Downhill From Here ((OPEN))

[argent]

Were he asked about it, Alex couldn't see how he could push his power too far and lose control. What's the worst that could happen, migraines all around? Besides, he didn't see himself using his power too much. However, unlike Freya, he didn't have his own counterpart to keep him in check. Perhaps that's what friends were for.

He nodded to what Freya said. "It'd be cool to learn from someone with a power like mine." Then again, it'd make him feel like he was copying someone else's ideas. On second thought, maybe it wouldn't be the greatest thing. It's not like he could control it in any case, so he shrugged it off for now.

Alex now nodded. He had a vague idea of where North Salem was, since his father had business there about a million years ago, so it seemed. He then laughed. "That's actually ironic. My father had some business in North Salem a long time ago. He mentioned how nice the private school there was, and that he was going to look into getting me in some day." Obviously he hadn't looked into it too much, since he said nothing about it later.

[Freya Elensar Ashe]

Freya was grinning. Horatio would learn, very quickly, the consequences of a power going out of control. A lot of the times you not only hurt others, you ended up hurting yourself. He might not see how that might happen, or how bad it could be, but powers had a habit of surprising their users more then once...

"Cool? It's basically the best way to learn." She was blinking in surprise. She'd learned how to control her power, to a degree, under her mother, and happened to be the fire expert at Xavier's. "I have an apprentice at the school, as a matter of fact." Suddenly, she was grinning. "You'll probably figure out who he is if you decide to go to the school." It didn't take new students long to figure out who not to mess with. And Shakaku, her pupil, was at the top of that list.

"Not only is it the fastest way to learn, it's also the safest. Accidents happen. For example, you can't imagine the number of times my student has lost control. The key is being able to overpower what he is doing." She paused. "Let's say you learn more about your power and something goes wrong, and you can't stop your power from going berserk. There are three ways to stop you." She held up one finger. "Knock you out, and believe me, depending on the mutant this can be near impossible." Another finger went up. "Someone with an opposite power blocking everything you throw at them.... That can prove difficult finding an opposite if you aren't an elementalist." The third and last finger raised. "Or, have someone with a similar power, a mentor usually, using their own power to overpower you." Freya shrugged.

Freya was smiling again. "I don't think you would have gotten in unless they realized you were a mutant.... Actually, you probably would have gotten in. There are ways to know if someone is a mutant before their powers manifest." With a sigh, she pushed the chair she was in out so she could stand. "So? Think you're brave enough to go?"

[argent]

Alex thought of Freya's potential apprentice. In his mind, the pupil looked like her: a very attractive red-head, possibly European (French would be nice), with deep green eyes... At the moment, Alex found himself increasingly attracted to Freya. He stopped his train his thoughts and shook his head to clear out the thoughts. He needed to keep these thoughts away if he wanted to keep his head in these times. Sometimes he really hated being a teenage boy.

He almost missed the next part of what she was saying. "If you ask me, three ways are enough. I mean, considering the apparent power of most mutants, you'd think that they were unstoppable. As a matter of fact, some of them- us," he corrected himself, "seem invincible. I mean, it's easy enough to knock someone out with a well-placed crobar. And finding someone with the opposite or same but stronger power... Well, it has to happen somewhat often to be mentionable. So who knows?"

"It'd have been interesting... But where else do I have to go? I'm not really fond of the idea of sitting in Central Park on a bench for my entire life," he laughed. He noted the fact that the employees of this shop were looking at them oddly since it was very early in the morning. It may have been New York City, but a woman and a teenager sitting and not drinking anything in a coffee shop was a bit suspicious. "But maybe the sooner we go, the better. I'm not getting good vibes from these people," he suggested.

[Freya Elensar Ashe]

If Freya had heard what was on his mind, she would have laughed. This world didn't need another Freya running around! One was more then enough! Of course it'd be interesting if Horatio ever did meet Shakaku. Shakaku was difficult to deal with, and unlike her, he would pick a fight with complete strangers.

Mutants.... unstoppable? Freya closed her eyes, her body shaking a little as she held back a fit of laughter. When she managed to compose herself, her eyes reopened, her green gaze sparkling. "The apparent power of most mutants...." She almost laughed again. "You'll learn very quickly that mutants aren't all capable of leveling a city. Those that are..." She paused, grinning mischievously. "We're just the most vocal." Of course Freya had the capability of leveling a city. That was why so many people knew her name. You couldn't hide your power then you were that strong. "It happens often enough, but not nearly as much as you seem to think. Powers are unique, just like the people that wield them. So, yes, there is a chance of finding a similar power, but you have to realize, the person with a similar power is the person similar to you. Now let's take into consideration just how many damn people there are on this planet." She was smirking.

Freya's own gaze traveled to the staff of the shop, still smirking as she stood there. "You're right. Humans catch onto our presence much quicker then most people like to believe. Don't worry, if they try something they'll regret it." She brushed her hair off of her shoulders. "Shall we go then? Before things get to hostile?" She was suddenly overly cheerful again, her mood shifting from that serious mindset to bubbly in a matter of seconds...

[argent]

Alex shrugged. It figured that the strongest ones were also the most irritable and temperamental. Well, Freya didn't seem too bad, but he'd only seen one side of her so far. Of course, chances were that he knew a small part of her real personality, but based on the power that she implied that she had, he didn't want to see the bad side a lot.

After what Freya had said, he conceded. "Okay, good point. How many of these people on Earth are actually like us, though? I mean, in terms of having powers," he clarified. He did notice about the sudden shift in tone, from joking to serious and back to cheerfulness. Maybe it was a side effect from her power?

He stood and exited the store with Freya. He had almost forgotten that it was night- rather, early in the morning. The coldness led him to wrap his coat tighter around him, and his ears started going numb. "Maybe I should've considered grabbing what I could before I actually left..." he muttered, referring to the welcome idea of a hat. He looked at Freya. "So, er... Where to now?" he asked, slightly embarrassed.

[Freya Elensar Ashe]

If Horatio did end up attending the school he'd see Freya's darker side sooner or later... And like most people would probably start referring to her as 'The Dragon Lady'. Even if he didn't see her angry though.... He'd still hear her nickname among the students.

Freya shrugged at his 'somewhat' question. It didn't sound like one that was meant to be answered, but she didn't care all that much. "About one in every couple hundred people is mutant." She stared off into the distance as she paused, trying to do the math in her head.... and giving up. "Well, you don't need to be a genius to narrow it down from there. But, seeing as it's a school that houses hundreds of mutants, the chances are a little higher."

Freya's personality was often questioned. Some people blamed her power, some the way she was raised, and some people just accepted she was just naturally like this. If you asked the woman, she'd just tell you she was always like this. Ask her sister, and Tari would agree.

Out in the cold early morning again, Freya didn't even flinch from the sudden bone chilling wind. She was a pyromancer after all. It would take more then a chill to freeze with woman. All she had to do was raise the temperature surround her to keep herself comfortable. Hearing his comment, both her eyebrows raised. Oh... Right. He wasn't dressed for this kind of weather, was he? Meeting his stare with her own, she smiled. "Have a particular temperature you like? Or shall I guess?" The biting chill would seem to ease up around him, soon, it wasn't just taking the chill off, it was warming him.

"Well, that's up to you. I'll probably head back to the school. If you want to come, you are more then welcome to."

[argent]

Alex nodded. There were more mutants than he expected in the world... That brought new light to matters, and ordered his thoughts on the matter. If there were so many mutants, and the media said that they were all bad... Then where were all the good mutants? The school Freya told him about seemed to be a good start, but if they were the good guys, then why weren't they helping get rid of Cain? Of course, there was a lot he still didn't understand. He'd have to learn a lot in the school...

The budding mutant did realize it was getting warmer. He brought his hands to his sides and actually opened his coat a bit. He was about to note the sudden change, but she spoke too soon. He shrugged to her question. "This is fine, I guess," he said with a grin. "I'll let you know if I get too hot."

He looked in the vague direction of Westchester and the school. There were so many possibilities for the future. So many options... But also so many unanswered questions. He needed to go forward to get the answers. But that meant never going back. Leaving everyone he knew, everything he knew... For something that might accept him, no matter what. The past already abandoned him...

It was time to move on.

He smiled sincerely to Freya and they went off, together, to the school and Alex's last glimmer of hope.