Owner	Pose
Xiomara Rojas	Being tricked into returning to the group, Crush was grateful when Terry showed up to take the students back. She could have gone to Titan's tower, she could have stayed in the dorm, but what she needed was time away from it all. Having started walking from the school, she ended up at Joe's, and did in fact decide to try the homemade pies... one entire pie actually. Sitting in a booth she had to move slightly to ensure she could sit in comfortable, she had a cup of coffee and an entire pie sitting in front of her. Thus far she hadn't begun to eat it, she was staring out the window and attempting to run through everything that had happened for the hundreth time.
Richard Stadler	The sound of an opening door and a ringing bell sounds at the entrance to the place, and a somewhat familar voice on the other end on the place. It's not overly loud, but it's certainlly conversational, as Rick speaks on the phone, looking at the sign in front of him that indicates one needs to wait for a server. He has a phone up to his ear, which probably explains the talking, and an attache case in his free hand. "...Look, even if Mecklenburg had a surplus, we talked about this. Zero One Two group. It's not exactly..." A pause. "Fleece, if you're going to Henry County, the same..." Pause. "Hmm... No, PFPA would work; they have the 'Oh-one-two-Dee'. I just didn't think they had any surplus..." An exasperated sigh. "And I've told you I'm not taking one away from someone whose using it."
Xiomara Rojas	The bell isn't what causes Crush to look up, the sound of the familiar voice is. Her red eyes look past all the tables and servers to the door and there stands Mr. Stadler. The world was a small place really, but it was more likely the fact that Joe's was open twenty-four/seven. "Yo," she offers, accompanied with a wave. If he wanted to join her he could, and this was made known by a gesture toward the booth on the other side of her. She hadn't moved that side.
Richard Stadler	Stadler looks up at the sound, suprise clearly visable on his face when he sees the originator. "Err, sorry, Fleece; keep looking, and I'll call you back. Uh-huh. You have a good night as well." He notes, before hanging up the phone, and pantomiming to the server he's got a table he's heading to. Phone sloted back on the holster at his belt, he squeezes into the other side of the booth, placing down his brief case next to him. "Crush, you're out a little late, aren't you? I suppose it is summer and you're 19, but this island hardly has a night life." He notes, breifcase opening. "Do you mind?"
Xiomara Rojas	Her eyes follow his movements as he puts away his phone, lets the server know where he's going and as he walks over. Once he reaches the table, Crush just nods and bumps the booth bench across from her with her foot. "Feel free," she offers quietly, picking up the coffee to take a drink. "I avoid real night life," she then comments, eyes moving to look back out the window. "Got myself in trouble with that already. Island is enough, place to walk around, clear my head, eat a pie."
Richard Stadler	Richard Stadler gives a quick nod, brief case opening, as he withdraws a red highlighter, a yellow highlighter, a pen, and, most importantly, a large textbook, labeled 'Anatomy and Human Physiology', the 'Teacher's Edition' stamp clear on the top (in addition to it's overly large size. "Just trying to get some work done, myself; Felt like taking the loop home was a bit much this late at night, so got a room at the motel again. A bit simplier that way." He pauses. "Though... and trust me, I agree in terms of night life; heading out to the clubs is a young person's game... But... well. It's a young person's game and that happens to be you." He notes, fingers drumming on the cover of the text book. "Strength issue again?"
Xiomara Rojas	Picking up her fork, Crush lifts a bit of the top layer of crust of the pie revealing it as blackberry, then takes a forkful of the filling and eats it. Watching him pull out the varies tools of his trade, a smirk lands on her face at the highlighters. Was he about to deface that book? "My idea of night life don't involve that kind of club," she states once she has swallowed, then pauses as the waitress comes by with a menu for Richard and to refill her coffee. Once the woman has wandered back off, she continues. "I'm not a party girl, I prefer fighting," is said bluntly. "I used to make money fighting, good money cause I won alot, but, last fight led to some trouble, and the Titans were called in and now Ms. O'Connail is watching my every move."
Richard Stadler	Stadler moves to flip open the book itself, and Crush can see that it was far past the 'about to' stage. Flipping through the pages, a little more than half the book, revealsed passages marked in yellow, in red, the margins on the side replaced with small, neat writing from the pen itself... which also seemed to have more than one color brief glimpses of 'Wrong, review Markinson et. all p 298' 'Elaborate on initerstiual fluid in cappilary actioning' 'WHO WROTE THIS?' before getting to the current page, only half marked. "I mean... again, I generally agree. Tried that a bit when I was younger, but there wasn't exactly a lot to do in High School, and I was far too busy in college-" He says, before he's given a menu, and then quickly given it back. "Oh, no, no, black coffee, scrambled eggs, bacon, english muffin, margerine... butter if you don't." He notes, before waving her away. "-In college to do that kind of thing. But... fighting, then? Illegal betting type fights?" He furrows his brow. "Not exactly dangerous for you... but not really sporting, either, if I've got a good.. handle on what you're capable of. I suppose I should ask Ms. O'Connall."
Xiomara Rojas	Even upside down Crush can read the pages, and pretty quickly at that. She looks over the passages in yellow, the notes in the margins, really just absorbing everytyhing. "Illegal underground fighting rings for metas, mutants, supers, etc. Winner takes a pot based off the bets," she explains, then adds cream to the coffee. "I didn't win every fight, just most of them. Some metas out there are damned impressive." She glances out the window again, watching something in the distance that he likely can't see. "I didn't have to pull my power, I didn't have to do anything but keep punching until they went down. I think that's why Ms. O'Connail introduced me to the Titans, because she sees something that ain't there. I like to fight, I'm good at it, but I'm not good at /not/ hurting people." Slowly she looks back to him, head canting slightly. "Some people deserve to be hurt, to be killed for what they've done. Titans don't think like that though, so... I'm training with em, to better learn control, but none of that ends the temper."
Richard Stadler	There's a brief moment as Rick looks over to Crush, takes a long breath, and then quickly shuts the book, gathering the highlighters and pen, and stowing them back away. "And I just realized that perhaps it's not such a good idea to show a student with an eidetic memory all the notes I'm making on a teacher's edition for a course she might take. I need to have at least sume suprises." That being said, he does think leave her to speak on underground rings, wincing slightly as she describes them. "Impressive or not, that's... normal illegal fighting, I'd say bad enough. But for supers, metas... that's exploitative. Not to mention..." He pauses, just shaking his head. "I shouldn't... really speak on anyone else's experience. Just that you should have had other options." He drums his fingers on the table, nodding. "Titans... well. If you're trying to control that temper, redirect it, that's something to be looked at, even if I agree with your thoughts on the matter. Control and direction is important for what you're feeling.
Xiomara Rojas	Coffee is delivered for Richard, before the waitress moves off, his order is already in to the cook of course. "Every one who participates is willing," she states perhaps too firmly. "I wouldn't let someone be used and abused that way, I'd kick the fight sponsors ass if that ever happened. Fighters gotta be willing and able, or it's not a fair fight." She lets out a slow breath, pushing the anger his comment caused down. He didn't mean to upset her, she knew that, so there was no need to go taking it out on him. "There aren't options for an alien, raised off the books, hidden away from society by adoptive parents who got killed when I was fourteen." She then says, less firmly, but there is still an edge to her voice. "I lived on the streets, did what I could to survive and get by," she takes another drink of her coffee to keep herself in check still. "The fights were an easy way to make money to eat, to get a roof over my head when I could. If you ain't never been on the streets, you can't know... and since you are human, you can't know the other part of what I went through." She pulls in a deep breath before finally looking up to his face. "I don't know if my temper can be controlled beyond what I already do, but training with the Titans at least gives me an outlet for my need to punch things, and I do need to. I'm thinking that's part of my genetics, given who my..." she stops dead there, and shoves a bite of pie in her mouth.
Richard Stadler	There's a quick nod and a quiet 'thank you to the waitress, as Rick takes the cup in one hand, blows on it, and takes a test sip to make sure he isn't going to blister the inside of his mouth. Satisfied, there's a larger swallow, before the mug is put down. "There's different levels..." He says, pausing at her firm tone, that anger, but forging ahead. "Different levels of options. Someone might be willing to do it, but, like you said, options were limited there. When the choice is starvation or punching someone, I'd argue there's... little choice at all." He notes, before leaning back. "Though arguing this point with someone who lived it is... not the brightest thing I'll do with my life. I'm... not judging, I'm really not. You're right, I'm human, and I haven't gotten fought in an underground fighting ring. I've got no right to judge your actions, I just... wish you had more choices, and I'm glad you're getting them." To her father's name, he makes a quick decision that it's not worth pressing herthere, not just yet. "Normal humans can have a temper. I've read that it can be a reaction, some coping mechanism for trauma, even, so even if it is genetic, you're not alone on this planet with that problem. Anger... can be a good motivator, a source of strength, but it comes at a loss of seeing the big picture."
Xiomara Rojas	For the time being Crush focuses her eyes on the pie, struggling inside herself not to just lose her shit and punch the window. Morrigan's death was still fresh in her mind, and how similar it was to losing her parents just kept egging her on in her own mind. "I get you aren't judging," she finally says quietly, still staring at the blackberries like they might explode. "You're the first one who doesn't judge. Everyone else just goes on and on about how bad it is, how horrible it must have been, why didn't I get help, and on and on. There's weren't options, and people don't get that." Slowly she looks back up at him. "Ms. MacIntyre got that, that there was nothing else, no other options, that's why she let me start going to Happy Harbor. Why she bent some rules to get me in, and bent more to keep me there, and why I'll do anything for that school." A soft sigh, no tears, no more tears needed. "I've seen normal human's tempers, I've seen what they do when angry, well some do," she says with a slight shrug. "That's a major difference. When I get angry, I can destroy buildings, kill hundreds without meaning to... so yeah, I'm trying real hard not to lose my temper, not to get angry... but it happens. I just, I can't figure out how to not let things get under my skin."
Richard Stadler	Stadler gives an inconsequential shurg when told he doesn't judge much. "One's options, or lack thereof, should always be considered. It's a healthy response, to any situation you get in. Slow down, take mental inventory of what resources you have, what your objectives are, and make a plan to get to them. I know it sounds like a punch of self-help bull... bull, but it's important, and useful. And it helps emphasis. Doctor MacIntyre..." He pauses for a moment, observing crush closely for just a second at the sigh. "I... I'm sorry. That's all I can say. She sounds like a remarkable person, kind and compassionate, and I wish... I really wish I had time to know her for longer." He taps a fist on the table, looking down at his coffee, processing some thoughts. "I won't patronize you with the whole 'count to 4 inhale, count to 4 exhale' stuff, though if you haven't heard about it, well, there it is. I can only tell you what works for me, if you'll have it."
Xiomara Rojas	Canting her head slightly, Crush is once again watching Richard's eyes. She'd learned that the truth of someone was in their eyes a long time ago. People wear masks, pretend, lie, but the eyes always hold a piece of the truth and in his eyes... the truth, right there, he cared. He was sincere. Even after what happened in Egypta, seeing a hint of the worst she could be, he was still the same person with the same concerns. "I try counting," she says a little more positively with a nod. "I count, I remind myself not to lose it. I even ask myself questions like, 'This the time to lose your shit? No? Then don't.'" "I've heard a lot of the self help bullshit," she then adds. "Read a lot of the books, then threw one through a wall... I repaired it," she smirks, taking another sip of her coffee. "Sometimes, I'm perfectly okay, no problems, but one little thing and I'm at war with myself again." Moving the blackberries around, she takes her eyes off him. "Ms. MacIntyre was the first person to give me a choice, to give me a chance. One rule, she had just one rule, don't punch the students, and I've managed to keep that promise. I did shove a bully into lockers," she sighs a little at that. "But he was a right asshole and deserved it, only a broken arm, so not as bad as it could have been... but she was right there, asked me why, talked me through it, accepted the reasons and reminded me the rules. Never got angry. I don't do well with being told what to do." The last statement was probably the most obvious. "Ask me though, and likely I'll do it."
Richard Stadler	Richard certainly didn't pick up the teaching job for the money or the prestige... honestly, which teacher did? It was about helping students, and Crush was certainly asking for it... at least in one way or another. He hoped. he gives an approving nod at the fact that she tried counting. "Those, there, are important steps, and honestly the base of what I what I would go at. And I don't blame you for throwing those things at a wall every now and again. The simpliest, vapid form of trying to sell platitudes. If it works, it works, but somehow I don't think it does, given what I've read." But he purses his lips when she mentions breaking a student's arm. He looks like he's not going to say anything about it at first, but she had mentioned not judging, hadn't she? So it wouldn't do good for her to just see it. "Sorry. I don't know the situation, and Doctor MacIntyre is certainly more knowledgeable than me. I just always think to how..." He pauses, before sighing. "Dumb, students are. They're going to make mistakes, and sometimes the punishment for them needs to be considered. Not to take the bully's side. Gah." He shakes his head. "Forget that, please. But... all right." He holds up one finger. "First, to acknowledge your strength and be confident in it. You are more powerful than billions on this planet; if there's some insult directed your way, some bruise to the ego, you have to remember that the person making can be... defeated, or hurt easily enough. If you're confident in yourself and what you can do, you'll know that it doesn't matter what anyone says about you. Of course, sometimes it's more the injustice of a situation, so, " He brings up a second finger. "Two, just like you've been doing. Talk to yourself. If you want to deal some damage, plan it out in your head. If you're punching him there, where are your exits? Is their a bouncer, or a police officer nearby? Does he have friends? A weapon? Work the problem out first. Most of the time, you'll realize the same thing as one; that it isn't worth action at that time."
Xiomara Rojas	Crush chuckles just a moment over his request to forget that, cause she won't, she can't. A broad grin appears for a moment even as she say, "No, you're right about that. The reason I didn't get in trouble is cause I was already beating myself up for it, least that's what she said. I also took care of repairing the lockers, and sat down with the bully to talk... I mean the talk didn't go well, but that was punishment in and of itself. I didn't think you were taking his side, not your style... you were, how do people say it... thinking out loud?" And now back to her differences, and they were many. She was proud of who and what she was, it's why she didn't hide herself behind flesh colored make-up like some people have suggested, but there was more to what he said. At first she didn't appear to be listening to him, but then he could tell he had her undivided attention. "Regarding the first..." she begins, calmly. "It's about people judging me just because I look different. It's about people assuming things just by looking at me. I get it shouldn't bother me, but..." a slow, deep breath. "I didn't get home in time to save my adoptive parents cause some fucked up red necks attacked me. I was fourteen, and the only reason they attacked was my skin color, my eyes, the black on my face." She looks back at the pie. "Every time someone... goes there about me... I get ripped back to that, to not being there to save my parents because of some rednecks and how I look." After a moment she looks back up, "As for two... sometimes I can think that far ahead, other times it's the blind anger. It doesn't matter about exits or weapons, I'll make an exit, and weapons can't hurt me." To demonstrate this, she takes the fork in her hand and stabs herself in the arm, clearly using her strength as the prongs of the fork immediately bend up and around. "But that's the part I gotta work on the most. It doesn't matter if they can't hurt me, or if I can make an exit. I need to learn to /think/, and so far, no luck."
Richard Stadler	A chuckle was better than a glare at this point, and an agreement was better than both, in these cases. "That's a bit of a paradox, almost. The people that need punishment are the ones less likely to be affected by it, and the ones that'll accept punishment do so because they know it's needed. Awfully hard to work with that, but I think that was the right decision there. Use it to help smooth things over, communicate properly. Make it a healthy and productive oppurtunity." He notes, before nodding his head. "It's... I've met a lot of teenagers. Not high schoolers, but around your age, and I know they just... sometimes act without knowledge. Not you, in this case, the bully. And I'm always hoping they'll be something that'll kick them out of that mood of thinking before it gets... well. Violent. Because it will at one point, just a matter of time." At least he had her attention here, and he just had to keep moving forward with it. God, he needed to take some consuling courses because this 'life experience' crap was a poor subsitute. Not for this one, though." He's quiet for a moment, looking down and through the table as she mentions what got her parents killed. For a moment longer, then another, before nodding, briefly. "Oh, no. I get it. It would be something to... flash back to. If you experienced it." He opens his mouth, and closes it. Another few moments. "You... can't let that define you, though. Lock you in place. Have you... talked to a counsler? I know we'll have some crisis ones coming in regard to the situation. It could be an oppurtunity." He shakes his head again. "I didn't mean those exact-" He starts, before jumping. "Jesus! Just... God, warn me next time." He breathes, examining the broken fork. "I know you've got strength, but that doesn't change how it looks in my mind, Lord. But, right, but that means that doesn't factor into a lot of your planning. What about 'will I have to file a police report?' 'Will my friend's night be ruined?' 'Do I want all the problems this brings up?' Wargame it out. And for the most part, that'll stop you. In the rare times it doesn't... well. You have a plan then. Now," He says, pointing at himself. "If you're looking to learn to think, /that/ at least I can help with."
Xiomara Rojas	Setting the fork down, Crush slides it toward him, a bit of a wide eyed look on her face. She hadn't expected that reaction, but /thinking/ on it she realizes that it was the right reaction. It was another example of her doing without thinking. "Sorry," she voices quietly, which was a lot more then other would get. "I... didn't think, just... figured I'd show you." Clearing her throat a little, she looks almost sheepish for having caused him to jump, but that passes quickly as the 'tough kid' mask slides back into place. "I don't talk to counsellors," she states plainly, not hard or with aggression, just bluntly. "Don't like em, don't trust em, afraid I'll hurt em an they're just trying to help." She eyes the fork again, realizing she just damaged it, then reaches over and straightens the prongs back out, almost perfect, just a little wongy on one of them. "Police report, never thought about that. Didn't have any friends until Maddie, and I don't do that sort of thing when I'm with other people, not usually. It's when I'm alone, it just happens from time to time." She considers a moment, should she say it? "See, Maddie's the first friend I've ever had, and when she's around, just... her keeps me from doing stupid shit. So I know it's in me, I just have to figure out how do not do it when I'm alone."
Richard Stadler	He takes the fork that's slid over, picking it up to see the damage to it, looking it over, twirling it in his hands, before nodding, and placing it down, idly trying to bend the tines back into place. "It's all right. It was a good demontration, even if it... wasn't executed in the best way." He has to admit, handing the fork back when she reaches over for it. She had the strength to put it back together, after all. He gives a bit of a nod, again, a noncomittal sound "Not going to judge you on it. They're people, and some are hard to trust. But they are the ones with the training, the toolbox to help with these sorts of feelings and emotions. Would it help with some obfuscation, between them and you? A bit of distance?" He asks. "If I'm proding, let me know. But I am glad that a friend is helping you in this case. "And you can react in a certain way with different people. If anything else, you can close your eyes and ask yourself what you would do if Ms. Evans was in the room with you."
Xiomara Rojas	With the fork mostly fixed, Crush takes another bite of her pie while considering what he said. Was he prodding? No, if he was she would have already lost her shit, and thus far she has had no desire to actually punch him for anything. "I don't think you're prodding," she admits. "You... actually seem to care, which I don't get, but you do. I can see it your eyes, so... it doesn't rub me wrong like it might from someone else." She takes another drink of her coffee, makes a face, then adds sugar to it and stirs. "What do you mean by obfuscation and distance? Like them in another room? Talking on a phone or something?" Now she tries the coffee again, much better. "If Maddie's in the room, it's totally different. I can always manage to keep myself from punching something, but never thought of imagining her there."
Richard Stadler	Richard Stadler gives a slow nod, for a moment, debating something. "It's... I've got some experience. Seeing a couple of 19 year olds trying to run away from their problems." He sighs. "Hard enough to tell them what they needed to hear, so... When I have a chance, I want to make sure I take it." He moves to take a drink of his own coffee. It might be cold and black, but he doesn't seem to much care about that. So long as it was strong. "Similar. Don't have them in the same room. Heck, you don't even need to talk to them over voice. A chat room can suffice. It's not perfect, not compared to a visit where you can see someone's body language, but if it's the difference between some help, and no help, I'll still recommend that." And he nods again. "That's one thing you can try; keep her as the angel on your shoulder, so to speak. Do what you think she would be proud of, if it helps-" He pauses for a moment at a suddent sound from his side, unclipping his phone. "Sorry, just a moment." He says, bringing out and checking the message."
Xiomara Rojas	That was a lot to think about. Crush had never considered online or any of the other options, counsellors were always wanting to /see/ the person, or so she thought. The idea of being in a room with a stranger, who was poking at things she didn't like talking about, it scared the hell out of her because she knew she'd lose her temper. Add to this of thinking of Madison as an angel on her shoulder, and it opened a few things in her head she didn't consider before. Noting his phone going off, and him pulling it out, she steals a quick look at the screen before looking out the window again. Counselling. Were there counsellors who dealt with aliens? Would she end up lumped into the 'just a teenager with troubles' category? She was of course, but there was so much more to it then that. Still... she kept thinking it over while he was busy with his phone, trying to figure out if it was something she could do.
Richard Stadler	He glances up quickly after checking the message, not catching the look she made over to the screen. What he's typing into it is a mystery then, but she could check the message. A texting app, a rather anime-esque avatar of a girl with round glasses, the name 'CWO3 Fleece' on the top of it. The message scroll looks like it had been cleared before, but the words read, 'Surplus Sourced! Full group, ETA 48 hrs :D <3 :D <3' After a bit of typing on his end, Richard closes the phone again, snappig it down on the holster. "All I want you to do is think about something like that. I know it won't be the most comfortable talk you're going to have, and parts of it might be painful, but it will help in the long term, trust me. They have to know what you're going through, before they can start helping you build your own toolbox to deal with it. If you're not sure, I bet Ms. Evans would agree with me."
Xiomara Rojas	Crush snorts, just once, while staring out the window. She hated that he was right, and at the same time, she didn't hate it. Ms. MacIntyre had made similar suggestions, as had Ms. O'Connail, but neither had made so many suggestions that might actually work. What was that? Some sort of adult gang up on the messed up alien? "I know she would," she spits out, hating that part as well. "I'll think about it, but I'm making no promises. I don't like strangers, and if they aren't prepared for me... most people aren't prepared for me... it goes bad." She finishes off her coffee before finally looking back to him. "Most kids, they got their parents to go back to after something like this... I mean they go talk to a counsellor, then go talk to their parents. It rounds out, support from home. Know what I mean?" She wonders if he does because she certainly wasn't using all the words she should. "I don't got that, no one to... bounce suggestions from helpful people off, usually end up spinning it around in my head by myself."
Richard Stadler	Of course adults ganging up on the messed up alien. How else was the messed up alien going to get support? "That's all I ask. Think about it, and keep an open mind. It might not work the first time, it might mean this is the first step on a journey that you're taking, not walking into the destination, but doing something is better, for the most part, then doing nothing." He notes. And then pauses. The first thing he wants to do is mention Morrigan, before recalling she wasn't there anymore. She did seem to be the stablizing figure in her life. With that gone... who else? Well, there was something. He moves to reach into his wallet, pulling out some business cards. One of them he quickly places back in, but the newer one had the Happy Harbor Logo, and his contact information. Flipping it over, he quickly wrote down a number. "All right then. I'll say I'm not a consuler myself. I don't have the same tools, like I said, and I can't promise I'll always be able to take a call or a text, but." He notes, sliding the card over to her. "If you ever feel like something's bouncing around in your head, give me a call and we'll see if we can't get it out. Don't be afraid to use Ms. Evans, as well, though ask her first. Just remember to take stock of what you have. All right?"
Xiomara Rojas	Her eyes don't miss the other cards, even if she shouldn't be looking. One thing Crush was was observant, but at the same time she didn't go around whispering peoples secrets, because she wouldn't want people doing that with her own. Lifting her eyes to watch his face, she looks back to his hands as he writes his number on the back of the card with the Happy Harbor logo. When he finishes and slides the card toward her, she just keeps looking at it for a minute or three. Was that asking too much of him? Would she actually do it? Finally, she does reach out and pick up the card, sliding it into the pocket of her sleeveless jacket. "I couldn't talk to Maddie about it," she says very quietly. "I tried once, and... she can't handle it. Her life, she can't really fathom dead parents, or violence, or anything like that and I will /not/ be the one to open her eyes to that shit." She chews a little at her bottom lip before looking back up at his face. "I'll only text. If somethings real bad, you got your own stuff in life, you don't need some messed up alien kid on top of that.... but..." she shrugs a little. "Thanks... for, this," she pats the pocket of her jacket.
Richard Stadler	Stadler doesn't do much more as she's considering but tap the card twice in front of him, in a silent encouragement to take it, before nodding as she does. "It's up to you, on what you want to do with it. I wouldn't give it if I wasn't ready to offer some support, and I've let you know what I can do with it. I live in the City myself, so a quick physical response is difficult, but I can at least offer that mental support. And don't put me on a pedastal. I have absoultely /nothing/ going on." He tries to add a bit of levity to the discussion. "As for Ms. Evans... I understand. And I appreciate you letting me know." What was he supposed to say to that? That no one could remain innocent forever? There was always a worry what a teenager would do in certain situations. Esspecially with powers. One thing at a time. Well. Well! "He claps his hands briefly, and turns to his side, and the briefcase. "I'm not going to be any time soon, it looks like, and those eggs will probably take some time, so how about we do something fun?" He says. Out comes the text book, this time opened in a way she can't see the inside, on the table, as Stadler looks to her seriously. "Now. What do you know about the /endocrine/ system?"
Xiomara Rojas	Crush couldn't put her finger on what it was about Richard that made her like him, but she did in fact accept, in that moment, that she did in fact like him. That put him into a whole new category in her mind, moved from 'no fucks given' to 'would kill for'. He didn't need to know that of course, at least not at this exact moment. As he opens the book in a way she can't see, she snorts a laugh. "Hey, how am I..." and then he asks about something she has no idea what is. "Absolutely nothing." She finally offers, still laughing then waits to learn about it, because now she needs to know.
Richard Stadler	Stadler didn't have a clue about that switch over in her mind; despite the fact that she had more strength and capability that he would ever had, she was still just a teenager, and they needed protection from a lot of things, didn't they? Least of which was the physical. He was just happy she actually took the help offered. There were times you were the spigot, but there's times you had to accept assistance, at the end of the day. And maybe, just maybe, he could get her a head start for the fall." "So, it's, in a nutshell, a network of glands across the human body. Remember the thymus? Part of the system! Now, if we go to the brain, the highest point, we can start with the hypothalmus, which, while it's a subject in itself, regulates the pititary gland, water balance..." He'll take his eggs when he can, munching on them idly, but continues as the night grinds on around Staten Island.