Read-a-holic

[Lily]

Lily walked silently into the library, her eyes already searching for the perfect book to spend her afternoon with. That was how it always was. Lily didn't spend time with friends much, seeming as alot of the other mutants were afraid of her. She scared them But it wasn't as if she would rip off her gloves and grab ahold of your arm as tight as possible if you disturbed her or said hello. No, Lily, or Red as some refer to her, would probably just say hello back. She was rather polite, but since she barely spoke, the other students assumed that she was like that. It was rather odd. Some would even go as far as to spread rumors about her, and whisper behind her back, but she always heard it, and she never cared. She wasn't the type to care what everyone else thought of her.

She walked noiselessly past the librarian's desk, and gave a small nod to the librarian. She had seen her many times. She instantly roamed over to the Fiction section, to where she last left off and picked up a somewhat large book off of the shelf. She smiled with pleasure at her findings, for to her one of the greatest treasures was reading. Afterall, that's all she ever did.

She peered around the corner of the large bookshelf, and spied her favorite armchair, vacant as usual. A twinkle seemed to brighten her shining blue eyes, and she immeadiately snatched the comfortable armchair, sinking into it's soft cushions. She opened the book with delight and immeadiately turned to the back. She always found out the number of pages that graced a book, before she read on. It wasn't as if she had a limit, she just liked to know. "Eight Hundred and Forty-seven..."[/i] she whispered, as her delicate fingers immeadiately turned back to the front of the book. Here it was, LIly's greatest joy in life. She couldn't understand why so many people hated to read. But she began, just like with any other book. "Under the starlit sky.."[/i] she whispered low under her breath again, and immeadiately plunged into the book, delighted that she hadn't found a boring one, but a book that immeadiately caught the reader's attention.

[so, it's sort of an intro paragraph to Lily.... you can have your character say hello, or something of the sort of course, but I guess it just displays her love for reading books. Plus I thought someone needed to get the RP ball rolling.....(=]

[ghostlygeorge]

George was in the Library. She let out a sigh of disgust and shifted her messenger bag on her shoulder. She always hated the smell of musky old book pages. She hated the sound of fingers running over the pages, the sound of those pages turning. Libraries in general made her cringe. Reading was alright. But she liked to read her own books. However odd that may seem.

She walked past the librarian without so much as a glance. Wandering the rows of books, she forgot what it was she was looking for and let and aggravated sigh. Libraries always made her forget what she needed to do. Something about the abundance of information just made her lose track of herself. George was sure she was here for a science related question...

Eventually she found her way to the general fiction area. Around the corner she noticed a girl, curled up with a huge book. It had to be a thousand pages. The long-brown hair and the red highlights, seemed distantly familiar to her, like maybe she had seen her in the hall. George gave a shrug and walked towards.

Running her hand through her hair, she stood before the girl - Lily was her name, she believed - in a slouch. "Hey, my name's George." She said in her library voice. "I don't mean to bother. I just thought I'd introduce myself, since we've never met. What are you reading?"

She squatted down next to the armchair, so as not to seem imposing by standing over the other girl. Hopefully the girl wouldn't tell her to get lost! She was just starting school here....


((my character hasn't been approved yet, so i'll delete if ya want me to :}))

[Lily]

"Dromeda closed in on the small frail figure. Her fangs immeadiately appeared thirsting hungrily for the girl's blood.." But Lily didn't get to find out what happened, she had been snatched from her reverie and back into the dull and dreariness of the world. But Lily showed no dissapointment. It wasn't because the bell had rang, or the Librarian had spoke to her. No, someone was brave enough to talk to her, and she seemed to be new because Lily hadn't seen her before.

"Hey,my name's George." she heard her explain in a soft voice. Lily smiled politely and closed her book, one finger stuck in between the pages to keep her place though.

"Hello... I'm Lily." she introduced herself in a quiet tone, so that they wouldn't be yelled at by the Librarian. "I don't mean to be a bother, I just thought I'd introduce myself, since we've never met. What are you reading?" George continued. Lily's hypothesis was proven correct, she was new here. Thus she probably had never heard anything the other students had said about her.

"Oh, it's not bother at all. There's always plenty of time for reading. Under the Starlit Sky can always wait." she said, answering her question in a peculiar way. Her polite smile still remained on her face as she re-positioned herself in the chair. She no longer sunk into the cushions, but sat up, giving George her full attention. "It's actually a very peculiar mythical book. It has vampires, werewolves and witches as well. But it is quite exciting, so after I found it I continued to read..." Lily was suddenly getting the feeling that she was dominating the conversation. She hated that feeling.

"So, if you don't mind me asking, what's your power?" she asked in an even quieter voice than before, for the Librarian was making her rounds and she was sure to get onto them if they got any louder. She waited patiently for George's answer, while shuffling through her messenger bag and pulling out a faded blue cloth, which she tucked inside the pages of the book to save her place.

[ghostlygeorge]

Lily had not told her off, instead she sat up, closing her book. George smiled, making her hawk-like face less severe. The other girl talked almost readily. Which was surprising, most times people who like libraries, don't like people talking to them while they're reading. George fell back and sat on the ground. If they were going to be talking, she should get comfortable.

Lily rustled in her bag. She seemed to be putting her book away, to give her full attention to George. She was glad that Lily wanted to have a conversation with her. "So, if you don't mind me asking, what's your power?"

George scoffed. "My power, my power is boring!" She was thoughtful, raking her fingers through her thick choppy hair, which probably just made it stick up in different directions even more. Her mother had always told her to be grateful for her 'gift'. She shouldn't call it boring. She sighed and grinned. "I shouldn't say that. Anyways, I can control water. That might not be the best way to say it. But that's it in a nutshell. I'm not sure of the extent of it though."

George chuckled when she realized she was rambling. The librarian scowled at her, but that didn't suppress her giddiness. She turned back to Lily. "What about you? What's your gift?" George asked in an absurd whisper voice. She smiled up at Lily, a twinkle in her hazel eyes. This might be her first friend at her new school. George didn't have a problem with that.

[Lily]

Lily laughed softly as George rambled on about her "gift" as she called it. It didn't sound boring at all to her, in fact it would be releaving to have that "gift" and not so evilly cursed with her own. Lily's smile softly vanished as George asked about her powers. She was sure that after telling her, George would walk off, too afraid to be in Lily's prescence just like most of the other students.

She sighed softly."I wouldn't really call mine a "gift".... it's cost me much more than it's worth. It's correct title would probably be a curse..." she said softly. She wasn't trying to scare George off. No, she was just trying to help her realize how much Lily hated her powers. All of the damage it had caused was awful. She held up her gloved hands for an example. "If I touched you, I could drain all of the life out of you, and turn you to ash in about four minutes or so. It's a horrid "gift", and not only does it work from my hands, but my entire body. It's as if I'm an uncureable disease that could cost someone their life.........." Lily immeadiately stopped as the vision, or nightmare, of the tragic day in the park with her father took place in her head. The turmoil and tradgedy seemed to constantly haunt her. But she shook her head, and it vanished, replaced by the real figure of George, sitting in front of her.

"I can understand very much so if you intend to run off as the rest of many students that know of my "gift" do. It's not uncommon, and I'm rather used to it." Lily gave a small shrug, as if to say "It's alright, it's happened before."

Lily's bright blue eyes seemed to grow dim at the thought of loosing yet another potential friend. She was tired of what this "gift's" powers had caused her. But she still sat there, looking at George, waiting for her to walk away for it was normal. In her mind she was just about to reach for the large book again, and become the loner she was destined to be. But it was up to George, so she waited for her reaction.

[ghostlygeorge]

"If I touched you, I could drain all of the life out of you, and turn you to ash in about four minutes or so. It's a horrid "gift", and not only does it work from my hands, but my entire body. It's as if I'm an uncureable disease that could cost someone their life.........."

George wrapped her arms around her knees. She was at a loss for words. That is a curse. She might never feel the touch of another human being. How tragic. But there was always seemed to be a loophole in everything. As a master prankster, she had to know loopholes to avoid getting into too much trouble.

"I can understand very much so if you intend to run off as the rest of many students that know of my "gift" do. It's not uncommon, and I'm rather used to it."

She raised an eyebrow at that. That's what was wrong with the world. People are always willing to desert their fellow man. "Leave? Why would I leave? I'm kinda hurt that you would think I would." A fierce look resided in her eyes. "That would be awfully horrible of me. Especially since you don't seem like you want my life force."

She chuckled. "Maybe you'll be just as understanding when I tell you my secret?" George leaned in so she wouldn't be overheard. It was a big deal for her. She had never told anyone this. Hopefully Lily wouldn't freak out. But so far they had been doing pretty well. And George thought this would level the playing field. "You ready? I'm gay." She whispered.

It was sad that she felt she had to keep part of herself secret. But if one aspect of a human doesn't fit in with Society then that person is a pariah. George leaned back and grinned at Lily. But Lily of all people would understand.

[Lily]

"Leave, why would I leave?!"[/] LIly didn't have to hear anything else of what George had said. George had no idea how much those words meant to her..... she hadn't ever heard them spoken to her before. Not once. A soft smile appeared on Lily's face as she was dragged back into reality, and continued listening to what else George had to say.

"...especially since you don't seem like you want my life force.." George had continued. Lily laughed softly and shook her head. "No, not at all..... I'm perfectly fine with the one I have at the moment, but I can always look you up if I feel in the mood for a new one..." she joked, still laughed softly. She normally never joked about her curse, but for some reason it just came out.

"Maybe you'll be just as understanding when I tell you my secret?" George began again, leaning forward so that no one else would hear. Lily leaned forward also, respecting the fact that George didn't want anyone else to know. She almost fell out of her chair.

"You ready? I'm gay." she whispered softly. Lily backed up slightly, looking at George slightly shocked, but understanding. "And you're afraid that if anyone else knew they'd shun you, right? Been there done that, or should I say doing that. Sometimes people are so one-track minded that anything out of the ordinary sets them off, and they avoid you forever. I understand." she said immeadiately. Nothing had changed about how she felt about George. For once in her life she felt as if she had a friend.

She looked back down at George, and saw the wide grin spread across her face. A similar one took form on Lily's face and there they sat at the back of the library grinning. "You know, you are probably the first person I've ever met that hasn't ran away from me.... It's actually quite refreshing to know that there are some optimistic people in the world." she said with a soft laugh.

[ghostlygeorge]

"You know, you are probably the first person I've ever met that hasn't ran away from me.... It's actually quite refreshing to know that there are some optimistic people in the world."

The polite modest smile that Lily once had, turned into a grin. And grins are infectious, and it's easy to forget how the chain is started. George could've have grinned, then Lily grinned because George grinned or Lily could've have started it... The point is that the relaxed grin was better than the rigid socially polite quirk on the corner of Lily's lips. The fact that Lily was completely excepting of George made the mindless grin all the better.

"Well, I'm not really optimistic...just a humanist, I guess" she started, leaning on her palms. "I suppose since I'm the first person that hasn't run away from you that makes me your best friend, huh?" George winked at her. "Maybe once I beat some sense into people you'll have more. Then you can ditch me."

George leaned forward, pulling out a water bottle. She flexed her mental strength over the H2O molecules. The water flowed out in clear tendrils and wrapped around her hand. "Practicing." She explained to Lily. "I want to be better. Hopefully make some use out this." She motioned to her hand, as she made shapes rise out the liquid.

George turned a thoughtful eye to Lily. "I suppose that if you practice it could be fatal." She blurted. "Perhaps we could find a way."

[Lily]

"I suppose since I'm the first person that hasn't run away from you that makes me your best friend, huh? Maybe once I beat some sense into people you'll have more. Then you can ditch me."

Lily laughed softly and nodded. "Yeah, of course!" she said, more to the best friend part, not to ditching her. "Of courseit may take a while to knock some sense into people, they've got pretty hard heads..." she joked, still grinning that infectious grin.

Lily smiled as she wathed George play with the water. "You know, I can think of some pretty good uses for your gift........ to help sorta lighten up the people at this school..." she joked, her grin turning to an evil smile.

"I suppose that if you practice it could be fatal. Perhaps we could find a way."

"Well I'd rather not go around killing people..... they might kick me out. I'm not sure there is any way for me to practice.." she shrugged, it didn't seem to bother her much since George seemed to not mind so much. She thought about practicing before, but there really wasn't any way unless she practiced on plants, or animals. She wasn't sure if it would work on anything other than humans, plus hurting animals just sounded cruel.

[ghostlygeorge]

George's eyes lit up when she saw Lily's evil smile, as she hinted at uses of her power. She didn't think that Lily would actually kill people though. Four minutes is a long time to watch someone die. She wondered what Lily's body did with the life force she did absorb. She wanted to ask but that didn't really seem appropriate to drill a new friend about a potentially lethal power.

Letting the water swirl around her wrist, George racked her brain with ways to help Lily. That's just how she naturally was for the people she cared about. If no one else could help Lily, then she would do whatever she could.

"I've trying to levitate water balloons from a distance..." George smiled wickedly, letting her hair fall into her face. She used her free hand to rake back her hair again. "It's harder when something solid is between me and the water." She looked quizzically at Lily. "I assume you've used you power. I also assume that it wasn't pleasant."

George rambling about powers, made her think of another facet of her own power. "I can create shields by using surface tension. I haven't perfected it..." Her mind drifted off as she thought of possibilities. A bunch of things pushed through her head. She filed them away until she could properly sort through them.

She got bored of the mental circles. And yawned. "Have you been here for a while? The city, I mean. What's there to do here?" George had completely forgot why she had come to the library in the first place.

[Lily]

Lily's eyes constantly followed the swirling water as George continued. It was amazing how she could control the water like that.

"I've trying to levitate water balloons from a distance. It's harder when something solid is between me and the water."

That amazed Lily. It would be so funny if out of nowhere a water balloon appeared and crashed over someone's head that was being mean or evil. "That would be awesome if you needed to get revenge on anyone..." she stated, thinking about it.

"I assume you've used you power. I also assume that it wasn't pleasant."

Her statement had LIly remembering what it was like, the horor of realizing her curse... Her father's pained face.... She nodded, her infectious grin fading. "I found out about it when I was ten... and it wasn't in a pleasant way.... My dad and I were walking through the park, about to get an ice cream. We held hands along the way, skipping and humming happily. All of a sudden he just... stopped. It looked as if he was turning the color of fire, as if he couldn't breathe... His eyes were incredibly bloodshot, and he tried to tug his hand away. But.... but I held on, I tugged some on his arm for him to come on, I would take him home because he looked like he wasn't feeling right... and after about four minutes, which seemed like forever to me... he burst into ash. I sat on the ground crying horribly, because somehow I knew it was all my fault.... and that's when the Headmaster found me, and brought me here..." she sighed after she told her tale. The way she told it, she looked as if she were actually re-experiencing it through her mind. It was awful to go through it again, but she wanted George to know how awful[/b] it was to experience that.

"I can create shields by using surface tension. I haven't perfected it..." George continued. That sounded cool.... to be able to manipulate water in such a way that it could protect you.. George's gift seemed alot better than her own.

"Have you been here for a while? The city, I mean. What's there to do here?" George asked. "Well I've lived here all my life, but I came to the school when I was ten. I mostly hang out in the LIbrary but sometimes I go to the cafe down the street. It's got pretty good smoothies, but I'm not much of a coffee person.." she shrugged slightly. She didn't know much about the surrounding area, she never explored much. A small smile returned to her face as she tried to dwell on happier thoughts. I mean, she had just made a new friend! This was no time to be sad.

[ghostlygeorge]

George, in hearing about Lily's manifestation of her powers, scolded herself. She hadn't really thought about what she was saying. Of course if it wasn't pleasant, then why would she want to talk about it? George let the water flow back into the bottle, before she lost control of it. She sighed. It did say something about how Lily felt about her. Her being able to tell about something so painful must mean that she really did consider George a friend. But she decided not to mull over the depressing thoughts of the past.

"You mostly hang out in the Library?" George squawked. "That is unnaturally wrong! A young girl your age should definitely be out and about! You might not have friends before but that has changed drastically!" George's voice rose causing the Librarian to round the corner and deliver a harsh 'SHHH!'.

"Do you know what dorm you have this year? Or how that whole system works?" George stood up and stretched. "By the way, whether you like it or not, I'll be helping you with your power."

George yawned widely, not bothering to cover her mouth. Then she grinned. "Wanna get something to eat?"

[Lily]

Lily laughed softly at George's repulsion of her reading habits. But you've got to consider, when you have no friends, what else is there to do?! "Well..... I used to have no friends so there was nothing to do... and if you thought the girls were repulsed by my powers..... well let's just say the guys don't really like me either. So boyfriend is out of the option...... besides I've over heard them, and I'm not exactly high up on the whole "hot list" of theirs.... You'd think that we'd be a little different, considering we are mutants, but we are just the same..." she rambled on, still giggling by the fact that the librarian was now watching them like a hawk.

"Um, I'm not really sure. They said they may do the dorms different this year... So i'm really not sure. And how can you help me! I don't want to end up hurting you!" she said, the last part was a little to loud and the Librarian immeadiately came over to scold them, and telling them to leave.

"Wanna get something to eat?" George said on their way out, she was grinning widely.

"Sure..... but I usually eat on the grounds.. the other students don't exactly like it when I eat in the kitchen where everyone else is...." she explained with a shrug. It didn't bother her much, she was used to it.

[ghostlygeorge]

George brought a finger up to her lips, contemplating there next move. Lily didn't usually eat in the Kitchen due to social strife. But times were changing. She had a companion, so eating in the kitchen would be normal...however normal they could get.

"Well, we're trying to get you out of that introverted shell you've developed..." George muttered to herself. Something she often did. It made her feel like some insane plotter. It probably made her look that way too, but that didn't really matter. "We don't want to shock your psychological system to the point where you permanently damaged..."

George looked to the diffident Lily. "If I can figure out my shield stuff, than you won't hurt me." She said in a serious tone. "I already said you don't have a choice." She then grinned widely. "I'm sure your hot factor will shot up be a million once you don't have the grim reaper chilling on your shoulder! Anyway let's see what and who is in the kitchen!"

The carefree attitude was something George had always possessed. In ways it seemed like she was like water and it's many forms. At times she could be an light drizzle, or little stream, carefree and relaxed. Other times, if one were foolish enough to purposely piss off such a jovial person, then in the blink of an eye that light rain can turn into a tumultuous and dangerous storm.

"Once we get to the kitchen, if you feel uncomfortable, we can go to the grounds. But really if anyone tries to start anything I'll just 'lose control' and pull some pipes out of the wall" George said idly. It was meant as a joke...even if it had happened before....

[Lily]

"Well, we're trying to get you out of that introverted shell you've developed..."

Lily laughed hysterically. She hadn't developed this shyness, it took her over. She used to be only a bit shy, and introverted, but it seemed to take over as she grew older. And being shunned didn't necessarily help the problem. "And how exactly, do you plan to do that? I mean, I'm not sure that everyone will just accept me now that I have a friend.... They'll just think you're nuts.." she was joking at the last part.

"If I can figure out my shield stuff, than you won't hurt me. I already said you don't have a choice." George continued on, while looking at Lily as they walked to the kitchen or at least that's where LIly supossed they were going. "But, what if you don't master the shield, and I end up hurting you? That'd be horrible..." she worried aloud. She always seemed to worry about everything lately.

"I'm sure your hot factor will shot up be a million once you don't have the grim reaper chilling on your shoulder! Anyway let's see what and who is in the kitchen!"

Lily laughed again, she didn't see how anything could help her "hot factor" she just wasn't blessed with the beauty most of the girls around this school had. "Whadya mean the grim reaper's chilling on my shoulder?! Do I really seem that gloomy to everyone?!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with shock. She hadn't believed herself to be that gloomy. George was so different from herself it was odd that they seemed to get along so well. George so carefree, and glass-half-full, while Lily was always doubting everything, and looking at the bad side of things.

"Once we get to the kitchen, if you feel uncomfortable, we can go to the grounds. But really if anyone tries to start anything I'll just 'lose control' and pull some pipes out of the wall"

Lily laughed oncemore. The crazy thing was that she could actually picture George getting angry and pulling a bunch of pipes out of the walls, spraying her victims with the water she could control so easily. The vision made her laugh again, and people they walked past looked at her with a very confused expression on their faces, it was as if they'd never seen her laugh or something. Maybe she really was as gloomy as George said. "I'll try... I guess. But if they all start whispering or staring at me or something of the sorts..... well it makes me angry, and an angry me isn't pretty... not at all...." she explained as the sight of the Kitchen came into view. Lily re-adjusted her messenger bag nervously on her shoulder. She wasn't good with out-of-the-ordinary situations.