A Day In The Lake
That was refreshing. So outrageously refreshing. And I got to see new faces, meet new people! That's what I was ultimately hoping for when I left those notes, saying I'd be down in the lake today. Such a beautiful lake, too. And clean! It reminded me of camp, of lazy summers up at Mooselookmeguntic Lake. Of course this lake isn't so big, and it's a mansion rather than a log cabin, but... Work with me, here.
Not only did I meet new people, but one may show me around the city, and another is similar to me. Similar to me but very different. Still, similar enough for me to want to track her down and compare notes! I hope I get to see her around the school.
The day is still and unbearably hot - wispy clouds that had lingered in the morning hours having since been burned away into a dead-weight haze. Energy conservation within shaded and cool places are key; not even woodland birds lifting their voices to sing by the lakeside. The water itself is a clean and clear respite, its broad surface dotted with speedboats and swimmers a hearty distance away from the private beachside property of Xavier's School. Beneath the deceptively calm surface, something sleek lurks.
Flip-flop, flip-flop -- the distinctive sound of summer sandals works its way down the path, breaking the silence. Even this seems muted, however, muffled by the oppressive heat. Alyssa -- the source of the sandaled noise -- looks like nothing more than a girl in desperate need of some cooling off; in the walk from the mansion proper she has already begun to sweat, and stray wisps of hair escape from her ponytail to stick to her cheeks. Flip-flop, flip-flop she goes, finally stopping at the edge of the dock and peering into the water. "Huh," is breathed as she adjusts her towel over her shoulder, then the strap of her bathing suit -- two piece, tie-dyed -- before stepping out of her sandals.
Any hopes Alyssa might have been harboring about time alone have been squelched, for, scant moments after reaches the edge of the dock, Walter emerges from the woods. He considers the dock, briefly glancing towards the person at the other end. If recognition occurs, it is not obvious. He removes his Spiderman shirt, and his sandals, placing them with his towel on the shore-adjacent end of the wooden dock. He drops into a passable imitation of a sprinter's kneel. "Heads up!" He sprints down the dock, full speed, 20 mph, rapidly accelerating towards his top speed of 40. He does /try/ not to bowl over the young woman though.
At the end of the dock is a towel - simple in its forest green hue, yet large in size and fluffy with the excessive amount of looped fibers - and a pair of women's flip-flops, well-worn and size 11. The person which the items belong to is not readily visible, and neither is Eileen despite the note she had left up at the mansion. About thirty feet out from shore, bubbles dance merrily to the surface and pop.
"Oh sweet Lord!" Alyssa doesn't get bowled over, but it's a near thing -- her arms windmill, and she drops her towel into the water. "...crap. Thanks, Walter!" is snarked as she scrambles down onto the dock and starts trying to fish out her towel. Eileen's towel and flip-flops are noted with a wrinkled nose, and she scans the water and the shore for a moment -- bubbles. There are /bubbles/. Huh. There is also a rapidly sinking towel. "Argh!"
Walter has yet to master his speed to the extent that would allow him to stop with any degree of grace. So, he barrels forth, jumping as he reaches the end of the dock. Enhanced strength working in tandem with forward momentum sends him soaring. He has time to let out a "Sorry" before having to close his mouth so that he doesn't swallow a mouthful of lake water when he lands just a foot, maybe two, short of the bubbles.
The bubbles are gone! There is something bright and floaty to attend to, afterall. The distance is closed with simple ease and grace, provided by a form perfected by nature and evolution. Rippled water's surface is cut, sliced by the tip of an ominous triangle, seen and then disappearing just as quickly. The towel is pushed up from beneath, shielding a melon-curved head from view, right before Alyssa receives a misted spray of breath that smells vaguely like old fish.
Walter catches just a vague glimpse of the torpedo shaped form, enough to warrant a mildly confused look when he surfaces. Eyes dart back to the dock, and the girl getting sprayed, "Sorry, Alyssa, you can use my towel if you want!" He swims towards the dock, and the peculiar new inhabitant of the lake. He's a fairly good swimmer, not competition level, but he could get there with some work.
"Ack!" is Alyssa's reaction to getting sprayed, and she pulls back for a moment before reaching out to take her towel. It is /wet/. Ariel, though faded and now sopping, still looks as brightly cheerful as ever. Silly mermaid. "...hello?" Walter's offer gets a frown, and then a shrug. "Sure. Thanks. This should dry fairly fast, now, though. S'hot out."
A long and toothy muzzle follows the towel from the water, outlined with the white of scar tissue against a field of grey. The water is gnawed on happily as the surface passes - bright and lively black eyes following, caught in a constant smile. There's a dolphin in the lake. Noisily she clicks and squees, bobbing her head as she floats before the lip of the dock, side-fins waving with jubilation. Perhaps in a hello.
So stunned is Walter that for a moment, he forgets to paddle, or even tread water. This lasts about as long as it takes for him to sink beneath the surface. Sputtering, he treads water, one hand pointing out at the dolphin. He says, "That's a dolphin," though tone suggests that what he'd /like/ to say is more similar to 'What is a dolphin doing here.' Then, unseen in any form other than Walter's features, mental gears lock into place. "Miss McEwan?"
"Brilliant observation, Walter!" Alyssa calls out, clapping briefly. "Miss McEwan?" she echoes, then /ohs/. "Eileen! From the note. At the pool." Spreading out her towel and then settling back on the dock, Aly lifts one hand in an answering wave. "Guess the water's good, then?"
The head bobs a little more fervently with Walter's question while the dolphin known as Eileen sounds like she's laughing. Jaw open in that eternal grin, she gnashes the water again, successfully squirting water towards Walter. Thankfully with no fish consumed, there is no fishy-breath. Alyssa's question, in turn, is granted a joyful bobble of the head, as if spring-loaded for that express purpose.
Walter acks, taking the splash of water right in the face, spitting into the lake. He did /not/ just get dolphin water in his mouth, would it be teacher water? Either way. Mouth cleared out to Walter's liking, he switches to a more pleasant reaction. "That is /awesome!/" He swims closer to the dolphin, eyes gleaming in that expression the 'cooler' powers usually receive from the young comic book geek.
"So much better than SeaWorld." Grinning, Alyssa finally scoots down to the end of the dock, and lets herself tumble in. She bobs up, treading water happily. "Man, you are /so lucky/," she emphasizes, unable to help the grin. "Would other dolphins think you're one of them, like this?"
That would definitely be dolphin-water and not teacher-water. Black eyes dip back into the secure moisture which the lake provides, unblinking and glimmering with an innate and lively curiosity. Room is made for Alyssa to join them if she chooses - Eileen's body a sleek six feet long as she cruises around the far side of Walter, within touching distance. The answer to Alyssa's query is another blast of misty air from the blowhole, politely directed away from anyone, though not especially indicative towards a yes or no.
Walter does not touch, though something in his expression says he'd like to. Afterall, it's his teacher, one of them at least. He eventually reaches towards the dolphin/teacher's back, silently asking permission.
As room is made, Aly swims toward them with sure strokes, finally stopping once she too is close enough to touch. Eyebrows lift, as does a hand -- feet keep kick-kicking underwater to keep her afloat. "May I?"
Policies must be different between teacher-student physical interaction when the teacher isn't currently human, right? Regardless, the lean, firm dorsal fin curves up to catch the tips of Walter's outstretched fingers, dragging him along for a several strokes if he hangs on. Passenger or not, Alyssa gets a playful nose to the gut.
Walter grabs hold, lowering his head to avoid getting water up his nose. When Eileen/Flipper comes to a stop, he raises his head above the surface, laughing. "Okay, I take back what I said about Jamie, /you/ have the best. power. ever!" He beams at them both.
Alyssa oofs, pushed backward in the water just a little. The raised hand lowers, and she runs her hand over the dolphin's slick nose. "Totally better than SeaWorld," she repeats with a laugh, "/totally/ better. Glad you're gonne be here," she tells Eileen, "wish I hadn't graduated outta here before you started teaching."
Bubbles arise again, dancing mirth with Walter's statement as Eileen pauses within the water. Alyssa's hand receives a wet-muzzled couple of nudges - a series of clicks and chitters following in what sounds to be like a pleased reply. For those who understand dolphinese, of course.
Walter laughs, he doesn't understand dolphinese, but he can guess that the reaction is pleased. He points to Alyssa, smiling towards the teacher-dolphin. Sure, Walter's a kid, but young adults get to enjoy rides /too/ right?
Laughing, Alyssa responds to the hand-nudges, then catches Walter's pointing. "Oh. Oh, no, I couldn't..." Shaking her head, she just pats again. Patpat. Patpatpat.
Eileen hasn't exactly been officially introduced to Alyssa yet, though formalities can be easily brushed off considering the circumstances. Bottom jaw drops into that gaping open grin again with the pats received, but the biology teacher seems to have a touch of selective hearing. It's the water in the ears, and all. Abruptly she arches her back enough to catch those patting fingers - powerful tail pumping to pull the accumulated weight while streamline body cuts the water, just beneath the surface of the lake.
Walter grins widely, watching the teacher's actions, wondering if Alyssa will grab hold.
Oh boy, does Alyssa catch hold -- there's a moment where she almost doesn't, though, surprise narrowing her pupils -- but then fingers clamp on, and she clings to the biology teacher's dorsal fin. As Eileen swims, Alyssa squeals with delighted laughter, letting herself be pulled along.
The heat and humidity of the day is nigh inescapable when outdoors, but after returning to Xavier's with Melissa and enjoying a bit of cool respite indoors, the possible escape that was mentioned before is decided on. Remy emerges from the path leading back through the trees with Melissa, towel casually tossed over his bare shoulder as he currently wears nothing but a pair of swim shorts. "So hopefully dis'll help make up for dat bit of bad news, bein able to enjoy a bit o'time relaxin in de lake." His eyes sweep over the water, pausing on the other two he sees here as he grins. "Ain't dat lucky, only two others down here right now, too. Figured we might've been battlin wit' de whole school for a spot in de water." Curiosity at the movements quickly tug Remy's eyes back to Alyssa, slightly tilting his head as he draws closer.
It's funny. You don't realize how much you miss you room until you come back to it. Luckily without a roommate, her room is still in the lovely disarray she left it in. With bags having been left on her bed and two southerners making the best of the day by catching up on events both great and little, she finds the outdoors, despite the heat, a welcomed change from the usual frigidness of indoors and airports. (it at least smells better too!) The lycanthromorph shoves her hands into her pockets, finding relief to beneath the dappled trail of well enclosing forest. How she's missed home. A few nods here and there to signify she is listening, and she keeping her stare on the path sometimes impeded by the occasional tripping root. "I could use it." The relaxing part - she could do without the bad news. "And still say let'em try n' take my blood. Guarantee they'll be losing more of it than me." Snort. Stubborn southern women. Big talkers and barkers. Melissa lifts her head finally as they near the lake- and finds herself at a rather unusual site. "Since when does Xavier's have dolphins?"
Even if Alyssa is a far cry from being considered weighty, the drag of the passenger along the smooth and slippery, grey torpedo body verges on being a hassle. There is no grace, here. Hard cartilage holds strong, though, tugging successfully and at a speed some swimmers would envy. However, with the extra body only being on one side, Eileen ends up curving around in a broad circle. Once the beach is spotted with new occupants, she stops, stilling in the water and allowing herself to sink marginally, as if sheepish.
Walter laughs merrily as Alyssa gets a ride, quirking an eyebrow as Eileen sinks beneath the surface. After verifying that it isn't exhaustion that caused the behavior, he roughly follows the dolphin's line of sight, spotting the catalyst. He gives a friendly wave to the newcomers, calling out to the one he recognizes, "Hey, Gambit!"
Still laughing as Eileen stops, Alyssa bobs in the water once, then pats the 'dolphin's' side. "Thanks, professor," she tells her quietly, then frowns at the shore for a moment. Oh. But wait! She pops back up to wave vigorously. "Professor Starhunt!" the graduate carols out, "the water's great."
"Dolphins..." Remy repeats in a tone of mixed amazement and disbelief. "How could dat even be possible?" He slowly shakes his head with a light laugh, glancing over towards Melissa as he continues down the beach and closer to the water. "As if nothin else 'round here seems to fit under de terms of 'impossible'. But a dolphin?" His gaze drifts back out to the water where the movement has stilled as he continues, "Last I knew, we didn't have anyone 'round here dat /could/ do somethin like dat." He dips his head in a nod of greeting towards Walter, offering him an inquisitive grin and a short wave of his hand.
"Mutant. Huh. Interesting." Dryly the woman comments towards her male companion, watching as the dolphin's play is cowed and human emotion shows through the animal persona. Ah transmorphers. You got to love them. There's no threat read in Eileen, and there's no need for the woman's hackles to ruffle and raise. Dismissing the play as good humor and the woman welcome on the grounds, the wolf-feral remains quiet, observing the new students along with the dolphin-morpher. Ah. But apparently Gambit drops by the mansion more than she had assumed - this would be a point where Melissa might feel sheepish. After all, she lives here and hasn't talked with her ex as much as other people has. Oh well, busy times. Troublesome times.
Detaching her stares from the group, she absently casts a stray look towards the far east bank, watching for the vague signs of larger life, deer most likely, mixed in with that of birds. Oh. Wait. Her name! That's me! Melissa's head turns back to Alyssa with a double blink, "Ha! Hello Aly. Didn't recognize you for a bit! How are you doing?" The wolf feral smiles, careful of limiting the display of unearthly eyeteeth. "Oh Rems. Appearances are deceiving," The woman carols back at the man at his comments of the impossible. Although, and she won't verbally admit it, she too was briefly stumped by the appearance of a dolphin in a freshwater lake.
Dolphins can be demure, right? Though Eileen lingers where she stilled - close to Walter but closer still to Alyssa - she blinks once owlishly, a lazy and forced motion, as if in indecision. Recognition made between the two parties, bottlenose breaks the surface again, followed by the melon of the forehead. Water sloshes, then squirts from her mouth towards them, a messy arch which comes no where close to catching either Gambit or Professor Starhunt.
Walter is, of the group, closest to the shore. Overhearing Gambit's pondering, he calls out, "She's the new biology teacher, her name is Eileen." And thus, Eileen joins the cool kids on Walter's 'first name' list. It's a /very/ exclusive list. Hard to get onto, at least for a teacher.
"Eileen McEwan," Alyssa adds with a final affectionate pat, then starts swimming toward shore. Once near she stands, and wades out of the water. "I'm doin' well enough," she tells Melissa, ignoring Remy and only lying through her teeth a /little/ bit. "Graduated, gonna be movin' out soon -- but I gotta head back up to the mansion for a bit. You'll be around more, yeah?"
With a knowing snicker, Remy sends a smirk towards Melissa with the comment of appearances, the glance exchanged needing no words as he's been around her long enough in the past to know how much that's true. Quiet chuckles drift out as he turns back to the others. "Oui, you're a great example o'dat - an' got de perfect scare tactic t'keep any students in line. But now, here, wit' dis dolphin...not as scary o'course, but real interestin. -Eileen, hmm?" Laughter rises out of him with the arch of water from her, watching the dolphin intently. "Dat'd be fun, bein a dolphin - perfect for a day like dis, n'est-ce pas?" A grin is quickly sent back towards Melissa as he drops his towel, and with that and a tilt of his head for her to follow, he sprints into the water enough to dive in completely.
Stare. The wolf looks upon the new introduction rather distantly. Well now. That's interesting. "Dolphin ability only or what's your extents?" Trying to gage the new teacher, but doing so with a polite enough smile, "Eileen is it? Welcome to Xavier's. I'm Melissa - I deal with art and horsemanship here." Surface wise, of course - retaining full battle-information classes and battle theory classes on the more secrete levels. "Oh and I should be around more, Alyssa. Take it you missed me a little, eh?" She smiles, adding with it a brief wink.
The woman of course is curious by the animal-morpher, and does her own show, departing enough from Gambit's side to allow her body to slide into that comfortable transition between flesh and fur. It takes only a second - the amount of time it takes for a person to usually cough just once - for the human physique to melt away into something primal and large. No small dog or even small horse - for those students unaware of first day practices with her, this is the sight in which they are most often greeted with. There's nothing tiny about the Frisbee sized paws, or the fact that huge three foot long house teeth that are as long as a man's fingers. It's a wolf that's two tons of muscle and pointy-things. Unlike a normal wolf, however, there are the mutations within the mutation. For one, a deformed spine as allowed the woman's wolf form to have a pair of twin tails - and tribal-like markings mar the left of her eyes (which in themselves are so queer they could be almost ugly.) They're dead and almost milky with no pupil to signify where she's actually looking.
Erecting her chin a bit more, that long lupine body stretches, extending to that full twelve feet or so of length. A yawn, purposeful or playful, makes no masquerade of hiding those rows of long teeth. With a rather unceremonious flump, the she-wolf lays on her stomach and simply stares at the dolphin. See. Stare. Ha. I see you. Remy and the others may splash around, she's in observation mode.
With the introduction provided by Walter, Eileen propels herself a bit further out of the water, revealing the upper-half of her body as she dances on her tail. Pleased chitters and squees are directed towards Walter; Alyssa being granted another playful nudge, this time to the side of her midriff as she wades out. However, the sight of shifting on the beach drags the attention abruptly - the resulting form causing the dolphin to sink unceremoniously back down into the water. Awkwardly, almost. As close as Remy may come, he's only ignored as she swims in towards the beach, perhaps endangering herself in the process with her curiosity in the shallow waters.
Walter waves goodbye to Alyssa, "Bye, Alyssa." Then the shifting happens. Yes, Melissa is scary. Is she 'trapped inside a burning building' scary? How about 'Man with no lower face, or chest, and psionic fire in their place' scary? Nope. Walter watches curiously. Something about his features say that, while he finds the power cool, he isn't likely to be asking for rides from the overly large lupine.
Despite disappearing under the water for a considerable amount of time, Remy resurfaces only a short distance out in the lake, brushing his wet hair back over his head and away from his face as he peers back towards the beach. Eyebrows arch upwards as light laughter drifts back to the shore, watching the reactions of the other two before swimming slowly back and into a more comfortable talking and listening distance.
Like some great sphinx, the she-wolf stays near the banks, allowing most of her body to still be sheltered by the elongated dappling shadows of lake's fringe of trees. Both tails give a quiet thump, disturbing clouds of dry dust beneath them. She doesn't lower her head to her forepaws, and instead keeps it elevated where she can lifeguard the students and observe this new teacher with a greater advantage. Ears pivot forward, high on her head, as the lithe water-creature moves towards her direction. As curious as Melissa is about Eileen, it's stayed. The quiver of a wet nose indicates her own version of checking out the dolphin from a distance. Who knows! Maybe dolphins bite! If she notices Walter's stares, the she-wolf pays no heed to him, and instead presses herself up to her full height of six feet at the shoulders and moves cautiously towards the bank. Dolphins are weird. And it isn't exactly like she's actually seen one up this close before. Carefully she moves to where forepaws dig into the soft mud and quickly become overlapped by sunstreaked lake-shore waters that cover over gnarled paw joints and the long claws. Sniff.
Unblinking black eyes, glimmering with inquisitive glee, gaze up towards Melissa as Eileen's belly brushes against the soft and padded sand of the beach. She lingers, still and observant, openly curious, wearing a permanent smile of impish delight. Noisily the blowhole opens with a rush, depositing a damp exhalation that smells vaguely of fish into the air. The biology teacher inhales and the hole snaps back shut. As if of the mind that she can talk, the dolphin gibbers incoherently in the silty shallows. Walter and Remy are turned towards, briefly, eyed as if in warning, before another breath is captured from the air, deep and necessary, before grey is shed for a pale but definitely human skin-tone.
Walter swims towards shore, slowly approaching the enormous canine. When Eileen's skin shifts from grey to pink, a brief internal debate occurs as Curiosity faces off against Caution. Curiosity ensures Caution that if it's really all that bad, they /can/ just look the other direction. So, Walter watches.
Lingering just a short distance away from shore now, Remy exchanges the treading of water to standing on the ground and escaping the heat by staying in the water. His eyes drift over towards the dolphin chatter as he lightly chuckles, eyes flickering over towards Melissa for a beat before they quickly return to Eileen as she begins to shift, watching with curiosity as he takes a few steps closer in the water.
Oh this is curious! The lupine regards the dolphin with an amount of playfulness - although not lowering herself and pouncing at the poor creature. She doesn't want to give her a heart attack. Instead, the feral lingers into the waters, letting her fur bristle up as the fill of the water finds its way against her skin through usually protective silver-white coat. The wolf watches Remy and Walter, her ears flicking back. Well she's aware of what wet dog smells like, and she's not about to get herself fully wet in this form. Even she doesn't like that smell. With all the feral qualities sorted out, and the advancements of what she can assume is de-shifting on the dolphin's side, Melsa departs to move towards Remy, keeling in a high pitched sound. "<>" Resolutely that telepathic voice touches at everyone within the small group. Ears flatten and those pupiless eyes close as she finds another squishy portion of cold mud between her paws. It's creepy. If she were human now, she easily could swim above the lake-bottom's muck and avoid it. Alas. Looking towards Remy for some sort of assurance, although even she's not entirely sure as to what type, she makes another whine sound as the dry shore is given a look. Oh yes She's thinking about bolting to the nice try earth again.
Skin colouration first, though there's a pause that follows, in which Eileen's eyes close in a lidded trance. Abruptly the dorsal fin melts into rounded back, and while the melding of flesh may be unpleasant to watch, it's the noises that one must really be prepared for. Wet ripping can not be muted by water as the tail appears to tear in half, tail and side fins similarly shredding to individual, flat mock-ups of fingers and toes. From the crown of the dolphin's forehead, bright auburn hair sprouts, hissing before the bone-cracking reshaping of the face occurs - eyes repositioning and chin jutting down before the nose breaks and retracts. She gasps then as her body shrinks, compresses, the growth of arms making slick noises of suction. Just before details form, her body turns a bright shade of blue, presenting a one-piece cotton bathing suit. The grotesque motions take a couple of minutes, ended by the opening of her deep brown eyes.
Caution turns to Curiosity, "I /told/ you so!" Mere moments into the transformation, soon as the sounds begin, Walter silently curses his ears, reaching up to cover them as he looks away. He braces himself against the urge to retch, only throwing up a /little/ bit, fully capable of swallowing the bile, which he does. A moment after the sounds stop, he opens his eye a bit, looking over at the familiar form of the teacher. Hands drop to his side, "You weren't kidding!" He shudders. Maybe her power isn't as cool as he had thought.
Remy offers a reassuring grin towards Melissa, a quiet chuckle following afterwards, "An' cold is perfect for a day like dis, n'est-ce pas?" His eyes quickly snap back to Eileen as the shifting begins, watching with interest at first, then a curiosity of the sort that may have killed the cat at one point. He winces and grimaces with the sounds of flesh ripping, and with the bone cracking and final shifting, a mixture of sympathy and queasiness settling onto his expression. Once it's finished and she stands, he swallows thickly with a glance towards Walter. When his eyes return to Eileen again, it's with a tentatively sympathetic expression. "Sorry dat ain't as...smooth for you as it is for Melissa. Mon /Dieu/ though, dat sounds like it hurts somethin awful, non?"
Her complaints of being cold (and obviously wet) are muted. The canine settles half back on her haunches, lifting one muddy and wet foot, and craning her head to watch the performance of Eileen. My god. That looks... painful. The canine has seen a lot of things, but nothing that looks like ...well something from Hell Raiser! Ears flatten back against her skull and the wolf, already white, blanches. Melting flesh is something she can handle. The sound of bones crunching and sculpting back into shape while contained in a flesh bag is a little bit on the side of sick. The wolf sniffs highly, and dances a bit further out towards Remy's way, keeping towards the shore in which she longs to bolt. She debates it still. She'll fixate on something less nauseating. Like swimming. "True." Distracting herself with the idea that it is horribly hot out and the water is inviting. Never the less she'd have to go back to shore unless she'd want to swim in her clothing.
Smooth like sandpaper. Eileen's transformation reminds her of a small animal going through a blender only to be poured into a cookie-cutter shape. Nummy. The wolf makes a rather splashy exit, kicking up droplets of water as she moves to the lip of the lake bank. While no water gets on her top coat, the urge to shake herself off just to make sure is something that can't be squelched. After a good shake and herself 'clean' in her mind, she's able to make her own transformation - though thankfully without the sound effects. Bones slide and shape themselves quickly and noiselessly, leaving behind the towering lupine in favor of the woman wearing shorts and a swimsuit top. Able to shed her shorts to show the bottom to her swimsuit, she's able to join the lake-goers properly. "Does it hurt?" Calling towards Eileen. "Sounds like it." She's never had a problem-shift, but then again, she only has one animal form - just with variations.
And along comes Esmie. Bright green bathing suit, a one piece, matches with the crochetted bun net in her hair. Around her waist is a pale tan towel. When the shelter of the trees gives way to a view of the crowd around the lake she falters, eyeing them warily for a moment before she spots Walter. The new comer makes her way towards the familiar face, eyes downcast but still high enough she won't run into anyone... theoretically. Esmeralda stumbles a bit over a wayward branch sitting in her path, a blush rising to her cheeks as she does so. "Hey," is murmured once she's close enough that Walter might hear her soft tone.
"I'm sorry, Walter." Eileen's apologetic and soft alto is immediate as she continues to prop herself up out of the water, resting on palms and knees. However, the gaze she turns towards the young man could be defined as impish, especially when paired with: "But it was fun." Grinning, the woman goes to stand, collecting her legs beneath her, though height and lack of bouyancy brings the woman toppling right back down into the water. "I didn't want to get out anyway," she mutters before mumbling something about the humans and lack of grace. Then Remy and Melissa are shot individual but awkward smiles, "Sorry for that, but no. No, it doesn't hurt. I don't feel a thing." Walter is glanced towards once more. "Which I hope makes things a bit more bearable." Esmie is granted a welcoming smile.
Walter shakes off the heeby-jeebies, "It's okay." He looks over to Esmie, yay, a distraction, he waves over to her, "Come on in Esmie." He points over to the Cajun, "This is Gambit," the finger moves to Eileen, "Eileen," to the lycanthrope, "and... Professor Starhunt?" The finger waves between the women, "They're teachers here." He beams towards the girl, "You should have been hear earlier, Eileen was a dolphin, it was awesome, and Professor Starhunt turned into a /big/ wolf. /Huge!/" Now that the instinctual fear of large animals, animals with teeth, and teachers, isn't looming on the surface of his thoughts, he can fanboy in peace.
Remy drifts a bit closer to Eileen and the shore, trailing after Melissa for a few yards before deciding to remain in the refreshing waters rather than the heat of the open air. Concern gives way for light laughter as he catches the look from Eileen towards Walter, shaking his head and waving a hand towards her. "Non, non, don't worry about it. Dat's somethin else though, n'est-ce pas? Bein able to be a dolphin. Such care-free animals, they're great, people should take more hints from de way they handle themselves I think," he finishes with a smirk, and his eyes drift over towards Walter and the introduction. A hand lifts from the water in a two-fingered wave and a nod of his head, laughter once again flowing out of him with Walter's exhuberance and excitement about the two transformations - though he does nod in agreement with him as his red and black eyes land on Esmie.
Oh dear. There aren't crabs in the lake, are there? Melissa cautiously makes her way from bank to lake. No. There is no longer fur to protect her from the definite chill of the water. Her skin, exposed to it, casts a shiver through out here. No way would she allow herself to appear cowardly - however she just doesn't do well in sudden chills. Remy's previous smile had been a good source of encouragement, one she needed, and one she draws in on now. The one piece she wears isn't a solid color, but instead a gradient between orange and violet-pink with a few lotus flowers creating a loose pattern on the spandex suit. At the sound of her name, Professor Starhunt lifts her head, glancing towards Walter with a shallow nod towards him and Esmie. "Y'got it." Not bothering to lend her true name to the kids just yet. Privately, though, she gushes at the small amount of excitement Walter's voice takes on when describing her mutation. Aw shucks. Just be glad she doesn't demonstrate her second ability while everyone is in the water. That could be electrifying.
Esmie returns Eileen's smile, shyly, softly asking, "what didn't hurt?" The tone is slightly hesitant, even for her. Moving to hide behind Walter, the introductions seem to leave her somewhat shell-shocked, nodding and giving a timid wave to each. Green eyes meet black and red with little more than an extra blink of surprise. "Esmeralda," she states, shooting Walter an angry look. The look is emphasized by an attempt to poke him in the arm, hard. She is blushing red from the attention.
"Esmeralda. That's a pretty name," Eileen compliments from where she has plopped herself within the shallow waters of the lake, likely getting sand where she doesn't want to. "Don't worry about it," she waves off the girl's curiosity before turning towards Gambit. From a woman who was just a dolphin, his eyes do grant a few startled blinks - smile resuming quickly after with his drawled words. "You said it. Happiest and most fun-loving animal I know, next to a dog. They actually have a complex familial system, too..." she fades as Walter's gushing is caught. Faintly, along the apples of her cheeks, a rosey carnation blooms.
Walter is, at the moment, the 3rd smallest individual at Xavier's. As Esmie is neither number 2 nor number 1, her attempts to hide behind Walter are mostly in vain. He chuckles at the poke, giving her nose one in return. "It's alright. Eileen's nice, and I've met Gambit before." Thinking back to that conversation, he glances towards the red-eyed man. "Did you ever find your friend?" he asks, with no small amount of concern in his voice. He glances at the crowd cautiously, before offering a perhaps enigmatic, "They fixed Cerebro."
"Esmeralda," Remy mutters thoughtfully, grinning towards her as well as he dips his head in another nod of greeting before his attention returns to Eileen. The grin widens as he nods quickly in agreement, lowering himself to his neck in the water. With the question about the friend, the pleasant tilt of his lips slowly tempers with a gentle sigh. "Dat's a bit complicated, Walter. Oui, knew right when they fixed it, but...well...turns out she ended up goin somewhere else after we found her." He glances over towards Walter and a hand drifts through the air before settling into the water again, "Which is alright I guess, cause at least dat means she's...okay - I hope. Not dead at least, which is better dan nothin..." He fades into a murmur, tilting back as he relaxes into a float on the water, though his eyes shift to flicker over towards Melissa and Eileen.
Esmeralda is /figuratively/ hiding behind Mighty Mouse then. The refusal to give her question answers results in a toe tapping, once, twice, before it is dismissed with a pensive shrug of shoulders. The poke to the nose earns Esmie shaking her head, nose wiggling and scrunching up. "Sir-eebo? What?" She cannot yet say 'Xavier' properly, can one expect Cerebro to be any better? Her eyes dart around the gathered crowd. The corner's of her lips threaten to start falling, hovering between neutral and a frown. Her eyebrows have been raised, marginally, in interest.
Eileen falls contently silent as the conversation continues into domains more personal than introductions, falling more towards previously held conversations. The gaze of dark chocolate eyes travel from younger towards older while fingers, lacking the rubber-like skin she just shed, begin to prune. Lips purse however in the inevitable question, forming the looks of the start of a 'w' as Cerebro is mentioned - silence kept as Esmie asks the question for her, keeping Eileen seeming just a bit more knowledgable despite her glances between Walter and Remy.
Walter looks to Eileen, as well as his friend. He shoots a curious glance Remy's way, before telling the girls, "You should ask Doctor Grey." Lets not let the new people in on the hidden side of the school, not just yet.
Remy's eyes flicker towards Esmeralda, though he refrains from saying anything and gives a nod as Walter speaks first. "It ain't somethin t'worry 'bout, you two. 'Sides, you both just recently arrived here, n'est-ce pas? How long've you two been here so far?" He waves a leg under the water and pulls an arm through it in a small stroke to drift closer to the others on shore. "Dis is a real nice place, an' I mean, who can beat bein dis close to de city /and/ still have a lake and trees and everythin' like it does here? Great place t'come and relax sometimes, actually." He snickers as he adds quietly, "Sometimes. As circumstances allow, t'least."
Esmie is definitely pouting now, eyes narrowing. The foot that had tapped before is stomped, ever so slightly. Her head turns towards Gambit as he talks to her, expression lightening. "Two weeks," soft, quiet. "I don't know, I'd rather be farther from the city myself." Apparently deciding that noone of the crowd is going to eat her alive, Esmie sneaks out from behind Walter, slowly, eyes darting around before she makes a break to the dock. Her bare feet make hollow thunks along it before she drops her towel (fortunately it doesn't land in the water). Moments later she is sitting, her feet in the water, arms braced behind her so she can lean back slightly.
Briefly Eileen's brows shade her eyes as they furrow together, aiming displeasure at Walter and his suggestion. The woman inhales as if to start off, yet Gambit saves the young man from any diatribe. The southern man receives the Eye now - a more adult fashion of pouting - before his smooth transition relaxes her curiosity, along with Esmie's reply. "Two weeks? Me too! -But, yes, this school seems wonderful. I've felt welcomed, here. It's even nicer being all moved in." Vaguely her nose wrinkles. "Haven't been able to go to the city, though. I'd really love to."
Walter watches Esmie, following her to the dock. He apologetically offers a half-explanation for his reluctance, "It's... complicated, I don't really understand it much myself. Doctor Grey would be a /lot/ more helpful." He smiles, "It's not hard to go into town, you just have to take a hour long bus trip, or drive, I think they have cars for the older people to borrow." He shrugs.
Both eyebrows raise in slight surprise towards Esmie, though nothing is said in response at first as Remy continues to float in the water. "Well, at least you can feel like you're farther from it dan you really are, non?" He chuckles quietly with Eileen's reply, lowering his feet to stand in the water, only up to his midriff where he's currently drifted to. "Good, oui, people are real good at dat here - makin y'feel welcomed. Sure surprised me when I first came here." His lips settle into a wider grin with the revelation, eyes flickering to Walter before he nods slowly in agreement. "Oui, I'm pretty sure they still do. 'Course, if you needed anyone t'be showin you around dat big city, I've been livin there for a while now."
Esmie shrugs at Walter's apology, idly kicking in the water. Every third kick results in a little splash, alternating leg breaking the surface. She /does/ give him a friendly grin though. "True," she mumbles towards Gamit, another shrug lifting her shoulders. She opens her mouth as if to add more to it, only to close it and nod. "Welcoming school, yes." Her tone is just /slightly/ sarcastic. With that her eyes close and she leans back to enjoy the sun.
"Oh, I brought my own car down. If you ever want to drive into the city, just ask," Eileen offers towards Walter since Esmie seems less than interested. "But not on school nights, and probably not without a little warning first." Added on just in case Walter gets any bright ideas. Gambit's invitation elicits a bright smile - gaze following over towards the Cajun to drop in an attempt at a surreptitious glance down his figure before pointedly looking at his unique eyes. "You'd show me around? I did all the touristy stuff when I was younger but...but I'd love to get to /know/ the city. How long have you been there?"
Walter reaches around Esmie, pulling her into one of his one armed hugs, "Trust me Esmie, if /I/ can make friends here, you'll do fine." He briefly considers mentioning the /biggest/ failure he's ever patched up, but perhaps Esmie shouldn't find out about Walter's application of his healing factor in /quite/ that way. He turns to Eileen, "Sure, I'll keep that in mind, gotta be better than asking Bobby every time I can't afford bus fare."
Remy smirks and nods as Eileen's gaze turns back onto him again. "Bien sur, I could probably do dat at some point. Ain't too busy over there, or here, since I don' think I'll be helpin t'teach any classes dis year." He chuckles quietly and shrugs, dipping back down into the water and into a floating position again on the surface. "Course who knows, wit' all de unexpected twists an' turns dat happen 'round here. Been livin in de city for...oh...'bout half a year now, but I was there for almost a year or so 'fore I got brought out here to Xavier's."
Esmie pinkens slightly at the hug, otherwise not responding to it other than a slight tensing. "Yeah, yeah." She sticks her tongue out at the boy, without any facial effect... it appears almost lazy. Her legs have continued their steady kicking, 1-2-splash, 1-2-splash. She glances, eyebrows raised slightly in a questioning manner, towards Eileen, but remains silent.
Walter smiles towards Gambit, "I think they need a French teacher still, Ms. Montague is sort of retired." He can't /quite/ place Remy's accent, but he did pick up on the occasional French term. You don't grow up as close to the Canadian border as Walter did without at least being able to /recognize/ the language when it's being used.
Eileen wrinkles her nose and nods affably towards Walter at the mention of bus fare. Gambit gets a chuckle, slight and amicable. "Sure! Before the summer's out or something. Totally up to you and all." An easy-going nod follows the statement of time in the city and the woman's expression appears unchanged. "Nice! It must be hard getting on your feet in a place that big." Then, braving the heat and humidity, she stands and rounds up the beach to the dock, where her comfortable green towel lies.
The smirk on Remy's lips begin to gain a wry tilt with Walter's words. "Oui, I heard about dat, with her. Dat's actually- well, one o'de things I used to teach here. French." He shrugs as he once again lets his feet drop to the ground, standing up in the water. "I figure I'd probably just wait till I get approached wit' de offer if they feel like havin me back doin dat, or depending on how things end up goin wit'...all dat registration business..." he fades into a mutter as he starts to walk back out to the beach, but a wide grin is sent back towards Eileen again, "D'accord, before de summer's out sometime." With a quiet chuckle, he scoops up his towel, but simply drapes it around his neck. "It actually wasn't dat hard for me, in my opinion - but den again, Lady Luck seems t'smile down on me more often dan not."
Esmie leans backwards, curling her legs underneath her before pushing herself to her feet. Grabbing her towel she towels off. "I should get going," to Walter. "A pleasure meeting you," a nod to both of the adults. Towel is deftly wrapped around her waist before she starts back towards the end - the dry one - of the dock.
Though the towel is warm, Eileen proceeds to wrap it demurely around her body regardless. "I can't imagine how much it would cost someone to live directly in New York City. Just the price of a hotel alone is outrageous." Flip-flops are skillfully slipped back onto her feet, though a sigh is cast towards the wriggling digits. "I like being a dolphin so much more. -It was nice meeting you, Esmeralda! Stay cool!"
Walter waves goodbye to Esmie, "See you around Esmie, tell Nisa high for me if you see her first." He smiles up at Eileen, "Maybe you can show me some of the other forms some time, or at least that one again, it was fun." A question remembered, he turns to Gambit, "So, you always go by Gambit, like Forge and Rogue, or do you have a different name?"
With a quiet chuckle, Remy shrugs before tossing a wave off to Esmie, "Au revoir, petite." Attention returning to Eileen, he shrugs a shoulder again. "Dat all depends on where you live, an' how you do it. Arrangements can always be made - but, oui, bein a dolphin...I couldn't imagine how fun dat must be, just playin around like dat. Would you be able to talk to other dolphins that way?" With the question from Walter, his eyes drift back towards him, lingering on the boy for a contemplative moment before his gaze flickers over to Eileen, then he grins to both of them and nods. "Oui, de name's Remy, though I go by both dependin on de situation an' de people."
A, "k, see ya," is mumbled at Walter and an, "oh rey-voir," to Gambit, with terribly accented French. She waves at Eileen, stumbling along the beach. Esmie slips into the trees, bathing suit blending in with the leaves.
Eileen's chuckle is bordering on apologetic again as one hand lifts to ruffle through shortly cropped, damp hair. "Well. A repeat audience. I don't always get that. If you can stick through the dolphin, then most others in my repertoire shouldn't be too terrible." Though looking as if to leave, she settles back down, cross-legged upon the boards of the dock. "Talk?" she chuckles, "I can't say I've ever /tried/, though I'd love to be able to catch a pod like that." The pause in which Gambit considers the two of them causes her head to tilt ponderingly to one side - a slow smile lifting her lips as true name is given. "So, why Gambit?" A pause. "If you don't mind my wondering..."
Walter smiles, "Oh, okay, I was just curious, I know some mutants are a little funny about using..." he searches for a neutral term, "the name their parents gave them." He shrugs, "I really only have Walter, well, and Mighty Mouse, but I don't really like getting called that all that much." Doesn't stop his player from finding it hilarious. He frowns, remembering the girl who will now /only/ refer to him by his nickname. Brightening, he waits for an answer to Eileen's question.
"Why Gambit?" Remy repeats with an amicable and thoughtful chuckle. He tilts his head in a gesture towards Walter. "Basically de same reason he gets called Mighty Mouse. It fits to an...extent, but not in de entire sense o'de term. But, dat's one o'de things I'm de best at - turning a situation dat could go either way into a /good/ situation for whichever side I want." A smirk is sent towards Walter, slowly shaking his head, "Well, den, Mighty Mouse is probably what you've been dubbed, cause names like dis usually don't get chosen by /yourself/ y'know. Some things, they just...feel right, an' stick."
"Mmm, I was only aware of nickname acquisition from news reports of the Brotherhood. My involvement with the mutant community up until now has been, well, less than involved. But I suppose I understand others take on the names not just to hide their birthnames, but as a second birthing name?" The comment from Eileen lifts up into a partial question, more a slight wondering than any true query. "I asked Jamie and Alex to give me one. They haven't gotten back to me yet," the woman says with a wryly amused grin.
Walter frowns at the indication that the Mighty Mouse title might be permanent. "If I'm going to have a second name, I want it to be something better than Mighty Mouse." He looks up to Eileen, "Quick, pick me something new!" A similarly pleading look is thrown Remy's way.
Remy nods deeply with a quiet chuckle, "Oui, like a second birthing name. Some are just more comfortable wit' de name, cause it fits so much better dan de name they were born with. Maybe some don't even know it. I been called both for...merde, nearly de same amount o'time it seems." A quiet snicker drifts over towards Walter as he slowly raises his right eyebrow, "Uh. Disney? I don' know, don' even really know what you can do, but judging by de Mighty Mouse name, I can make a few educated guesses towards de obvious, o'course."
"Aww, but Mighty Mouse is cute!" Eileen openly teases with a cheeky sort of grin. "I could even make the outfit for you. Cape and everything," she offers, her words perked up to make it sound tantalizing, as if Walter had actually requested for such a thing. "I'm afraid I'm not very good at giving nicknames, though. Sorry, Walter. Perhaps you'll stumble across something you like better, someday."
Walter winces visibly at the suggestion of "Disney." "No, not that nickname again!" He gives the quick explanation, "My powers let me lift over 400 lbs, I can run at 40 miles per hour, and I heal." He holds up his right hand, pointing to the back, "I was missing the back of my hand once, it grew back in less than a minute." He looks back to the adults, /please/ let that help get him a decent title.
Light laughter is tugged out of Remy with the tantalizing tone Eileen uses, nodding slowly with a gesture towards her as if Walter should take her up on the offer. "Vraiment? Hm, well now, dat's a pretty package. Like three in one, or somethin - but, like Eileen, m'not really specialized in de nick-namin department. M'afraid dat's usually somethin dat comes with enough uses, an' enough people knowin you by dat." He chuckles quietly as he starts to take a few slow steps off towards the woods, though done so in a gradual backwards step, eyes still flickering between Eileen and Walter. "So if you find somethin you like, put it on a nametag an' wear it around so enough people start callin you it, perhaps, non?"
Eileen glances towards Remy with an amused tilt to her lips. "Now all I can think of are cartoons," she murmurs pensively before chuckling and lifting herself with awkward motions back off of the dock. The towel is given another modest tug-and-tighten and toes wriggle again before she huffs a sigh at the day and its humidity at large. "Well, I believe I'm going to go get myself some iced tea. And then relax a little." Because not enough of that has been had today, for certain. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Remy." There is the faintest of pauses before she settles on his given name. "I'll be seeing you around Walter. Read some books! There could be some great names in there!" she offers as she begins to stride away, towards the path leading up to the mansion proper.
Walter watches the adults getting ready to leave. He walks towards the end of the dock, retrieving his things, and preparing to leave himself, "Maybe I'll just go find a dictionary to flip through or something." He chuckles a bit at Remy, "I somehow don't think the nametag idea would work."
Remy shines a grin over towards Eileen as he dips his head in a nod of agreement, eyes peering up towards Eileen still. "Oui, enchante, Eileen. I'm sure we'll be seein more of each other as well, here - an' it's real interestin dat there's another...anthromorph sort o'person 'round here now, besides Melsa. Y'should seek her out sometime, talk to'r about things if y'wanted." He chuckles quietly and shrugs, then glances back towards Walter as he starts to head off into the woods and towards the mansion. "Au revoir, Walter. Good luck wit' dat."
Well, at least the dictionary is a book. Eileen's suggestion is taken to heart somewhat! "Good luck, Walter." Warm and dark eyes flicker towards crimson-on-black and the woman may just blush a little with that charm in French. "I know. I'm itching to talk with her. She's so fluid... I have so many questions. It's wonderful to know that she'll be here. I hope she doesn't mind my bothering her." Because, with the way Eileen is gushing right now over finding one with powers similar to her own, she could get annoying. "Have a good day, you two!" The path is continued up towards the mansion.
Walter waves goodbye to the two adults, ducking into the boathouse for a drink before setting off on the scenic route back to the mansion.
Not only did I meet new people, but one may show me around the city, and another is similar to me. Similar to me but very different. Still, similar enough for me to want to track her down and compare notes! I hope I get to see her around the school.
The day is still and unbearably hot - wispy clouds that had lingered in the morning hours having since been burned away into a dead-weight haze. Energy conservation within shaded and cool places are key; not even woodland birds lifting their voices to sing by the lakeside. The water itself is a clean and clear respite, its broad surface dotted with speedboats and swimmers a hearty distance away from the private beachside property of Xavier's School. Beneath the deceptively calm surface, something sleek lurks.
Flip-flop, flip-flop -- the distinctive sound of summer sandals works its way down the path, breaking the silence. Even this seems muted, however, muffled by the oppressive heat. Alyssa -- the source of the sandaled noise -- looks like nothing more than a girl in desperate need of some cooling off; in the walk from the mansion proper she has already begun to sweat, and stray wisps of hair escape from her ponytail to stick to her cheeks. Flip-flop, flip-flop she goes, finally stopping at the edge of the dock and peering into the water. "Huh," is breathed as she adjusts her towel over her shoulder, then the strap of her bathing suit -- two piece, tie-dyed -- before stepping out of her sandals.
Any hopes Alyssa might have been harboring about time alone have been squelched, for, scant moments after reaches the edge of the dock, Walter emerges from the woods. He considers the dock, briefly glancing towards the person at the other end. If recognition occurs, it is not obvious. He removes his Spiderman shirt, and his sandals, placing them with his towel on the shore-adjacent end of the wooden dock. He drops into a passable imitation of a sprinter's kneel. "Heads up!" He sprints down the dock, full speed, 20 mph, rapidly accelerating towards his top speed of 40. He does /try/ not to bowl over the young woman though.
At the end of the dock is a towel - simple in its forest green hue, yet large in size and fluffy with the excessive amount of looped fibers - and a pair of women's flip-flops, well-worn and size 11. The person which the items belong to is not readily visible, and neither is Eileen despite the note she had left up at the mansion. About thirty feet out from shore, bubbles dance merrily to the surface and pop.
"Oh sweet Lord!" Alyssa doesn't get bowled over, but it's a near thing -- her arms windmill, and she drops her towel into the water. "...crap. Thanks, Walter!" is snarked as she scrambles down onto the dock and starts trying to fish out her towel. Eileen's towel and flip-flops are noted with a wrinkled nose, and she scans the water and the shore for a moment -- bubbles. There are /bubbles/. Huh. There is also a rapidly sinking towel. "Argh!"
Walter has yet to master his speed to the extent that would allow him to stop with any degree of grace. So, he barrels forth, jumping as he reaches the end of the dock. Enhanced strength working in tandem with forward momentum sends him soaring. He has time to let out a "Sorry" before having to close his mouth so that he doesn't swallow a mouthful of lake water when he lands just a foot, maybe two, short of the bubbles.
The bubbles are gone! There is something bright and floaty to attend to, afterall. The distance is closed with simple ease and grace, provided by a form perfected by nature and evolution. Rippled water's surface is cut, sliced by the tip of an ominous triangle, seen and then disappearing just as quickly. The towel is pushed up from beneath, shielding a melon-curved head from view, right before Alyssa receives a misted spray of breath that smells vaguely like old fish.
Walter catches just a vague glimpse of the torpedo shaped form, enough to warrant a mildly confused look when he surfaces. Eyes dart back to the dock, and the girl getting sprayed, "Sorry, Alyssa, you can use my towel if you want!" He swims towards the dock, and the peculiar new inhabitant of the lake. He's a fairly good swimmer, not competition level, but he could get there with some work.
"Ack!" is Alyssa's reaction to getting sprayed, and she pulls back for a moment before reaching out to take her towel. It is /wet/. Ariel, though faded and now sopping, still looks as brightly cheerful as ever. Silly mermaid. "...hello?" Walter's offer gets a frown, and then a shrug. "Sure. Thanks. This should dry fairly fast, now, though. S'hot out."
A long and toothy muzzle follows the towel from the water, outlined with the white of scar tissue against a field of grey. The water is gnawed on happily as the surface passes - bright and lively black eyes following, caught in a constant smile. There's a dolphin in the lake. Noisily she clicks and squees, bobbing her head as she floats before the lip of the dock, side-fins waving with jubilation. Perhaps in a hello.
So stunned is Walter that for a moment, he forgets to paddle, or even tread water. This lasts about as long as it takes for him to sink beneath the surface. Sputtering, he treads water, one hand pointing out at the dolphin. He says, "That's a dolphin," though tone suggests that what he'd /like/ to say is more similar to 'What is a dolphin doing here.' Then, unseen in any form other than Walter's features, mental gears lock into place. "Miss McEwan?"
"Brilliant observation, Walter!" Alyssa calls out, clapping briefly. "Miss McEwan?" she echoes, then /ohs/. "Eileen! From the note. At the pool." Spreading out her towel and then settling back on the dock, Aly lifts one hand in an answering wave. "Guess the water's good, then?"
The head bobs a little more fervently with Walter's question while the dolphin known as Eileen sounds like she's laughing. Jaw open in that eternal grin, she gnashes the water again, successfully squirting water towards Walter. Thankfully with no fish consumed, there is no fishy-breath. Alyssa's question, in turn, is granted a joyful bobble of the head, as if spring-loaded for that express purpose.
Walter acks, taking the splash of water right in the face, spitting into the lake. He did /not/ just get dolphin water in his mouth, would it be teacher water? Either way. Mouth cleared out to Walter's liking, he switches to a more pleasant reaction. "That is /awesome!/" He swims closer to the dolphin, eyes gleaming in that expression the 'cooler' powers usually receive from the young comic book geek.
"So much better than SeaWorld." Grinning, Alyssa finally scoots down to the end of the dock, and lets herself tumble in. She bobs up, treading water happily. "Man, you are /so lucky/," she emphasizes, unable to help the grin. "Would other dolphins think you're one of them, like this?"
That would definitely be dolphin-water and not teacher-water. Black eyes dip back into the secure moisture which the lake provides, unblinking and glimmering with an innate and lively curiosity. Room is made for Alyssa to join them if she chooses - Eileen's body a sleek six feet long as she cruises around the far side of Walter, within touching distance. The answer to Alyssa's query is another blast of misty air from the blowhole, politely directed away from anyone, though not especially indicative towards a yes or no.
Walter does not touch, though something in his expression says he'd like to. Afterall, it's his teacher, one of them at least. He eventually reaches towards the dolphin/teacher's back, silently asking permission.
As room is made, Aly swims toward them with sure strokes, finally stopping once she too is close enough to touch. Eyebrows lift, as does a hand -- feet keep kick-kicking underwater to keep her afloat. "May I?"
Policies must be different between teacher-student physical interaction when the teacher isn't currently human, right? Regardless, the lean, firm dorsal fin curves up to catch the tips of Walter's outstretched fingers, dragging him along for a several strokes if he hangs on. Passenger or not, Alyssa gets a playful nose to the gut.
Walter grabs hold, lowering his head to avoid getting water up his nose. When Eileen/Flipper comes to a stop, he raises his head above the surface, laughing. "Okay, I take back what I said about Jamie, /you/ have the best. power. ever!" He beams at them both.
Alyssa oofs, pushed backward in the water just a little. The raised hand lowers, and she runs her hand over the dolphin's slick nose. "Totally better than SeaWorld," she repeats with a laugh, "/totally/ better. Glad you're gonne be here," she tells Eileen, "wish I hadn't graduated outta here before you started teaching."
Bubbles arise again, dancing mirth with Walter's statement as Eileen pauses within the water. Alyssa's hand receives a wet-muzzled couple of nudges - a series of clicks and chitters following in what sounds to be like a pleased reply. For those who understand dolphinese, of course.
Walter laughs, he doesn't understand dolphinese, but he can guess that the reaction is pleased. He points to Alyssa, smiling towards the teacher-dolphin. Sure, Walter's a kid, but young adults get to enjoy rides /too/ right?
Laughing, Alyssa responds to the hand-nudges, then catches Walter's pointing. "Oh. Oh, no, I couldn't..." Shaking her head, she just pats again. Patpat. Patpatpat.
Eileen hasn't exactly been officially introduced to Alyssa yet, though formalities can be easily brushed off considering the circumstances. Bottom jaw drops into that gaping open grin again with the pats received, but the biology teacher seems to have a touch of selective hearing. It's the water in the ears, and all. Abruptly she arches her back enough to catch those patting fingers - powerful tail pumping to pull the accumulated weight while streamline body cuts the water, just beneath the surface of the lake.
Walter grins widely, watching the teacher's actions, wondering if Alyssa will grab hold.
Oh boy, does Alyssa catch hold -- there's a moment where she almost doesn't, though, surprise narrowing her pupils -- but then fingers clamp on, and she clings to the biology teacher's dorsal fin. As Eileen swims, Alyssa squeals with delighted laughter, letting herself be pulled along.
The heat and humidity of the day is nigh inescapable when outdoors, but after returning to Xavier's with Melissa and enjoying a bit of cool respite indoors, the possible escape that was mentioned before is decided on. Remy emerges from the path leading back through the trees with Melissa, towel casually tossed over his bare shoulder as he currently wears nothing but a pair of swim shorts. "So hopefully dis'll help make up for dat bit of bad news, bein able to enjoy a bit o'time relaxin in de lake." His eyes sweep over the water, pausing on the other two he sees here as he grins. "Ain't dat lucky, only two others down here right now, too. Figured we might've been battlin wit' de whole school for a spot in de water." Curiosity at the movements quickly tug Remy's eyes back to Alyssa, slightly tilting his head as he draws closer.
It's funny. You don't realize how much you miss you room until you come back to it. Luckily without a roommate, her room is still in the lovely disarray she left it in. With bags having been left on her bed and two southerners making the best of the day by catching up on events both great and little, she finds the outdoors, despite the heat, a welcomed change from the usual frigidness of indoors and airports. (it at least smells better too!) The lycanthromorph shoves her hands into her pockets, finding relief to beneath the dappled trail of well enclosing forest. How she's missed home. A few nods here and there to signify she is listening, and she keeping her stare on the path sometimes impeded by the occasional tripping root. "I could use it." The relaxing part - she could do without the bad news. "And still say let'em try n' take my blood. Guarantee they'll be losing more of it than me." Snort. Stubborn southern women. Big talkers and barkers. Melissa lifts her head finally as they near the lake- and finds herself at a rather unusual site. "Since when does Xavier's have dolphins?"
Even if Alyssa is a far cry from being considered weighty, the drag of the passenger along the smooth and slippery, grey torpedo body verges on being a hassle. There is no grace, here. Hard cartilage holds strong, though, tugging successfully and at a speed some swimmers would envy. However, with the extra body only being on one side, Eileen ends up curving around in a broad circle. Once the beach is spotted with new occupants, she stops, stilling in the water and allowing herself to sink marginally, as if sheepish.
Walter laughs merrily as Alyssa gets a ride, quirking an eyebrow as Eileen sinks beneath the surface. After verifying that it isn't exhaustion that caused the behavior, he roughly follows the dolphin's line of sight, spotting the catalyst. He gives a friendly wave to the newcomers, calling out to the one he recognizes, "Hey, Gambit!"
Still laughing as Eileen stops, Alyssa bobs in the water once, then pats the 'dolphin's' side. "Thanks, professor," she tells her quietly, then frowns at the shore for a moment. Oh. But wait! She pops back up to wave vigorously. "Professor Starhunt!" the graduate carols out, "the water's great."
"Dolphins..." Remy repeats in a tone of mixed amazement and disbelief. "How could dat even be possible?" He slowly shakes his head with a light laugh, glancing over towards Melissa as he continues down the beach and closer to the water. "As if nothin else 'round here seems to fit under de terms of 'impossible'. But a dolphin?" His gaze drifts back out to the water where the movement has stilled as he continues, "Last I knew, we didn't have anyone 'round here dat /could/ do somethin like dat." He dips his head in a nod of greeting towards Walter, offering him an inquisitive grin and a short wave of his hand.
"Mutant. Huh. Interesting." Dryly the woman comments towards her male companion, watching as the dolphin's play is cowed and human emotion shows through the animal persona. Ah transmorphers. You got to love them. There's no threat read in Eileen, and there's no need for the woman's hackles to ruffle and raise. Dismissing the play as good humor and the woman welcome on the grounds, the wolf-feral remains quiet, observing the new students along with the dolphin-morpher. Ah. But apparently Gambit drops by the mansion more than she had assumed - this would be a point where Melissa might feel sheepish. After all, she lives here and hasn't talked with her ex as much as other people has. Oh well, busy times. Troublesome times.
Detaching her stares from the group, she absently casts a stray look towards the far east bank, watching for the vague signs of larger life, deer most likely, mixed in with that of birds. Oh. Wait. Her name! That's me! Melissa's head turns back to Alyssa with a double blink, "Ha! Hello Aly. Didn't recognize you for a bit! How are you doing?" The wolf feral smiles, careful of limiting the display of unearthly eyeteeth. "Oh Rems. Appearances are deceiving," The woman carols back at the man at his comments of the impossible. Although, and she won't verbally admit it, she too was briefly stumped by the appearance of a dolphin in a freshwater lake.
Dolphins can be demure, right? Though Eileen lingers where she stilled - close to Walter but closer still to Alyssa - she blinks once owlishly, a lazy and forced motion, as if in indecision. Recognition made between the two parties, bottlenose breaks the surface again, followed by the melon of the forehead. Water sloshes, then squirts from her mouth towards them, a messy arch which comes no where close to catching either Gambit or Professor Starhunt.
Walter is, of the group, closest to the shore. Overhearing Gambit's pondering, he calls out, "She's the new biology teacher, her name is Eileen." And thus, Eileen joins the cool kids on Walter's 'first name' list. It's a /very/ exclusive list. Hard to get onto, at least for a teacher.
"Eileen McEwan," Alyssa adds with a final affectionate pat, then starts swimming toward shore. Once near she stands, and wades out of the water. "I'm doin' well enough," she tells Melissa, ignoring Remy and only lying through her teeth a /little/ bit. "Graduated, gonna be movin' out soon -- but I gotta head back up to the mansion for a bit. You'll be around more, yeah?"
With a knowing snicker, Remy sends a smirk towards Melissa with the comment of appearances, the glance exchanged needing no words as he's been around her long enough in the past to know how much that's true. Quiet chuckles drift out as he turns back to the others. "Oui, you're a great example o'dat - an' got de perfect scare tactic t'keep any students in line. But now, here, wit' dis dolphin...not as scary o'course, but real interestin. -Eileen, hmm?" Laughter rises out of him with the arch of water from her, watching the dolphin intently. "Dat'd be fun, bein a dolphin - perfect for a day like dis, n'est-ce pas?" A grin is quickly sent back towards Melissa as he drops his towel, and with that and a tilt of his head for her to follow, he sprints into the water enough to dive in completely.
Stare. The wolf looks upon the new introduction rather distantly. Well now. That's interesting. "Dolphin ability only or what's your extents?" Trying to gage the new teacher, but doing so with a polite enough smile, "Eileen is it? Welcome to Xavier's. I'm Melissa - I deal with art and horsemanship here." Surface wise, of course - retaining full battle-information classes and battle theory classes on the more secrete levels. "Oh and I should be around more, Alyssa. Take it you missed me a little, eh?" She smiles, adding with it a brief wink.
The woman of course is curious by the animal-morpher, and does her own show, departing enough from Gambit's side to allow her body to slide into that comfortable transition between flesh and fur. It takes only a second - the amount of time it takes for a person to usually cough just once - for the human physique to melt away into something primal and large. No small dog or even small horse - for those students unaware of first day practices with her, this is the sight in which they are most often greeted with. There's nothing tiny about the Frisbee sized paws, or the fact that huge three foot long house teeth that are as long as a man's fingers. It's a wolf that's two tons of muscle and pointy-things. Unlike a normal wolf, however, there are the mutations within the mutation. For one, a deformed spine as allowed the woman's wolf form to have a pair of twin tails - and tribal-like markings mar the left of her eyes (which in themselves are so queer they could be almost ugly.) They're dead and almost milky with no pupil to signify where she's actually looking.
Erecting her chin a bit more, that long lupine body stretches, extending to that full twelve feet or so of length. A yawn, purposeful or playful, makes no masquerade of hiding those rows of long teeth. With a rather unceremonious flump, the she-wolf lays on her stomach and simply stares at the dolphin. See. Stare. Ha. I see you. Remy and the others may splash around, she's in observation mode.
With the introduction provided by Walter, Eileen propels herself a bit further out of the water, revealing the upper-half of her body as she dances on her tail. Pleased chitters and squees are directed towards Walter; Alyssa being granted another playful nudge, this time to the side of her midriff as she wades out. However, the sight of shifting on the beach drags the attention abruptly - the resulting form causing the dolphin to sink unceremoniously back down into the water. Awkwardly, almost. As close as Remy may come, he's only ignored as she swims in towards the beach, perhaps endangering herself in the process with her curiosity in the shallow waters.
Walter waves goodbye to Alyssa, "Bye, Alyssa." Then the shifting happens. Yes, Melissa is scary. Is she 'trapped inside a burning building' scary? How about 'Man with no lower face, or chest, and psionic fire in their place' scary? Nope. Walter watches curiously. Something about his features say that, while he finds the power cool, he isn't likely to be asking for rides from the overly large lupine.
Despite disappearing under the water for a considerable amount of time, Remy resurfaces only a short distance out in the lake, brushing his wet hair back over his head and away from his face as he peers back towards the beach. Eyebrows arch upwards as light laughter drifts back to the shore, watching the reactions of the other two before swimming slowly back and into a more comfortable talking and listening distance.
Like some great sphinx, the she-wolf stays near the banks, allowing most of her body to still be sheltered by the elongated dappling shadows of lake's fringe of trees. Both tails give a quiet thump, disturbing clouds of dry dust beneath them. She doesn't lower her head to her forepaws, and instead keeps it elevated where she can lifeguard the students and observe this new teacher with a greater advantage. Ears pivot forward, high on her head, as the lithe water-creature moves towards her direction. As curious as Melissa is about Eileen, it's stayed. The quiver of a wet nose indicates her own version of checking out the dolphin from a distance. Who knows! Maybe dolphins bite! If she notices Walter's stares, the she-wolf pays no heed to him, and instead presses herself up to her full height of six feet at the shoulders and moves cautiously towards the bank. Dolphins are weird. And it isn't exactly like she's actually seen one up this close before. Carefully she moves to where forepaws dig into the soft mud and quickly become overlapped by sunstreaked lake-shore waters that cover over gnarled paw joints and the long claws. Sniff.
Unblinking black eyes, glimmering with inquisitive glee, gaze up towards Melissa as Eileen's belly brushes against the soft and padded sand of the beach. She lingers, still and observant, openly curious, wearing a permanent smile of impish delight. Noisily the blowhole opens with a rush, depositing a damp exhalation that smells vaguely of fish into the air. The biology teacher inhales and the hole snaps back shut. As if of the mind that she can talk, the dolphin gibbers incoherently in the silty shallows. Walter and Remy are turned towards, briefly, eyed as if in warning, before another breath is captured from the air, deep and necessary, before grey is shed for a pale but definitely human skin-tone.
Walter swims towards shore, slowly approaching the enormous canine. When Eileen's skin shifts from grey to pink, a brief internal debate occurs as Curiosity faces off against Caution. Curiosity ensures Caution that if it's really all that bad, they /can/ just look the other direction. So, Walter watches.
Lingering just a short distance away from shore now, Remy exchanges the treading of water to standing on the ground and escaping the heat by staying in the water. His eyes drift over towards the dolphin chatter as he lightly chuckles, eyes flickering over towards Melissa for a beat before they quickly return to Eileen as she begins to shift, watching with curiosity as he takes a few steps closer in the water.
Oh this is curious! The lupine regards the dolphin with an amount of playfulness - although not lowering herself and pouncing at the poor creature. She doesn't want to give her a heart attack. Instead, the feral lingers into the waters, letting her fur bristle up as the fill of the water finds its way against her skin through usually protective silver-white coat. The wolf watches Remy and Walter, her ears flicking back. Well she's aware of what wet dog smells like, and she's not about to get herself fully wet in this form. Even she doesn't like that smell. With all the feral qualities sorted out, and the advancements of what she can assume is de-shifting on the dolphin's side, Melsa departs to move towards Remy, keeling in a high pitched sound. "<>" Resolutely that telepathic voice touches at everyone within the small group. Ears flatten and those pupiless eyes close as she finds another squishy portion of cold mud between her paws. It's creepy. If she were human now, she easily could swim above the lake-bottom's muck and avoid it. Alas. Looking towards Remy for some sort of assurance, although even she's not entirely sure as to what type, she makes another whine sound as the dry shore is given a look. Oh yes She's thinking about bolting to the nice try earth again.
Skin colouration first, though there's a pause that follows, in which Eileen's eyes close in a lidded trance. Abruptly the dorsal fin melts into rounded back, and while the melding of flesh may be unpleasant to watch, it's the noises that one must really be prepared for. Wet ripping can not be muted by water as the tail appears to tear in half, tail and side fins similarly shredding to individual, flat mock-ups of fingers and toes. From the crown of the dolphin's forehead, bright auburn hair sprouts, hissing before the bone-cracking reshaping of the face occurs - eyes repositioning and chin jutting down before the nose breaks and retracts. She gasps then as her body shrinks, compresses, the growth of arms making slick noises of suction. Just before details form, her body turns a bright shade of blue, presenting a one-piece cotton bathing suit. The grotesque motions take a couple of minutes, ended by the opening of her deep brown eyes.
Caution turns to Curiosity, "I /told/ you so!" Mere moments into the transformation, soon as the sounds begin, Walter silently curses his ears, reaching up to cover them as he looks away. He braces himself against the urge to retch, only throwing up a /little/ bit, fully capable of swallowing the bile, which he does. A moment after the sounds stop, he opens his eye a bit, looking over at the familiar form of the teacher. Hands drop to his side, "You weren't kidding!" He shudders. Maybe her power isn't as cool as he had thought.
Remy offers a reassuring grin towards Melissa, a quiet chuckle following afterwards, "An' cold is perfect for a day like dis, n'est-ce pas?" His eyes quickly snap back to Eileen as the shifting begins, watching with interest at first, then a curiosity of the sort that may have killed the cat at one point. He winces and grimaces with the sounds of flesh ripping, and with the bone cracking and final shifting, a mixture of sympathy and queasiness settling onto his expression. Once it's finished and she stands, he swallows thickly with a glance towards Walter. When his eyes return to Eileen again, it's with a tentatively sympathetic expression. "Sorry dat ain't as...smooth for you as it is for Melissa. Mon /Dieu/ though, dat sounds like it hurts somethin awful, non?"
Her complaints of being cold (and obviously wet) are muted. The canine settles half back on her haunches, lifting one muddy and wet foot, and craning her head to watch the performance of Eileen. My god. That looks... painful. The canine has seen a lot of things, but nothing that looks like ...well something from Hell Raiser! Ears flatten back against her skull and the wolf, already white, blanches. Melting flesh is something she can handle. The sound of bones crunching and sculpting back into shape while contained in a flesh bag is a little bit on the side of sick. The wolf sniffs highly, and dances a bit further out towards Remy's way, keeping towards the shore in which she longs to bolt. She debates it still. She'll fixate on something less nauseating. Like swimming. "True." Distracting herself with the idea that it is horribly hot out and the water is inviting. Never the less she'd have to go back to shore unless she'd want to swim in her clothing.
Smooth like sandpaper. Eileen's transformation reminds her of a small animal going through a blender only to be poured into a cookie-cutter shape. Nummy. The wolf makes a rather splashy exit, kicking up droplets of water as she moves to the lip of the lake bank. While no water gets on her top coat, the urge to shake herself off just to make sure is something that can't be squelched. After a good shake and herself 'clean' in her mind, she's able to make her own transformation - though thankfully without the sound effects. Bones slide and shape themselves quickly and noiselessly, leaving behind the towering lupine in favor of the woman wearing shorts and a swimsuit top. Able to shed her shorts to show the bottom to her swimsuit, she's able to join the lake-goers properly. "Does it hurt?" Calling towards Eileen. "Sounds like it." She's never had a problem-shift, but then again, she only has one animal form - just with variations.
And along comes Esmie. Bright green bathing suit, a one piece, matches with the crochetted bun net in her hair. Around her waist is a pale tan towel. When the shelter of the trees gives way to a view of the crowd around the lake she falters, eyeing them warily for a moment before she spots Walter. The new comer makes her way towards the familiar face, eyes downcast but still high enough she won't run into anyone... theoretically. Esmeralda stumbles a bit over a wayward branch sitting in her path, a blush rising to her cheeks as she does so. "Hey," is murmured once she's close enough that Walter might hear her soft tone.
"I'm sorry, Walter." Eileen's apologetic and soft alto is immediate as she continues to prop herself up out of the water, resting on palms and knees. However, the gaze she turns towards the young man could be defined as impish, especially when paired with: "But it was fun." Grinning, the woman goes to stand, collecting her legs beneath her, though height and lack of bouyancy brings the woman toppling right back down into the water. "I didn't want to get out anyway," she mutters before mumbling something about the humans and lack of grace. Then Remy and Melissa are shot individual but awkward smiles, "Sorry for that, but no. No, it doesn't hurt. I don't feel a thing." Walter is glanced towards once more. "Which I hope makes things a bit more bearable." Esmie is granted a welcoming smile.
Walter shakes off the heeby-jeebies, "It's okay." He looks over to Esmie, yay, a distraction, he waves over to her, "Come on in Esmie." He points over to the Cajun, "This is Gambit," the finger moves to Eileen, "Eileen," to the lycanthrope, "and... Professor Starhunt?" The finger waves between the women, "They're teachers here." He beams towards the girl, "You should have been hear earlier, Eileen was a dolphin, it was awesome, and Professor Starhunt turned into a /big/ wolf. /Huge!/" Now that the instinctual fear of large animals, animals with teeth, and teachers, isn't looming on the surface of his thoughts, he can fanboy in peace.
Remy drifts a bit closer to Eileen and the shore, trailing after Melissa for a few yards before deciding to remain in the refreshing waters rather than the heat of the open air. Concern gives way for light laughter as he catches the look from Eileen towards Walter, shaking his head and waving a hand towards her. "Non, non, don't worry about it. Dat's somethin else though, n'est-ce pas? Bein able to be a dolphin. Such care-free animals, they're great, people should take more hints from de way they handle themselves I think," he finishes with a smirk, and his eyes drift over towards Walter and the introduction. A hand lifts from the water in a two-fingered wave and a nod of his head, laughter once again flowing out of him with Walter's exhuberance and excitement about the two transformations - though he does nod in agreement with him as his red and black eyes land on Esmie.
Oh dear. There aren't crabs in the lake, are there? Melissa cautiously makes her way from bank to lake. No. There is no longer fur to protect her from the definite chill of the water. Her skin, exposed to it, casts a shiver through out here. No way would she allow herself to appear cowardly - however she just doesn't do well in sudden chills. Remy's previous smile had been a good source of encouragement, one she needed, and one she draws in on now. The one piece she wears isn't a solid color, but instead a gradient between orange and violet-pink with a few lotus flowers creating a loose pattern on the spandex suit. At the sound of her name, Professor Starhunt lifts her head, glancing towards Walter with a shallow nod towards him and Esmie. "Y'got it." Not bothering to lend her true name to the kids just yet. Privately, though, she gushes at the small amount of excitement Walter's voice takes on when describing her mutation. Aw shucks. Just be glad she doesn't demonstrate her second ability while everyone is in the water. That could be electrifying.
Esmie returns Eileen's smile, shyly, softly asking, "what didn't hurt?" The tone is slightly hesitant, even for her. Moving to hide behind Walter, the introductions seem to leave her somewhat shell-shocked, nodding and giving a timid wave to each. Green eyes meet black and red with little more than an extra blink of surprise. "Esmeralda," she states, shooting Walter an angry look. The look is emphasized by an attempt to poke him in the arm, hard. She is blushing red from the attention.
"Esmeralda. That's a pretty name," Eileen compliments from where she has plopped herself within the shallow waters of the lake, likely getting sand where she doesn't want to. "Don't worry about it," she waves off the girl's curiosity before turning towards Gambit. From a woman who was just a dolphin, his eyes do grant a few startled blinks - smile resuming quickly after with his drawled words. "You said it. Happiest and most fun-loving animal I know, next to a dog. They actually have a complex familial system, too..." she fades as Walter's gushing is caught. Faintly, along the apples of her cheeks, a rosey carnation blooms.
Walter is, at the moment, the 3rd smallest individual at Xavier's. As Esmie is neither number 2 nor number 1, her attempts to hide behind Walter are mostly in vain. He chuckles at the poke, giving her nose one in return. "It's alright. Eileen's nice, and I've met Gambit before." Thinking back to that conversation, he glances towards the red-eyed man. "Did you ever find your friend?" he asks, with no small amount of concern in his voice. He glances at the crowd cautiously, before offering a perhaps enigmatic, "They fixed Cerebro."
"Esmeralda," Remy mutters thoughtfully, grinning towards her as well as he dips his head in another nod of greeting before his attention returns to Eileen. The grin widens as he nods quickly in agreement, lowering himself to his neck in the water. With the question about the friend, the pleasant tilt of his lips slowly tempers with a gentle sigh. "Dat's a bit complicated, Walter. Oui, knew right when they fixed it, but...well...turns out she ended up goin somewhere else after we found her." He glances over towards Walter and a hand drifts through the air before settling into the water again, "Which is alright I guess, cause at least dat means she's...okay - I hope. Not dead at least, which is better dan nothin..." He fades into a murmur, tilting back as he relaxes into a float on the water, though his eyes shift to flicker over towards Melissa and Eileen.
Esmeralda is /figuratively/ hiding behind Mighty Mouse then. The refusal to give her question answers results in a toe tapping, once, twice, before it is dismissed with a pensive shrug of shoulders. The poke to the nose earns Esmie shaking her head, nose wiggling and scrunching up. "Sir-eebo? What?" She cannot yet say 'Xavier' properly, can one expect Cerebro to be any better? Her eyes dart around the gathered crowd. The corner's of her lips threaten to start falling, hovering between neutral and a frown. Her eyebrows have been raised, marginally, in interest.
Eileen falls contently silent as the conversation continues into domains more personal than introductions, falling more towards previously held conversations. The gaze of dark chocolate eyes travel from younger towards older while fingers, lacking the rubber-like skin she just shed, begin to prune. Lips purse however in the inevitable question, forming the looks of the start of a 'w' as Cerebro is mentioned - silence kept as Esmie asks the question for her, keeping Eileen seeming just a bit more knowledgable despite her glances between Walter and Remy.
Walter looks to Eileen, as well as his friend. He shoots a curious glance Remy's way, before telling the girls, "You should ask Doctor Grey." Lets not let the new people in on the hidden side of the school, not just yet.
Remy's eyes flicker towards Esmeralda, though he refrains from saying anything and gives a nod as Walter speaks first. "It ain't somethin t'worry 'bout, you two. 'Sides, you both just recently arrived here, n'est-ce pas? How long've you two been here so far?" He waves a leg under the water and pulls an arm through it in a small stroke to drift closer to the others on shore. "Dis is a real nice place, an' I mean, who can beat bein dis close to de city /and/ still have a lake and trees and everythin' like it does here? Great place t'come and relax sometimes, actually." He snickers as he adds quietly, "Sometimes. As circumstances allow, t'least."
Esmie is definitely pouting now, eyes narrowing. The foot that had tapped before is stomped, ever so slightly. Her head turns towards Gambit as he talks to her, expression lightening. "Two weeks," soft, quiet. "I don't know, I'd rather be farther from the city myself." Apparently deciding that noone of the crowd is going to eat her alive, Esmie sneaks out from behind Walter, slowly, eyes darting around before she makes a break to the dock. Her bare feet make hollow thunks along it before she drops her towel (fortunately it doesn't land in the water). Moments later she is sitting, her feet in the water, arms braced behind her so she can lean back slightly.
Briefly Eileen's brows shade her eyes as they furrow together, aiming displeasure at Walter and his suggestion. The woman inhales as if to start off, yet Gambit saves the young man from any diatribe. The southern man receives the Eye now - a more adult fashion of pouting - before his smooth transition relaxes her curiosity, along with Esmie's reply. "Two weeks? Me too! -But, yes, this school seems wonderful. I've felt welcomed, here. It's even nicer being all moved in." Vaguely her nose wrinkles. "Haven't been able to go to the city, though. I'd really love to."
Walter watches Esmie, following her to the dock. He apologetically offers a half-explanation for his reluctance, "It's... complicated, I don't really understand it much myself. Doctor Grey would be a /lot/ more helpful." He smiles, "It's not hard to go into town, you just have to take a hour long bus trip, or drive, I think they have cars for the older people to borrow." He shrugs.
Both eyebrows raise in slight surprise towards Esmie, though nothing is said in response at first as Remy continues to float in the water. "Well, at least you can feel like you're farther from it dan you really are, non?" He chuckles quietly with Eileen's reply, lowering his feet to stand in the water, only up to his midriff where he's currently drifted to. "Good, oui, people are real good at dat here - makin y'feel welcomed. Sure surprised me when I first came here." His lips settle into a wider grin with the revelation, eyes flickering to Walter before he nods slowly in agreement. "Oui, I'm pretty sure they still do. 'Course, if you needed anyone t'be showin you around dat big city, I've been livin there for a while now."
Esmie shrugs at Walter's apology, idly kicking in the water. Every third kick results in a little splash, alternating leg breaking the surface. She /does/ give him a friendly grin though. "True," she mumbles towards Gamit, another shrug lifting her shoulders. She opens her mouth as if to add more to it, only to close it and nod. "Welcoming school, yes." Her tone is just /slightly/ sarcastic. With that her eyes close and she leans back to enjoy the sun.
"Oh, I brought my own car down. If you ever want to drive into the city, just ask," Eileen offers towards Walter since Esmie seems less than interested. "But not on school nights, and probably not without a little warning first." Added on just in case Walter gets any bright ideas. Gambit's invitation elicits a bright smile - gaze following over towards the Cajun to drop in an attempt at a surreptitious glance down his figure before pointedly looking at his unique eyes. "You'd show me around? I did all the touristy stuff when I was younger but...but I'd love to get to /know/ the city. How long have you been there?"
Walter reaches around Esmie, pulling her into one of his one armed hugs, "Trust me Esmie, if /I/ can make friends here, you'll do fine." He briefly considers mentioning the /biggest/ failure he's ever patched up, but perhaps Esmie shouldn't find out about Walter's application of his healing factor in /quite/ that way. He turns to Eileen, "Sure, I'll keep that in mind, gotta be better than asking Bobby every time I can't afford bus fare."
Remy smirks and nods as Eileen's gaze turns back onto him again. "Bien sur, I could probably do dat at some point. Ain't too busy over there, or here, since I don' think I'll be helpin t'teach any classes dis year." He chuckles quietly and shrugs, dipping back down into the water and into a floating position again on the surface. "Course who knows, wit' all de unexpected twists an' turns dat happen 'round here. Been livin in de city for...oh...'bout half a year now, but I was there for almost a year or so 'fore I got brought out here to Xavier's."
Esmie pinkens slightly at the hug, otherwise not responding to it other than a slight tensing. "Yeah, yeah." She sticks her tongue out at the boy, without any facial effect... it appears almost lazy. Her legs have continued their steady kicking, 1-2-splash, 1-2-splash. She glances, eyebrows raised slightly in a questioning manner, towards Eileen, but remains silent.
Walter smiles towards Gambit, "I think they need a French teacher still, Ms. Montague is sort of retired." He can't /quite/ place Remy's accent, but he did pick up on the occasional French term. You don't grow up as close to the Canadian border as Walter did without at least being able to /recognize/ the language when it's being used.
Eileen wrinkles her nose and nods affably towards Walter at the mention of bus fare. Gambit gets a chuckle, slight and amicable. "Sure! Before the summer's out or something. Totally up to you and all." An easy-going nod follows the statement of time in the city and the woman's expression appears unchanged. "Nice! It must be hard getting on your feet in a place that big." Then, braving the heat and humidity, she stands and rounds up the beach to the dock, where her comfortable green towel lies.
The smirk on Remy's lips begin to gain a wry tilt with Walter's words. "Oui, I heard about dat, with her. Dat's actually- well, one o'de things I used to teach here. French." He shrugs as he once again lets his feet drop to the ground, standing up in the water. "I figure I'd probably just wait till I get approached wit' de offer if they feel like havin me back doin dat, or depending on how things end up goin wit'...all dat registration business..." he fades into a mutter as he starts to walk back out to the beach, but a wide grin is sent back towards Eileen again, "D'accord, before de summer's out sometime." With a quiet chuckle, he scoops up his towel, but simply drapes it around his neck. "It actually wasn't dat hard for me, in my opinion - but den again, Lady Luck seems t'smile down on me more often dan not."
Esmie leans backwards, curling her legs underneath her before pushing herself to her feet. Grabbing her towel she towels off. "I should get going," to Walter. "A pleasure meeting you," a nod to both of the adults. Towel is deftly wrapped around her waist before she starts back towards the end - the dry one - of the dock.
Though the towel is warm, Eileen proceeds to wrap it demurely around her body regardless. "I can't imagine how much it would cost someone to live directly in New York City. Just the price of a hotel alone is outrageous." Flip-flops are skillfully slipped back onto her feet, though a sigh is cast towards the wriggling digits. "I like being a dolphin so much more. -It was nice meeting you, Esmeralda! Stay cool!"
Walter waves goodbye to Esmie, "See you around Esmie, tell Nisa high for me if you see her first." He smiles up at Eileen, "Maybe you can show me some of the other forms some time, or at least that one again, it was fun." A question remembered, he turns to Gambit, "So, you always go by Gambit, like Forge and Rogue, or do you have a different name?"
With a quiet chuckle, Remy shrugs before tossing a wave off to Esmie, "Au revoir, petite." Attention returning to Eileen, he shrugs a shoulder again. "Dat all depends on where you live, an' how you do it. Arrangements can always be made - but, oui, bein a dolphin...I couldn't imagine how fun dat must be, just playin around like dat. Would you be able to talk to other dolphins that way?" With the question from Walter, his eyes drift back towards him, lingering on the boy for a contemplative moment before his gaze flickers over to Eileen, then he grins to both of them and nods. "Oui, de name's Remy, though I go by both dependin on de situation an' de people."
A, "k, see ya," is mumbled at Walter and an, "oh rey-voir," to Gambit, with terribly accented French. She waves at Eileen, stumbling along the beach. Esmie slips into the trees, bathing suit blending in with the leaves.
Eileen's chuckle is bordering on apologetic again as one hand lifts to ruffle through shortly cropped, damp hair. "Well. A repeat audience. I don't always get that. If you can stick through the dolphin, then most others in my repertoire shouldn't be too terrible." Though looking as if to leave, she settles back down, cross-legged upon the boards of the dock. "Talk?" she chuckles, "I can't say I've ever /tried/, though I'd love to be able to catch a pod like that." The pause in which Gambit considers the two of them causes her head to tilt ponderingly to one side - a slow smile lifting her lips as true name is given. "So, why Gambit?" A pause. "If you don't mind my wondering..."
Walter smiles, "Oh, okay, I was just curious, I know some mutants are a little funny about using..." he searches for a neutral term, "the name their parents gave them." He shrugs, "I really only have Walter, well, and Mighty Mouse, but I don't really like getting called that all that much." Doesn't stop his player from finding it hilarious. He frowns, remembering the girl who will now /only/ refer to him by his nickname. Brightening, he waits for an answer to Eileen's question.
"Why Gambit?" Remy repeats with an amicable and thoughtful chuckle. He tilts his head in a gesture towards Walter. "Basically de same reason he gets called Mighty Mouse. It fits to an...extent, but not in de entire sense o'de term. But, dat's one o'de things I'm de best at - turning a situation dat could go either way into a /good/ situation for whichever side I want." A smirk is sent towards Walter, slowly shaking his head, "Well, den, Mighty Mouse is probably what you've been dubbed, cause names like dis usually don't get chosen by /yourself/ y'know. Some things, they just...feel right, an' stick."
"Mmm, I was only aware of nickname acquisition from news reports of the Brotherhood. My involvement with the mutant community up until now has been, well, less than involved. But I suppose I understand others take on the names not just to hide their birthnames, but as a second birthing name?" The comment from Eileen lifts up into a partial question, more a slight wondering than any true query. "I asked Jamie and Alex to give me one. They haven't gotten back to me yet," the woman says with a wryly amused grin.
Walter frowns at the indication that the Mighty Mouse title might be permanent. "If I'm going to have a second name, I want it to be something better than Mighty Mouse." He looks up to Eileen, "Quick, pick me something new!" A similarly pleading look is thrown Remy's way.
Remy nods deeply with a quiet chuckle, "Oui, like a second birthing name. Some are just more comfortable wit' de name, cause it fits so much better dan de name they were born with. Maybe some don't even know it. I been called both for...merde, nearly de same amount o'time it seems." A quiet snicker drifts over towards Walter as he slowly raises his right eyebrow, "Uh. Disney? I don' know, don' even really know what you can do, but judging by de Mighty Mouse name, I can make a few educated guesses towards de obvious, o'course."
"Aww, but Mighty Mouse is cute!" Eileen openly teases with a cheeky sort of grin. "I could even make the outfit for you. Cape and everything," she offers, her words perked up to make it sound tantalizing, as if Walter had actually requested for such a thing. "I'm afraid I'm not very good at giving nicknames, though. Sorry, Walter. Perhaps you'll stumble across something you like better, someday."
Walter winces visibly at the suggestion of "Disney." "No, not that nickname again!" He gives the quick explanation, "My powers let me lift over 400 lbs, I can run at 40 miles per hour, and I heal." He holds up his right hand, pointing to the back, "I was missing the back of my hand once, it grew back in less than a minute." He looks back to the adults, /please/ let that help get him a decent title.
Light laughter is tugged out of Remy with the tantalizing tone Eileen uses, nodding slowly with a gesture towards her as if Walter should take her up on the offer. "Vraiment? Hm, well now, dat's a pretty package. Like three in one, or somethin - but, like Eileen, m'not really specialized in de nick-namin department. M'afraid dat's usually somethin dat comes with enough uses, an' enough people knowin you by dat." He chuckles quietly as he starts to take a few slow steps off towards the woods, though done so in a gradual backwards step, eyes still flickering between Eileen and Walter. "So if you find somethin you like, put it on a nametag an' wear it around so enough people start callin you it, perhaps, non?"
Eileen glances towards Remy with an amused tilt to her lips. "Now all I can think of are cartoons," she murmurs pensively before chuckling and lifting herself with awkward motions back off of the dock. The towel is given another modest tug-and-tighten and toes wriggle again before she huffs a sigh at the day and its humidity at large. "Well, I believe I'm going to go get myself some iced tea. And then relax a little." Because not enough of that has been had today, for certain. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Remy." There is the faintest of pauses before she settles on his given name. "I'll be seeing you around Walter. Read some books! There could be some great names in there!" she offers as she begins to stride away, towards the path leading up to the mansion proper.
Walter watches the adults getting ready to leave. He walks towards the end of the dock, retrieving his things, and preparing to leave himself, "Maybe I'll just go find a dictionary to flip through or something." He chuckles a bit at Remy, "I somehow don't think the nametag idea would work."
Remy shines a grin over towards Eileen as he dips his head in a nod of agreement, eyes peering up towards Eileen still. "Oui, enchante, Eileen. I'm sure we'll be seein more of each other as well, here - an' it's real interestin dat there's another...anthromorph sort o'person 'round here now, besides Melsa. Y'should seek her out sometime, talk to'r about things if y'wanted." He chuckles quietly and shrugs, then glances back towards Walter as he starts to head off into the woods and towards the mansion. "Au revoir, Walter. Good luck wit' dat."
Well, at least the dictionary is a book. Eileen's suggestion is taken to heart somewhat! "Good luck, Walter." Warm and dark eyes flicker towards crimson-on-black and the woman may just blush a little with that charm in French. "I know. I'm itching to talk with her. She's so fluid... I have so many questions. It's wonderful to know that she'll be here. I hope she doesn't mind my bothering her." Because, with the way Eileen is gushing right now over finding one with powers similar to her own, she could get annoying. "Have a good day, you two!" The path is continued up towards the mansion.
Walter waves goodbye to the two adults, ducking into the boathouse for a drink before setting off on the scenic route back to the mansion.