The gargoyle rushed down the hallway face turned down towards the floor. His pace to his room was quick and deliberate, eyes trained on the nearing numeral on his door. His face was scrunched, wrinkles on the bridge of his nose in pain, teeth tightly clenched together. His hand was firmly pressed against the top of his shoulder, a few spots of blood dripping onto the wood surface leaving a blotchy trail. His left wing quivered and dragged along behind him, a hole ripped through the sensitive membrane. He let out a shaky sigh as he felt his grasp around the door knob, and jerkily turned it and kicked the door open, eager to get inside. He leaned on the inside of the door, slamming it close, sliding down the smooth surface as he seated himself on the carpeted floor. He tilted his head back, hoping that he didn’t draw any attention in the hallway, guilt causing his stomach to crawl with caterpillars.

He didn’t bother to turn the damn television on. The excited journalists and news reporters were probably already making a scene of Meld reappearing with a twist, a new mutie, a face the public wasn’t familiar with yet. Skyler regretted even listening to that retched woman’s words. Her slick phrases had easily manipulated him beyond anger. He didn’t like feeling of being so enraged, so hurt, so raw. She had tried convincing him that humans deserved to die, that all of them were the same. Humanity, as she viewed it was jealous and apprehensive and couldn’t be trusted. Therefore, they must die. And even in those fleeting moments, he believed her. The policeman he might have killed probably had a wife, kids, friends… The Sanctuary, as misleading as the name was, almost became his home. Shame was racking his consciousness. He wished he hadn’t shown the X-men mansion disloyalty. After all they gave him a home, their hospitality, tolerance and even a potential family. And even before his first week with the X-men was he about to shatter their trust.

Skyler stumbled up and forward, his long and heavy tail sweeping objects and shelves off dressers and desks, causing them to tumble to the ground. He made his way into the bathroom, franticly searching for gauze for his opened shoulder. He found a roll and began wrapping it tightly in the material. He needed stitches, but wasn’t able to easily reach the area that had been blown off. Oh god, the blood was still oozing from the bandages. All he could do was apply plenty of pressure to the area in hopes that the bleeding would stop. He was too afraid and embarrassed to ask or go for help. Skyler spread out across the floor, eyes squeezed shut, small whimpers and groans leaving him. After this predicament, he was guessing he was going to end up at the circus again, and deserved it.

Cafas was just a little shocked to hear such frantic steps in the hallway. Combined with the slamming door it formed quite a mystery. He really had nothing better to be doing so he went to check it out. Heck, if someone needed help, well, he was pretty useless but he could at the very least try. Leaving his room he noticed a trail of red. It appeared bloodlike, and on further examination was indeed confirmed as blood of some sort.

'Just my luck, I choose the one time someone is injured to try and help.''

Following the trail he found and door. The trail led inside and a small pool of blood was emerging from under the barrier. Not sure what the protocol was when there was suspected injury and decided to just try the handle. It did the trick; Cafas entered the room looking for signs of life. "Oy, anyone in here, you look like you're bleeding pretty bad mate." He took a further step inside and heard the small squelch. Gross. The room was a disaster area, things all over the floor, and what looked distinctly like scratches on the shelves the had previously inhabited.

'Okay, so a mutant for sure then.'

The bathroom door hung open. C.J. Approached at a run. He could hear moans from inside. What he saw wasn't what he had expected. Was he seriously seeing a gargoyle bleeding on the floor from an immense wing? Was that Gargoyle moaning in pain? Well, now he had seen everything.

’In retrospect that was probably a stupid thing to think considering the whole mutation thing.’

Kneeling down Cafas hovered over the being wondering how to help. First, attention. "Can you hear me mate? I'm here to get ya fixed up as best I can." Check. Now to find out what needed doing. By the look of it stitches, lots of them, or a healing hand. the Doc could help. Cafas was beginning to wish he had not left his room. Even being fully dressed wasn't helping his feeling of apprehension. "That's a freaking wicked graze you've got yourself, what happened?"

'He looks like he's copped a missile...'

Skyler’s ears twitched, holding his breath hearing footsteps coming down the hall. Unfortunately, the sound of footfall didn’t fade and stopped at what sounded like his door. He tried to quiet his ragged breathing, letting his lips part for more air. He rested his head on the cold tile, listening to the muffled sounds about his room. He crossed his fingers it wasn’t Shinbo. It would have been the most painful for his first friend here at the mansion to discover his wrongdoing. But in moments his doubts were confirmed, that this was a person he never met as distorted words sounded in the next space.

As the door hesitantly opened, a low animalistic growl erupted from his throat, which was something new even to his own ears. He had never been in such anguish and fear before. At this point he felt more like any beastly mutant then any reasonable human-being. His narrowly slit eyes met the fluctuating green gaze above him. This person was a stranger to him. Despite the fellow’s disarming words, Skyler was still in a confused and hectic state. The gargoyle picked himself up off the ground, the bottoms of his feet and claws slippery against the pools of scarlet. His uninjured wing opened, encompassing the older male in a threat display. His tail whipped from side to side, drumming against the shower door and knocking toiletries left and right. “I don’t want your help! Just get out!” he hissed viciously, clawed hands extending forward to shove the other out of the door way. His logic was utterly backwards. He really did need assistance, but he was just so frustrated and fearful of what others would think of him so he refused the lent hand.

With the effort of springing forward like that and with the loss of blood, his head suddenly felt extremely light, seeing a white glow in front of his eyes. Skyler felt this urge for his eyeballs to roll back in his head, and that scared him enough to ask for medical attention. The reptilian boy crumbled to his knees, catching his breath. He turned his head over his shoulder, seeing his reflection in the mirror. Over the area of his shoulder blade was a large lump under his skin inches away from the wound itself. With a small movement something metallic caught his eye. The bullet had impacted his skin at such a strange angle that it was actually still beneath the flesh. “Actually on second thought…I’d like some help,” he reluctantly uttered, pain finally winning the battle over his stubbornness. He held his head in his hands.

“I was hoping you wouldn’t ask,” he said. “I’m sorry…Just get me some help, and I’ll be on my merry way.” The gargoyle shakily stood finding balance on the counter top. “You guys have a nurse’s office where they give you some ice and a band-aid? Where is it?” he muttered in question shouldering past. “What’s your name Pinky? Ugh my head…”

Cafas stood his ground, the injured reptilian seemed to have lost too much blood to be a threat. Then it lunged, and fell to its knees. It was now apparently willing to get help. When it stood again he shook his head and wished the mutant would just sit down. He caught a small sign of a metallic item in the shoulder area. Grabbing the shoulder he very quickly touched the bullet and vaporised it. The small amount of metallic gas dissipated out of the other mutant's shoulder and nodded to himself.

'This is the point where I dodge the panicked attacked.'

Cafas stood back and wiped his hand on his jeans, but slipped on a puddle of blood. He threw out a hand to grab something, anything, but missed, and crashed onto his back. It hurt quite a bit. Flipping over slowly he planted his hands and pushed himself to his feet. "Alright, now to get you to the doc. As for being out of my hair, no, you won't be, you're gonna stay with me and tell me what happened, it seems I've inadvertently made you my responsibility."

'Yup, good job genius.'

Alchemist walked over to the gargoyle and hoped he wouldn't somehow get himself hurt. He wasn't used to taking care of anyone but himself, and even then he did that badly. He studied the reptilian closely. He really was magnificent. He hadn't seen any mutant like it yet. "Now, to get you to Doc Prof."

Skyler flinched when the other grabbed his shoulder, followed by a grunt of surprise. There was a sudden sensation of heat in his shoulder and he could feel the bullet dissipating from his shoulder. The welt on his shoulder seemed to level, but the removed bullet unblocked veins and caused a new, but slow flow of blood. A sigh of relief left the gargoyle, the pain of it seemed to be cut in half, now that the hunk of metal wasn’t pressing against nerves in deep flesh. “What the heck was that?” was the boy’s inquiry on the male’s powers. It had something to do with substance that was for sure.

Before Skyler could utter a proper thank you the fellow mutant had slipped precariously flailing for something to catch himself then landed with a cringing thud in the bloody mess on the floor. The reptilian winced as the eighteen year old picked himself up. “Oh lordy, this is going to look bad, really bad,” he said, reaching for the bathroom door, knowing that blood on both of them were going to raise some questioning glances. “I’m nobody’s responsibility, give me a break.”

Skyler shuffled out into the hallway, one forearm pressed against the wall, and his muscular tail was undulating out behind him for orientation and balanced. “I wish the doctors did room service,” he muttered, determining himself to make it down the stairwell, taking a few deep breaths…

After hearing excited chatter from nurses, and being asked about his pet cat when giving his IV drip, he was beginning to stir from his hospital bed. He opened one eye, waiting for his eyes to focus properly on the mind blowingly mint green walls and odd shapes around the room. He was able to identify the pink mop of hair. “I was hoping you’d run,” he said, sitting up, rubbing his eyes. He grimaced at the stiffness in his shoulder but saw that it was patched properly up, and the hole in his wing had been synched closed to heal faster. “Did you tell me your name?”

Skyler noticed a cup of chocolate pudding placed neatly with a spoon beside his bed. His tail flicked from under the sheets with thought, fingers twitching for the treat, but quickly buried his hands in hair. He felt like he didn’t deserve even a perfectly innocent cup of custard, not after what happened yesterday. “You want it Pinky? I’m not hungry,” he asked, letting his head fall into the pillows.

((I kinda fast forwarded it for us. Hope that’s cool with you. ))

Cafas watched as the other mutant woke with a sort of indifferent stare. Okay, so it was more of a 'I found him now I have to make sure he doesn't die' stare, but his definition of it helped him to keep any feeling of responsibility from tainting his perfectly innocent rap sheet. after all, he only had a COUPLE of charges of assault, battery, breaking and entering, resisting arrest, causing greivous bodily blah blah blah. Innocent. He hadn't really payed attention to the medical procedure, but DocProf had informed him that his friend would live. Ha, friend, as if he would be friends with a cretin who had attacked him before collapsing.

'Prick.'

His name, well, perhaps he should, he was getting sick of being called pinky. He wondered if it was his hair or his skin that was being referred to. "Alchemist, and nah I'm not much in the mood for eating, thanks anyway." The other mutant fwumped into the pillows. "DocProf asked me to find out what happened to you, so here I am. What the hell happened to you?" That was a lie, no-one had asked him anything, but the exterior of cool indifference wasn't going to maintain itself after all.

'I was talking about you before by the way...'

The gargoyle’s pointed ears seemed to droop at the refusal. “I was hoping it would be a kind of peace offering, after I nearly attacked you. Sorry about that, I hope you forgive me, Alchemist. Name’s Skyler,” he said placing the cup of chocolate pudding back on its tray. “I was acting hostile because I was scared,” he said eyes wandering from the male’s face, a small quiet sigh leaving his flared nostrils. No it wasn’t the common kind of fear, the kind he got from blood and guts. It was the kind where he knew he might have lost something, something good. Thus, didn’t want to make a connection with another mutant at the X-mansion. He tried to push Alchemist away as to avoid making another friend, before his plan on leaving the mansion. But it seemed he was stuck here.

The reptilian eyes darted at older mutant when he asked the question. There was a pause, Skyler scrambled for a lie, but he was useless at lying. He gave a small snort before he began. “Yesterday evening I wanted to go see Central Park before it got dark out, and took a little shortcut through the alleys. There was some creepy looking lady, she was a mutant too actually…we got talking about this thing between humans and mutants. And then she went on about this place called the Sanctuary…oh, and her name was Meld? She seemed pretty damn popular with the cops…” he replied, a sheepish grin began to spread across his face.

“The women was influential or rather had a way with words and I agreed with her while in the moment…I think one of the neighbors called the police when they saw me or Meld, I’m not sure. But it seemed the police had already been looking for her, but they attacked both of us. So I fought back and I hurt one of the policemen…I don’t know if I killed him or not.” Skyler chewed on his bottom lip and lifted his clawed hands over his face. “I just got caught in the middle of it, and I didn’t realize my own size or power. It was self defense…I would never want to take someone’s life. I don’t know where to go…” he continued, spilling it to the stranger in front of his bed.

In a way confessing felt good, like he wasn’t as alone in this. But saying it aloud only brought back the guilt. “After all the X-mansion had done for me…”

Now there was a name Cafas was more than familiar with. Of all the things he said, they could all be summed up by that word. Meld. Instant forgiveness for whatever had occurred there. Hell, last time he'd seen her he'd witnessed the horrific mutilation of a man's face, which he assumed did not end well for the man, although the metal from his gun hopefully did prevent him from bleeding out. What was the word again? Bigot? Had that been it, he could have sworn it was. He realised he was actually quite rudely smiling at the story. Apparently it wasn't only him that she got into trouble.

'Poor kid, I kind of understand what he's going through.'

Icy exterior just had a mountaineer’s pick put through it. A titanium one, fused to said mountaineers arm. He put a hand on the other mutant's shoulder and struggled not to laugh. "If you had of just said Meld, trust me, I'd still know just as much. My first meeting with her I'm not sure if the guy there made it. He pointed a gun at us, I knocked him to the ground, she carved him a nice new face. I did what I could think of to stop him dying, but dude, the cops are still looking out for a vibrantly pink haired metal manipulator." He sat down on the bed and decided the food would be fine after all. Opening the custard he took two fingers and used them as a spoon. Australian manners were the best kind.

'So it got to him pretty bad did it?'

Cafas thought for a moment and looked back at the gargoyle. "As for not deserving to be here, mate, I came here after that, sure I feel guilty on occasion, but I say it's just a lesson learned. Don't go doing that crap again, you haven't betrayed anybody. I'm sure the cop was fine." Cafas usually wasn't quite so talkative about deep issues like trauma straight out, but the kid needed it. He would name this his older brother instinct. He aimed the custard cup at the face of Skyla "So Skyla, still not feeling like eating this?" Yup, Australian accents did that to names. And where did the G go to?

'Wait let me get this on camera, you being a good person.'

Skyler’s jade colored eyes narrowed on Alchemist. What was so damn funny? The gargoyle then wasn’t sure how to respond when a hand rested on his shoulder. He looked rather confused at the mixed messages he was getting. Was this support, or was he not getting the joke? His ears were cocked at a funny angle, nose wrinkled some.

Then, a new kind of gaze rested on the opposite mutant. Suddenly he seemed have some sort of connection and understanding of the other male. The winged-boy fell silent, waiting for the information to settle in his mind. “I’m sorry to hear that…So Meld is like preying on wandering little mutants? What a nut-case, someone needs to put that crazy-lady in line. Someone like her shouldn’t be on the loose. I feel bad for anyone unfortunate enough to bump into her during the night,” he muttered, arms folding across his chest. Skyler lifted a brow at Alchemist as he spooned the pudding out of the cup with his fingers. Although didn’t say anything because he wasn’t exactly miss lady-fingers either.

Skyler really needed to hear those words from someone, and not to mention the Australian was sincere about it. He readily forgave Cafas for butchering his name. “It really was. They’re right when they say not to talk to strangers, especially in dark alleys,” he replied. “I really hope he’s okay,” he sighed. Skyler gently pushed the custard away with his clawed fingers, barely scratching the thin plastic. “Enjoy it. I’m on a diet,” he chuckled.

“Thanks for helping me out, bro,” he said shrugging, quickly stopping the movement in his shoulder, wincing. “I’ve run into some generous people here, takes some getting used too. I nearly ran out of here,” he said grinning at Alchemist. Gosh, it felt good to have some reassurance.

Cafas smiled at what seemed to be a new friend. He was doing well here, back home he would have just given up on this guy round about the time he attacked him. Standing he nodded to Skyler and checked the clock on the wall. He didn't need to be anywhere, but hey, his work here was, oh what was the word? Done? Yes that seemed accurate enough. He proceeded to drain the dessert into his mouth and swallow before looking back to the other mutant

'Good kid.'

He motioned to the door. "Hey man, I gotta head, good to know you're okay. As for Meld, yeah she's a nut case; just avoid her if you can." Cafas made for the door. Half way out he turned to address the gargoyle again. "If you ever need to talk, I'm down the central corridor, look for the door with the mismatched handle, I have a bad habit of melting them..." He laughed and left the room, for the kitchen, he suddenly had an appetite...

'Keep this up someone is going to start thinking of you as a good guy...'