The Zoo: The Altered Animal Kingdom

Ace nodded "Yea dude! Here... he looked around, making sure that too many were around. Ace turned to look back at the giraffes, grinning. He raised his hands, concentrating on the water in the exhibit. Suddenly, the water in the small pond began rising above the ground. The giraffes looked in slight interest as there water rose to where there heads were.
Ace smiled, allowing the water to return to it's original resting place. He then turned quickly back to face Lynx, a goofy grin plastered across his face.

Lynx was careful to keep her expression blank as she watched the water rise and fall, but inside she was smiling. "Wow. Nice power." She said, glancing over her shoulder quickly before turning back to Ace. "So, how long are you staying in Georgia?"

Ace shrugged, stretching his arms above head. "As long as I want, according to home... Not much that I have to do back there, so I'm practically a free man." he said, smirking. Looking over to behind the tree, it looked like the kids were just standing there, then Ace looked back up to the sky.

"Interesting. You looking for a permanent place to stay?" she asked. Maybe he would come back to the academy. Hikuro need another guy around even if there were a few girls that weren't girly. No one like to be out numbered. Her over-the-shoulders glances were increasing. She couldn't help but wonder what the two kids were up to. Soon she would have to go find out.

Ace looked at Lynx curiously. "A permanent place? Wait... You ain't talking about that mutant school are ya?" It was a cool idea, staying at a school full of mutants; but then again, staying here would mean he'd be so far inland. Ace looked back over at the kids behind the tree, Lynx seemed pretty interested in them too. Maybe they were mutants too, who knows maybe they would come to that mutant school too.

Lynx chuckled and nodded her head. He would certainly be someone interesting to have around. "Yeah, I'm talking about the G.I.A. Really, it's a pretty good place to be. It only opened Saturday, and classes today, but it's already been a great experience and lesson for me to take back home." She immediately cut off there. Becoming extremely interested in the kids and the tree again, Lynx hoped he wouldn't ask questions. Lately she had been slipping too much for comfort. No one needed to know where she came from or when.

Ace turned to look at the kids, seeing that Lynx cut off her sentence to look at them. There really must've been something that he missed, because he didn't see why she was so interested in those kids. Ace turned and leaned against the bars of the exhibit, looking up at the clouds. "G.I.A. huh...." he thought for a minute. Staying here would change a lot of things, but then again Ace always liked change. He nodded to himself, before looking back down at Lynx. "I suppose I could give it a try... I mean it could be cool, ya know?" Ace told her, looking back up.

Giving a small smile, Lynx moved away from the rail. "Cool, you can ride back with us on the bus. But if you would excuse me I've got some business that needs to be tended to." She walked calmly but quickly across the path to the small grove of trees the two kids were hidden in. Putting a smile on her face, she moved to where they could see her. "Uh, hi. I'm Lynx. I couldn't help but notice your shifting back there on the bench. How long have you known you could do it?"

Ace nodded, and watched Lynx walk away. Shrugging, Ace walked away from the exhibit. He headed towards the lion's exhibit. He might as well check out the rest of the animals before he had to find the bus that Lynx was talking about.

Danielle turned around, facing the girl. She tensed, calming herself down mentally and changing her voice to another one once more. "What are you talking about?" She asked calmly, dashing confusion on her question. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her knee high, belt covered Converse making noise as she nervously bounced on her heels.

Shaking her head, Lynx smiled at the girl. "Please, you were sitting there one person then changed into another. Don't worry, I'm a Mutant too, so I'm not going to hurt you. All I want to know is if you have a place you guys can stay." She realized she wasn't being really formidable, but she had already played the 'Guess what I'm a Mutant' game and didn't feel like playing again. Maybe with these kids it would just be better to get the introductions moved along.

Danielle sighed, glancing around carefully for anyone who could see her. She quickly shifted back to herself- a short, bubbly looking twelve year old. "I've known how to shape shift since last year." She mumbled, looking down at the dirt crusted front of her shoes. She bit her lip, hoping she made the right choice to trust Jason and this girl.

"Interesting." Nodding her head, Lynx turned to the boy. She cocked her head as she looked at him, almost as though trying to read his power before she even asked the question. "And what is your ability?" Although not completely sure Lynx had a feeling that he was a Mutant as well.

Danielle bit her lip, hard. She looked up at Jason, bouncing on her heels. 'What does she want?' She thought to herself. The panic once again rose, and she could feel her heart race, ramming against her ribs in her chest.

Danielle looked up to the girl. "Why are you asking us this?" She said, biting back the snapping tone in her voice as the anxiety flared up in her. 'Trust no one', Mason had said- well, she blew that already.
She bounced her heels still, feeling childish once again. Danielle never would know how to take that away when she was nervous- it was a horrible habit.

Lynx turned to the girl, the boy obviously not responding. "I come from a school that is trying to help us, Mutants, gain better control of our powers. I think it would be great if you came and checked it out, see if you like it. And me asking about the powers is simply curiosity, nothing more, nothing less."

Danielle stopped bouncing on her heels. "Really?" She asked. Danielle and Mason had been trying to find a school like that- all until he was killed.
She felt her arms shake slightly, and she hid them behind her back. Danielle felt the tears prick at her eyes, and felt some what relieved- but that emotion quickly went blank with the realization that Mason wasn't here with her.

Seeing moisture building in the girl's eyes, Lynx hesitantly reached up and lightly touch her arm. "If you want, you can with me. I've got to go meet up with the rest of the kids and head back to the school. We'd be happy to have you." Lynx smiled warmly and looked at the boy. "You both can come."

Danielle nodded slowly. "If you wouldn't mind..." She said softly. "I'm Danielle by the way, Danielle Lux."
She had pushed aside Mason's pale, bruised face from her head. She refused to think about it again- and slowly, she tried her best to bury that memory.

"Lynx," she replied smiling. Lynx was glad that the girl had decided to go. Nodding at her she turned around and headed back to where Ace still stood. "Hey, you ready to go?" she asked. She was so ready to get back to the group and the academy. Being around so many people were making her paranoid that something bad was about to happen.

Danielle tugged at Jason's hand, dragging him with her as she trailed behind Lynx. She bit her lip slightly, her blue eyes glancing around nervously. She twirled the neon blue end of her hair around her finger. 'Old habits die hard.' She thought to herself, pulling her hand away from her hair.