Day Four

This morning before breakfast, Warpaint and Isa or.. Incite as they were calling her.. were up early enough to talk about the night before. Warpaint's wounds had started to heal but she still had some cuts and bruises. She sat on her bed and braided her hair.

"Eventually you'll be ready to hit the field." She explained to Isa. "They gotta be sure you're strong enough and smart enough first. Some kids get out there and don't come back. It's dangerous, but it's important."

Isa nodded, the idea of going on an adventure excited her.. and again there was that odd sense of familiarity. "It sounds awesome. I mean it sucks you got hurt and sucks people die, but that's life, right? Everybody dies eventually. Might as well die doing something bad ass... and hey if it's good for the school that's just an added bonus."

Warpaint smirked at her, "Yeah well. Protecting the school and other kids like us is important. But it also reminds me what its like out there. Why we're here. Normies don't like us much. Mr. Rolland talks like there's gonna be a civil war or something. So far it's just gangs and militias but I wouldn't be surprised, honestly. I mean shit. Donald Trump wants to put a wall up against Mexicans, can you imagine what he's got planned for us?"

Isa laughed. "I honestly never thought about it.. guess I've always been just kind of focused on what's going on in my neighborhood."

"Well you should.. Make sure you know what's going on in the world, ya know? That shit will come back to bite you in the ass if you don't." She glanced at the covered canvas on the wall then looked back to Isa. "So you say yes to anyone yet?"

"Yes about what?" Isa had gotten to her feet to grab her sweater.

"Oh come on, SOMEONE has to have asked you to the dance already, the way these guys drool over you? You're the newww girl." She smirked.

Isa grinned. "No one's plucked up the courage to ask yet. The way I see it if they're afraid to ask then they're not worth my time." She shook her head.

"Or is it you got a boyfriend back home?" Warpaint grinned a little wider. "I hear you talking in your sleep you slut, you."

"I don't hav... wait what? What do I say?!" She looked surprised and a little scared..

"I'm not repeating that. It's just obvious you're not talking about homework. And you've said a few guys names so I don't know which one you're dating or dreaming about dating but you must have some reeaally good dreams."

Isa laughed, shocked! "What names?" Stopping to look at Warpaint, she was extremely interested and embarrassed.

"Oh let me see.. Ki.. Derrick.. Jag.. Jagger, though that could be the same person.. Gage.. and you even said Red and Callie. Who are they? Friends and family? Boooyfriends?" Smirking.

But Isa's smile had faded and she shook her head.. confused.. and that fuzzy feeling came back. "...I.. I don't know.. I guess just.. dreams."

And there was that annoying alarm. Breakfast time!

----

Throughout the day classes focused on helping the students excel in their abilities. Physically they had exercises catered to each student and each student was put in groups according to their powers. As for the rest of their education, they had the basic math and language arts, etc, but the majority of their classes were focused on mutants. History, the science behind their genetic mutation, famous mutants and their contributions to the world, and the future of human/mutant relations.. which seemed, sadly, bleak.

Of course, that's the way the school was painting it.

"...You know," Isa leaned toward the kid in the chair next to her. He was tall with brown hair and green eyes. "...I can't help but think of X-men movies when we talk about this stuff.. is that dumb?" She smirked.

Jackson tried to hold his chuckle so he wouldn't get caught talking while the lesson was going on. "No.. most of us American kids go through that when we first get here.. then it becomes.. just.. too real."

He looked over at her and smiled. Isa caught that, but while he was attractive.. she didn't feel right about flirting back. Like she was already taken.

"Hey, so I was meaning to ask yesterday.. Do you have a date for the dance Saturday?" Jackson leaned in but he was looking toward the teacher.

"...No.." She paused, not because he was making her nervous.. but she remembered something. A dance. There was another dance. Earlier in the year.. and there was a fight... and.. an image of a tall man with a lizard like tongue.. and... everything went fuzzy again. She blinked.

"Good. You can be mine. I mean.. I've got field work but they said we should be back in time for the party." He smiled at her.

Isa smiled. "Alright. Cool."

Another pause while they pretended to listen to the teacher... "...Hey, so.. why did they give you the name Soulsucker? You don't look like a scary demon." She grinned at him.

A little color touched his cheeks, "...I don't eat souls or anything. I uh.. I kinda steal peoples energy.. I guess Soulsucker sounds more bad ass then Energy Stealer. I mean I don't do it for fun it just.. I can do it.. if I want... to.. well.. you know how it works." Obviously Jackson was uncomfortable with his ability.. and the name Soulsucker didn't seem to fit his personality.

Isa watched him for a moment then smiled. "I get it. You're not going to eat my soul. We cool." She chuckled, then went back to her school work...