Lick of the good Life {Open}

[Mortimer Toynbee]

Wind whirled through the air rustling the trees and pushing the grass in waves. The grounds man must have been off for the grass to get that long. A soft chuckle rumbled out of a body laying in the long soft green leaves that covered the ground. His skin odly blending with the green of the grass and his short brown hair also waving in the soft gusts of air. The 25 year old man wasn't thinking of anything two important, and to most passer-by's might just pass him off as a bum or some strange but relaxed man. The only time his personality was given away was when a grass hopper jumped to high or a fly strayed to close. In fact here came one know.

A tongue burst forth as the fluttering bettle came to close. The tip curled around the black insect and in the blink of an eye was sucked back into the waiting jaws of not a lizard or frog. But the waiting mouth of a well know mutant by the name of Toad. Teeth crunched and grinned the crispy but soft bug. Toad's brown eyes gazed up into the sky not that one could see many stars what with the over powering city lights. It was sill just nice enough to be free to quietly watch the moving clouds and moon. All his life he was drilled with noise and constant comands and orders no matter what the hour. Out here he was temporarily free.

Toad knew though if he was found out by a guard or something his peace would be broken, but for now this was the life. Food few through the air or was easily stolen with the flick of a tongue. He could go where he wanted and do as he pleased so long as he did it when no one would see him. Some day he would need to find another group or something but right now why worry about it.

Toad stretched out and scratched his stomach. His powerful legs stretched up to the sky before coming back down to the ground. With a sigh he scratched his throat and looked around not really looking for anything in particular. The only thing he missed about the brother hood was his gorgeous Wanda. Other than his crush, he did not miss the harsh words, the rude persons, or the physical torments of his past 'frienships'. Even the one he had followed for so long, the 'great' Magneto had left him to die. Was he really that repulsive. He didn't think so, I mean if he was hated for his looks why was mistique still there. He chuckled a bit at his own thoughts again.

After another stretch Toad sat up bringing his knees up so he could look at his shoes. He leaned between his legs and did up one that was a bit loose. Toad had tried jumping and caught his laces up before. It was not a good outcome. Suddenly Toad froze, his body still hunched over. He heard something, maybe some one. His body was still as his breathing was controlled, his toned muscles ready for anything. He may be a 'failure' but he knew how to fight, and he knew how to listen.

[Lorna Todd]

Lorna had been watching the mutant for quite some time. She smiled, shifting silently in the shadow where she hid. Silently, because she was in her intangible state. She was truly invisible in the shadow. She shifted focus back to Toad.

Toad. A mutant with superhuman strength, agility, super-prehensile tongue, toxic saliva, paralytic resin, mind altering toxin, psionic communication with amphibians , and regenerative healing factor. A misfit, hoping so to fit in, but constantly rejected. He was perfect.

She made her move as he sat up to tie a shoelace, walking over the ground, still phased, until she stood to the left and behind him. Then she returned to her solid state, automatically acquiring a pose she knew showed off her curves perfectly in her mutant costume. “Ah, so you’re the famous Toad.” She purred.

[Mortimer Toynbee]

Toad, though he had been listening was still a bit suprised. His legs reacted and shot him up into the air though not to high, only about 6 feet. As he lept up, he turned 120 degrees to face his rear left and with precision let out his tongue like a rocket. Toad was also fast enough to stop it simple millimeters before it would have hit the gorgeous Lorna square in the forehead. He slowly and warily withdrew his tongue. Seeing she seemed to have no mall intentions he relaxed his body and straightened out his legs and stood at his full hight hands slipping into his pockets.

Toad stared her down hard and long before he thought of speaking. Why was she hear? What did she want with him? How did she know who he was? These questions were swirling around in his mind. He tried to recognize her, see if she were sent by magneto or not. His memory did not recognize her as either an x-men or a member of the brother hood. This was good, she was not here as the voice of some one else.

Finally after only a few seconds of silence, though it felt a lot longer Toad spoke "Yeah..what do you want?". He finally realized that she had called him famous. How on earth had she heard of him in a way as to call him famous. Did people really talk about him. Nothing good he bet, maybe she wasn't here for anything good. Why would anyone seek out a looser. He kept himself ready to fight or flee if needed. He had no idea about who she was or if she was a mutant what she could do to him. When obviously she knew who he was and what he could do.

[Lorna Todd]

Lorna phased automatically, before even taking stock of what was flying at her face. The man had fast reflexes! Even knowing some things didn't prepare one for reality. The tongue stopped mere millimeters from her face, and she breathed in relief, becoming solid once more as he retracted his tongue.

She returned the shorter mutant's stare for stare, her eyes calm and face straight.

"Yeah..what do you want?"

Lorna tilted her head, circling the green-skinned man. "Well, I've heard of you. Magneto dumped you, didn't he? Not very nice of him, after all you did for him." She came full circle, looking him up and down with her arms crossed over her chest. She smiled warmly at him, extending her hand. "Lorna Todd."

[Mortimer Toynbee]

Toad made sure to absolutely keep his eyes on this girl, still not one hundred percent sure what this woman's gifts were and unsure if she meant him any good or not. As she circled him Toad listned to her speak of Magneto and his abandonment. Toad grumbled and sighed at the thought of his 'trusted leader' leaving him for dead. The magnet bastard probably didn't even know he was alive, nor cared. Toad had always thought and hoped that Magneto though of him as a real member of the brotherhood. He though his years of dedication meant something to the organisation. He could not have been more wrong. Magneto had only ever chosen him to be some pawn that he could use as a shield, or to do the dirty work.

Toad sighed and inside his heart sank at the thoughts. Why did no one want him for anything other than a tool, or a sacrifice. Why should he even talk to this girl, what horrid life plans did she have for him. Then again, she was more beatiful than anyone he had met before, other than his beloved wanda that is. So why not, he may never even see his beloved again. With another heavy sigh he returned his attention back to the hand that had been offered to him.

Slowly he reached out and took the hand shakeing it. "Nice to meet you I guess Lorna...as you know I am toad" he did not hand out his real name. Everyone called him some name or other, other than Mortimer that was. So why even let them know. Toad then wondered if Mortimer was even his name. That was just what the orphanage had told him it was, but who was to say they did not make it up either. Mentaly shakeing his head Toad tried to focus back to Lorna again.

Toad crouched back down and snapped up a moth that had futtered off to his right hand side. This one took a bit of a chew but to him it was a way to fill his tumy. Mortimer wondered if his 'supper' bothered her. He grinned looking up to Lorna to see her reaction to his crunchy bug. He even struck up a conversation monitering her facial expressions. "So how do you know Magneto, and of my aligence to him..? And what I did for him?". He wanted to know were she got her info if not from the man himself. Now he waited for an answer scratching his chin and not moving from his crouch.

[Lorna Todd]

Lorna waited with baited breath, he seemed suspicious and cautious. Perhaps it had been premature to mention Magneto… but she always did her homework. She narrowed her eyes in an expression that was not at all pretty as that thought brought to mind her father… cagy manipulating bastard that he had been.

Shaking her blond curls back in an unconscious gesture, her face smoothed again into that of a pleasant young woman, with nothing of the animal hate that had been there moments before. She watched, face smooth, as he crouched and snapped up a moth with his tongue. Personally, she didn’t care for the things… but she would have to get used to the sudden movements and strange eating habits if this worked out.

"So how do you know Magneto, and of my allegiance to him..? And what I did for him?".

“Darling…” She crouched herself, snapping out a phased hand and capturing a moth as it fluttered by. She drew the hand in, inspecting the imbedded insect in her palm with a sort of detached interest. She rubbed a finger across the exposed feathery wing tips, “…I’m afraid everyone knows that… its not exactly classified, is it?” She phased again, dropping the dead insect. “Especially with such a… a public figure as Magneto. You see, dear?”

[Mortimer Toynbee]

Ok, so usually he did the freaking out of other people, but this chick seemed to have her own eray of rather unusual looks and talents. He was first a bit off set by the anger portrayed on her once perfect features. She must have something she truly despised for such a gorgeous woman to absolutely snap as she had. He wondered just what it was that would make this woman so furious. Left to ponder he saw her features straighten and he himself calmed. At lest she was not angry with him. That was usually something that lead to a heavy beating for the amphibian like mutant. His eyes on her and smiled softly when he noticed she did not jump or move away from his tongue. She already had him impressed and that only sealed the deal.

Hearing her address him as 'darling..' only mane him raise a brow, did she honestly think he wouldn't question that. He was green skinned, a had a long tongue, also a strange body shape. How on earth could be Darling. With a sigh he ignored the title and watched as the moth was killed by her phasing hand. Remarkable, he had seen some strange powers with Magneto but this took the cake, it was marvelous. Superb, thrilling, his mind for a moment forgot about magneto and any questions regarding him.

Shaking his head as the bug was dropped dead he smiled. " well ok, you caught me there but why come and seek me out then, what does a gorgeous body like you want with the toad?" he asked curiously. He stood up and now walked right up to her. "can't resist my good looks....Darling" he chuckled licking his lips and pushing his hair back with a hand. Trying his best to look attractive.