Recon... [OTA]

[szardosmagik]

Amanda had found that traveling in the compound was much easier when she was in feline form. Not that she minded walking around as a human, but she found that she got less attention when she was small and could hide in corners and cracks

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[guardyourlife]

Heather wandered through the halls, trying to familiarize herself with the compound. She'd found her room, stowed her things, bathed in too cold water and changed to clean dry clothes. She'd located Stryker's office but apparently had missed him there.

Over the next couple of days she settled in a little, but somehow, she kept missing her room mate. She knew she had one, but she hadn't snooped into the other girl's (presumably) belongings, that would have been rude now, wouldn't it?

So, exploring.

She'd poked her nose into the rec room before, but hadn't stayed to explore it. With no real schedule to keep - she felt like she should have been training or something but so far there was no one to ask about it - Heather decided to find out what kinds of entertainment the rec room boasted. She cautioned herself against expecting anything more than maybe a TV and possibly some communal DVDs.

[szardosmagik]

Pausing and watching the blond, Amanda tilted her head. The woman looked vaguely familiar. She padded after her, slipping into the rec room as soon as the door was opened. She jumped up onto the couch and curled up, staring up at the woman curiously.

[guardyourlife]

Heather found the TV, turned it on and got some Russian aerobics class, conducted by a man with a thick, heavy moustache and thighs that could probably crack wallnuts.

With a grin, Heather flipped channels but most of them produced only snow, so she turned the set off.

There was a sensation of eyes on her.

Turning, she saw the lovely little chocolate furred cat sitting neatly on the sofa, watching her.

"Hello, Puss," she said, mouth quirking to one side. Pets and children, this place certainly wasn't much the way she'd imagined it, at least not so far.

Heather came over and sat on the couch a foot or so from the cat and extended her had, glancing away. She'd noticed that cats tended not to stare at one another, unless they were being aggressive. They'd look, make eyes contact, look away. Short glances seemed to be polite.

[szardosmagik]

Amanda tilted her head at the television (okay, that was amusing and reminded her of the television back home) and then back to the blond, simply sitting there and waiting. She ducked her head a little as Heather came over and sat down.

Moving towards the outstretched hand, she sniffed it and then waited, giving Heather a look of curiousity. The woman was familiar, even though Amanda was certain she'd never met her before. The scent, she'd smelled it before in her own room...but why?

Oh! Ha! This was her roommate. Figuring she could let her roomie in on the secret, the cat shimmered and turned into a grinning Amanda. "You're my roommate!"

[guardyourlife]

Heather's eyes widened as the lovely little cat shimmered and became a lovely young woman!

Pretty sure her own expression of surprise was probably comical, she started laughing. She'd just been about to scritch her new room mate under the chin!

"That so?" The laugh was breathless. "That's ripper, turning into a cat! What happens to your clothes?" Heather's blue eyes were twinkling. She was pretty happy to finally be meeting her roomie. That transformation was pretty amazing - as good as Kurt's vanishing trick.

[szardosmagik]

Amanda cocked a small grin at her roommate's surprise and she chuckled. "I'm pretty sure. Are you Heather?" she asked, before she nodded. "Thanks. I'm a shapeshifter. For some reason, the clothes stick around, thank God. It'd be a little embarrassing to lose them each time!"

She laughed softly and extended her hand to Heather, smiling. "I'm Amanda, if you hadn't gathered."

[guardyourlife]

"Heather Cameron," the lifeguard took Amanda's hand firmly. "Shapeshifter... very cool. Do you just change into a cat, or...?" It was a friendly and curious question, not an intent to pry. She'd take a brush off with good grace if one was forthcoming.

[szardosmagik]

"Oh, I can change into all sorts of things." she answered, grinning. "I have to keep it somewhat reasonable. So no King Kong or T-Rexes, but I have managed an elephant." She laughed, tilting her head.

"Do you mind if I ask what you do?"

[guardyourlife]

Heather whistled her appreciation. "That's impressive," she murmured.

At the question, she quirked a different sort of smile. "I'm a lifeguard," she said. "I'm sorry... it's pretty much literally true though. What I do... is hard to explain. I can't demo it either. If someone needs saving, I, um, save em. Whatever it takes."

[szardosmagik]

Grinning, Amanda shrugged, lifting her hands. "Thanks. It's a talent, for sure."

She listened to her roommate explain and she made a soft sound of surprise. "Really? That's amazing. Whatever it takes?" And she thought magic was impressive.

[guardyourlife]

Heather hoped Amanda didn't think she was bragging or anything, just to make herself sound important.

"The first time... my baby brother got knocked off his board by a wave, right in front of a shark. I sort of just knew, just before it happened. I drove and swam... faster than I've ever done anything. I made two hundred yards in seconds. I just slipped between Davis and the shark, expecting to get chomped... but then I had this kind of armor, instead of skin..."

It felt weird, talking about it.

[szardosmagik]

Amanda listened to the story, her eyes widening a hair. A shark? Sharks scared her a bit, she wouldn't lie. But then, so did the ocean. She was a plains traveler, not a sea traveler.

"Mein Gott. And you both were alright?" she asked, not at all thinking Heather a showoff. She was a hero.

[guardyourlife]

"Got him back to shore, no injuries," Heather nodded. "He was a little freaked out having a metallic gold sister, but the armor just... went away." Heather shrugged. "It's come back a few times. Other things too. But I can't..." Only a hint of Heather's frustration leaked out, "control it. It just happens on its own."

[szardosmagik]

Frowning softly at Heather's frustration, Amanda tilted her head, giving her a look of sympathy. "At least you can do it though. It's a wonderful gift to have." She thought about Kurt and his gift, how many times it'd been a life saver. "I shape shift. Not very helpful."

[guardyourlife]

Heather nodded. "It's a gift,and I'm grateful. Without it, I wouldn't have Davis, and other folks wouldn't have gone home to their families." There was a pang there but she held it close. Just because she and Davie were on the outs didn't mean she'd wanted anything changed.

Cocking her head, she added, "Not helpful? If you could change to a dolphin you could face down a shark... change to a croc you'd be a tough opponent... Can you do a bird?"

[szardosmagik]

"And you've saved other people too?" Amanda's eyes softened and the smile stayed right where it was. "See, sounds to me like you've got control somehow."

She thought about it and then chuckled. "I suppose so. I like to shift into an owl." she smiled, thinking of it. "I love changing into birds. It's quite freeing, even if the mind is a little limiting."