A Strange New Life (Open)

[jennyparker7]

After the long horrible airplane ride to Vermont Ella drove Jenny to the school. Jenny was amazed at how large and nice looking Google was. Jenny headed into the school and to the main office, there she waited, her luggage surrounding her and Snowball whining because he was in a cage. She stuck her fingers in so he could play with them and texted with one hand.

She didn't dare tell her friends what really happened but explained that she was accepted to a prestigious school. Jenny knew her parents would say the exact same thing. Then she listened to music, she closed her eyes and wished she had the power to change time. She didn't even hear when someone walked up to her.

[Lani Hunter]

Lani yawned and stretched out his arms as he rose from the desk of his adviser. "Don't be foolish, Lani," the man scolded. Lani rolled his eyes with annoyance. He knew just as well as his adviser that the moment he turned 18 he was walking out those doors. Or at least getting a place off campus if he still needed training. "Whatever," Lani replied grabbing his bag from the ground, "I'll do what I want." Lani and his adviser had an odd relationship, they both knew what the other wanted them to do, but knew they themselves wanted the opposite, so in short they annoyed each other to no end. "I mean it, Lani," the man said standing as well, "Think really hard about what you're doing and don't let your pride destroy you."

Lani sighed a waved over his shoulder, "Thanks for your help. See you next week." He left before he started spitting fire. The telekinetic was not one to have a short temper but he didn't have a very long one either. He blinked in shock as he saw a girl with a puppy next to her. He grinned his foul mood melting away. He stepped over kneeling in front of the little cage as the puppy as it whined at him. He stuck a finger between the bars and scratched its head and let it lick his hand. "Sad life behind bars," he said softly and glanced up at the owner wondering if he should just slip away since she seemed oblivious to the world.

[jennyparker7]

Jenny jumped seeing the guy. He was tall, cute and playing with her dog. She smiled and stood up, putting her iPod away. But then Jenny stopped smiling. If this guy was here at this school that must mean he was special. She reached over and moved Snowball away.

"Hi," said Jenny kindly but with no smile, "Are you a teacher?"

She wondered what power he had. It could be anything, telekinesis, telepathy, claws that came out of his hands. Jenny hoped he wasn't a rude person or someone who liked using his powers on other people.

[Lani Hunter]

Lani glanced over at the woman and ducked his head at her reaction. He straightened and gave her a reassuring smile, of course, if she was new she would be afraid. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." Lani's eye twitched a little when she moved the dog away, what did she think? That he was going to eat it? "I should have asked." He said apologetically and put his hands in his pocket to assure her that he was harmless. But then again... She must be new, he reflected, best to give her distance, at least she wasn't meeting him when he was still flinging things around on a whim, not that it was much better, but it was a little.

Lani gave her a sly smile, "Seriously?" He asked a laugh building in him. It took him a moment to realize that she was actually asking a serious question and that made the laugh emerge full strength. Whatever power she had it certainly wasn't mind reading. He covered his mouth trying to stop, "I'm sorry. No, I'm a student." He gave her a soft smile and lowered his gaze at her. "I'm Lani, you must be new." He extended his hand and raised a brow sympathetically, it was hard to come to a new place, especially when that place was Hammel, and everyone you met was some sort of not normal. Some more than others, but all dangerous in a way.

[jennyparker7]

Jenny felt sadness in him when she moved the dog away so to be nice she moved him back and smiled.

"Sorry I just... am silently freaking out because of everything that's happened," said Jenny, "You don't look like a teacher by the way. I just thought because you're the first person who talk to me since I got here."

Jenny started getting nervous and when she got nervous... Jenny looked out the window and saw dark clouds. She groaned and bit her nails. Snowball started whimpering and hiding his eyes.

"So... what is your power?" asked Jenny, trying to distract herself.

[Lani Hunter]

Lani nodded sympathetically biting his lip. He remembered being torn away from those he knew and loved because of this stupid power. He smiled, "I understand its not exactly the easiest thing in the world." The dog enthusiastically licked at Lani's hand demanding attention. He laughed a little and scratched its head. You've gotta love dogs, every new person is a new best friend. He cocked his head, "Really? Didn't you come with a recruiter?" He asked confused. He was sure his recruiter still remembered him. He smiled absently, it was strange how much he had changed he had come in such an angry child. Now he was a slightly less angry person but he had grown to gain a kind of understanding. He rubbed his ear absently his recruiter had practically dragged him into the school by it.

He glanced down at the dog, something was upsetting him. Ah, he looked out, storm blew up really fast. He raised a brow at the young woman and gave her a teasing expression, "Well shouldn't you really introduce yourself before you go asking questions?" He turned up his nose, "How rude." He was grinning to show he was joking. He wanted to make her feel less uncomfortable, cause one only knew what she could do. "I'm Lani," he repeated and dug in his pocket for a small marble, one never knew when they would have time to practice. "The Telekinetic." He showed her by levitating the marble in his palm. "And you?" He asked pocketing the object.

[jennyparker7]

When the guy mentioned recruiters Jenny frowned. The storm got windier and lightning formed in the clouds. She took off her sweater because she was feeling hot and rubbed her arms. She felt so hot and cold at the same time and she had this annoying headache.

"She had to go do something. She wasn't exactly kind," said Jenny, "I begged her not to tell my parents I had powers and when she did they kicked me out."

"Well shouldn't you really introduce yourself before you go asking questions?" Lani turned up his nose, "How rude."

Jenny stood up, "I'm sorry. I'm Jenny. The freak who can change the weather without meaning to. "

She watched as he levitated the marble. She smiled and reached out towards it.

[Lani Hunter]

Lani frowned deeply, "Did she now?" Anger boiled in him, that was the worst trick in the book. He crossed his arms and let his anger pass, anger control was the thing he was practicing with most often now. As a very angry person when he first came his power often reacted to that, and he didn't want to scare people.

"Well, either way, it is a pleasure to meet you Jenny, I'm sure things will work out." Lani grinned at her and shook his head, "You see thats one of the good things about this place." He reflected, one of the few but still. "Its a place where you're not the freak who can throw tables or the freak who can control weather. You're just another person here." He frowned, "But I am sorry to hear about your parents that must be rough."

He paused and held out the marble to her. He made it dance around her hand a few times, "So I'm guessing you got your power recently? A late bloomer?" He smiled, "Me too, its so easy for the kids to accept this place because they still believe in magic, but for people who are older its often very hard to accept that its real." He smiled reflectively, he really hadn't thought of his power as being amazing until the possibilities bloomed in from of him and the idea of impossible became doubt able.

[jennyparker7]

"Yes she did," said Jenny sadly.

The weather changed to just stormy with some rain. Jenny scooted over so that Lani could sit down. She poked her fingers in and scratched Snowball's head as her fingers danced around Lani's. She giggled when the marble started going around her hand.

"Thanks for cheering me up," said Jenny as she took out her phone, she looked at Lani, "Are we allowed to use phones?" As she texted to her friends about how the prestigious prep school was great, omitting the weird abilities part.

The weather started clearing up and now was very sunny.

[Lani Hunter]

Lani's frown deepened, recruiters never had any compassion. They should considering that they were taking people away from their homes and families but no. No sympathy from them. He grinned as he took a seat. She was certainly in a better mood. He liked the sound of laughter. It was the complete unbridled joy of humanity.

Lani grinned, that impish grin that always shouted 'I'm up to something!' He glanced at Jenny then bounced the marble around in front of her, "You know if you ever feel like getting back at your recruiter, we have some crazy 'ghosts' in this place." He winked and swirled the marble.

His smile widened, "Anytime." He nodded, "Of course, but only if whoever your talking to is someone who can keep a secret." He gave her a teasing wink, "Or to tell them about the amazing first person you met here." Arrogance: Lani had it. He looked out the window and smiled, the sun, the true sign of a happy weather controller. The little dog uttered a 'pay attention to me!' bark and Lani laughed, "What's his name?"

[jennyparker7]

"Crazy ghosts? Huh... well if I can control my power I can make dark clouds and lightening," replied Jenny with a mischievous look.

The marble started bouncing in front of Jenny. She laughed again. Snowball made a “look at me” bark and Jenny took him out of the cage and held him on her lap. She wouldn’t let him go. Not in that place. Snowball started trying to catch the marble.

“Well I can keep a secret,” said Jenny, “Unless someone paid me a certain amount of money to tell them. Say… a trillion dollars.” Jenny was completely joking. She would never tell someone another person’s secret.

"Or to tell them about the amazing first person you met here." said Lani.

“Well let’s see the first person I met from here was the recruited Ella Tate,” said Jenny, she pretended to gag, “And then there’s you. I think I’ll make a rumor that Ella Tate is stealing something and that you are… the best athlete star ever. Unless you’re a geek and like Star Trek?”

[Lani Hunter]

Lani glanced at her in surprise when she followed up his joke then broke into much needed laughter. "Done. Come Halloween we are going to have the best prank ever!" As his mind whirred with thought that look of mischief came upon his face. Lani laughed a little more as the dog went after the marble. He bounced it around and teased the puppy with it.

It was adorable. It batted at it and Lani bounced it lightly against its nose and moved it carefully away so the dog couldn't snap on it and eat it. That would not be fun. He glanced up at her, "That's good to know." Lani said, "Secrets aren't other people's business to tell."

Lani wrinkled his nose in agreement, he really hated the recruiters. They were ruthless. Definitely not on his list of favorite people. They had different recruiters but they all seemed to act the same. "Ugh my recruiter was awful too, they really need to find a better approach." He agreed.

Jenny seemed like the kind of person who saw the good in life mostly. He smiled, he liked that in a person. He ran a hand through his short blond hair, it was getting long again... He grinned, loving the banter they were engaging in. He held up his arm and flexed, "Best athlete ever, with a little geek mixed in there." He joked putting up his fingers with a little space between them. "Nah, I'm more of the just kind go with the flow kinda guys. How about you? Where are you on the old high school stereotype?" He smiled at the old joke.

[jennyparker7]

“Come Halloween we are gonna have the best prank ever,” replied Lani.

Jenny nodded, “But… what if I can’t control my powers? I’ll fail Mutant school, it’ll suck and then I won’t know what to do.”

Normally things didn’t get Jenny down but this whole situation was making her feel all these things and she didn’t want to make the weather change every five seconds. She slowly breathed and looked out the window, the clouds were light gray and there was no sun. Lani was a jock and was easy going. Jenny wished she was like that.

“I’m a overachiever who will probably marry a jerk and get divorced when I find my husband with a mistress under his desk,” said Jenny as she felt like she was about to burst into tears.

[Lani Hunter]

Lani blinked shocked at the rapid digression of her attitude. He paused for a moment trying track what he had said wrong. Then he smiled softy and shook his head, "You won't fail. It just seems like a lot to take on. And trust me it get better. When I first got here I picked up that desk over there," He pointed at the main desk where the secretary was sitting, "Completely on accident. Then I trashed my recruiters office," He shrugged, "That wasn't all by accident." he threw in as a joke hoping to get her mood to lift.

"But my point is if I, who got my power just a little before you can come so far to where I can move this marble with control when I came just a few months ago I couldn't do anything but grab and throw." That was what his trainer called it at least. He put a gentle hand on her shoulder, "Don't worry about it. Not yet at least."

Lani's brow came together with concern. He hesitated awkwardly, he was always so bad at this. Where was Caroline when he needed her? His little sister, Caroline, was always the best at recognizing emotions and knowing what to do. Lani on the other hand was a fish out of water. He bit his lip then spontaneously put his arm around her shoulder, "Awe, come on, don't think like that." It was strange the rolls reversed, usually Lani was the one in complete hatred of his power and everything Hammel related but now he was trying to comfort this new arrival. "Jenny, better to be an overachiever than an underachiever." Like me, he reflected with a soft smile. He was wondering if he was over stepping his boundaries. He backed off and instead shifted to face her. "Come on, this is the start of a new life," Lani encouraged grinning at her, "You have all the time in the world to figure it out. Let's see a smile, eh?" He grinned a goofy smile.

[jennyparker7]

Jenny felt warm when Lani touched her shoulder. He was so nice and cute. She smiled and laughed when he said that he moved a desk and ruined his recruiter’s office. Then he moved away. Jenny wondered if maybe he was nervous because she was a girl. Jenny pulled out her cellphone and turned to Lani, handing him Snowball.

“Smile,” said Jenny as she was about to take a picture.

She smiled at Lani’s face and how Snowball licked his face. She looked outside and wondered how to change the weather. It of course was tied to her emotions but maybe she could practice right now. She stood up and closed her eyes, thinking of snow and snowmen and fields and roofs covered in snow.

She slowly opened her eye, “Did anything change?”