'Ridiculous' tastes like pickles with chocolate. Susan could taste it all over the house.
She was locked up in her room, which was not legal at all, not to mention not fair - she turned 18 one goddamn month ago, there was no way the Hydes could treat her like that. No way in hell, and the NY justice department.
Still, here she was. Getting silent treated by a family that was not even her own.
It was the kind of silence that crawls all over your skin and leaves a slimy trail.
It was the kind of silence that smells like fertilizers and other unpleasant chemicals.
It was the kind of silence that hovers over you in a thick baby blue mist.

Susan shuddered. Before she found out she was a mutant and ran away from school and 'home', she always had the icky feeling the Hydes were trying to save her soul. All the time, every way, 24/7. But ever since she got dragged back home to her 'legal guardians' by the police, it had gotten infinitely worse.
The Hydes - including her so-called 'sisters' - were trying to bond with her.
(In their weird, 'let's not talk to her just give her sad disappointed puppy dog looks and make her feel we are always going to be there for her no matter what')
Urgh.

Susan decided it was time to call for help. She was not comfortable with asking someone to help her deal with her personal problems, but to hell with it, she was not spending any more time with a family that had her grounded for term undecided.
Smoothing the flyer out on her knee, she copied the number into her phone. Good thing they didn't think about taking that away. They knew Susan never called anyone.
Up until now.

It anyone says the phrase 'moral support' I'm gonna hex his ass into next week.
What I need it the cavalry. And I need it yesterday.

In recent weeks Meld had come to understand that she could do more for her cause, the mutant cause, than simply kill those people who were a threat to it. She would always fulfill that role, of course, she was too good at it not to. But there was so much more that she could offer her cause, so much ore that she could accomplish if only she was willing to put herself into unfamiliar situations. Her strength were, of course, her blades and her skills but they were also her confidence and her comfort in being a mutant. It was that sense of comfort, that she had so recently come to understand, that she could use in the helping of other mutants.

So many mutants were ashamed of what they were and afraid to talk to others about it. They hid in the shadows, terrified that their dark secret would come to light and they would lose everything that they had worked for in their lives. Then there were those mutants who simply couldn't hide what they were but they too had difficulties in life, perhaps even more so than those who hid. They would never have a normal life, Meld couldn't help them with that, but so few understood that there were others out there who had and were going through the same things. Meld could offer to help, she coul.d offer her support and understanding in a way that few others could. She was a visible mutant and, more so, she had chosen to become a visible mutant. Not, of course, to become a mutant, but her mutation was such that every flesh meld she possessd had been her own concious choice. She could show others all of the posatives about what they were, help them to adapt and to cope.

With these thoughts in mind Meld had designed mutant help adds, including her cell number and her offer to help any mutant that came to her in honest need of guidance and she began posting these around the city. There was something pure and honest about helping the cause in a way that did not result in the hurting of others. It was a good feeling and, for Meld, a new feeling. Perhaps her soul would recover from its many self inflicted wounds after all. It gave her hope.

Meld's phone rang. It wasn't her usual phone, the one she used in her day to day dealings, it was her new phone, the one she had purchaced for the specific purpose of this new task she had placed upon herself. It was her first call. "Hello. Meld here. How can I help you?"

"Hello. Meld here. How can I help you?"
Susan blinked. 'Meld'? Seriously? What kind of person uses a name like that?
Oh. Right. Mutant activists. Well. Beggars and choosers, and all that.
Her voice had a metallic taste to it. Over the phone, at least. Susan wondered. But not for long.
"Well, you could start with busting me out of here." she said. She was not even thinking about it, not right now, but she sure as hell did know what she needed "I... recently discovered I am a mutant, and my foster parents are keeping me grounded for running away. My abilities are not a threat to anyone, and I am 18 years old, so I do not appreciate being treated like this."
She frowned.
"Listen, lady, I do not know what kind of help you are offering to mutants... but I didn't know who else to ask."
Well, she could have asked Pluto. But that was her backup plan. You only summon a demon when humans failed.

"Well, you could start with busting me out of here. I... recently discovered I am a mutant, and my foster parents are keeping me grounded for running away. My abilities are not a threat to anyone, and I am 18 years old, so I do not appreciate being treated like this."

Meld had been expecting her first call to be a simple meeting. Meet a mutant, help explain things and help them to become more comfortable, perhaps introduce them to either the Mansion or Sanctuary depending on the type of person they were. What she was not expecting was to have to help break someone out of some place, though perhaps she shouldn't have been so surprised. It didn't change anything, however, she was still there to help in any way she could.

"Let me know where you are and I will do what I can to get you out of there. I presume you will need a place to stay once you're free? I also presume that you would prefer no real harm to come to your foster parents?" It was a good question to ask, just to be on the safe side. It would be an inauspicious beginning if she accidentally maimed or killed someone that the mutant woman would prefer were left in good health.

"Listen, lady, I do not know what kind of help you are offering to mutants... but I didn't know who else to ask."

"You have come to the right place," Meld assured the woman. "I offer any kind of help that I can and if its something that I can't do I'll find someone who can. If I'm to be working with you, can I get your name?"

"Let me know where you are and I will do what I can to get you out of there. I presume you will need a place to stay once you're free? I also presume that you would prefer no real harm to come to your foster parents?"
Susan blinked as she looked at the receiver. Was this woman serious? She sounded serious. And metallic. Still. Her question had a point, from what Susan had seen so far there was a wide variety of persons in the mutant world with all kinds of ideas and moralities. She'd batter make it clear she did not want her foster family killed off. However entertaining the thought might be.
"No, I just would like to get out of here. I would prefer my foster family unhurt. Yes. Definitely. And, um... yes, I will need a place to stay."
Going back to Elli would not be the best idea. Police or not, friend or not... going back to where she hid out before was not the best plan.
"You have come to the right place. I offer any kind of help that I can and if its something that I can't do I'll find someone who can. If I'm to be working with you, can I get your name?"
Oh. Names. Right. She always forgot about those.
"Susan Hyde." she said, then "But you can call me Witch."
With that said, all that was left was to give the woman called Meld the address, and some information about what to expect... and wait.

Meld nodded her head in recognition of Susan's words, even knowing she couldn't see the action since she was on the phone. "Consider it done Susan. I will come there presently and we can discuss where would be the best place for you to stay once we have you freed from your current situation. I look forward to meeting you." She hung up the phone.

Meld didn't have much that she needed to prepare before departing. Her weapons were all on her person all ready, even if she didn't plan on using them. Keeping Susan's foster family alive and in good health should be easy, her intimidation faction alone should be enough to ensure she got the girl out without a major fight. At least, that's what she was counting on. And if not then at least her years of martial arts training should be enough to ensure that she could knock out the foster parents without any permanent harm.

It took Meld some time to catch a subway that led from her place at the Mansion to the location of the place Susan was currently trapped in. The journey, however, was without incident. No more than an hour after getting off the phone she rang the woman's doorbell, awaiting an answer. Even with violence not being the answer in this instance, Meld was looking forward to it. Sometimes it was worth it to be an intimidating as h*ll mutant cyborg that could terrify by a look alone.

Susan waited patiently, sitting on her bed with a suitcase packed. She was good at waiting. Her thoughts had always been enough to keep her occupied; she mastered the ability of shutting the world out while being raised with her two stupid foster sisters.
The room did not feel like it belonged to her. Despite her unique ability od perceiving her surroundings, Susan never grew attached to places or objects. She was the kind of girl who does not care about the book or the print, just the meaning of the text.
Not like she hated the Hydes. She really didn't. They took her in, and raised her, and did their best to create a life for her. It was not their fault that she turned out to be a mutant. They were just not qualified for the task of raising a witch.
There was a scream from downstairs. It burst through the cracks of the door with the flash of an exploding lightbulb. Susan stood, and opened the door.
Time to go.

The scream belonged to Mary, the oldest foster sister, who happened to be unfortunate enough to open the front door and come face to face with the woman called Meld. Backing away from the door she was too scared to run or speak. The next to appear was Mrs. Hyde, dressed for church and pale as a ghost, thin lips pressed together in determination. Putting her hand on Mary's shoulder, she motioned to the girl to retreat to the living room, then she turned her attention to the stranger.
"Who are you, and what do you want from us?"

A woman answered the door and proceeded to scream almost immediately upon seeing Meld. It was amusing really, she hadn't even needed to utter a single word and all ready she was spreading terror. Perhaps the woman had seen Meld's image on the news, a very distinct possibility. For once it was something that actually worked in her favor, a rarity.

"Who are you, and what do you want from us?"

The words were uttered from a second woman, older than the first and likely the mother. Although the second woman was pale and clearly frightened, at least she had the curtasy not to scream and her voice was relatively even. Meld inclined her head in the woman's direction. "I received a phone call from your daughter, Susan. I am afraid she's no longer happy living here and I've come to help find her alternative accommodations. If you would be so kind as to fetch her for me? Tell her Meld's here."

Meld spoke calmly and rationally, making no threatening action towards the woman. The threat, however, was implicit in her very limbs, the deadly claws that adorned both her hands and her feet. She waited patiently for the woman to act on her words, knowing that she would be a fool to refuse.

Mrs. Hyde stared at Meld for a long minute, her lips silently forming words before the first and most important detail finally registered in her mind.
"Susan? Susan called you?..."
The teenage witch finally decided it was time to make her entrance; carrying her suitcase down the stairs she walked out into the hall. She stopped when she saw the woman at the door, and tilted her head in a sign of curiosity. Her eyes swam black. There is was, the faint opalescent humming above the voice and the clinks of metal. Not like the metal itself didn't give away the fact that Meld was a mutant.
"Yes I did." she nodded calmly, and Mrs. Hyde spun around to stare.
"How could you?! Susan, after all we've..." she trailed off, glancing back and forth between her foster daughter and Meld, then shook her head in a bold gesture of disapproval. "Miss Hyde, you are not leaving this house, and you are definitely not going anywhere with this woman. Your sister is calling the police. You" she looked at Meld "leave my house and don't come back, or I'll..."
Susan rolled her eyes. Strange time to choose being a mother all of a sudden.

Meld inclined her head politely and professionally in Susan's direction as she made her way down the stairs, suitcase in hand. She gave the other woman a quick once over, noting her black eyes and otherwise human appearance. She felt a moment's curiosity about the teenager's powers, but that question would come later, once she had gotten her safely away from her adopted family. What she could or could not do had no bearing upon Meld's ability to help her since the family itself, even if she hadn't agreed not to hurt them, appeared to be no threat.

Meld gave the older woman a sardonic look as she began to threaten her. She casually brought her hand up and began playing with her deadly bladed fingers, intending to draw eyes to her obvious weaponry. Violence was no always necessary to get ones point across, nor were overt threats. It was enough simply to note that she could threaten and, more so, could carry through any threats she decided to make. Did the woman really think that there was something, anything she could do that would be of any real threat to her?

"I believe it is your daughter's choice whether or not she desires to come with me," Meld stated casually, keeping her voice utterly neutral. "I am to understand that she is 18 now? Does that not mean she is old enough to make her own decisions?" Meld looked in Susan's direction, as if for confirmation. She didn't even deign to comment on the threat to call the police.

"I believe it is your daughter's choice whether or not she desires to come with me. I am to understand that she is 18 now? Does that not mean she is old enough to make her own decisions?"
Mrs. Hyde was scared. Susan could tell that even without her abilities; but because her vision decided to change into touch on its own, for a moment or two she could see the changes in body heat that indicated fear, as well as the pounding of her heart sending waves of anxiety through the woman's body.
Still, she did not move. Susan was thoroughly impressed.
"Eighteen or not I will not allow her to go down that path of yours." Mrs. Hyde stated, staring at the blades on Meld's hands "It's unnatural, and it is sinful. She has to be protected..."
Susan rolled her eyes and walked past her foster mother.
"True, but once I make my decision there is no way you can physically stop me." she summerized, walking out the door. Mrs. Hyde made half a step to stop her, but didn't dare to go any closer to Meld.
"See?" Susan asked without mockery or any kind of emotion, glancing back at Mrs. Hyde "And don't think I am not grateful. I am. But you could only help me so much." she nodded to Meld; she was ready to leave. Turning back to Mrs. Hyde one last time, her eyes narrowed for a moment as she searched for the right words. "Um. Thank you. Goodbye."

Mrs. Hyde really was quite amusing, Meld decided wryly. It was either be amused by her over protective nature and the fact that she thought that she even could protect her adopted daughter from mutants and, by extension, from the fact that she was a mutant; or be insulted by it. All things considered, however, she it seemed more prudent to be amused than insulted and that's what she decided upon.

"I promise your daughter will be well taken care of. A pleasure to meet you Mrs. Hyde." Meld inclined her head towards the woman before following Susan out the door of the house, a smile still upon her lips. Another mutant saved from oppresive human parents. At least her mother seemed to be trying to do her best for her daughter, Meld's parents had just yelled and disowned her upon discovering she was a mutant.

"So there are really two places in the city for mutants to go," Meld began as she started walking towards the subway. "The Mansion and Sanctuary. Both take in mutants free of charge, the choice is really dependent on your mindset. Santuary mutants are a little more violent and unruly, generally speaking, and Mansion mutants are more concerned with peace and everyone getting along. Its pretty much up to you." She stopped, awaiting a decision as to which direction would be best.

"So there are really two places in the city for mutants to go. The Mansion and Sanctuary. Both take in mutants free of charge, the choice is really dependent on your mindset. Santuary mutants are a little more violent and unruly, generally speaking, and Mansion mutants are more concerned with peace and everyone getting along. Its pretty much up to you."
Susan walked beside Meld, carrying her suitcase, paying attention. She felt strangely focused; there were no senses swimming in and out of each other. Well, at least not at the moment.
"I don't think I have enough information to make that decision right now." she said "I have met some people from the Mansion... but they didn't tell me much about it either. I haven't heard about the Sanctuary yet, and I am not sure what you mean by 'unruly'..." she frowned. All those terms that cannot be scientifically defined.
She glanced at Meld. The woman had something about her that did qualify as 'unruly'. At least in her understanding.
"Which one do you belong to?..."

"I don't think I have enough information to make that decision right now. I have met some people from the Mansion... but they didn't tell me much about it either. I haven't heard about the Sanctuary yet, and I am not sure what you mean by 'unruly'..."

The hesitance that Susan showed at instantly choosing which of the two places she wished to go to first increased Meld's respect for the woman. She was asking questions and weighing her options and that meant she had a brain inside her head, definitely a bonus. As much as Meld was dedicated to the mutant cause and as highly as she viewed mutants in general, she was also very much aware of the unfortunate reality that there were almost as many stupid mutants as there were stupid humans. This woman didn't appear to number among them.

Meld thought for a minute before responding, ordering her thoughts before speaking. "Both places will provide you with free food and shelter. The difference is in the philosophy behind each. Many of the Sanctuary residents are of the mutant supremest variety. They fight for the mutant cause and aren't afraid to have humans get hurt or die in the pursuit of their cause. There are also, of course, those that don't care much about mutants or any cause other than their own pleasure and will go murdering and looting just because they can but those, I think, are in the minority.

The Mansion has more the mutant passivists within. They're more likely to try and protect humans from violent mutants, to try and get mutants and humans to get along peacefully. There are also far more children there." Meld didn't allow her personal feelings that such sentiments were naive to enter her tone of voice. It was for Susan to decide on her own, not for Meld to influence her decision.

"Which one do you belong to?..."

And there, of course, was another interesting question. "Currently I stay at the Mansion," Meld answered truthfully. "But I have stayed at Sanctuary in the past and who knows, I may return there some day." She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't fit in so well at the Mansion, but they're still kind enough to accept me within."

Susan nodded, noting the facts and weighing her options as Meld spoke. After she finished, the teen witch was silent for a while.
"Well..." she said finally "my mutation is on the passive side, it would have little or no use in fighting, for any cause. As for now, I am nor familiar with mutant politics and right, so I wouldn't say I would want to fight, even if I could."
Glancing at Meld, she continued.
"I am not quite comfortable with the idea of another boarding school either, I am happy I got out of the last one with a sane mind. But as for now, I think out of the two options it is logical to take the Mansion. So. Could you take me there please?..."
She was not sure she made the right decision. But with all the data she could work with, this was the only decision she could make. Maybe she will regret later. Maybe not. Who knows.