It's called Focusing! (open)

[Thomas Shepard]

Tommy was at least decent with his work, he got by with Cs or Bs on his papers, but he often struggled to get As on his papers or homework in general. But over all Tommy was good with turning things in without being sent to detention, he learned it the first time of what could happen if he had disobeyed a teacher or had failed to hand in an assignment. He would be punished for it in some way. So he found himself in the library once more as he sped through some of the books to find what he was looking for, he usually tried the books to see if there was something that he could find, and if he didn’t find anything of interest, he usually went on the internet for it. But there was another reason why he was getting into his work this instantly.

He had found out that another relative had joined the X-Men. His uncle Pietro, but really he called him, Pete and it just stuck. Pietro didn’t seem to argue with the new nickname. After finding a pile of books he found himself in one of the cubicles where he was isolated off from the others. However Tommy felt his mind starting to drift, and he had only started a few minutes later at this point. Well being as fast as he was, he processed information much faster than most humans.

But he shook his head a bit and slapped his face to try and get himself to come back and stay awake. Maybe the problem was that he needed a different sleeping pattern. There was perhaps a reason for this in being somewhat tired he stayed up late on several occasions, and perhaps on too many occasions. But being that he had made it to every class so far, he wasn’t doing badly in that part.

“Come on Tommy, wake up and focus.” He said to himself not even aware if someone was listening to him. For all they knew, they may have thought he was crazy.

[Trevor Montez]

Trevor, compared to Tommy, was a student to get his work done early and turn everything in, managing As and Bs for his primary grade range, though this was often due to the fact he had so much free time on his hands. Really there was really nothing he got involved in, mainly due to the fact he wasn't much for groups and another fact was he was afraid of losing control of himself like he had once before. Instead he focused all his attention on self-training, classes, homework, and often working out.

All of this was because Trevor feared his mutant ability, having lycanthropy as his primary power and sometimes unable to control that aggression he held so deep down. It was like a beast caged inside, waiting to be released and sometimes it reared it's ugly head and couldn't be controlled. Least not so easily. It was what made Trevor so afraid to make friends, to get close to anyone that he could end up killing them like he had done with his mother and baby sister. Instinctively Trevor clenched his fist, staring at the book he had been flipping through and pausing at certain points before writing down a few notes, but now he had stopped.

His mind had drifted somewhat after reading a caption beneath a picture of hunting wolves, of how they attacked their prey and read a few captions and paragraphs of how territorial and vicious they could sometimes be. It played on the memory of that day and he slammed the book shut to no longer see those words, pushing the thoughts to the back of his mind. He was suppose to be getting last minute notes for a paper he had due in a few weeks, a five page essay on an animal, his choice being a wolf since it seemed proper, considering what he had become himself not too long before.

Sighing Trevor stood and went to put away the book, overhearing Tommy talking to himself which made the lupine mutant pause for a moment, unable to hold back a remark. "Maybe if you actually sleep you won't doze off." He said, though his voice seemed a little strained as if he was struggling with something, which he was- his bitter anger and sadness of his thoughts a few moments ago. He hadn't meant to sound harsh towards Tommy but it had just come out on it's own.

[Thomas Shepard]

“Sometimes I can’t help it.” Tommy retorted as he heard a voice behind him. He turned to see Trevor Montez behind him, he was aware of the mutant’s ability to transform into a wolf. But he sounded downright rude to him. “And no offense but that was a bit rude.” He said not meaning to tell the truth about some of his nights while sleeping. He did have a few memories of his past as nightmares, but it was rare. The humans that treated him wrongly were still locked away in his unconscious mind, which didn’t let him fall asleep that easily too. And so, he joined the x-Men when they released him from the jail.

He sighed as he returned to his work wondering if he had made a mistake. Well he did have quick intellect that could change his chances if the two got into a fight. It wasn’t rare for him to get into a fight being that he was bullied several times in high school. And at one point he accidently set off his powers, vaporizing a part of the school. That was the part that had crossed the line for the staff and others as they put him in jail.

[Trevor Montez]

"Sorry, I didn't mean for it to sound that way." Trevor apologized as he sighed, coming to one of the shelves as he placed the book back where he had found it. He had to admit himself that it had been pretty rude and had no right in sounding so rude towards a fellow student, but sometimes Trevor couldn't help it when he was frustrated and upset. In fact there had been no real need for his attitude these days, having found no real way to vent his anger and bitterness into something more productive.

No, instead he bottled it up until it nearly consumed him to the point he was on the verge of a feral rampage. Visibly shuddering at the thought he quickly pushed it back once more before looking at Thomas,"Look I'm not trying to start anything, just not exactly one of the nicest guys in the mansion."He said as he looked at the speedster mutant and just tried to be calm now. The last thing he wanted was to get into an unnecessary fight, especially in the library where others were at risk.

[Thomas Shepard]

Tommy sighed as he looked back at Trevor, the way that he had spoken to him earlier sounded a bit harsh, the nights hadn’t been easy since he had classes in and out through the day giving him about a few hour intervals but he had been managing to keep his grades up to about a B and C range, which meant he wasn’t failing. “Alright I’m sorry as well. But I understand, I got in a lot of fights when I was in high school, it wasn’t pleasant. It got so bad I was sent into a detention center where they worked on me to try and use me as a weapon. But I think we can get a long.” Tommy said realizing he was talking a bit fast again, like the excitement that he still had in him was still there. Trevor’s comments hadn’t diminished them one bit.

“The name is Thomas or ‘Tommy’ Shepard. My code name is Speed.” He said offering a hand to Trevor if the two were to shake. He wasn’t entirely sure on what Trevor would do, but he remained calm. If he didn’t want to shake, he would respect that and remain silent.

[Trevor Montez]

"Sounds better then what I went through, I never really went to school just mainly learned on my own until I got here. But none the less nice to meet you I guess." Trevor said, shaking Tommy's hand, even though he normally didn't do things like this and normally turned down a hand shake. But he did it this time to show he had no hard feelings towards Tommy, nor that he really was rude as he had sounded. He would just have to get use to students since he would be with a lot of them.

"The name's Trevor Montez, my code name is Shadow Stalker." He added, "But I am assuming you have super speed or something like that as a power?"He asked as he then crossed his arms, raising his eye brows quizzically. But his dark eyes weren't the usual penetrating look he could give, which was worse when he became his werewolf form.

[Thomas Shepard]

“It’s nice to meet you.” Tommy said as he put his hand back down at his side once Trevor and he were done shaking hands. He wondered how bad Trevor’s life had been, but didn’t bring it up knowing that he would probably not be happy about it. Many people were like that where they would rather put their past behind.

“Yes my code name is pretty obvious most of the time, I have super speed as my main power, but I can also become intangible and use molecular destabilization as sub powers. They can be rather useful in battles but in the past I had only thought they were bringing me down, especially the molecular destabilization, it is such a strong force.” Speed said with a sigh as he didn’t want to think about those days. “But what are your powers? I don’t really have an idea on what yours are.” Tommy asked, knowing that his code name like his own hadn’t been as easy of a giveaway as his own powers were.

[Trevor Montez]

"Interesting, and my power is primarily lycanthropy. I can become a humanoid werewolf and my subpowers include enhanced durability and strength in that form, though I also have enhanced senses and a healing factor." Trevor explained to Tommy not knowing what he would really think about it. He wasn't particularly proud of what he could become, in fact he felt he was nothing but a wild animal just waiting to be let out, a caged beast that could take over at any time if he never relented the anger.

Looking towards one of the library shelves for a moment he sighed,"But I'm not too proud of my powers I will just say that. Sometimes I wish I had been depowered during M-day instead of remaining a monster."He said sounding a little bitter towards what he had become and frowned slightly, starting to feel that the school hadn't really helped him much either.

[Thomas Shepard]

“That’s cool; it’s certainly a different power. Maybe you could get along with Logan? He’s pretty much a loner and enjoys peace and quiet.” He offered as he realized that their powers were similar in a way. But he wasn’t about to push Trevor into that idea. If he wanted to be left alone, then he would leave him at that. But he also understood, many of the mutants here had wanted their powers to be deactivated during M-Day so they could live a normal life.

“I understand, but I don’t think I would want to lose my powers, my family is well known for mutant powers and I don’t want to think of what would happen if I did lose them, and of how they would think of me.” Tommy said as he let out a sigh as he watched Trevor as he looked away. He felt as if an awkward silence was becoming between the two of them. It was rare for him to stop talking, he was incredibly social and even to those who had preferred silence, and he could find a conversation to talk with them. Maybe that was how he managed to befriend Kimi? Or was it something else? He was thinking it may have been a bit of the two options. Whatever the second one was, he wasn’t entirely sure yet. Of course he wasn’t going to be surprised if someone found him annoying, there was certainly a chance for that.

[Trevor Montez]

"I never knew my family history, I had a drunk abusive father and a kind mother who couldn't get out, besides that I never discovered if it was by chance I was just a mutant or if it runs in the family. If you could call it that."Trevor said as he looked back at Tommy, showing some indifference towards the subject while hiding the true feelings he had. The subject of family was always touchy with him, in fact he never felt he had ever been part of a true family save for his now deceased mother and sister, mainly from his doing. It just made him want to avoid such close contact such as having friends, primarily from the agression he tended to go into.

After a moment of more silence Trevor sighed,"Look I'll just put it simple I hate my mutant abilities mainly due to how aggressive I can get, it mainly why I'm a loner. As for meeting Wolverine I think I'll let fate decide that because I hear he's nit one you particularly annoy."He said to Tommy, trying not to be rude but just explain why he didn't like being a mutant much. One it was helpful and made someone unique but somewhere better then others and Trevor would have preferred any power over what he was now.

[Thomas Shepard]

“It was just a suggestion but if you’re fine with that then so be it.” Tommy said with a sigh after he let Trevor finish, he wasn’t trying to sound mean but he wasn’t going to push Trevor any further. From the sounds of things he was certainly a loner from what he had said. Tommy who was probably a bit more social would get along with just about anyone, or at least attempt to make friends or even speak once with them every once in awhile. In fact it was very recently that he had brought Kimi to the mansion, who was a shy one.

But after hearing Trevor’s story he wasn’t really sure what to say now. He felt bad for him and understood, knowing a lot of other kids had probably wanted their powers to be gone as well. But he wasn’t sure if anyone else in his family had wanted the same thing. He knew that his uncle probably didn’t want to lose them. But he had no idea on the rest of his family. “I understand about wanting to lose your powers though, sometimes we’re not always fond of them, or what we do with them.”

[Trevor Montez]

Trevor nodded, agreeing with what Tommy said about wanting to be rid of his powers. Or at least he wanted to have control of himself, to not lose to his feral instincts that he couldn't seem to hold back. Maybe he might have been wanting too much in wanting his powers gone completely and possibly overreacting to what should have been a gift. That's what the school tried to teach them isn't it? But to some it was more like a curse then something of a gift which was why it made it so difficult.

"Guess the most I can do is watch myself from now on, keep myself in check is all Tommy."He said before turning to face the speedster more,"And I am sorry for coming off as rude to you from the beginning, we all have our bad days and just happen to be one of them."He added and gave his fellow student a thoughtful look.

[Thomas Shepard]

"It's alright, it happens Trevor." Tommy said smiling a bit glad to see that Trevor was in a better mood from the way he sounded and look. He wondered at this point if it was best to avoid the conversation or move onto something else. He figured it would help make Trevor feel better at this point.

"Since we're both students at this point it looks like there's a chance we might have classes together. That'd be cool." He said not even caring at this point if he was running his mouth again. He tended to talk a lot more than he should have in many cases. The only person who seemed to keep up with him was his uncle, well for obvious reasons of his own quick intellect.

[Trevor Montez]

"Probably, if we do I've never really noticed since I sometimes have the tendency to not always listen sadly. I do my work but think my worst subject right now is literature, which to be honest was never a favorite." Trevor said as he leaned against the book case near him as they talked. But he didn't really mind with Tommy likely running his mouth, he was quite use to a lot of people doing nothing but talk and he had come to know some just liked to hear themselves talk. Not that he was saying Tommy was one of those people.

Talking like this though wasn't something Trevor did often and any time was always an effort to socialize. Unfortunately unlike most of his fellow students he wasn't a social butterfly which he knew some people talked behind his back about it but he always put it aside since it really didn't do any harm.