Snow-Star

[Lin Heiwa]

Lin Heiwa.

at times i wondered
if i had not come
a long way
to find what i sought
was something that i
left behind.

Of all the places in the world-- this was one of the only ones where you can see snow and sand in the same place. Lin stared in fascination at the snow that rained down from the sky, and at the choppy waves under her feet.

She had left the freedom fighter caves not long ago, once again dealing with the threat prominating ribs from nearly every person in the caves. Walking along the cliff edge that separated the grassy-plains from the beach, Lin had started when she realized that something was... different about the air. Something, heavy-- it was full of water that sent her senses tingling. The extra moisture, despite the below near zero temperatures. She had paused, staring out over the cliff with her hands in her thin jacket-- before the first startings of snow-flakes began to flutter from the sky.

Lin's face parted in a grin. Snow. She hadn't seen it in forever (or so it seemed). Vaguely, glad for the distraction-- the girl wondered how big this year's drop was going to be. A couple inches? Maybe a foot or so? Her senses told her more, maybe about two and a half feet or three, but she'd be wrong before.

And Lin was so absorbed in the sight of snow, that she didn't notice the sound of footsteps behind her.

[Kayne DeRemiro]

"Damn cold" Kayne mumbled as he tugged his jacket closer to his body. The boy needed some alone time, away from the school and the town. Markswell had infuriated the boy to no end with all his talk of peace and love. The thought nearly made the boy vomit. There is no such thing as peace as long as those filthy humans were still alive.

The boy looked up to the sky. Snow. He couldn't stand the cold and the snow just made it worse. In his city it was rarely cold enough for even a light freeze. Kayne loved it. Of course he missed his home every minute of the day. They had everything he needed there. No use thinking about it though, he was in this worthless city now. The only reason he stayed at the school was the threat his father made. 'Stay at the school or lose everything.' There was no way Kayne would give up all his money for anything, much less school.

The boy kept walking down the shore, his black leather shoes treading the sand. 'They'll probably be ruined after this little trip.' He then noticed something. A girl. 'Great, someone else to ruin my day.' Kayne walked up behind her. "This stuff is horrid, don't you think?" He asked with a sigh.

[Lin Heiwa]

Lin Heiwa.

at times i wondered
if i had not come
a long way
to find what i sought
was something that i
left behind.

Lin jumped slightly, but wasn't suprised when she turned around and saw a boy standing behind her. Somehow, no matter how hard she tried, something would always happen at the most systematic times in life. Plus, this was the beach-- there were bound to be people walking around (despite it being 10° out). His comment suprised her, but after weighing it for a few seconds, she could see how some people could say that.

"Well," the girl responded lightly, snow starting to powder her black hair, "it depends how you look at it. This stuff is horrid for the people living out on the streets, or in hiding-- and it will probably end up killing someone in one way or another-- so yes, it can be horrid." Lin paused, for another moment, giving another glance at the ocean, "But-- for others, it's a gift. For the kid's who will be let out of school early (or not go at all), or an artist who needed inspiration."

[Kayne DeRemiro]

Kayne laughed. "I'm sure it is to some people. I'm sure some absolutely love this nasty cold weather." He said as he eyed the girl. He had never seen her before, she couldn't be a student. She doesn't smell human. The boy swears that humans have their own reticular smell, which of course, Kayne finds revolting. "So why're you out here Missy?" He asked with a small smirk on his face. There was something odd about this girl. He couldn't place what it was just yet but he planned on finding it out.

"I mean, are you one that finds it magical or completely awful?" The boy stuck his hand in the pocket of his khakis and placed it on the glass marble he always brings along with him. 'Better safe than sorry.' The boy thought as he waited on the girls answer. "I can't stand the stuff, but I had to get away from that damned school before I blew it up or something." The boy chuckled as he watched her expressions. 'Let's see what I can get out of her.'

[Lin Heiwa]

Lin Heiwa.

at times i wondered
if i had not come
a long way
to find what i sought
was something that i
left behind.

Lin thought about his question for a while, slightly amused-- before answering, "I'm one of those people who can't stand the heat. I dry up if it gets too hot." Which was true. Something about your body being 87% water makes you a little more uncomfortable about the heat. It was an off way to answer a question-- if you were human that is, which Lin happened not to be. "So, you could say I find it... magical, though it does come with it's faults."

Like trying to keep the kids in the freedom fighter cave that don't have seal-skin warm. Fires make smoke, and smoke attracts attention. Winter's never good for the fighters.

Pushing that thought out of her mind, Lin returned the question with a small smile. "I'm assuming you find it horrid?"

[Kayne DeRemiro]

"It's such a bother." The boy said looking up at the sky. "It's so much nicer in the summer. Beautiful weather, swim suits, tons of things to do. But the winter it's so...dead. Especially here, it's like the whole town shuts down." He said with a roll of his eyes.

"Kayne DeRemiro, by the way, pleasure to make your aquantince." The boy said to her. "So are you from here? Or did you come here for the schools? Or something else entirely?" He asked the other. "I'm here for the schooling, if you can call it that. Markswells academy. Waste of time if you ask me. Though me and ole Darryl don't exactly see eye to eye anyway. He expects me to do things his way and I just laugh in his face. He's a complete idiot." Kayne said with a smirk. "Do you know him?"

[Lin Heiwa]

Lin Heiwa.

at times i wondered
if i had not come
a long way
to find what i sought
was something that i
left behind.

"Except, for you know, that it's hurricane season," Lin responded good-naturedly to his comment on summer. Sure, early summer was good-- not too hot, not too cold-- but after that, it just got to be a bother trying to stay out of the extreme heat, "But other than that, I can see your side to the argument of better things to do during then-- but I can think of quite a few things to do in the winter too."

Lin gave another glance to the ocean and it's churning waves. It was a funny site-- the snow was now starting to cover some of the sand-- making the ocean look like one, large unfrozen lake. But then came the introductions, and the other questions, "I'm Lin-- nice to meet you too." Lin listened for a moment longer, before smoothly, evasively adding, "I live around."

Oh, so he went to the academy. Lin's face broke into a grin-- that makes things much easier. "Oh, so you're a mute too. I went to the academy two years back-- I skipped a few grades, so I suppose you've gone there longer than I have." Then she raised an eyebrow, er, rather both, at his comments on Markswell. She wasn't sure how Rick would react if he was here, but Lin would've taken several steps back regardless. "I knew him well enough," Lin responded neutrally, truthfully. "I was always a sort of loner, so we never interacted much."

[Kayne DeRemiro]

"Ah, I thought there was something different about you. I knew you weren't a human for sure." So he was right, this Lin was a mutant. 'I wonder what her power is.' He thought to himself as he listened to her. "Yeah, I've been there for four years now. I'm a senior. I can't wait to get out of that place though...everything he teaches is complete and utter crap. All his talk of peace and love just get on my last nerve. He thinks that can actually happen, his ways are weak." Kayne said with a sigh.

"Anyway, Lin what might you be able to do? I'm assuming it's something great. You seem to know what you are doing." The boy said as he watches her. "Glass manipulation is what I'm gifted with." He said as he pulled out the glass, letting it float out of his hand. "Any shape, size, or density I want." He said as the glass shifted into a cube, then triangle, then finally splitting itself into multiple different pieces.

[Lin Heiwa]

Lin Heiwa.

at times i wondered
if i had not come
a long way
to find what i sought
was something that i
left behind.

Lin frowned slightly, but didn't say anything more about Markswell. She didn't know him well enough to confirm or deny anything Kayne was saying-- so despite her instincts, she let the questions that were bubbling up inside her go.

Ooh-- then Kayne did something cool with the glass. Lin smiled faintly, watching it, it would've certainly been a good power to have a few weeks ago in my latest encounter with the MCA. Lin uncomfortably pulled on the sleeves of her jacket to make sure they stayed covered, and gave a unconscious glance down at her black gloves. Very, very, useful to have then. Having to pull those shards of glass out of her arms, one at a time-- it had been less than fun, and eventually she had to get someone else pull them out, it was too painful to do herself. "Very nice," she complimented, pulling on her scarf slightly-- giving one last admirable glance at the floating ball before responding.

"I do water manipulation," Lin explained, reaching and arm into the air and mentally grabbing the snowflakes. They melted back into a thin stream of water and spiraled around her hand once while Lin talked, "I can control basic water, freeze it--" the water froze and fell lifeless in an odd, almost sculptured look-- "and make it evaporate." The water turned into harmless steam-- Lin giving a small smile and a n even smaller mock bow.

[Kayne DeRemiro]

"Water manipulation." Kayne said nodding. "Makes sense why you like this kind of weather. Though, I'm sure you could just pull water out of the air as well. Am I right?" He said as he watched her manipulate the snow, then water, then ice. "Interesting, have you ever tried to manipulate someone body before? I mean, we are made out of mostly water." Kayne said imagining the possibilities of the girls power. "Ice shards too. Almost like glass, very useful." He said with a twisted grin.

"So you said you live around? In town?" Kayne asked trying to learn more about the girl. Her power was interesting and she seemed to know how to use it too. 'Most certainly not a mutant that is weak.' "Maybe we could train sometime or something." The boy said as the glass melded back into itself, creating the perfect marble once more. It floated around the girls head before landing back into his hand. "Practice makes perfect."

[Lin Heiwa]

Lin Heiwa.

at times i wondered
if i had not come
a long way
to find what i sought
was something that i
left behind.

Lin started. Sure, the thought had come to her before. She'd moved some blood around before-- but never someone else's. The girl had figured it would mess their bodies up bad when the blood circulation got off, and had drawn a firm line never to do that-- no matter how bad the situation was. Ever. "I've done ice-shards," Lin responded uncomfortably. "I've just felt that there's too much that could go wrong in moving someone else's blood-- mess up their circulation and stuff... could kill em'." A hardly existant pause, then Lin quickly saying with a small smile, "I have made many forms of ice... and shards are one of them. They're pretty handy, but have to be going at a pretty ridiculous speed to do any real damage."

Oh. Then the living question. "I have lived around," Lin said smartly, evasively, teasingly. "At Markswell's, in the town, by the beach-- even in the MCA Corp Tower once. Not that that was any fun." Another pause of memories-- not a good one by any lengths, then another question to come distract it. Good. "Sure, I'd like that--" Lin nodded happily, it was always fun to train for her. Plus, each person has their own specific fighting style-- and months ago Lin had picked out each and every one in the fighters, it was hard to get a good challenge besides a few of the lieutenants and Rick himself. Then the glass ball swirled around her head, and Lin ducked down, half-startled.

[Kayne DeRemiro]

"True, you are right. It could kill, but who knows what'd you would if that was your only option. Would you choose to be defeated or would you choose to kill? I know what I would choose, and it's not even a hard decision for me." Kayne said shrugging. "The ice shards though, What if you made them thicker? Something to make them stronger?" He asked, very curious about her power and what she could achieve.

"MCA? I've always wondered about them, them and the bounty hunters. Sounded...interesting. They hire mutants to track down other mutes right?" He asked, eyebrow arching. That job always sounding like something Kayne could handle. Catching useless mutants for a place that would get rid of them? Oh yes. That could work perfectly. Then after the mutants were gone Kayne could rally the rest of the mutants with useful powers and destroy the human race. Sounded simple enough.

"You seem to know how to use your powers, unlike many of the students at the academy. Even the professors are weak. I'd like to test myself against someone who knows what they are doing." He said with a small chuckle. Maybe Kayne had actually found himself a friend? Highly unlikely but you never know.

[Lin Heiwa]

Lin Heiwa.

at times i wondered
if i had not come
a long way
to find what i sought
was something that i
left behind.

Lin frowned, suddenly quite serious. "Have you ever killed before?" she asked, voice almost hollow to match her somewhat dazed eyes. "It may not be as easy as you think." Had Lin ever killed? She certainly wasn't going to tell you if she had-- Lin hadn't even mentioned the subject before right now. Whether she had just heard from someone else, or done it before herself-- killing was a subject Lin was not keen to discuss. As well as the M.C.A.

"The M.C.A is no joke," Lin continued in a serious voice. "They don't care whether you're strong or not-- as long as they get what they want out of you, by any means necessary. My own stay there was given to me oh-so-graciously by the people you're asking about-- I'm not keen to go back. " The girl gave Kayne another up and down glance, serious-- but not unkind. "Watch what you do with them-- 'there's no honor among thieves.'"

Another question, an easier one. Lin nodded modestly, half shrugging, "I've had my abilities long enough-- it's only time that's made me good." Another pause, and another comment. "Sure, some of the powers aren't as big and bad as our own-- but even the seemingly weaker ones can be stronger than you think-- I went to school with a girl who was an empath," Lin paused again, thinking slightly-- smiling slightly, "...turns out the only reason she was an empath was because she could see people's emotions through a different form of sight. She could see through walls, and harness her own life-force to hurt and heal others. There was another don't count everyone out."

(OCC: If you're reading this Kay: Yes-- yes I did use Robin in the example. And I plan to use River in another one soon.)

[Kayne DeRemiro]

Kayne stared at her as she spoke. "Me kill? Well I have once, though it was completely on accident." The boy started as the memory of his old Nanny, Venezuela, came back to him. It was actually a very sad day for Kayne, it was before he grew heartless and cold. Before he wanted to destroy the human race. Before he was...Kayne. "It was horribly bloody, I was in the car with a woman and emotions got the best of me, the windows exploded in the car...killing her." The boy said looking down at the marble. Venezuela had actually given him that specific one. She really did love the boy and thought of him as her own. She accepted his power and told him it made him special. A gift from god. "But whatever. I didn't care all that much. Just another human."

He stayed silent after she spoke of the MCA. He could tell she had very strong feelings against them. Still, Kayne had his questions about the place and he planned on them being answered, one way or another. If he had to stroll up to headquarters and knock on the door her would do it.

"Sure, there are some of those powers. More than meets the eyes I guess." He said shrugging. "But most of them completely useless. Talking to plants, turning into a hamster? Really now? Like how are you going to use those in real combat?" He asked the girl. "You have a phone or something? That way we could meet up and do some training or something? Or if you have some friends that want to test out their powers in a friendly fight?" He asked with a grin.

[Lin Heiwa]

Lin Heiwa.
at times i wondered
if i had not come
a long way
to find what i sought
was something that i
left behind.

Okay, okay, okay—no need for reminders. Lin softly let out a huff like all the air had just been knocked out of her, breath creating a small fog in the extreme cold. As soon as he was done, Lin simply paused for a moment—like her brain was frozen. No need for reminders, like most people—they didn’t go well on Lin. So she very quickly changed the subject after he finished.

“Well,” Lin replied slowly, thinking of a clever way to respond to that. There was always cold logic—but that probably wouldn’t get through… but the freedom fighter tried it anyway, “most people don’t actually experience real combat in their lives—poor saps.” She meant that last part as a joke, yet her voice seemed to come out otherwise. Ooh~ then, a— “Is that a challenge?” Lin asked, eyes glinting in the bright reflections to the snow. “If so—I accept.” She quickly backed up a few steps, giving a slight half salute, half wave, smiling mischievously. “I don’t have a cell—so meet back here in approximately one week with a partner to a fight to the death!” Lin finished dramatically, starting to get into it—before realizing that Kayne might take her seriously, “Er, or a battle to unconsciousness. Death I’m not too keen on—”