Colin's posts

"Well, Ana rolls off the tongue nicely." Jackson responded.

"So that works for me, as long as it works for you." he told her.

"And as I said, you can call me Jack, or J." he said.

"Very few people actually call me 'Jackson'." he admitted.

"And this is gonna be weird..." he mumbled, looking out the window.

"What is?" the driver asked.

"Joining school halfway through the year." Jackson clarified.

Jackson looked at her when she said that, and raised an eyebrow.

"Really?" he asked.

"Heh." the driver chuckled.

"I do know who she is referring to, and odds are he'll take a particular liking to you." he commented.

"Oh?" Jackson asked.

"Huh." he mumbled.

"Interesting." he said. "Can't wait to see how THAT works out..."

Jackson was silent for a moment as he heard that.

"...maybe they DID say goggles..." he mumbled.

"Did the specify...?" he wondered aloud.

"Actually, if I recall correctly, they just said that they would provide special unique-prescription lenses for me." he then said, remembering it.

"So no, they never actually specified." he continued.

"Yeah, it'll probably be goggles." he told her.

"I'll stand out a bit, but... well... my eyes do that for me, alone." he reasoned with a small sigh.

"You'll see them when I get what they have for me."

"Not that I know of." Jackson responded.

"It's always on." he said.

"But, like the Gorgon of legend, if views through a lens, the gaze has no power." he told her.

"Which... goes both ways." he then said further. "If I look through glasses, it doesn't work, but the same is true if someone looks at MY eyes through lenses." he explained.

"But that's... pretty much common sense, if you know your mythology." he then commented.

"Yeah, and the dark lenses are to hide how my eyes look." he told her. "I was told I'd get a special pair of actual glasses to wear once I got to the Institute." he added.

Jackson nodded along with her story, before pausing when she asked her question.

"...ah." he said.

"Right, fair is fair." he commented.

"You told me yours, I should tell you mine." he told her.

"...these sunglasses aren't exactly a fashion statement." he then said. "If I don't wear these, I'm a risk to anyone I... well... look at." he told her further.

"You know what a Gorgon is?" he asked.

"Well, you now know one."

"............I see." Jackson mumbled, after a pause.

"That's... pretty heavy stuff." he said.

"Didn't realize it was such a tense situation. Then again, how could I?" he asked with a light laugh.

"At least you always have a backup." he went on.

"But yeah, your mutant powers sound really awesome." he commented further.

"And I'll bet you've had a while to hone and train them."

"...well, that's certainly handy." Jackson responded.

"And you died in a very different era?" he asked.

"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Considering your speech pattern is unlike anyone else I've ever met, and it sounds straight out of the past at times." he commented.

"Still... that's pretty cool." he said.

"How long does a container last?" he asked her.

"And... losing your humanity? How so?" he asked further.

"....geez..." Jackson muttered.

"Dead at 15..." he said.

"That's... that's just... wow." he mumbled further, before shaking his head.

"Right, though, huh. Neat power." he then said, changing the subject.

"Granted, I do have more questions cropping up..." he admitted, thinking for a moment.

"But let's start with a simple one." he reasoned.

"Do you NEED a host to live? Or does it just make things more convenient?" he asked.

"Heh, very well." the driver responded.

With that, he focused on the road, causing Jackson to sigh.

"Right." he said.

"You said you're a ghost." he then said to Ana.

"What... what does that mean, exactly?" he asked her.

"Like, can you turn your body to a ghost form?" he asked her. "Can you separate your spirit from your body or something?" he asked further.

"Or... are you, like, an actual ghost? As in, the real you is a spirit, and you're currently... like, possessing a body?" he then inquired.

"I see." the driver replied, before turning his attention to Jackson.

"And who are you?" he asked.

"Name's Jackson." Jack replied.

"And are you a friend of Anastasia?" the driver then asked further.

"...uh... kind of?" Jackson responded, not sure just HOW to answer the question.

"I mean, we recently got acquainted with each other." he said, causing the driver to look confused... and a little bit suspicious as well.

"She's improving at such a rapid rate." he responded.

"She even got a standing ovation." he told her.

"...I'm so proud of her." he added, a tear on his cheek, and in his tone.

"......" Jackson was silent for a moment, and just smiled.

'Heh. That's sweet.' he thought.

"And what do you mean nothing you couldn't handle?" the driver then asked Ana.

Jackson nodded in response.

"We shall." he replied.

With that, they both climbed into the backseat of the vehicle, and it pulled away.

"Hello again, Anastasia." the drive greeted Ana warmly.

"Glad to see you didn't get into any trouble." he commented.

'Seems nice.' Jackson thought.

'Nice vehicle, too.' he added mentally.

"That makes sense." Jackson responded.

"I don't really know the fine details of those skills, really." he admitted.

"But I manage." he said.

"I mostly use judo principles. Using my opponents' speed and strength against them." he continued. "I'm clearly not the buffest out there." he chuckled.

"But yeah, I need to go to this school. Too dangerous for me to remain in my old one."

"I'll ask them when we're someplace we can speak more freely." Jackson told her.

"Speaking of such matters in the open can invite... problems." he mumbled.

"Still, that was impressive, what you did back there." he said.

"I have no doubt you could have taken them, but it still seemed unfair for there to be 6 against 1." he reasoned with a small shrug and a yawn.

"But, they seemed to be all bravado and bullcrap anyway."