Brand New Day (Open)

[Romeo Buckland]

Romeo walked into one of the other offices along the hall, one that he vaguely remembers Autie mention when she gave him a quick tour of the campus when he first came. Why he didn’t ask his cousin beforehand where exactly she goes to have her letters sent to him is beyond him (or in other words, he doesn’t want to acknowledge such a lapse in his judgement), but it’s not like he can still do anything about it at the moment. And besides, he’s narrowed his ‘candidates’ down into two rooms; if one doesn’t work, he can just go to the other. Simple.

And as luck would have it, the boy got it right the first time. Immediately recognized as ‘the wood nymph’s boy cousin’ (he figures it’s a compliment, because nymphs are beautiful and enchanting) and seeing the envelope in his hand, he didn’t need to say much. The attendant just motioned for him to sit on one of the chairs, did a few things in the computer on his desk and asked for the letter. With a warm smile, he told him that his family would be receiving them in a week, two tops.

If only the receptionist was as nice as him.

Done in a fraction of the time, Romeo spent the rest of the allotted fifteen minutes staring at the wall, trying to remember the things he should still do for the week. Math homework due two days from now. History project with Roland. Ask Mr. Demidov about the gym use. Tease the snot out of Cravee later. Quite a lot, he thinks.

“Took you long enough,” he said when he finally saw the girl’s shadow, “How’d the scheduling work? Got the bad teachers, didn’t you?” He’s hoping she didn’t, but if she did, heaven knows he’d laugh so loud. “Which room did they assign you to?”

[Theresa McMaster]

"Sorry dude," Reese vaguely replied, looking down at all of the papers and forms she'd received. "I'm not sure, haven't really looked yet, still trying to figure this all out. Ah! This one's the school schedule, and somewhere in here..." she fumbled through some more pages before coming across the one she was looking for, "Aha, room number four oh three." She was supposed to start school as soon as possible, but she was probably going to need a week at least to even figure out where all of her classes were supposed to be.

[Romeo Buckland]

Romeo didn’t bother holding in the snort he had when he saw Reese with all those papers. The confusion he saw was just priceless. How he wishes he taped it so he can watch it over and over again. “Don’t worry much about those papers. The class schedule’s the most important part; you can read the next ones later anyway,” he said with a smirk, giving Reese a grin. The Irish boy didn’t really bother with anything else when he first arrived. Sure he didn’t exactly throw everything away, but that doesn’t mean he read them all. Scanned maybe, but no careful reading. Not until he needed them again anyway. (Up until now he still haven’t finished the Institute policies handbook; thank god he hasn’t been caught breaking some of the rules he hasn’t read yet).

“Here, hand me your bag so you can arrange yourself for a bit,” added Romeo, extending his arm out to get her bag. “Four-oh-three’s just a floor under mine. It’s easy enough to find.” Maybe them all being in one building isn’t too bad after all. “Want to sit first and get your bearings together, or do you want to see your room already? Key with you?”

And no, despite it all, the boy insists that he’s not being nice. Being a gentleman, maybe, but not nice.

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[Theresa McMaster]

Reese raised an eyebrow at the snort, but went back to trying in vain to organize her random stack of papers until Rom told her not to worry about anything besides the class schedule. Seriously, they gave her all these papers and most of them didn't even matter? ... Actually that wasn't surprising at all. Schools and pretty much every other organization were ridiculous like that. "Ah," she muttered, grabbing the schedule from the pile and managing not to spill the papers all over the ground as she did so. When Rom offered to take her bag for her so she could organize herself she flashed a grin and handed it over. "Thanks, this is just ridiculous." She flipped the papers around a few times trying to get them all to line up, and although it took her a few minutes she managed to get them into a vaguely pile-like shape.

She opened the biggest pocket of her bag and stuffed the unnecessary papers into it while nodding to Rom's question. "Yeah, I got the key. I'd like to stop by the room and drop my stuff off before trying to get my bearings, to be honest. I'd rather not wander around the school with all of my possessions on my back." She smiled and took back her bag. "Thanks a ton, Rom."

[Romeo Buckland]

“Don’t mention it,” said Romeo with a grin, shaking his head and insisting that he carry Reese’s bag up until her room. It’s the right thing to do anyway, right?

On their way to the dorm building they passed through a couple of places, and while Romeo thinks an in-depth tour of the campus would be helpful for the girl, he figures it wouldn’t hurt giving her an overview too. “Down that way is the cafeteria,” he said, pointing to the hallway to their left, “You’d be surprised how it doesn’t fit American clichés in there. Well, I was.” Oddly enough, Romeo didn’t experience the whole ‘new kid where to sit’ dilemma during his first few weeks. True, he ate outside with his cousin his first three days and with his newfound friends the next, but when he first went to the cafeteria to get lunch, well, he just sat on a table and didn’t get any looks. Amazing really.

“If you just walk straight to your right you’d hit a staircase. Go up and turn right again and you’d be in the library. It’s pretty big and cozy, but sadly no noise and food allowed.” Drinks are ok, but they should have lids with them. Though Romeo doesn’t frequent the library often because of the whole discomfort silence makes him feel.

He also told her about the pond, the training rooms and outdoor training grounds, as well as about the courtyard itself. “I’ll give you another tour later twerp, so don’t you worry much.” Oddly enough, he doesn’t feel all too weird about being a welcoming-committee of sorts to Reese. Is he being nice now? Well, the boy still denies it. “And we’re here. Key please?”

[Theresa McMaster]

Theresa walked beside Rom, but trailed behind by a step or two as she took in the building. It wasn't often she made friends, but Rom was... interesting. He felt like an older brother, like she'd known him for years instead of the hour or two that she really had. She blinked and pulled herself out of her thoughts when she realized Rom was speaking to her. Cafeteria, library, pond, training rooms, training grounds... wow, they were really into training. She found herself doubting that outdoor training grounds would help her with her... skill. She didn't even know if this place could help her at all. Everything still felt so surreal. She found herself wondering if maybe she was still in the hospital and this was all a wild, comatose dream.

Reese shook herself out of these thoughts quickly, knowing they would not lead anywhere good. She was here, this was happening, Cecilia was... "Oh, sure. Key." She fumbled in her pocket for a moment before finding it and handing it over to Rom. She wondered if she was keeping him from any classes, and if so if he even cared. When she went to ask him about it she opened her mouth but found she didn't want to make the words come, in case he did have something else he needed to be doing. She didn't want him to leave, because then she would be alone. Realizing she probably looked stupid, she saved herself by asking, "So what are in the training rooms?" She tried to imagine how they could be set up to accommodate all of the many different... skills everyone here had, but she just couldn't picture it.

[Romeo Buckland]

Romeo did have class in a little over an hour, but the Irish boy doesn’t really care all that much. It’s just English he says. While Ms. Singleton is so easy on the eyes, her subject isn’t all too fun. Romeo liked reading stories and epics and going through all these amazing novels, but doing an analysis on them is just too much. So is learning about nouns, pronouns and the tenses of the verb. They can understand each other on a daily basis, isn’t that all that counts?

“Ooh, cozy,” grinned Romeo as he opened the door, quickly giving the keys to the girl as he hauled her stuff in. He quickly placed her stuff by the couch in the middle of the common living area as he checked the doors to the private room. Romeo’s been around the girls-only floor of the dorms a dozen times before (for reasons he thinks Theresa shouldn’t really know), but oddly enough he hasn’t been to this particular suite before. Which means he has no idea about who stays where.

“Seems you have two rooms to choose from dude.” Not much, but it’s something. Romeo was forced to go to his current room because all three private rooms were currently occupied when he arrived. “So, that one or that one?” Apparently they’re on opposite sides. “I’d give my two cents, but I have no idea who your roommates are so I can’t.”

Romeo had to sit down on the couch for a bit at Reese’s question. Helped him think better, he says. “Well, it depends. The basic ones, where training happens initially, have chalkboards, as well as some gym equipment. I’ve been into rooms with padded floors, poles and punching bags. But I guess that’s just because my power’s more of a physical one.” Which he’s extremely thankful for. Training was rather straightforward, and the side effects are manageable. He’d probably go insane if he had telepathy or something similar.

[Theresa McMaster]

Stepping into the room, Theresa gaped at it. They had a common area, but each got their own rooms? She was expecting a tiny room with two bunk beds on either side, and barely enough space to walk around. Then again, she and Cecilia had always shared a room so she would have been used to that. This though, this was unexpected. "Wow," was all she got out before Rom started talking. "Um..." from the looks of it the rooms were the same except for location, so she did eeney meeney miney moe and ended up choosing the one on the right. "I'll take... that one," she pointed in its direction and grabbed her bag as Rom sat on the couch.

As she listened to his description she tried to picture the rooms in her head, and what it would be like to try to learn how to control her.. thing. Even the memory of using it made her wince, and she nodded to Rom and turned away to hide the tears that came to her eyes. She covered it up by going into the room she had claimed as her own and putting down her stuff, then she walked out of view and wiped at her eyes angrily. The past was the past. This was a new school, in a new town, in a new country. She wasn't going to forget about what had happened, but she wasn't going to let it control her life. At least that was what she told herself.

Taking a breath, she stepped back out into the main room. "It's a lot bigger than my room back home," she commented, mustering a smile. "I hope my roommates aren't stuck-up jerks."

[Romeo Buckland]

Romeo was in the middle of making himself a little too comfortable than needed – shifting in the couch so his butt’s firmly in place, raising his feet onto the center table and leaning back with his arms behind his head – when Theresa said her choice and grabbed her bag. Aren’t girls supposed to be fickle minded and take a whole lot of time when deciding about ‘life-changing’ decisions? Since when did they create girls who decide faster than him choosing which shirt to wear for the day? (And with his blatant disregard for ‘matching’ or ‘complimentary’ colours, he gets dressed up real fast).

Almost immediately the boy jumped up, giving the little girl a smug grin and grabbing the bag from her. “Seriously, let me carry this. This is one of those rare moments when I am in the mood into treating you like a lady, and trust me they don’t come every week. You should enjoy it while it lasts,” he said with a wink. “Now where should I place this?” asked the Irish boy, looking around Reese’s new room. It was a little bare, but it was to be expected; Romeo filled his up with random homework clatter within his first two weeks. And he was supposedly one of the ‘neater’ and ‘tidier’ guys around.

Once done, the boy jumped back out the sofa, still amazed at how soft it was compared to theirs. Or maybe because no one sits here as much as people do in theirs. “You look worried about training. Don’t be,” chuckled the boy as he spanned the couch, laying down on his stomach, “They’re not hard on new recruits here; everyone understands you’re new to the whole ‘meta’ thing. It’ll be easy, especially for you since you’re roughly the same age as most people who just manifested. I’m a little late so my training class is weird since I’m with you twerpy kids.” He buried his face in one of the arms before sneezing and turning around. “As long as you don’t get Ms. Sayers. She has teeth in her vagina I hear, that’s why she’s so grumpy.” Met her in the hallways once and she gave Romeo the creeps. “What can you do anyway? Leap through tall buildings in one bound? Create a huge crater in the middle of school with just a thought? Or glow? Last one’s pretty lame though, so already I’m judging you if you got that.”

“I usually get a glimpse of people depending on how their name sounds like. For example I have this snotty rich kid in my room. Lucah Ivaskov. Screams gay aristocrat right?” he laughed, rolling his eyes. Never will he and the Romanian boy see eye to eye really. “If you see anything with their name on it, I could probably tell you how I’d predict they’d be.”

[Theresa McMaster]

Reese didn't fight it when Rom grabbed her bag from her hand, though she stood there for a moment in mild shock that he had done so. At his explanation she rolled her eyes, but couldn't help the amused smile that found its way to her lips. "I see how it is. Make a gentlemanly first impression and then everyone's more willing to forgive you for being a jerk later on." She flashed a smile to show she was joking, then motioned to the bed and said "Just toss it on the bed, I'll deal with it later."

Worried didn't even begin to cover what she felt about training. The last and only time she'd used her 'power' had sent her into a coma. How was she supposed to feel about training after that? She listened to Rom talk as she moved around the room looking at everything, but when he asked what she can do she stopped and looked down at her feet uncomfortably. It was like she shrunk into herself, so quickly did her demeanor change. She turned around to face him and mumbled, "I uh.... they said I can heal." Fat lot of good it had done when she'd needed it.

Trying to divert the subject, she turned the question back on him. "What about you, Rom? You look like a glow-er to me. Or maybe you can grow your fingernails really fast, or microwave popcorn by glaring at it?"

[Romeo Buckland]

“Since when did you become so smart?” asked Romeo teasingly, rolling his eyes then huffing as he threw the bag over Theresa’s empty bed. He sat down on by its side for a while before stretching his arms and yawning, casually lying down soon after. “But really, I don’t need to be nice. People know I’m a jerk and they love me anyway,” laughed the Irish boy with a smirk on his face, “Guess it comes with the accent and all. Much better than the snotty English one, don’t you agree?”

While Romeo hasn’t been in Hammel for that long, he’s stayed in the Institute long enough to know that some people aren’t just as accepting of their (amazing) abilities as he is. And he couldn’t blame them. Not everyone had their powers click in just in time to save them from real danger after all.

Doesn’t mean he won’t prod though. Reese seems uncomfortable, that’s all. If she seems like she’s going to cry, then maybe he’ll stop. But as for now, she’s good, he thinks.

“They? Were your eyes closed when you healed someone? And how can you not know? Wouldn’t, I don’t know, the scars or something vanish quickly when someone heals you?” He had a few ‘healer’ friends – some on others, others confined to their own body – and boy was that power amazing or what. He couldn’t imagine why she’d seem so uncomfortable about it. “ And I don’t glow, I shine.” Metallic luster, as his science teacher would like to call it. “It’s a little hard to explain. I’d show it to you, but I don’t have a change of clothes with me.”

And he just won’t be comfortable being nude with Reese. Not that he has any qualms about people – strangers even – seeing him naked, but she’s just too young. Maybe a few more years, he says.

ooc:
Sorry this took so long (and if it is rather crappy). Last week was my finals week so I didn't have enough free time. And after that my muse was drained so it took me a while to recover. I promise to do better next time. So so sorry.
- Jam

[Theresa McMaster]

((Dude, don't even worry about it. I have finals too so I know exactly how you feel, and your posts are always at least twice as good as mine!))

"Irish accents sound cute. They're like the puppies of the accent world. English accents sound sophisticated. Which is, of course, a fancier word for snobby. I've always liked Russian accents best." She ran her hand along the dresser and pulled open one of the drawers to see if there was anything inside. There wasn't. "If people forgive you so easily for being a jerk it's probably because you're attractive and have a cute accent, and everyone wants to be friends with the hot Irish guy."

She hoped he wasn't really a jerk. She would much prefer having him as a friend.

When he continued to press about her powers, a blush rose to her cheeks and she took a breath to steady herself. "The people from the school. When they came, they told me. I.. would rather not talk about it."

"Must be quite a power if it wrecks your clothes."

[Romeo Buckland]

Romeo was stopped in his tracks by the words that then came out of Reese’s mouth. For at least a split-second he was stunned, blinking repeatedly as his eyes widened and threatened to get out of their sockets. “Say what again twerp? An Irish accent is cute? That it’s the puppy of the accent world?” the boy repeated slowly in disbelief. That was probably the first time he’s been referred to as cute, and he rather dislikes it. Captivating, charismatic and charming he can live with but cute? The boy says he’ll never bed anyone if he’s cute. “For the record, Russian accents are crap,” grumbled the boy in his best (read: worst) attempt at a Russian accent as he sat on the chair that comes with Reese’s study table, hands crossed in front of his chest.

Is that not jerk-ish enough for you Reese?

His mood quickly brightened though at the mention of him being hot and attractive. Who knew the girl was such a sweet talker? “Nice save there little twerp. But that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook just yet,” said the boy with a smirk.

“Oh. Don’t worry about it,” he shrugged when the girl continued to push him away in terms of her power. If she didn’t want to elaborate, then he wouldn’t push her. Not that he’d gain anything from hearing her backstory, he thinks.

The boy’s slowly becoming a pompous ass though, as he saw what must’ve been a harmless comment from Reese as a silent request for a demonstration. “Fiiine. But I’m going to borrow a sheet from your stuff for a bit.” To wrap around his waist so he’s not entirely naked, of course.

Sheet secured firmly around his waist, he begun to take his sweater, which was followed shortly by his shirt and shorts. “You ready?” With a smirk on his face, he urged his transformation to commence, his body being covered in silver metal plates within seconds. Even his hair has been covered with the metallic sheen and his eyes eerily white without the outline of an iris. “Magnificent, no?”

[Theresa McMaster]

Reese's jaw clenched at Rom's indignant repetition of what she had just said. She didn't know much about this whole thing, but right now she assumed if she had a visible power it would probably show off her irritation. As it was, she turned away from him and took a breath. She wasn't going to kick him out, but if he continued like this she was not planning on ever speaking to him again. Life was too short to waste with assholes.

And then he had the gall to say that she wasn't off the hook just yet. She was tempted right then to punch him in his smug face and wipe that smirk right off. Instead she took a careful breath and mentally counted to ten. Just get through the rest of this. He can't stay forever, and then you never have to talk to him again, she thought to herself. The thought made her feel slightly better, so when he said he was borrowing a sheet she raised and eyebrow and wondered what exactly he planned to do with it.

When he wrapped it around his waist and proceeded to remove his clothes (all of them, it would seem) she realized he was actually going to show his power to her. She took a step back, just in case. After all, if it could wreck his clothes there was always the possibility that whatever he could do had a minimum safe distance. He could turn into a flaming monkey for all she knew.

When he asked if she was ready she nodded, but when it happened she realized that she wasn't. She wasn't ready to watch a normal-looking human being suddenly become covered with metal plates that seemed to come from nowhere. Or everywhere. Where they inside him? Did they just poof out of thin air? Or was that his skin, that had somehow changed to solid metal? And those eyes... She wouldn't readily forgive him for his words or actions, but for the moment she was captivated. With no iris, his eyes looked strange, vaguely frightening, and yet they fit in well with the eery metallic sheen of the rest of him. She resisted the urge to touch him.

"Does it stop bullets?" It was still hard to grasp that this was in fact Rom, the jerk who had been standing here moments ago, and not just some bizarre statue.

[Romeo Buckland]

Had Romeo been a telepath, he’d be oddly amused – even satisfied – at the thoughts running through the little girl’s head. While he finds the twerp ‘cool enough’, he wouldn’t want her to be too attached to him. Would ruin his whole ‘bad boy rep’ he says, if people find a little girl, who normally would be someone he’s either bullying or tricking to do his bidding, become ‘emotionally attached’ to him. Like a puppy.

Though guys use dogs to get girls hang around them like moths to a flame right? Hmmm.

In any case, while her (momentary?) dislike of him escaped him, her awe when he finally showed off didn’t. Reese might not show it all that much, but Romeo’s showed off enough to know the telltale signs. (Not to mention his ego’s become quite adept at filling in for the missing details). Oh how he loves having such a flashy power.

“You can touch it if you like,” he offered innocently, smug grin on his face as he stretched his arm out. He won’t deny about him using the trick a number of times before to get people to his bed. Only difference this time is he has no plans of luring the young girl. That would be breaking moral rules that surprisingly the boy still has. “Don’t worry, it’s not contagious. And I won’t crush your neck too.”

At Reese’s question, he couldn’t help but laugh. Not that it was a stupid question, no. It’s just that he’s heard it a thousand times before and still he doesn’t have a clear cut answer for it. “I really don’t know. Haven’t tried it yet.” And to be honest, he has no intent to. He doesn’t want to chicken out the last minute, causing his armour to fall and die. But he does hope it can hold up to one. “Saved me from a car accident the first time it showed up though. Car accident and being thrown fifteen or so feet to a building, to be exact. Thank god it held up.” Irish boy surprisingly survived with barely a scratch while the car was dented as hell (driver and passengers were safe though) and the building now has an extra door.