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Summary: Robin, July and Skyler give welcome to Annalisa. After Robin and Skyler head back to the dorms, July gives Anna reassurances about her powers.
Date: October 8, 2009
Log Title Welcome Annalisa
Rating: G
Xavier Mansion - Recreation Room
What was once the Parlor has been turned into a Recreation Room for the students. A nice plush carpet meets the light blue walls giving it a homey feel. A pool table at one end, a foos ball table at the other, and entertainment center with video game systems, movies, and of course, cable TV. Big comfy chairs and couches surround a coffee table for comfortable loafing. Long glass windows with a pair of French doors line one side of the room bringing in plenty of light during the day. The main rule in here is to clean up after yourself.
Robin is sitting on the couch in front of the television. While the screen is on, and it appears to be showing a documentary about marine wildlife, it is on mute. Next to Robin sits a blue glowing humanoid being with the same size and build as her, who sits as if staring at the screen. Robin is currently in a dark purple top worn over a black sweater, and is also wearing a black skirt. She has a book on her lap, assumably a school textbook from its weight and size.
Annalisa strolls into the room slowly, taking a moment to glance around. She hadn't taken the time to get a tour, and hadn't really bothered to explore the area. She stops for a moment to smooth out her skirt, and then glances towards the television somewhat blankly.
July steps into the Recreation Room and notices Robin studying, and she grins, thinking about playing a quick prank on the girl, but then she notices a new girl in the school, and decides to not do anything. So, here goes a normal greeting. "Hey, Robin." The rubber girl says, waving her hand gently in a light wave, before looking at Anna, nodding her head softly, "Hi yourelf. New here, dear?"
Robin closes her book. Despite not having July play a prank on her, she is still surprised by the greeting and she quickly shuts her book. While she plays it cool, the way that the blue puppet next to her jumps betrays that she was startled. "Ah, hiya July," she says. Her voice is androgynous, and it would be difficult to tell her gender just by listening to her speak. "Oh, I've never met you before," she says when she notices Annalisa, "Are you new, or are you just someone back from summer break?"
Annalisa scratches the back of her head shyly for a moment, then begins to speak slowly. "Uhm…I'm new…My name is..uhm…Annalisa…" She speaks in a quiet, somewhat shy tone, as she looks between July and Robin.
Robin smiles and says, "Ah, my name is Robin. I'm pretty new, too, I just got here during the summer, so lots of the people returning are new faces to me." She tilts her head back and forth once or twice and places her book on the blue humanoid's lap, "And this is Blank. She can't speak." The puppet raises a hand to wave at Annalisa.
Annalisa peers at the tiny puppet for a moment, and then nods slowly. "Uhm…yeah…I just got here…so, I've been a little…I haven't really met anyone yet…" She runs a finger over her hair for a moment, then glances back at the puppet somewhat nervously.
July is one of the 'veteran', but… "I'm July. I'm, well, kinda graduated, but I'm still lingering in the school." she shrugs lightly, smiling softly, and then she waves to Anna softly, "It's nice to meet you, Anna. It's good to see new faces here." she nods, giggling a bit. When Anna looks at Blank, she giggles again.
Robin tilts her head slightly and says, "Well, you've met us at least, now." She gets up from her seat and crosses her arms, "Not that I'm a particularly awesome person to know, but it's a start!" She smiles in a friendly manner. The puppet removes the book from its lap and puts it on the cushion next to it, getting up to follow Robin.
Annalisa nods a few times, enthusastically, then glances over at the puppet. She speaks slowly, quietly under her breath. "Soo…is everyone here…um…you know…" She begins to idly twiddle her thumbs together.
July looks at Robin, and nods, "And me! And that's a big thing!" She says, hitting her chest in pride and grinning, before just giggling softly. She goes to lean against the back of the couch as Annalisa speaks, and she smiles, "'Outside the norm'?" She asks, smiling, before stretching her arm all to the other side of the room to get a coke from one of the machines, her arm elongating, and then retracting once she got her drink, "Yeah, you can say so." She nods, as she pops her coke can open.
Robin nods thoughtfully and notes, "Yeah, I would certainly say outside of the norm." She doesn't look twice at July's arm stretching, what with being preoccupied with picking up her book from where Blank put it and puts it back in the puppet's hands. "You'll get used to it. I did, and I was just as weirded out when I first got here."
Annalisa stares at July for several seconds, peering her eyes into her. "Uhmmm…" She leans forward, and begins to poke the side of July's arm, quite gently. "Soo…everyone does…different…stuff?"
July sips her drink calmly, as apparently being poked on her arm doesn't really bother her. Her is a wee bit softer than normal, otherwise it feels like a normal arm, "Yeah, everyone here does something different." she nods, smiling to Anna.
Robin watches the poking, kind of curious about how much give July's arm has, but seems a little bit disappointed when it appears, for all intents and purposes, to be a normal arm. "I think that some people might do the same things as each other, but generally it's different."
Annalisa glances around a bit nervously again, and then seems to whisper under her breath. "My thing isn't really…indoor friendly…" She mutters to herself, and seems to stand close to July, looking at her arm curiously.
July giggles softly at Anna's quick description of her powers, "That's ok." she says, gently laying a hand on the girl's shoulder, "Many of us here don't have everyday-use powers. "There is a guy here that has the ability to shape-change into anyone he touches. So.. it's not a power he uses often." She giggles softly, "There is also a guy who controls some kind of darkish energy. A bit weird, but he's cool." she nods.
Speaking of somebody who changes into other people, here he comes walking through the door of the rec-room. Skyler's currently mimicing that of Robin, but where Robin is on the female side of the androgyny coin, Skyler is on the male side, having cut his hair shorter, and wearing comfortable jeans and a t-shirt. He's also got his own Blank, but instead of a blue, it's more of an emerald green, and currently, it's being used as a pack horse, lugging around his backpack. He pauses in the doorway to take in who's here and grins when he sees Robin. "Heya, Robin! July… and… uh…. new girl."
Robin raises her eyebrows when she sees motion at the door, and smiles when she seeks that it's Skyler, "Oh, hiya, Sky!" She smiles and says, in order to introduce: "Skyler, Annalisa. Annalisa, Skyler. Um." She pauses for a moment and gestures towards the green puppet and says, "Annalisa, Bob. Bob, Annalisa." Blank doesn't appear interested in doing the same kind of work as Bob, and the blue puppet puts Robin's books onto the floor in front of itself.
Annalisa glances between the two puppets for a moment, then between each girl slowly. "Uhm…kay…Yeah…I'm Anna…" She nods slightly, and giggles almost fearfully towards July. "I uhm…my power lets me commit arsen…"
July giggles softly at Anna's confusion with Robin and Robin-look-a-like-but-not-quite-looking-alike Skyler, watching she turns her head back and forth between the two. When she finally explains her powers a bit more, July nods, smiling, "Ah, fire control." she says, giggling softly, "I don't think we got a fire manipulator here." she rubs the back of her head as she tries to think of someone.
Skyler looks thoughtful as he throws himself into one of the couches, Bob finally taking off the backpack and placing it down at his feet. "I don't remember seeing one around here," he says. "At least, as far as I know, all of the explosions that's happened while I was here weren't caused by students."
Robin shakes her head, "I haven't seen any others, either, but I might be mistaken." Eyeing Bob for a couple of moments, she says, "He's so much more useful than Blank is when it comes to carrying things. So unfair." She glances over towards Skyler and then sits back down, next to him.
Annalisa lets out a slow sigh, and seems to stare blankly, almost fearfully into nothing. "I really wish…I had a different power…" She mutters quietly, glancing between the group slowly again, then smoothing her skirt out.
July smiles, and gently pat-pats Anna's shoulder, "Everyone here did wish the same thing, at one point or another. We just learn to live with what we got." she says, nodding softly and giggling before moving to lean against the couch the twins-not-so-twins are seated. "That does remind me of an instance where the powers of almost everyone in this school was shuffled around. I got some weird sonic powers."
Skyler chuckles and nods at July. "Yeah, I remember that." He turns to Annalisa to explain, "See, at first they all had their powers taken away from them. That way they could complain about not having any powers. Then they got somebody else's powers so they could complain about how much they missed their own powers. Then when they got their old powers back, they went back to complaining that they're mutants." He nods sagely, "It was like the circle of life, but for mutant angst."
"I wasn't around for that…" says Robin, tilting her head slightly, "but it sure sounds like what I think would happen. I've got nothing against being a mutant, but I do think it would've been super to have a different ability." She shrugs and leans back on the couch. "Shapeshifting or something would've been nice."
Annalisa leans against the couch next to July, and sighs deeply. "I don't care about being different…but…anything but fire…" She sighs again, and crosses her arms across her chest, looking towards the television blankly again.
July nods to Skyler's explanation, "Yeah, that's the not-so-short version." she giggles lightly, "It was… interesting being normal, but I kind of grew to like my powers, and I was quite saddened when I lost them." She says, but then she hears Anna's opinion about her powers, "Why not? Not a fan of fire?" she asks, smiling softly.
Skyler chuckles and nods, reaching out and placing an arm around Robin. Bob moves up to Blank and leans against her familiarly. "Yeah, I'm just glad that I wasn't affected. I wouldn't want somebody to be using my power and then, when everything got shifted back, be stuck in a new body."
Robin leans her head on Skyler's shoulder and notes, "I wouldn't mind getting your power, but I can imagine it being pretty devastating for most people in that kind of situation…" Blank pats Bob on the head kind of playfully, but still affectionately.
Annalisa glances over at July, and nods quite slowly. "I…hate…fire…and I can't always…keep it inside…I can't really…control it…" She begins to tap her finger against her thigh nervously, and glances around the room slowly.
July ah's softly as Anna mentions the lack of control, "Ah, lack of control." she says softly, "Well, about you not liking fire, there isn't much we can do, but, hey, you're here! This school was made to teach people like us to control our powers!" she says, grinning, before lightly tapping a finger against her chest, "Myself, for example, at the beginning could barely hold my form solid. I spent my first three days being a fleshy goop on my bed back home. Heh."
Skyler blushes slightly at his own open public display of affection, but at the same time doesn't move to break it at all. "Yeah. I learned about my powers after I was stuck as a cat for the better part of two years." He chuckles ruefully, "It gets better as you go on. I mean, think about it. You could end up being the next Human Torch… ette."
"I never really had to learn anything and Blank's never been any kind of negative experience, aside from being a blue glowing sign pointing me out as a mutant," says Robin, "but I'd like to figure out her limits." Her eyes shift back over to Annalisa and she notes, "Um, but if you feel like you can't control it at any time, though, it'd be nifty if you'd give a heads up."
Annalisa scratches the back of her head a bit, and glances over at July. "That sounds kinda icky. But I bet you don't have to worry about getting fat! You can just reform your figure, right?" She nods in a sage-like manner, an image of jealousy crossing her face. "I'll try not to set anyone on…fire…"
July giggles, "Yeah, kind of like that. I love eating all the sweets I can." she grins widely. Almost wider than humanly possible. Creepy. "I can't 'shape shift', like Skyler here, as my control isn't that good. Too many tiny details I can't keep track of. Plus I can't change colors." she shrugs lightly.
"Oooh," Skyler exclaims at July. "I didn't know that." With another chuckle and another shake of his head he turns back to Annalisa and explains, "I don't really shapeshift, at least not the way that you think. I'm more like a… genetic copying machine. I can rewrite my genetics with the genetics of whoever I'm touching."
Robin tilts her head and says to Skyler, "Except, I guess, whatever gives you that particular mutation? I wonder if that's all that's retained…" She shrugs and says, "I can't change myself with my powers. As far as I know, I can't do anything to change Blank either. Too bad."
Annalisa leans down a bit, and pokes July in the belly a few times, giggling to herself. "I can change my hair and eyes, but I usually get scared and then…bad things happen…" She says in an almost sad tone, but quickly goes back to giggling as she gives July's belly another poke.
July's belly is flat, but poke-able. "Well, I /can/ make my hair longer or shorter…" She says, and then her hair starts shortening until she has a paperboy-like cut. "But it requires concentration to keep it that way, so… I just don't bother." she giggles, and her hair flows back to its original length.
Skyler bites his lower lip, "Well, Dr. McCoy explained that I have an extra pair of chromosomes that house my primary x-gene, and a few other things. The other forty-six are what I copy from everybody else."
Robin blinks a few times at Skyler and says, "That is super cool! I wonder what stuff stays on your extra pair of chromosomes." She smiles at him and then looks at July's hair changing, "Wow, that must be useful for temporary disguises and stuff! Just make little subtle changes, and you're all set."
Annalisa glances up at July, and smiles a bit. "I like long hair better though…" She says with a slight giggle, and twirls a finger through her own hair. "I wish I could do neat things like that, but all my powers are good for is breaking stuff and hurting people."
July smiles and nods to Skyler, "Yeah, gotta find out what that extra gene can do, aside from triggering the change." She nods, smiling softly, before looking at Annalisa and giggling softly, "Sometimes, Anna, you have to break stuff to save people." she winks, "And, hey, fire powers are awesome at night, and when we need a barbecue." She grins.
Skyler shrugs. "I think they're there to keep me me when I change. I don't want to go poking around with them too much." Turning to Annalisa he asks, "Have they shown you the Danger Room yet?"
Robin nods her head slowly and says, "I guess that makes sense…" She announces to everyone in the room, "I think I should probably head to bed, myself, so I can get up bright and early tomorrow."
Annalisa scratches her head a bit, and gives a slight wave towards Robin. "Uhm…I haven't seen any danger room. I barely remember my way around here as it is." She idly twirls a string of her hair around one of her fingers.
July turns to Robin, smiling, and she waves, "Aw, alright, Robin. Have a nice sleep." She says, giggling softly, "You too, Blank." she says out of joking, before looking back at Annalisa. "Oh, the 'Danger Room', as it's called, is a very very technological room. It has some amazing holographic tech that can make any ambience possible. There we train with our powers in safety, as the walls there are almost completely impervious to damage."
Skyler gets to his feet, and tries to hide his blush. "I think I'll, um, walk you to your room, Robin." He goes over to retrieve his backpack before going back to Robin. "You guys have a good night, and welcome to the school, Annalisa. I usually wear a nametag with my name on it, so look me up if you have any questions or anything."
Robin smiles at Skyler, picks up her textbook, and says, "That sounds like a good plan to me." Blank claps her hands cheerily. Once her things are gathered, she heads out of the room, making sure that Skyler is with her all the while.
Annalisa gives a slight wave towards Robin and Blank, before turning back to poke July in the shoulder. "So, its like some kinda weird sci fi room? Can you take vacations there?" She giggles a bit as she asks the ridiculous question.
July waves to Robin and Skyler, grinning wide and knowingly at her friend's blush. "Alright. Good night, you two. I'll keep Anna company." she says, giggling softly, before moving to sit on the couch now, "Technically," She says to Anna, "You could. It can only make a certain area. It's in the basement of the building here." She shrugs, "But the staff mostly uses the place to train people's powers."
Annalisa hops over the back of the couch, making a concious effort to keep her skirt from flying up as she lands on the sofa next to July. "Someone will have to show me, I guess." She says with a slight nod.
July giggles softly at that, "Oh, don't worry about that." she shakes her head softly, "It's part of the school's class schedule. How to learn to use your powers. You'll be assigned to a team." She explains, "I used to be in the 'new mutants' team. There is the 'corsairs', the 'hellions'… Every team has a teacher assigned to them as their supervisor."
Annalisa seems to be pondering to herself for a moment, twidling a strand of hair around a finger. "So you aren't on a team anymore?" She says, glancing over towards July with a smile.
July smiles, "Oh?" she giggles softly, "Well, you can say I'll always be a 'New Mutant' girl, but I'm done with school." she says softly, shaking her head softly, "I graduated. I'm just spending time at the school until I get admitted into a college." She explains, before glancing at the door, "Hey, feel like drinking something? I'm going to get something to drink from the kitchen."
Annalisa smiles a bit, and nods slowly. "Sure…that'd be nice." She says quietly and then twiddles her hair a bit more. "I hope you aren't leaving too soon…we're just becoming friends too…"
July smiles, "Not really." She says, giggling softly, "I'll be right back, to get the drinks." She says, "Please, stay here." she nods, and then her torso stretches longer as she elongates it out of the room, down the corridor. Minutes later, she returns, carrying two glasses of orange juice, complete with some ice cubes. "Here you go." She offers you one glass.
Annalisa takes the glass of juice with glee, taking a little sip. "Thats really neat. If someone bites you, are you chewy? Do they bounce off?" She giggles a bit, and pokes July in the side playfully.
July giggles, letting the finger sink in quite a bit this time as she's poked. "Well, if they bite me, they'll hurt me." she says, before sipping at her juice, "Anything that can cut or impale can hurt me quite normally. Knives, forks, blades, anything sharp." she shrugs, "Blunt objects, on the other hand… doesn't hurt at all. Feels like I'm getting a hard shove, but nothing painful."
Annalisa giggles with pure girlish delight, pulling her finger back with a grin. "Thats sooo neat. Wish I could do cool stuff like that." She says, taking another sip of the juice, still smiling brightly at July.
July giggles softly, "Oh, I'm sure you'll learn to do all the nifty things with your powers, too, Anna." she nods, sipping at her juice again. "Fire is pretty, when not used criminally."
Annalisa seems to stare blankly for a moment, and turns her head towards her juice. "I…I don't like…fire…its…its scary…horrible…painful…"
July blinks softly as the mood of her friend takes on a 180 degrees turn. She remains in silence for a few moments, looking at Anna, "I see." she says softly, "You must have had a bad accident with fire in the past, right?" It somehow wasn't really a question.
Annalisa nods slowly, her hands begin to shake slightly, rattling the glass of juice. "I hurt someone close to me…I hurt myself…I didn't mean to, but I couldn't stop it…."
July smiles softly and gently lays a hand on Anna's shoulder as she starts shaking. "Like you just said, Anna." She speaks softly, "It was an accident. It wasn't really your fault. It was an unfortunate 'bad time, bad place' kind of accident. But you're still alive. That is why us, people with special powers, mutants, need to learn control. Just because your power has a more destructive nature, apparently, doesn't mean it's bad. Fire can help just as much as it can hurt. Just like about everything else in the world."
Annalisa smiles a little, and takes a sip of her orange juice slowly. "Will you help me here? It'd be nice to have someone to rely on, its not something I'm very used to lately."
July smiles, and brings a hand to rub the back of her head as she smiles a bit embarrassed about that, "Well… I'm not sure /how/ I can help about controlling a power to manipulate fire, but I'll be here if you feel like talking to someone. The school have wonderful teachers about just about everything here. They helped me control myself."
Annalisa smiles slightly again, and nods slowly. "Yeah…I know there are teachers and stuff…I don't really know what I was asking for really…." She appears puzzled for a moment, and takes a sip from her juice with a sigh.
July grins softly, "Once you learn to control yoru powers… I'm sure you'll be a blast at the 4th of July festivities." she winks, and giggles softly.
Annalisa blinks a little, and smiles. "Thats my birthday…"
Annalisa ponders for a quick moment, and then glances over at July. "Will having my birthday then make people forget, I wonder?"
July smiles softly, "Forget?" she asks, smiling, "Hmmm… maybe, but, let me ask you this." She says, turning to face fully her friend, "Do you want them to forget, or to forgive?"
Annalisa scratches her head a bit, and directs her eyes away, her face noticably flushing a bit from the close proximity. "I don't really….understand what you mean…"
July smiles, giggling softly, "It's one of those old stories. Basically, do you want the easy, unrewarding way, or the hard, rewarding way?" she asks tilting her head a bit. "If people forget… they'll do just that. Forget. But if people forgive, they will forgive, and be your friends."
Annalisa tilts her head a bit in confusion, and begins to speak softly. "Uhm…What does that have to do with my birthday though…?"
July shrugs lightly, smiling, "I have no idea." she then giggles, "You're the one that asked if that would make people forget. I'm assuming here." she sticks her tongue our playfully a bit as she smiles a bit embarrassed.
Annalisa ponders a bit for a moment, then suddenly, the whole of her face flushes a bright red. "Uhmmm, can you stretch that too?" She asks with a playful giggle, and sticks her own tongue out too.
July blinks softly, confused, her tongue still a bit out, " Huh?" she pulls it back in, "You mean my tongue?" she blinks again, looking down at her lips. "Yeah, yeah I can." she grins, "Useful when I want that last bit of milk-shake from the bottom of those long glasses."
Annalisa gasps slightly, and nods a bit. "Well, you could juse one of those really long spoons….but your way sounds fun too." She says with a grin.
July giggles, "Spoons are no fun. They can't get everything." she says as she shakes her head, grinning softly. But then she oh's softly, "Oh! Now I got it! You were asking me if having your birthday on an important holiday would make people forget about your birthday! Oh, I don't think you could be more wrong with that." She grins widely.
Annalisa ponders for a moment, unaware of how the meaning could be misunderstood. Suddenly she gasps for no apparant reason. "My birthday is in your name!" She exclaims with a grin.
July blinks softly at that fact, and then she giggles softly, "Yeah, I guess it is." she says, smiling, "Kind of a coincidence, isn't it?" She asks, smiling.
Annalisa giggles softly for a moment, then takes another sip of the juice. "Thats sorta neat, huh?"
July smiles, "It is." she says, sipping at her juice as well, "But it was bound to happen, anyways. I got the name of a month, I knew I'd sooner or later bump into that coincidence."
Annalisa takes a sip of her juice, and puffs her lips in a pouty manner. "Aww, that makes it sound sooo boring, lets call it fate and be best buddies or something, its cooler."
July lets out a soft laugh, "Hahahah, sure, I guess. We can try that." She finishes her juice before looking down at her watch, "Well, I guess I should get going. Need to get some shut-eye before morning. Got to visit the university and get my appliance there."
Annalisa lets out a slight groan. "Aww, okay…Well, I'll see you around right?"
July giggles and nods, "Oh, sure you will. I still live here. Might continue living, who knows?" She shrugs lightly, before standing up and stretching a bit, groaning softly and letting out a soft yawn, "Alright. I'll go get a nap. Nice meeting you, Anna. You'll like it here. We all do. It's a fun place." she nods, before heading out, "Night!" She waves, smiling.
Annalisa waves to July happily, giving a bright grin. "Goodnight! Sleep well!" She exclaims as she leaves.
