Akeli nodded and stopped biting her lip, since it was already raw from her constant abuse. Shivering as a cold breeze picked up, ruffling the cornstalks gently, Akeli huddled closer to Xavier, abandoning all concern for her wound and ducking her head onto Xavier's shoulder. "You're getting soft, old man," she whispered with a small mischievous smile. Suddenly Akeli heard a noise and she jolted upright, shoving Xavier away as if he was blocking the sounds.

"Heard somethin'," she mumbled as she slunk towards the farmhouse, noting that some lights had turned on in the kitchen. While she didn't think that whoever owned the place had heard them, but then again, they hadn't been quiet. Shaking her head to dispel her anxiety Akeli stole towards the place. Eyes flicking towards the windows again as she saw a movement out of the corner of her eye, the mutant saw a short female figure busy herself in the small room, probably making breakfast or something.

Waving her head at Xavier she tried to get him to come over. "Kitchen plus person equals food," she said stubbornly, her stomach growling to back her words. "I want some...please?" Scratching her back and wincing as her movement stretched her damaged skin.

"Old man?" Xavier said with upraised brows. He jumped when Akeli pulled herself away from him, but it was quickly forgotten as he focused in on the noise. He followed the girl through the cornstalks and peered out through the cover they provided. The farmhouse was only a few yards away from where they stood and Xavier could make out the form of a young woman scuttling around the room. Her movements seemed to be erratic and Xavier could tell that the woman was vulnerable and was a bit more than stressed. He had learned to watch others emotions and movements when it came to dealing with the lab-coats. He had felt safer knowing when the Erasers were a bit more stable when around him.

At the mention of food, Xavier's stomach growled. He cracked a smile as Akeli informed him of her need for nourishment. "We'll have to wait for her to leave," he said as he cracked his fingers. As he watched, the woman cocked her head before opening her mouth and shouting something. Xavier's brows furrowed, confused, before he realized she must have been talking to someone else. Just then, the woman disappeared from site and he heard a door swing open at the front. "Breakfast is on the table when you decide to actually get up, you git." she yelled to the second story window.

Xavier let out a small chuckle and covered his mouth with his hands to stop the sound. The woman climbed into the truck and sped down a rough dirt road that wound around the cornfield.

"Well, that solves that problem. I'll go grab the grub," he said as he stood from his crouched position.

Snorting at the woman's apparently disgruntled mood, Akeli nodded as Xavier offered to grab something to eat. "Be careful though," she said gently, putting a hand on his arm to still his movement. "If you here any noise, get out of there. Oh, and since it's a farm I'm willing to bet they have dogs. Can your...gel-stuff...or whatever it is, put them to sleep or something?" Raising her eyebrows questioningly, Akeli turned away and watched the house again, noticing a lamp turn on in the second-story window. But not a single silhouette appeared through the pane, so she nodded at Xavier again. "I think it's safe," she said slowly, not sparing a glance in his direction as she settled down to watch.

Pausing, Akeli scratched her arm and thought for a bit. "Wait!" she murmured excitedly, eyes bright. "If they come after you, I'll distract them. I'll think of something...fire, probably." Knowing that Xavier would most likely be upset if she hurt either of the two people in the house, Akeli pursed her lips and decided that setting fire to part of their cornfield would work out. Hopefully she had enough control to keep it from spreading.

Flinching as the truck roared past the field in a woosh of polluted air and rumbling wheels Akeli slapped her hands to her ears in protest. "Sometimes I'm glad to not be a part of this kind of society," she muttered ungraciously.

Xavier watched the woman pull away. He glanced over at Akeli when she told him to be careful and then proceeded to roll his eyes. "I'm a mutant bird kid with some weird gel-like power. I'm not scared of dogs. And I have no idea how to control this gel stuff. All it's done is heal and burn," he said with a light shrug. He pulled away to leave when Akeli shouted out, "wait!"

Xavier turned back around and faced her. She seemed to be muttering to herself about starting a fire if something went wrong. He raised his brows. "Akeli, I don't think we need to burn down their crops," he said as he shook her shoulder. "I'll be right back, sheesh."

With that, Xavier spun around on his heels and sauntered up to the house. He flattened himself agianst the wall nearing the back door and poked his head around the corner. His ears strained to catch any type of movement within the house and he heard slight footsteps upstairs and the creak of bed springs. Grinning to himself, Xavier opened up the back door.

Steaming plates of eggs, bacon, and toast loomed on the table before him. Xavier began to feel his mouth water and his stomach groaned at the sight of the food. He shook his head, knowing he needed to get out as fast as possible. He let his hands trace across the soft fabric that made up the table spread. He grinned slightly as he tightened his grip on the edges of the table cloth; he had always wanted to try this.

In one swift and fluid movement, he yanked the table cloth out from under the plates. The cups rattled and before Xavier could do anything, one of the gla.ss cups with orange juice in it careened to the floor. A sudden movement upstairs made him freeze before he hurriedly began scooping the mess of food into the blanket. He packed everything in there, leaving the gla.sses full of juice.

The farm owner barelled down the stairs then and the two stared at each other. Xavier began to move back quickly and the man blinked before letting out a screech and lunging toward Xavier. With swift reflexes, Xavier sidestepped the tackle and sent his elbow into the man's back. The man collapsed on the floor with a groan and Xavier bolted for the door.

"Time to go," he yelled as he ran past Akeli.

"Fine!" Akeli screamed back at him, her wings already flaring off of her back. Flapping them hurriedly she rose in the air and, flipping around in mid-air, sent a warning gust of poker-hot air towards the owner of the house, causing him to groan and collapse by the door. "What'd you do to him?" she asked Xavier, rolling her eyes at his dramatic exit. Hovering in the air Akeli glanced down at her fingertips and realized that in her anxiety, had set fire to the tips of her fingers. Tiny whorls of flame danced above the apertures, each a tiny red dot. Smiling suddenly Akeli doused them, knowing there'd be no use.

Swooping in Xavier's direction she shook her head, red hair tumbling wildly. "I'll grab the clothes," she said with a wide grin, and dashed away before her companion could protest. Dashing past the grounded man, who was moaning pitifully and clutching his ample paunch like it was a wounded baby, Akeli nearly got tangled in the clothes line, which was nearly invisible in the pre-dawn light. Landing gracefully, poised like an acrobat, Akeli hurried over to one of the lines and ripped off some clothes, having already pinpointed what she and Xavier needed. "Shirts, underclothes, pants...oh, sweater's too," she murmured as she raced to and fro between the clothes lines. 

Done with her task Akeli made a rude noise at the man and sprung back into the air with a few quick beats of her white-feathered wings. "We need a secure spot," she yelled at Xavier. "To, like, change and stuff."

Ooc; Skype? D:

When Akeli soared up into the air, Xavier took a running leap into the air. His shoes brushed against the corn stalks as he rose higher. He attempted to chase after her when she flew to get the clothes and succeeded in tripping himself in midair on the thin wire that the clothes hung off of. He face planted on to the ground with a loud grunt. Embara.ssment made his ears sting as he pushed himself back onto his feet.

"Okay, let's just try to make it to the next town," he said wearily as he pulled something from his pockets. A large wad of cash was in his hand and he knocked Akeli one of his cocky smiles. "I figured since they can grow their own food, they can manage," he said to her as he pushed himself back into the air.

Giggling at Xavier's clumsiness Akeli attempted to twirl a bit in the air, doing a wobbly roll. "I don't like the whole stealing thing, but I'm not going to stop you," she informed him with an attempt at a serious tone, though she broke into laughter too soon for it to take effect. "Also. Do that little compa.ss thing again," she said. "I'd try going east or something. Not continuing north. There's no doubt they're going to tell the police about this."

Pondering for a moment Akeli let out a sharp bark of laughter. "Well, if they did, they'll be taken for crazies," she consoled herself, still worried about the police. Bundling up the clothes deftly Akeli tried to compress them as much as she could, though it didn't distract from the extra weight they put on her. Muttering obscenities under her breath Akeli dove after a falling sweater, catching it moments before it hit the dusty ground. A few minutes of fast flying had put them over a larger field, this one so big that even with her enhanced sight the farmstead that went along with it was but a small dot in her field of vision. Twisting her neck until it was almost painful Akeli spied the tall skyscrapers that heralded a city. "There!" she cried out, pointing in said direction.

Granted, it wasn't a very large city, but it was certainly big enough to get lost in until this whole event calmed down.  

Xavier erupted into a fit of laughter as Akeli attempted and failed to gracefully twirl in the air. He surged upward and enclosed his wings around him, forcing himself to spin into the air before thrusting his wings out again. He glided down beside Akeli and waited for her to lead. He watched as she dropped some of the clothes with brows arched. He hefted the bag of food onto his back and yawned as she traveled back up to them.

"That way is East," he said as he pointed to his left. They continued to travel for what seemed to be hours, but that was probably because Xavier was exhausted and his wings were strained. He hadn't flown this much before and it was taking its toll on him. When Akeli cried out, he had blinked, realizing then that he had almost fallen asleep.

The black haired boy rubbed his eyes and could only nod as he followed after Akeli. He pulled in his wings and landed softly on the gra.ss in a near park in the city. The blaring light of a run-down motel across the street seemed to be Heaven to him. "Let's rent a room there," he said, his usual cocky chattiness gone.

Touching down Akeli let out a sigh as her bare feet hit the soft gra.ss, curling up her toes and letting out an odd purr of delight. Coughing delicately as she realized she'd made a weird noise the peculiar teen flushed dark red and matched Xavier's movement, rubbing her own eyes. Looking down at herself she groaned and dropped the bundle of clothing on the ground, rubbing at her side experimentally. "Let's get changed first. I'm fairly certain they'll be more accepting of kids who don't look like they've just escaped from a mental institution-slash-gun fight," Akeli said with a small unamused laugh. Things were bleaker now that they were back into the real world and not soaring high above all their troubles.

Sorting through the pile she grabbed a shirt, pair of jeans, some underclothes and a zip-up sweater, shoving the rest at Xavier. "Go change over in the bushes over there," she said firmly, pointing at the dense undergrowth a couple of meters away. "And no peeking either," she grumbled, giving him a murderous look as if he'd already done so. Slipping away from him Akeli headed for a large oak tree facing the tall fence that bordered one side of the park, using it as a handy shelter so she could change. 

Stripping out of her dirty clothing Akeli tossed aside her hospital-gown shirt for future use, intending on binding her cut until she could get ahold of something sturdier and definitely cleaner. Putting on the underclothes with a sigh of relief as the clean fabric hit her skin Akeli changed swiftly, though pulling on the jeans with a little difficulty as they were just slightly too small. "Anything to make a girl feel obese," she muttered irritatedly after zipping up the sweater. Flipping the hood over her face Akeli started walking back towards where Xavier was, yawning slightly. 

Xavier caught the clothes as they were thrown at him, his intense blue eyes seeming to flicker in the dawn light. He laughed as she gave him a murderous glare, warning him not to "peek". He rolled his eyes and watched her go; his eyes trailing on her butt a bit more than necessary. He sighed to himself and cracked his neck as he slipped the shirt over his naked back. He slipped off the rather grimy hospital scrubs and hurriedly pulled on the jeans. He stuck his fingers in the front of his jeans and pulled the fabric forward, arching his brows when the pants stretched a good three inches away from him.

"We're definitely going to need more clothes," he muttered as he tossed the scrubs into the nearest bush. When Akeli pushed her way back to him, he almost didn't recognize her. The hood that covered her face masked her eyes and Xavier frowned, not liking this new style.

"Kitten, I can't see your beautiful face now," he said as he walked up to her, his tone a bit sarcastic.

"I feel obese in these clothes," Akeli complained listlessly, rubbing some leaves off of her hoodie. "I don't understand why these things have to be so tight." As if the completely disregard her statement, Akeli pulled at her waistband and lo and behold, there was enough room for he to nearly slip her fist in. "Uh...well. I still don't get this whole human thing." Scowling and crossing her arms Akeli tapped her foot at Xavier's cocky comment. "Don't call me that," she protested, uncrossing her arms and pulling her hood around her head even tighter just to spite him.

Pausing to look around Akeli momentarily forgot their conversation when a giant bus screeched down the road next to the park, the headlamps blinding to girl. Letting out a mixture between a yowl and a grunt Akeli clawed at her eyes, their sensitive retinas burned. "Ow! Dammit!" Letting out a string of expletives that ended with her thumping onto the ground harshly. Rubbing her back from the shock Akeli blinked, white spots dancing in front of her.

Turning around in what she surmised Xavier's direction was, she waved her hands helplessly. "What in the world was that?" she asked in a suitably grumpy tone, a murderous look on her face. "I want to wrangle whatever metal contraption that was into a piece of garbage." 

Xavier arched his brows as Akeli shoved her fist in her pants, being able to fit it yet complaining how tight the jeans were. He sighed when Akeli pulled her sweat shirt hood even farther over his face. He was about to push the hood down, showing he was telling the truth, when she recoiled from a sudden burst of light. Having been facing the other way, the light did not affect his eyes. He let his eyes trail after the back of the bus and blinked when Akeli asked what it was.

"Did the lab-coats not teach you anything? Aki, that's a bus. People ride to and from places while in it. I'd prefer flying, but seeing as regular humans can't," he said, shrugging. He sat down next to the near-blinded Akeli and tugged down on her hood, not taking it off himself.

"Could you please show me those pretty eyes of yours?" he said softly.

A small ghost of a smile hovered around Akeli's lips as she lowered her hood. "These pretty eyes of mine are kind of blinded," she murmured, though her usual vigor felt depleted. With a heavy sigh she burrowed her head into Xavier's shoulder, tired and spent from their escape. Fears, worries and that constant state of anxiety rushed back at her as the two sat on the gra.ss, the loud noises of the city invading Akeli's sensitive ears.

Sighing again she shook her head, a sudden burst of giggles erupting from her lips. "Not really, Xav," she said in a weary tone once her laughter had subsided. "They didn't bother teaching me how to speak until a few years ago. I barely know how to read as it is." Turning her head she looked up at him with a nervous ex
pression on her face. "I'm kinda worried on how I'm going to deal with real life. All these things I'll have to learn. The erasers are going to have a field day picking me out of a crowd." 

"Doesn't mean they're not pretty," he said in response to Akeli's first statement as he bent down to give her a small kiss on her forehead. She tucked her head in his shoulder and Xavier wrapped his arms around her in comfort, the familiar scent of her tickling his nose. A soft smile danced on his lips and for a moment, his eyes shone before he quieted the gushy emotions and put on his friend-wise grandeur.

Xavier gently ma.ssaged the crook inbetween Akeli's folded wings on her back, hoping to loosen up her pent-up and tightened muscles. He closed his eyes when she began talking about her learning to speak and let his chin rest on her head, wanting to bring her as close to him as possible and let her know she was safe. He paused in his momentum with his hands at her final statement and flicked his gaze down. "Akeli, we're never going to truly fit in with others and don't worry about that just yet. Let's just get in that motel over there and get clean; maybe snuggle up on the couch and I'll show you television," he promised.

"You're so snuggly today," Akeli muttered, her usual spunk returning as the pain in her eyes subsided. Pushing him away lightly Akeli stretched, yawned and stood, flicking at the small zipper on her sweater. "Should I feel guilty about stealing?" she asked suddenly, eyes wide. "I mean, it's probably wrong..but...no sense of unhappiness from taking from them." Shrugging, as the matter didn't seem particularly important to Akeli, she shoved her hands into her newfound pockets and glanced at the seedy motel one more time, uncertainty flickering across her face.

"That place," she said slowly, "looks really...dark? I'm not sure of the word for it, but I don't want to go in. Not that we have a choice, but." Leaning against Xavier's shoulder Akeli sighed heavily. "I hate not fitting in. I bet most humans would die to have our abilities." Grimacing at the thought of human greed Akeli began striding slowly towards the motel, shoulders sagging slightly. "We should hurry. Also, tele-who? It sounds like some sort of death-contraption like that 'bus' of yours, Xav."

He smirked as she made a light jab at his wanting to be close to her. He let his arm drop from her back as she stood up, brows arching yet again as she messed around with her sweater. He pushed himself off of the ground and onto his feet, brushing off his pants as he did so. His fingers itched to twine themselves in hers and he busied them by running them through his dark black hair. He examined the hotel, noticing the slight cracks in the plaster of the building and she slightly overgrown weeds that curled along the building.

"It's all we've got right now," he said, pointing his chin toward the motel. He let her rest her head against his shoulder, but he didn't make another move to press her closer to him; wondering to himself if she would be in the least a bit disappointed. He stuck his head out and looked down either side of the street. Seeing no cars from either directions, he stepped forward and hurried them across the street.

The blinking sign of the motel stung Xavier's acute eyes and he looked down at the ground as he walked. Suddenly, he felt as overwhelmed as Akeli felt. His leg burned and itched where the boiling wound had festered. He as exhaustedbeyond doubt, all of those adrenaline rushes taking their toll on him as the remnants of the energy drifted away.

"And tele-who. I'll introduce you when we get in," he said as he rolled his eyes.

Akeli could see that Xavier's wound was beginning to hamper him and thought was punctuated by a small flash of pain on her side. "Let's raid a pharmaceutical tomorrow," she muttered with a yawn, too tired to question where she'd heard the word before. It was as if the white-coats had tramped around chanting it, but then again, Akeli's memory wasn't half bad. "We'll get some of those pill things, and that gel." Pausing, eyes blinking with sudden insight, Akeli spewed out a half-formed idea. "You don't think the white-coats gave you a gland that, like, secretes that gel stuff you find in those medical stores, do you?" It didn't really occur to her that the idea was idiotic at best.

As they stepped into the dingy foyer of the motel Akeli's reservations appeared. The man at the desk, appearing to be dressed in tattoos, barely blinked an eye at the entrance of the two teens. Perhaps they were used to it. Marching up to the desk showing more confidence than she felt Akeli sighed and glanced at the rates, though she couldn't wrap her mind around the concept of money. Glancing at Xavier she stepped back uncertainly and tapped his shoulder. "Can you do the paying and talking bit?" she asked in an anxious tone, noting that the man's eyes were narrowed in a mean sort of way. Perhaps he was going to attack them. Or rob them. 

He shrugged at the mention of his possible 'gland' that gave him that power. He wondered if Akeli knew what else the gel could do, but his brain was too foggy to remember any time he had told her. He brushed his bangs away from his face, nodding a 'sure' to her as he approached the desk. The man at the front was not in the least impressive. His crooked tie lay strewn across the desk as the man rested his head on his hand, his mouth agape like a fish. Greasy food stains lined his dirty shirt and the smell coming off of the man was horrendous. Xavier pinched his nose together, hoping to block out a bit of the smell.

"We need a room," Xavier said to the man and the man sat up, but his back was still noticably hunched like he didn't care.

"One or two bedroom," he said, his voice slightly nasally. Xavier snuck a quick glance at Akeli and raised his brows to the man. The man grunted and pulled out a card key as Xavier gave him some change.

"Enjoy your stay," the man muttered as Xavier swiped the key from his hand.

Xavier turned the key over in his hand and cracked his neck again, relinquishing in the relieve of pain in his neck. "Room one-twenty-three," he said as he steered her down the hallway.

Trotting down the hallway at a dogged pace, her legs feeling like jelly beneath her, Akeli stifled a loud yawn and leaned on the wall next to their room. The wallpaper was cracked and peeling and some sort of fungus had started growing on it. She wasn't unduly worried about the appearance, as she had seen worse before. But the smell was absolutely rancid. Her careful nose warned her that there was most likely a rotting animal carcas.s in their room.

Sniffing disdainfully as Xavier unlocked the door and pushed the door open with a long creak, Akeli peeked her head into the room. The single window was devoid of any curtains and the moon shone through brightly, illuminating their surroundings enough for Akeli to absorb the details. Two small cots were pushed onto either side of the room with a single table in the center. Said table was propped up with some bricks where a leg had broken off and on it sat a small plastic ob
ject covered with brightly colored buttons. On the wall next to the door was another table with a large metal and plastic ob
ject perched on it. There was a gla.ss screen on it and it appeared to be off, though Akeli wasn't even sure if it turned on.

"Home sweet home for the next few days," she murmured wistfully, their surroundings taking a toll on her mood. 

Xavier pushed open the door to their room and sniffed the air cautiously. He strode across the room and lifted the window a few inches up. This let in a gust of fresh air that cleared Xavier's senses. He examined the room and noted that it was more than somewhat not cleansed properly, but he figured it was better than a dog crate. His eyes paused on the beds for a moment. He had hoped that with the 'one room' order, he might have gotten one bed. He shook his head to brush his bangs out of his eyes, something he did when he was thinking or disappointed.

"Are you kidding? We're not staying here for the 'next few days'." he said, brows arched in their typical Xavier style. He sat down on one of the beds; claiming it his own. "I think there's a bathroom back there," he said as he fumbled with the television on the table. He got a somewhat clear picture through and flipped over to the News, finding nothing of interest; famine, murder, typical stuff.

He pushed himself off of the bed and examined the cramped bathroom. The walls were a disgusing mustard-like color, but when he peered in the shower stall, he found it somewhat clean. He experimented with the handle a bit before he got hot running water.

"Kitty, you can take a shower first," he called from the bathroom.