Puh, It's Obviously Not a Llama

[Selina Taylor]

    As soon as the rabbit calmed down, Selina looked over at Frank, concern etched in every line of her face, “You alright?” she asked breathlessly. After all, calming down an extremely large runaway bunny was no easy task. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Frank acting the same as she had been and raised a brow at the reindeer comment, “Reindeer? You mean to say you not only brought this lla-rabbit, but that you have also done something with a reindeer?” Just how did Frank get into these types of things?


    When Frank suggested Selina take the reins, she looked back at the large hare with extreme distrust even though the hare had finally seemed to calm down. “…Are you sure?” she asked slowly before glancing back at Frank in curiosity. Slobber dropped down onto her arm and she grimaced before sighing and tugging the reins towards the stables, “Alright, but if he spits on me, you’re the one who’s going to pay for my new clothes,” she warned with a slight smile tugging at her lips.

[Frank "Sunny" Laffont]

"Peachy!" Frank insisted. She held her hands out and did a quick little spin, which ended up with her giggling again. The hands came down to flick bits of grass and dirt off her uniform. Soon enough she was nodding: "Well, yeah, but the reindeer were, like, during the ski cabin thing. You know," Frank looked up to meet Selina's eyes, "when having reindeer makes total sense."

Without the slightest hint of that being joking at all.

Then came more nods, and Frank even unleashed a coo: "Just look at that!" she gestured. "he likes you!" The South American rabbit seemed to agree with this, moving a little closer to Selina. Frank then skipped around the llama to get in front. She reached up to scratch his nose and started walking again, this time moving backward.

"And you totes don't need to, like, worry about clothing or anything," Frank said, nodding. "The uniforms are kinda cheap and all. Oh, and I'm, like, super rich. Like, buy your own island rich. Though my people keep telling me that I can't for some reason. Which kind of sucks," Frank gave the llama another pat before moving to scratch its chin, while still walking backward, effectively leading the creature along.

[Selina Taylor]

    Selina just stared at Frank in slight disbelief before the rabbit tugged her forward and she was forced to give the animal attention. She placed her hand on the back of its neck and stroked it gently in an attempt to calm the creature. “I see… so what did you do with the reindeer?” she asked, curiosity overcoming her better judgment as she tried to reign in her laughter at the very idea.

Selina spared a smile for the South American bunny at Frank’s exclamation and continued running her hand down its neck, “I suppose it does at that,” she murmured quietly as she soothingly ran her hands through the creature’s fur. Something about animals was just so calming, but she was still wary of its spit nonetheless.


    Selina’s eyes widened in slight surprise at the new information, but she supposed it made a lot of sense. No poor person she knew would be able to afford anything like leading around a llama on a leash unless it was stolen. Selina felt a slight bitter tinge of jealousy at Frank’s casual mention of being able to buy an island. Of course, Frank couldn’t possibly know Selina’s history or background, and Selina wasn’t about to enlighten her either, so she just nodded and pulled the llama forward.


    The game suddenly seemed almost gratuitous to her. Was she just a pawn, a plaything, for this rich girl to amuse herself with? Same as the llama? Selina smiled at the thought, as comparing herself to a llama was slightly humorous, but still. Selina paused as she processed the rest of the information, “Your people? Who are your people?” she asked warily wondering just how many people this girl's family had exploited to gain their wealth.

[Frank "Sunny" Laffont]

"Well, I only rented the reindeer, so when I was done, I totally returned them in more or less the condition I got them in," Frank assured her new friend, nodding a few times. She was technically leaving out the bits about attempting to ride them. Or the hooking them to a sled. Or the bit where she'd terrorized a few of her closest friends by insisting that they get close to the reindeer. It was all just details, really.

And yeah, Frank noticed, at least a bit, at the whole eye raising thing. "Yeah, it's kinda weird. I have snobby rich parents and stuff, and, like, it was there idea to make sure that I hired people to handle my inheritance and stuff," Frank offered, along with a slight shrug. She moved to stroke the llama a few more times, remembering that particular conversation. It had been her parents' way of letting her know that they really did care about her, even if they didn't quite understand their eccentric daughter and her fairly wild tendencies.

"So I just pretty much let people invest my money and stuff," Frank continued, adding another shrug. "I just make sure that they do it right and all. You know, like, keep enough that I can have all the energy drinks and enough for kids and stuff, but, like, also enough to set up scholarships and stuff like that. It's no fun to have all that money and not share it with people, amiright?" Frank heard the llama turning to spit, and added: "Well, buying llamas is kinda nice too," she gave her pet another rub and walked a few more steps. She looked over at Selina as she did, smiling wide.

[Selina Taylor]

    Selina knew she was missing out on a large part of the story but merely laughed and asked, “More or less?” She found herself more and more interested in this eccentric young woman and just how she came to be the way she was. Selina pulled back on the llama as it looked at student with too much interest. She wasn’t going to take the chance that its intentions were solely innocent.


    Selina nodded in silence, listening to Frank and trying to remember her mother’s advice to not judge people so harshly. The idea of having enough money to hire others to take care of it for you was a foreign concept for her and difficult to grasp, but she tried to understand as best as she could. The jealousy was still there, but Frank didn’t quite seem the type to abuse her privileges… intentionally.

    Selina nodded once more in answer to Frank’s question, “I guess,” she agreed, not really sure of what else to say. Selina had given a lot of her life to support her mother, so giving to others wasn’t new to her, but having so much that she could give anything freely was not a luxury she’d ever had.
 

    She looked at the llama in renewed interest after hearing it wasn’t rented like the reindeer had been, “So you intend to keep it?” she asked as she led the llama further towards the stables.

[Frank "Sunny" Laffont]

Frank nodded in response to Selina's nod, smiling as she finished. "That's what I figure! But don't worry: when I decide to build my kickass mansion and stuff, you can totes have a room. Just like all my other friends and junk," Frank was already turning and walking the llama a little further toward the stables.

"Probably. Though if, like, it doesn't work out, I can always donate him to a local petting zoo or something. They love me around here," Frank said, petting the llama. She smiled and looked to Selina. "I already gave them a ferret," she paused, her smile turning into a look of contemplation, "and I think a parrot? And some mice? I want to say there was a cat? I gave the fish to this one little girl who was crying 'cuz she didn't have any... and I think the lizard went to that one guy who wanted one... I'm not sure what happened to the dolphin..."

[Selina Taylor]

    Selina laughed at Frank’s offering her a room, “So you plan to buy me off do you?” she teased, though her question was a little sincere. She still wasn’t entirely sure how she felt about Frank right now, and though some would consider her shallow for judging someone based on wealth, she’d been judged many times for being poor so she felt no guilt over her suspicion. Shit, she was being generous in comparison by not completely writing Frank off.


    “The dolphin?” Selina asked as she tugged the llama forward once more. “How did you manage to get your hands on a dolphin?” Despite her better judgement, she was still intensely curious about Frank. In the end, she supposed she could use Frank for entertainment and leave it at that… but part of her rebelled at the very idea of being cruel or callous towards Frank, and she wasn’t sure why. Selina wanted to like Frank, if she was being completely honest. And a part of her wanted to believe that Frank was a little less callow than others… so for right now, she was determined to withhold her judgment and see what happened.

[Frank "Sunny" Laffont]

Frank let out a giggle, then leaned forward, talking conspiratorially. "Depends, is it working?" she wiggled her brows a few more times, then let out a laugh, leaning back. "I'd like to think that I don't actually need the money to make people like me. I don't usually bring it up, but sometimes people are all like 'how do you afford to do stuff' and I gotta be all explaining it and stuff," Frank shrugged, moving a few steps forward, hand still stroking her latest weird pet. She bobbed her head as though hearing music that no one else could, only to turn as Selina questioned.

"Yeah, I think there was one? I get them confused and stuff," she shrugged, then patted the "rabbit." "That's why I'm totally sneaking this llama in: the school's not exactly thrilled that I keep buying pets and all. My parents don't care as long as my grades are okay and my portfolio remains more or less in, like, good shape."

Frank tapped her fingers a few more times, then drew to a stop. She nodded. "Looks like we're here. Think we could leave the llama here and take a look? Or should, like, we just go in and try to convince anyone there that he's totally a rabbit..." Frank was humming and shifting from foot to foot, clearly thinking about it, even as she eyed the stables with a critical eye.

[Selina Taylor]

    Selina let out a huff of amusement, “It just might be,” she teased in turn. No matter how much she wanted to, Selina couldn’t seem to force herself to dislike this girl. She wasn’t honestly sure whether that was a good or a bad thing. Selina nodded her understanding as she she’d wondered herself at how a mere student could afford a pet llama. “I’m almost sorry I’m so skeptical,” she admitted wryly. “Almost,” she added with a wink before tugging at the stubborn llama.


    Selina was slightly jealous at the girl’s seeming imperviousness to discipline, but she vaguely remembered that the school wasn’t likely to let any of the mutants that attended there go. Selina was almost worried about the school’s intentions, in a way she hadn’t been when she’d first arrived here, as this school was starting to feel a little more prison-like than she appreciated. Selina forced her misgivings away for now, knowing that it did little good to worry over such things.


    When they reached the stables, Selina tied up the llama with a firm knot and looked to Frank, “I say we check inside first. If there’s anyone in there you can create a distraction and I’ll lead the llama in when no one’s looking. How does that sound?” she asked. The entirety of the school probably knew about the llama by now regardless, but part of her wanted to what Frank would do to clear the stables…

[Frank "Sunny" Laffont]

Frank giggled again, moving over to give Selina a quick hug (while moving around the llama, though it seemed like Frank probably would have hugged both of them if she could get her arms into the proper position). "It's okay: You probably have good reason to be all guarded and stuff. It's okay though," Frank raised a hand and whispered, "I won't judge or nothing. I just wanna be friends with everybody."


Frank nodded then, having stated her mission statement. Which then led her to considering her current mission. There was Selina's suggestion to consider, which Frank did, nodding her head contemplatively as she studied the stables closely. "Yes, yes, that does make sense. Let's just---" she walked over and grabbed the reins, gently taking them from Selina and leading the llama to a nearby fence, quickly tying it. Frank clearly had some experience dealing with reins, as she didn't struggle much with them, just flipping and pulling them taut.

Then Frank nodded and gestured for Selina to follow as she skipped into the stables, letting out a "hulloooo!" as she did.

[Selina Taylor]

    Selina awkwardly hugged Frank back, incredibly surprised by the girl’s actions. She hadn’t been hugged by someone outside of her family in years probably. Not that she could remember at least. Selina patted the girl’s back and made eye-contact with the llama who looked completely bored and disinterested… lots of help there. Selina smiled at Frank’s bold statement, “You mean to say that you don’t plan on making one enemy in your entire life?” Selina could almost believe it of this girl, though she’d probably never admit that.


    Selina admired Frank’s skill with the animal’s reins as she had no experience with such things whatsoever. Santiago wasn’t exactly the most rural place. Selina then grinned and followed Frank into the stables, slightly startled that Frank wanted her to come with her. When Frank called out, Selina tried to look as inconspicuous as she possibly could, but that was made slightly difficult considering the girl she was standing beside.

[Frank "Sunny" Laffont]

Frank felt the patting and just smiled all the more. Yes, hugs were definitely the way to get to people. Too often people just didn't hug or something, especially teenage people these days. It was like they were afraid to do the hugging for reasons that Frank definitely didn't understand. It obviously didn't stop her or even slow her down.

"Nope!" she said, pulling away from Selina and nodding. "I totes don't have any enemies. Well, except for bad people and buttfaces."

And then she was flipping reins and moving into the stables and gesturing and looking around. "I don't think anyone's here..." she said, craning her head and bobbing about as she looked from stall to stall, wanting to doublecheck and make sure of everything. Frank waved Selina further in, pointing. "You should totes check some of the stalls too. We don't want to have someone popping in or something. Oooh," she turned back, grinning, "and there are horses!"

Because who didn't want to look at pretty horses and pet them? Frank was already hard at work doing just that.

[Selina Taylor]

    Selina laughed at Frank’s definition of an enemy and then nodded, “You know what, all of my enemies have been bad and/or been buttfaces as well, so I can’t really disagree with you on that,” she responded with a warm smile.


    Selina looked into the stalls, just to double check and found them as empty as Frank had. She started to pet on horse and it turned its butt to her and pricked its ears forward in interest. Selina almost groaned, but she scratched the horse’s butt and sighed instead. The half-lidded eyes told her she’d done what the horse wanted and she looked back at Frank to see what the girl was up to.


    “So, you think the llama will get on with the horses alright?” she asked in curiosity, having no idea how the two species would react to each other. She assumed it wouldn’t be too much of an adjustment, but she had no knowledge in this area.

[Frank "Sunny" Laffont]

"Exactly!" Frank said as Selina agreed with her, bobbing her head enthusiastically a few more times. "That's pretty much what it comes down to: People are either nice or they're totally jerkwads, and screw the jerkwads." Frank paused for a moment, her head tilting as she seemed to process what she said for the first time. "Sometimes literally," she added.

Why yes, it had been far too long, despite the amazing amount of hotness which was Frank Cox. But for now, she had horses and a South American rabbit to distract her. So into the stables to look at all the pretty little ponies! Frank practically skipped up and down the aisles, peering at various animals and cooing. She recognized Ellen's horse, and she moved forward, but hesitated, wondering if she should really bother the animal. Ellen really cared a lot about the horse, after all, and Frank didn't want to...

"That's a good point!" Frank said as Selina questioned the decision. She turned, her hair following behind her. "What if the llama had his parents murdered by a horse and he's sworn a sacred oath to kill any and all equines involved? Or maybe the horses are totally a big group of ugly buttfaced racists that are all like," Frank snapped her fingers and jerked her head around, "we don't want any stupid llamas hanging around us. Or maybe they're a gang!" Frank's eyes widened. "I don't want to start a gang war!"

[Selina Taylor]

    Selina laughed and moved on down deeper into the stables admiring the horses and sometimes petting them. “Sometimes…” she agreed evenly, “But sometimes I would rather kick their asses instead. It can be equally satisfying depending on the situation.” Though Selina meant every word, she was mostly being light-hearted. Selina then remembered the rabbit they’d left outside and wondered if she should go get it, since no one else was in here.


    Frank’s questions had Selina laughing again and she just shook her head, “I’ll go get the rabbit and see how it feels about the situation, shall I? After all, there’s only one way to find out,” she offered. Part of her negatively reacted to Frank’s talk of gangs, but she didn’t comment. She wasn’t into being serious today. Not for the moment at least.

    “…You know, if the horses murdered the llama’s parents, our llama could be Bruce Wayne in disguise.” Yes, she so and totally had a thing for Batman. But really, who didn’t?