Only a few steps go a long way.

[Anonymous]

What a load of bullshit.

Vaughan crumpled up another sheet of paper and pushed his hand through his hair, his fingers clenching and pulling at it at the last minute for one moment of something to distract him from his homework and his line of thinking. He sat in the middle of the library this time, his back towards a window. He was trying, really he was. But when he started he could only spiral out of control and wonder just what was wrong with him. The self pity party was pathetic, even he knew it, but every time he tried to make it better he just slid down a little more and felt worse for having tried.

Was he just not pathetic enough at the start? Was that flash of light too distracting for himself to consider that maybe he'd be no good at this? He missed Pari and Jace and Jares. He wanted to go home. To sing again. Amber eyes peeked out from behind two-toned hair and he stared at the other people milling through the library, a few different stages. They probably wanted the exact same things as him, didn't they.

Were they beating themselves up? Probably not.

A breath, another hand through his hair and Vaughan closed his eyes and stared down at his math. He'd chuckle if he could. Last time he was in the library doing math everything fell to shit. Gaah- Stop that! Vaughan pinched his cheek to keep his brain from going down that path. Plenty of candidates have been ditched by their mentors, maybe they were just uncompatible or something. Couldn't teach him anything useful, leave him to get picked up by a better one.

Or something.

Hm.

Vaughan pursed his lips and closed his eyes. A moment to try and regain that cute facade everyone liked when he was fresh off the stage. Before it went away he crumpled up another piece of paper and threw it at the nearest person that didn't look like they could kill him by punching him in the face. "Hi!" he plastered a big grin on his face, which oddly enough made him feel a little better. Babysteps seemed to work better than trying large strides.

[Anonymous]

"Whoa!" Eli had a number of art books spread out in front of him, flipping through them. He wanted something to inspire him. Well, really, he wanted a new inspiration. What he really, really wanted to do was paint Val. With his legs, lookin' all ready to be sexed up. Make a statement with it, the prettiness of his face with the scars on his legs and the sexual tone of the picture.

But he doubted the hot blond would go for it. So he was waiting to get a new muse. Maybe a sculpture? He wished he could throw some pottery, but as far as he knew, this place lacked a pottery wheel.

Heathens.

Then suddenly a ball of paper bounced off his head, followed by a voice in his head. Eli's dark head popped up and he blinked, confused, "Eh? What? Oh! Hey. What's up?"

[Anonymous]

Vaughan grinned widely and picked up his books and put them off to the side before he paused fully and stared down at the table in front of the other boy. Art. His eyes widened. It wasn't his type of art, but it was still art which counted for something. He missed his piano. Vaughan stared down at his hands and flexed his fingers before rolling his eyes and smooshing the skin of his cheek between his thumb and forefiner.

One side of his face was going to be very red. "Hi! I'm Vaughan." Get the ball moving. Now to make a comment that isn't extremely stupid. "I haven't met anyone else who does... Art stuff. I don't do this kind, but it's refreshing to know there are still people here." Instead of robots. Good going, Vaughan.

[Anonymous]

Eli blinked at the kid, slightly confused by what he was doing to his face. But, you know, whatever floated his boat. It was then he noticed the massive scar on his neck. He had heard about that, some gracie had mouthed off to a Pilot and gotten their throat slit. Some of those kids didn't learn to fast. Never fuck with the Pilots.

"Vaughan? Cool! I'm Eli! And I love art! All kinds. What kind do you do?" He leaned forward, his yellow eyes excited, "I love meeting new artists!"

[Anonymous]

"Nice to meet you, Eli!" Vaughan 'said' enthusiastically. It was fake, bad at acting too, but he was trying. Babysteps. Only little steps kept the slope from getting too slippery so he'd lose footing. He stared at Eli for a moment, slightly surprised at how... Not scary he was being.

Maybe there were normal people left.

Vaughan squinted at Eli for a second, maybe.

"Musical art!" He smiled, he tapped at the table with his fingers, playing an invisible piano and an imaginary song "Piano." He motioned to his neck, "I used to sing and write lyrics but... uh..." He rubbed at the scar with his finger tips, frowning slightly, "Obviously I can't continue the singing part." He smiled again though, "I was trying to learn how to draw but my attempts were awful. I much prefer the piano." He looked at the books. " Are you a realistic drawing...er?"

[Anonymous]

"Dude, that's so cool. I can play the guitar a little, the violin a little more, but I'm not really that great. I'm don't have much of an ear for it, ya know? But my mom loves to sing, so I had to learn so I could like, accompany her and stuff."

The kid was kinnda weird, with all the weird face pushing and squinting and stuff, but he wasn't bad and the scar was totally hot. Pale skin too, a major point in his favor as far as Eli was concerned, "I do all kinds of art. I'm always trying to do new stuff. I love sculpture the best though, but it's all awesome. And, uh, I guess, yeah, I mean, I do a lot of realism, but I like some abstract stuff too. And I love like, crazy stylized art. I'm always trying to find new ways to draw and stuff. I'm trying to nail a cool street style down!"

[Anonymous]

"I'm... Music." He nodded, "I was in a band, before the ATC." Vaughan tried to smile but rested his head on his hand. "Violin? That's pretty awesome. I've always wanted to play the violin. Probably look into it one day now that singing is out of the question." He smiled when Eli mentioned his mother liked singing and he learned to help her out. "As long as you're having fun, right?"

Vaughan looked at the books, looking up and around before he slyly scooted over the table to be on the same side. He took a seat a chair away and tilted his head to the side. After he lost his voice and the ability to produce sound, he found himself unintentionally moving  in an attempt to produce the proper body language. Of course he mostly just looked weird. "Street style?" Vaughan got comfy and smiled again.

He didn't really know what that was. Besides the obvious... Name. "Like for graffiti?" Vaughan pursed his lips, "Can I see some of your art sometime?"

[Anonymous]

"It's pretty hard, or was for me. But if you have musical aptitude, you'll probably spank that puppy." Eli shifted his seat over a little, so Vaughan could get a better look at the art books Eli had been looking at; they were an eclectic mix of different styles and mediums.

"Yeah, kinnda. Like, it shows up in graffiti a lot, but yeah." Eli reached over and pulled one of the smaller books closer. He didn't mind electronic books, but for art? Yeah, he wanted the physical book, "It's just that loose, styled look at fits with the whole street life. I mean, I guess. I can really only talk about it from an artist perspective." He gave a quite laugh, trying to not draw attention to them in the library, "I'm kinnda a poser about it. But, I like the look. What about you? What's your favorite art?"

[Anonymous]

It was a nice day to mingle, at least thats what Cain told himself as he strode  through the library.  

He tugged at the collar of his uniform, a habit he had recently picked up. It wasn't that it was to tight on him, the oposite really. He was to lanky for it, not that it mattered much in this place.  

His cat ears twitched as he caught sight of a stack of paper clips. It was his weakness, the ability to get so focused on something shiny. He shaked his head, trying to get his brain off the paper clips. They weren't why he was here after all.

He looked at the table near him, and from a brief glance at the books on that table, he figured they were talking about art. Street art to be exact. He got a ball of yarn out of his pocket and tossed it back and forth before going over to them.

"Neat" he said looking at the book nearest him.

[Anonymous]

He wished he could laugh. Spank the puppy? Vaughan rose his eyebrows and smiled slightly. He listened, nodding his head now and again to indicate that he was listening. Amber eyes didn't stray much from Eli's lips, listening to him talk. He'd started to envy voices. It took a moment for Vaughan to realise Eli had asked him a question.

"Eh? Oh. Uh..." Vaughan gave a shrug, "I can draw some, but scenery... Like a stick. That's a line, right?. I'm more on the music train of art." All this art stuff made him think of Nika and his drawings after his injury. Vaughan made an effort to clear his throat and he looked up at the person coming to them. He stared at the ears for a moment before he focused on the ball of string he was playing with.

Vaughan couldn't help with the confused smile on his face. Was this guy playing with string? He smiled regardless, trying to be polite. "Yeah. I think it's neat too." Vaughan looked at the collar of his collar. A stage 2. And a stage 3. Vaughan looked down for a moment before he licked his lips.

"I'm Vaughan. Gracie who's good at putting his foot in his mouth. Or was. I guess." Sure he'd been here for a little bit, but that didn't mean he'd know who the older candidates were at all.

[Anonymous]

The cat ears didn't faze Eli, lots of people got them as mods and stuff, but the string? That was a new one. Oh! Eli brightened, "Oh! Cool! Do you knit man? I haven't really done much, but I can do a scarf and like...simple knit pearl stuff."

Knitting wasn't really his favorite, but he loved talking art with another artist and he would take what he could get, "I'm Eli, by the way." Vaughan's comment got him a puzzled look, "What cha mean?"

[Anonymous]

Cain put the yarn ball in his pocket, frowning. Knitting, that he hadn't thought of.  He picked up Eli's thoughts about his ears being mods and shook his head.

"Nah, I was born with these. Don't know how to knit, but it'd be cool to learn. I just fiddle with yarn, being part cat and all. I'm Cain. " he swiveled his ears.

He turned to Vaughan and said before sitting down at the table " Didn't we all get the crap beaten out of us as gracies?" Looking at  Vaughan's  neck he winced, "looks like you got it worse than i did though"

[Anonymous]

Whoa! Candidate in his head. Eli threw his shields up, a little surprised at himself that he had let them slip enough that some Stage 2 kid was able to scan his thoughts. Here was hoping Kaziah didn't hear about it.

"Man, what kinnda stuff are you guys doing? I never really got beat up." Eli tended to get along with most people and his easy going nature made bad fodder for bullies.

[Anonymous]

Vaughan stared for a moment. Born with what?

Oh, the ears.

“No. No crap beaten out of me. I uh... Mouthed off to a pilot. So I guess I sort of deserved it. Can’t mouth off when I can’t make much in the way of noise.” Vaughan just shook his head at Eli and then tried to smile, moving his hand to his uniform to do up the neck to hide most of the scar.

All that staring. Vaughan had never been one to be very worried about what he looked like, but a scar. A scar implied a bad thing. And here it meant he was a bad candidate. Which he was. Vaughan swallowed and rubbed his neck before looking around and smiling at Cain. “Being part cat?” He reached over and pet at one of Cains ears, “You mean those are natural? Was your mom a cat or something?”

[Anonymous]

He pondered on how to tell them what he had done to get the snot beat out of him for a moment and replied " Well, most people don't like getting nosebleeds. I didn't have much control of my power than, still working out some of the kinks."
Not to mention my fixation on blood when I see it. he thought not knowing if they'd be able to hear it or not.

He laughed when his ear was touched. He couldn't help it, they were rather sensitive. He momentarily forgot the question while laughing but afterwards said " I guess someone way back could have got it on with a cat, mom and dad are normal soo.....maybe im a mutant or something."

[Anonymous]

Vaughan's comment puzzled Eli and he tilted his head slightly, "But...you still speak just fine with your telepathy." Was he not normally allowed even those words? Sure, they weren't his voice, but they could still get you into just as much trouble. Words were words.

The conversation was going to an odd place, but Eli just laughed it off, "That would be kinnda weird. But, yeah, I guess mutant genes aren't all that weird. It happens to the best of us." He didn't really comment on the nosebleed comment, it was kinnda vague and not that interesting. Eli wanted to go back to talking about art.

"So, you like art then?"

[Anonymous]

Vaughan rolled his eyes towards Eli smiling slightly. “Well, I sort of have to think twice before I actually say anything telepathy wise. Easier to backtrack and keep bad thoughts to myself where as with talking it sorta just falls out of your mouth.” He tried to smile before he turned to stare at Cain for a moment before he went a little pale and swallowed carefully.

He blinked and sat back before smiling politely. “I saw him checking out your books.” Vaughan supplied, a useless observation, “Do you draw? Paint? Sing? Dance?”

[Anonymous]

"Dance a bit, but I'm not to great at it. Really like chilling out to music, listen to a lot of different types of stuff depending on what mood I'm in"

He reached into his pocket for his old red digital camera and scrolled through to his graffiti pictures.

"I can't draw that well but I did use to go around and take pictures of street art. There are like ads and stuff everywhere that people look at, but there just materalistic type things. It's more interesting to go look at stuff that isnt trying to get you to buy something I think"

He flipped the camera around and showed them a couple pictures of abandoned places he had been and random bathroom scrawlings.

"Strange hobby yeah, but its kinda fun"

[Anonymous]

"Oh? Really! That's cool. Whater the chances I would meet another kid into street art here." Eli grinned, leaning closer to get a better look at the camera. Not many people saw the art in graffiti, "Though, I mean, street art can be selling stuff just as much. Just isn't corporate, ya know?"

Leaning back after he looked through the pictures, Eli lounged in his chair, "Dance though? That's cool. I love dancin', though I'm not that awesome at it, I just pretend I am."

[Anonymous]

He felt a little awkward. Vaughan looked away and stared at a wall in the far corner before he turned his gaze to his hands on his lap. Playing with his fingers, he plucked at invisible lint on his uniform pants. He perked up when the topic of dancing came up after he suggested it to the Cain fellow.  

Pushing a hand through his hair, he smiled at both of them as he stood up. He wanted to stay perky and cheerful and happy, but pushing problems away was never his forte and another hemokenetic popping up made it a little difficult. Cain made him think of Nika, and thinking of Nika made him sad.

“Well, I have some math and stuff to go suck at. I should finish before... uhm...Something happens.” A nod and he smiled before he wandered back to his table, which was only a few feet away. “Unless either of you are good at math and could help me? Maybe?” There was a slightly hopeful puppy look in his eyes before he turned away from then and stared down at his book.