Welcome to Gaia! ::

BANG!.. BANG BANG! The shots rang and reverberated off the walls of the firing range. The scent of gunpowder rose into the air, one that Cam let stay there. He tended to keep most smells away from him by pushing them away with his oxygen manipulation, however to him, gunpowder smelled really good.

clang, tang.. clang ting ting tang. The casings danced on the ground at his feet. The brass hot with new black markings blasted into them, the light reflecting off of only small bits that were untouched by the powder.

Seven more shots fired off, in controlled sequences, with brass falling in the previous fashion. Slinging his rifle, he moved over to the computer and pulled up the target indicator. All center mass. Not as tight of a shot group as he hoped for, but enough to be alright with given the time it's been since he last shot.

Reloading his AR, he moved over to the multi target range. Slapping the button, he started moving forward. Leveling his rifle he popped two shots into two targets that popped up and shifted down the lane, popping off rounds at targets as they came into sight. After he fired off the final rounds he slung his rifle back and drew his handgun.

Slowly walking, he emptied two rounds into each of the targets. Two pings ringing out indicating he had hit their mark. lucking the charging handle back on both weapons, he exited the range got a cleaning kit and started taking apart the weapon.

Looking at the results of his target practice, it was the same old pattern. Fantastic marksmanship with the rifle, and not so great grouping with the handgun. While he managed to hit the targets with the handgun, if the target was moving, he would probably have only made a bit over half the shots.

Cam was deep in thought cleaning the weapons. He had been getting a lot of looks from his fellow Omegas, Narcissa in particular, more than likely due in part because he had been hanging out with Bella over the last couple of months since he had joined the X-Men.


OOC::

Roland Anton Chevalier
Location: Gym
Thoughts: Double Trouble

The big guy got himself up and off to the gym, as part of his normal routine. Throwing on a tank top and a pair of gym shorts, he trudged over to the gym which was looking quite lively. Plenty of people around all trying to alleviate, in some way or another, the cabin fever that had now begun to sink in with the X-Men. Two months cooped up, even in a massive facility like this bunker, could leave anyone feeling a bit stir-crazy. Roland was certainly no exception to that, he’d been raised in open sky and the hustle and bustle of the Big Easy. Where he could hitch a ride out into the swamps in a matter of hours. The brute stretched out a bit, as he got himself prepared to start. A light workout for the big guy, a few miles on the treadmill and some light weightlifting to take the soreness out. He put in a good workout yesterday, pulling a 300 pound deadlift set. He even managed to get a 400 pound lift, pushing himself to the limit on that one. So he didn’t want to kill himself this time around.

But before he could get started, he was intercepted by Aurelie and Isabella who wanted to work with him on some hand to hand techniques. He listed out a few holds and submissions they might want to work on and the telekinetic was thinking along the idea of something simple. He cracked a smile and said to her, giving her a once over “I’m guessing you used to dance? Don’t want to come across as being weird when I say, but you have the body type.” nodding at her he continued.

“In truth, a fighter can learn a lot from a dancer. And vice-versa. Footwork, balance, breathing, these are things fighters pick up from dancers all the time. Some people consider boxing and ballet to be closely connected, as both are taxing on the body, beyond the punching of course. Ever heard Muhammad Ali’s famous line “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee”? He wasn’t just being egotistical there. With a few tips and tricks you could be doing some pretty heavy hitting.” he chuckled when she brought up that she often puts threats in a bubble, “Solid idea, but you can’t always rely on that. Plus, learning to fight might give you an edge with your ability.”

Isabella seemed to agree, but also added in the idea of an armbar, to which he smirked, “Ok then, some pressure points, then we work on an armbar. Though I may want to show Aurelie some clinch work. Armbars are a good idea, but not every instance of hand to hand involves ground fighting.” he stood there on the mat, getting ready to start their training. This all came to a halt when another Isabella appeared behind him. Turning to face her, he was surprised… and a tad confused.

“If I didn’t know any better, or had been day drinking, I’d say one of you…” he started, raising a finger pointing towards the two Colombian women, “One of you is Isabella, and one of you is Katerina.” The Isabella that approached them asked for her things back, and requested that the other shift back to normal, while the Isabella he was going to work with doubled down, insisting that she was the genuine article. He took a moment to process the situation, realizing that there had to be a way of resolving the situation.

And just like that, with a snap of his finger, he had an idea.

“Wait. Before we get into a shouting match, because I can imagine a shouting match doing hell to my eardrum, I think I have a way out of this.” he said, extending a hand out to both of the Isabella’s before asking “Katerina’s ability is just to shapeshift, right? She can’t duplicate powers, right?”

“So Isabella, the real Isabella, could put a sound wave through my body and Katerina wouldn’t be able to. So, let’s put this to the test.” his hands were extended, fingers gently dancing in the air. “Feel free to grab at the wrist.” he offered. He didn’t want to make this any weirder than it already was.

The Isabella that appeared from behind appeared to be hesitant to do such a thing. It could be indicative of either a reluctance to accidentally harm him, or a fear of being outed. She eventually let her concern go, after a gentle nod from the big guy. What followed next, after she took a deep breath, can only be described as the result of standing next to a massive subwoofer during a concert. A massive bass drop reverberated through his entire body, starting from his wrist, floating through his chest, making his heart skip a beat, and went through to the other side. His breath shuddered for a moment, and he turned towards Aurelie and the now revealed Kat. Golden eyes flickering with a bit of intensity, he looked at her intently.

“Please return whatever it was that you took Katerina.” he asked. His stance was now careful, preparing himself for what may come next. If she refused, it was going to get interesting.

Finally.

OOC: Lemme know of any problems! Auto'd Bella with permission.

A fire needs a space to b u r nxxxxxxxx
A breath to build a glow,xx
I've heard it said a thousand times,xxxxxxxxxxx
but now I knowxxxxx

That you don't know what you've got
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
U n t i l it's gonexxxxx

I thought I kept you safe and soundxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I thought I made you strongxxxxxxxx
But something made me realizexxxxxx
That I was wrongxxxxxxxxxxxx



August had been spending a lot of his time, like usual, in the garage. It wasn’t like there was anything that needed to be fixed, but there was a lot of organizing that needed to be done. He floated around the room, pushing himself from one shelf to another has pieces followed around him. He organized the tool boxes, made sure all the shop towels were as clean as they ever could be, checked to make sure that there was enough oil and other essential fluids in stock.

By the time he was finished, the shop looked almost like it was untouched. The floor could have been eaten off of, if concrete wasn’t so porous. He scrubbed his hands clean with pumice, using a brush to get under his nails. It wasn’t as bad as usual, but he still had a few spots that were probably permanent, and would take years of never touching an engine to get rid of. He dried his hands, tossing the disposable towel in the trash before leaving the garage. The lights went out as he left.

August’s hands went to his stomach when he felt the familiar twist of hunger start to set in. He couldn’t remember if he had anything but coffee and Redbull for breakfast. Chance were that he probably hadn’t had real food in at least eighteen hours. So, the first place he needed to go before going to lie down for a nap was the kitchen. He turned in the right direction, arms dropping to his sides and away from his stomach.

What he wasn’t expecting was walking in on a murder scene when he entered the kitchen. He almost backed out of the room when one unknown substance dropped from the ceiling with a plop. August’s eyes followed the substance that looked more like a science experiment than food, up to the source on the ceiling.

“What in sweet baby Jesus happened in here?” He hadn’t seen a kitchen in a mess like this in a long time. Not since him and his cousins tried to cook dinner for their parents when the oldest of the eight of them was ten years old. His eyes went from the two omega girls in the room and his own teammate. “Gabe… Don’t tell me you had somethin’ to do with this?”

There were so many questions. Why was there goop on the ceiling? What were they even trying to make? What smelled like burned plastic? Compared to the kitchen right now, the garage was definitely a safer environment to eat in. He moved through the room, avoiding messes on the floor to keep from ruining his shoes as he opened the fridge, searching the insides for anything more edible than what was scattered across the counters.




'Cause finding what you got sometimes
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
means finding it alone



xx

"And to be fair," he reminded with a smirk from his seated position on the floor, starting to wake up a little and ease into the situation a little more, "you scared me. So I'd say that would make us even, no?"

"Alright," he conceded as he wasn't really here to argue about the matter of whether he'd overreacted or not, "I freaked out a lot. But either way it definitely could have been a lot worse than it ended up."

At least he hadn't swatted her away like a fly or rolled over and slammed her through the mattress or who knew how many other scenarios he could have come up with in his mind.

"I'd say me falling out of bed," he decided to add matter-of-factly, "was one of the more fortunate scenarios this situation could have concluded in."

When she informed him it wasn't as if she hadn't hit her head on plenty of ceilings before this, he was tempted to ask if she frequently invaded other unsuspecting people's beds without permission. Lachlan thought better of actually acting on the impulse, however. He didn't necessarily want to hear the response to his question since he was almost certain he already knew the answer. Nor did he wish to compare whether others had panicked like he had or not. Albeit flustered, he'd recovered relatively well from the fact he'd nearly flipped the bed over in a brief moment of panic.

Eden took it upon herself to inform him that he'd slept like a rock all night, causing the super strong mutant to briefly close his eyes and sigh in relief. He didn't, however, wish to give the wrong impression by accidentally justifying or encouraging her behaviour so he was quick to respond. "I'm an inconsistent sleeper. Some nights I'm still as a statue and others I toss and turn."

Lachlan, ever the gentleman but one hundred percent ignorant to Eden's predicament when it came to sleeping, pleasantly offered the girl his bed upon seeing she was still seeking shut eye. "You're free to stay in bed if you need more sleep, I didn't mean to wake you up and I'm certainly not going to force you to leave this early in the morning. I just know I personally won't be able to fall back asleep, I'll be too stressed out."

No wonder he'd never had a girlfriend. Most guys who had a pretty girl like Eden plop in their bed would be jumping at the opportunity to have a snuggle buddy. Most of them, however, didn't have to worry about crushing someone into nothingness in the middle of their sleep either. He'd already resigned himself to the fact he was probably going to be single for life. It was a semi-depressing notion but it was a far better alternative to accidentally killing or maiming the person he loved most.

"Eden," he explained sternly, all humour and boyishness vacating his countenance momentarily as he divulged to her one of the biggest reasons why he was the way he was, "I put someone in a wheel chair. I damned near snapped her in half, all because I wasn't able to control my own strength. This isn't a joke or a game to me. I've already done permanent damage to more people than I'd like and the last thing I want to do is add to the list."

"You're right," the gentleness had already returned to soften his features to what they'd formerly been, "people here aren't helpless. But that doesn't mean I'm incapable of hurting them. Yes, there's an amazing med bay here, I just want to make sure I don't do any irreparable damage. In my sleep I have zero control over my reflexes and impulses, it's one of my most dangerous states because my conscious isn't there as a safety measure."

When Eden insisted she felt he was where he needed to be and that there were plenty of resources available if he did have an incident, it did help to ease him slightly. The gesture hadn't gone unnoticed by the super strong mutant and he appreciated the fact that she felt he belonged here and the fact she cared enough to let him know definitely made for a better start to the day than he had. "Thanks, Eden. I'm glad there are people besides myself who manage to have a bit of faith in me."

Lachlan couldn't say he'd hung out with Eden quite enough yet to be fully accustomed to her strange mannerisms regarding her mutation. It wasn't every day that he conversed with someone casually floating mid air as if it was an every day occurrence. All the same, though, it was a part of many qualities that served to make her unique and he definitely wouldn't change a thing about her. Sure, he could have done without the random bed visitation but at least it kept his otherwise relatively mediocre life a little more unpredictable. He could appreciate that at the very least.

Upon being asked about breakfast, Lachlan merely shrugged his shoulders and offered a care-free smile. "What would you like for breakfast? Do you want to grab something quick from the kitchen or would you prefer it if I made you something? I'm not a gourmet chef but my mother saw to it that I have some semblance of competence in the kitchen."

Lachlan couldn't exactly say yoga was something he'd ever taken interest in or attempted. It was supposed to be a calming and graceful exercise and considering his build and lack of grace, well, it just didn't seem like an activity he'd fit into well. Despite that fact, however, it wouldn't stop him from trying to be open minded and spending some time with his friend. At the very least she would probably enjoy it, especially if she got to make fun of him the entire time for looking like a goof. "Can't say I've ever tried it but I suppose there's a first time for everything, right?"

Either way, whether he prepared something or they just grabbed something quickly, they had to make their way to the kitchen so the gentle giant was quick to rise and freshen himself up before making an appearance outside his room. A quick brush of his bed head, a fresh pair of clothes and an equally as quick brushing of his teeth assured the farm boy he was ready for the day. Likewise he'd allowed Eden the same courtesy, allowing her to use the washroom to freshen up if she so pleased.

It wasn't long before the two of them made their way down the hall to the kitchen only to find a disaster that looked akin to a crime scene and four possible suspects behind the mess. He was almost hesitant to make his way inside at first, realizing they'd made an obstacle course out of the place. "Dare I ask," he asked no one in particular all the while steering clear of anything that might melt his shoes or otherwise vaporize him, "if someone was murdered here?"

Location: Pool

Farren continued her regiment without so much as a blink despite another presence making itself known in the pool. Sure, she could have abruptly halted her laps to take a brief moment to say hi but she was the kind of person who didn't like stopping halfway through a task. She liked to assure her objective was completed before moving onto something else and preferred not to impede herself from getting there as efficiently as possible. It wasn't anything personal toward this new stranger, simply her own dedicated fighter mentality at work.

She became well aware that she was being observed as the other woman descended to the bottom of the pool, making no effort to hide the fact. While some might have been unnerved by the unorthodox gesture, Farren simply continued about her business as if the woman wasn't even there. It wasn't exactly like she was able to make conversation with someone submerged beneath the water anyway.

While solitude was certainly preferred in an instance such as this where she was training, she certainly wasn't going to play the big bad b***h and ask someone to leave simply because of her preferences. This wasn't some private VIP area she'd reserved for herself because she was a snob and she certainly wasn't a bully either. She'd passed kindergarten, she was capable of sharing. Of course, sharing for her was situationally dependent but she didn't suspect this stranger was about to breach those boundaries here.

Once satisfying herself with her set number of laps, Farren eased up and actually made an effort to acknowledge the other girl's presence although she wasn't even one hundred percent certain she wanted to be disturbed. She chose to remain fairly unobtrusive, merely offering a wave and faint smile from the surface as a gesture of good will while the other woman remained beneath the water's surface.

She purposely swam to a shallower portion of the pool in order to change her originally constructed routine in the event the other pool occupant wished to strike up a conversation or make an introduction. While her focus may have given the impression that Farren was anti-social, she was really anything but. She enjoyed meeting new people and getting to know others, just not when she was busy trying to accomplish a task, even if it was something she could easily multi-task during. She didn't like putting a half-assed effort into the things she took pride in, even the things she didn't.

As opposed to doing breath training underneath the water as she'd originally planned, Farren decided to go with some resistance training. She decided to place some simple punches and kicks beneath the water's surface. The resistance would help her strengthen herself outside of the water, not to mention it forced her to have good form so her momentum didn't end up sweeping her away into the water. It served a dual purpose of sorts and was sufficient enough to justify passing the time with. Not to mention it gave her the opportunity to chat with the newcomer if the woman chose to oblige since she wouldn't have to interrupt her routine in the middle of speaking.

Of course, she honestly had no idea whether the woman even wanted to talk or not but Farren was always the type to offer the option. She liked to be open with others and seem approachable, contrary to how intense she could come off while training.

Speaking of intense, though, the fact the woman had chosen to stare at her from the bottom of the pool seemed a tad unorthodox to Farren. She wasn't certain if the stare was meant to be a challenge or simply a gesture to let her know she was there. Perhaps she was shy and wasn't sure how to approach her given she'd possibly come off as cold herself? Or maybe she was hoping to unnerve Farren in the event she would leave. Overthinking it was pointless in the end, a person's actions could be misinterpreted all too easily. It was best to allow time to tell her exactly what this other woman was all about.

Instead, she focused on her stance along with her punches and kicks. The last thing she wanted to do was lose her balance in front of someone watching her. Of course, she was no stranger to pressure or being observed. She'd competed in plenty of tournaments, fought many competitors and fought under the pressure of being expected to win. A single observer wasn't about to throw her off the game she knew how to play best.

Perhaps her swimming had been somewhat sloppy but there was absolutely nothing sloppy about her form as she made her jabs underneath the water and applied her kicks in for combinations. All of it synchronized and weaved together perfectly as if she'd choreographed a dance routine. Her actions were bold, aggressive and yet she managed carry herself with deadly grace and precision. She was fierce yet controlled in the same heart beat.

Omega, Topside with Narcissa




He hadn’t missed the roll of her eyes when he stated he was alright. “I mean, that’s public knowledge after a tabloid got a hold of my registration… so it’s verifiable. Not all Texans are right wing nuts.” He assured her. “The way they have areas zoned are specifically set so that each region has more registered republicans than democrats. Austin is one of the most liberal cities in America, but because of how the lines are drawn, they never see a democrat in office.” Like hell his father and the rest of his compatriots were going to let the Lone Star state be ruled by blues; they’d made sure of that. He didn’t bother to comment further on her generalizations; considering she hadn’t sounded malicious, he didn’t deem it worth correcting.

Blake shrugged off the notion that she had gotten a rise out of him. “There’s a lot of literature that sets us apart from the animals you compare the human race to.” Blake said. “Not everything revolves around sex. And yes, healthy relationships have that, but it’s only one component of something far more complex.” He sighed then, shaking his head as he thought about it. “If my troubles began and ended with that, I’d have been over this minutes after I realized she didn’t feel the same way. Not having sex isn’t the end of the world.” The fact that she’d never seen him as something more than what he was, had been what bothered him.

Trying to get the red queen to understand what Bella meant to him was both hard and easy at the same time. Bella simply epitomized everything that could be considered good in the world, but was also more that no words could ever rightly describe. “Do you?” He asked, tilting his head as he actually wondered if Narcissa could see Isabella as more than her enemy.

Deciding to get her to see it from another angle, Blake compared the Alpha leader to Narcissa’s favorite Native American. Though he couldn’t have known the depth of what Aren really was to the blond, he watched as she bristled, her eyes as frigid as the permafrost around them. Even if she didn’t see the size shifter as a romantic partner, her sudden, inaudible defense told him that the friendship between the two of them was something precious. Narcissa’s response sounded clinical, detached when she said she kept the native around because he was useful, and nothing more. Blake might have argued, but she shifted the focus back to him, stating that there was no blame to be had for how he felt.

It was his turn to disagree; everything between him and Bella was his fault - he was enough of a man to recognize it. “I’m pretty sure that one was easy enough to follow.” He countered. “Southern sayings don’t really need translating.”

“How could I tell her how I felt when she was with someone else?” The Texan asked. “When she and Gideon became a thing, I tried to write off what I felt, and pushed myself to let go.” His southern drawl only helped make his words ring true. “I’m not a home-wrecker; she seemed happy. When you love someone, what you want doesn’t matter anymore. I mean, it crosses your mind, but you put the other person first. I wanted for her to be happy and she was.” He said. “Who was I to come in and wreak havoc on her life, simply because I wanted to be with her? No. I told myself that friendship with her was enough, because that’s all she needed.”

He let her continue her tirade of questions, noting each one in order so that he might answer her fully. “Bella isn’t the type of person to feel something a tiny bit. She gives her whole self to whatever she feels; if she’d ever felt the same way…” It wouldn’t have just gone away, and she certainly wouldn’t have been dating other people. “And it’s not that she knows… it’s how she knows.” He sighed, his expression falling into one of guilt.

She stood when he went over the motivations for nearly every decision he’d made over the years, and he’d not expected the cold, icy ball to hit the back of his neck, and he jumped in surprise. “Holy Jesus!” Moving quickly to wipe it away, he wasn’t quick enough as the water slipped underneath his collar and down his back.

“Fine. I don’t want to see her hurt.” He retorted. “But not just for me. I’ve done enough damage to her, Narcissa. And it would be best for me to leave her alone before I destroy something else in her life.”

She started talking again and his blue eyes darkened with his regret, the depth in them endless before he stared down at the ground once again. “I didn’t leave her side when she was in the infirmary.” He murmured. “Except to get more energy drinks so I’d be awake when she came to.” He’d sat there, in panic because she’d been hurt. “I was there. I couldn’t leave her.”

“But when she came to, it wasn’t me she wanted to see.” His tone was flat, void of the emotion that should have been there. Meeting her gaze, everything he felt was laid out for her to see, though he doubted she’d be able to understand. How could anyone really? What happened after Bella woke up hadn’t become common knowledge. Only a handful of people knew what had really been going on, and none of them had spread it around the water cooler. “She’s in love with Leonardo Rossi. I didn’t even know they had been dating.” He doubted that Narcissa had even known, especially since the animal mimic had since departed from the facility.

” You compare me to Aquene, but I’ve already told you I’m not a good man. I try, but despite my best efforts, I’m still selfish.” He was, in a lot of ways, just like the leader bitching at him. She might not have seen the similarities, but he did. Rich, selfish brats that they were. ”And I couldn’t watch her be with someone else. I let how I feel slip, knowing it was already too late.”

Gym

“Well, you didn’t have a choice when it came to me.” Aurelie said with a bright smile, bumping her hip playfully against the shape shifter’s. “I was going to be your friend, whether you wanted it or not.” She glanced back at Christian and shook her head. “Protege, friend, pet wolf, whatever he is to you, you care about him on some level, and right now you see him consorting with someone you hate.” She reasoned, certain that the level of animosity Katerina felt toward Bella was way past the point of unhealthy.

“Don’t eat the team lead.” She chastised with half of a laugh in an effort to ease the tension. “She’d probably give you indigestion.”

Incredulous, Aurelie stared at her best friend in the perfect shell of Bella. “This isn’t caring?” She asked quietly, her eyebrows climbing her forehead. Warning her friend not to do anything drastic lest she get them in trouble didn’t seem to make her any less puckish. “That’s what I’m afraid of…” Aurelie murmured, not entirely willing to go along with Kat’s prank, whatever it might be. Torn, she didn’t fight her bestie on the ruse any further. “So long as you don’t get us both in Scott’s office.”

“I think I prefer the real you.” The telekinetic critiqued when the Italian struck several poses and bounced up and down to prove her point about the amount of wiggles. “Prettier. More reliable, better sense of humor…” Her list could go on and on, but the Isabella doppleganger pulled her over to Roland to test out her disguise.

Tongue-tied with anxiety, Aurelie didn’t look up as Kat-Bella asked for help with training, instead focusing her gaze on her feet as they started talking about submission holds. Roland, always ready to lend a hand, cracked his joints in preparation. Shying away from the ones that the ex-fighter said were a waste of time, Aurelie suggested they start with basics. Her heavily lashed lids widened a fraction when her bestie started talking about how painful a pressure point could be, and she bit down on her lip to keep from saying anything.

Roland’s question pulled her from her thoughts, and she nodded once, opening her mouth to ask how he knew before he filled in the gap. “I hope that’s not a bad thing.” The blond said with a nervous laugh. He continued, making it sound like she already had a solid foundation for hand to hand, but her expression pinched at the idea. Not once in her life had she’d ever considered herself a fighter. Admitting that normally when faced with a threat she merely put the opposition in a neutralizing bubble, she had to agree. If they were ever sent out and she’d pushed too far, having a back-up wasn’t a bad idea. “Yeah… I’ve been told I’d be a stronger team member if I worked on my physical defenses…” Not that she was out of shape; after re-acquainting with ballet, it’d become a daily part of her routine. Even to herself, she sounded unsure of how much better it would make her.

She was meant to be an artist, a dancer who brought beauty to the stage. Not a fighter.

Rounding back to the task at hand, Roland started going over things that were almost completely new to Aurie. Stepping back from the mat when Kat volunteered to go first, she put her hands behind her to watch - only for Isabella to interrupt them with the demand that Katerina give whatever she’d taken back. Tilting her head, confusion mottled her features as she tried to place just when Kat had been able to pilfer something from the sound manipulator. When she couldn’t, she shifted her gaze from one Bella to the other.

Roland guessed correctly that one of the Alpha leaders was an imposter, and Aurelie chewed on the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling at Captain Obvious. He devised a way for the real Bella to prove her identity, and Aurelie remained quiet, offering nothing in the way of which was which. Once the genuine sound manipulator provided what he asked, Roland requested Kat return whatever she’d taken. “I’m curious as to how you got whatever you took…” The telekinetic said, a mix of awe and confusion in her tone, making it obvious that she’d not been privy to that part of the prank.

“I’ve been with you the whole time!.” Inspecting her friend from a distance, it didn’t take long for her to figure out exactly what Bella wanted once she spotted it. Wrinkling her nose as she motioned toward the watch, she shook her head. “I’m equally surprised that you’d touch that… knowing who it belonged to.” She noted quietly before looking at the real hispanic woman, instantly feeling her cheeks warm. “Er...No offense.”