fwoosh.

"Oooooh, that's an interesting one. Let me think about that for a moment.

So... I guess the pros are pretty obvious, right? I get to teleport, that's pretty damn useful. It doesn't really mean that I can be lazy, because warping somewhere can actually be more draining than if I had just walked. But it sure is faster, and technically it means I don't have to worry about locked doors and such. And I suppose if I had better control over it, it'd also be highly useful in combat. Not just as an ambush tactic, but also defensively, right? Nothing can hit you if you manage to just teleport out of the way.

The cons... I would say the biggest one is that people simply don't quite appreciate it. For some reason, nobody's ever happy if you just appear in front of them out of thin air. Either they feel their privacy has been violated or they're just startled and blame you for it... I don't know, it doesn't seem to be a mutation that makes people like you any better. And also, I tend to get a bit dizzy if I use it too much too fast. I'm sure that'll get better with more training, but well, teleportation does fuck with your sense of balance."

“Manners. You may have found a place to rest, but there are still doors that you just don’t walk through without invitation.” Some were a glutton for pain. He identified with so many of them. Maybe Rhys was just out seeking to get his fill. Elizander approaches. He was slow. The psionic construct radiant with pure energy originating from thought. It’s structure casting a gentle light upon Zandy’s body as he sinks to his side. The fine point still angled at him. “Hmm. I don’t think your compliment will get you out of the thick of it.” Since they were going to play games, Zandy just toys with him. Butterflies began to flutter. First they seemed to dance from the flooring, and they began to sway around the room. It was the easiest distraction in the book. His gaze hardened as he grinned. The placement of the dagger was also used to be a decoy. It rests just beneath the line of his thong to lure his attention. When he anticipated Rhys’ slip, he lunged for the mutant. 

Was he a glutton for pain? It was an interesting observation, a theory that Rhys probably had not even considered himself. In a way, his behaviour certainly was somewhat self-destructive. It was by far not the first time his recklessness had gotten him in trouble, and even though he usually tried to back out of danger when he got too deep into a mess... he still kept doing things like this, again and again. Poking the bear, stoking the flame. Maybe he actually was seeking out the trouble, maybe he wasn’t just risking to get hurt, but actively encouraging it. “I complimented you, I apologized... What more do you want?”, Rhys asked with a frown, swallowing as he felt slight traces of sweat forming on his forehead. He was getting nervous, that much was clear. “What are...” He wasn’t even sure where to look. The placement of the dagger was of course drawing his eyes, and yet the butterflies also diverted his attention. Rhys was so focused on them, he expected anything, but not the other man suddenly lunging at him. “Woah!” Part of him startled, his body instinctively trying to teleport ouf of danger, though his lack of control didn’t make it quite work as intended. Instead, he appeared to blink out of the room for barely a moment, just a split second before reappearing in the exact same spot, arms raised in front of his face for protection.

“Oh you’re trying to be smooth, huh? You’re lucky you’re cute,” he shook his head and laughed, giving the other boy a once over and wondered if it would be so awful to wake up to that face. And then he was mortified for a moment, as he narrowed his eyes, “You’re joking, aren’t you! You haven’t actually teleported into someone’s shower, have you? That’s.. I mean if they want you there, that’s a ton of fun.. but..” he had to admit it was nice to have a fellow teleporter around, even if they did it so, so differently. He had to go through Hell.  “So what brings you to my room? Truly just checking in on me?”

“I*m not trying. I’m being smooth.” Rhys had to laugh at his own words; he wasn’t seriously that pretentious, though he couldn’t help but smirk at being called cute. Compliments and flattery never failed to stroke his ego. “You’re not too bad looking yourself”, he mused with an arched brow, before his face turned into a grimace of amusement and disbelief. “Of course I’m joking! I’m bold, but I’m not that much of a creep to knowingly sneak up on people naked without consent. Not my style. But yes, if I am invited there - ton of fun indeed.” The thought made him grin, and Rhys had to mentally remind himself to not let his thoughts drift off into all too indecent territory. “Uuuh, well, that’s part of it. I was bored.” Biting his lip, he brought himself to continue speaking. “But I also was wondering if you had any advice. I’m struggling a bit with... precision. I know your powers work differently, but do you ever just... end up not quite where you want to go? Last night for example, I thought I’d be really smart and teleport right from the shower into bed after drying off. Except I missed it by like five feet and landed hard on the ground. Not funny.”

One of the cons of being housed in one wing. Zandy groaned. His gaze was hard. His brows lower as he watched Rhys closely now. It was like stalking prey. One wrong move, even a teleport, and that ass was going to know why Zandy left his targets with pink and purple floaters. The dagger was ready to be recalled and dispersed into small fragments of bonds and pure psions. His grip loosened. The more he spoke, the more Zandy was ready to follow through. A little stab wouldn’t hurt that much. The simple dagger began to spark with more energy until it was less in a uniform shape and more as a bladed glaive. “When they gave us our own rooms, it was meant as a space for only us. I don’t share my personal space. You’ll have to watch someone else dress and undress. Hell, you can go rent something adult and get the same value. Would also help you not wake up from a forced nap.” 

As much as Rhys liked a thrill, at times getting closer to danger than would’ve been wise for him, he wasn’t so oblivious as not to notice the threat in the other’s glare. Gosh, people in this place were tense, and the teleporter was still not quite used to that. He was quite the opposite, often taking things a bit too lightly, and while he knew that was sometimes not appreciated - especially by the teachers - he wasn’t quite used to a reaction like this. “Calm down, relaaax... Take a breath! I’m joking”, he insisted, as if his cheeky and blunt words had been obviously not meant to be taken seriously. Of course in reality, Rhys wouldn’t have complained if the other had indeed followed through with undressing in front of him. “I don’t think some random adult film can quite live up to you”, he responded with a wink, cautiously backing up in case the compliment was not received well either. “Really though, I don’t mind leaving again, but hey, I didn’t mean to get you this mad. I’m sorry, alright?”

“Nice meeting you too, Rhys.”

James offered a firm shake before he withdrew his hand. He smiled, suspected the man might not know who he actually was. He shouldn’t be surprised, ever since the first time the Phoenix force merged with him, his ageing has slowed down. The change was subtle at first, but as time went on, it became more noticeable. One might guess he could be a teaching assistance, but he doubted any stranger would have guessed that he was once the co-headmaster of the school.

“Booking schedule for our next hang out already, huh?” James lifted a brow, amused. “And to answer your question, I am unpacking.” He said, “So you have seem me around? Oh, probably when Scott and…some of the staffs took me in.” He was quiet for a second, realised how his chest got heavier when he mentioned the name.

“So, Rhys. Tell me, how are you finding the school? Favorited teacher?” He asked, curious of what the younger generation thought of the school.” 

It was smalltalk - a pleasantry Rhys didn’t quite suspect to be uncovered as such so easily. Had he actually seen James around the place? Sure. Probably. Maybe? The honest truth was, there were many handsome faces around, and the ones he hadn’t actually gotten acquainted with yet began to blur after a while. Rhys’s attention span wasn’t the best, so he resorted to assumptions, and in this case James was probably just any other person, maybe even a student.

“Of course, gotta keep a tight schedule, right? Or am I leaving such a bad first impression that you already decided never to hang out with me again?”, he asked with feigned shock, a pout on his lips and a raised eyebrow, before nodding with a nervous grin at the other’s words. “Yeah...! Yup, I’m pretty sure that was it”, he claimed. “Well, I do have mixed feeling. This whole thing’s cool, of course, but... I’m not exactly made for school. I thought I was done with that until I came here. The teachers are pretty much all quite decent, honestly. It’s just, I’m not made for theory. I learn better by doing.”

"Well, that question is tough to answer in multiple ways. On the one hand, it feels almost like torture to make me try and narrow this down to just three names. Have you seen the men around this place? And on the other hand, a lot of these men happen to be my teachers whose patience I probably stretch rather far most days. Sooo... kinda inappropriate? Good thing I never really care about that.

I guess Emmet is pretty hot. Mr. Frost, I mean. Depending how strict he wants to be with me. Pretty sure that's no surprise to him though, with the things that have been going through my mind in class. Mr. Darkholme is hot as well but, I mean, kinda intimidating if you know what I mean, eh? So maybe don't let him hear about it. Unless he approves, in which case, hey, go ahead and tell him.

And lastly... God, there's way too many. But hey, a birdie told me this guy James I met the other day was asked the same thing and named me, so definitely gotta return the favor there. He's handsome as hell.

By the way, if anybody feels offended by not being on the list... Hit me up, I'm sure we can get you up there, hehe!"

Teleporters- they were often a figment of confusion and intrigue during many aspects of combat or strategy. Now fighting or working alongside them were incredibly reassuring. The contradiction of that statement was when it applied to personal space or a split moment to recollect his own thoughts. The voice drew his attention first. He double-takes, drawing a psionic dagger, ready to throw it if the need arose. He may not have been decently clothed, but he’d be caught in a tattered cloth. His brow vexes, drawing them closer. “I was and am.” Zandy draws his blade to his side. Caution still on his side. “May I assist you? If you need the Locker Room, I will gladly give it over.” 

Confusion certainly was more applicable of a term than strategy when it came to Ambush’s style, to the frustration of some that had tried training or mentoring him so far. Causing a commotion was much more fun to Rhys than sneaking around, and he applied that same mentality to the more casual use of his power. Why be stealthy when he could just pop by somebody else’s room for a visit? Okay, maybe to avoid getting stabbed, as he noted the other’s reaction with a raised brow. “Woah, calm down, I come in peace.” Chuckling, he looked the other over, shaking his head. “Oh, no need. Sharing is caring, right? No reason we can’t both be using the room. Or I can just stand here, wait and watch you.” His words sounded probably like a joke, though it likely wasn’t easy to tell, with Rhys’s tone constantly rather playful and teasing than serious.

James was no stranger to the fact that some people could just fwoosh into anyone’s room in any time in this manor. But the moment he heard the sound, he almost whispered out a name in response, like a reflex. Kurt. Good thing his eyes caught the man before he embarrassed himself. The man before him certainly had no blue skin.

“…You did not. But I will advice you to think thrice next time before you teleport into my room, uninvited.” Despite his words, James had a gentle smile on his face, sat on the ground and surrounded by half-opened boxes. “And yes, I am in the middle of something.” James gestured toward the boxes. He certainly didn’t realise how much things he has piled up here. But then again…He has lived in this manor for pretty much his entire life.

“I don’t believe we have met?” James hopped onto his feet and wiped his hands against his jeans, his smile widened, extended his right hand for a friendly shake. “I am James.”

Having been at this place for a shorter time than most people here, Rhys appreciated that he always had the convenient excuse of having taken a wrong turn or something if he ever teleported into the middle of somewhere where he wasn’t welcome. However, the truth of the matter of course was that he didn’t quite worry about where he’d end up or whether his company was welcomed - Rhys was an impulsive person, and his usage of his powers was much the same.

At this point, Illyana is accustomed to people barging in and not really getting the privacy that one might need, but it was always still a startling moment when there was just suddenly someone standing there, causing him to jump a moment later and toss something at Rhys. “You!” He started, waving a hand at the other, “What if I had of been? What if I had of been blissfully dreaming something and you ruined all of it..” he teased, sitting back down on the edge of his bed, dressed in just a pair of loose, drawstring linen pants that were more for comfort than style. 

Rhys figured if anybody were to have some patience and understanding for his power, it was going to be Illyana - of course it wasn’t quite the same, but still, surely the other had empathy for the trials and tribulations that teleportation could bring. Even though blinking himself into other people’s rooms whenever he was too lazy to wander throught he Academy wasn’t quite as cool as switching dimensions or whatever it was the blonde did. “If you had been dreaming, what’s more blissful than waking up to the view of my pretty face?”, he grinned, looking the other over with a smile. “Be glad I didn’t barge in on you under the shower. Unless you would’ve preferred that”, he added with a grin. Some might say Rhys had a tendency not to take things serious enough at times, but at least he was always fun.