"Okay. If you say so."

That's kind of sad, though.

"But those rules you're talking about, they don't apply to me. And you don't have to ask first, if you change your mind. You really, truly don't. And then, when you're done, it'll be like we're pretending it didn't happen at all, except we can skip the pretending."

"...I know I talk big, but... I think, deep down, I might be one of those people who falls in love when they have sex, or like, needs it to be special or whatever. I... I... yeah... I'm going... to go... take a shower."

Terra turns to leave.

"If you're gonna think about me during your 'shower' then probably whatever you're worried will happen if you fuck me has already happened, and there's no reason at all you shouldn't have the real thing instead."

"That remains to be determined!" Terra squeaks, and proceeds to flee the room.

Sigh.

Cameron knocks lazily on the wall next to her. Hey Eelle. Is anyone else fantasizing about my body at the moment?

Two knocks. (Yes.)

Any of 'em yearning for the real thing?

Three knocks. (No.)

...do any of 'em have PLANS for the real thing?

Two knocks.

Well okay then.

Sunday dawns.

The empty campus slowly fills as the thousands of mutants and similarly-abled who make up the student body arrive throughout the day. The campus flag is yellow, warning that power-use should be kept discrete while so much traffic is passing through the gates.

Terra sleeps in, while Cameron has an appointment to keep at the Doyle Medical Complex.

Cameron puts some consideration into her outfit for the day. It's going to be her first impression on probably quite a few guys and gals. She wants to look indisputably, pants-ruining-ly fuckable, but also approachable and not intimidating.

The cotton thigh-socks with the green stripes. No fishnets, today. Pleated miniskirt with the ultra-low waist and the green thong. Hmm. Maybe the lace-up cleavage shirt with the slit sides? No, too look-but-don't-touch. Definitely the faux-ripped crop top. And her sneakers, not her stomping boots.

Cameron picks out a leather bracelet, slides her student ID card under it, and leaves Poe in search of Doyle.

According to the campus map, Doyle is actually the large, modern-looking building closest to the 'wing' of cottages in which Poe resides. Sticking to the paths would require heading into the central campus and then doubling back, but according to the map there are also underground tunnels directly connecting the cottages to the hospital's basement.

Cameron's not late. What the heck. She'll take the long way.

Melville Cottage is on the way. It teems with activity, as by far the most populous of the cottages. Rich kids, flaunting it. Not so rich kids, excited and awed by the fanciness. An small entourage of what look to be actual genuine dark elves appear to be bickering in the lobby. Exemplar boys and exemplar girls by the car-load.

Cameron gets some appreciative looks from boys, and a few of the girls give her dismissive glances. Among fashionably dressed exemplars, Cameron's sexiness is merely above average, not striking.

After a moment, Cameron remembers not to keep her eyes down and hurry along. She catches the gazes of the boys with the most earnest leers and smiles at them as she passes.

Among them, a thin, beautiful black-haired boy with a native cast to his skin holds her eyes and cocks his head curiously.

This other guy, who looks like the stereotypical action-hero body-builder, smirks and steps into her path. "You must be new, 'cause I'd remember seeing you around. How about I show you around the cottage?" He gestures behind himself. "You look a little lost."

Cameron stops. It's still awesomely weird how she gets reactions like that now.

"Thanks, but I'm actually in Poe, and all moved in already."

Letting simple facts get in the way of rolling with a pickup line: still a problem she doesn't quite know how to solve, unfortunately.

Something in the guy's overly handsome face shifts, darkens, but only for a moment. "Ah, you would be one'a the crazies. I can work with that. You gotta a name?"

For a moment, Cameron freezes. Did he just imply...?

Cameron catches herself before she can react. No, that wasn't an insult, it's the cover story. Of course Poe would have a cover story. Toni or someone really should've mentioned the cover story. The cover story is mildly insulting but kind of brilliant, actually.

"I'm," outside the dorm, among peers, "Rouse."

The guy steps into Rouse's personal space, close enough that her breasts brush his shirt. "Well, Rouse. I'm Powerhouse." He brushes a finger through her bangs. "So, you the fun kinda crazy or what?"

Wow this guy is coming on strong. She kind of wonders if he usually gets good results with this approach. If she didn't default to willing-to-fuck it'd probably be a little annoying.

On the other hand, given the cover story she now knows about, he's handing her a golden opportunity and she can't resist it. "You wanna know what I'm in for?" She leans in, squishing her cotton-clad tits against his chest, and breathes, "Nymphomania."

A dark grin spreads across Powerhouse's face. "Well then. How about we skip that tour and I show you my room."

"Oh, I totally would," she takes a reluctant step back, "but I've got an appointment to keep right now. So I can't. Sorry."