The Full Monty (Open)

[Luxanna Viera]

Lux arrived at the pond, her arms clutched around her waist, her head down and her eyes pressed together as she tried fighting back the tears.

She felt sad, angry, frustrated, desperate, all these feelings swimming around in her head, fighting with each other. She paced back and forth, losing more and more control of her body and her mind. She didn't know what to do, what to think or what to feel. What was happening to her? Was she about to lose control of her feelings again? It didn't really feel like it used to. Usually when she lost control, it was because of her losing her temper. It was never like this. Now she wasn't sure what she was feeling. She was feeling everything and nothing all at once.

Then it happened, the sounds of bones cracking, breaking, shifting and changing. She fell to her knees, the pain was horrifying. She couldn't help but let out a small scream. Why, why, why? She clenched her fist around the grass, her hand filling with dirt. Every part of her body was hurting. She watched as her hands grew into paws and bit her lip together. Oh, the agony!

Tiger, panther, lion, then tiger again. All these shifts all at once, pieces of her clothes scattered around her. More bones cracking and shifting as she kept turning. Panther, lion, tiger, panther, human. Then nothing. No pain, no more rush of emotions, just silence. The beautiful silence of nothingness.

Lux sighed. She was relieved it was over, but also extremely curious to why this happened. She knew she had been slacking out on practicing her ability. She also knew that today was her mothers birthday. Oh, how she missed her parents. When they left her, it hurt. It broke her heart. She felt as if she was a freak. A monster. Unlovable. Even her parents couldn't stand what she was. Why should she? She felt another rush of emotions. Sadness, anger, frustration. She closed her eyes and cleared her mind, focusing on the sound of the wind, the birds singing in the distance and the gentle sound of water.

She took a deep breath. She had to learn how to control this. Maybe she could even live a normal life, without shifting. Maybe... Maybe she could live with her parents again. All though, she was no longer sure if she wanted to anymore. What kind of people pack up their stuff and leave their only child to fend for herself? Her parents did.

She stood up, and a sudden realization hit her. She was completely naked.

''Oh, fuck.'', she whispered.

[Maria Mason]

Maria was making her way to the pond. It was something she usually did. She loved the ice cold water on her feet and trying to see fish. She smiled. No matter what mood she's in the pond made her happy. The whole cold/ice manipulation might have something to do with it. She was lost in thoughts. Maria tried not to think about her father too much. She usually will drop the temperature of a room that way. Today that's where her thoughts were through.

'Why did you have to go daddy? You promised to be here forever' she thought, wiping away a tear. Her poor mother would sob every night for about a year. Thankfully her sister was too young to understand what happened. 'At least she didn't have many memories of daddy' she thought, sighing.

She arrived at the lake to see a girl without cloths! 'What happened' she thought, rushing over. "Are you OK? Do you want some of my cloths until you can get some" she said. She wanted to help the poor girl. That's just how she was.

[Luxanna Viera]

Lux's face was deeply red from embarrassment. All though, she was happy a girl had found her, and not some obnoxious boy. She smiled awkwardly at the girl. ''I kind of... Lost control of my powers.'', she laughed. Well, tried to. It sounded fake. It was. Lux had never felt this embarrassed in her life. Here she was, at this school, filled with other people and children, and she was naked. Completely and utterly naked.

''It's fine really. I could just shift into something and run over to the dorms. I guess.'', who was she kidding? After all those shifts she was exhausted. ''Maybe a jacket or something could help...'', she whispered. Oh man, this was beyond awkward.

[Maria Mason]

"OK. I'd say stay here but I doubt your going anywhere. I'll be fast promise" said Maria, rushing back to school. As she ran to her dorm she shoved kids out of her way. Most of them gave her dirty looks. 'Too bad I don't have heat vision or have the ability to fly' she thought. She bust into her room and took a jacket from her closet.

As she raced back Maria pushed more kids. 'Too many to say sorry to. Oh well' she thought. "Here's the jacket. You can keep it if you want. I have more and really I don't need one" she said through pants from the run.

[Luxanna Viera]

Lux smiled at the girl and watched her as she ran to find her something to wear. She sat down and pressed her legs against her upper body. She leaned her cheek on her knees and sighed. Well, it could have been a lot worse, couldn't it? Yes, she was sure of it.

It didn't take the girl long, and Lux smiled as she put the jacket on. Much better. ''Thank you. I appreciate it a lot.'', she gave the girl a warm smile, still feeling a bit embarrassed. ''My name's Lux by the way.'', she looked up at the sky, the red color in her face slowly fading as she took a deep breath. She looked at the girl again. She was pretty. She had that kind of innocent look most girls would die for. Pretty blonde hair, greenish eyes and a slim figure. Lux bet she was popular with the boys too.

She looked at the jacket. It wasn't quite her style, but it was pretty. Good quality too. It must have cost a fortune. ''I'll get this washed and bring it back to you, don't worry.'', she said and smiled.

[Maria Mason]

"Don't worry about it. You can keep it. I have plenty. Plus the cold don't bother me" said Maria, shrugging her shoulders. It really didn't matter since the cold didn't really effect her. The plus side of being able to manipulate ice/cold. She smiled at Lux. "My mom never liked the jacket. I don't know why but she didn't. Plus she would be happy to know it was given to a good cause" she said. Like her mother, Maria couldn't help but love helping people. During the summer Maria would help out at a homeless shelter or an animal shelter.

[Luxanna Viera]

Lux gave the girl a smile. ''All right then. Thank you, again.''

She felt a lot more comfortable now, and she was relieved this girl had been the only one to show up. Things could have been a lot more complicated, and not to mention extremely awkward. Well, more than it had been. ''So, if you don't mind me asking, what's your name?'', she asked the girl and ran her fingers through her hair.

[Maria Mason]

Maria smiled. "My name's Maria. Your lucky I found you. Can you image a boy finding you" she said, giggle a little. She took her shoes and socks off and put her feet into the water. She wished she could go swimming but she would get crazy looks. Most people don't realize that she don't feel cold. She shook her head. "What were you doing down here anyway" she asked, trying not to be too rude.

[Luxanna Viera]

Lux laughed. Lucky? Yeah, that's for sure. ''Yeah, I have a feeling that could have been an incredible awkward moment.'', she grinned and looked at Maria. She sat down next to her and put her feet into the water as well.

Well, what was she doing down here? Besides turning into different types of cats. ''Honestly... I don't know. I just needed some fresh air, and I guess I just ended up here.'', she shook her head. It was as much of a mystery to her as anyone else. ''I'm not crazy, I promise.'', she said and laughed.

[Maria Mason]

"I don't think your crazy. Crazy would be swimming in the pond" said Maria, laughing. She shook her head. "It's peaceful here and makes it easier to think. I come here ever morning. It's like the water pulls me here. Now I sound crazy" she said. She wiggled her toes in the water. It felt so good. Maria just wanted to jump in and start swimming. She shook her head. 'No need to be called crazy' she thought, trying to see fish.

[Luxanna Viera]

Lux thought about what Maria had said and smiled. ''I wouldn't call swimming in the pond crazy. Well, maybe I would. But that's because I can't swim and I'm deathly afraid of having water above my knees. But for someone who isn't afraid of water it wouldn't be crazy.'', she lifted her feet up from the water and put them on the ground.

''It sure is peaceful.'', she whispered and closed her eyes. ''Besides... Who cares what other people think, right? So what if they think you're crazy. Those who mind don't matter, and those who do, won't mind.'', she said and grinned at Maria.

[Maria Mason]

Maria grinned back. "I guess. Sometimes if someone annoys me enough I'll try to freeze the room. Of course not to the point of ice everywhere but cold enough to see your breath. I have a better grip on my power after five years" she said, smiling. She remembered the day a girl ticked her off. She was in shorts and a tube top. Maria decided to see how low she could lower a temperature. Well the girl ended up getting sick because of Maria but it couldn't be proven. She started laughing out of no where

For a while she could stop laughing. She finally calmed down enough to say "Sorry I was just remembering a memory". She took deep breaths to calm down herself down.

[Luxanna Viera]

Lux nodded as Maria told her about her powers and what she could do with it. ''I see that. Having such a power sounds like fun.'', she smiled softly and leaned her head back. She could easily get used to the serenity around this pond, though she wouldn't ever dare testing the water. She wasn't good to anyone dead, though, with the lack of friends she wasn't really good to anyone alive either.

Lux looked at Maria again as she laughed and couldn't help but feel a bit cheered up. She had that kind of laughter that just brightens your day. ''It's ok, don't sweat it.'', she said and grinned, holding her thumb up.

[Maria Mason]

Maria finally got herself to calm down. She put her hand in the water to feel the fish swim pass. "Do you like it here" she asked. Maria enjoyed the school a lot. She felt like she belonged her which she did. She remembered her first time here. It was scary and different. She shook her head. She looked at the girl and asked "How long were you here and what was your first impression".

[Luxanna Viera]

Maria's questions made Lux think for a moment. She sighed before answering. ''Well... It's a bit lonely, you know. Coming to a different place, not knowing a single soul. Everything's so... Different, right? It just happens so fast. One day, you wake up with these powers and everything changes. And then you're pretty much being dragged down here and they just let you in, and expect you to settle down in this strange environment.'', she smiled and looked at Maria. ''I haven't really been here for that long, and I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's scary. And I miss home. Well, what used to be.'', she looked away, her eyes almost tearing up as she could feel her heart racing in her chest.