Sanctuary [[Open]]

[Panther]

Panther stood staring up at the iron gates. A plaque on one of the columns pronounced this Xavier's Institute for the Gifted. Her mouth quirked at the name, it was partly what her name had been once upon a time. She'd heard she could get help here, that they would not turn her away. She sighed and shifted, her hands and feet lengthening and growing sharp claws, her face lengthening and reddish fur covering her body. She halted half-way through, crouched on the road.

Backing up thirty feet, she ran forward and executed a series of flips, building up the momentum to land on the gate-tops. Nothing easier. Or at least, nothing easier for a half-panther gymnast with the extra vertebra in her back needed for the greater flexibility that stunt required. She crouched there a moment before she jumped, landing heavily on her feet, stumbling from exhaustion.

Running across state dodging police, MRD and humans had not been her idea, but she'd had the sheer ill-luck to be present when some show ran her face across the TV as part of a list of cold cases. She shook her head, heading off down the drive, still shifted. She'd not go back. She wouldn't even look back. This could be the sanctuary she'd been looking for.

[Kurt {NGIHTCRAWLER} Wagner]

Kurt had been watching from the shadows of the building. He had been informed not long ago that a young woman was making her way to the school. He had also been told of her shape shifting powers and he hoped that she would be one who used her power frequently. As a result, he was not waiting out in the open for her like he usually did.

The girl arrived right on que and, as he had hoped, slowly started to shift. He was shocked, however when he noticed that she stopped mud-morph. She looked kinda funny in her half form but it looked good on her none-the-less. He watched as she stepped back and did a running and jump maneuver that had her landing on the gate. He nodded in approval, letting himself half smile. They could have some fun, showing off acrobatics tricks.

She landed on the ground and started for the building. This was when Kurt made his move. He stepped out of the shadows and into a broad beam of daylight. His yellow eyes glowed, even in the light and his blue-tinged fur caught the beams beautifully. He spoke. “Dat vas a cheep maneuver. You could have made it much nicer by twisting yer whole body around.” He stepped up to her.

He could tell by the look in her eyes and the weariness of her body that she had come a long way and was probably just looking for somewhere safe to stay. He smiled, letting her know that it was only friendly criticism from a fellow gymnast and that he was friendly. “My name iz Kurt Wagner, zough here I am known mostly as Nightcrawler.”

[Panther]

“Dat vas a cheep maneuver. You could have made it much nicer by twisting yer whole body around.”

Panther turned large cat eyes on the blue-furred man, her pupils wide with a dazed look despite the bright sunlight which should have narrowed them. She narrowed them and spoke. “Maybe you should run non-stop across an entire state dodging MRD, police and human habitats and see how excellent your form is at the end.” This was spoken without rancor, her voice making it a simple statement of fact and not an accusation.

“My name iz Kurt Wagner, zough here I am known mostly as Nightcrawler.”

She smiled, a tired smile without much meaning, but there was real pleasure behind it. “Nice to meet you, Nightcrawler. My name is Panther.”

[Kurt {NGIHTCRAWLER} Wagner]

The blue man dipped his head. "I voudn't run." He said simply enough. He brought his head back up and looked her up and down. She was covered in a light cream fur that darkened to a russet red/brown on her back. And he had been right, she was tired. She had nothing with her, meaning she had probably run away from home without having time to pack. He held out his arm in a form of bringing her into the school. "Come, Panther. Ve wvll find you a safe place to rest up."

[Panther]

"I voudn't run."

“Then what would you do?” Panther said, following Nightcrawler as he motioned her to follow him the rest of the way to the school. She cast about telepathically, searching for more hidden individuals with both her mind and nose. All either told her was that the house was occupied. No more lurked outdoors.

"Come, Panther. Ve wvll find you a safe place to rest up."

“Thank you.” She said in relief as they reached the steps.

[Kurt {NGIHTCRAWLER} Wagner]

“Then what would you do?”

His kind of power was one best shown rather than told. With a huge grin, he disappeared in a puff of blue-black smoke. A loud ‘pop’ noise was heard and the faint smell of burning stone as he reappeared in less then a second on the other side of her. “Among ozer things.” He said, shrugging as if his teleportation was no big deal.

“Thank you.”

“Of course.” He opened the doors for her and led her all the way in the foyer. There where a few students going about their business but none stopped to talk to Kurt and the new girl. “So, Panther. Vhere are you from? And are you planning on staying on as a student?”

[Panther]

Panther smiled as he reappeared, a genuine smile of delight. A teleporter! "Thats awesome!" She stepped though the door, looking about her in awe. The foyer was huge, with a corridor running the length of the building entering it and a staircase leading to the upper level. Students moved through, and she moved closer to Kurt as they went about their business.

“So, Panther. Vhere are you from? And are you planning on staying on as a student?”

"I'm from everywhere." She said, for her family had moved so much she felt she really didn't have a place of origin. "I don't know if it is safe." She paused. "I mean, last time I was at a school... things didn't go so well."

[Kurt {NGIHTCRAWLER} Wagner]

He pointed towards the staircase, indicating that they should go up. “The dorms are on the second and third floors.” He listed to her story, nodding. “I understand vat you mean. My childhood was not vun of pleasure either.”

"I don't know if it is safe."

“Believe me, zough. You are safer here than if you ver to put yerself in a bank safe.” He smiled at his own joke, eyes glowing.

”Last time I was at a school... things didn't go so well."

He cocked his head as he started up the steps. He would have just teleported her up to her room but because she was already exhausted, the strain probably would have put her out cold. “Vat do you mean? If you don’t mind my azkink.”

[Panther]

“Believe me, zough. You are safer here than if you ver to put yerself in a bank safe.”

Panther smiled weakly. “It’s not me I worry about.” They started up the steps to the second floor. She looked around, taking in her surroundings.

“Vat do you mean? If you don’t mind my azkink.”

They climbed more stairs, past the second floor landing and farther up. Panther remained silent, paws padding gently on the carpeted steps. She’d lost her shoes half a state back. She debated telling him, for all that he seemed a nice and gentlemanly person, she was used to keeping her own counsel. Finally, as they reached the third floor, she spoke, looking around to see if anyone was near.

“I lost control. Several people died and others were hurt.” She closed her eyes, seeing back to that day, the humans dead, the horror and hate in their eyes and on their faces. The disgust on her parents faces as they finally realized what they’d given birth to and protected all these years.

[Kurt {NGIHTCRAWLER} Wagner]

Kurt let her walk in silence. She was probably debating on weather or not to tell him. Students often came to the school because their powers went awry and they had no where else to turn to. They where often hated by the people on the outside along with their family or parents. When she did speak though, he listened quietly.

“I lost control. Several people died and others were hurt.”

He nodded, waiting to make sure that was all she would say before speaking up. “I understand. Many students that some here have ze same story.”