[SCE] She's the Giggle at a Funeral

[Selina Taylor]

    Selina didn’t honestly care much about how hurt Ryan may or may not have felt, but the way the girl was going on was just... irritating to her. “Whether or not you’re a monster is something you’ll have to figure out for yourself, but barging in isn’t the only way to get people to talk to you,” she offered, her tone even and calm, if slightly cold. Selina’s cruelty was only occasionally curbed by empathy, and she felt only a little for the girl in front of her. “If that’s the only way you know how to interact with others, don’t expect everyone to react positively,” she added with a shrug. “Besides, there are a lot of people in this world, I’m sure you’ll find someone.” It was the kindest Selina could force herself to be. She then turned and started to walk away.


    Selina had noted Ashley’s reaction and recognized some of her behaviors. While Selina honestly wasn’t sure how she felt about Ashley yet, as she didn’t even know her, at the same time, Selina didn’t feel the sense of tension with Ashley that she did around Ryan, so she was also offering the brunette a way out if the girl wanted it. Selina understood that being in a stressful situation probably wasn’t enjoyable for her, particularly with how Ashley still appeared to be somewhat on edge. Then again, there was a possibility that Ashley wanted to stay and eat the canned food. Either way, Selina was headed in the other direction.

[Ryan Alexander]

Ryan heard the words about there being other ways to go about it.

"Other ways...don't suppose you could give an example? I mean...I'm kind of clueless. That's the only way people around me have ever really started conversations with me too. I kind of come from a pushy social circle. If I knew another way...I would use it." Socially Ryan did need some sort of help. She could readily admit that to herself.

"I didn't mean to annoy. Or to scare. I know I can be seen as both unfortunately."

[Ashley Benson]

In an instant, Ashley felt as though she was now stuck in the middle of whatever had just happened. She'd been a largely silent onlooker as the redheaded girl went back and forth with the brunette. Eyes furrowed, Ashley looked between them. There was something in the redhead's eyes that tugged at Ashley's heart. It seemed as though a genuine hurt danced just behind her gaze that gave Ashley pause.

"Wait." She said suddenly, glancing to Selina. "Look..." She took a deep breath. After having been quiet through it all speaking and the attention it usually brought along with it was something she had to steel herself to do. "I think we got off to a bad start." She reasoned, stepping back so she could look at both of the other girls in turn. "We're all kind of in this together, right? There's no point in fighting. Why don't we..." She worked her hands pressing the tips of her forefingers together as she tried to push out the right words. "Team up." She frowned as that wasn't exactly what she wanted to say. "Work together so we can get through all this without, you know... killing each other." She looked to both of the girls, silently pleading that they would see it the same way and hopefully find some common ground.

[Selina Taylor]

    Selina sighed, but halted as she turned to face the two women. Why hadn’t she just left already? Selina knew what it was to be socially clueless though, as moving to the U.S. made socializing similar to trying to walk on constantly shifting sand. Besides, Ryan seemed to be relatively harmless, and Selina could recognize it when someone was genuine in their apology. Selina glanced at the both of them and wondered just what it was she’d gotten herself into. Selina let out a quiet sigh before looking to Ryan “It’s alright, I’m just on edge since having run into a large spider,” she offered the redhead with a nod. “And I suppose it’d be difficult to learn without practice,” she added with a shrug.


    “By the way, I don’t usually kill people merely because I disagree with them,” she said with a smirk as she turned to Ashley. It wasn’t really an attempt at humor, as Selina was partially serious. She had no idea what these girls had done or not done to get sent here, and she had no clue what was going on in their heads either. Better to be safe than sorry, maybe.

[Ryan Alexander]

"I'd only kill someone if it made good art." Ryan laughed.

"Kidding kidding! But honestly, I think I'm here because my moral code is kinda skewy like that. Not quite as bad as that, but kinda. I do have one, but it's different than the conventional one the school made their rules by. And...pouring alcohol on selective parts of my canvas and lighting it on fire probably didn't help. Although I would've liked to try to explain my view on that one, since the piece was technically with a good message about the destructiveness of alcohol on life." She shrugged.

"But then I like camping too, so it isn't really a problem. And if we're going to team up or whatever and if you two promise not to kill me in my sleep, I could probably make you guys a couple knives. I brought steel jewellery and I'm a metal manipulator. It's kind of what I do." She withdrew a steel necklace from her pocket and manipulated it into liquid. It rolled over her knuckles gently before she closed her eyes and focused, turning it into a folding pocketknife. Then she opened her eyes a couple minutes later. It was formed beautifully and she smiled.

"YES! I managed again! That ROCKS!"

[Ashley Benson]

Ashley didn't know what had just happened but whatever it was it seemed to work. Conflict was something she normally shied away from whether she was involved in it or not. The truth of the matter was simple. She was forced to come out here in the middle of nowhere because someone, somewhere thought it would be 'good for her' but the only thing that had been accomplished were feeling of isolation, anxiety and uncertainty. Granted, she always felt that way but here, far away from what little comfort zone she had at the Academy, everything was far worse than it had been before. That wouldn't stop Ashley from trying. To what ends, she didn't know, though she figured keeping the peace between two other students was probably a good start.

Deep, piercing blue eyes lit up at the hesitant truce that seemed to form between the two girls. The contentment was short lived, though, as the redheaded girl then set about making use of her mutant power. Curiously Ashley watched the metal twist and change shape. "Oh, uh, I don't know." She said nervously as she glanced between the two girls again. "I'm not allowed to, uh, have knives or anything like that." Came the quiet admission as she tried not to dampen Ryan's obvious enthusiasm over the successful use of her power. And there was absolutely no way Ashley was even going to acknowledge the whole 'killing people' joke.

[Selina Taylor]

    Destructiveness of alcohol, huh? Selina chose not to say a damn word. She could disagree with the girl all she wanted, but she had a feeling Ryan wasn’t one who would be willing to listen. Selina had experience with alcoholics, but her view wasn't near as black and white on the subject.


    Selina watched the red-head warily, and quickly looked around her for any chaperones when she realized what was going on. She really couldn’t afford to be caught around a weapon that hadn’t been approved by the staff. She wasn’t one to ever follow the rules unless they benefited her in some way, and she had a feeling the woman would flip her lid if she knew what was going on. Selina had no desire to deal with that half child beyond what she absolutely had to.


    Besides, knives escalated fights in Chile to life or death matters, so she’d never even carried a knife with her around the school even though she was trained in how to use them. Along with the fact that she was already considered troubled and in forced therapy, she didn’t consider carrying such a thing beneficial in the slightest. She was also trained well enough to be confident in her ability without such tools, and if worst came to worst, her mere water bottle would serve her as a better defense than a knife. Her power was useful in many ways.


    Selina absently wondered why specifically Ashley shouldn't be around knives before focusing her attention back on the red-head, “That’s awesome, Ryan,” she offered in a tone that she would use to calm someone on edge, “But if a chaperone catches us with this, we’ll be in deep shit,” she added bluntly. There was a reason such things weren’t allowed in the first place on this trip.

[Ryan Alexander]

"Oh. Oh that's a good point. I forget you other people have moral codes that line up with the chaperones. My bad. I guess I'll just turn them back into necklaces. Good luck cutting the trees for any fires or shelters later on." Then she tapped her chin.

"Or are you two using those tents...I kind of zoned out while they were explaining living arrangements and I built mine..." Ryan shrugged before going silent and focusing enough to turn them back into funky steel necklaces. She smiled.

"I didn't mean to do something that might've gotten you into trouble. Sorry about that."

[Ashley Benson]

All the while the three girls were standing around, speaking words without largely saying much to one another, Ashley waged an inner war. She'd shown herself to be a meek, helpless girl. A babe in the woods if there ever was one. Sure, she wasn't one for wilderness survival and, to a certain extent really was very lost, there was no need to mope about and remain a shy, nervous annoyance. With a deep breath she steeled herself. She could do this. She'd pushed herself through far worse things than spending a few days wandering around the woods and fending for herself.

"They gave me a small tent." Ashley replied, her voice still unsteady in spite of a new found resolve that had crept into the words. "I can move it, though, to be closer to yours." She offered. Strength in numbers, it seemed, was the best course of action here. "We don't need to cut any trees for a fire." She continued, steadily gaining confidence with every word. "The dry branches and brush are easier to burn. We just need to collect enough rocks to make a pit." Her eyes then shifted to Ryan. "If you can shape those to be more... manageable, I can use them to start a fire." She said, gesturing toward the necklaces the redhead had been using her power on. "If you two want to figure out the shelter situation, I'll start gathering firewood and building the pit." She offered, looking to each of them in turn.

[Selina Taylor]

    Selina shrugged at Ryan’s taunt. She’d already gotten “lost” with Nico, so Selina couldn’t really afford another infraction against her. She could easily be considered selfish and unfair for her words, perhaps even hypocritical. Maybe she even was those things, but she didn’t care much. Selina did what she could to get by in a system she hated, often regardless of how it affected others. When Ryan apologized though, Selina nodded to her in acceptance, “It’s alright,” she offered simply before turning to Ashley.


    “Sure, that makes sense to me,” Selina agreed to her offer of being closer to the girls. Selina wasn’t really one for being close to others, but she’d also had a good feeling she’d find enough solitude out in these woods to satisfy her without having to further isolate herself from the other students as well. Selina then nodded to the brunette as she mentioned going to find firewood. “Alright, I can move the tents if you point me to where yours is,” she offered in turn. She could also go out and find dry wood if needed. She was flexible and open to anything. Selina was also slightly impressed and surprised that Ashley had sort of taken up being the leader of the three girls.

[Ryan Alexander]

"Yeah I can do that. Hmmm...I don't really know what shape would be best though. Like hunks with sides that can be rubbed together? Files? I dunno. But yeah the closer we are together the less people and animals will want to mess with us I think. Although I might snore and act like a wild animal myself sometimes. The wilderness...it just does something to me. Haven't figured out what quite yet." Then she pointed towards her shelter made of felled small trees, pine boughs and leaves.

"Mine's over there in case anyone's wondering."