Of best intentions

[Raven Rander]

The fun part of having dyed hair and a scowl was that people tended to just assume she was a punk and that was the end of it. When the reality was that she was smart enough to come up with workarounds when it suited her. By way of an example, the fact she was sitting in the corner of a club that really did stick to the "under 21's can't buy drinks" rule.... and yet was a quarter way through her third White Russian of the night.

It'd been easy really, wear a low cut top (or the tank top she wore to the gym) and guys will be far more likely to buy you drinks. Since she'd set out with the goal of actually getting drunk rather then having fun for a change, she'd picked this place to hang out for the night. Nothing made men more desperate, or in the mind set of throwing money at women, then this kind of joint. Her eyes flicked to the stage, and she conceded there were other benefits too.

Raven leaned back in her seat, swirling the ice in her glass. It was one of those downer kind of days, and since she couldn't come up with any better way to deal with her messed up brain then booze? "here's to hating myself in the morning!" she declared to no one, gesturing with her glass at nowhere. Truly this was one of her most dignified points.

[Poppy Lockwood]

Poppy walked into the bar with confidence. Unfortunately for her, she still needed to show her ID. Though that was fine because she knew she looked younger than most 19 year olds. A girl can dream. Once she made her way into Dirty Little Secrets, she was engulfed in the wild atmosphere. The music blared through the speakers, male and female dancers on the stage, people dancing on the floor, sweaty bodies pressed against sweaty bodies, people drinking and getting drunk and losing themselves into the music.

She was not really sure why she decided to wonder into a club. Poppy was not into losing control of her mind because that would mean losing control over her ability. That was not something she fancied. But that night, in her green blouse and rumpled jeans, her feet in ballet flats took her into the wild scene of Dirty Little Secrets. She made her way towards the bar where a handsome fella worked behind it. He flashed her a knowing smile and Poppy ordered what she could. "Coke, please." He nodded and made her drink.

A voice punctured through the music. Poppy heard what it said. So she picked up her drink and made her way to the end of the bar where a girl with red hair sat. "Planning to do something tonight that you wouldn't do tomorrow?" She plopped down on the seat beside her and took a sip of the coke. "Tell me more."

[Raven Rander]

Raven raised an eyebrow in surprise when she was joined by someone who looked to be pretty much her age, and couldn't help chuckling at what she was asked. "I appreciate the faith you have to think I have a plan." she said, knocking back another gulp of her drink and wincing at the way the pleasing cold stung at the back of her throat on the way down. "My plan was to sit here and keep doing this 'til something interesting happened."

With a tilt of her head, Raven looked the girl over appraisingly. Cute. but probably straight. Anyone interested would at least glanced at Raven's chest by now or she was going to give up. ah well. "The fact you're asking me says you ain't got any plans yet either." she pieced together with a thoughtful tone. "so then before we brain storm lets figure out where you're standing." she grinned. "I ain't taking you for the drown your sorrows type. Gonna guess you don't want to end up going home with one of those hunks on stage either, or you wouldn't be sitting next to me." which blew the two main reasons Raven ever went clubbing out the water. "So pretty girl, tell me what your goal for the night is and we can get to work on that."

[Poppy Lockwood]

The girl drank alcohol. That much was now obvious.

Poppy tried to piece the little information she had from their short conversation. It seemed as if the girl wanted to wake up with a hangover the next day along with a stranger in her bed. They would probably have a wild night together. Subconsciously, her eyes travelled to the stage. The men were fairly good looking, same goes to the women. She wondered which one those would the red-haired girl choose to tow back home.

Looking back at her drink, Poppy took a big gulp and gave a convincing wince--like the one the girl had made. Well she tried and failed miserably. Everyone in the bar probably knew it was just a coke and nothing more.

"Okay, you're right. I don't drink to drown my sorrows, but maybe that's because I'm too awesome to feel regret or something." She ordered for another and not long afrerwards, the handsome fella thrusted the drink into her hands. "You're right again, you know. I didn't have an idea what tonight would lead to. I was kinda hoping you might. And you did." Sip, sip, sip. "But I got an idea now," Poppy said. "So instead of wallowing in the sadness and do stuff that would only most likely bring us sorrow afterwards...let us not do that! Good plan?" The girl did not speak; Poppy feared she may have driven her away. But she tried one more time, "Tell me angry girl, why do you think that the answers to your problem could be found at the bottom of an empty...whatever-alcohol-you're-drinking-now glass?"

[Raven Rander]

Raven was actually starting to enjoy this whole thing. It seemed like she'd managed to confuse this lady... or something. Raven really didn't get it but there was definitely some reaction out of her already. The way she'd looked at the stage though, THAT Raven had caught, and it was pretty funny to think about. She honestly had no interest in any of them and had been offering to try and set this girl up with any that had taken her eye, maybe that'd actually end up being the game for the evening.

When the woman tried too hard to look like she was fitting in, Raven raised an eyebrow and looked at her in bemusement. "Yeah you look awesome." she sarcastically agreed with a shrug. "But sure, you ain't dealing with anything right now. good to hear it. Don't mean it ain't ever called for you know." wasn't that always the way with the cheerful types, not getting that things weren't sunshine and rainbows the world over.

When it was revealed she had earned her second correct of the evening, Raven grinned and gestured a lazy salute with two of her fingers. "Ain't I always? Nothing wrong with that, fun in itself is as good a justification as any." the girls plan wasn't a plan, it was.... more a goal. an objective perhaps. but was lacking any potential steps to getting to the end results. "I've heard better." she said without thinking about it, her usual running of her mouth.

But that wasn't really fair. she was making an effort here to be friendly.... why this lady thought Raven was the one to do that to was beyond her but that was irrelevant. she sighed, "but hell I've heard a lot worse." she finally answered, that final question made her laugh, with one hand she placed the glass on the bar carelessly, almost sending its contents to the floor without noticing. The other reached out and patted the girl on the knee.

"Angry girl?" Raven asked with an amused look, "shit I ain't telling you my name now. I like the nickname too much." Raven snickered, picking her glass up only a few seconds after she'd put it down so she could knock back the rest of her drink in one gulp. "I'm drinking 'cause there's NO answer to my problems. If thing's can't get any better, why not let them get worse but more bearable?" Raven looked like she was pleased with herself for the answer and went to drink again, only to look down and find it empty, "ah that's distressing." she murmured to herself in disappointment.

[Poppy Lockwood]

Poppy motioned to the bartender for another drink for the girl since she was not uncouth. She liked the way the girl thought. It reminded her of the phrase 'if you cannot beat them, join them'. It was not something she liked doing. No, she was to prideful for that, but would consider it nonetheless if the need arises. Her pranking days were not over despite getting her fair share of punishments and getting caught. A recent encounter taught her to swallow her pride a tad bit. Still, she did not enjoy one minute of it.

Shooing the thought away, she returned her attention to the red-haired girl. She got the vibe that the girl was closed off and was blunt enough just to get her to go so the girl could get back to drown her sorrows. But that only made Poppy like her that much more and it looked like the little nickname helped. The girl might not be ready to open up but Poppy stayed. This was one of her 'good days'. She was already there and did not plan to leave anytime soon. Also, annoyingly persistent at times.

Soon a brilliant idea popped into her mind. If angry girl did not want to talk about herself, then they would talk about other people. "Come now, let us be the assholes that we are and make fun of others." Picking up her drink, she twirled in her chair and scanned the club. "I think the bartender is gay. Nobody that handsome can be straight." She snickered. "Plus, you can see his underwear and it looks like he washes his hair with too much product," Poppy mentally cursed herself. "Sorry, I don't know why I made a Sherlock reference." Without waiting for a reply, she carried on. Out of the many humans in the club, her eyes locked on a target. "Lookie there," she said and pointed. "What do you think, angry girl?"

[Raven Rander]

Raven really didn't expect this lady to buy her a drink, taken aback her mask slipped long enough for her to almost smile at the gesture. "Thanks." she offered, before catching herself and returning to her usual frown. Well that settled that, she really did want to be Raven's friend..... for some reason. People made no sense sometimes, she had been nothing but an unlikable bitch the entire conversation.

Eh. free drink. don't look a lawyer in the briefcase or whatever.

Her thoughts strayed and idly Raven hummed along to whatever this damn awful techno beat this was blearing itself out to them. Really it was her own fault for picking this place, somehow she predicted a strip club wasn't going to be playing Bob Dylan any time soon. as hilarious as that would have been to watch. "Hey Mister tambourine man, play a song for me" Raven sang under her breath, her tone carrying a hint of melancholy as she leant back in her chair and stared into one of the lights on the ceiling. "I'm not sleepy, and there is no place I'm going to." Well that was certainly true if nothing else.

Suddenly, the lady-(Raven cast around and decided to think of her as Tambourine until she learned her actual name.) so. suddenly Tambourine had a pretty darn good idea of a way to have fun. "Ah you're playing my song." she grinned, suddenly perking up at the invitation to mock people. the things Tambourine said made Raven laugh easily. especially about hot people never being straight "I'm living proof!" She joked easily. considering the bar tender for a moment she grimaced, "oh God what IS wrong with his hair? he looks like he's going to burst into Greased lightning any second!" Raven had no real idea what detective show's had to do with hair gel but let it slide. Relishing the challenge, Raven followed the point to her own victim.

"I think that man is wearing sunglasses. in a dark club. at NIGHT." she deadpanned, each word getting more incredulous. "How has this man not wondered into traffic and died? and further more WHY NOT?" she rolled her eyes in disgust. "Bet you ten bucks he's one of those douchebags that's tried to get the number of every female dancer here." She shrugged, deciding that was securities problem. "Alright you get a harder one. That corner seat near the fire-exit." she said, starting to get into this.

[Poppy Lockwood]

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The girl seemed just like the kind of person who would get a kick out of mocking others. This happened to be one of the reasons why it was hard for Poppy to make friends. Most tend to find the activity 'shallow' and "you should not make fun of others" and the usual "don't judge a book by its cover". She did it for her own entertainment. She did not consider it 'mean' because her victims would not know what she thought, only she did. If she liked it, it was not wrong. Would one deny oneself of joy?

She laughed hard. "With hardly any light, I wonder if he knows it is even a girl!" Angry girl's comments were just too darn hilarious. "Who is desperate enough for that?" Her gaze then averted from the man with shades to the one sitting newr the fire-exit. "Oh lord, there's so many things wrong about it all. Where do I begin?" Before continuing, she took a sip of the almost gone drink. 

"First of, who the hell sits alone back there in a club, without a drink. See the notebooks in the seat beside him?" His attempt to hid it from view was pathetic. "I'm guessing he just got it from some other nerd...and now he feels guilty for copying off cause he had been 'the smart' or 'good' one. Thus thinking getting drunk would get his mind of it. But since he is the loser that buttons his shirts all the way, he can't buy the drink. Mister is underage and plays by the books. Even though he got someone else to do his work. You might think because of that, he'd just break all the rules. But there is still that nagging conscience of his. Pathetic guilty little bastard. Probably thought his world was gonna end because of this. News flash, it's in-sig-ni-fi-cant," Poppy stressed on each syllable. Finishing her Coca-Cola, she smiled slyly. "That one." She pointed to a dancer.

[Raven Rander]

Raven laughed along with her new companion, having a ball listening to her slag off Dead Poets Society over there. Tambourine was a lot funnier then Raven had expected and almost choked on her drink by the end of it as she inhaled too quickly.

"I bet I could talk him into buying us drinks but he'd be following us around like an unloved puppy the rest of the night." That was what Raven hated more then anything, people who wouldn't get lost when she wanted them to. "my Goodness. Someone so pathetic i'm gonna turn down free booze to avoid him. that. that's actually depressing to think about." the claim she felt sorry for him was ruined somewhat by the fact she was still grinning about it.

"oh her?" Raven said, relishing the challenge.. man talking of pathetic. "I'm going to sound like a bitch for this, but she's WAY too pretty to be working here. even if she's as dumb as an inbred redneck she could just become someone's trophy wife or something." she chuckled, "i wonder if she rushed to the phone to tell her parents she got a job here. I wonder if Thanksgiving was awkward that year."

Raven made a show of sitting up in her chair so she could put all her focus on the woman on stage. "That being said, I'm glad she is here. Hottest chick in the place. 'cept me." She tilted her head to look Tambourine over. "okay she's third. which is still an accomplishment and no one can take that away from her." Raven paused. "unless you can clone yourself or something." Man she wished she could do that. Have an entire gang of Ravens to go around being awesome with.

"I am assuming you're stuck in that bloody academy too right? Everyone around our age in this town seems to be." she asked out of curiosity, the game momentarily forgotten.

[Poppy Lockwood]

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"Oh god," she groaned. The idea that the boy would be trailing after them was an unpleasant thought. "Don't you just hate unwanted attention?!" She cringed at the thought of having an unwanted follower. Fortunately for them, the boy did not dare to make a move towards the two girls sitting by the bar laughing and making snide comments at him.

Poppy considered her companion's words all the while looking at the dancer. "You're right," she agreed. "I think she is one of those 'I'm gonna do something with my life kinda girl' you know what I mean? Thinks she's better than just a pretty face. Which may be true or not. But either way she thinks she's better than just someone's arm candy. I don't think so, Missy." She shook her head and made a tsk tsk sound. Angry girl made her laugh -- again and again. It was hard not to.

She ordered another Coca-Cola at the same time when the girl implied she was one of the hottest females in the club. Taking her drink, she chinked glasses with the girl. "Appreciate it, angry girl. To hot babes!" She then took a sip of the drink whilst she pondered on the idea of cloning courtesy of her companion. It would certainly to be considered cool, she would have multiple of her awesome self. She could then wreck havoc around the area. Watch out Kalispell, there was more than one Poppy in town.

When the girl mentioned the academy, Poppy was a little stunned. She did not recall either of them ever mentioning or hinting that one or the other was a mutant throughout their whole conversation that night. Perhaps angry girl was a little drunk and did not realized her slip -- unlike Poppy. Mutants were known but she had never volunteered the information. Different people reacted differently to it. Though she was glad the topic came up. "Ha, you got that right. Been there since I was 12 really. It's just a blur of faces. Don't recall seeing you, angry girl." She tilted her head and arched a questioning eyebrow. "Do you stay in the hostel? What's your story, aye?" asked Poppy coyly. 

[Raven Rander]

Mary laughed at Tambourines rather dramatic reaction to the idea, partly because it was really funny and partly because it was fully understandable. "Oh hell yeah I hate it! i'd end up breaking the guys nose just because the police would be more bearable to put up with." Really it was probably survival instincts that kept him cuddled up over there. which pleased Raven immensely.

And the mocking train just kept rolling at the pretty accurate description of the dancer. "Yeah it's stupid too. if a guy wants to give me all his money why not take it? It's like letting him do charity work but with more.... me." She grinned, really it was a kindness, people that stupid shouldn't have money anyway. Too risky. They may do bad things with it, like give it to people that weren't her...... okay that one sounded bad even to Raven and she dismissed the thought.

Happily returning the gesture, Raven grinned widely as their glasses met. "Hells yeah. May we continue to make this planet prettier by mere existence." Raven thought that if she could, she'd totally date her own clown. It'd be true love. And she was sexy as hell so it'd all be pretty damn sweet.

Raven was of a very different mentality, having never hidden the fact she was a mutant to anyone. It was a good asshole detector, if it made them get weird she knew to stop wasting time talking to them and save herself time.

At Tambourine's brief explanation, Raven whistled in surprise. "12? shiiiiiit they got you early!" she said, viewing it as a horrible thing. "Ah me, I don't really socialise with the students that much, probably why." she shrugged, before rolling her shoulders. "Oh it's not much of a story. I turn into a grizzly bear, so they put me in the gilded cage that is Bellefonte as punishment." Her voice had darkened the most it had been this entire conversation, showing how little she really thought of the academy.

Most people ended up with Raven looking down on them for liking the place, but Bellefonte had been brainwashing this one since 12. so Raven really couldn't take that approach here. "Hostel? I have a room in the college dorms if that's what you mean?" She asked before deciding that was the boring question. "so what about you? what's your little secret?"

[Poppy Lockwood]

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No matter what people thought, she was having a great time at the club. Despite not drinking any alcohol, like some most might need to loosen up. Then again, Poppy never needed to get tipsy to have fun. A contributing factor to her non existing social life.

"Early," she laughed before continuing, "you can say that. But then again, I didn't have to leave much behind. Zero friends really. Parents...well as a 12 year old I was glad I didn't have to see them 24/7 get what I mean?" Actually, when she had manifested, Poppy was at first reluctant to go, but somehow her parents managed to convince her. Besides, her cat came along, so she embraced whatever it was that came her way.

"Shit, angry girl is a mama bear!" Just the thought of it excited her. Her mind wondered what mischief the two could get up to. From the girl's tone and words, she came off as not a big fan of the academy. "Locked you up, huh? Must have caused some serious shit." Poppy grinned in admiration.

Her companion had given her a new perspective on the school. When she found out she had power and was not ordinary, the brunette was of course thrilled. The academy was a place where she learnt more about herself. About her kind. A place where her power grew and became stronger. Poppy was ignorant -- as always -- on how others viewed the academy. Therefore, never once did it occur to her for it to be a hell hole. Angry girl piqued her curiosity once again.

"Secrets...well for one thing I've pranked more than a handful of people without getting caught. Though that hardly counts as a secret now does it?" She winked and took a sip of the drink. "Gravity manipulator. Poltergeist action since 2011! Kind of, well am a power overuser. I like disconnecting from the world." Being up in the air with no ties -- gravitational pull for her case -- to Earth was appealing. "Pulled tricks a lot." She chuckled as she remembered some. "What can I say, I like irritating people."

Poppy tried to stay clear out of topics on the academy, but her curiosity got the best of her. To the hell with it. If she doesn't want to talk about it, I'll drop it. "So, how bad was it, angry girl?"

[Raven Rander]

See this shit was EXACTLY the reason Raven was so determinedly paranoid and distrustful of a school that had done nothing but treat her well and give her free stuff. Because here was someone who was taken from her parents at twelve and seemed to think that was a perfectly normal thing to have happened. Sure she sounded like she had wanted to. but that was how they got ya, lie and make everything sound like gumdrops and rainbows.

"Yeah I get ya. Man I was still like that 'til I was around 16 or so." she nodded, like Tambourine getting a taste of independence WAS a pretty good selling point for her, but it hadn't been enough to make her say yes.

Everything said next made Raven realise her new friend didn't actually get what Raven was talking about. They were all locked up here, didn't she see that? or did she just choose not to. It was probably kinder to not stress people out, so Raven just put on a playful smile. "Ah you know. I can get creative when a perfectly trained bear is an option." she lied easily.

Gravity. seriously. "Why does everyone have better powers then me!" Raven mock complained, grinning at the idea of tricks using that kind of mutation. "that's awesome. you've got to show me the extremes of that. Like....." She gave it some thought and suddenly clicked her fingers, "could you make a car 'light' enough I could balance it on one finger? because i'd love to have that picture as my profile on facebook." Well that settled it, Raven and this girl were going to be friends.

How bad was it.

Okay fine, if she wanted to know so bad, forget being kind. "You tried to leave?" Raven asked, suddenly completely serious. "Because I did. After they forced me to come here against my will, after i'd said I didn't want to go, after i'd ran and made it clear i'd rather be homeless then go with them? I packed my stuff and left." Raven locked eyes with the girl and smirked. "did you know they have people who's job is to use psychic powers to know where we are at all times? or that if they think you're trying to leave the school they'll send men out to drag you back kicking and screaming?"

Raven slammed her now empty glass down on the table harder then she meant to, and heard it crack slightly under her clenched fingers. "You've been in prison, for the crime of being born different, since you were twelve Sweetie. They've just been painting the cage bars gold to distract you."

[Poppy Lockwood]

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The girl laughed at the other girl's mock complain. Gravity was cool, she agreed. "I kid you not. Gravity is fucking cool. But there are the downsides and I'm not even talking about the side effects yet. Sometimes my power just kick in whenever I'm feeling any emotions strongly. Happy or angry. Things and people around me tends to float!"

Poppy laugh remembering the many incidents. "It isn't so bad just when it invovled others, they wouldn't stop barking at me to put them. But once, I almost drowned my cat!" That day was fresh in her mind. "It was the day the recruiters came for me. I was at the lake with my kitty. Thought I'd be left alone at the school, so I was very furious. The next thing I know, my cat was floating above water. And it didn't help when the recruiters came. One of them was a power supression so Coca-Cola almost fell!" Listening to herself, she could not believe her ears. It was terrifying but now it was something she could laugh about.

Angry girl's idea for a new Facebook profile picture excited her. "Hell yeah I can! That'll look really cool." The brunette enjoyed how her night was playing out. She wanted to know more about the redhead's power but for once, she held her tongue back.

As the girl spoke, it felt like Poppy was finally woken up from a sweet dream and into the harsh reality which was life. She shook her head at the question. Never had left and never even thought too. It was a lot to take in and her mind had a hard time to process it all. The transition was not gradual but abrupt and sudden.

She knew the academy staffs had an eye on them at all times. Poppy always thought it was just to make sure the existence mutants did not leaked. For their safety. But was that the only reason? Had she been so oblivious? Angry girl made sense and Poppy could not deny it. Throughout her time there, she had grown to be someone who was sure and proud of herself. Never paid much attention to others but still kept an open mind. That was why she did not shoot down what the girl said, instead more questions popped up. What else had she missed?

"You have certainly given me a new perspective, angry girl." Giving a small smile, she nodded. The girl had definitely given her a lot to think about. But that did not mean she had to do it right there and then. Finishing her drink, she slammed her glass down. "Come on lets get you that new profile picture," said a grinning Poppy.

[Raven Rander]

Raven raised an eyebrow at that information, and smirked wickedly. "so like... you ever been in the middle of a wild night and he just starts floating off the bed?" she asked snickering. "his naked butt gracefully bopping out the window." she really did mean to stop, but another thought occurred to her and now she couldn't stop laughing. "and hang on. and then? from then on he becomes convinced if he doesn't start flying you're not really enjoying yourself!" Raven just descended into cackling at that, until she had to cover her mouth because people were starting to stare at her.

The rest of the story was funny too, and Raven was only laughing more. "oh man that poor cat. We should not be laughing at this." She said, while her laughing didn't even come close to stopping. "You called your cat Coca-Cola?" she asked in disbelief. "Well fair play, can't say it ain't unique."

Yeah see this is why Raven had been planning to leave her in ignorance. It wasn't really fair of her to stress people out for no reason. but what was done was done, she'd asked and now she just had to live with it. No way Raven was apologising now.

"I have that effect on people occasionally." she said casually. "it's 'my Goodness. I did not know there was such beauty on this earth.' but i'll take it." She pulled a twenty out of her back pocket and handed it over to the bartender to pay off her tab from tonight and the last time she was here.

"Well hells yeah. I don't suppose you'd be willing to make it a police car?" Raven asked, trying and failing to sound like she was serious about that. "or lets not go to prison. Kind of a buzz kill. Let's go girl."

Raven headed off towards the door, taking one last appreciative look at one of the close by dancers, pulled her leather jacket back on before they returned to the outside, and pushed it open into the cool air of the night. She even held the door open for her friend. "man oh man is it good to be able to hear myself think again." she muttered, before casting her eyes around. "this car park? or somewhere more secluded?" she asked cheerfully.