Players:
Summary: Taylor and Skyler have a bit of a heart to heart.
Date: May 12, 2012
Log Title: Walk a Mile in Another Person's Paws
Rating: PG-13
Xavier Mansion - Library
Like most Libraries, this one has that respected quite hush about it. A desk to check out books sits next to the door, next to the desk sits a statue of an Orangutan with a sign saying Return your books or else. Row upon row of books goes up and down the room. In the middle of all the shelves are two computers for looking up titles and a group of tables for students to sit and study. Along the back wall are windows with padded window seating for students to read in quiet.
At one of the tables in the library sits Taylor, even though it's fairly late in the evening. The feline student is leaning over a history textbook with a magnifying glass in hand, passing it over the words of the book with a bit of a bored expression on their face and a bit of a squint. The feline student's ears swivel every few moments, seemingly eager to pick out and tiny rustle or click coming from the computers that are in the room. Tay puts down the magnifying glass for a few moments to sigh and rub their eyes.
Skyler is still copying the form of her sister, a short brunette girl. She's wearing some comfortable looking jeans, and a cream colored blouse, both looking like they were just bought off the rack. She's here to return a couple of playbooks that she's taken out when she spies the felinoid mutant studying. She walks up to them asking, "Taylor, was it?"
Taylor looks up towards Skyler and headtilts slightly, "Yeah, Taylor. You don't look familiar, do I know you? I'm sorry if I just forgot you or something…" The felinoid picks up the magnifying glass and fiddles with it for a few moments. "I don't usually forget people so easy, at least not their faces." Or smells.
Skyler gives Taylor a warm smile. "No, it's okay. We first met in the coffee shop a few weeks ago. You wouldn't remember me because I copy people, and at the time I ended up copying you," she explains. "Mind if I join you for a bit?"
"Oh. You are the person who… was me for a bit?" says Taylor, grimacing and seeming slightly uncomfortable at that. The feline shifts slightly and then gestures to a nearby seat and says, "Yeah, join me, feel free." The magnifying glass is placed inside the book which is then closed, propped just slightly open by the instrument.
Skyler can't help but wince, as she pulls a chair out to sit in it. "Yeah," she says. "Sorry about that. I needed to look like something other than a rabid twelve year old and I didn't realize you had a holo-emitter on."
"No, I mean, it's okay. I didn't know that you were going to take my form, it's… I dunno, I guess I just feel awkwardly about that," says Taylor, staring down at the cover of the textbook. "I guess the point of the image thingy is to look like I am not using an image thingy…"
Skyler shrugs. "I seriously doubt anybody would put two and two together," she says with a wry grin. "I mean with all the chaos all they saw was me transforming into a cat…. person." She shakes her head. "And after I left it didn't take me long to find somebody less conspicuous to be, so you don't have to worry about somebody thinking you went and did things that you didn't do."
Taylor nods and says, "Yeah, it's usually best not looking like me. People will look at your funny or try to pick fights or whatever when you are like an obvious mutant or whatever." The feline student stares off for a few moments and then notes, "I just mean, someone else occupying my body, it's weird. Cause my body is. Weird. And shit. You probably noticed…"
Skyler gives Taylor another sympathetic nod. "I did. Kind of hard to miss. It's kind of why I've been meaning to talk to you," she says. "I mean, I know that for a lot of people my power weirds them out. Doubly so for people who have physical mutations, who aren't quite comfortable with them yet." She purses her lips thoughtfully before saying, "And I just wanted you to know if you ever wanted somebody to talk to who could understand something like that, I'll listen. I mean, I know it must come off as kind of creeper-ish because we've just met but… uh… you know." She ends that kind with a lame kind of shrug, like she's not really sure what she's doing herself.
Taylor taps the cover of the textbook a couple of times and says, "Well, only the feline thing is part of the mutation, you know, the rest of the weird stuff with my body is just… how it's always been. I dunno. It's kind of fucked up, you know? I mean, I guess it's fucked up for most people, but it's how I've always been…" The teen sighs softly and then shrugs, "But yeah, your power is like… makes me feel weird knowing you've been me. But… I dunno, it's not creeperish, I appreciate it…"
"Well…" Skyler starts, drawing out the word. "Don't think of it like I've been you. I've just copied your body's genetic makeup. I can't have been you. I've never grown up in… wherever it was you grew up. I've never had the friends you've had, or the experiences you've experienced," she explains. "I can't ever actually be you. Worst case I can just look like you and pretend."
"Heh, never having the friends I had pretty much sets you on par with me, really," says Taylor, a bit wryly, "But I get that you don't have the same experiences as me, just the physical body and stuff… But my physical body sets me apart, always has, even if it's not who I am, exactly…" The teen trails off and then shrugs, "I like… almost feel like you don't know what I'm talking about and I'm just embarrassing myself."
Skyler leans on the table with an elbow, and props her chin in her hand. "Well, I don't. Not really. You've gotten to grow up with it, for better or worse. I just copied it for the better part of an hour." She shakes her head, "But I know what it's like to grow up not really in the 'in' crowd. I was a theatre geek when I was a kid. That didn't really score me a whole lot of friends either.
"Well, I mean, referring to in general," says Taylor, glancing aside and then shrugs, "But yeah, I've grown up with it, yeah… and I dunno… yeah, being a theatre geek is kind of not that popular, but I guess I was mostly alone. I kind of hope that someone will fucking love me again. Against all odds, I had a boyfriend, but when I changed to look like this… eh, it was over."
Skyler winces at the swear, but shakes her head. "Well, it's his loss," she says. "Xavier's… hell… New York is a big place. I'm sure you'll find somebody who'll love you regardless of what you look like." She flashes a grin to the younger mutant, "I've always been kind of a romantic, in thinking that there's always somebody for everybody. I've even found a couple of people who could deal with occasionally waking up next to a complete stranger."
Taylor nods slowly at Skyler and then says, "Yeah, well, I hope so, I guess. I feel like I'm fishing in a pretty shallow pool, you know?" The feline glances towards Skyler and then shrugs, "I guess it would be pretty weird to have a girlfriend who like. Is always other people, or whatever. I dunno, it seems like it'd be weird anyways…"
Skyler nods at that. "Yeah. It would be pretty weird. You'd have to keep an open mind because at any time your girlfriend could be your boyfriend." She shakes her head as she's getting off track. "Anyway, the point is that it's a shallow pool for everybody. There are 'normal' people out there who still haven't found anybody."
"Yeah, I guess. I mean, I dunno, that's not something that would bother me so much as just not recognizing someone. It'd be kind've, I dunno, startling…" says Taylor, shrugging and leaning back in the chair. "And I know there are normal people who haven't found anybody. That's really what I find fucking discouraging."
Skyler scratches the back her head. "No, my point was that you have just as much a chance as anybody else." She sighs, and mutters, "Man, I'm really not good at this." Louder, she says, "Just… I don't know. Like I said. I'm a romantic at heart."
Taylor headtilts slightly and then says, "Ah, yeah, I guess if you think everyone has someone out there for them. It's a pretty romantic kind of idea. I guess right now, though, I'm focusing more on just having friends than a relationship partner…" The felinoid student shrugs and stares off. "Sometimes, I just wish I was normal, though. I find myself keeping secrets here, just 'cause it's scary… I'm letting most people just think whatever they think…"
Skyler nods slowly with her head still in her hand. "Why do you find it so scary?" she asks, with honest curiosity. "I mean, do you think that some of the other students will judge you differently?"
"Yeah, I do," says Taylor, sounding a bit defensive at that, "It's pretty damn scary! I mean… I know, people around here are more accepting of that kind of thing, but when I was growing up, people would beat the shit out of me for being different, and… even people who are okay with stuff aren't so okay with people being kind of, like, nothing, like me…"
Skyler looks thoughtful while she listens to Taylor. "Hmm, I don't know. It seems a little dishonest to me, but I certainly can't fault you for feeling that way." She shakes her head as she leans back in her own chair, "It's just… I guess you just need to find somebody you trust enough with it and see how it goes. I don't count," she amends with a grin. "I'm probably the most non-judgmental person on the face of the planet. But I'm sure that once you get closer to some of the other students here you might be surprised at how supportive they are."
"Is… is it dishonest?" says Taylor, grimacing at that, ears flickering a few times. The felinoid leans forward in their hands and sighs, "I've told a couple of people. Like Cale… I mean, usually if someone confides in me something really important to them or whatever… but… but like, most of my friends here, like Nick or Shane, don't actually know… And I dunno. Sometimes it's just frustrating enough that I'd cry. If I could cry."
"A little dishonest, yes," admits Skyler. "Not that I would rush out and tell them, mind you. But if somebody were to ask, I wouldn't lie to them. Not that I'm saying you are," she hurredly amends. "It's just that…" she sighs and looks at Taylor sympathetically, "I know that you're afraid that if they found out you'd lose some more friends, but I think that you're hurting yourself more by fretting over it than you would be if you knew, for sure, one way or the other."
Taylor nods slowly at what Skyler has to say, looking down at the table for a few moments, "I know. I should probably just peel off the bandaid but… I dunno… I feel like even if I do lose the friends I have over it, it's nice having friends for now. I… I never have, and I just wanted to know what it's like…" The feline picks up the textbook, hugging it close, "I don't lie to people if they ask… I don't, but, I just try to avoid the subject altogether."
Skyler gets up and rests a hand on Taylor's shoulder, trying to be supportive. "I know," she says. "I think you might be surprised by the reactions your friends will have. It's like coming out of the closet. The people who really know and love you usually already know, and are just waiting for you to be comfortable enough to trust them with that." She gives the shoulder a reassuring squeeze before she goes. "Anyway. I'm holed up in the guest quarters for now until I can get a regular room around here, if you ever want to talk. Have a good night, Taylor."
"Yeah, thanks," says Taylor, staring down at the top edge of the book. "Anyways, yeah, have a good night… sorry for being, you know, like awful and depressing and shit, I'll try to boost my confidence in telling people." The feline student gets up and says, "I should be heading back to my room. One benefit is that I don't actually have to share one with anybody. Goodnight…" Taylor heads for the exit.
