life sucks, get a helmet,' 's pretty much all I got outta school. So Iunno what t'do. Jus' keep m'head down, stick with Q, 'n hope mebbe least he c'n come outta it with jus' some scars and shitty memories."
Ahmed replies after a moment, "Lemme know what kind of food he likes… I'll make you up something to take to him later. Provided you don't tell him I cooked it. He'd bitch about cat hair, or something." Still working with the blade, his wrist shifts in weird and supple manners to spin the weapon a few times in his hand to distract, and then thrust forwards once more with a practice riposte, "He's the pretty one, I just have better taste in clothes."
"It doesn't matter Shane, it doesn't matter if people think I'm good looking or ugly, all that matters is that I'm a mutant and people are forever going to hate me for it." Nicholas hates being called pretty like that, but it's not an agruement for today. "Ahmed, if Quenton bitches about cat hair it's a good thing, just give it right back to him. He'll respect you more if you do, I think Shane's told a dozen people that."
"Soup," Shane says after a moment. "Dealin' with a fork'n'shit sometimes just ain't worth it f'r him. Soup's better, they got bowls he can't break. An' it was a joke, Nick. Was startin' t'get t'th' point you were both bitchin' about the same thing. Like a couple girls arguin' over lipstick."
Ahmed makes a whiny voice, still not letting his face be seen under the mask, "But I like the REEED ONE." And then laughs about it, "I'll make up a couple and you can come and try. Great thing about catering? You get to eat all the goodies before anyone else does." He doesn't really look at Nick for a bit, but says towards him with a sigh, "I'd rather that Qball think that Shane asked Mister Mayfair to make something for him. I don't need the credit, but it'll be one more reason he can't avoid spending time with Shane."
Nicholas folds his arms over his chest and doesn't exactly look amused. "I'm sorry Shane…look I didn't mean to blow up at you, I'm just pissed off at the whole situation to the point where I feel like I'm going to explode if I don't do something physical. Like, I'll just start destroying everything." He keeps quiet on the fact that he thinks Ahmed is a giant chicken.
"Y'do what you want. Ain't gonna keep me from telling'm where it came from," Shane says, shrugging. Looking to Nick, the girl lets a breath out through her nose. "…Yeah… know how y'feel. Mebbe pick up some time in Danger Room, just wrecking shit, Iunno. Saw something there, just a whole buncha random shit to break long as y'want, y'know?"
Ahmed finishes up and walks over to his things, keeping his back to the others as he starts removing his gear, and putting it back away in the bag, "You guys have fun with that." Water is pulled out and drank, and then the pale-skinned young man finally drags out the little MP3 player from earlier, and turns it on, blaring some middle eastern dance as he zips up and turns to leave, keeping his face shaded, but his body has the sheen that comes from when his ectoplasm begins to ooze out of him.
"One of these days I'll drag you out of our room to be social kicking and screaming Ahmed." Nicholas warns the anti-social cat before looking back at Shane. "Maybe..it'd be better for the school if I did that rather than destroying stuff. Chairs, video game controllers, basket balls, I just need something to take out my frustration on so it's not actually on someone. I just…I understand what you mean. A lot of times I wish I was able to do more but…I can't. And it sucks."
Shane nods quietly, watching Ahmed turn, furrowing her brow a bit. "Hey, Ahmed?" she calls, before the teen can exit the gym. "Ahmed!" Frowning to herself, she blows out a breath and takes out her phone. First looking up the boy's email on the student directory, then tapping out a quick message. [Whenever you get this. Just cause I didn't say it. Thanks. —Shane] That done, she looks Nick's way and shrugs. "Doesn't work f'Q, but it's there, yeah? Gotta do some good f'someone."
Ahmed replies with a quick text back after realizing it's his phone that's buzzing and not a problem with the track, [You're welcome. You're good people. Shalom —Ahmed].
Nicholas stares at the door a while after Ahmed leaves and sighs. "I really can't seem to ever see eye to eye with him no matter how much I try." He looks over at Shane and frowns. "I'm really sorry you had to see it, I'd tell you not to blame yourself but it won't do anything. I'm gonna head out myself, I'm not good company right now, I'll just end up getting mad again and saying something I don't mean. If you wanna talk later or something, let me know. I might not say much but I'll listen."
Shane closes her eyes, shaking her head. "S'not just that I saw it. 'S like… Couldn't move, when it mattered. Heather 'n some other kid I don't even know stepped up and started fighting… me, I was just curled up onna fire escape bawlin' my eyes out."
Nicholas walks over to Shane and gives her a tight hug. "I know Shane, I know. I was the same way with the shooting in Mutant Town, when Taylor got shot. It's scary out there, and it's not just the fighting but it's the memories that the fighting triggers that make you freeze up inside. At least for me. I'm sure it's something similar." He breaks the hug and gives Shane a half smile. "Listen, I know neither one of us is sleeping, we'll watch something tonight, talk more, eat junk food and maybe feel better by moping together, I just…need to clear my head a bit. Okay?"
Shane stiffens, as per usual when the teen is on the receiving end of a hug… but after a moment, she returns the favor, wrapping her arms about his ribs and squeezing tight, once. "…Kay," is all she says, punctuated by a sniffle.