alderwitch Posted July 12, 2009 Posted July 12, 2009 Alex tilted her head at the door, curiosity peaked despite herself. Alex thought aloud, "What about scrying or ESP-type skills? I can extend my senses out almost twenty miles now. Is it shielded or anything?"
angrydurf Posted July 12, 2009 Posted July 12, 2009 Mike was trying to put on a good front but this whole thing didn't really seem right to him. He didn't want to be a total stick in the mud but he by nature kinda prfered to follow the rules by and large. He glanced around at the group and turned to Mark, "So whats supposed to be in there? I mean what if its off limits for a good reason, has anyone got in before?" Mike had been around for some of the less pleasant sights Alex had expossed herself too with her powers over the years and really would preffer that she not have to go it alone, so to speak, if it might be bad.
Electra Posted July 12, 2009 Posted July 12, 2009 "If we want to do anything," Erin pointed out, "this is exactly the wrong time to do it, right in the middle of the day. You'd have to come back at night when there's hardly any people here. And even then, you might get in trouble." She studied the door from a few feet away. "Given this place, it's just as likely to be another test." She looked to Mark. "What happens to people who get caught trying to sneak around?"
Avenger Assembled Posted July 12, 2009 Posted July 12, 2009 "Eh, you get a lecture about respecting school property." Mark grinned. "First-time offenders, anyway, so you guys shouldn't have to worry about it too much. The worst I'd be likely to get, if I was caught, is just to spend some time writing about the importance of respecting property and following orders." He grinned wryly. "I'd probably get that right from Mr. Summers, no less. He and my dad know each other from old times, but that doesn't make my life any easier around here. Just the opposite, sometimes." He laughed. "But anyway, if you want to meet the rest of the Sneak Club, we can get together later and talk strategy. We've had a couple of attempted teleporters, but there's something up in there that seems to block whatever frequency they're using. Our shapeshifter got fairly close, but she couldn't figure out how to reprogram the inner door lock. You're welcome to look through psychically if you want," he added to Alex, smiling at her, "maybe you can get a better look at the inner security systems than we've had so far."
quotemyname Posted July 13, 2009 Author Posted July 13, 2009 "Have you tried to just break it down the old fashioned way?" Eddie shrugged. "You know, like kicking in the door jam? It can nullify powers all it wants, but good old fashioned brute strength can go a long way sometimes." Maybe this door has a mind of it's own or something... He thought
Avenger Assembled Posted July 13, 2009 Posted July 13, 2009 Mark cocked his head and looked at Eddie. "No, I can truthfully say we've never contemplated breaking down a door in the library." He scratched his chin, still studying the other boy. "For one thing, they've got cameras and alarms on the thing. And for another, that's something we could actually get into a lot of trouble for, man. I mean, the school's pretty easy-going about a lot of stuff, but actually messing around with school property and seriously breaking stuff could cause a lot of problems. I mean, no one wants to go back on restriction the way we were in May." The moment of seriousness took a lot out of Mark, who normally wasn't mindful of any such thing. As Mark and Eddie were speaking, Alex overhead a scrabbling on the stairs behind her. Looking around in the darkness, it took her a moment to notice a very strange little animal studying them all from the turn in the stairwell. The little creature was short, standing no higher than a cat, but it stood on two legs in the posture of a T-Rex or raptor she'd seen in the movies. Covered in a fine coat of feathers, it looked like a strange combination of bird and tiny dinosaur, like nothing she'd ever seen outside of a nature film. Aware that he'd been spotted, thelittle guy looked up at her inquiringly, a hopeful look in his big reptilian eyes.
alderwitch Posted July 13, 2009 Posted July 13, 2009 "Aww," Alex said quietly, figuring that it was some student's pet that had gotten lost. Having an interdimensional as a roommate had led Alex to make those sorts of assumptions. She fished around in her pocket for the half eaten granola bar and, after peeling off the wrapper held it out. Alex was animal savy enough that she held it flat on her palm, all her fingers together and out of the way on the off chance the critter had poor aim. She knelt down, holding out the offering, and began to project a warm, fuzzy calming feeling outward. "Hey, there. You lost?"
angrydurf Posted July 13, 2009 Posted July 13, 2009 At Eddies suggestion Mike looked at the other boy much like he might had he spontaneusly grown a second head that spoke only pig latin. "Uhhh yea I'm thinking bashing down a door isn't exactly the behavior we're supposed to be showing here." As he spoke Mike leaned against the wall waiting for a more reasonable idea, not that his talents really were very suited to anything but Eddies idea. As Alex tried to coax the little creature forward Mike started slightly and asked "What the heck is that?"
quotemyname Posted July 13, 2009 Author Posted July 13, 2009 "Relax guys, I was only joking." Eddie folded his arms. "I..." He suddenly noticed what Mike was referring to. "The hell?" Eddie slowly walked forward to stand a good distance behind Alex. "That's gotta be the weirdest looking bird I have ever seen." He said, raising an eyebrow.
Electra Posted July 13, 2009 Posted July 13, 2009 "Be careful," Erin warned, standing a few steps back from the weird little creature. "You don't want it to bite you." She looked around to try and see where the little creature had come from, or whether anyone seemed to be looking for it, or whether anyone was looking at them. "Do you think it got in through a window or something? You wouldn't think there'd be much in the library that it would like."
Avenger Assembled Posted July 13, 2009 Posted July 13, 2009 The little dinosaur, which was indeed what it was, obediently came forward and snatched the food right out of Alex's hands. Holding it between its forelegs, the little dino began eagerly nomming the stuff down with a look of adorable greed on his little face. At the sight of the dinosaur, Mark gave a resigned half-smile. "Oh hey, I know this guy." Unconsciously, he reached down and rubbed his ankle as he waved at the little dinosaur. "Hey, Squeaker. Did Susanna let you run around in the library? Isn't she worried you're gonna eat a pigeon right in front of everyone again?" Sure enough, from down below came the voice of a refined, well-bred English lady as she called from the first floor of the stairs, "Squeaker? Oh Squeaker? Where are you, my little fox? What did I tell you about running away when Mommy was busy training?"
alderwitch Posted July 13, 2009 Posted July 13, 2009 Alex gave the amazing creature a wistful look as she obviously wanted to touch him. Instead she straightened and glanced around for the cultured voice to return the girl's pet. "Sounds like your friend is looking for you, little guy." She glanced up to the other kids with a smile, "I can't even talk my folks into a dog. My dad has allergies."
quotemyname Posted July 13, 2009 Author Posted July 13, 2009 "You can't keep it unless you promise to take care of it!" Eddie said with a smile shaking his finger at Alex. When he heard the distant voice he became more serious. "Besides, it sounds like whoever that is would really miss the little bugger."
angrydurf Posted July 14, 2009 Posted July 14, 2009 Mike smiled slightly at the odd little dinosaur as it munched on Alexs offering. It was cute in a way just not the kind of thing you expected to be in the library, then again this was Claremont expecting the nexpected was curriculum here. At the sound of the creatures owner calling for it Mike spoke out lound enough to be heard but hopefully not spook the little guy "He's right up here Ma'am." before he remembered they were on something of a covert endevor.
Electra Posted July 14, 2009 Posted July 14, 2009 "I don't know if that thing's supposed to eat granola," Erin mused, "but I guess it likes it." Gingerly, she bent down and extended a hand towards the little creature. "Is he nice?" she asked Mark. She'd be rather sorry if the little dinosaur took one of her fingertips off, but she was a pretty sturdy individual. "If he's someone's pet and all."
Avenger Assembled Posted July 14, 2009 Posted July 14, 2009 "He, uh, bit me once, but he's nice," agreed Mark, suddenly blushing even in the dark of the stairwell. Despite his fearsome, tiny mien, Squeaker turned out to be quite acclimated to people. He sniffed Wander's fingers curiously, then began licking at them with the mannerisms of something more dog than lizard. Squeaker chittered at all of them, a curious look in his eye, as if expecting more treats."His owner should be..." No sooner had Edge started talking than the woman who was evidently Squeaker's owner arrived. Susanna Challenger had the voice of a proper English girl, but was dressed in...was that a fur-lined bikini? Why yes indeed it was, with boots and wrapped hands both; Susanna looking far more like the star of the latest Tarzan movie than the upper-class English girl she resembled in voice. She was no model, either, her muscular frame was built for the outdoors. Squeaker scrabbled up her wrapped arms, settling in on her bare shoulder, while she squeaked at him and kissed his nose. A little belatedly, she seemed to notice the new arrivals. "Oh, hello!" she said with a smile at the new arrivals, completely unselfconscious of her revealing outfit. "You must be new. I'm Susanna Challenger, it's a pleasure to meet you all." She looked at Mark and gave him a different kind of smile, like a jungle cat eying a potential competitor. "Hello, Mark."
alderwitch Posted July 14, 2009 Posted July 14, 2009 "Hi! I'm Alex Albright. You have the neatest friend. I, uhm, fed him some granola. I hope that's okay?" Alex gave the girl a quick smile after pausing to blink at the outfit. "Erin pointed out that it prolly isn't part of his usual dietary needs." She brushed the crumbs off her hands and gave Squeaker another wistful look before she grinned at Eddie, "I wouldn't even know where to begin on taking care of something like that. I'd never try and keep something wild that I didn't know how to care for. More harm than good an' all that."
angrydurf Posted July 14, 2009 Posted July 14, 2009 Mike stared obviously shocked at the girls outfit and managed a poor cover by looking intently at the floor once he realized he'd been staring. "Uhm yea, thats an interesting pet you have there, I'm Mike by the way." As he fell silent once more Mike gave an off hand wave and glanced up from the floor for moment. The large teen shifted uncomfortably and glanced around at the others uncertain how to react to being discovered in the midst of this investigation.
quotemyname Posted July 14, 2009 Author Posted July 14, 2009 Eddie smirked after the exchange between Susanna Challenger and Mark. "I'm Eddie." A mischievous smile played across his lips. "You two know each other I guess?" "It's the eye of the tiger it's the thrill of the fight, Rising up to the challenge of our rival!" The singular verse wafted across the group quietly, before the music shut off. Eddie had to respect that they were still in the library... Eddie did have enough grace to not stare at the girls outfit. Though he did pause to admire it briefly.
Electra Posted July 14, 2009 Posted July 14, 2009 Erin looked between Mark and the new girl, wondering what exactly was going on there, but fairly sure that there wasn't going to be a fight in the library... unless maybe somebody hit Eddie. She stuck her hands in her pockets. "Nice to meet you," she told Susanna neutrally. "I'm Erin. Mark was just giving us a quick tour around the campus, since we're all new."
Avenger Assembled Posted July 14, 2009 Posted July 14, 2009 Susanna evidently didn't get the reference Eddie was making, cocking her head and looking at him quizzically before addressing the group again. "Well, I'm sure you'll have a lovely time here. This is a fine school, much better than the others I've had to attend over the years." She caught Eddie's eye and yawned, stretching her long arms up to the ceiling for a moment before she turned. "Now come along, Squeaker, we're going to be late for hunting practice. Let's see if we can get those pigeons this time..." As Susanna left, Mark coughed again. "Susanna's trans-dimensional," he commented, "she's from a very tropical world, very...uh, she says Tarzan was based off the adventures her great-grandfather shared with Edgar Rice Burroughs when he was visiting Earth-Prime back in the 1910s. Anyway, let's get out of here. I've gotta drop off my bag," he said with a quick smile. "You can show me what you've done with the place, Mike."
quotemyname Posted July 14, 2009 Author Posted July 14, 2009 Eddie cocked an eyebrow at Susanna's strange goodbye. Did she just give me the look? he thought to himself. Jolting back to reality, Eddie replied to Mark's idea. "Actually that's a good idea. I need to see what the rooms look like for when I pick somwhere to live. If you guys don't mind that is..."
angrydurf Posted July 14, 2009 Posted July 14, 2009 Mike watched somewhat perplexed as susanna left then slowly shrugged his broad shoulders and shifted back full onto his feet. "Fine by me," he said "But uhh, they didn't warn me you were coming so, yea fair warning." He added Mike was not the neatest teen in general and being out on his own had certainly not improved that thus far. Warning given he turned to make his way down the stairs glad that they had been distracted before they went further with the third floor mystery.
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