Aberrant: Mutant High - Oil and Water [New Semester Mixer Fic]

[z020]

She shrugged, "She's mommy's darling little Amazon freak. I'm....not. She put a kid a wheelchair and the 'rents threw a party. I scorch up part of the basement, and I'm grounded for life."

She sipped at the cider, not really tasting it any more as her eyes tracked her sibling through the crowd. "She thinks I'm an idiot and can't take care of myself, just because I don't do everything the way she does and just because I haven't forgotten about Saja like everyone else in the family keeps trying to." There was a level of bitterness at the end that passed well beyond the realms of teenage angst. "So we don't get along. She's the picture-perfect, Jack'n'Jill, All-American sweetheart, and I'm the freaky goth social reject that our parents spend their time wondering where they went wrong over."

[Rorx]

Nathan took a moment to figure out what the girl had said in her broken english then smiled and held out his hand to the two of them, "No need to worry miss, I don't bite, even in fights and I don't start fights. My name is Nathan by the way, and what are you two called?"

I guess she's a foreigner or something.

[Stargaizer]

Josh put his coat back on once Morri had hers, and was about to answer her pressing question when the flow of their conversation was, again, interrupted. "This isn't our party, but I don't know of anyone getting turned away.". He chuckled, "They let me in after all.

But, yeah, I'm Josh, and the glowing eyed lady is Morri. Food's inside." Josh didn't mean to be dismissive, but he wasn't much for the social scene (and he was actually starting to have fun with this Morri.)

Josh turned back to Morri. "It has wheels because these," he lifted up one of his legs and let it flop back lifelessly, "don't work." He figured that was a good enough explination, but waited to see what Morri thought.

[z-The Morrigan]

Morri looked as startled as if she'd told him that the moon wouldn't rise tonight. "Not... work?!" she asked, sounding horrified. For someone with a perfect body, whom healed every wound she'd ever suffered, this was as alien as so shell lying - more so because no one had explained that some people had life-long injuries.

She knelt and peered at his legs at eye-level, as if this would offer more insight. The feral clearly wasn't used to skirts, or to the dangers of certain maneuvers in them, and Nathan and Josh both saw more than their mothers would have approved of them spotting. "Why not work?" she asked, looking up at Josh, looking almost comically puzzled.

[Sonja Bahaar]

Sonja sat on the loveseat she had claimed in the corner, her fantastic legs crossed and stretched out before her, a brooding twist to her lips that could in no way way be considered sulking, and damn anyone who said otherwise. She sipped deeply from her glass, letting the sweet warmth melt away her mortification. She had only been trying to look out for Morri, and had very rarely ever failed so calamitously in anything.

Her bright indigo eyes roved restlessly across the room, narrowing at the gazes turned her way, gawking and amused and jeering, the ones the came nowhere near her eyes. Sonja's lips tightened, barely refraining from voicing a snarl, as her notice fell on her sister, sitting next to not broodingand saw the light of near gloating in her golden eyes.

Ah, the other girl I've failed to properly look out for. I'm hardly setting a good example for her, now am I? What Oneca failed to understand was that Sonja had lost Saja too, and being the eldest, it had hurt her deep. She should have been able to do something. The thought of losing her only other sister terrified her, and that was why she sometimes was just a little, eensy-weensy over-protective of her, for her own good, of course.

Trying to be circumspect, Sonja tucked her glass, already mostly empty, behind the foot of the loveseat and stood up, head swimming just a tad - she was a big girl, and literally healthier than a horse, but still young and without years of alcoholic experience. It took everything she had not to march over there and giving Revenant a demonstrative warning - so saw how well that had worked with Morri just a few minutes ago. Instead, she settled for a somewhat glassy-eyed, cautioning glare, then went to find her coat. She had to find Morri and apologize to her.

Sonja was just slipping on her coat as she stepped out of the lakehouse, when she paused in shock upon seeing Morri kneeling down, her skirt hiked way up, looking up at Josh and another new kid.

"Morri, there you are," Sonja said, her hand tightening on the doorknob with the effort of keeping her tone mild and apologetic, squishing the steel like play-doh. "I was just starting to look for you to say I am so sorry for how I acted inside." The towering beauty's indigo eyes cut to the boys, silently and emphatically telling to look away from what Morri was showing.

[Rorx]

Nathan was just deciding whether or not to take offense at Josh's dismissive tone when he continued by explaining what his wheelchair was for.

Ok, not just a foreigner, but one who has never seen or heard of a wheelchair before. Whoa! And who doesn't know about social norms of clothing here either?

Nathan had averted his eyes briefly after Morri's display, he is after all a teenage male, to looking out towards the lake more. He was glad for the interruption of the tall beauty emerging from the party, despite the dirty look she was giving him.

If nothing else the girls at this place are a joy to behold. 'Joy to behold?' Jeez, I had to re-read those English Lit assignments too much last year!

"Hi there, I'm Nathan. I just arrived at the school and spotted the lights. I hope you don't mind my coming down? Josh was just explaining to Morri what his wheelchair is for?" He finishes hlaf questioningly, as he still isn't sure about Morri.

[Sonja Bahaar]

Sonja gave him a quick appraisal and a distracted nod and grin of welcome, most of her attention still on Morri. Whoa, he's tall! I'm barely taller with my heels on!

"Hi there, Nathan. I'm Sonja, and welcome to the real New Year's Party of LHA," she said, her eyes flicking back and forth between him and Morri. "I don't have any problems with one more at the party, but officially, it's V's show, and I already used up my quota of guests. You should talk to her first." Sonja pointed inside with a thumb over her shoulder, unintentionally emphasizing some spectacular anatomy, "You can't miss her, she's the one with purple hair."

At the inflection in Nathan's tone, Sonja glanced over at him more directly, then leaned closer, her voice dropping to a bareky audible whisper. "She was raised in the wild... Sort of... I think. Don't hold it against her, the students here have all kinds of stories."

[Rorx]

Nathan nods at Sonja's explaination and has a breif glance over her shoulder, but can't see much through the steamed up glass of the doors.

Whispering his responce, "Oh, I don't hold it against her, I'm sure there are lots of tales people could tell. I just wasn't sure what was going on at first."

In a more normal tone he continues, "I'd better go find Vi then. Assuming I don't get kicked out would any of you like me to bring you anything out?"

[z-The Morrigan]

They were interrupted again, and Morri was getting impatient. Why didn't Josh's legs work? How did they stop working? Did he overuse them and wear them out? Could it happen to her? These were important questions, and they weren't getting answered!

Then more questions were added to what she'd already been dealing with; why was Sonja apologizing to her? She's messed up the so shell lying - Sonja knew more about everything than she did. If Morri been doing it wrong, then she should tell her. It was the only way Morri would learn.

She waited as Sonja and Nathan whispered about her, every word clear. Then she spoke up. "Messed up dance," Morri said, feeling frustration again as she stood up. "Giving too much." She said it because it was what Sonja had told her, not that she understood a bit of it. And what were they not holding against her? Was Nathan wanting to dance with her like she had with Kazuo? She couldn't do that anymore; Sonja had said so.

"Should leave," she added, glancing down at Josh. "Tell about legs first." She needed to know why his legs didn't work, so that she could make sure it didn't happen to her!

[Weft]

She danced with Ren, relaxing a bit in his arms. This 'date' thing was too damn stressful. And suddenly her earlobe was under attack, and it felt - rather nice, actually. She thought she could do with some more of that. And then...

Jamie blinked. "Uh...what? A swim? Where?" She had no idea what Ren was playing at. The lake was frozen. Was he planning on mindfucking her again? She rolled her eyes. "A swim would be great, if, you know, we had some warm water to swim in. And I don't think we do."

[Atomicweasel]

"But we do!" Ren replied, cheerfully drunk. "We totally do." He downed the rest of his rum and coke, then cast about for the garbage. He tossed the empty plastic cup carelessly at the little bin behind the table, missing it entirely, and turned to blink at Jamie studiously.

"The indoor pool." He took hold of her shoulders, rubbed his thumbs over her collarbone. "You could take us there! Right?"

[Weft]

"I could," Jamie said dubiously. "I'll have to nip us up to our rooms to grab some swimming things, though. And will the indoor pool be open? Or warm?" In all her time at the school, she hadn't once gone to the pool, barely acknowledging its existence. Now she thought that a mistake. Swimming might be quite nice. Swimming with Ren....Mmm. That would be even better. And what was the worry, again? He'd grabbed her ass or something? It didn't seem like such a big deal now.

She took another great swallow of Baileys, and all her worries flew away like chastened birds.

[Atomicweasel]

"Who cares about open?" Ren answered. "You can get us in there." His shoulders lifted into an insouciant shrug. "If you want it to be warm, just get Daniel to sit his fiery ass in there for a few minutes...as long as Snow-White doesn't join him."

"Speaking of which..." Ren's eyes narrowed, his hands slipped down to Jamie's hips and his fingers drummed lightly against the tops of her thighs. "Is this pool party public..." he grinned mischievously, "or private."

[Warren Verona]

Originally Posted By: Oneca Bahaar

She sipped at the cider, not really tasting it any more as her eyes tracked her sibling through the crowd. "She thinks I'm an idiot and can't take care of myself, just because I don't do everything the way she does and just because I haven't forgotten about Saja like everyone else in the family keeps trying to." There was a level of bitterness at the end that passed well beyond the realms of teenage angst. "So we don't get along. She's the picture-perfect, Jack'n'Jill, All-American sweetheart, and I'm the freaky goth social reject that our parents spend their time wondering where they went wrong over."

"That's rough." Was about all Warren could offer in terms of empathy. "I'm not the end-all-be-all, I know and we did just meet n' all, but if you ask me -and you didn't- I think you're great."

He got a little more comfortable, allowing her get a little closer to him and lean in more comfortably. He didn't mind it anymore and found the nervousness being swept away under the rug of casual conversation. She felt like she needed someone she could lean against. "I mean, y'know, being your own person and all, I can completely respect that, screw what the world thinks, you're the person ya gotta live with the most right?"

"Um," It seemed like it might be a touchy subject, but he dared it anyway. "Who's Saja?"

[z020]

His compliment earned him another half-smile twitch of her lips and she accepted the unspoken offer to get more comfortable against him, arranging herself so she was leaned across his lap and could easily look up at him as they spoke.

At the question about Saja, he could see a shadow settle over features. She spoke softly, making him lean over her to be heard over the din of the party, "Saja's our little sister. She died just a few years before Sonja was sent here."

[Warren Verona]

To those around them it would appear as if the two were getting quite familiar with one another. Warren didn't find himself nervous in the slightest though, something that he found a bit strange. He let his arm rest over her waist and leaned down a bit to listen to her. Why was this girl so easy to just sit and chat with?

Ouch. Bad call.

For the tough guy, the look of 'oops' was written upon his expression as she spoke. "Oh, uh, sorry. Look, I didn't mean to dig up any-" He winced and closed his eyes tight. She's dead, you idiot! "I mean, dredge... dredge up any old memories or anything. If you don't want to talk about it just say so, or elbow me, or blow me off. A scowl will do too. I'm not picky." He hoped some light humor might run some damage control. He knew how emotional talking about the dead could be and sympathized with Oneca on that level. Nonetheless he kept his personal demons inside for now; this wasn't about him.

[z020]

She reached up and put her hand on his cheek, a smile that mostly reached her eyes curving her lips, and then decided she felt like being more bold tonight. She leaned up and kissed him, just to side of his mouth, and murmured, "You're sweet, Revenant. And I don't mind talking about Saja. It's the rest of my family that wants to make her invisible. Like she never happened."

She settled back in the way she was before, the smile fading a little but the light still in her eyes. "Besides, you told me about C.C., why should I be upset if you ask about Saja? At least you're someone who'd understand."

[Warren Verona]

Her lips sent a shiver through his cheek. He'd made a rule a long time ago in the holding pens of 'The Facility' that he'd never get close to people, never allow them to get close to him. When that happened, the eventual loss caused too much pain for him and those around him. So why was did he find himself breaking this rule now? His heart longed for something more it seemed. The tough boy who'd survived on the streets found that deep within, he wanted something more.

Friends. A family. People close to him so that he wouldn't be alone anymore and loneliness was a terrible thing to feel. His new friend seemed to understand that, she was alone even in a room full of people. Something in him didn't want her to hurt like he did but just being around her and talking seemed to make the hurt inside him fade away, if only for a moment.

His smile was soft and seemed caring as he looked at her. All these mutants, brought together to attempt something resembling a 'normal' life. It was in this moment that Revenant decided he liked Oneca, and this place. Everyone else was suspect still, but at least he'd be willing to give it a chance. He wondered if he should tell her what he decided...

"C.C. always gave us hope. She was the oldest of us," He said softly, leaning into her and fighting the desire to try for another kiss. Boys'll be boys, after all. "She looked out for us and told us that one day we'd get out of there, and everything would be fine."

"I'd like to know," His eyes met hers and he was thankful to see the light flickering within them. Maybe it was the kiss that bolstered his confidence but he seemed to have regained his some of his nerve. "About Saja, I mean, but I understand if memories get too painful. I just don't want you to feel like you 'owe' me a story or something, really. After all, I thought maybe I'd hangout for awhile. I met this really great girl and she seems pretty cool, so the way I see it, we got time. Plenty of it."

[V. Vincent]

As the music changed again, slowing, Violet sighed with relief and pushed her hair back out of her face. She grinned up at Alex unreservedly, her flushed cheeks practically glowing in such close proximity to him, and took a bracing drink of bourbon from her glass. Initially cool, it soon burned its way down into her stomach, and she glanced around at the shifting crowd.

People were moving away from the dance floor, taking a much-needed break for sodas and snacks and doing more mingling than thumping bass lines would have allowed.

"Want to cool off for a little bit?" she asked her luminous companion, brazenly admiring (not for the first time) the way his aura transformed the white linen he wore.

[z020]

"I think she'd have liked this party." She chuckled, a little surprised at how much she was enjoying the tug of war she could see in him as he leaned over her. She wasn't quite sure what she would count as 'winning'. "Then again, she was six the last I got to talk to her, so if there were pretty lights and sounds, she was set."

She crinkled her nose cutely, "I don't think she'd've liked the cider, though. Always much more of a grape juice girl." Her eyes flick up to his and then out to the dance floor that was now much more bare and full of couples swaying gently to slower beat. "And remembering her isn't painful. Remembering that she's dead hurts sometimes, but I never want to end up like my parents or Sonja, always afraid to bring her up or acknowledge that she was there just because she's gone now. My mother took down all her pictures last year. She said it was to help me get past her death or something stupid like that. How is making her disappear going to do that?"

She laid her head against his shoulder. "Sorry, I'm rambling and bitching. I usually get time off from my family when I go to school. I guess it just hit me that I have to deal with Sonja all year now." She took another long swig of her cider, the alcohol starting to go to her head and make the room a bit fuzzy. She poked him the shoulder and tried to grin. "You're it. You gotta pick the next topic or thing we do. I don't suggest anything that moves really fast or spins."

[Sonja Bahaar]

"I've had enough," Sonja told Nathan absently, looking at Morri regretfully, noting the flabbergasted expression on Josh's face. Sonja took a step closer to the red-eyed girl, who looked ready to bolt but was determined to get an answer to her question first, and laid a hand on hers, holding her with gentle yet insistent strength.

"Morri, please don't go," Sonja pleaded softly, then nodded at Josh. "Sweetie, most people, when they get hurt really bad, they don't always get better, they get... broken, and can't be fixed." The tall blonde gave Josh a truly apologetic look, then with her other hand on her shoulder, turned Morri to face her instead of the wheelchair bound boy.

"Other people, they are special in different ways," Sonja continued softly, but intently. "They can get better from almost any wound, like you and me and Kazuo, do you understand? And that brings me to something else I have to tell you, Morri."

Sonja sighed, indigo eyes shining with sincere regret. "Morri, you did not mess up the dance, I did. I thought Kazuo? Scarface? One-Eye? I thought he was making you dance like that, telling you what to do. I made a big mistake, and I am so, so sorry Morri."

Her hands shifted and Sonja pulled Morri in a firm, tender hug, belatedly hoping that she wouldn't freak and slice her to pieces. After a long moment, Sonja took a step back, her hands sliding to Morri's shoulders comfortingly (she hoped).

"Look, Morri, if you want, we can go back inside and go back to dancing. And you can dance however you want, as long as it's how you want, 'kay?" Sonja turned, giving Morri just a little encouragement, trying to entice her back to the party. "I'll even dance with you 'til the sun comes up, if you like."

[Warren Verona]

A thousand things ran through his mind as she talked about Saja. He could understand the pain, but he'd never lost anyone that young or close to him, except maybe his mother but that was so long ago, so respected her elevated point of views on the matter. He agreed that forgetting someone never let you move past, it just chained you to the memory.

"No, it's okay." He replied to her comment about 'rambling and bitching', the whole time absorbing the comfort of her closeness. Everything from her scent to her softness seemed to dance in his senses. "Say whatcha feel, don't hold back."

His turn to pick something huh? His brain tumbled all kinds of ideas. More talking, going to play with powers, pranking someone, all kinds of ideas spun about in the boys mind.

"Um, do you, uh maybe wanna dance?" Is what came out and to the already half embarrassed boy who seemed to jumping from confident to head case every time she touched him dancing seemed to rank up there with 'let's go make out' on the scale of dumb things to ask. Do I even know how to dance?

[z020]

She looked up at him, a little surprised. She'd been comfortably warm for a bit now and the prospect of getting up and losing his bodyheat wasn't all that appealing. Well, I did tell him to pick.

She pulled herself up slowly, setting her mostly empty cider on an end table. "Alright, but it'll have to be slow songs for a bit. I'm a little toasted." The last was said as if it was a great confidence and she fought down a case of the giggles. A drinker, she was not.

She held her hand out to him and tugged him up, the two of them heading out to the dance floor and settling into the slow beat of the song; she linked her arms around his neck, letting him set the pace.

Click to reveal..

Her dance pool is 4, though she's more going for a sexy slither than dancing, and staying close enough to Revenant to stay warm.

[GDP_ST]

"I definitely need to." he answered with a wide smile, one hand swiping errant strands of his golden mane back into some facsimile of order. Wild and tousled from the energetic dancing though his hair was, it didn't detract one iota from his appearance. His eyes followed Violet's gaze, looking down at himself, then shot up to her face with a bashful grin, a flush darkening his tanned features.

"Uh, perhaps over there?" he ventured, a little breathless from more than the exertion of dancing as he pointed to an as-yet unclaimed seating area well back from the dance floor, but not too isolated to preclude mingling. If he'd hoped to distract the lovely young woman's candid ogling of his outfit, or rather what was silhouetted beneath it, he was only partially successful. Purple eyes flickered that way, then back to him, amethyst facets glowing brilliantly as they reflected his nimbus as Violet nodded.

"Let's top up first." she suggested with a playful smile before turning and heading over to the food and drink tables. Alex followed along, grabbing himself another beer and taking a long drink from the bottle as Violet refilled her bourbon and grabbed a plate of assorted snacks for them to share. They settled onto the couch and relaxed, a glowing hand deftly snagging a chip from the plate Violet offered to him.

"That was fun." he told her with a warm grin, trying not to stare like a hypnotised rabbit at her. He leaned closer, looking a little nervous. "Listen, I... umm, I'm sorry about the clothes thing. If it bothers you at all, that is. It wasn't intentional, I assure you." He smiled with wry embarrassment. "It seemed a much better idea in the brightly lit dorm room. I suppose I should get used to dressing in the dark?"

[Warren Verona]

He'd made his bed and now had to lie in it. Her arms about his shoulders was certainly a nice feeling but the pressure of not screwing up was paramount to anything else. Managing some measure of bravery he reached his arms about her waist and pulled her in close to him, well, as close as he could before corestry and perfect genes got in the way.

He figured he'd might as well give it a try. She'd already got him trying 101 new things tonight, what was one more, right?

Together they shrouded the dance floor, a slithering inky couple whose moves were hypnotic and seductive. There was nothing upbeat about the way they snaked themselves about one another. Like cobras their eyes seemed to entrance the other and as he moved to match her sway, she moved to match his as if one false step meant the other would strike. The beat seemed only a guideline as some other dark chorus seemed to keep them in ceaseless motion.

Click to reveal..

Reven doesn't dance (although he's got a pool for it), he just moves as she moves. All in all with no dots in perform they just kinda do their own thing...

Oneca can end the dance whenever she wishes.

[z-The Morrigan]

Morri was… you get the idea. First, Sonja was calling her by the wrong name – Sweetie. Her name was Morri, and Sonja knew it. So why did she call her name wrong? It was very confusing.

Her explanation that some people were too badly hurt to heal didn’t sit well with Morri, either. Why did these things happen? How could she stop them from happening to her? This was the most important thing on her mind.

Or it was until Sonja brought up the dancing. Morri felt her cheeks flame with a flush of shame, but that faded as Sonja spoke. She wasn’t making any sense. Even if Kazuo could make her dance – which he couldn’t – then how could that make Sonja mess things up? She hadn’t been dancing, yet she was taking the blame… because she was blaming Kazuo? Her forehead furrowed as she tried to link one to the other, and mostly failed.

“You!” Morri’s finger snapped out at Josh. “You know what mean?”

[Rorx]

Nathan decided that they were too busy to answer his question, but then he only asked it to be polite. He slipped past Sonja and on into the party.

Moving out of the way of the door with a polite smile for anyone looking his way Nathan started looking for the girl Sonja had mentioned, a purple haired 'Vi'. It didn't take him long to spot her on a couch next to a glowing guy!

Settle down, there's going to be all sorts here. Need to lose the country bumpkin attitude and just take people as people no matter what they look like. You didn't stare at Josh in his wheelchair, so don't lose your cool with the rest of your new peers. Right here goes, purple haired girl and glowing guy...

Skirting the dancing and snagging a morsel from the food table on his way past Nathan quickly reached the couch the couple were sitting on. Squatting next to the couch so that he didn't loom over them he waved to get their attention before saying, "Sorry to interrupt, but I just arrived and met Sonja and a couple of others outside. Sonja said it was your party and I should check in with you guys, the name's Nathan by the way."

[Stargaizer]

Josh was still having fun talking with Morri; the sweet innocence of what she knew and experienced in stark contrast with this party and even with what she was wearing. And, while Josh was a teenage boy, he had no interest in looking at what she had unknowingly flaunted, and was about to tell her about it (and how to fix it) when the girl who'd brought him down came out and started pleading at them with her eyes, tried to explain why his legs didn't work and started apologizing about a dance.

All 'n all a very weird night.

Then Morri turned all the attention on Josh, asking him to explain something.

First Morri came running out like something was wrong. Then 'scarface' came out and gave her her jacket back. Then she came out and, after trying to explain why my legs don't work (which I don't think fully satisfied Morri), started apologizing about a dance. Said she thought 'scarface' had made her dance like that, and offered to let her dance however she wanted, and offered to dance with her. -Sheesh- all of this trouble over a dance... maybe if I hadn't...

Josh shrugged back at Morri. His voice was about as confident as his answer, and he looked back and fourth between Morri and the girl who'd brought him down for confirmation that he was on the right track. "Well, I didn't see everything, but I'll take a stab in the dark at it. From what I gathered, er, saw out here, this lady here," he pointed to Sonja, "somehow stopped, interrupted or otherwise spoiled a dance between you [Morri] and that guy who brought out your jacket [pointing towards door]. The reason that she did so was because she thought that that guy [still pointing towards the door] was taking advantage of you. Meaning that either he had told you to dance in a way that was inappropriate because you didn't know any better or had told you that it was ok when it really wasn't, again because you didn't know any better." Here he took a little explanatory detour.

"See, when you don't know about what's right or wrong where you're at, people can tell you to do things that are wrong, and you won't know that you shouldn't do it. Or, they could tell you that something you thought was wrong is ok when it actually is wrong..." he realized he might've just confused everybody here with that, so he backpedaled a little. "Just, if someone tells you to do something, and says it's ok when it's not, it's their fault for lying to you, not yours for doing it... usually." He just left it at that, deciding that getting into any legal aspect of it was best left for a future date. That explanation was good enough for a child, which is what she seemed to be experiencing the world as.

He got back on track. "So, Morri, she [sonja] thought that it was his [pointing towards the door] fault, because he'd lied to you. But, since he hadn't lied to you, and it was your idea, it was ok. Thus, it's her [sonja] fault for breaking you two up when you weren't doing anything wrong." Josh was fairly satisfied with his answer, providing that it was accurate, and looked to Sonja to make sure that he was on track, then back at Morri to see if she'd understood.

[Weft]

Jamie smiled. She was feeling quite warm, and a little drunk, which was perhaps why she said what she did. "Pfft. Everybody here's having a blast. We needn't bother them." She grinned. "So. Your place or mine?" A deliberate pause, and a wink at Ren. "To stop by for swimming things, I mean."

[Shard]

"Well, do you know if anyone has a band going here? I play bass guitar pretty well. And piano as well. If not, I can always start one." He chuckled and smiled as he said the last few words. "I'd still have to work on a name, obviously, but I bet there are people here with musical talent. What do you do for fun, Ari? Aside from dance, that is." Alek sighs happily and awaits her response while still moving to the music.

[SalmonMax]

Meanwhile, at the table where a few snack items and booze had been piled more or less haphazardly, Kia diffidently munched a few nacho chips and selected a bottle of beer as she mulled her next step. If no one else asked her to dance in a few minutes, she decided, she'd go outside for a little fresh air and a look at the stars.

[V. Vincent]

The radiant (literally, in one case) pair were getting quite cozy on the couch, busy laughing about the mayhem Kazuo and Revenant had caused in the cafeteria, when the newcomer interrupted. Violet smiled up at Nathan as he introduced himself, and turned briefly to Alex.

"I'm sorry, will you excuse me for just a minute?" She brushed her hand apologetically over Alex's knee and used that same pressure to steady herself as she rose. "I'll be right back," she assured her companion, and gestured for Nathan to get to his feet. With a dazzling smile at the newcomer, she slipped one arm through his and steered him away from the bulk of the students. As they passed a cooler, she directed his attention to the drinks. "Feel free to get some refreshments. I apologize for stealing you away, but I make it a point to get to know all our new arrivals here at LHA. I'm assuming you just got here yesterday, hmm?"

The amethyst-eyed teen took a sip from her glass, peering inquisitively at him over the rim.

[Rorx]

Nathan happily linked arms and followed the purple haired girls lead and grabbed a beer when offered before replying, "Actually I was due to arrive yesterday, but my pickup brokedown and I had to travel the rest of the way today. I walked up to the front gates about an hour ago, maybe less."

Taking a swig of his beer he continued,"Got a lift from the gate with a security guy, who was nice and chatty until I asked what a light I saw down here was . Then he went all cold and quiet after giving me a brush off comment. Naturally I came down here to investigate as soon as I dropped my bags off."

[GDP_ST]

Originally Posted By: V. Vincent

..."I'm sorry, will you excuse me for just a minute?" She brushed her hand apologetically over Alex's knee and used that same pressure to steady herself as she rose. "I'll be right back," she assured her companion...

"Of course." Alex smiled up at Violet as she rose, then nodded to Nathan amiably. Deep blue eyes lingered on the purple-haired young woman as she led the newcomer away, and the golden youth sighed contentedly as he slumped down comfortably on the couch: an earthbound Apollo in t-shirt, sneakers and fashionably casual Gucci linens. As Violet and Nathan disappeared into the crowd, he drank deeply from the beer in his hand and glanced around, trying not to dwell overmuch on the distinct lack of Violet in the vicinity. She's just being a good hostess, that's all. This party is her baby and the guy sought her out to announce he was here. He was being polite, so Violet had to reciprocate. She wasn't looking for a reason to get away from me. She likes to make people at ease. He slumped a little lower, his sunny countenance dimming a bit (figuratively speaking), as male insecurity started it's tailspin-inducing work on his thought processes. She was being nice. Was she just being nice to me too? That's crazy talk: she's into me... Isn't she? Is she?

Get a grip, man! You've been cool so far. Don't go freaking out. This is a party, lots of people here. She's bound to want to mingle. That's the point, right? He took another pull on his beer. But she did say she'd be right back. Was that just a figure of speech? Did she expect me to get up and mingle a bit too... Aargh! No! Take the lady at her word, stupid. She said she'd be right back, so she will be. Christ, it's not like you own the girl! You've had a great night so far and it's hardly been an hour or two. Almost angrily (at himself), he took another chip and crunched on it, chasing it down with another gulp of beer.

[Atomicweasel]

"My place first..." Ren answered Jamie. "I might flip out if we run into your dick-cheese roommate." Ren glanced over his shoulder to where Kia and now Alex were gobbling chips.

"Speaking of dick-cheese." He nudged his date and tilted his chin towards Jor. "Did you fucking see that train wreck?" His eyes crinkled with mirth as he grabbed Jamie's hips. "You know what opposites do, right? They ATTRACT."

Ren let go of Jamie, bawling with laughter. "Oh, God. Oh, man...I wish I'd caught that shit on video. That was pure gold."

[z020]

The two dark teens slithered their way through the other dancers; Oneca had burned through most of her buzz before the song was even halfway through, but still used the excuse to lean against Revenant more than was strictly necessary. The song pulled to a close; most of the couples on the dance floor separating reluctantly or fleeing club-footed partners. Oneca slid her hands down the leather of his jacket, tugging playfully on the lapels and not quite willing to give up his warmth yet.

She grinned wickedly, "So...what now?"

[Kazuo]

Kazuo stormed back into the Lake House like a not-so-divine wind and made straight for the nearest alcohol-bearing table. Once there he grabbed a handy bottle of tequila and, turning it wrong side up, he sloshed a hefty quantity of it into a cup. He slammed the tequila back down in its former resting place and followed that up by slamming his index and middle fingers through the top of an equally handy can of 7Up, punching a nice-sized hole in it in the process and completely ignoring the convenient pop-top that all soda cans come with. The mutilated soda can was also turned wrong side up, and about half of its contents joined the tequila already in his cup. He'd heard they called this a Tequila Boom Boom in Mexico or something, but whatever it was called, it was supposed to be consumed 2oz at a time. Kazuo slammed the entire plastic cup's worth in one long gulp.

As advertised, it fizzed all the way down. Neat.

Kazuo tossed the now-empty cup offhandedly into a nearby trashcan and wiped absentmindedly at his mouth while he took a moment to actually glance around himself for the first time since he'd stormed back in. For the first time, he noticed that there was someone standing next to him at the table, munching on snacks.

"Hey...", he said, while he struggled to remember her name, "uh...Kia."

He stared at the short Hawaiian girl for a second or two, looking like he was considering something. Off at the music table, some asshole started up 3OH!3's Don't Trust Me, but whatever - it was danceable at least.

So he sniffed once and said, "You wanna dance?"

[Sonja Bahaar]

Sonja followed Josh's explanation, her eyes wide and slightly glazed with its thoroughness. If her dress had been pink, Sonja would have looked like the pure embodiment of Barbie ™ at that precise moment, but then her mind caught up with all the permutations and she smiled encouragingly at Morri, her hands still on the smaller girl's shoulder, trying to sooth her tension.

"That's it exactly, Morri - Thanks Josh. Now do you understand? I really am sorry. Please say you'll stay. We'll dance... or do whatever else you want. Please?"

[z-The Morrigan]

The effort of processing so much information was clear on her face, but Morri kept at it. While it was simply presented, there was a lot of data to incorporate. When Josh rambled to a stop, she looked to Sonja for her confirmation. That left her with more to think about. Sadly, none of it was really sinking in. Morri’s problem was that she now understood the what but not the why. She knew what Sonja had done, but not why. With a shrug, she said, “I see.”

She was pretty sure she understood the basics, though she wasn’t sure what an ‘ad vantage’ was. Vantage was to gain the upper hand in a fight; she knew all about that one from both sides of the vantage. “Kazuo took the vantage over me many times in meeting in woods,” she said. “When he lied about sword in pants.”

Without giving anyone a chance to reply to that gem, she looked her tall friend in the eye and announced, “Dance good. So no dance with you. You bad.” There was no malice in her tone, but there was judgment; Sonja had messed up, so Sonja didn’t get to join in the dancing fun. One thing Morri did understand was action-reaction; it was her life, from moment to moment. When she was ‘bad’, Vyse had punished her, but she hadn’t really understood discipline until Eileen. Her punishments at Eileen’s hands hadn’t been brutal like they had been at Vyse’s, but they were far more hurtful. It was that kind of punishment that Morri drew on now as she passed judgment on her friend.

[Sonja Bahaar]

Kazuo took the vantage over her many times in meeting in woods when he lied about sword in pants. As Sonja tried to puzzle out that revelation, and pondered if Kazuo really did deserve a lesson, Morri dropped her next bombshell.

Originally Posted By: Hardcore Morri

“Dance good. So no dance with you. You bad.”

Sonja's eyes went wide with hurt shock at the pronouncement, making her look like she had been stabbed in the gut. What hurt even more was there wasn't a trace of vindictiveness in Morri's voice, just the impartial finality of a judge passing sentence. She had only been trying to help, even if she had turned out to be wrong. Consequences hit hard wherever Morri was from, it seemed. She just hoped she hadn't soured relations with Morri as completely as Curtis had.

Sonja gave Morri a sharp nod, lips curved in a sad smile, and patted her on the arm. "I understand, Morri, I did something bad, so this is my punishment. Go back inside and have fun, Morri. Just remember, I am sorry, and I hope I can make this up to you, somehow, soon."

The red-eyed girl gave the taller blonde a nod, and was about to step back inside for more dance fun when an angrily puzzled look crossed her face. Again.

"What mean -"

"I mean," Sonja interrupted with a tired sigh, "I did something wrong, bad to you, Morri, even though I didn't mean to. So I want to do something right, something good for you, to show you that I am sorry, for real. It doesn't make the bad thing not happen, but it shows that I'm still willing to try to do good." Her full lips bent into a quarter smile, managing to be both apologetic and questioning. "Do you understand?"