2018.08.13 - The Game Is On

*Discussion of recent odd matters during gym class leads to a decision: Jacob Black seems to know something, so they will have to track him down for answers.*

September 2015

Forks High School

Physical Education class, aka to every kid that has ever drawn breath, gym. Scott McCall has spent most of his life hating gym. It always representeds something he really wanted, and yet couldn't seem to have thanks to his asthma. But that was last week, around the last time Scott even *used* his inhaler. He still carries it, just in case he wakes up from this dream. But morte and more in the last week he has had this secret little hope inside of him that Jacob Black was somehow, impossibly, right. That he is waking up, but to a dream. A dream supported by more than just a new seemingly asthma free life. In Jacob's dream world Scott was an athlete, and a really good one as he understood it. But lately, Scott seemed to be more than just really good. Something was different, it was as if he was changing. This new Scott, he didn't hate gym class anymore. He was loving it.

Hopping into the air Scott snags a hold of the gym climbing rope and starts effortlessly scaling it. From the top he easily holds on one handed and rings a bell up there to indicate that he has made it to the top. Then looks down with the Scott McCall unbridled look of joy smile on his face to wave at Stiles. This has never happened. He has never made it half way up the rope. Normally he is writing a report on some sport or another to make up for the fact that he had no athletic talent. But that was last week. He climbs down just as quickly, dropping the last eight or so feet. Landing easily on the balls of his feet and dropping into a crouch before popping up and jogging over to Stiles for a high five.

Coach Derek has noticed this improvement, but he's seen enough students through physical hardship to something better. Maybe Scott's just growing out of asthma, which happens sometimes. The coach is enthusiastic, in his own way, with his support for Scott. Still, it's only been a week or so. Because of that, the coach is always close on hand, just in case there's some kind of relapse.

Of course, there's Stiles -- the ball-handler! He remembers that. But then there's also the whole...other place he knows Stiles from. Derek's pleased to see Stiles has an interest in athletics, of course. Pleased that he stopped in for the after-school free gym and exercise.

He hopes Stiles hasn't bloodied his nose or anything in the meantime. It seems to be okay.

Derek nods to the next student waiting to use the rope and walks over to Scott and his best friend, looking them over before giving Scott a pat on the shoulder. "Still doing okay?"

Gym class. Joy of joys. Selena is standing off to one side of a group of girls, pretending to be part of their group though clearly not. She watches Scott do his superman climb and shakes her head slightly. Though his super-grin at the top does make her chuckle softly. Though unfortunately for her, where she's standing seems to be next in line. She looks to her left, then to her right, then sighs. Great. She steps forward and eyes the rope dubiously. She doesn't have muscles on top of muscles.... how is she supposed to do this? She hops and grabs onto the rope and does something of an inch-worm shimmy upwards without moving very far at all. It FEEELS like she could do this... but... her brain is too busy focusing on all the laughter that is going to come from her eminent failure to actually put that feeling to good use. Side note though... for once her hair is actually dry!

Grinning, Stiles waves back at Scott and flashes him a thumbs-up. When Scott returns from the rope climb, Stiles reaches out to clap him on the shoulder and says, "Hey, look at you! You really are going all jock-boy on us. Maybe that Jacob kid actually had some kind of premonition, huh?" And then Coach Derek makes his way over, and Stiles gets a bit more visibly... edgy. "Oh, uh, hey, Coach. Yeah, everything's... great, here. Definitely." He glances to Scott with raised eyebrows, then notices Selena climbing the rope. It's as good a reason for a distraction as anything, so he cups his hands around his mouth and hollers, "Go, Lina! You can do it--*wooo!*"

Mason isn't actually in this gym class. HE actuall has a free period and is sitting on the bleachers 'studying.' He is actually studying, he has a book out and is reading just every so often his eyes go up and he stares at the coach or one of the other boys. Even Scott. Though Scott is mostly already int he friend zone. He looks a lot sexier with that air of confidence. Then over to Selena... Wait is that Selena. He doesn't recognize her at first without the drowned rat look, then he does and he calls out, almost at the same time as Stiles, "Come on Selena you can do it. You go Gurl!" Mason isn't a flamer he just doesn't care if people get singed on occasion. And he doesn't hide even a little bit.

Scott McCall grins really wide at Stiles and nods to him. "I think maybe he knew what he was talking about. It's crazy Stiles, but I mean this, and the asthma, and the thing with the pool ball. Maybe he knew something? I know it sounds nuts, but I want to go see him. I want to hear more." Of course he is asking Stiles to go. Scott functions on a very different set of instincts than Stiles did. They compliment one another well when working in tandem.

Before he can say more though, the coach has joined them. Scott looks back at Coach Derek. It always felt weird not to call him Coach Hale. The other school coaches all made the students use their last names. But Derek wasn't that much older than they were. So maybe that was why. Either way it did make him much more approachable, and so as soon as Scott realizes it is him he smiles. He also always thought coaches yelled more. A LOT more. Like that was the only way they really knew how to motivate anyone, yelling. He shakes the errant thought away though. "Yeah coach Derek. I don't even feel out of breath! I could do that again. I could- I could climb it upside down!" He stops short realizing his over enthusiasm has him saying something a bit stupid. Again. Hey he is asthma free, but it IS still Scott. As the attention turns to a girl Scott has yet to meet climbing he adds a whistle of encouragement as well. Waving up to Mason in the bleachers just after. Mason has been there for a few other of Scott's transformative moments in the recent past. Maybe he should go with them to La Push as well.

As Selena and Stiles could attest: Derek does yell, sometimes. And it's a little scary. But generally, in class, he doesn't. He's pretty even-tempered, it seems. He just doesn't...emote as much as most, but then teenagers tend to have an abundance of emotions and feelings and expressions. Still, even as a contrast to that, he's practically the other end of the spectrum entirely; the slightest expression is practically extreme, for him.

"Good." Derek answers, rumbling lightly and patting Scott's shoulder. He glances over at Selena, climbing the rope, and motions for one of the other students to keep up with spotting. In case she slips or needs help, somebody else needs to be there.

"You doing okay?" He continues after that pause, to Stiles. "Keeping up with your stretching?" They had some time to go through the stretches and exercises the other day. Maybe it will help Stiles in his lacrosse aspirations.

People are yelling her name and cheering her on! This is not something Selena had expected. She freezes for a moment and turns to look... Stiles... Mason... The cute boy with the big grin that went before her. She flashes a little embarrassed grin and gives a wave with one hand, not realizing that she's hanging on now with just the one hand. The instant she realizes... she slides down a good three inches. "No. I got it. I got it." She says as the spotter kid reaches for her. A sense of determination sets in as she has fans suddenly and she begins to crawl up the rope with far more skill than expected, belying her firs awkward attempts. She grabs the bell and gives it a good ring, then lets go of the rope to cheer and loses her balance... sheer instinct kicks in and while a startled whoop escapes her lips, she does a perfect tripple flip and lands in a neat crouch. She stands there with her hands out and her face red with a... what the...???? "Holy crap..."

Stiles turns to look sharply at Scott at the mention of a trip to La Push--and then he begins to nod, slowly. "Yeah, okay," he says, drawing out the last word, nearly into a thoughtful drawl. "I can see how that might be a good idea. If we're careful, obviously." Of course, Scott will know that, just the other night, Stiles had an up close encounter with the mysterious "Night Angel" vigilante over in La Push. Probably, Stiles is enticed by the idea of perhaps encountering his newfound hero again. He's about to say more when Selena rings that bell, and he instinctively turns to look--just in time to catch her killer dismount. Jaw dropping (which may prove to be a recurring thing with him lately), he calls over to her, "Whoa--way to *go*, Lina!" Then, looking back to Scott, he cocks an eyebrow. "Maybe there's something in the water. Maybe, it's like... an X-Men kind of thing."

Are all his new friends superheroes? Is he going to be wearing a mask and cape soon and be a side kick? Or like go into journalism and hide the truth or something? Or if its int he water is he going to start getting to do cool stuff like that soon? These are the thoughts that go to Mason's mind as he stands up and walks over, feeling compelled to join the others. He waves at Coach Derek too then goes to his friends, "Are you guys jucing? Can I have some?" He says it jokingly, okay half jokingly quarter joking minimum.

Lacrosse. Just the word makes Scott all tingly somehow. Ever since Scott heard about Mason's friend Laim trying out for team captain down in California, it had been in the back of Scott's mind. "Lacrosse. I want to try out for the team too. I just feel like it is a good fit for me." He shrugs some and flashes another of those Scott smiles. Hoping Coach Derek will agree on that, or on letting him try out. He felt a little self concious asking, but not like other times before when he had approached various coaches about trying out for teams. But this was a Scott McCall that was a dream destined athlete who could drop off of climbing ropes without issues. He could make the team. He knew he could. Speaking of dropping from the rope, wow. That girl could stick a landing. He shrugged helplessly at Stiles before quickly adding. "See, I really think there is something to it all." Sure it was utterly insane. But Scott's instincts were telling him when all the rationale and sane things around him were thinning out. Maybe they needed a little insane. Scott says off handedly to Mason as he joins them. "Hey, we are going out to La Push, you coming?" Before Mason can reply though Scott sprints over to Selena and looks at her. "Wow, that was some landing. Are you ok though? Your not hurt?" He seems genuinely concerned too. Just something in his nature, to protect people.

Derek spots Selena's dismount...but she did say she was a gymnast, so it's good she remembered that when it was important. He gives her a nod, smiling slightly, before turning back to address Scott. On the way, he nods to Mason waving, but settles his gaze back on Scott. "We should do some after-school work to build up your stamina, just to be sure. So both of you can make the team." His smile widens a little bit, and he pats Stiles on the shoulder too before moving off to finish up the activity with the last student.

Selena is red-faced but apparently alright. She straightens up as Scott runs over to her. A quick mental check of everything reveals indeed she is fine. "Yes I'm alright." She nods over toward Mason and Stiles. "Thanks. You're friends with Mason?" She asks Scott with a friendly, if somewhat shy smile. One hand gestures back toward the rope. "I uh... I didn't know I could do that." She admits with a laugh. Derek gets a little nod of her head and a faint shrug.... trying to play it off like she leaps from ropes and flips like that all the time. No biggie. Really, coach!

Recovering from the rope-climbing distraction, Stiles belatedly answers Derek, "Oh, but--yeah! I'm keeping up on my stretches." He's been doing them in between bouts of Wii-related exercise, but it totally counts, right? Grinning, he declares, "We'll get on the team, no problem. Scott going all Superboy over here might even make first line!" Then, as Scott goes to talk to the cute girl, he snickers a little. "Figures," he says to no one in particular. "He gets the muscles, now he's gonna get the girls." Then, at the pat on the shoulder, he glances at Derek, as though just remembering he's nearby, and says in an oddly hoarse voice, "Thanks!" Erf. He coughs loudly to cover the moment. Nothing to see here! Move along. But then Mason's joking about juicing, and Stiles answers sarcastically, "The only juice Scott's ever even laid eyes on is the stuff his mom brings home from the grocery store."

Mason shrugs, "La Push? Home of the hot shirtless Native American boys. Why would I ever want to go there?" SO that can be taken as a Please Please. He then looks at Selena who is bucking to be either his best friend. Or at least his fag hag... Is it still okay to say that phrase? Oh well he just thought it anyway. "Can Lena come?" He's not sure if this has to do with all the weird stuff. But a high school girl suddenly doing a triple back flip off a climbing rope counts for weird.

Scott McCall looks between the rope and Selena. "Yeah, Mason and I are friends. I'm Scott." He looks at the rope again and shrugs. "I think we make things like that out to be worse than they are. It's like my mom says. Once we decide we can do it. We can. I'm just glad you didn't get hurt." Words of wisdom, from MaMa Mccall. Scott sheepishly realizes then that he ran off without replying to Coach Derek and starts to look for him. But he has already moved onto another student. Scott would be sure to meet with him after school though. If he even needs to work on his stamina. Scott wasn't sure if he wasn't from another planet anymore. Rocketed as a baby from a far distant planet because his parents wanted more time to party-Wait no that wasn't right, that was something he saw on social media. It didn't matter, Scott just felt superhuman these days. Knowing that since Selena knew Mason she would likely follow, Scott rejoined the others. "I don't care who goes really. I really need to see Jacob Black though. He told me something the day we met. Something I have to ask him some questions about." Hopefully Jacob is even there. He seemed to have his own agenda involving that *other* guy, and nobody had seen him lately. "I just want to hit the gym showers and then I'll be ready to go." He nods to the others, and just seems very confident. A real change for him.

"See you soon." Derek waves to Stiles, but he seems to be focused on finishing up the rope-climbing. Once that's done, he makes a gesture with a hand towards the lockers. "Good job today. Go get changed, see you tomorrow." And that seems to be that, as Coach Derek starts to walk back towards his office.

Selena grins and gives Mason a little wave. Indeed she does follow along beside Scott toward the others. She gives Scott an almost pained smile. "Sounds like your mom is pretty smart." She goes quiet then though as her gaze trails to the floor. She moves over to stand behind and to the right of Mason. "Hi Mason. Hi Stiles." She leans over and gives Stiles a shoulder-nudge. Is she trying to knock him off his feet? As coach Derek motions to the lockers, she waves. "I'll catch up with you after showering, Ok? Don't leave without me Mason!" She turns and runs to the girl's lockers to do the showering thing which means wet sweat hair will become wet clean hair!

Stiles is distracted for a moment watching the coach leave. One might assume it's just because of how good Derek looks in his gym clothes, but some may notice an odd look of concentration on Stiles' face. Something's bothering him, but he can't quite put his finger on it. After a moment he shakes it off, nods, and grins at Scott. "Okay, cool. We're going to La Push to track down this guy who has dreams about you, and it's totally not because you're crushing on him." He knows Scott isn't. It's just too good an opening to pass up. He claps his friend on the shoulder, laughing, and then joins him on the way to the showers. The game, once again, is on! (Someone, somewhere, must feel terrible for introducing Stiles to the show *Sherlock*. Can't be helped, though--he's a detective story junkie, even if his favorite will always be Batman.)

Mason doesn't really have any reason to stay around so he just tags along to the locker rooms. For purely um... social reasons? Okay that actually sounds worse. Anyway he Follows the hunky jock type and the cute nerdy type into the locker room.. Seriously there is no good way for him to think of this or phrase it. Focus on the cute Native boys you'll see soon Mason and not the cute guys you're going into the locker room with...

Everyone hit the showers. Which given this was Washington state meant they might just as well have walked outside. Just ask Selena, she knew the score. It was always wet and always cloudy. Today was little different. But it was still one nicely showered group of teenagers that left Forks Highschool to travel out to the coast and the La Push Reservation.

Along the way passing K9's nightclub, which at this time of the day was very quiet. The road to the reservation was otherwise a quiet and winding ride through the Olympic National Forest. Crossing several rivers, the same one twice in fact. Just forest, and more forest. Dark. Dark forests. The type that something could be watching you from, and you'd never even see it there. Until finally the group passed into the La Push reservation, and something resembling civilization again. Finding the Black residence was actually pretty easy. Given that Billy Black, Jacob's father, was a tribal elder.

Which is where the story picks up...