Just Hanging Out |Open|

[Vanquish Lee]

A young brunette wiped a puddle of water off the side of the fountain. Rebecca, the young brunette, gingerly sat down. She slipped her shoes off and placed them beside her on the side of the fountain. She rolled her knee-length skirt beneath her thighs, hoping to keep them relatively dry and slid her feet into the cool fountain water. A relaxed sigh escaped her lips and her eyes slipped closed.

It wasn't long before a group of kids decided to splash around in the fountain. Bex's eyes flashed open as large drops of water landed themselves on her. She shrieked and jumped out before laughing with the kids, who happened to be laughing at her. Her skirt unraveled itself and deep wrinkles set themselves in around the last three inches of the skirt. She smoothed them out, still giggling at the children. In another life time, she probably would've yelled at them, telling them they were little brats but she was just happy that they were enjoying themselves in Freakopolis, a place where enjoyment shouldn't exist.

[Sulley]

Sulley's steps were bitter. His sharp face was furthered sharpened by narrowed eyes and a tight mouth. He cut the wind with his chin and swaggered as if a heavy object lay within one of his pockets, setting his body off balance and dipping his shoulder with each step. A thick, black, jaded jacket with a flipped collar protected the man from the biting cold which only his unfortunate being suffered. For all its worth, he looked more of a gangster now than he ever had in the real world.

The infirmary had been no help. The men and women placed there told him he wasn't the first of his case, wouldn't be the last, and that there was nothing they could do. It had taken all of Sulley's willpower to not swipe the smug look off the reporting doctor's face by taking off his head. No, instead he'd roared like some caged animal and tore out of the building at a frantic run, loosing the pent energy by exhausting his body. Only after a short rest and change of clothes did Sulley venture out among people again, at which point he'd been bombarded by a gang of mutants who claimed they would rid Freakopolis of it's curse, one stake at a time. After three deaths and multiple severed limbs they had retreated away from Sulley, at which point he'd made his way to the fountain in order to cool himself off.

His tongue snaked from his mouth as those stinging eyes found their prey: water. It beckoned him, and without hesitation Sulley elongated his stride in order to meet the fountain's edge in a more timely fashion. With no sense of manner he dropped into a crouch beside the stone and dipped his hands into the liquid, bringing what he gathered to his lips to drink greedily.

It was only after five such handfuls that Sulley took the time to look around. Some children played not too far off to the left, some damp from earlier engagements with the fountain. A woman stood to the right, grinning at the children as if the curs belonged to her. Sulley made a face as he grunted and turned back to the water.

Without warning the air changed. At least, that is what he would have suspected the day before. At this point he knew it wasn't the air, but himself. Nevertheless, the jacket was suddenly stifling, and water found its way to his forehead by means of sweat, which plagued under his arms and down his back as well.

With a grumble of annoyance, Sulley eagerly ripped the jacket off, suddenly panting for cool air. His shirt followed shortly after, and then he bent over the fountain, submerging his complete upper half beneath the water. Bubbles drifted to the top as he sighed.

How superb that he should become a victim to the same enemy not once but twice. In a dreaded place like Freakopolis, enjoyment did not exist.

[Vanquish Lee]

Rebecca didn't notice the man coming toward the fountain. At least not yet. She was watching the children. She considered herself lucky. In Freakopolis she had been able to find happiness, even if it had a bitter taste sometimes. And unlike most residence, she was able to see the pure joy on the kids faces as they play and found joy in it. It left hope. It's what helped her get used to the Dreamer belief. It's what helps her survive.

Bex turned her head as a man came and knelt by the fountain. She may have been wrapped up in watching the kids but she wasn't completely oblivious. He didn't look so good and Bex worried over him but something stopped her from walking over to him. He gave off a familiar air of hostility but Bex didn't know why she thought she knew him.

Nevertheless, she kept an eye on him making sure the kids were safe though she didn't really have a fear that this man would hurt them. She just wanted to make sure. Eventually the man stop drinking and hostility took off his upper garments. Her eyes widened, finally recognizing the man as the leader of the Rebellion. The hostlity made since, though she knew it had never been directed at her. Sulley was just a naturally closed person and it didn't help that the Rebellion had something against the Dreamers.

She gasped as Sulley became partly submerged into the water. A moments pause of indecision left her with an uncharacteristic curse word leaving her mouth and then a quick run to where Sulley laid half in the fountain. Bex gripped his shoulders, using whatever little strength she had to drag him out the water. Her wide eyes frantically searched his chest and face, making sure he was breathing.

[Sulley]

Sulley had never been a swimmer, but his fair amount of time spent as a gangster had--through series of events--given him healthy water lungs. He was able to hold his breath despite the pressure of H2O for...well he didn't even know how long. This seemed an opportune moment to test it.

Going on a strong thirty seconds, small hands suddenly gripped his shoulders, attempting to wrench him out of the water. Sulley considered his options. It was either a child who decided he'd be annoying and try playing around with a man much bigger than him. If that was the case then Sulley would jerk out of the water and snarl at the little brats, scaring them away. Or it was the woman he'd seen before submerging his head. She had quite a few options. One, she wanted to massage his shoulders. That would have been welcome, except by the way the hands pulled he didn't think the contact was intended for pleasure. Two, she might be attacking him. If so then she was already off on the wrong foot. Trying to use brute force against Sulley usually didn't work for anyone. Three, she was very confused.

Sulley allowed the person to pull him from the water, immediately shrugging the hands off him and turning to address the owner of them head on. It was the woman. Sulley stared darkly at her for a silent moment, blinking past the water that dripped off his hair and down his face to his chest where it journeyed across the plains of his abdomen and to his pants.

He wasn't familiar with this woman. He didn't know what faction she was a part of, nor did he know her name. Sulley kept to keeping records of the names of the leaders, and that was about it. The other factions weren't any of his concern unless of course they got in the way.

Instead of asking her what she wanted or why she was touching him and scrutinizing his body like that, Sulley just glared at the girl.

[Vanquish Lee]

Unfortunately for little Miss Lee, she knew none about Sulley's incredible water tested lungs or the fact that he wasn't drowning. She went off on what she saw and what she saw was Sulley practically rip his clothes off and then plunge head first into water. It wasn't the most relaxing site.

Her eyes finally caught the tiny motion of Sulley's chest rising and falling. She let out a shuddering breath and her eyes met his. She quickly looked away. His glare was quite scary. Or maybe that was just him all together. She didn't need him to shake away her hands, she was just about to take them off herself. She didn't want to be touching Sulley. She heard to many bad stories about people walking away hurt after messing with him though she didn't know the damage was always so bad. She wiped her moist hands against her skirt, leaving darkened patches of already wrinkled fabric.

Bex stood up, taking a step back from Sulley. "You know...if you wanted to go die, you should've done it by the river not where people would be most likely to save you." Her tone was edgy, more so then it ever had been. Sulley wouldn't try anything out in public, would he? And it wasn't like Bex was completely defenseless anyway. She picked up Sulley's jacket and shirt. "You should probably put these back on before you get sick," she said, not knowing of his already sick state. Despite the fact that she was utterly afraid of Sulley and that she just told him off, her instinct couldn't be ignored and that was to care for living things. She tossed him his clothes, looking away while she hoped that he got dressed.

[Sulley]

Sulley suppressed a growl as he snatched his shirt and jacket out of the air before it could hit him or the ground. Still hot, he kept the clothes hanging by his side in a tight grip.

"Am I supposed to be grateful for the tip?" He asked, his voice deep and grating, the rumble of thunder arcross the sky. Sully didn't always have a dark menacing voice such as this, but he wasn't in the best of moods today. He was bitter. And unhappy.

[Vanquish Lee]

Bex turned back to him when she thought she had given him enough time to change. She sighed softly, like a mother might sigh at a child when they doesn't listen. She moved and sat against the edge of the fountain, beside Sulley.

"I didn't give it to obtain your gratitude. I gave it because I thought it'd be a shame for another person to die here," she told him. Her voice was soft as her mind reflected on those who were sick and those who had died. She ignored his scary tone he took with her. It wasn't worth getting riled up over.

[Sulley]

Sulley wanted to shy away from the woman as she sat beside where he stood, but he resisted the temptation. There was something unpleasantly pleasant about her. Like candy that was too sweet. Her voice brought back images of his mother and her caring coo, rubbing at a surface he'd rather keep dirty.

As if to torture himself, he sat beside her, making sure to keep a good five inches away.

"Since when did who does or doesn't die become a problem of yours?" He asked in a grumble. "You're just another prisoner here."

[Starlight]

" Shouldn't you be greatful Raze? I certainly would be if someone stopped me from inhaling water. "

Blonde hair whipped in the wind. A hand was on the girls hip her blue eyes tracing both figures at the fountain with blank eyes. Her black corset shone like new and she held an air of leadership around her. Starlight may have been a have been a Protector but she had hesitated. Knowing Sulley she could have lost a hand. She couldn't afford to. Well not now at least. With a light blink the woman looked over Bex. " I thank you for retriving him before I had to. " Star said with a nod.

Her serious gaze trailed over Sulley again. " Did the pressure of realizing you won't get out get to you or did you trip Sulley? " Star asked her former leader. She licked her lips lightly before crossign her arms her skin illuminating lightly.

[Vanquish Lee]

Rebecca shifted in her seat awkwardly as he sat down. She hadn't expected that. She took note of his distance and scooted over another two inches, just to be safe. She didn't want to insult but she didn't quite want to get all cozy with him either. Even if she was a dreamer, blissfully ignorant as some like to say, she knew where the trouble was.

"It's not a problem of mine. I'd just prefer if I didn't have to see another plot put in the graveyard and another body put in it. No one should have to live here, let alone die here.," she said. Dreamers were all about living with what they had but that didn't mean if Bex got the chance to see leave, she wouldn't.

Bex looked toward the oncoming female. Ah, the Starlight,, she thought. Starlight may or may not know of her but Bex knew who she was. She and her faction had saved countless Dreamers from fights they could never win. "No problem. About time a Dreamer lessened the burned of the Protectors, huh" She said a small smile forming on her lips and a chuckle escaping for a split second before she nervously glanced at Sulley. Bex did not know of Starligt's and Sulley's history but Star was certainly giving Sulley a lot to fight about. Bex had just saved him and he looked as if he might punch her when she did.

[Sulley]

Sulley's body froze, though his eyes jumped to the face which belonged to the voice. There was Starlight, in all her blonde magnificence, coming at him with a leisurely stride and succeeding in giving off the air queen. The words Sulley had planned to continue to say to the other woman were swallowed as he stared. His eyes had grown gentle and his face had lost its hard edge. He looked at Star as if she were the most important thing to him in the world at just that second. And she was.

But then, with a cold grip, his conscience tore him away from her. She walked away from him. His expression changed in a flash, as quick as a slap in the face.

Dark brows lowered to sharpen his gaze and his lips became a thin line.

"I don't know you." Sulley growled, baring his teeth in a feral manner. Distantly he heard the first woman identify herself as a Dreamer. He should have known.

Standing so that Star would not be higher than him, Sulley let his angry eyes flicker from one face to the other. His hands clenched and unclenched, relieving the pain of his knotted muscles, which were ready at any moment for a fight. Sulley sharpened his arms.

[Starlight]

Starlight smiled at the girl. It didn't reach her eyes but it was the best she could manage. She hadn't truely smiled for years. As she watched the both of them, she noted Sulley's facial change.

So he still holds it to me after all .

" Dreamers don't owe us anything. You have no need to worry about such nonsense. but since you seem to know me. Why do I not know you? " she asked her wary eyes still watching Sulley. And then he spoke with such anger is made her illuminate a bit more. Anger always had bounced off her calm facade like a ball made of rubber. But when Sulley spoke she had reason to fear. After all he was the Raze. And his faction was most definatly bigger than hers even though she and Lucian could manage more than half of them.

" Calm down Sulley. I'm not here to fight you today. You haven't done anything wrong yet. " she blinked her blue eyes lightly. She clicked her tounge lightly. " Hmm.... You deny the history that has shaped a rival faction. Intersting. "

Her mysterious blue eyes trailed the man she had once followed. " What are you sharpening hmm? "

[Vanquish Lee]

Bex smiled back. She could tell Starlight's was empty but Bex's smile was genuine. She woman at least tried to smile. That was something in itself. She leaned back, her hands gripping the wed egde of the fountain, feeling much more comfortable now that a Protector was near. Her wrist felt notably light without the clunky metal bracelte that usually kept her mutation at bay but just because she had a powerful mutation didn't mean she had control over it or liked using.

"Yes, we do. We can at least try to lighten your load when it comes to us. Demtrio and I try to keep them down but," she shrugged, "people will always end up doing what they want anyway. We're just lucky that they tend to listen to other people better. Guess it's hard to follow those you party with. And my names Rebecca by the way. Bex for short." She flashed a grin to Starlight. Then things got a little uncomfortable. Or, well, very uncomfortable.

Bex was frozen in her relaxed position, though her body was ridgid. Bex's eyes looked as wide as a deer's when cought in a headlight. She looked at the tense Sulley and the strangely peaceful Starlight. Even in the face of Sulley, the Protector leader was as calm as ever?

[Sulley]

Sulley only heard half of what the woman said. That's one thing he had never liked about her: her ability to talk without saying anything of relevance. She, along with numerous other people he knew, seemed to talk for the pleasure of hearing her own voice. She wafted of confidence, but he had no doubt that it was merely a facade set about to impress the Dreamer at the fountain. She fooled herself as easily as she fooled those around her, and in the end there was only Sulley standing alone, seeing past her guises.

Sulley grunted.

What was he to say? That her telling him to calm down was like telling a blind man to see? That her mild threat were as immaterial as his fear of her? That no matter how much she thought she knew him she'd never stop being surprised? To what end? Speaking to Starlight could be as one way as a street only wide enough to fit a bicycle.

The woman, Rebecca, tensing drew his eyes. His body tensed as well. Was she about to use her mutation? You could never be sure...

You could never be sure with any of them. This situation wasn't safe anymore. Sulley didn't doubt his capability if it came to facing either one of them, but if they worked together against him then we couldn't be sure what would happen. His best attribute was that he was quick. His body worked faster than even he could comprehend at times. For instance, if he lashed out with his arm right now the Dreamer's head would be decapitated before she could gasp. That is, assuming, she didn't have a mutation that would deflect him.

You could never know. Never. And that's why mutants were too dangerous to be around.
Humans were helpless and slow and incapable.
With mutants...you could never know.

Never know. Those words haunted Sulley's steps, his breath, his existence in Freakopolis. Uncertainty was walking over quick sand. It was turning the corner and coming into darkness.

He could never know.

Sulley's dark eyes slowly moved back to Star. His expression eased as he suppressed his violent nature. His body remained tense and alert, but his eyes had hollowed.

He remained silent.