Power outages....

Neal had his hood down. His black traveling cloak flapped around his black jean. His shirt was more of a black Tonal faux-leather panelled shirt with raw edge at front hem.

Neal lifted his cigarette to his lips and inhaled deeply, the soothing nicotine running through his system. He was completely free to do as he wanted today. Then again, when was he not completely free to do as he wanted. It was a dark dreary day, clouds so gray it seemed to press in on you. Rains, thunder and lightning were starting and ending suspiciously as if somebody besides him could turn the weather on and off. Neal flicked his head to the side and glanced up and down the street.

Neal witnessed how a mutant lady unintentionally electrified Doran Giotelli with an interested gaze. It happened nearly everyday, seeing mutants attacking fellow mutants, wrecking havoc but what happened to the attacker afterwards was what interested him. She fell to the side, and hit the ground. Neal had been leaning against a building not far from there smoking silently when he heard her scream something. Pushing away from the wall he walked down the alley until he reached Doran and the lady. Other folks on either side of him were of no thought to him as he smoked and walked. She was writhing on the ground and he smirked.

He continued to stare straight ahead, not looking at everyone's reaction about his sudden presence, just silently smoking. He wasn't sure what he would say to her, but he had seen her look like she was in pain. Almost made it seem like she had felt the pain of Doran a while ago. Or perhaps, worse. He may enjoy seeing pain, killing things, and stealing what wasn't his, but seeing pain on someone who was like him? A mutant. No way.

Then another mutant lady went ahead to rescue her. He simply observed as she drained the electricity from the other mutant. Neal had the look of a sneak recruiter, ready to simply reach out and take any homeless powerful mutants when they were least suspecting it. And today, he was looking for some newbies and some fun, to say the least.

"Neal Ackerman." He said in a soft voice, before looking around, his eyes curious, but oddly dull. "Happened to notice you nearly kill my buddy, Doran." He jerked his head to Doran who seemed unharmed but sweaty. His eyes strayed to both beautiful ladies and then he leaned back against the wall and staring straight ahead again, his face showing no emotion.

Dorian grabbed for Skye but she fell anyways. He looked around and his hormones were going awry. He wiped rain and sweat from his face and looked around. He was about to grab for Skye's hands but she told the group to get away. He backed away until he bumped into a familiar face. It was Neal. "Neal? What are you doing here?" Dorian asked cocking his head to the side. He hoped Neal wouldn't find out that he has been talking to a X-Man.

Things had seemed to escalate quickly now to the girl that was being hit by everything at every moment.  When the woman had reached her, she felt the storm that sucked into her body drain and expand out, releasing the pressure that was building.  She had never felt such a release of relief on her body.  The entire atmosphere was tranquil when a new voice sounded over them.  It was another man.  The first man, Dorian, was gone, but things were weird enough for her to aask what had happened to the one man.

She gasped slightly when the second man simply introduced himself, unafraid like the woman had. Only now, she had regained her senses a bit that she realized that the other woman was holding her and quickly she jumped up and onto her feet, skidding back into the brick wall, beside Neal.  It wasn't a purposeful movement, more of a reaction.  The sweater that was around her was now completely burnt off and fell to the ground revealing her entire prison clothed outfit in full detail.  It was old, the girl had been out here a while.

"I'm sorry.... I didn't mean to hurt anyone.... I never meant to hurt anyone..."  The girl seemed to pick up more panic in her voice, the two others were older than her and she did not want to hurt anyone.  Still, now that the electricity in the air was gone, her didn't feel the urge to get away as bad, and almost felt like just giving in and letting the two take her.  It was as if she felt like someone had sent these people to take her somewhere, she just didn't know where and if it was a good place or not.

"My name is Skye Perkins, Prisoner 1542243.  If you have to take me back, now would be the time.  There's no more danger in the air...."  

Athena's ears heard a new voice join them as the girl bolted from her grasp. Wiping the sweat from her brow, her eyes followed her and found the source of the voice. She didn't know this man, but soon enough, that was cleared up when he introduced himself. Neal.... And he knew Dorian.... As the girl finally introduced herself, Athena got to her feet, feeling a little drained from all the electricity running and discharging through her.

"Skye, you are no prisoner anymore. And no one is going to take you back to that horrible place," Athena spoke to her. She had to find a way to get her to go with her. The Institute would be the ideal place for her. She could learn to control her powers and be around others like her, others her own age. She could be as normal a teen as someone like them could be. "Help, we want to help you. I want to help you," she said taking a few steps towards her. "Together we can get your powers under control. It's going to take time, but I've been there! I've not had all the hardships as you have, but I've been there. I know what it's like to not know what's going to happen when your power lashes out. I know what it's like to not want to hurt someone, and no matter what you do, it happens anyways," she said trying to reach her. Athena needed to gain her trust so she could get her someplace to get her help. Sure her rubber bangles were helping localize her power, but they weren't nearly strong enough. Athena knew that they could fix that at The Institute. "We just need to help you find something to help you channel everything so help you gain control. But, it can be done.... You are not alone, Skye. Not at all....." Athena added with a smile and a sigh. She hoped it was enough to start to get the girl to trust her.

Neal raised an eyebrow when the electrokinetic mutant said her name and her codename that sounded like a password. He took a deep inhale on his cigarette and leaned back against the wall. He blinked slightly when Doran asked what he was doing there. "Is there a reason that you should know?" He asked turning his head slightly towards him. "If you must know... I like it here..." He said lightly, as though it didn't matter. 

These ladies in front of him was intriguing at best. He didn't say anything for a moment, still inhaling deeply, letting out the smoke slowly, so that it floated around his face before a small breath of wind pushed it away and towards the ladies. One of the lady volunteered to help her. She promised that she would help her control her power. Of course Neal wouldn't take anything she said to be true. How the hell she could help her... alone? Curious. He smirked and looked away from them again.

"It’s a pleasure to meet you, Pretty Blonde with Electric Ass." He said lazily at Skye. He had already successfully invited a lot of mutant ladies like her who weren't afraid to hurt things. Or see things hurt anyway. He glanced her over and then smirked. "If you excuse me Doll face, but I just want to inform you that somebody from the Mansion of Geeks and Freaks once told me those exact silly words you've spoken to Blonde. And after so many years of fruitless waiting for their promises, many mutants like me still had to face the enormous suffering from this world. So upon series of realization and thorough reflection, I realized that it is really okay to hurt someone, because if you don't, they will!" He said in a louder tone.

"Yes I agree on the part that you have to learn to control your power but it's not applicable to  humans and other mutants like X-Men who have a quality of mind of a jelly fish. You have to realize those humans who imprisoned you are our enemies. And their antics have gone on long enough and it’s time we stopped it. Hell, it’s time we need to use our power against them. That is like stopping crime." He said, grinning.

"By the way, are you guys know each other?" He asked lazily, putting his cigarette out against the wall and grabbing out another, lighting it with his lighter silently, he took in another deep inhale. There was a lot you could learn from the lady in front of him. She looked so innocent and could be dangerous. She was a perfect candidate for another member of his Brotherhood. The lady was obviously in some type of confusion about her powers and mutation, that was clear by the way she was reacting, and the way she seemed to be forcing her words. It was so easy for Neal to brainwash her. It was a win win situation for him.

((so evil haha!!!))

Skye listened to the man speak after the woman, both sounded good.  The woman was caring in her voice, talking about a place to learn to control whatever it was that had happened to her.  The woman seemed so caring, so at ease to talking her down and she was about to ask more about it when the man who had shown up spoke.  His voice seemed harsher, more realistic.  Of course he called her an odd name, and she gasped with the words, 'electric ass'.  Okay, that was to be expected.  She knew that in the years imprisoned she did grow up and mature from her old tiny 14 year old self to the way she looked now.  She guessed it was a compliment, but shrugged it off as the man kept talking.

He spoke of X-men, humans, mutants, the people who caged her without question.  It sounded exactly like how her life had been.  Of course she didn't understand who the x-men were so to say but that didn't matter at the present time.

"He's right..." She spoke finally after his rant.  His words seemed to make better sense than the woman's.  Of course Athena's words were kinder, gentle, the man seemed to know what he was talking about.  He wasn't beating around the bush.  He seemed to be direct to her.  She watched him light up another cigarette and frowned her nose at the odor, but her face had calmed a lot.  The panic was gone along with the surges of electrical energy that had been swirling her body during the original meeting of all of them.  Thunder still boomed in the distance, but the girl wasn't afraid of it.  The bangles on her wrists crackled a small blue electrical pulse as she spoke and she rubbed them absent minding.  

"You're both right..... I'm just so confused on everything.  But he's right, and you're right too...."  She spoke softly, her hands pushed the sunglasses up a bit.  The glow behind them dimmed as she talked, she seemed drained.

"What happens now... I've caused so much damage already...."

Dorian was in tense situations but the air was never as heated as it was now.

Neal was unstable to Dorian. He generally did not know what the words "Please", "Gentle" and "Nice", meant. He was a strong leader but his tone may have been harsh but he was well charismatic. Dorian did nothing but covered his face in a slower version of a face palm, and let out a big sigh. He wanted to tell him to shut his ass up but Neal would suspect something and send him into a hurricane or some shit.

Dorian removed his hand and crossed his arms and a look of suprise washed over his face when Skye said he was right—that both Athena and Neal was right. Dorian chuckled to himself and looked up at the sky. Ever since he had dropped his shield, the rain drenched his clothes and made his hair all floppy and wet although it felt wonderful as he was burning up from that blow of heat that he had created unintentionally.

"Your call Skye. The Institute or the Brotherhood." Dorian said with boredom lifting off his tongue in the last word he said. As much as he liked Athena, he couldn't believe he was talking against her. He looked at her like he was sorry but quickly replaced the emotion with boredom to make sure Neal didn't expect anything. All Dorian had to do was wait.

Neal inhaled once again the soothing nicotine, "Yes. I am right. As always." He said with a sly smirk. He opened his mouth slightly to allow a large cloud of gray smoke to drift away from his lips slowly and dance about his face, and looked away from the women for a moment to examine his surroundings; it became darker and more thunder could be heard at the distance, almost as if someone had cursed the sky to remain that way for this moment.

Neal straightened the front of his wet suit. He dropped his arms at his sides, holding the cigarette his fingers. He allowed the tip of the cancer stick to burn his palm momentarily, leaving a small spot of black ashes there while Skye asked them about the damage she'd done.

"Damage." He repeated with a smirk.  "Then it seems you have accomplished Brotherhood's life-long goal." Neal replied seriously, his tone very lazy, yet smooth. "Damage this world. That's a progress." Neal ran a hand through his dark brown hair, running his fingernails along his scalp in order to get his hair to obey him and stay out of his face.

Neal glanced at Dorian when he spoke. He seemed getting uncomfortable or irritated with his presence. But Neal let Dorian's expression slide when he heard him talking about the Institute. "Wooaah... wait a minute." He said, "So are you saying Barbie," He paused as he pointed his finger towards the lady who helped Skye, "Is from the Institute?" He asked as he examined the women more thoroughly.

"Well, well... You know what Barbie, X-Men pissed me off and I advise you learn from their mistakes." Neal said to the lady, allowing his voice to become somewhat threatening as he spoke those words of warning.

Athena's hair on the back of her neck seemed to bristle as Neal spoke. Sure, some of what he said was true, but there was also something that he was twisting, as tends to happen when one is so jaded against things. Hearing Dorian pose Skye the option of one or the others, her eyes hardened as she looked at the two men. That was where she knew that name Dorian had mentioned earlier, Dorian was part of the Brotherhood. See the flicker of a change, an apology, come over his face for only a moment, Athena's eyes narrowed slightly and set her jaw before moving to Neal and his observation of her. Her fists clenched as he used the derogatory tag-name on her and listened to her words of warning.

Not looking away from the men, she inhaled slowly through her nose and out again to calm herself. She need not lose her anger now. Skye needed her help and she knew it. Think quickly and clearly... Turning her sea-green eyes to the girl she relaxed her hands and bent her arms at the elbow to being them in front of her, finger tips touching. "Skye, I know about The Institute because I am a Professor there. I know that we can help you because I do it every day. It's not just a place for outcasts or, as previously mentioned, freaks and geeks... Just like with anything, nothing is perfect. Shit happens, and no one can make it so it doesn't. I can tell you that it is a place where you will be safe. You will learn control, how great or little I can't say, but you will. Even if I have to teach you myself, personally, I will see that you do," she said in the same soothing tones she had been using the entire time. "You might have done damage, but that is nothing to be ashamed of. We have all been there. It all just depends how you want to move forward from this moment, from right now...." Athena said.

Athena knew Skye would benefit from the school. She just had to find the right thing to say to get her to come with her and try it for herself. Pointing at her rubber bangles, Athena continued, "They gave you those to 'control' your power right? Made it so you can't take them off without pain? What those humans did to you was wrong. And, believe it or not, it doesn't matter, not all are like that. You were treated cruelly, like an animal, and you are not. At The Institute you will be treated like a person. You will have a room to your liking and catered to your needs. And, we will make your bangles power power to help you better. Not remove them, as I'm sure you were threatened with, but enhance them. Help them work with you and not against you.... Give you more control so you don't need to worry about accidentally hurting others due to your power being out of control."

Slipping her hands into her pockets, Athena shrugged, "That's what The Institute will give you. A home, schooling, training, control.... A family.... There are mutants there who want to help you, even though they don't know you. They want to and will help you.... Give them the chance to do it..." The call was now up to her. Athena couldn't make her go, but she knew she needed to. Knew that it was the right choice for her. Mutants, just like humans, slipped through the cracks sometimes, it happens. But, by Thor above, Athena swore then, if it was within her power, she would see this girl succeed....

Treated like an animal....  Yes they had treated her like an animal, a freak.  Like the man Neal had said, Freaks and Geeks, but both of them were so convincing to the girl.  Skye didn't like that Athena was offering to take her to a place called the Institute.  It just seemed like another place for her to be locked up.  She felt insulted almost at it, but only pursed her lips.

The girl was still unsure, she paced a bit, gripping the bangles when Athena mentioned them.  She began to cry slightly as she thought back to what had been done to her, the tears of course electrified as they ran down her face.  She brushed them off to show she was strong, she wanted to prove herself as she looked to the two men and then woman.  Her right hand took off her sunglasses at that moment.

The girls eyes were bright, almost blinding like the sun, yellow as she looked at each of the people before her and finally spoke.

"I don't want to go to a place called an Institute.  I don't want these things on my wrists.  I don't want to be kept away from the world.  Sir, I think I want to go with you."  Her words were strong.  As she blinked her eyes, she put the glasses back on and took a step toward Dorian and Neal.  Her face looked to Athena apologetic and sincere as she finished.

"I appreciate your kind words Miss.  No one has talked to me like that since my mother died.  I would still like to learn from you, but an Institute sounds too much like a prison and I'm never going back if I can help it...These bangles do hurt to remove but they are whats keeping me from killing all three of you right now...." She looked down for a moment and nodded to herself.

"Whats next?"

Neal bit down on the inside of his cheeks out of irritation towards the Professor's rant; now he hated her, "Headache," Neal lied, though he made sure that it was obvious that he was lying, so his words almost sounded sarcastic as he rolled his eyes.

The Professor sounded like Charles Xavier, Jason Andrews, Athena Coleman and many other bitches and smartasses in the School. Neal took a step towards her, his eyes scanning her face, as if he were taking a mental picture of that face of hers then turning back at Skye once more. "Damaging them is an astounding way of our revenge. It is also the only complete and satisfying revenge there is. The only way to punish a tyrant who has oppressed a mutant land is to disturb him with a land freed from their oppression and mutants enjoying prosperity while humans are suffering and dying. That is driving a stake into the heart of Dracula. Is this possible? Well, haven't you heard? I'm the King of the World." Neal spoke, his smirk having just returned to his face, though even this sly expression seemed somewhat enigmatic.

Neal grinned when Skye decided to come with them. "You made a right choice." He said. "Again, the only way we can punish the tyrant human government is with mutant's anger. It took an aggressive mutant nation to prosecute a tyrant, not a handful of Care Bears and Teletubbies." Neal icily as he glanced at the Professor, though his expression was one of amusement. "What enabled these inferior humans to oppress us was not the lack of mutant population, it was the waning of mutant interest in prosecuting them." He was slightly curious himself to see how she would react to his criticism, and but Neal did not hope to get some sort of reaction out of her.

Neal leaned in close but he made sure he's not letting his body to touch hers and whispered these words in her ear, "Look what these humans done to us, they make this world the most violent and dangerous planet to live on. They break this world's spirit completely, making right wrong and wrong right, punishing good and rewarding evil. And most of all they steal the most valuable of persons' possessions, which is our freedom, and the most precious of any specie's property, which is our life." He moved back and stared at her for a moment.

"I'd been in the Institute for a year, I guess, but I realized that for us, superior species to continue to languish in that jail because of our uncontrollable power?! That's a bullcrap. We don't have to wait for the day when we may exact our revenge on the ones that have deeply wronged us because we can do it everyday we wish." And without another look back at the Professor, he turned around and walked away. The lady had spoken, she would come. Business was done.

In order to make sure he still knew he was there, he lit another cigar and lifted it up, and unless Dorian and Skye were watching, gestured ever so slightly for them to follow him into the depths of an alley, flicking off the ash on the end and drawing in another deep breath of smoke, blowing a smoke ring out before continuing down his walk, his boots making an eerie noise on the stones beneath his feet.

Dorian rubbed his temples as Neal and Athena argued without y'know, arguing. He patted his chest and a flask shimmied out and Dorian took it and took a large gulp. It was a flask of whiskey. Dorian was not a heavy drinker but he always had a flask of whiskey in his jacket even if he was not planning on drinking. He only drank when stressed, annoyed or both and this time it was both.

Dorian looked up at the sky again and down. He put the flask away and nearly choked when Skye had said that Neal was right. He almost DIED when she decided to go to the brotherhood. Dorian smiled and waving Skye over to him. Neal had already walked away smoking up a storm. Dorian hated smoke. He lifted up his hand and the smoke dissipated. "Lets go shall we?" Dorian said walking Skye over to the alley where Neal was and twirled his fingers in the air making a cloud of dust in a shape of a heart, leaving Athena and Chris alone

OOC : Sorry for me posting as Luka. Its from Dorian's POV up there

Athena closed her eyes and hung her head when Skye said she would go with Dorian and Neal.... Giving her head a small shake, she knew that wasn't the best thing for her, but what could she do. What could she do.... Snapping her head up she thought of something she could do.... Taking a card from her wallet in her coat pocket, she jogged up to Skye before Dorian lead her away. "Here. Take this. It's my number at the school. If you need anything, give me a call..." she said grabbing Skye's hand and putting the card in it. She looked into the girl's lovely, bright eyes and smiled slightly. With that, Athena let Skye's hand go and stepped away to let her leave.

As her eyes moved to Dorian, she noticed a change in the dust hanging in the air as he moved his fingers though it. A heart.... Athena's brow furrowed slightly as she wondered if she was seeing what she was seeing. A small, tender smile touched her lips as she sighed.... Hope to see you again... When things aren't so... charged....

Skye began to follow both men when Athena caught up to her and handed her a card.  When their hands connected, electricity flew through them both, but it was harmless as it wouldn't hurt either of them.  She nodded in thanks to the woman for all her help and actually hugged her quickly before hurrying ahead after Dorian and Neal.

"Thank you Miss."  She spoke softly as she hurried after the men.  Suddenly, things felt brighter to the girl.  Positive for once.  The thunder loomed overhead still and the girl looked to the men and spoke up once more as she caught up.  Even though the men seemed more in control of their gifts and were more open about everything, she couldn't feel some regret not going with the woman.  Still, her mind was made up as she followed through the night back to the 'Brotherhood'.  

(ooc: think this is a good place to end this yes?)

When the Professor jogged to catch up with Skye, Neal stopped and looked at them. He had seen a hint of dismay or frustration in the Professor's face, and had to bite down on the sides of his tongue in order to keep his mysterious smirk from turning into a full-blown grin of amusement; he enjoyed testing people and finding out how they reacted to each emotion, because it made him feel as if he had more power over than them than they would ever know.

The Professor started to roll the dice, and had moved ahead in the game by three spaces, but when it was Neal's turn, the game suddenly ended so fast and he defeated her.

Neal saw the Professor gave something to Skye. He just parted his lips and simply stood there for a moment, watching them, before actually deciding to act. Neal leaned against the brick wall, staring at them, waiting to end their farewell. Neal brought his cigarette to his full lips and took another drag from it, adjusting the front of his suit absentmindedly.

And when their conversation finally ended and the girl had reached them, he looked at her with an enigmatic look, and then moved away from her, but not before slipping his hand into her hand and took the card. "You don't need this." He said as he tore it into pieces, and threw it away as he continued to walk.