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poster: Jen date: 6 November 2001, 11:50am EST I stared up at the departures board and the reality of what I was about to do came crashing down on me. I really don’t have anywhere to go, or anyone who’ll take me in. Except maybe Magneto. He’d take me in. He still needs my help.And that folks is a measure of just how badly my life sucks. I am truly at the bottom of the barrel if I’m considering that psycho an option. Cause Creed comes along with Magneto and if he even does part of the things to me that he said he was going to... Magneto is not an option. Dave can’t take me in. The Naval Academy has rules and a teenage mutant girl sleeping on a cadet’s floor breaks at least a dozen of them. I could try Mark. Scratch that. Mark hasn’t seen me, or spoken to me, or replied to a letter in five years, somehow I doubt he’s going to welcome me into his home with open arms. The General? Yeah right. After he called The Professor and chewed him out, he’d stuff me back on a train. I could go back... Deep in thought, I almost missed the scent. I looked around, but she could be anyone. I checked the air again. She was alone. Either that or she brought along backup I hadn’t met. I’d just have to wait for her to make her move. I didn’t have to wait long. An elderly woman came and sat beside me; elderly on the outside, blue and scaly on the inside. "You gonna shoot me again?" She smiled, as if pleased I’d pegged her. "No," she purred, pulling some knitting out of the bag at her side, "Just a happy coincidence. I have another target today." "Lucky me." "Indeed." We lapsed into silence, watching the passing travelers, and I wondered why exactly I was sitting next to her listening to her clack the knitting needles and scan for her target. I should be hightailing it back to the Academy. I was out of my league out here with people like Mystique and Sabretooth and Magneto running around. And those were just the one I’d run into so far... The slight hesitation in the needles told me she found her target. I didn’t look. I had enough troubles of my own. "Well then, Sarah, I need to go," Mystique said pleasantly as she packed up her knitting. "I’ll tell Creed you said hello." With that, she disappeared into the crowd. I waited a few minutes checking the air repeatedly to see if she was truly gone before gathering up my bag and heading to the ticket counter.
poster: nacey date: 6 November 2001, 2:23pm EST Horror... revulsion. Hide. Claws in branch, climb and avoid. Hungry. Bird. Not hungry any more. Oh God... her blood... how could I? Her blood... Rip off shirt. Pants gone. Clothes for civilized people. I am not civilized. I am an animal. Logan was wrong. Logan said I could be as human as I wanted to be. I couldn't. I couldn't control. I couldn't love. I hurt and I ripped and I tore. I took what was sacred and made it a matter of survival. I hurt her through that. He said I could be as human as I needed to be. He said he could, I could. No, Logan, I am not human. I have fur, I have sharp teeth. I have a cat within and a cat without. You are like me, but you are not me. You do not have fur. You look human. I am a monster, and I'll hide. I'm still hiding. They won't find me, because I don't want to be found.
poster: Amezri date: 10 November 2001, 10:48pm EST OOC: If Jen didn't poke me along, I'd never post. No one knows why Sarah ran away yet. Um. Yeah. "First of all, you're not going anywhere," Cassie said with a scowl. "But--" "Nuh-uh. No way. Never. And also, no. You are gonna stay right here. I-- aw, don't. Don't look at me like that." She sighed and rubbed her eyes. "I just don't want you getting hurt. More." "But, Cassie," he started, doing a few backflips to convince her. "I'm fine. See? All better." Another somersault, landing right in front of her. Kurt smiled until he saw her resolve crumble. She leaned against the dresser. "We have to get *somebody* to help us. Maybe the Professor could use Cerebro to find her. Come on." The pair searched the mansion for a good twenty minutes before they finally spotted a lone faculty member in the dining room. Sarah cringed. He wasn't her first choice, but he'd have to do. She and Kurt glanced at each other before approaching him. "Mr. Logan. There's a problem. With Sarah." "What'd that girl do now," he grumbled, putting down his newspaper. "What'd she do, get kidnapped by the Brotherhood again?" The two students flinched. "She got kidnapped again?!" "No, sir. She.. um... she left." Cassie looked down at the floor. Why the hell was she so scared? Oh yeah. The Wolverine. "What?" Logan almost growled, but quickly checked himself. It wasn't Cassie's fault that Sarah had run off. Something must've happened between her and Max. Speaking of, "Where's Max?" Cassandrea frowned. /"Where's Max?" Who cares where Max is. Sarah's leaving./ Kurt handed him the note. "He wasn't in his room, but we found that on the floor. Sarah must have slipped it under the door before she left." Logan glanced over it and handed it back to Kurt. "All right. I think I know where Max is. Let's go." "Wait. What about Sarah?" It didn't seem to Cassie that Logan had his priorities straight. Sarah was running away. Max was off somewhere being Max. "She's fine." Logan said casually, already half-way across the room. Cassie's blood began to boil. Any fear she had of the Wolverine began to melt away. "You don't know that she's fine. You don't even know where she is. All you care about is finding Max!" Kurt's eyes went wide with horror. Shouting at Logan was bad. Very, very bad. "Cassie..." "I mean, you shoved her in a room with him and forced them to have sex! How the hell do you think she'd react to something like that?" Logan turned to face her. "You know very well it wasn't like that," he growled. "Oh, so you mean you didn't lock them in a room together?" Cassandrea hissed, eyes glowing blue in anger. "Damn it, Cassandrea, I had to or else--" "Or else what? Max would've died? You think Sarah would have just let that happen? Did you really need to force it?" Logan grunted. "I'm going to find Max." "Max first, Sarah later, is that it?" She narrowed her eyes. The angrier she became, the more her power rolled and swirled around her. "You about to use your powers on me, Cassandrea? 'Cause if you are, I suggest we go outside. If not, you'd better get yourself together." Cassandrea began to form a sphere of water. "Let's go. I--" Kurt, long forgotten, decided this had gone far enough. He grabbed Cassie and slapped his hand over her mouth. She dropped the half-formed orb and it struck the floor with a splash. "Mr. Logan, we are concerned for both of our friends. Max is still most likely on the estate, but Sarah's gone. We don't know where she is and we need to find her as soon as possible." He let Cassie go and she pulled away from his touch, glaring. There was a long pause before Logan finally spoke. "She's at the train station," he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "How do you know?" Cassandrea spat. "Because that's where they always go." OOC: Feel free to split the group how ever. I'm not really set on Cassie, Kurt and Logan running off to stop Sarah. Thought about Logan looking for Max, the other two going after Sarah. *shrug*
poster: Jen date: 11 November 2001, 2:06pm EST OOC: This got seriously out of hand. Sorry. Logan snarled as he stalked into the station. She could be anywhere, if she were even still here. She had several hours head start, something he hadn’t wanted to explain while convincing a very angry Cassandrea and skeptical Kurt that he would and, in fact, could bring the girl back. His day was looking up. Sarah was sitting on a bench, her bag at her feet, a ticket clutched in her hand. ***** Logan dropped heavily into the bench beside me. Frankly, I was surprised he bothered to come after me. I guess, though, it looks bad for the school to have students run away. "You know where you’re going, or you just running?" "I’m going to my brother." There. Good an answer as any. I know he can smell the lie, but if he can pretend I’m in good hands, maybe he’ll just go away. "Wanna try another one?" I guess my intense studying of the departures board answered that one. /Why didn’t he just go?/ "You smell like Mystique." Oh yeah. That. "She was here and left again. Apparently, I wasn’t on her ‘to kill’ list today." Surprise - Surprise - The Wolverine can do more than yell and snarl. I think that sound might actually qualify as a laugh. "Why are you here?" "Kurt and your roomie found your note. I came to bring you home." "And if I don’t want to go?" I asked, practically daring him to try something in such a public place. "I’m not gonna force you." "There’s a first," I drawled sarcastically. "I guess I deserve that." "Yeah, you do." "Come on back and you can be sarcastic to me all the time." I was just not in the mood for lame-o adult humor. "If I wanted to be there, I would’ve stayed." That got me a strange little half smile, as if he were remembering something, as if I weren’t the first kid he’d tried to talk back into returning. "A lot of people are going to miss you." "Somehow I doubt that," I said, unable to keep the bitterness from my voice. "I’ve caused nothing but trouble." "Princess, you haven’t even touched on trouble yet." There was a story behind that, but I suspected the only way I was going to get it was to go back. And I wasn’t doing that. "Just let me go." I know I sound tired, and I am. Tired of being different. Tired of going to school after school, trying to fit in and make friends. I’m tired of rules and regulations and constantly being in trouble. Tired of hurting people. Tired of being hurt. "My train is boarding." "Can’t do that, Sarah." "Why not? You found me. You talked to me. You fulfilled your duty. Go back to Xavier and tell him I wouldn’t come." "And what do I tell Max?" "I left him a note." "He deserves more than a note, dontcha think?" "No, not really." Damn. That’s cold. Even for me. "Sarah, I can’t even begin to guess at what’s goin’ on in your head or how you feel. But dontcha think punishin’ Max for what I did is unfair?" "You- self-centered... egotistical..." Stop. Deep breath. "Go home Mr. Logan and sleep easy. This has nothin’ to do with you." "Somethin’ happen with you two this afternoon?" "You always this bright?" "Sarah..." he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I can’t fix it, if you won’t talk to me." "Some things," I said, picking up my bag, "You can’t fix." "Wait. Please." I looked down at the arm restraining me and fought back the urge to make him eat it. "I’m going to miss my train." "Forget the dammed train. Talk to me and if you still want to go, I’ll put you on the next one myself. Okay?" "Promise?" "Yeah. How about some coffee?" He must have put something in that coffee, ‘cause I do not talk. I don’t have heart-to-hearts and I don’t offer up any more information than I have to. Usually. Except with him, because sitting there sipping grossly overpriced coffee, before I realized I’d even opened my mouth, the whole story of the garden came tumbling out. He just listened and nodded and when I was all finished, simply asked, "You okay?" I must have looked puzzled by his question, because he reached out and touched my neck. "I know it healed fine, but are you okay?" Am I okay? I really don't know how to answer that. The snippy 'if I was all right I wouldn't be sitting in the train station' remark stalled on my tongue. "I'm pretty unnerved." I stopped, not wanting to ask, but needing an answer nonetheless. "Mr. Logan," I asked, my voice barely a whisper, "Is there something wrong with me?" "Why do you ask?" "It's just -- I didn't run because Max bit me. I- I..." I stared down into my coffee, swirling the foam, unable to come up with the words. "It's OK to be scared Sarah." "That's just it, sir. I wasn't scared, not really. I asked him -- I wanted... Even with the blood and all, sir, I liked it." He looks surprised. And why shouldn't he? You're a nutcase. "Oh." Yeah. Oh. "Sarah," he said, putting a finger under my chin, drawing my face up to look at him. "You have instincts of your own and biting and dominance are often a part of animal mating. I should ... I should have expected this after your little battle with Max in the forest." "My instincts are all well and good, sir. But I pushed Max into all of this. He didn't -- he didn't want any of this. At least not like this. And..." "And?" "He doesn’t want things to be about his mutation or his instincts. He wants to be human, sir. That's why I need to go." "Not following you, princess." "Instinct is all I have, sir. I know honor, and loyalty and duty, but Max wants more... he deserves more. And I don’t have it in me." "I can help you be more." "Like you helped Max?" "I ... uh - never really covered uh..." "Sex," I offered part in assistance and part to see the man squirm some more. "Bit of an oversight, don’t you think?" He scratched his head. "Didn’t seem like it at the time." I don’t know why, but I just started laughing. I guess the stress and the absurdity of everything just got to me. When I was finished Logan smiled back at me, offering me a napkin to dry the tears I’d shed. Maybe Max was right about him; he seems pretty cool about all of this. At least he didn’t call me a sicko and shove me on the train. "You ready to go home now, Princess." I think so. I still need to deal with Max, which won’t be easy, but Miami wouldn’t be any easier. That didn’t mean I had to make things easy for Logan. "Yeah, but one condition." He just raised and eyebrow and smirked at me. "Don’t call me Princess." "Whatever you say, Tinkerbell." I hissed, but he only laughed and pulled me to my feet. "Fine," I snapped. "Princess it is." Smirking, I added, "Wolf Boy." "You’re gonna be trouble, ain’t ya?" he asked, shouldering my bag. I grinned broadly. "I aim to please."
poster: nacey date: 12 November 2001, 2:17am EST The grass nestled my form, and I snoozed. The sun was warm, it warmed me. I always got a little colder when I slept. The sound of the insects in the grass chased me in my sleep. I never fully slept, not out here, not when I was vulnerable. A familiar smell wafted past. I rolled to my fours, claws digging into the ground. I was hungry again. I loped off, falling into a gallop. Hungry. Had to guard my food. Male. Strong male scent. Female. No... had to run. I leapt up a tree, clawing my way up to its tall strong limbs. The wouldn't find me, not without some effort. I'd have to wait before they left, wait before I could get my food. Buried food. Venison... two hours old. Ate what I could and moved on. They were getting closer. Knew where I was. Hide, hide. Run. Climb.
poster: Jen date: 12 November 2001, 10:08am EST I awoke and dressed quickly, leaving Cassandrea asleep in her rack. I needed to get back into my routine; I needed to run. Maybe it would help settle me. My life had always been about routine and I’d always hated it, but I realized something sitting in that train station, as I looked at how my life had crumpled around me: I needed the routine. I needed the security and structure it gave. I needed the mindless exercise to get my mind off the fact that Logan still hadn’t gotten Max to come in from the woods yet. Logan and I tried yesterday, catching Max's trail here and there, but he was avoiding us, and Logan seemed reluctant to seriously hunt for him yet, saying that Max had done this before and he'd come back when he was ready. I'm not sure I believe that, but I'm willing to give Logan the benefit of the doubt. It has nothing to do with the fact that I'm afraid to face Max again. Nothing. Damn. I don't even lie to myself well. A quick stretch and off I went to the track. I could have run in the woods. Would have preferred to run in the woods, but people ran on tracks and if I was going to survive here, become as human as Logan said I could, I needed to imitate people whenever I could. Imitate. Ugh. I had no idea how far I’d gone or how long I’d been out there. All I knew was one I started to run, my mind cleared and I felt more at ease than I had in weeks. I had pushed through a plateau, craving that endorphin rush that comes with breaking the body’s limitations. But as I stopped, letting that welcome burning in my legs ease, I felt something strange. It felt as if I were being watched. But, in the early morning mist, I didn’t see or smell anyone. I looked to the tree line, hoping to catch a glimpse of Max, but saw nothing. Unnerved, I headed back to the mansion to shower and change. If Logan didn’t bring him back today, I would go looking. After lights out seemed like a good time to hunt.
poster: nacey date: 25 November 2001, 12;50pm EST OOC: I'm not sure if Rogue has control of her mutation or not. Gimme the heads up on that one eh, Cyn? Logan sat in his room, a pile of papers in front of him, dented and inked from the labour of numerous students out to prove their knowledge of the intricacies of self defence, but untouched by the fateful red pen that lay dangling in Logan's still fingers. He gripped the can of beer he'd grabbed from the kitchen, the wet dewy aluminium chilling his fingertips. He couldn't touch the marking. Every time he even tried to reach for a paper, the image of a shadow in the forest and frightened eyes flashed in his mind. Max didn't deserve that. He threw the pen across the room, striding to his closet and throwing it open. He pulled off his clothes, dragging his older and raggier clothes from the side of the closet where they were folded and stuffed. They were the last remnants of his travelling days, still on his back when he came here to live. As he pulled them out, a silky gloved hand touched his bare shoulder. "Wow... haven't seen those in a while." Logan looked to Rogue behind him, pressing his lips together in a sheepish but worried look. "I'm going to find Max." She nodded knowingly, squeezing the flesh under her fingers. Grabbing a flimsy scarf from her night stand she draped it over his shoulder, placing a warm firm kiss there. "Take care of yourself, huh?" He nodded. "Always do." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ He was halfway down the main corridor of the bedroom wing of the mansion when a familiar voice called out to him from a doorway. "Where do you think you're going?" Logan turned. Leaning on a doorway was Sarah, arms folded, dressed in similarly older clothes. "Where do you think I'm going?" "Do I look like Jean?" she asked, striding forward. "No," Logan said, shaking his head thoroughly. "Max-" "I know," Sarah said, whacking his arm to get him walking. "Just didn't want you thinking you could go have all the fun of hunting him down without me." Logan gave a tired smile and began to stride along with her in a rushed gait. "Never." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ His fur was on end. The venison had become carrion, and he wouldn't eat that. Not unless tonights hunting was fruitless. Pheasants were abound in this forest though, so he doubted he would be hungry for long. There was rustling - careful steps, but bipedal. He leapt up branches, claws gripping bark and his body, free of clothing, a shadow and flash in the darkness.
poster: Jen date: 27 November 2001, 11:04am EST Go up the tree, Sarah. You’re lighter, Sarah. It makes more sense that way, Sarah. Never mind that Sarah fucking hates trees, especially big ass trees like this one. Why couldn’t you have picked a nice cave, Max? Huh? I don’t mind caves. Oh and of course you pick the biggest flippin’ tree in the forest. When we get him down I’m gonna both their asses. I kept my grumbling silent as I scaled the tree. Logan was moving below us, quietly, but not silently. Hopefully, he can keep Max’s attention long enough for me to get close enough to talk to him. Which is Logan’s Master Plan. Like I have a clue what to say if I can even get him talking. Bingo. Got him. 10 feet up, next tree over. Watching Logan. "Here I was thinking I was going to be doing all this lovely moonlight tree climbing by myself and here you are." Fuck. No, Max, not higher, please not higher. He’s going higher. Good fucking plan, Logan. And why exactly did you agree to this dopey plan, Sarah? Hmmm? You’re a fucking idiot that’s why. "Blow this." With that, Sarah hefted the rock she’d stuffed in her pocket and launched her best fastball directly at Max’s head.
poster: nacey date: 27 November 2001, 2;18pm EST Jabbing pain cracked through his skull as he felt himself tumbling down, his grip skidding. His claws dug into the wood, but did nothing. He began to clamber in a half-conscious state, grabbing onto whatever he could, branches, twigs and leaves breakings, splintering and crashing around him as he lost purchase of any substantial footing. It went on like this as he fell through tree foliage, down the heavier branches, claws digging into the bark of the tree and supporting him for a few metres. There was a fair drop when he lost his hold and fell. It was moments like this when his humanity was blatantly clear. He fell in a heap on the ground, lacking all grace and style that a feline so instinctively presents. He groaned long. Logan shifted closer, hands on his knees as he knelt. "Hey Kid... wake up... you allright?" Growl. Guttural deep growl. Anger - it flashed through him. In a moment the boy rolled to his fours and crouched, backed up against the tree, growling. Logan sighed. "Shit." There was a thump and a rustle as Sarah made it to the ground, and stepping over from the tree she had been climbing, she frowned. "Did you talk to him?" "We've exchanged growls," Logan said darkly. Sarah sighed. "Shit..." "My sentiments exactly," agreed Logan. "How the hell are we going to bring him inside when he's like this?" She looked to him. He was naked, not too fresh smelling but not as bad as she had expected. Cat hygene, she figured. She knelt down, tilting her head. "Max..." Max crouched down further, growling a low moan, a warning in his stance, but intrigue in the sparkle of his dark brown eyes. "Hey, sorry about that," Sarah offerred backing up a bit. He looked pretty mad. Which makes sense, she thought, you just hit the man with a rock. "I needed to-" He snapped. In a burst of claws, fur and forest litter he threw himself at her, screaming and growling, grabbing her and gripping her tight. The claws were in, she noticed, not unsheathed and digging. His blows and bites stang, however, and she thumped him back, wriggling out of his hold, slamming him about the ears and rolling him off her. He growled, crouching down again, Sarah on her butt on the forest floor, eyeing him sharply. Logan stood there, claws unsheathed, eyeing Max looking about as ready to pounce. "Sarah..." "What? I get him outta the dammed tree and you're gonna skewer him? Put those away." she said, eyes locked with Max. "And whil you're at it, you should probably back off." Very reluctantly, Logan did so, but not out of sight. Max knew it. He kept growling, that low throaty moan that rattled the ears and hit the stomach. He crept forward a little, eyes drifting down to her neck. He sniffed, then lowered his head, paw-like hands reaching forward over the forest floor. He then gave a plaintive ruff, hand touching the ground. Sarah kept her eyes fixed on him as she crouched down, keeping her weight on the balls of her feet just in case she needed to move fast and placed her hand on the ground next to his. Carefully, edging slightly, he moved his hand over hers, gripping it under his. Sarah smiled and slowly reached for his face, brushing a straggle of hair out of his eyes and wiping the trickle of blood from his forehead with her thumb. He took in a quick breath, and yanking on the hand in his he pushed her back, hands on her shoulders, landing on top of her. He propped himself up on his elbows, staring deep into her eyes, a low warm rumble in his chest. Sarah looked up, trying to gauge Max's mood. The last time they'd been in this spot things turned out badly. Very badly. Very quickly. Logan was close by, but since his first reaction to the un-treed Max was claws, Sarah hoped she wasn't going to need him. "Max..." There was a flash of a smile, and he descended upon her neck. His teeth grazed her flesh, just as before, and he gripped her, tightly, a growl rolling through his chest. Sarah moaned and arched her neck, exposing the tender flesh to him as she gripped his shoulers, silently willing Logan to leave. He felt her submission, and his tongue smoothed over the dents in her skin from his teeth, a content rumble inside of him, close to a purr, shuddering through her as he went. His hand slipped down to a bosom, fondling it firmly. "Max... Max... Logan's watching... and... ugh," she winced, turning her face away from him. "I don't know what you've been eating... but... God, you need a shower." He looked to her, frowning. "Ahhuhph..." "Shower first... naked later. I promise. Okay? Let's go in. Okay?" He nodded then, mouth opening and closing, trying to form words, fighting to. "Auh... I... Sah..." He closed his eyes, gritting his teeth, fighting harder. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Her voice hit my mind, a mind that had been wrapped up in running, in hiding, in simple things that satisfied the body. It began clearing, and the taste of her skin in my mouth, the teeth over it and the skin that was not hurt by me... relief seeped through. The animal, the animal I fought every second of the day, every day of my life, it had me now. Had me in it's grips. It didn't want to let me go, even though the fog in my mind was clearing, even though words began flowing through my brain instead of pure emotion. I buried my head in the nape of her neck, whimpering. The words wouldn't come out. I tried again. "Iy.. um... Iy...mmm... I'm..." She lifted my head from her neck, meeting my eyes. "I'm... sorry..." I breathed, letting out a gasp of effort, sighing in triumph that the words made sense. The gasp fell to a sob, and I fell against her again. "I'm sorry." "It's okay, Max," Sarah murmured stroking his hair. "It was always okay." I looked to her, tears burning my eyes. "But I... I... I made you bleed." "When you touched me, did you mean to hurt me or was it just an accident?" I closed my eyes, shaking my head. "It... it just happened." I grit my teeth, anger at myself errupting within me. "I didn't think they were that sharp..." I sighed, "My teeth, I mean." "Then it was an accident. Stop beating yourself up about it. But you know, right now, I'm starting to have trouble breathing and..." I blushed, rolling off her, and suddenly I realised how naked I was. I blushed redder than a beet. "I'm naked." "Yup," she relpied grinning cheeliky and giving him an exaggerated once-over. I felt myself slouch, a helpless look on my face. "Why is it that I can't spend five minutes around you fully clothed?" I coughed and looked away. "Not that I mind but..." I looked around, wondering where Logan was. "It's embarassing," I finished for him. "And Logan's gone. He slipped off once you started talking." "Okay..." I looked to her. "Can you help me find my clothes?" "They were a lost cause. If I leave to go get you some am I going to have to hunt you down again?" I smiled, probably a little sheepishly. "Only if you like that sort of thing..." She smiled. "Most of the time I do, but how about a shower first?" "Clothes, shower..." I nodded. "Sounds good to me." Sarah got to her feet, and after ruffling my hair, she turned and traipsed out of the clearing. I was alone again. Geez. It had been years since this had happened, since I'd lost control of the animalistic side of myself, and I felt like a complete idiot. I sighed, laying back in the leaves and the grass, hoping that Sarah would hurry. I didn't want to be found like this.
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