{SCE} Angel With a Shotgun

[Lucy James]

Sitting leaned against the tree a bit away from the camp, Lucy sighed as a hand came up to run through her hair. As much as Lucy preferred the big city, this was for all its intents and purposes, a lot better than being stuck at the school. The people here were still mostly idiots and she didn't want to be around most of them, but at least there were fewer of them and they were easier to avoid. She was so used to the sounds of the city, the constant honking from cars, sirens and alarms and just the way the city smelled... She missed all of it and being in the middle of nowhere-Montana (both here and the school) was....

Well, it took quite some time to get used to. Even know, she often found sleeping without the noises hard. It was too silent. Too slow-paced. She was bored. Oh so very, very bored. There was no excitement. No...

Snapping her head to the side at the sound of footsteps, Lucy's blue eyes squinted as she slowly got to her feet. With her back still very much against the tree, her arms came up to cross over her chest. The sound of the footsteps were coming from behind, and she immediately activated her ability to see if she recognized the power - or if it was a new one altogether; quite handy that, surprisingly.

Another thing Lucy hadn't quite gotten used to: having a power. Being a freak of nature. She wondered if she ever would get used to it.

[Ashley Benson]

Ashley couldn't wait to get away. As and expansive as the great outdoors could be, living so out in the open with so little privacy made her feel exposed and naked. There was nowhere to hide, nowhere she could escape to breathe. The open air was suffocating and the other students that were milling about made her feel claustrophobic. At first opportunity, she had ventured away from the camp. She wanted nothing more than to find a quiet place to be alone so she could get her bearings. This wasn't right. She wasn't 'troubled' or a bad kid. She'd never been in trouble, had always done as she was told. She didn't deserve to be here. She just wanted to be back at the Academy. It was the only home she had anymore and nothing would make her more satisfied and content than to be able to close the door to her room and hide from the outside world for as long as she could.

Slowly, the hood of her green sweater up over her head, hands in the front pockets, Ashley meandered through the woods. She wasn't paying any attention to where she was going, so long as the sounds from the camp behind her grew fainter with each passing step she was happy. The further she got from everyone else, the more she could feel the anxiety melting away. She had moved past the tree the other girl was leaning against and only when movement caught her attention did Ashley's eyes snap over to look at Lucy.

Ashley started, her entire body tensing up as she sucked air in a loud gasp of surprise and fear. A hand came up and clutched at her chest which had started heaving from the shock of someone else being so near. "Oh!" She exclaimed, taking a few quick steps backward. "I'm sorry." She murmured, almost feeling herself visibly wilt under the weight of the azure glare of the other girl. "I didn't know anyone else was out here." She tried to explain in vain. "I didn't mean to bother you."

[Lucy James]

Looking at the blue eyed girl, a heavy sigh fell from the brunette's lips. She remembered the girl from the bus, but she didn't think she'd actually talked to her before. It figured she would end up with the most socially awkward of the bunch. Shaking her head, a hand came up to brush brown strands of hair away from Lucy's face. "Well, you did," she replied with a roll to her eyes. Her hand moved down to her sides as she leaned her shoulder against the tree, her eyes not once leaving the girl in front of her.

She wondered what was wrong with her, but was in no position to actually ask. She could sense the girl's ability, but it wasn't something she recognized, and if attending Bellefonte had taught her anything, there was certain powers you just didn't want to be around or copy. It would be typical if this girl had one of those.

So for the time being, Lucy kept her distance. It didn't help that the girl looked absolutely terrified either. Poor thing.

"What, did you expect all of us to sit idly by and sing campfire songs, and you'd be the only hoodlum who thinks about leaving the camp area?" Lucy's head shook at that as a cold laugh fell from her lips. "You might be a special snowflake, but you're not that special."

[Ashley Benson]

Ashley flinched at the blue eyed girl's cold, unfeeling response. She shrank into herself, hands slipping into the front pocket of her sweater as she felt her gaze fall from the other girl. "I'm not a hoodlum." She answered meekly, her voice barely above a whisper and probably not enough to even be worth the other girl's acknowledgement. Ashley's eyes flashed upward as the girl continued. They gazed at the girl with equal parts hurt, wonder, and uncertainty. The tone in Lucy's voice, more so than the words, were what cut deep. As if she was little more than an insignificant thing that had been cast aside before she'd opened her mouth.

"I'm not special." I'm broken.

The words came out with a little more strength this time. As isolated as Ashley had been the last four years one fact remained clear. She didn't fear other people. Lucy, in spite of her cold demeanor and biting commentary didn't strike fear into the other girl's heart. Ashley had driven herself into exile because she feared herself. "I was just trying to get away for a little bit." She explained, now able to hold eye contact for longer than a few seconds without looking away. "I hate it when the one teacher starts talking." She frowned a little and gestured with a wave of her hand back in the direction of camp. "She's too... cartoony to be taken seriously. It's all unicorns and rainbows and glitter vomit and stuff." She murmured her obvious disdain for the teacher in question with the last two words coming out with a sort of mocking intent behind them. "Sometimes a rock is just a rock." She added with a sigh. "Why does it have to be some huge, supposedly beautiful thing?" Her eyes rolled. "It's a rock."

[Lucy James]

The girl explained herself. Well, rather, tried describing herself and Lucy simply rolled her eyes. She saw little point in trying to argue with the girl. She could think whatever she wanted of herself. It wasn't like Lucy's opinion or demeanor would change much because of it. If the girl didn't want to think of herself as special, it didn't hurt Lucy one bit. That was the wonder about lacking general compassion for people. Even when they hit themselves with verbal abuse, it didn't deter the brunette one bit. Nor did it make her feel sorry for her. Whatever issues the girl had, they were her issues alone.

The mention of the teacher had Lucy smirking. "Ah, yes. Chastity," she mused. At least they had that much in common. "You should tell that to her face; maybe I won't be the only student here she wants to kill." It was no huge secret (at least not to Lucy) that "Miss LeGrange" hated Lucy's guts. She had every reason to, and that was just what Lucy wanted. If only other people could do the same thing. It would surely make Lucy's life a lot easier. "There's one thing we agree on," Lucy drawled.

She didn't even understand how someone could be so annoyingly happy. And that wasn't even the worst part; the teacher was actively trying to force said happiness onto everyone else and it was growing old and tedious.

[Ashley Benson]

Ashley's brow furrowed almost as if she was tracing through the steps of social interaction in order to remember what she was supposed to do next. Four years had been a lot of time missed and, while she still thought the decision to drag her out here was terrible and the exact opposite of what she needed, she was here and she might as well... hell, she didn't really even know but she was here and there was little she could do.

"Oh, uh, yeah." Ashley said with a nod. Whenever she spoke it seemed as though she did so just a second or so too late making the conversation, in spite of the words she managed to force out, feel just faintly disjointed and awkward. It was as if she had to deliberate what she was going to say longer than most. "I caught that it looks like she really doesn't like you." Ashley didn't even know the teacher's name, so, Chastity it was. "What, uh." He brows furrowed again as she mulled over whether or not it was prudent to ask a question, even one supposedly so innocent. "What did you do to get her so mad at you?" She finally got out before a bit of a wry smile touched her lips. "Maybe if I do it too she'll stop talking to me and trying to cheer me up." Because some people just didn't understand. Just because Ashley was clinically depressed, didn't mean she was sad. It was just another day-to-day hurdle she had to overcome.

[Lucy James]

"She sure doesn't," Lucy replied, shrugging. No, that wasn't a secret. Anyone could see that just from the way the teacher was looking at her. "I had a training session that basically ended up with me verbally abusing her every step of the way," she added with another shrug, as if that was the most normal thing in the world for the brunette to do. In fact, it kind of was. "Needless to say, she didn't particularly enjoy it and ended up threatening me with detention, which is like the least scary thing any teacher can ever use against someone who clearly doesn't give a fuck as it is." Lucy shook her head then as she shifted to lean against the tree again.

"Just tell her to fuck off, and don't back down- It's really that simple." At least with that teacher it was. She was far too childish to really be in a position of authority. No wonder so few people even bothered to take her seriously. Ah well, Lucy supposed the woman had made her own bed and now, found herself having to lie in it. It was almost a little amusing, just how it seemed as if she thought she was so much better than the rest of them, yet acted at least as childish as any other young teenager.

How she'd gotten the position she had, Lucy would never know. Nor did she really care.

[Ashley Benson]

Even though the harsh, abrasive words weren't spoken in her direction and, if made to do so, Ashley would admit she shared a very similar sentiment with Lucy, the swears that came from the other girl's lips almost caused Ashley to flinch each time. She wasn't scared or overly timid, certain words merely didn't sit right and felt strange for some people to be saying. They didn't fit coming from the girl. It didn't feel right.

"Don't you... train your power?" She asked curiously. Ashley's training sessions were her release these days. They were the only time she could escape her volatile world and retreat into something that felt normal. They'd even let her work with a few other students from time to time which, in spite of her obvious discomfort in social situations, was a welcome change. "I like training." She admitted with an almost sheepish shrug of her shoulders. "It's where I go to... get away, I guess you could say." She then attempted to offer the other girl a smile. The results were mixed. One could easily tell there was heart behind it, the execution just fell flat. It wasn't something Ashley had done much in recent years and it always felt awkward. "They don't let me out much, if you couldn't tell." She said, an almost self-deprecating humor creeping into her words. She reached up and brushed a few wisps of brown hair from her cheek and scratched lightly as the tendrils ticked her skin. "I... really don't know why I'm here." Her eyes shifted to look out over the area a bit. She was so out of her element it wasn't even funny.

[Lucy James]

"No," Lucy replied simply. Why would she train a power she didn't at all want to have? Hadn't it been for that damned thing, she would never have been stuck at that damned school and she could have gone on with her life like it had been before without all this shit. Lucy's eyes narrowed slightly as the girl continued. Clearly, she didn't share Lucy's sentiment, and honestly, Lucy didn't really care. She guessed she could understand where the girl was coming from. Maybe it was different when you had an actual power, and not something that just fed off of whatever else everyone had. Truth be told, part of why Lucy hated her ability, was because it was one of those powers that relied on others. Lucy wasn't one who enjoyed having to rely on other people for anything.

Nodding then, as if to confirm what the girl said, Lucy shrugged. Well yeah, it was obvious she didn't get a whole lot of time around other people. Lucky girl. What Lucy wouldn't have done to be in her shoes in regards of that. Though, Lucy didn't at all doubt that the school had their reasons for keeping the girl away, and it was most likely a whole different can of worms the power mimic didn't even want to touch upon. "You could say that," she nodded. "Suppose someone thought you needed to be here then," she commented, her gaze wandering towards the small camp in the distance.

[Ashley Benson]

The abrupt, single word answer that Lucy got served as a suitable sign she wasn't interested in pursuing talk about their respective powers. Ashley didn't mind so much what they spoke about, only that she was able to speak. The longer she spent around others the more a feeling of ease settled about her. Ashley was still jumpy and it remained painfully obvious how tightly wound she was but she was finally able to take the next step. It was a small step, to be sure, but she had to start somewhere.

"Yeah." Ashley nodded. Lucy was right. Someone did think it best for her to be thrown out here with teachers and students she'd never met. Someone had insisted taking her from the pattern and routine that had afforded her a certain semblance of normalcy and comfort in her day to day life and send it all to hell. Ashley then gave a low snort of contempt, her eyes shifting to follow Lucy's. "Because someone else always knows what's best for us, right?" She replied with a bit of a grumble to her voice. She was getting sick of always being told what to do. She knew why that was the case and that she was a long way from being able to stand on he own but that didn't make it any easier.

A sharp beep cut through the night air that caused Ashley to sigh. She dropped her gaze to her wrist where she pressed a button on her watch to cease the alarm. Eyes flicked apologetically to Lucy as Ashley dug into the front pocket of her sweater. She didn't figure the girl cared, but it was still a jarring interruption that remained a constant reminder of Ashley's meticulous daily routine. She dug a small, scratched up, orange pill bottle from her pocket and popped the cap. Her eyes lowered as she shook one of the small tablets into her palm and closed the lid before downing it and tucking the bottle away again. "My power gives me low blood pressure." She said quietly. She was only partially lying.

[Lucy James]

Quirking her brow in amusement, Lucy had to nod in agreement. "Sounds about right." After all, it was true. Sure, in many cases, people did know what was best for you, but that surely didn't mean that it was always the case. Like, what exactly did they hope to gain from Lucy spending the week in the middle of the forest with all these troubled kids? It wasn't like she was suddenly going to become best friends with them all, start seeing rainbows and glittery everywhere and stop smoking. Maybe that was exactly what bothered her so much about this whole thing; You didn't put a bunch of crazy kids together and hoped it would all work out. Come on.

The sudden sound had Lucy's head jerking in the direction of the girl. Her eyes narrowed somewhat, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she simply looked away. In fact, Lucy didn't care a whole lot about the girl or her issues and she knew all too damn well how troublesome it was to have someone dig for answers when you clearly didn't want them. The girl did however seem used to people asking and offered a simple answer. Shrugging, Lucy turned her head back to look at her. "I'm not going to judge," she replied calmly. "Your deal is your own."

Besides. Lucy was hardly in a position to ask anyways. "We all have our problems," she added with another shrug.

[Ashley Benson]

Even though she knew there was no escaping it, Ashley was, quite frankly, growing frustrated with the lack of control she had over her own life. It wasn't her doctors and therapists fault, of course, she had been stricken with the condition that came along with her power's manifestation. She knew the facts, knew the score. Knew that she still had a long road ahead of her in spite of how far she'd already come. That didn't change the simple reality that Ashley was absolutely determined to regain some semblance of normalcy. And that meant she would have to be able to stand on her own with at least the little things.

The short, curt responses the got from the other blue eyed girl were both welcome and slightly off putting. When people talked a lot, Ashley found, they typically had very little to say. She was still getting used to being able to think on her own, to not just go through the motions of the same routine every single day. She appreciated short, succinct answers. It was less for her to process. What bothered Ashley was it didn't seem the other girl was in a particular mood for conversation which caused a certain sense of awkwardness to settle over Ashley. She shuffled her feet a bit and turned her gaze to look out over the wilderness again. She didn't like it out here. She hated it. "I'm Ashley, by the way." She offered, her tone almost hopeful that she wasn't.

[Lucy James]

Shrugging her shoulders at the girl's response, Lucy wondered why she even bothered. It wasn't like Lucy was particularly interested in the girl, not the whole conversation ordeal they seemed to be attempting to pull off. "Lucy," she replied. Ah well, unlike most others, at the least this one hadn't annoyed her or pissed her off yet. That surely was something the girl deserved a pat on the back for, though, Lucy didn't doubt that this one would also prove to be incredibly dreadful. They always did - it was just a matter of time.

If Lucy had learned anything in life, it was that people never were what they made themselves out to be on first glance, and what was lurking just beneath the surface was usually something you were better off without knowing.

Leaning back against the tree, Lucy's hands came up to cross over her chest as she let her eyes wander over the treeline. "At least," she began, her lips pursing slightly as she lifted one hand to rub her temples. "We don't have to stay here more than a week." At least it was something. Sure, Lucy would have preferred not being here at all, but it surely could have been a lot worse. They could have gotten stuck out here for weeks, instead of just one week.

[Ashley Benson]

Ashley nodded at the name, Lucy. She liked it. It was simple and clean. Traditional, yet it didn't seem dated. Her eyes narrowed faintly as she studied Lucy as she did with many others. Ashley, in many ways was still struggling to learn who she was and how she fit in to the world around her. She'd lost so much time to her condition it felt as though she was a blank slate with all remnants of her former self long lost under the weight of mental illness, therapy and medication.

She quickly pulled her gaze away from the other girl, though, lest she be caught staring. Lucy didn't come off as the type of girl who would take kindly to being studied in that way, even if it was more for Ashley to try and get a handle on how people acted and moved. She felt so dull and numb sometimes, like a robot without emotion. "A week!?" Her eyes snapped back to Lucy and widened. While yes, the other blue eyed girl was right and having to stay for longer than planned, regardless of how long that actually was, would be about the worst thing Ashley could think of, she still was surprised to hear the length of the trip was going to be a lot longer than she'd anticipated. "I was told a 'few days'." She groaned as she sank to the ground, back resting upon the side of the tree Lucy was leaning against. "I don't think they could've gotten me out here if they said I'd have to be out here a week." She grumbled, pulling her legs up and giving a low sigh. This week was going to suck.

[Lucy James]

Lucy's brows raised at the girl's reaction; although she understood the reaction, it still amused her. "Guess they're not as good at communicating as they think they are." Pulling her gaze away, Lucy's eyes traveled over the surroundings as she sighed. At least, a week was what she'd gathered from the various people talking about. She could have been wrong of course, but in a way, it did make sense. Simply being here for a weekend or so, seemed pointless. The longer they kept them here, the bigger their chances were to reform them, or whatever the hell it was they were trying to do.

"Well, I suppose we have no choice but to make the best we can of the situation," she offered with a shrug. At least, they were fairly free to do as they pleased. Up until now, there had been none of those forced activities that Lucy dreaded a lot. God, she was going to turn around and run away the second they started forcing her to participate in those damned, awful group activities, because dear god...