Haylee stumbled off her chair and Kyle wondered it she was a bit too sleepy to actually finish a walk. Oh well, if she got too tired they'd just head back in.

>>“So what do you do in the daytime here?” Kyle was glad the conversation had moved on and so happily responded.

"Well, I haven't actually been around here much during the day. I usually go downtown or to central park. Usually when I'm here I'm either in the kitchen or in the library. That is one humongous library." Kyle opened the front door and stepped outside, holding it open for Haylee to step through. "Mostly I've just been walking around the city, getting used to such a big place and trying to learn my way around."

Kyle looked up at the sky. The stars shone brightly and the moon was almost full. A few wispy clouds floated along near the horizon but for the most part the sky was clear. "Nice night out, huh?" He asked as he headed out along one of the paths meandering across the grounds.

>>>"Well, I haven't actually been around here much during the day. I usually go downtown or to central park. Usually when I'm here I'm either in the kitchen or in the library. That is one humongous library."

“Everything in this school is huge…you know, when I was trying to find my room today–err, yesterday–I got lost and wandered around for thirty minutes?” She replied, stifling another yawn. So far she had only been to the living room, the kitchen, her bed room, and someone’s office; that was barely a fraction of the school. It would probably take the girl all day to explore the rest of it. The brunette gave a nod of thanks to Kyle as she walked through the door held open for her.

>>>"Mostly I've just been walking around the city, getting used to such a big place and trying to learn my way around."

Ah, the city was a big place. New York just had a crisp, teeming atmosphere that made you feel a little bit more animated and lively the more you breathed it in. At least, that’s how it felt for Haylee as she took in a deep breath of the warm, summer air. It woke her up a little, even though her head still felt heavier.

>>>"Nice night out, huh?"

The night was perfect. It wasn’t too humid, and it wasn’t too hot or cold. Everything seemed to stand still as Haylee followed the night guard down a path. A smile crept up onto her face as she observed the grounds and the various plants that covered it. The mansion had a good gardener. All in all, the stroll outside was doing good to clear her mind and cheer her mood. Maybe she would be able to sleep that night.

>>"You know, when I was trying to find my room... I got lost and wandered around for thirty minutes?”

Kyle chuckled, "Yeah, I've gotten lost in the mansion too. In the end I had to memorize the decorations on the way to my room, at least until I actually learned my way around. Even now I'm still awed sometimes by how big a building it is, and it's a school! Although, I guess since people live here it's a bit more than a regular school, more than a boarding school as well."

As they walked Kyle's eyes wondered over the grounds. Though it was night the soft moonlight provided more than enough light to see around the mansion grounds. "This place really is something. This late at night, with everything still and bathed in moonlight, it seems like time just forgets to keep going. Heh, sorry, I'm not usually this poetic, it creeps up on me sometimes."

Taking a deep breath of cold crisp air Kyle tilted his head back and looked at the sky. "I never was one for astronomy, but I've always found the night sky to be relaxing. The stars and the moon, especially on a clear night like this are very calming, don't you think?"

>>>“Yeah, I've gotten lost in the mansion too. In the end I had to memorize the decorations on the way to my room, at least until I actually learned my way around.”

Haylee wrinkled her nose, “They should really just put signs up. ‘This way leads to the library’ and ‘that way leads to the girls’ rooms,’ you know?” Oh God, what was she babbling about? She didn’t even know. Although the moon was shining bright in the clear, starry sky, there were faint glimmers of lighter hues coming off of the horizon. It was definitely not yet the beginning of sunrise, but time was starting to flow in that direction.

>>>“Even now I'm still awed sometimes by how big a building it is, and it's a school! Although, I guess since people live here it's a bit more than a regular school, more than a boarding school as well."

“People live here…?” It was news to her. She understood if some staff members (like the night guard accompanying her on this stroll) stayed during the summer for work, but did some really live here?

>>>“This place really is something. This late at night, with everything still and bathed in moonlight, it seems like time just forgets to keep going. Heh, sorry, I'm not usually this poetic, it creeps up on me sometimes.”

Kyle had described it the way she would have. The lack of a heavy breeze made everything stand almost eerily still, with only the occasional scattered rustling of small animals. “No, I agree with you. It’s almost a little spooky how quiet it is.”

>>>"I never was one for astronomy, but I've always found the night sky to be relaxing. The stars and the moon, especially on a clear night like this are very calming, don't you think?"

The girl mirrored her company and peered up at the deep violet sky, feeling the first moment of tranquility she had since that one, tumultuous day not so long ago. She took in another slow, deep breath and glanced at her sandy-haired companion. “Yes, it’s very soothing. It’s nice, taking a break from…well, recent events, I guess.”

>>“They should really just put signs up. ‘This way leads to the library’ and ‘that way leads to the girls’ rooms,’ you know?” Haylee said.

"Yeah, Kyle chuckled, "Signs would be nice, especially given how big the mansion is, it's pretty intimidating for new people."

>>“People live here…?” She sounded surprised at that. Kyle didn't blame her, she probably still thought of this place as just another school.

"Yeah, apart from some of the people who work here I think there are also some ex-students and other people who've ended up here over the years."

>>“Yes, it’s very soothing. It’s nice, taking a break from…well, recent events, I guess.”

Kyle raised an eyebrow in questioning, but didn't ask. If she wanted to tell she would, if not? Well, he had things he didn't tell people either. "Sometimes I get so relaxed out here that I forget I'm doing a job. That's usually when I head back inside for a while, see if I can catch students sneaking around after lights out." He gave his companion a sharp look. "Of course, in a place this big when the student's I'm trying to catch can fly or do who knows what, it's more luck than anything if I catch someone. I reckon they just tacked that on to my job description so that if I did catch anyone I could put them in detention."

As they walked Kyle realized that they had almost made it halfway around the mansion. They must have been on one of the paths closer to the building to have reached the other side of it in so little time. Kyle slowed his pace a little before he next spoke. "So, do you think you'll be able to get to sleep tonight?" He asked with a soft smile on his face.

Another yawn crept up on the girl, and this time she couldn’t catch it in time. It was quickly followed by another one, which was also followed by another one. Geez, it was like her body was trying to get back all the yawns she had stifled before. With each yawn her head seemed to get heavier, and she rubbed her eyes involuntarily. Alright I get it, I get it. I should go to sleep.

>>>"Yeah, apart from some of the people who work here I think there are also some ex-students and other people who've ended up here over the years."

“Ah I see,” Haylee replied after her yawning fit. She wondered what it was like living at the mansion, especially for the ex-students. So many of the teachers and staff here were only a few years older than those in their classes…imagine how weird it would be to consider them housemates instead of teachers after you graduated? Actually, it was just weird that there were teachers barely in their twenties teaching at this school at all.

>>> "Sometimes I get so relaxed out here that I forget I'm doing a job. That's usually when I head back inside for a while, see if I can catch students sneaking around after lights out."

The girl retaliated Kyle’s sharp look with widened eyes and an innocent smile that seemed to say, “Who, little ol’ me?” Her smile quickly shifted into a playful smirk as she asked, “So would this be considered sneaking around for me?”

>>>"Of course, in a place this big when the student's I'm trying to catch can fly or do who knows what, it's more luck than anything if I catch someone. I reckon they just tacked that on to my job description so that if I did catch anyone I could put them in detention."

“Well then, naturally shouldn’t you learn how to fly? I’m sure it’s not that difficult.” The sleep deprivation was definitely making Haylee extra open, and maybe a little ridiculous. Well, it didn’t hurt that her companion was more than a little appealing to the eyes.

>>>"So, do you think you'll be able to get to sleep tonight?"

“I guess that depends on how early the kids at this mansion wake up. Let’s hope we don’t have any early birds.” Let’s hope my roommate’s parrot isn’t an early bird.

Kyle grinned as Haylee yawned a few times. It seemed she would be getting some sleep tonight.

>>“So would this be considered sneaking around for me?” She asked with an innocent look on her face.

"Well, getting a snack is fine, it's when people sneak into each others rooms or out of the grounds that you can get in trouble. I mean, if this place catches on fire during the night and one student has snuck off and we don't know, then we think they're still inside. I think if you know you're going to be out late you can just tell one of the adults and it should be fine."

>>“Well then, naturally shouldn’t you learn how to fly? I’m sure it’s not that difficult.”

"Well, I'm trying but for the time being all I can do is this." Kyle said, gesturing to his feet which hovered a few inches above the ground. "I can push and pull things without touching them, and when I push down this is what happens. Maybe one day I'll learn to fly, but I haven't gotten in down yet."

Haylee seemed to be getting droopier and droopier by the minute and Kyle thought it might be time to end their midnight stroll. "I think it's probably time to get back inside and for you to head to bed." He said as they moved towards the doors. "Don't want you to fall asleep during class tomorrow."

The seventeen-year-old nodded as if she agreed with the night guard about sneaking out. Better to have him think she was the type that didn’t sneak around at night than the type that did. Somehow, she doubted anyone would be allowed out later without a highly legitimate, important reason. She doubted parties and clubs qualified as good reasons. Err, not that she went to those…

>>>" I can push and pull things without touching them, and when I push down this is what happens. Maybe one day I'll learn to fly, but I haven't gotten in down yet."
When she had joked about Kyle flying, she hadn’t really expected him to actually fly, or rather, float. Haylee stared as the young man hovered, a bit impressed even if he was only a few inches off the ground. It suddenly occurred to her that she hadn’t even thought to inquire about his mutation, and became curious as to how floating–well, “pushing and pulling”–and not sleeping were connected.

>>>"I think it's probably time to get back inside and for you to head to bed. Don't want you to fall asleep during class tomorrow."
“Huh? Oh I’m not taking summer classes…” But even as the girl said the words, she knew she should turn in anyways. Her brain had been yelling at her to go to sleep for a while, and it was probably time to comply. The discussion about the night guard’s powers would have to continue some other time. “There’s no way you could like float me to my room, is there?”

>>“Huh? Oh I’m not taking summer classes…”

Kyle nodded to himself. He'd forgotten that American schools had a different system to the Australian schools he'd been to. He wondered what it would be like having such long holidays, and such a long school term.

>>“There’s no way you could like float me to my room, is there?”

Kyle chuckled. "Not unless I picked you up, sorry. My power allows me to move things relative to myself, and I think you can walk well enough to make it back to your room." He opened the door for Haylee as they reached it. "If you don't mind me asking, what does your mutation do?" It'd be funny if she could fly, but considering she asked him to float her to her room he did't think she could. Maybe it was why she was having trouble sleeping.

Could she make it back to her room? As she staggered through the doorway she realized that she had left her map of the school in her room, and therefore had no idea how to get to it. Even with the map it had taken Haylee half an hour to find it before…how long would it take her without it? As she turned to tell Kyle of her predicament, he distracted her with a question that she had been asked quite a few times already that day.

>>>"If you don't mind me asking, what does your mutation do?"
“My mutation? Er, well…I can…” God, she really needed to read those books. “Change people’s internal temperatures?” It came out as more of a question than a definitive statement, and she suspected that it wasn't just the lack of sleep that was affecting her answer. “It’s nothing, really. Nothing compared to what you can do, I guess.” But was that a bad thing? The seventeen-year-old wasn't sure if she was supposed to think of mutations as gifts or curses or talents or anything else that people considered them. She wasn't sure what to think of her own, which was pretty harmless and bland compared to other ones she had heard of.

>>“My mutation? Er, well…I can… Change people’s internal temperatures?” Haylee seemed to be a little unsure of how to describe her abilities, which reinforced Kyles idea that she was new to being a mutant, or rather, new to knowing she was a mutant. >>“It’s nothing, really. Nothing compared to what you can do, I guess.”

Kyle's brow furrowed as she spoke. "Hey now, don't go putting yourself down. Controling body heat would save a bunch on air con, and it won't make you lazy. I tend to do most things using my power, so my body isn't really up to scratch. You sure lucked out getting something so useful. I once knew a guy who could glow. Not bright enough to light up much mind you, and that was the extent of his mutation. You definately got a good one." Left unsaid was that almost any non-visable mutation could be considered 'one of the good ones', by virtue of the ability to be ignored if necessary. A non-visable mutant could pretend not to be a mutant if the people around them had anti-mutant tendencies.

Kyle started up the stairs as the door closed behind them. "So, whereabouts in this sprawling mansion are you headed? Have you got your own room in the girls quaters yet?" Maybe quaters wasn't the right word. It was really just a hallway with the rooms only given to females.

Okay so obviously Kyle didn’t share her mixed views on mutations. He talked about them like they were gifts or special talents. He seemed…proud to be mutant. And he called her mutation “useful.” Why did people keep saying that? Her mutation was so simple and bland, just the way she preferred it. She doubted it was one of the “good ones.” What even constituted a “good” mutation anyway? One you can pretend isn’t there…

Haylee had wanted to go out for a walk to clear her head, and now her head was being crammed with thoughts again. Those same thoughts she had been trying to avoid, the ones that would keep her up at night. Oh well, it’s not like I’ll ever find my room again anyway. She sighed as she remembered her navigational dilemma.

>>>"So, whereabouts in this sprawling mansion are you headed? Have you got your own room in the girls quarters yet?”
“I do, but I doubt I’ll…I mean, I do,” the girl answered, quickly masking her uncertainty. She didn’t want to go back to her room (as if she could find it anyway). She needed to think some more, to roam around some more. Alone. And a big, expansive mansion was perfect for that. Haylee also didn’t want this guy, whom she had just met, to know that how much of a failure at navigation she was. That would just hurt her ego. “Uh, so…thanks for keeping me company, I guess,” she said as she hung back on the first and second steps.

As their walk, and their conversation drew to a close Haylee seemed to become nervous. Kyle wondered if she had nightmares and that was the real reason she couldn't sleep. >> “Uh, so…thanks for keeping me company, I guess.” Haylee seemed almost uncertain about what was going on, but that was to be expected. New school, new home, new people and a new mutation. That'd be enough to make anyone nervous and uncertain.

Judging by her dody langauge Haylee seemed to want to go on ahead, so Kyle didn't follow her upstairs. "No problem. If you have trouble sleeping again come find me, I could always use the company and maybe a walk would help get you tired enough to sleep. I hope you settle in well and have a good time here Haylee." Kyle said as he gave a little wave. "Goodnight, sleep well." With that Kyle turned to leave. It was peaceful outside. Maybe he'd do another circle of the grounds on one of the longer paths.