First Day Blues [Bryan]

[Devon Wentsworth]

The gaps between lessons on the Monday morning were giving Devon a good chance to catch up on all the reading and paperwork he had to get sorted out. He had forgotten just how much prep was needed to get started in a new teaching job; all the students files to browse, all the past work to evaluate and all the forms that needed to be filled out. It was a good distraction though, it was keeping him busy and focussing on something other than the jet lag and the fact he didn't know a single soul in this entire country.

There was a small CD player perched on the desk where he sat, something he had 'borrowed' from one of the music classrooms, and the soft sounds of Beautiful Day by 3 Colours Red flowed from the speakers. Devon sang along softly as he worked, the fingers of his left hand gently tapping out the rhythm on the desk while his right hand filled out yet another form.

A sound by the door caught his attention, and Devon looked up at the young boy stood there. “Hello? Are you looking for someone?”

[Bryan Rixon]

Bryan headed over to the art room to not do art. He wasn't an art guy but the thing the art room did have was a lot of different materials and that was what Bryan needed. He had no idea what his powers could do and he intended to find out even if it did hurt sometimes.

Bryan opened the door and didn't expect to see a teacher there. He had no idea who the teacher was, but he didn't know many teachers either because he was new. It was good thing Bryan wasn't shy at all. He continued into the room and let the door shut behind him. " Hi!! No I'm not looking for someone, just a lot of something's. "

Bryan tore his gloves of his hands and stuffed them in his pocket. He had come to the art room to do something and the teacher there wasn't going to stop him. He just had to choose what to touch first. He walked over and picked up a paint brush with a wooden handle. Nothing happened." What the hell."

[Devon Wentsworth]

As the boy entered the room Devon turned the music down a touch, so it was still audible but was mere background sounds rather than actual music. The boy clearly wasn't nervous of his presence, that was for certain, and Devon put down the pen as the kid closed the door. Somewhere in the back of his mind an alarm bell rang, telling him that probably wasn't a good sign, but Devon ignored it and just quietly watched the boy cross the room.

The boy's explanation of what he was doing made little sense to Devon, and he found his curiosity slowly rising. “A lot of something's? Like what, if you don't mind me asking?”

Devon stood slowly as the boy went over to where the paintbrushes were kept, ready to interfere if need be. The boy's boldness and sureness were slightly disconcerting, but he wasn't going to say or do anything unnecessary. Confrontations with a student on his very first day would never be a good sign for his future ahead here. Devon spoke softly, sitting on the edge of the desk. “Do you need a hand?”

[Bryan Rixon]

Bryan didn't even notice the music he was too focused on what he doing. Why didn't my hand change? What is going on? Did my power go away?All of these things rang through his head.

Bryan enjoyed leaving the teacher clueless so he continued to do so. " I'm looking for anything." Bryan called over his shoulder.

Bryan jumped backward when Devon asked if he needed a hand. He hadn't heard the guy walk up. He recovered quickly and smiled," Not really, unless I need to find something." Bryan put the paintbrush back and looked for something else. He had already tried paper and that wasn't very fun. Getting nervous he spotted the metal on a chair. " Perfect!" Why didn't he think of that before.

Bryan bent down and grabbed a hold of the metal part. He gasped in pain and stood up. His entire arm had changed into a shiny silver metal. Bryan leaned on the desk next to the teacher and stared at it. His powers never ceased to amaze him. The only bad thing was now he had a dull ache in his arm.

[Devon Wentsworth]

Sat perched on the desk, Devon just watched the boy wandering. He didn't seem to be causing any kind of trouble, not yet anyway, so unless he decided to start breaking things or stealing things Devon would just let him be. Anyone that had any interest in art or just in the art rooms was welcomed by him, no matter how strange they were being. It certainly did take all sorts to make the world.

When the boy bent down towards the chair, Devon stood again and began slowly moving towards him. He was not in any way nervous, far from it, just curious about what the kid was up to. When he heard the gasp of pain he moved quickly, ready to try to stop whatever it was that had caused it, and was deeply surprised when he got to the boy and saw his arm. “What--”

For a long moment Devon stared at the metallic arm, resisting the huge urge to touch it and see if it was quite what it now appeared to be. Even after all his years in Kocher in Switzerland, even after everything he had seen, he was still always taken by surprise by just what people could be capable of. “Is it... actually metal, or does it just appear to be?”

[Bryan Rixon]

When Bryan first walked into the room he could say he wasn't up to anything bad but now with his arm made of metal he really wanted to punch something with it like a wall.

Bryan laughed when Devon came over. Everyone had the same reaction to his power including his brother. " Yeah, It's all metal. Cool huh?" Bryan watched his arm. He moved his fingers round and started doing the wave with his arm. " Do you have anything I can smash?" He could ask, couldn't he.

Bryan loved showing off. " Do you have anything else I can try? I guess wood doesn't work."

[Devon Wentsworth]

Devon watched the arm intently, how it moved and managed to be both so metallic and so organic at the same time. It was truly fascinating, and his head tilted slightly as he watched the boy wiggle the fingers and do the wave. Devon had seen many things over the years but this was completely new, and he nodded quickly when the boy spoke and replied with genuine enthusiasm, a goofy grin on his lips. “It is. It's awesome!”

When the boy asked if there was anything he could smash, Devon actually found himself looking around the room for something. After a moment common sense caught up with him, and he gave a small shake of his head, internally a little disappointed. “No, best not. It's my first day, I'd prefer it if we didn't break stuff already.”

As the boy suggested trying something else, Devon pondered for a moment before going to his bag and removing one of the CD cases. “Do you think this might?”

[Bryan Rixon]

Bryan had almost got away with it. Oh well, I guess he would have to ask his brother later. His brother seemed to go with his more stupid schemes and this one was perfect.

Bryan took the CD case into his other hand that hadn't switched yet. His powers reacted instantly changing only from his fingers to his wrist. It hurt less this time because the object was smaller and only changed part of his arm changed.

Bryan admired his hands. It felt weird having his arms made out of two different things. One arm was heavier than the other one an it felt entirely weird.

This was too much fun and Bryan wasn't waiting until his arms went back to normal before changing them again. He didn't mind if he it hurt every time because he was starting to get used to it." I am so trying to change my feet. What else you got?" Bryan tore off his shoes and set them on the ground. He was not a shy kid at all and didn't mind doing anything even if he barely knew the teacher.

" I never asked your name. Who are you?" Bryan was a straight to the point kind of guy, but at least he was nice about it.

[Devon Wentsworth]

Devon was fascinated as the boys arm changed, watching it morph from the fleshy skin to the hardened plastic mimicry of the CD case. It was so unlike anything he had ever seen before, and he made a mental note to have a read through the files at some point. Clearly, despite all his years in Kocher, there was still a vast amount he didn't know.

As curious as he was, Devon hesitated when the boy removed his shoes and asked what else there was for him to change into. Devon was only too painfully aware that many of these gifts had unpleasant side-effects, and he gently took the case back from the boy and placed it on the desk. “Are there any drawbacks to doing this? It isn't hurting you or tiring you or anything, is it?”
Yes, trust the boring sensible part of my brain to ruin the fun. But still, better safe than sorry.

When the boy asked who he was Devon was quiet for a moment. Had he really gotten so excited that he'd forgotten to introduce himself? “Ah, yes. I'm so sorry. I'm Devon Wentsworth, the new art teacher. And you are...?”

[Bryan Rixon]

" Uh... no." Bryan lied. He sucked at lying and didn't like to do it often, but he was having too much fun and didn't want to stop.

Bryan didn't have the chance to tell Devon his name. He put his feet down on the ground relaxing and forgot all about what would happen. His powers kicked in and changed his entire body into cement except for his arms. The pain was excruciatingly painful and knocked him out entirely. He fell to the ground unconscious.

[Devon Wentsworth]

Devon didn't have to be any kind of psychic to tell the boy was lying. He'd been teaching too long to fall for it, and he had been too much of a liar himself when he was in school. Sure he had never been particularly good, but he knew how it worked. “I think maybe you should just cal--”

Devon never got to finish his sentence, the boy suddenly turning into cement before his eyes and heading quickly for the ground. Devon tried to catch him but between the weight of the cement and his own joint weakness he didn't stand a chance, but he put up a valiant fight to keep the boy vaguely upright before his shoulders gave up and the boy crashed to the ground with a sickening thud.

Oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit! Devon panicked, ignoring the pain in his shoulders as best he could and desperately trying not to think about how dead the boy might be on a scale of 1 – corpse.

Checking his vital signs as best he could, Devon was massively relieved when he saw the boy was still breathing. He decided to give it thirty seconds and see if he came round. If not, he would go for help. There had to be someone nearby who had more of a clue how to deal with this than he did.
Well, that wouldn't be difficult...

~~~~

The thirty seconds counted on the clock on the art studio wall seemed to be the longest thirty seconds of Devon's entire life. By the time the second hand had travelled halfway round the clock Devon was beginning to panic again, and after grabbing his jacket off the back of the chair and draping it over the cement boy he went out into the corridor looking for help. He hated having to leave the boy behind like that, but he had no other choice. Fitfully pacing down the corridor, the art teacher grabbed the sleeve of the first staff member he came across that looked like they could help. He didn't bother trying to hide the slightly desperate worry in his voice. “Can you help, please? A kid was playing with his power and has passed out in the art studio. Please?”

[Kara Hugg]

You'd think someone who was so awkward with people wouldn't choose to be a trainer for students. Granted people in general weren't students, they probably were more judgey but she knew a few skills that could help them learn how to control their own abilities and that's really what the bottom line was. Of all the things she could do, this was the most rewarding. Still, there were times when she contemplated other fields. Like to become a entomologist and study bugs. But that seemed almost irrational, studying her friends. Still, it would allow her to meet new insects and make more friends. The idea-

Her train of thought was interrupted as a someone grabbed the sleeve of her blouse. She came to a complete stop looking from the hand and then to the distraught man and blinking once.. twice.. three times before things began to register. She wasn't slow, she just.. hadn't expected to be stopped by a stranger no less. Even so, she listened to the distraught man, nodded, and followed him into the art studio where quite literally there was a cement boy passed out on the ground.

Immediately, Kara moved past the teacher and to the boy checking his vitals and feeling his flesh. It was like he was actually made of cement? Strange. Definitely nothing she'd seen before, but there really wasn't anything she could do while the child was unconscious. Instead she turned towards the man, "I can't do anything for him till he wakes up. Can you tell me what happened? Do you know what his powers are?" she flooded the man with questions, trying to get an idea of what happened. How long the boy was out, all crucial details that might further help the teenager.

[Devon Wentsworth]

It had been pure instinct that had pushed Devon out into the hall to find someone to help. If the kid had just passed out normally he could have handled it, but this was hardly a little faint over a bit of blood or something similar. For all he knew the kid wasn't going to be getting back up, and he suddenly felt a little like he'd gotten in over his head. Going to school at Kocher had hardly readied him for teaching people with any kind of power, and he was silently worried about just how under-prepared he actually seemed to be. Suddenly that over-crowded and under-funded high school back in England felt very, very far away...

Had he been in less of a panic Devon probably wouldn't have grabbed the woman's sleeve. It was hardly polite and was in no way a professional way to get someone's attention, but he had to admit, out of all the times he had grabbed a woman it proved to be one of the more successful attempts, even if it did seem to take her a second to catch on to what was happening. He led the way to the art studio, standing to the side while the woman looked the boy over.

As she did so, Devon grabbed two of the cleaner aprons off their hangers, draping one over the boy and folding the other one to wriggle under the boys head to give it some support. Visibly calming now there was someone else in the room, Devon answered her questions as best he could. “He just came in and started grabbing things, making his arms change. Then he took his shoes off and I tried to tell him to calm it, but” Devon waved a hand vaguely at the cement boy “that happened. He seems to be able to mimic whatever he touches. And he's been out about a minute, a minute and half tops.”

[Bryan Rixon]

Bryan moaned as he started slowly waking up. He had a pounding headache and apparently was still made of cement, except for his arms which were slowly turning back to normal. He opened hi eyes and looked up at two concerned faces. He hoped he wasn't seeing double but the second face was definitely not the same as the first. " Uh hi."

Bryan felt like he ran into a wall. His entire body hurt and it was amazing that he didn't pass out for longer. Bryan tried to sit up but got really dizzy so he went back down. " That was not a good idea." (talking about sitting up not touching the ground. )

[Kara Hugg]

This went right back to what she'd been thinking about earlier. In what setting would she deal with an unconscious cement boy? In what setting would she be able to help such people? She knew insects would always be there for her, as they always had. Being around people, despite how scared she may be of any concentrate relationship with them, gave enough spice to a situation to make her want to stay in this type of setting. She hadn't really been considering on leaving the school, but any ideas of something else were fading fast.

Her attention returned to the distraught man who'd led her to the boy in his classroom. She listened as he explained what had happened and estimated what the boy's powers were. The boy had been adventurous, possibly a new arrival that wanted to test out his ability despite the consequences. And this had been the obvious result. She gave the man a light nod, not really speaking because she really didn't know what to say. Of all people to grab a hold of, the man had grabbed her, one of like the least social people here. Wonderful.

Kara gave the boy a soft smile, her brown eyes searching the boy's face as he began to come to. Well, if he'd only been out a minute or more that was good. It meant no other damage probably had occurred. As the boy tried to sit up she gently put a hand on his chest and coaxed him back towards the ground. "Just rest for a minute," she said trying to make her voice soothing or calming. The boy didn't seem to be freaking out, so maybe she was just trying to sound calming for the other adult in the room. He'd calmed down a bit since she'd first seen him, but that could change. She raised her left hand from his chest, the tattoo of the scorpion apparent on her wrist, "How many fingers am I holding up?" she asked as she raised her index and middle finger letting it hover a bit in his vision. "What hurts?"