Prodigy? [Niko!]

[Nikolai Campbell]

"I once had a gerbil, but I got it taken away because they figured out that I was letting him out. I didn't want it to be in the cage. After my gerbil, I didn't get any other pets. But I like monkeys, even if I can't have one."Niko responded. Monkeys were playful and very cute. They always seemed to have fun, which was different than other animals. Other animals just lived without fun. Now, sharks? Sharks were dangerous, they were not one Niko liked. They had a novel look to them, and he liked shark teeth, but he was never going to go to the beach to see a shark, and it was never his goal to see a shark in museums or anything. And on the topic of pets, he didn't have much of an opinion. They were all pretty safe in his mind. He liked pets that fit in his hand, but he hated caging animals. He was wary of overly large dogs, while little dogs were strange to him. Cats, in particular, had best not bite or scratch him. As long as they didn't, he liked them well enough.

"If you say so,"Niko agreed passively. He really wasn't going to stay upset about what Chase said, even if it had bothered him initially. He also wasn't going to hold it against Chase, even if he did think it was mean for Chase to blame someone who wasn't at fault. Hearing him say it was just a joke did help- teenagers and adults had a weird idea of what was funny and what wasn't. Maybe Niko would have got it if he didn't get told so often what was right and what was wrong. He couldn't yet poke fun at those basic fundamentals of his morals, or what the school wanted his morals to be. At any rate, he wasn't going to bring it up again anytime soon. So he decided to ask about James. He fully intended on talking to James and finding out if he could go home, but not if James was scary. Since Chase seemed to know him, he seemed the perfect person to ask."I have the letter in my room. Miss Bri gave it to me when I left. But, is he nice? I mean, he's not scary, is he?" Niko didn't think to explain who Miss Bri was. To him, she was the equivalent of a mother, but he'd never called her mother. And he never really wanted to, either. But for his entire life, Miss Bri was a known figure. And he wasn't entirely used to the idea that he was so far from her now.

"Yeah, more fun to play,"Niko agreed with a nod. But in Niko's mind, he meant it was always more fun to play rather than watch. "There were a lot of nice people in Concord. I didn't come here to leave my coach. I came here because I had to." Niko had no problem letting people he deemed 'mean' know that he had a problem with them. He would waste no time attacking even the toughest enemy, he didn't seem to know how to back down when he got angry enough. And he didn't run away, though he did stop seeing his coach after the incident.

"You mean, you're not my teacher? Is that why you want me to call you Chase and not mister like all the other teachers?"Niko questioned."Do you only teach the teenagers?" Niko hadn't realized he'd have several teachers- after all, in elementary school, Niko still had one homeroom teacher that taught all the subjects. And if Chase wasn't his homeroom teacher, Niko wasn't sure why he was with Chase in the first place- not that he minded. Chase was nice whether he was his teacher or not.

"Thank you,"Niko offered happily. Then Niko's expression changed to another odd one- he was baffled now. What? Of course a tennis ball wouldn't hurt Chase. Not very badly. After a few seconds of confusion, Niko giggled and clarified what he'd meant before.

"It's not the ball that hurts, it's the wall. It's because you have to run as fast as you can to touch it, so sometimes you collide, and the wall makes your hands hurt."Niko explained helpfully as he took the football from Chase. When Chase told him to toss it when he was ready, he smiled. He was ready now, there was no need to waste time. But Chase backed up so Niko waited for him.

Only when he had stopped moving did Niko grip the ball, getting ready to throw. He may not have had the best form in the world, but he was pretty sure that the laces were there to put your fingers on. Of course, the football was way, way too big to fit in his hand, and he couldn't spread his fingers wide enough to be between each of the laces- he tried it anyway, placing his fingers between each of the smaller laces for as far as he could reach. Then he posed in his best 'football player' stance, his arm drawn back, his other hand on the ball. If he'd needed to move, he would have done the whole foot lift and step thing, but as it was, he settled for his still stance. With that covered, he threw the ball toward Chase. He definitely wasn't pulling off the game winning pass and he wasn't going to make the ball spiral, either; Niko didn't seem to care. As long as the ball got to Chase, he was happy. Getting it to Chase seemed easy considering the amount of distance they were separated by.

[Chase Campbell]

“Aww. Gerbils are okay. Except every time I’ve held one, it bit me.” Monkeys were okay, too. Really, Chase wasn’t too bothered by the whole animal industry. As long as it didn’t bite him, pee on him, or anything of that nature, he was generally okay with them. Like Milo. Milo was, in general, a good natured, sweet cat. He tolerated being carried and stroked, and he sat still enough for nail trims. In fact, he rarely put up a hissing fit, and if he scratched, it tended to be accidental. Chase was never really worried about his behaviour if Ginny was over, even though Ginny knew better than to pull his tail or chase him. But he did all right with James’ nieces and nephews, too.

“I do,” Chase said with a little half smile. He’d have to watch his jokes around Niko. Kids didn’t always get adult humor, and he had to remember that. It was just second nature to joke about blaming James for things. Even simple things. At home, if something was moved, it was usually James’ fault anyway. So it was just natural to him. Besides, James had something to do with the recruitment process. Somewhere along the line, he was responsible for Niko being here now. Chase glanced down to Niko at his question, and pretended t think about that. “Well... I’m biased, but no, James isn’t scary. He’s friendly, and wonderful. And sweet. He’s a good guy.” Chase actually knew, more or less, who Miss Bri was. At least, he could guess. Niko’s foster mother. It wasn’t hard.

“The only time football isn’t fun to play is when my students kick my butt. And they’re doing it more and more, these days.” More age jokes. If James was near, he’d probably be cracking up laughing. Chase happened to be a little vain about his age. Namely, he wanted to stay on the safe side of forty. He still had a few years to go, thankfully, but James liked to crack age jokes at him. He still felt bad that Niko felt he’d been forced here. “Kiddo, you aren’t the only one that feels that way. We all felt like we were forced here. I didn’t get a choice. But I was happy to come. I get migraines from controlling minds. Learning to control my ability allowed me to control them, a bit. They’re better than they were, anyway.”

Niko’s questions were good things, really. Chase wanted him as knowledgeable as possible before he went into classes full time. “Uh... no. I’m going to be your trainer, as far as your powers are concerned. Being called ‘mister’ just makes me twitch. I’d rather you guys just call me by name.” He shrugged. “We have lots of different teachers here.” Hammel ran more or less like a high school, in that regard. A different teacher for every subject, and a trainer to deal with abilities.

Oh... now he got it. He chuckled softly. “Okay, I get it. Yeah... the wall might hurt. I think we’re better off playing catch.” Of course, he couldn’t picture slamming himself into the wall. He had the control to stop before he hurt himself. Unless he got really caught up in the game. Then, he might be in trouble.

Niko actually had a pretty decent throw. Chase caught it easily, realizing that he hadn’t given the kid enough credit. “You throw pretty good, Niko.” He was impressed, and backed up a bit, tossing the ball back. “I think you’re going to like it here, Niko.” He was still thinking. Niko seemed a little lonely. Would it be weird if he asked him what he was thinking? He wasn’t sure.

[Nikolai Campbell]

Niko merely nodded in acknowledgment- he'd only had one, but yes, it had bit him many times. Still, he didn't bother to say that to Chase. He was too wrapped up with thinking about what it'd be like to have a monkey. He had dreams where he talked to monkeys and they talked back. They would run with him, taking him up in the trees with them and such. The only time that was a problem was when he fell out of the tree- when that happened, it was a horrible nightmare that he wanted to forget. The idea of falling did actually plague frequently, whether with the monkeys or in another setting. It shouldn't have come as much of a surprise; Nikolai Curtis rarely felt he had ground to stand on while awake and his dreams just made it real. As for biased, that word Niko wasn't sure about. Instead of asking, he just pretended Chase hadn't said it so that he could respond to the other bit of Chase's statement.

"Oh,"Niko stated, again sounding thoughtful. He quickly shook his head, adding in a more 'cheerful' tone,"If you say so." Despite his tone, he was still thinking. If he was nice, it seemed safe to bet that he had a chance of leaving. But what was truly alarming was the way he was honestly considering waiting to ask about leaving, or not asking at all. In that moment, he was having more fun than he had felt in a very long time, even when he was in the foster home. Maybe his world could go on even in the Hammel Institute. Maybe, just maybe he really did want to have a safe place now that he had a power, and maybe it was time for a change. He'd never accepted change opposed to fighting it until he got his way, and he didn't want to now. Not really. As for the joke, it went over his head so he had nothing to say to Chase referring to football.

"Migraines." Niko echoed. He knew that was the word that was put to the pain he called a headache. Yet, to hear that Chase got them to, and also that they were somewhat better was good. More pressing than that observation was the one related to the fact that, apparently, everyone felt forced to be at the school.

"What if a student ran away? I got to go back home when I ran away last time. And they can't make students stay. So do they run away?"Niko questioned. He wouldn't think much of attempting to run away, but he'd ask if he could leave before doing anything that serious.

"Ohh, right."Niko agreed. He was not sure what else he wanted to know or say regarding teachers and trainers. No matter how much they talked about them, he still had to meet the teacher. And that, really, was the scary part. Niko nodded in agreement to what Chase said- yes, catch would be best. Niko did not quite possess that control. But it was more common for his hands to take the brunt of the force rather than his entire body taking in the hit.

"Thank you,"Niko offered, smiling once more. Having Chase compliment him filled him with a sort of pride in his ability as well as in himself in general. To add to his mood, he caught the toss. But the light and happiness disappeared when Chase said he thought he'd like it here. "No. I don't want to be here," Niko said it defiantly, but he wasn't angry, not this time. Just annoyed, like Chase should have already known what he told him.

"I'm going home,"Niko announced."And you're not changing my mind. I have to go home. Kids aren't supposed to live at school. And I'm too young. I'm only nine. I promise, I'll come back when I'm older." Niko figured it was a fair deal- he'd go home for a while longer, maybe a year or two, then he'd come back to the school and everything would be fine. He really wasn't likely to give in, not in that moment. Despite having decided previously that he might like staying, he wasn't about to tell Chase that. Besides, it contradicted the fact that he was upset by Chase trying to convince him to stay in the first place. He at least thought Chase was trying to convince him to stay. However, the weather remained sunny to prove that he wasn't really too upset. After he spoke, he repeated his 'football' pose, throwing it to Chase again. Though he didn't entirely intend for it, there was a bit more force behind the throw compared to the last. Niko was still only nine, and truly incapable of anything that would cause Chase much, if any pain, but he was definitely less relaxed now and the forcefulness showed that effectively enough. When it came to Chase asking what he thought, in general he wouldn't have minded. Now that he was annoyed, it probably wouldn't go over as well as if Chase asked another time.

[Chase Campbell]

Animals had a tendency to bite Chase. Especially small ones. Thankfully, Milo had always had good manners, even as a kitten. He’d found that the bigger the animal, the less chance you had of getting bitten. Though he’d never really dreamed about exotic pets like monkeys, he’d once insisted to his mother he wanted a lizard. It hadn’t gone over well. Meghan Kilbourne had not been fond of the idea of having a reptile in the house, despite her son’s pleading. End of story, no lizard. But he’d grown out of that phase. Now he was older, he was happy with Milo. Furry, family pets just seemed more important than any old lizard.

In his mind, James wasn’t scary. He’d never been scary, save for those intense few minutes where he hadn’t been sure if his lover worked for the government, and was intent on taking him away. After that, nothing James did was scary anymore. Of course, he loved the man deeply, so he really was completely biased. But he’d seen the way James was with the kids at Hammel. He was good with them, good with Ginny. It was why Chase had actually given into this crazy adoption thing in the first place. Because if he dropped the parental ball, he knew James would be there to help him. But spending time with Niko like this, his confidence was slowly improving. If he could handle a little game of catch with him, maybe there was hope for him as a father after all. He could stop doubting what James and his mother said, and actually relax. That would be nice.

“Yup, migraines. Really bad headaches. If I know one’s coming on, and I don’t do anything about it, I get them really bad once I’m home.” Which was why it was so good he and James had a system that worked. Drugs, water, and the walk home was enough to keep them at bay.

Running away was... a touchy subject, at Hammel. Kids tried it all the time. Most were happy to find somewhere that they were considered “normal” for their abilities. But some, like Niko seemed to be considering, rebelled against the idea. The institution was meant to be a safe place for them. But not all of them saw it that way. “... We have to make students stay, Niko. Without training, all meta-humans are considered dangerous. If it wasn’t for places like Hammel, the government would interfere. Trust me, this is better.” But, if a student did run away... “If a student escapes, we have ways to find them, and bring them back. It’s better to just cooperate.” He wasn’t nearly as eloquent as Jamie at explaining this kind of stuff.

“Hey, you’re welcome.” Chase grinned at the kid. This was great. He was calm, he was actually having a good time. At least, he was. Niko’s defiant tone caught him off guard. Okay... this was going to be trickier. And it only got worse as Niko announced he was going home.

“Ah, no, Niko. You can’t. I told you, Hammel is special. You’re special. You can’t just leave and come back...” Right. The government would be all over Claude’s ass if that happened. And he was sure their director wouldn’t want that to happen. Chase had to think of something, and quick. He’d rather avoid the drama that running away and being caught tended to bring for these kids. As the ball came flying back, Chase caught it, surprised at the force behind it, and came forward. “Niko, look, I’ll be honest. I’m probably the worst person to try to explain this to you. But James probably could. Dr. Campbell. He’s in charge of all the recruits. If you want, we can go and talk to him. You can tell him how you feel, and he can tell you why we have to keep you here.” It was worth a try. If the kid ran now, Chase would have no choice but to use his ability, and keep him here. Because if he lost a student, he would be in big, big trouble. “I promise, he can sort things out for you. Will you trust me?” Please, please say yes.

[Nikolai Campbell]

"I know what they are."Niko agreed promptly when Chase explained what a migraine was. But he didn't want to mention that he had them very badly. He avoided talking of them unless he was experiencing one, or unless specifically asked, at least normally.

Niko had insisted on arguing before, and it usually didn't work out. More often than not, doing so would just get him in trouble before he got around to do whatever it was he was threatening to do. So he was silent, merely considering what Chase said. They'd force him? He already knew Chase could. Would he? Niko hoped not but he was pretty sure Chase wouldn't hesitate to stop him. No matter how nice Chase was, or how much fun they had, Niko knew Chase wanted him to stay. Niko wasn't discouraged by knowing this; he was certain that if he wanted to get away, he could. And in that belief was the proof that Niko was, in the end, just a very self-assured child to whom reality didn't always sit well with.

"How about you be special, I'll just be Niko. I'm good at that."Niko suggested. But he quieted quickly after as Chase walked toward him. For an instant, Niko was honestly scared. Maybe he shouldn't argue ... He could only hope Chase wasn't moving toward him to hit him or grab him; Niko had to admit, he didn't know him well enough to rule it out. Suddenly he really had nothing to say at all. Instead of touching him, Chase began speaking which was relieving to Niko. He was still much more cautious with what he said. His voice was more passive, as if he couldn't wait to prove that he wasn't going to put up a fight any longer. First and foremost, Niko would act on his goal of self-preservation. It hadn't been the wrong choice so far.

Trust. The one word made Niko's expression shift to confusion. Nothing else Chase said got as much of a reaction. Trust was a big deal, an important word. Yet Niko knew that without a doubt, he did trust Chase. And that was the problem because it made him wonder-why? Why Chase? Chase was kind, which was important to Niko. He would also answer questions, and he hadn't gotten mad yet. He seemed willing to help Niko with his ability- something Niko believed he could do. Chase was also a lot of fun if this game of catch was any indication of things to come. Even knowing all that, Niko still realized that what really drew him to Chase had nothing to do with any of that. It was something else, something more. Something sensed, but otherwise unfounded. Niko couldn't identify it. He just took it as knowing Chase cared. Niko never would have taken the idea a step farther to say Chase cared any more for him than anyone else, Niko merely thought that Chase was a caring person, someone for Niko to believe in.

"I do trust you,"Niko affirmed."And I'll talk to Dr. Campbell if you want me to, but only if you promise not to make me talk to him by myself." Niko wanted no part in meeting another stranger, and least of all meeting a stranger alone. Not that he had much of a reason to believe Chase would leave him- he just didn't want to have it even as a possibility. On the other hand, he knew Chase wasn't always going to be around so it really wasn't his way of saying he needed or depended on him- he didn't. Not yet, at least. And his fear really had nothing to do with James specifically, it was just that Niko just didn't have a great history with strangers to begin with. So even though he agreed to it, he was far less excited to go back inside. In fact, he made no move at all to do so. He merely waited for Chase- he'd follow his lead willingly.

[Chase Campbell]

From what he had read, weather manipulators often suffered from migraines as well. Heck, if you had a mental ability, chances were you had them. But abilities affected everybody differently. He’d seen it before. Like with elementals. Put two cryokinetics side by side, and one might deal with heat that smallest bit better than the other. Of course, control and experience played a part in it, as well. He knew that firsthand. His migraines were nowhere near as bad as they were when he’d been a student here. And for that, he was grateful.

Sadly, Chase would have to stop Niko, if he were to run now. He wouldn’t have a choice. And he really didn’t want to do that. He wanted to build a relationship with the kid, gain his trust. Having to put his mind in lockdown and force him back to the school would be one sure fire way of breaking everything he’d already established. Not a good thing, in any way, shape, or form. For both their sakes, he hoped that Niko kept himself on school grounds. At least until he was in someone else’s care.

“Mn, no, that’s not gonna work. Niko, being special doesn’t take away from who you are. Honestly.” He was still the same person he’d been before his power had surfaced. More responsible, maybe, but that came from him getting older, not his abilities. He didn’t mean to scare Niko when he came closer. All he wanted was to talk to him, without having to yell. It was also defensive, in case Niko tried to run. It was much easier to control someone that was standing close to him. But he had no reason to control Niko. Not yet.

Chase wanted Niko to trust him. It was integral not only to his training, but for their relationship as trainer and student. Chase was going to end up asking Niko to do things for him that might sound a little iffy, especially if he still wasn’t sold on having a power to begin with. But he would have to trust him. It seemed more than that, though. He genuinely wanted this kid to like him, trust him. He didn’t really know why. Maybe he felt for him, with the orphan business. Maybe it was just because he was young. But that didn’t make sense. He didn’t really like kids all that much. But here he was, hoping that Niko would come around to him. Playing in the field seemed to have been a good idea. And he could make training fun. He’d done it before, and for a kid as young as Niko, it might be a good idea to plan it that way. Whatever he was feeling about Niko, he knew it was weird. He felt protective, almost like he was with Jamie. And he wanted to help him. Badly.

Relief. Niko trusted him. But his condition made him smile, just a little. Pass up an opportunity to help his student and spend time in James’ office? It was win-win, in his mind. “Okay, Niko. We can go see him now, if you want. I have the time, if you don’t want to go alone.” He nodded his head towards the school. “And if we have time afterwards, and you’re okay with what he says, we can come back out and finish the game.” All he wanted was for Niko to be all right with being at Hammel. That he’d stop wanting to run away. He didn’t think he could convince him of this, but maybe James could. Which reminded him. He pulled out his cell phone and tapped out a quick message on the keys. Jamie - Nikolai needs help settling @ Hammel. You got time?

[ooc – Tony is going to set up a thread for James, Chase, and Niko in James’ office, so we can head there. ^_^]