”Wouldn’t say crackin’” Carrick said looking for the right words, a few of the people that showed up were talented. Rowan was getting better with the drums but was still afraid to perform in public, the others were just learning what a G cord was. ”We’ll stick with good fun.”

As they entered the doorway to the kitchen Carrick didn’t bother entering, he already had his meal. ”This heres the kitchen, if ya got anything worth saving to yerself I’d suggest writing yer name on it or keep it in yer own fridge. No pints unfortunately but if ya are looking I know a few spots the teachers keep them hidden away. Few things stay hidden fer long here.” Carrick said waving to the camera phone when he was in shot again.

Fifty? Well, that’s an audience. Maybe he should reintroduce himself... it be after the sandwich. Sam paid good money for this steak and he’d hate it to go to waste which is why as they were moving he sped up the rate at which he was eating. ”Well if ya want secrets all ya ‘ave to do is ask.” he said with a full mouth again this time he was hands free seeing as the rest of the sandwich was being chewed.

”Then again, if its in this school odds are it isn’t a secret anymore. I meself prefer the birds eye view of the grounds. More ta see and fewer have seen it.” most of the words he said were a bit muffled due to the food but the shifter opened his wings for Atticus and his fans back home to understand his meaning. The golden-brown wings took up some of the hallway, he chose not to take up the whole hallway.

After a second for the fans obviously the extra apendagies snapped back into place and the shifter spun towards the camera now with an empty mouth, ”Though... the ol’ DR can pretty much make ya see whatever ya want ta see... So I guess someone without wings could see it. Seems like a waist. But anyways; there’s a jet, we got two former assassins on staff, a retractable basketball court, rocket launchers in the courtyard, six ‘hidden’” Carrick used finger quotes, ”rooms and a big ass room in the basement that doesn’t work for some reason.” he was counting them as he listed them.

”and yer in luck, new building. Place blew up a few months back after being attacked by some magic cult so the toilets will never be cleaner! Honestly, you’ll never wanna leave.” he said flashing a grin. ”Like I said nothing really ’a secret here.” turning on his heel and throwing his hands behind his head he kept moving until he reached the stairs.

”So, what can ya do power wise Atti? Asking because it’s gonna determine where we go next.”

The kid sent in a guitar solo instead of...?

Elizabeth's mind stopped working for a moment and then her eyes rolled back into her head and she just groaned.

"Oh no. Oh no. No, Gemma, don't do this to me," Liz pleaded. "Please do not tell me we're getting another Carrick!"

But the dawning horror of facts matching up with Atticus's first impression were impossible to ignore.

"Yes, please back me up!" Liz begged. She could stay out of Gemma's nullification aura easily enough. "Right now they're..." She broke off more a moment and consulted Zorro's ears and nose. "...leaving the kitchen They're heading for the stairs. I told Carrick to find Atticus a room and it looks like he Carricked things up again."

As Liz talked, she retreated back to the door and mentally directed the animals out of their various places on and around her and out the door, putting ideas in their heads of returning to their homes. Zorro and Nico were the only ones to stick around.

"I'll meet you there," Liz said.

Atticus was mostly listening to feathers at this point. While the tour so far left much to be desired, the heatmancer was continuing to feign interest for the simple fact that he had heard rumors. Rumours about teams of heroes, about secret facilities, and quite frankly he wanted to break that news all over the internet. But, for the time being, Atticus would continue to play along until he could find some subtle way, some brilliant mind trick, to draw the information out of his new tour guide. It would take subterfuge and persuasion, but Atticus was certain that if he waited for the right, most opportune moment to strike, that Feathers would open like a book.

>> ”Well if ya want secrets all ya ‘ave to do is ask.”

Okay. So maybe it would be far easier than he thought. Who would have known that just outright asking would break the dam of secrets here?

Atticus turned the camera onto Feathers as he continued to talk. DR? Jet? Assassins on staff? AND a retractable basketball court and rocket launchers? It seemed this place was exactly what people were guessing it was and he was getting confirmation from a resident (or at least frequent visitor)! This was really going to blow up the internet, wasn’t it? He wondered how much he could sell this to the BBC for…

Quickly Atticus stopped the stream and turned on his video camera to just record. That way he had the only record of the rest of this conversation. Makes it far more valuable to sell off, you know?

”Magic cult? Now you’re having a lark, mate,” Atticus scoffed. However he paused in thought and than vaguely began to remember running across a few articles online. ”Wait…” He looks around as if just realizing something. ”Wait…so this? This is the school that was attacked? The one that was all over the news last year?” He shook his head in astonishment and muttered a soft ”Wicked…” under his breath. Why did it take so long for him to make that connection?

>>””So, what can ya do power wise Atti? Asking because it’s gonna determine where we go next.”

”Atticus…” he says, correctly Feathers. He wasn’t a big fan of nicknames, despite the fact that he freely gave them to everyone else and stubbornly refused to learn anyone else’s real name unless they’ve earned it. However, Atticus soon smirked and shrugged his shoulders. ”...and I bring the heat.”

Atticus took a moment to remember irritating things: Feathers calling him by the wrong name, Horse Girl rejecting him despite him being so nice, that annoying kid in the plane next to him who kept crying for more sucking candies to help his ears pop. Rolling his neck as the tension welled up, Carrick would feel the immediate area around Atticus getting warmer and warmer. Soon Carrick would note the glowing orange in Atticus’ eyes as he holds his palms upwards. Vents of organic metal seem set into his palms that begin to glow until they erupt in small plumes of orange-red fire.

Atticus grins a cocky grin to Carrick and winks.”The real heat, as you can see…” He paid little attention if anything around them blackened or caught fire. This was a mansion for mutants right? They should be able to afford it.
[/i]

>>"Oh no. Oh no. No, Gemma, don't do this to me. Please do not tell me we're getting another Carrick!"

Gemma ran through the application forms. They passed muster, as far as new students went. But barely. "He also put Of Inferno in the rubric that says AGE." She sighed. "Yeah. We are getting another Carrick."

>>"Yes, please back me up! Right now they're...leaving the kitchen They're heading for the stairs. I told Carrick to find Atticus a room and it looks like he Carricked things up again."

"This is the last time I'm going to tell that young man that he is NOT an official Mansion greeter." Gemma was already on her way out of the office. "I'm on my way."

By the time he made it downstairs, it was clear that her presence was required. The head hit her in the chest for a moment as she rounded the corner after the stairs. And then her aura reached the young man. "Mr. Dashwood? Please refrain from burning down the buulding. We just had it rebuilt from scratch."

”No, larkin’ ‘ere mate.” the shifter said revealing his pointed canines in a grand smile. ”Aye, ‘cuss they are one in the same.” the Irishman said ignoring the name correction. Be it a habit he picked up from Zek or the fact that he just liked to press buttons. If no one could get his name right why should he bother?

There was a certain arrogance about the man when, the wave he moved and talked that reminded the shifter of Zek. Whom happened to be one of his best friends the more he thought about it. **** did he have to rethink his friend circle? No, that take time and energy and an attention span that the thief rarely had to spare.

Then he felt the heat. Some soot started to form on the ceiling where the heat was rising to. ”Wooooow, and me without smokes.” the shifter said with an overexaggerated sigh. ”You don’t ‘ave one on ya do ya?” Carrick asked before clapping twice in response doing his best to seem interested in the power set. Carrick didn’t care much for fire. ”Impressive ta say the least, you should meet frosty. He does the same thing but the opposite.”

Carrick’s elf like ears perked when his instincts told him to ‘Flee’ Not from Atticus but the woman rounding the corner. The Irishman had spent years knowing the signs of her arrival and how to avoid her.

The heat died down a bit when she approached and Carrick took a few more steps away from Atticus. ”Ah, Mrs. T-C!” Carrick forced a smile even though he already lost feeling in his wings and tail both of which started to droop when she approached, even his vision started to blur. The voice telling him to flee vanished as well. If it wasn't for the lack of control of his extra appendages he would have welcomed the quite.

There was a mock bow one he gave to everyone, teachers and royalty alike ”Was just showing our newest resident around at the request of Lizzy! She must have had more important things ta do than her job.” he said grinning and trying to show Mama T the most respect he could muster. She was married to Jorge after all meaning she had to be ‘alright’,

”I did mention this place was rebuilt recently.” Carrick said nodding his head in agreement, looking back to Atticus he added, ”See no lark, just an eagle.” mismatched colored eyes turned to Gemma, ”Am I good ta go now? Not really getting paid fer this. Just helping where I can.” there was another foot of distance between them as he took another step away from her.

"That part's on me," Liz said. Carrick had tried being a mansion greeter before? Somehow that didn't surprise Liz in the slightest. Carrick always seemed to be there when you neither wanted nor needed him but vanished when you did. "But who knows, maybe it's worth promoting him."

By then, Liz had everything she needed. Gemma was on the way to save the day. Or at least hold Liz back. That was the problem with being a responsible adult - you couldn't run from your problems. Especially because one of them could fly.

Liz took a few deep breaths. "After all, it can't be that bad, right?" she asked her parrot and dog. "It's just two Carricks. That can't be the end of the word."

"Awrk, nevermore," Nico rasped before saying something in German.

With a sigh of hopelessness, Liz jogged off to meet Gemma.

Liz stopped outside of Mrs. Cervantes's aura in order to maintain the bonds with her pets and held up a hand. "Not so fast, Carrick," she said with a bit of a vulpine grin. "You might as well stick around and learn a few things." Zorro's nose perked up and the dog started sniffing pointedly in Carrick's direction. "Think of it as, oh I don't know, the least you can do in return for free access to Sam's steaks." The smell of such high quality meat was unmistakable to the dog.

Oh there it was. Now this was what Atticus liked to feel. Carrick had wanted to know what he could do, well, he was going to show him exactly what he could do. The anger welling up inside of him, Atticus taps into that dark, dark place as he feels the furnace in his body build up higher and higher. The heat continues to rise so much that the air around him wavers and blurs to the point that it can be seen by the naked eye. It was hot and it was only getting hotter thanks to Atticus and his need to show off.

Though Carrick doesn’t seem to be all that impressed, the action only egged Atticus on to continue with his endeavor. Would have to burn the kitchen down to get the reaction he wanted? The entire mansion? Sure he was game for that! Atticus was not one to back down from a game of chicken, no matter how dangerous it was.

Unfortunately it seemed that his game would be prematurely canceled. While he grinned mischievously at Carrick, there was a strange feeling to wash over it. It felt almost like all the air was being sucked out of the room. Suddenly he could feel the heat dimming, as if he was burning out all the oxygen and yet he was A.) still breathing, and B.) still completely pissed off and only getting more irritated. What was going on? In a frustrated panic, Atticus turned around to the sound of a new voice suddenly appearing. He hadn’t heard them enter because the flames had been muffled out the sound but now, here he was, looking at someone new.

>> "Mr. Dashwood? Please refrain from burning down the building. We just had it rebuilt from scratch."

”What’s that?” he asks, almost as if looking for confirmation that she was the one who shut him down. ”Did you do this?”

Atticus’ eyes return to the palms of his hands. The bioorganic vents that sprouted when his mutant powers developed are just cold now. There was no more heat being generated and that was a surprise considering how angry he was about it. He hadn’t felt like this in a few years now. It was strange, alien, and he definitely did not like it.

He looks up at the return of Horse Girl and rolls his eyes. So she was the one who went and grabbed the power thief? She was seriously working her way off his pursuit list. To Mrs. T-C, whatever Carrick called her and gives her an obstinate look.

”Yeah, yeah, neat trick,” He waves her away. ”Mind backing up, love? I don’t much care for what you’re doing to me.” He looks to Carrick and Horse Girl. ”Can all the grannies in the building do that?” He asks in a whisper that is not at all a whisper.

Gemma didn't usually march into people's personal space with her aura without a warning. Usually. But this time, someone was playing with fire, and seemingly in some sort of tail measuring contest with Carrick, which did not bode well. So she marched in. The effect was immediate.

>>”What’s that? Did you do this?”

Liz was handling Carrick, who was trying to shuffle out of her aura. She did not blame him. No one liked their extra appendages going limp in her presence.

>>”Yeah, yeah, neat trick. Mind backing up, love? I don’t much care for what you’re doing to me. Can all the grannies in the building do that?”

Gemma tilted her head. She did have grow up children, so technically, he wasn't wrong. But she could tell he did not mean it in a technical way. Good thing Jorge was not around.

"Gemma Taylor-Cervantes. I am the school's guidance counselor. I handled your application" she noted lightly, offering a hand. He knew what she meant. "I am an adapted human. That means I have an aura that automatically cancels mutant powers."

It seemed Mrs. T-C wasn’t mad at him for showing off the school and why should she be? Lizzy was the one to blame here for making him do it in the first place. Did he know the layout of the school? Yes, better than most especially if he didn’t want to be seen. Even with the renovations.

The goal line was in sight, he just needed to take a few more steps back and he was out of there. After the power reveal from Atti, Carrick quickly lost interest in the conversation. His wings didn’t do well with fire and while he was immortal the idea of being ‘grounded’ while he healed was... painful to say the least.

>>> "Not so fast, Carrick,"

There was a moment of hesitation when he heard Lizzy again not because he wanted to stop but as much as he didn’t like the fact that she was a teacher old habits died hard. He stopped turned his head slightly and squinted in her direction. ”I got a GED Lizzy. I’m done with learning fer now thank you!” the steak comment caused him to turn slightly. Could he talk his way out of it? Absolutely! Was he going to try? Absolutely.

”Wouldn’t call it free access, he owed me anyways. Man can’t pay me on time fer playing at his bar. I’m a man of needs and I was hungry. He owed me. Simple as that Lizzy! Call him if ya like. He’ll say the same thing.” bluffed the shifter. Letting out a loud sigh he stopped trying to retreat from the group. He stopped moving when he was out of Gemma’s field. His tail perked back up and his vision returned to what it once was.

”Most of them, not even the worst they can do.” Carrick said lying to Atticus.

Elizabeth smoothed a strand of trying-to-frizz hair out of her eyes. It felt like the room was suddenly cooling off after someone turned off half a dozen space heaters. Nico and Zorro felt it too. Three sets of eyes turned to Atticus at the same time and they cocked their heads in unison. Huh. So that was the new guy's power. He could generate heat.

Another reason to dislike him.

Liz glanced back at Carrick although the bird and dog remained fixated on Atticus, glaring at him for his comments. "You know what, I think I might just call him," she informed the shapeshifter. "...after we're done here." At that point her smile turned downright predatory. Carrick wasn't the only one there who had animals in their heads.

Sure, making Carrick stick around was petty. She'd readily admit that to anyone except for Carrick. She also didn't think anyone would have a problem. It truly was time for Carrick to grow up (again) and giving responsibilities was a good way of helping that along.

And if that meant Liz could foist problems in Carrick's direction, so much the better.

"Trust me," she said in a whisper, figuring only those with animalistic senses would pick up her words clearly, "...you're about to see a master class at work in handling people."

Liz still remembered hearing the stories of how she'd protected mutant children during the days of the Mutant Registration Act. And that was before all the years working at the mansion!

Atticus was in no way impressed. He had dealt with authoritative types before and found that no matter the profession, they had always riled him up. However, at this moment he was unable to really express that anger since he felt a disconnection to the fiery furnace within his chest. It was…not a good feeling. It was a feeling that he had gotten used to and, now that it was gone, he noticed just how cool everything around him felt. It was a lonely sensation and one that he didn’t want to continue having.

So, he tried to shoo her away. The elderly woman (okay sure, she still had it in some places) was completely cramping his style and he wanted her gone. Sadly it seemed she was the exact person he needed to talk to about finally finishing his registration with the school. He, of course, sighed.

”Of course you are…” he said with a defeated grumble. To the other two who were speaking to one another behind him, he gave an annoyed look. ”Horsegirl, Feathers, are you absolutely positive there is no one else I can talk to about finishing up my registration here?” He turns back to Gemma then and waves his hand dismissively. ”Not that you’re not great. Wicked, mum, truly, but maybe someone a bit more awake can help me?”

Because old people sleep all the time. That was his point. Atticus had never been good at not offending someone. His music. His attitude. His abilities. It was just naturally that he put people on edge. But clearly the young man had yet to learn the lesson about how terrible of a choice this was and that eventually this attitude of his was going to be thrown at the most wrongest person in the world…