Sun setting over the lake (Open)

[rileyfletcher]

It was the middle of the evening, and the sun was beginning to set. Outside walking across the lawn and heading for the lake was a girl. She was wearing a pair of ripped jeans and a white tank top. Her long, curly brunette hair was down and the breeze blew through it. As she was walking towards the lake, she noticed that she was all alone and no one else was outside.

Once Riley had reached the lake, she sat down on the ground and looked out across the lake. She always loved sunsets and would always be outside by the lake watching it go down. While she was sitting there watching the sunset, she began thinking of everything that had happened in the past.

Riley used to live out on the streets, until she had met Professor X. He had talked to her and told her that she could stay and live at the mansion, until she could get a job and have her own place. While she lived there, she would always got to Professor X's office and he would help her out with her powers and help her try to control it. With him helping her control her powers, was working well, and she was slowly getting use to it. But when he past away, he powers went out of whack, and she had no control over them any more, except for her healing, and she could fly a bit.

Riley looked down at her hands, remembering what had happened and wished that she never had them and that everything was the same before the Professor had died. She was beginning to get angry at herself and sad, until she looked around her and noticed that a few small rocks was raised up in the air a bit. She quickly calmed herself down and cleared her mind, and soon heard the rocks drop back onto the ground. Riley always hated when she did that, and was always afraid that she would hurt someone one day when her powers really get out of control. She looked back out at the lake and saw the sun slowly setting out across it.

[Jake Sheppard]

So, this had been his first real day at the Institute (lounging around in a jet-lagged haze and abusing telepathy to get people to bring him coffee and painkillers didn’t count), and what, precisely, had Jake achieved?

Not much, really.

It was bound to take time, he told himself. After all, those were rather massive shoes he was trying to step into. It made sense he’d meet with resentment, confusion and a hundred other emotions before finally proving himself… if he ever proved himself, which was looking increasingly doubtful. The spinning would have to stop, probably, along with the random excitement at being a small part of a secret superhero team.

Wandering to the lake, however, was a perfectly mature thing to do, giving off a suitably pensive, scholarly vibe. And it was reassuring to know that, while everything else might have changed and Muir Island felt a million miles, and a whole lifetime, away, the world still worked the way it should. Day still segued into night, and a sunset was still a sunset.

It seemed someone else had decided to take advantage of the atmosphere. Yet another person he hadn’t met yet, though that was hardly news. His messy brown hair danced in the slow night wind as he approached, careful to make just enough noise that his arrival wouldn’t startle her, and took a seat next to her. Hugging his knees to his chest he smiled in what he hoped was a charming, reassuring and friendly way, though it might easily have come off as eccentric, or just plain insane, before glancing out to the lake and delivering what should have been an equally sociable comment which might launch another conversation, might equally just be left as a throwaway line. It was pretty opaque, sure, but Jake was given to such random comments and therefore didn’t really see it as abnormal.

"I love sunsets, me. Ones here don’t seem too bad, really. From what I’ve seen of them anyway"

[rileyfletcher]

It was very quiet and peacful sitting there looking out across the lake at the sunset. Riley tried to keep her mind clear, so nothing else would hopefully not happen. But everytime a few flash backs would come up and she would have to quickly push them away. She would close her eyes every so often to think of just darkness to clear her mind. Once it was cleared she would open her eyes again and look back at the sunset.

After about ten minutes had past, she soon heard someone walking around. She didn't bother looking back to see who it was and where they were walking too, but with the sound of the steps, sounded like they were getting closer to her. Soon a couple minutes went by and the sound of someone walking stopped. At the courner of her eye she could see that the person had stopped beside her and soon sat down.

Riley didn't bother looking at who had sat down, but once they had spoken, she knew it was a guy that she had never met before. She continued to look out at the sunset, linstening to what he had to say. "I love sunsets too. They always look so beautiful, no matter where I am to see them." she told him. She still hadn't looked ver at him yet, and was still facing the lake and sunset.

[Jake Sheppard]

"Well, I guess we've got something in common, then. Besides a rogue X-gene or two, of course" Jake grinned. Other people might well have picked up a 'go away' vibe, but if he did he seemed pretty oblivious to that fact. It wasn't in his nature to leave well alone, rather Jake plunged in headlong, because life was more fun that way.... usually. Although given the current state of affairs a rethink might well have been in order...

Or not. Because foolish though it might have been, he liked to pretend he lived in a world where the benefit of the doubt could still be given. He wouldn't last long in a world without it, given the number of stupid things he did.

He kept his glance trained on the lake through an obscenely (even by his standards) elongated "So…." before turning to face her again, extending one hand and inviting her to take, shake and thus start the whole 'getting to know you' thing. "I'm Jake. Resident new boy and shiny-head-spinning-helmet pilot."

[rileyfletcher]

Riley listened to him, while still looking out at the lake and the sunset. She then smiled, hearing him saying that they had something in common, apart from being mutants. She then began to wonder how many mutants there actually are around the world. But before she could go deep into thought about that, she looked over at him. "That's true. Who knows, we might have even more things in common with each other." she told him with a smile.

She was begining to really like this guy. He was a lot more interesting and better to talk to, then all of the other guys that were around the mansion. She began to try to remember if she had seen him around before, or if he was new around these parts. Since more people kept on joining the school, it was getting hard to keep track of everyone.

Soon, he turned to face her and extened his hand towards her. She took it and shook his hand. She smiled at him as he introduced himself to her. "Nice to meet you Jake. I'm Riley, and I'm not really known for anything around here, like you." she told him, still smiling.

[Jake Sheppard]

"Riley…" He looked her over, still smiling, trying to commit the name to memory because to start forgetting who people were would be mortifying. That done, he half-shrugged in a way which said Hmm.. Okay before continuing. "That’s a nice name… Interesting. Sort of unusual, for a girl. Although this is America, so maybe it’s not a boy’s name over here, and…

And I’m babbling again" Memo to self – stop with the ‘stream of consciousness’ thing Jake flushed crimson, but only for a second or two (unable as he was to stay embarrassed for long), half-laughing and running a hand through his hair. Way-to-go, convince everyone you’re a total idiot in less than 24 hours. That has to be a record even for you

At least he’d managed to pull out of that one somewhere short of complete catastrophe, giving him some vague shot at salvaging the situation… provided he didn’t do anything dim-witted, which was a pretty big proviso. Take two.

"Well, Riley-who-isn’t-known-for-anything, it is" he smiled, trying to turn on boyish charm rather than simple juvenile idiocy "an honour to make your acquaintance."

[rileyfletcher]

Riley watched Jake as he looked over her. Once he finished looking over her, she noticed him shurgged and began to talk about her name. She smiled as she listened to him and he soon stopped and said that he was babbling on again. She then noticed that he blushed a bit.

"Haha... yeah around here, Riley can go for either a boy or a girl. And don't worry you weren't babbling. I'm more of a listener then talker sometimes. So i don't mind if you go on talking a lot." she told him. She was finding him really cute and interesting to talk to.

Riley smiled at him as he spoke her name and was becoming a charmer. "Is your power being a charmer or is that just a speacial skill that you manage to pick up on?" she asked him. She looked into his eyes for a moment. "Cause, if it is, it's working really well." she told him with a smile.

[Jake Sheppard]

”What?” The flush returned – with Jake mentally kicking himself, because yet again he was making one hell of a fool of himself – with equally boyish embarrassment at talking with a girl who seemed to not-totally-hate-and-maybe-even-sorta-like him.

”Oh… No.” he laughed ”No, s’not my power. Not as such. Unless coming from a big family’s a power… Ugly little runt like me has to find some way of getting the love and attention next to all the beautiful, clever people.”

Oh yay. Family. Hell of a topic to pick, because on top of how he was sort-of missing his back in dear ol’ Blighty (in an appropriated stiff-upper-lip sort of way, of course…) the one thing he had picked up on was that pretty much everyone here had their sob-story, which meant that family and home were topics you tried not to touch upon unless you liked your endless angst-fests.

[rileyfletcher]

Riley smiled at him, and held in a laugh, as she watched Jake blush. She felt a little bad about making him blush, but hey, they were just having fun together and flirting with each other. So of course there will be a little blushing here and there.

She listened to him as said that was his only way to get attention from other people, since he came from a big family. "Aww, now don't be so hard on yourself. Your not an ugly little runt. I bet your just as beautiful as the beautiful and clever people or maybe even better." she told him with a smile.

As a lot of people might of noticed, Riley had never talked about her family, and tried to stay away from that topic, but if someone was talking about their family, she was fine with it. When people start asking her about her family, she would start trying to change the subject to something else, that didn't involve her family or past.

[Jake Sheppard]

"So I tell myself every day" Jake laughed "But the damned idiot in my mirror just won't listen"

Well, maybe this first day at the Institute hadn't been so tragic after all... In fact this evening had ensured that it would go down as at least not all that bad. Aside from the sunset (which, despite the usual nostalgia which held they were better at home, he had to admit was pretty spectacular) here he was, enjoying the company of an attractive and pleasant young woman who hadn't run a mile on witnessing his particular brand of wierd. Sure, this was just playful flirting, but it was fun and went no small way to making him feel less like a fish out of water.

Settling into a more relaxed seating (read; semi-reclined) position at the lakeside, Jake decided that getting better acquainted might well be a better idea. "How long've you been here, Riley? At the Institute?" wasn't a bad place to start...

[rileyfletcher]

Riley couldn't help, but laugh to what Jake had said. She thought of him as a very interesting person and she was having a really good evening talking to him. She was quite glad that he had come down to the lake and started talking to her or else who knows what she would have been thinking about.

Riley looked back out across the lake to look at the sunset. The sunset had gone down quite a bit while they were talking to each other, but the sun was still slowly setting on the lake. After a while looking out at the sunset, she then turned her attention back onto Jake, when he asked her a question.

She thought about the question a bit, trying to remember how long she had been here for. It almost seemed like forever but it really wasn't that long, like maybe a couple of years, but she wasn't exactly sure, cause of everything that has been happening. "Well as far as I can remember, about a couple of years, I think. I'm not exactly sure. It feels like I have been here forever though." she told him. She felt really bad not knowing exactly how long she had been here, but oh well, what could she do about it.

Looking back out at the lake, Riley was trying to think more about the question he had asked her, but she eventually gave up on it. She then turned to face Jake again. Riley decided to lean back a bit, into a half laying down and sitting up, by using her elbows to keep herself up. "So how long have you been around here for?" she asked him with a smile.

[Jake Sheppard]

Jake paused for a moment or two, as if seriously considering her question and mentally adding up a far more impressive sum. This more solemn arrangement of his features couldn’t last, and an even goofier grin than usual broke over them as he gave his answer. ”Three days. Though I spent the first two in bed, pleading with people to bring me painkillers and coffee. One of the many advantages of being able to get inside people’s heads… they can’t ignore your pathetic whining requests”

Maybe that was a little… odd. Didn’t exactly paint him in a positive light, really. But something like that was definitely needed, because beneath the smile she looked sort of… sad, really. As if his questions were touching on a painful nerve. And Jake, being the chivalrous gentleman he was, couldn’t allow such an awful fate as melancholy to overcome a young woman such as she… besides, having moping angsty people around was such a downer.

Tone lightening it was, then, coupled with attempts to distract her. If she got him really talking, god help her, then such opportunities for distraction wouldn’t exactly be lacking.

[rileyfletcher]

Riley watched him as there was a slight silence for a few moments. She mostly guessed that he was trying to add up how long he had been here for. She then noticed him grining and he answered her question. Riley smiled at him with his answer, and held in a laugh. "Yes that can be very true, plus you sometimes hears things, that you wish you didn't hear." she told him with a smile.

Being a telepath, does have it's disadvantages, like getting headachs from so many thoughts, hearing things you wish you never heard and many other things. But this had only happened to Riley a few times, when the Professor was alive. Since the inncodent she heardly used her telepathy, and every once in a while, it would act up. She would sometimes get headachs from it, but so far she has been fine, since it hasn't acted up in a while.

Noticing that she was going into deep thoughts and the past, Riley quickly snapped out of it and turned her attention back on Jake. "So apart from the headachs and staying in bed for a couple of days, how do you feel about being the head guy around here?" she asked him with a smile.

When the Professor was alive, it seemed like a really easy job. Well of course Riley knew it wasn't easy, but with all the things the Professor did, he made it seem so easy that anyone could do it. Riley had seen a few new teachers around and noticed that they were having a hard time with some of the students, and she guessed that Jake might have had a few hard times with some of the students already.

[Jake Sheppard]

<So… you’re a telepath too, eh? That’s groovy> Jake’s smile widened before a laugh broke. He shook his head – ”Sorry. Couldn’t resist”. It was ‘groovy’, though. Really. Finding someone else on a similar wavelength could only be a good thing.

So apart from the headaches and staying in bed for a couple of days, how do you feel about being the head guy around here?
Heck of a question to toss at him, really. ”In all honesty?” Jake leant in conspiratorially, dropping his voice to a stagey whisper. ”Bloody terrified. It’s a nightmare… really. I can’t run a piss-up in a brewery, let alone a respectable and venerable institution like this”

That might well have been true, but confiding as much in someone who depended on him to be organised and mature might not have been the best idea… Whatever. Hopefully given the tone of the conversation thus far she wouldn’t take him too seriously, and besides, something in her just encouraged easy going confidences.

[rileyfletcher]

Riley laughed as well, when she heard what Jake had said using his telepathy. "Don't worry, I would have done the same. But yeah, I am a telepath as well, but not a good one. I was doing very well when the Professor was around and teaching me, but once he past away, my power kind of went wild and I lost control over it. So I don't use it that much." she told him honestly. She had never really told anyone before about what had happened to her powers. When it happened a lot of people thought that she did those things on purpose, when her power when out or control, but it wasn't.

Not to long after she had asked him the question, of how he felt being the head of the school, she hear him answer it. She leaned in a bit to hear him better, since he dropped his voice into a whisper. She smiled at him with his answer, she felt sorry for him, knowing that it would be really hard to run a place like this. "I know that it can be a major nightmare around here, but in time you'll get use to everything and would soon know what to do. It just takes some time, but I know you'll be a really good principal and know how to deal with everything." she told him with a smile. Riley had a really good feeling about it, and knew over time he would be more confident about being the head.

"But in the main time, if you need any help with any thing around here, just let me know and I'll help you out, until you get use to this place and know exactly what you are doing." she told him. Riley knew that he would need some help around here, and that it would be to hard for him to do everything on his own, even though he does have some teachers around here to help him, it doesn't hurt to have some more help.