[voice and action | rehash of her TDM thread because i'm lazy | predated to before the U-Men attack]

[fathoming]

[1: Network | Voice]

[There's a few seconds of strange singing, then a voice coming from the other end which sounds a bit distorted, wobbly almost. It seems to belong to a girl with an English accent.]

It worked! Hello, Xavier Institute. My name's Naija and I'm communicating with you on this...[She needs a moment to remember the word for it.]...computer from the depths of Breakstone Lake. It's astonishing what Mister McCoy can do, isn't it? Anyway, I'll be your new swimming and underwater combat instructor. I hope I'll see some of you soon.

[2: Action]

There is what appears at a distance to be a drunk mermaid flopping through the school.

On closer inspection: Her feet are large and webbed but her legs are definitely separate. Her skin is slick and green though and her ears spined and large too. And she's not drunk, just not used to moving around outside the water still. Thus the wobbliness. The flush on her cheeks is a combination embarrassment from being so clumsy right now and the difference in average oxygen intake between water and air.

She'll apologize if she bumps into you.

[3: Action]

Alright, the school pool. Finally, water. She dives in gracefully, swallowed up by it, making almost no splash, as if she were a pebble flung in. But on surfacing on the other side...

"Gah! What is that?"

She rubs at her now red eyes. She has never experienced chlorine before.

[4: Action]

Next to the boathouse, she bobs to the surface, looking up curiously at whoever just arrived. Clearly she's found a home, at least for the moment.

"Hello! Not many people come out here, except when they want to fish."

Comments

video;

[loveswaffles]

Underwater combat?

video

[fathoming]

It's a bit specialized, I know. It's a...what was it called...'Advanced Combat Elective'.

video

[loveswaffles]

Right.

Can't think of too many people who would sign up for that.

[fathoming]

Well you certainly don't have to.

2

[gloriousandfree]

When someone slightly off kilter runs into her, her first instinct is to reach out out and steady them. She doesn't expect the skin to be slick or a spined ear right in her face, but it's a mutant school. One does have to deal with things. Her eyes cross as she

"Are you alright? Oh you're that--the one in the lake?"

Hadn't she been underwater? Did she need water now? Madeline looks around blindly, she's never been more unsure about the locations of sinks and baths.

[fathoming]

There's a moment where her teeth bare at the touch, sharp and shiny. But it passes very quickly and those teeth turn into a smile.

"Oh, yes, I'm fine. Thanks. I'm just trying to get used to walking on the land."

[gloriousandfree]

Her hands pull away immediately, but very hesitantly she holds a hand out, in case she does want help.

"I'm sorry, I thought maybe you were hurt. Getting used to moving a different way is a challenge, I know that much. Do you need anything?"

[fathoming]

She takes the hand, to steady herself. Her palm, unlike the rest of her skin, is rough. The smile deepens.

"What's the most interesting place around here?"

[gloriousandfree]

That's a question she's not exactly got a ready answer for. Letting the woman --Naija her mind helpfully fills in-- take her hand, she ponders.

"Do you mean in the school? Danger Room perhaps. Around here in general, Well there's New York City a couple hours from here. I'm partial to the ice rink but--well, no offense, but if you have trouble walking, I would give skating a pass for now. If you like food, there's a pizza place that's pretty popular."

[fathoming]

"Tell me about this 'danger room'." She says, still with Madeline's hand but now grinning. It's a room. It has danger in it. She's already interested.

[gloriousandfree]

"Ohh well it can create various challenges and opponents inside. Perfect for practicing your skills or powers. Sort of like a battle simulator. I've hardly used it but then again, I can work with my power whenever I like."

There's a disconcerting shimmer--almost a ripple--to her skin before Naija finds a copy of herself in front of her. Her appearance ripples back to herself within a moment.

[fathoming]

That causes Naija to release her, hand flying to her own mouth in surprise.

"Oh, that's me! Is that really your changed form or just an illusion? Can you do that to anything?"

[gloriousandfree]

"Oh--sorry if I startled you! I change, physically. Most to humans and animals, but some plants as well."

She becomes Fai, then Naija, then back to herself in a series of rippling changes and smiles, shrugging, "I control it so much better now than when I was a student. Used to happen without warning. I'd show you an animal but my clothes don't change with me and I like this shirt."

[fathoming]

Naija claps once, delighted.

"Oh, that's great! You could transform into a smaller animal though..." She says, not quite getting that most people kindof mind having to change in the hallway.

[gloriousandfree]

Maddie laughs, awkwardly shrugging, "Maybe if you grab my clothes and bring them to me in a bathroom? I usually can't carry them if I'm small and coming back to myself naked has never been very acceptable in the middle of hallways."

[fathoming]

Oh, right. The nudity thing. Certainly she had some modesty, dressed as if she could be seen even during those long years when that was not at all true. But she was less modest than most, as her outfit showed. Too much fabric wasn't very hydrodynamic, after all.

"No, nevermind. Let's go to this 'Danger Room'. I'm Naija, by the way."

[gloriousandfree]

"I'll show you another time. Maybe when I bring a change of clothes." She smiles, nodding in the right direction and starting to step that way.

"Nice to meet you Naija. I'm Madeline."

[fathoming]

Naija walks that way too with her awkward gait. She's met a new friend and unlocked a new area is on her way to someplace interesting. Today's expedition she can already count a success.

"Are you a student here, Madeline?"

[gloriousandfree]

"Oh, no." Madeline laces her hands behind her back, all too aware she's barely out of college to be honest. It wouldn't be unusual for her to still be here, taking college courses.

"No I'm a teacher, I just went here as a student for several years. I left just before everything...went well. Up in smoke. I'm from Canada and I'm sorry, but if you said where you were from in your post, I must have forgotten."

[fathoming]

"The sea. Somewhere in...you'd call it the southeast Pacific. Oh, but that means we'll be working together, since I'm to coach swimming and teach underwater combat to those who wish it."

She beams at Madeline, proud to have a job to do. Xavier probably gave it to her to keep her from getting discontent, really. But maybe once they get to the Danger Room she can show how useful she could be...

[gloriousandfree]

"That's such a long way, what ever brought you here! And it must seem cold! Isn't the water there so much warmer? Though I suppose if you stay far underwater..."

And there's the question she won't ask, how did a mutant end up living in the sea really. There's hiding and there's living in the middle of the ocean.

[fathoming]

The isolation was intentional, though not on her own part.

"Well I don't remember any of my past. But one day I started to get curious and...well, one thing led to another and eventually the X-Men found me there."

She doesn't sound too broken up about it. She's an optimist.

[gloriousandfree]

"I suppose that's better than being--well. Forced here. I assume you came here of your own will? Or am I misreading you entirely?"

When they reach the elevator, Madeline holds it open with one hand, ready for her to step in and take as much time as she needs.

[fathoming]

"Oh yes, I came here because I wanted to. I think I can find out about my past much better here."

She steps into the elevator. When it opens on the other side, it looks like an unfurnished, metallic room. She instinctively begins looking for switches, irregular places in the wall because she's from a metroidvania game.

[gloriousandfree]

"Well I hope you find what you're looking for. Though it must have been interesting life, out there in the sea."

Madeline hasn't really used this on her own but she remembers the control room. Hmn, aha. There we go. She finds the door and gestures her up to the room above.

"What were you looking to do?"