[FP]Antarctica Calling(Planned)

Sara was in the middle of an English lesson with a few of her older students. 12 and 13 year olds qualifying for older, in her books, lately.

It was amazing that the PAX actually allowed Sara to teach English. Technically, she didn’t have proof that she had gone through grade school, but even super soldier experiments, need to learn grammer in this day and age. All of the scientists, back when Sara was so young, used proper English. Sara was expected to do the same. Even if she chose not to remember the way she learned, Sara still remembered the lessons. The subject came natural. Like with art. It seemed students, from the streets, had yet to fully understand proper sentence structure. Being taught their own language by a different means from Sara. Today had shown a lot of promise. They’d get it.

The clock on the wall chimed, making Sara jump and knock the into the book shelf. Several texts clattered to the floor, and a few student’s giggled while the closest two scuttled forward to help Sara pick up the mess.

“You do that every time Miss. Nobes.” Said one girl in overalls and a curly mob of red hair that threatened to fall over her eyes, completely.

“I know.” Sara sighed. Under her illusion, she could feel her cheeks warm, and knew that her nose was growing darker with the blush, but the illusion didn't sense when her skin tone changed. the facial expression only imitated, the muscle change in expression but when it came to blushing, it didn't. instead it maintained the skin tone coloration, like a finely made, and well kept, china doll.

“Aren’t they going to fix the clock for you, so it doesn’t hurt your ears?” Asked a tall lanky boy with vertical pupils.

“If they did that, no other teacher, that used this room, would be able to hear it.” Sara took the books and finished setting them in their proper places. Thanking her students, and shooing the laggers out the door so they wouldn’t be late for their next class.

She moved on, pushing in the chairs, and tapping her papers she had to grade, into a nice neat pile. Maybe on her trip he would have time to catch up on the class grading. Her original plan was to play catch up on the plane ride, but thankfully there would be no plane involved, from what she could understand.

Thannnnk yooou! heights, where she had no control of what was going on, and enclosed spaces. Using the plane ride to play catch up was an excuse to use multitasking as a distraction of where she would be, miles about the ground, hurtling through the air at who knows how fast, in a big metal toob, full of gasoline, for... how many hours did they say that flight would be? Shiver

Now, the only worry was when she'd have time for the teaching side of her life, outside the class room. Two jobs was difficult, at best. She’d resorted to grading papers while stakeouts for FTAs. Yay Sara, for multitasking…

Now. Check list time. Sara had her locket, She thought as she tapped her fingers against the her gold around her neck. She could take this off when they got to where they were headed, if she wanted to. She had boots, that she had gotten made to actually fit her feline feet, though wearing something over her toes still felt so alien. She had the student papers, for if she had an extra minute… was she forgetting something?

Oh right! The coat. With Sara’s fur, she could still wear a tank top in the winter, and be completely comfy, but this wasn’t the US. This was Antarctica, and Sara had never been to Antarctica. The extra layer against the cold would be a good extra measure. Sure Sara could heal frostbite, but healing frostbite wasn’t fun. So she bought her first coat that claimed to be able to keep you warm in sub zero temperatures.

She pulled a zip up hooded sweat shirt over her shoulders, threw the coat over one arm, slung her bag over her shoulder, and stood outside of her class room, waiting for Iris, and Starling. Her tail thumping the seconds against the wall behind her, though it was hidden under the illusion.

Sara had resorted to leaning up against the wall, Her bag still over one shoulder, her coat over her arm, and her illusion, still on. Had she taught a class yet without the thing? She couldn’t remember. It was just,… there. She’d even, finally, gotten used to looking in the mirror and spotting herself, rather than the stare and search she use to do, when looking at reflections.

Familiar smells reached her nose before familiar voices did, and Sara smiled

"Sara! Sorry I'm late!"

“It’s alright. I had a bit of a mess to clean anyways.” The beelllls the belllls.

"Momma, I'm too hot!"

"Oh, sorry, Sweetpea. Here."

Sara smiled at Starling. “It will be different where we’re headed.” She absentmindedly padded the sleeves of the coat she had purchased, One was stuffed full like a pillow. That’s where she had decided to throw her hat, and scarf. “It’s cold all year round, and you might find something of your interest there.”

"Sorry Sara. Bathroom break and all that,"

Sara waved her free hand, shaking her head. “Just enjoy all those Bathroom breaks, While they last.” For both of them. Through people like Iris, she could try to witness motherhood vicariously through knowing them. She was sure it wasn’t the same, but when it came to motherhood, Sara might not of been dealt a fair hand. Living vicariously, was what she had.

"I think we're finally ready now. Garrett's probably waiting for us in the Zen garden already."

Sara nodded and fell into step with the two. Sara in the consume of the cool human girl, who refused to put her coat on yet, and the two bundled up Michelin man girls who had gotten dressed up early for Halloween. Marching down the hall in a row, side by side, like the soldiers in the wizard of oz. Ohhh-eeeee-Oh. Oh=ohhhh- Oh.

Despite the fact Sara’s tail curved up near the floor, instinctively to avoid being stepped on, there were still those fateful days that it happened. If it wasn’t stepped on, it was kicked. So there was a slight relief that iris had put the child on the other side to march. Much better than her first impression of Iris, that included some really bad aim, a rotten avocado, and Sara’s face.

"Paper to grade? I miss being able to multitask like that. Do you ever sleep anymore?"

“Not as often as my body wants, but if I didn’t sleep, I’d be caught up on papers.” And art work, and books, and everything.

.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

They nearly passed a pair, who looked like they were waiting for someone. Sara was about to tap Iris on the shoulder when he stopped and turned back. Sara didn’t miss a step as they turned, and headed for the pair.

" Wow, Gary, I haven't seen two women blow you off so quick in a while. Losing your touch?"

" Well, Pete, that's because I am taken. Women can see that kind of thing on a man. That's why I never dated in Med School. My heart has always belonged to Maya. Still does."[/i][/color]

"Ha ha." Iris wrinkled her nose in amusement at the flip comments. "A pleasure to see you again, too, Doctor Wills." She shuffled her bag out of the way in order to give her friend a puffy-armed hug. Then she stepped back and gave them both a half-bow.

"Sorry we're late. My fault, as usual. I hope you weren't waiting too long." Years earlier, such an admission would have been accompanied by an embarrassed grimace. Now it simply came with honest apology, and a smile.

"This is my friend, Sara Nobes, PAX's English and Art teacher." She turned to introduce her companion.

"And this is my daughter, Starling." She placed her hand on the back of the little girl's coat proudly, despite the grumpy frown on her face.

"Hi," she grumbled.

"Sara, Star, this is my friend Garrett Wills. And...." She raised her eyebrows at the younger man, inviting him to finish her introduction.

Starling began fiddling with her coat, stealthily pulling the zipper further and further down, in attempt to rid herself of its burden. She got it about halfway down when Iris noticed, and reached down to pull it back up. The raven-haired child, crossed her arms in a pout.

Garrett and Peter returned the formal handshakes from Sara while Garrett returned the hug to Iris and waved at little Starling. Peter seemed to be smitten with Sara. She was certainly attractive, but so was I ris and every woman Garrett had met in his mutant life. " Yes, this is my assistant and good friend, Peter Grimes. We met at the Colony. Peter here will be transporting us to the Colony whenever you feel you are ready. No special luggage or equipment should be necessary, though I am sure you don't know why. We'll cover that soon enough." He looked over at Peter and winked.

Shaking Sara's hand he tried to feel a stroke of familiarity between the two of them, but couldn't seem to. " I don't recall the name right off ther top of my head, Sara, but I am just as pleased to meet you. Is it safe for me to assume that we are all mutants here? If so, we can resume our discussion at the Colony and then return here if you'd like to seal the deal and show me around. I wasn't sure of the itinerary beyond this."

Garrett was much more composed than the look on Peter’s face, after Sara had shook his hand. While her illusion’ completion kept it’s light pinky tanned complexion, her feline nose darkened where no one could see it.

“Well once we get where we are going, I might look more familiar.” Sara shrugged, She pulled out her, crocheted, scarf and hat, and put those on. She’d wait to use the heavy coat, till she knew they were in the cold weather. She didn’t want to sweat, under it. Heavy coat and fur, could be asking for trouble.

Sara saw Iris, turn her head Sara’s way, when the question about if they were mutants wa asked, and they nodded together. Iris knew how obvious Sara’s mutation was, but Sara had been hiding it for a while. Hiding was natural to her now. Too natural, but, well,.. Yeah.

Sara smiled. “I’m ready. I’ll just follow you guys.”