Vinny (Vincent) Occonnor's Story

The silence in the room spoke volumes.The five of them sat around the wooden table made of harsh grain, like scars carved into a wizened face. The table itself was indeed old; so old none of the people currently sitting around it could remember a time the table had not been the centerpiece of the room. It had been at the academy since the building had been erected, through every renovation and update, and its weathered surface almost out of place among the slate gray concrete of the new walls. And yet, throughout every modernization, the table had remained. No one even questioned it anymore. No matter what happened, the table would always stay. It was a little island of comfort, provided some sense of ease to the people seated at its rickety chairs. Whatever bleak situation was approaching, at least the table would always stand.

This time, however, they weren't so certain. What they were about to be confronted with could topple everything the board had been working towards for centuries-- including the table. All the members sat in pure silence, not a sound uttered. The thick air of unease was palpable.

"We have to fight," the board director finally said, shattering the fragile web of quiet that had laced the room.

"With what army?" came the quick retort from a wiry female with silvery hair.

A new voice chimed in. "You act like we don't have very capable fighters on our side, Patricia."

"Not nearly as many as they have," Patricia responded immediately.

The bulky male opened his mouth to speak, but was quickly cut off by the director.

"George, Trisha, that's enough from the two of you. If we don't have sufficient numbers, we'll create them. We have a school full of talented young souls just waiting for a purpose."

George and Trisha glanced in each other's direction, the same look in both their eyes: uncertainty. The two were used to bickering-- they did so frequently-- but theirs was a friendship that could last through the ages. The many years spent working together had solidified their relationship long ago, and while their friendly rivalry never faded, their connection bordered on telepathic.

They directed their skeptical gazes to the director, who responded with a cool stare. There were several moments of uninterrupted silence before any more was spoken.

"That's ridiculous."

The director focused his gaze on Patricia. "How so?"

There was an edge to his voice like she had never heard before, something akin to serrated glass. So this was the voice of desperation.

"These children are terrified. Shaping them into capable soldiers in under a year? It's, well, frankly, it's impossible," George chipped in while Trisha was busy examining the harsh lines of the director's aging face.

Again, a tense silence permeated the air. Then, a sudden scraping noise as the director pushed back his chair and stood. "Figure it out," were the last words he spoke before stalking out of the room. The two members that had been silent the entire exchange followed his suit, leaving George and Patricia in the suddenly much colder room. A shiver ran through Trisha, and she rubbed her arms to ease the goosebumps.

This time, the silence was blissful as the two stewed in their own thoughts and worries. It was George that eventually broke it.

"Our job starts tomorrow then."

"You know we can't let them know what's happening."

"You're not suggesting we just go on pretending everything's the same as it always was, are you?"

"That's exactly what I'm suggesting. We should delay the pandemonium for as long as possible."

"I agree, but... should we really be keeping them all in the dark about this?"

"Yes."

A pause.

"Alright. Fair enough. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow," she agreed.

A moment of mutual sympathy and self-pity passed between them. Then, they went their separate ways, dreading the very next day where they'd tackle a task that was sure to fall harder and faster than Goliath himself. They could only hope their students would find a way to overcome their worst fears.

In the fleeting moments between the instant his mind awoke from its dreary slumber, and the second his eyes fluttered open to greet the morning sunlight, he envisioned only one thing. Every morning, it was the same. The shining expressions of his family- his mother, his father, and his younger brother who beam with merriment in his direction.

That’s the thing about memories. They’re stapled to your mind, like old grainy films trapped in a never ending loop. The only thing that can flush them out is the moment when you realize that’s all they really are; dreams of a long but not forgotten past. Every morning, he fought against the reality so he could frolic carelessly in those dreams. For when he woke up, he'd not only wake to the sharp rays of sunlight and the scent of morning breakfast, but also to the harsh reality that such lively and beautiful faces no longer exist. That such a nurturing family could simply be erased from this planet in the blink of an eye.
And like every morning, he’d no doubt be reminded of why.

Sunlight was drilling on his temples like a pecking bird, and though he knew he was awake for good, Vinny still tossed and turned in a sea of blankets to fight the harsh rays. In all honesty, he had only been awake long enough to prepare his bed before boredom set in and he sprawled out on his clumsy mess of Egyptian cotton. His belongings were still in bags, cluttered in an array of bundled clothing and various personal items, taking up his side of the room in a disorganized mess.

All sleep defeated, Vincent ripped his lids open with a grumble. He sat up in a hunch and rubbed his aching forehead. Taking in his surroundings, he was reminded of just why the sun decided to pester him during such a blissful nap.

“Ah, right.” He murmured noting sheer curtains that did nothing but bleed light into the room. Those would need replaced. Sweeping a hand through his disheveled mess of pale blonde locks, he drew himself from the mattress and stretched with his arms behind his head until his chest had inflated to it’s maximum capacity.

The boy had been running on a lousy 12 hours of sleep daily during the break. His time was spent inside of a luxurious single-bedroom hotel room, with thick lush curtains that could trick a man into thinking it was half-past midnight, even at the brightest hour of the day. Now he was confined to the sunny and effervescent surroundings of his new dorm room, and – though he tried - there was simply no talking his way out of it. It’d be a long time ‘till he’d see his lovely hotel accommodations again.

A soft jingle danced at his feet, and Vinny looked down to meet the sharp orange eyes of his feline companion, Archibald. Archibald was a rough a mangled street cat that had found Vinny as only a kitten. He had a habit of picking up strays and homing them until he could find suitable owners, but Archibald was one mean-mugged Persian he’d never part ways with. He’d cared for the cat for three-or-so years now, forming an unbreakable bond.

Archibald licked at his long grey tuffs, and took a seat in front of Vinny with a resting glare. The damn thing always looked like it’d get a thrill from murdering a small village. Slowly blinking his crescent eyes, he let out a noisy meow that made Vincent squint.

“Alright, alright. Fat ass.” He sighed, snatching one of his bags and retrieving a thin can of cat food. Before he could nearly put it down, the cat was already face-deep in it’s late-morning breakfast.

Combing back his hair with five long fingers, he cocked his head, letting off a subtle crack. He hadn’t seen anyone upon his arrival, but maybe his roommates had surfaced during his beauty-sleep. He had come a bit early, after all. It’d be best if he got the introductions over with now. The sooner he met his bunk-mates, the sooner he could sample some of the fresh female students, or at the very least go back to sleep.

Cracking open his bedroom door, he sauntered into the main body of the suit. The large room that connected all of it’s residents in one way or another. With no one in sight, he slumped into the comfort of the residential couch, kicking two grungy boots up on the small, magazine-littered coffee table. The place was nice, no doubt. Well furnished, though mostly with bare essentials. It didn't matter to Vinny. He'd be in his room - or someone else's - the majority of the time anyways. He wholeheartedly hoped he could skip the friendly banter, and if he was rooming with students he had met before, that'd make the process a whole lot easier. Meeting new people didn't sit well with him. It was all fabricated, artificial friendliness and a half-assed handshake.

Reaching into his pocket, he wiggled out a carton, quickly disturbed by the sight of a single lone cigarette. He took it anyways and placed the filter between his lips with little concern for the smoking preferences of his dorm-mates.

Still, try as he might, his thumb faltered over his metal lighter. Sometimes he could coax himself into igniting the flame, and other times he would ask someone nearby for assistance, but seeing as he was alone in the moment, he’d have to settle for option number one. Struggling to muster up the courage, he eventually gave in to his fears, dropping his arms to his sides and lulling his head back in frustration. He nearly considered calling Aislin, but she’d probably yell at him for dragging her all the way to his dorm for a lonely cigarette.

He eyed the decadent vice in front of him, his nicotine cravings heightening his urge more by the second.

This blows.

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Don't be misguided, Geneva usually loved the beginning of the school year. It offered the chance to catch up with friends who she hadn't seen since Rorschach broke up, trade some much needed gossip, and see who had become hot over break and who had put on the pounds. Given the general extroversion of the petite girl, it was no shock to learn that she had been looking forward to seeing her friends for some time, yet one would be completely justified in believing the exact opposite given the girl's current angered expression. Not only had the airport left her bags at the airport of her departure - meaning she would have to wait a whole two days before she received them - but on arriving at Rorschach she had found out that one of her new dorm mates was none other than Kailan Tsai. Calling him her enemy might sound like an over-dramatisation, but Gen sure as hell wasn't about to go calling him her friend.

Naturally this discovery had further damped her mood and as she made her way through the winding halls of the physical powers dormitory building, Gen was attempting to wipe the scowl off her face. She wasn't acquainted with the other two members of her dorm room and she didn't want their first impression of her to be a seething ball of fury. Assuming they were both present already, Gen herself was arriving late so she wasn't sure who had arrived yet. Whether they were or not was about to be discovered as Geneva came to a stop outside her living quarters for the year.

Even though her bags had been delayed by the airport's incompetence, Geneva at least had the satisfaction of knowing the clothes she did have - the odd few items that hadn't squeezed into her checked-in luggage and had to be pushed into her carry-on - would happily see her through the days before her suitcase arrived. The girl was rarely seen in anything less than flattering so she wouldn't be forced to wear any of the horrid items from lost and found, or borrow one of Dominic's massive shirts. Glancing down at the boots gracing her feet, Geneva could only shrug at the wish for another pair of shoes. The heels - a necessity given her diminutive height - would have to do.

With a shake of her head Geneva pushes further thoughts of clothes and shoes away, instead letting her hand turn the door knob. The room on the other side is an expected sight, the same stereotypical furnishings and layout found through the dormitories. The sight that does differ some, is the young man sitting on the room's couch, feet kicked up onto the coffee table and seemingly staring at an unlit cigarette. Geneva can only assume that this is Vincent Occonnor, as he was clearly not Kailan or the other female sharing their room. Gen's never had much to do with the blonde, something which she's sure living in such close quarters for the year will change, though whether for the better or worse was yet to be seen.

"You know you have to light those things for them to work." The sarcastic words were out of her mouth before Gen could stop them, which, if you knew the girl well, you'd know wasn't all that uncommon. Geneva said what she thought and rarely cared to worry about the consequences of being so blunt. Of course, this wasn't a sentence to worry about anyway, not in the broad spectrum of how careless and sarcastic she could be. Continuing into the room Gen glanced towards the two doors leading to the different shared rooms. According to the front desk Gen was sharing her room with Irene, whoever that was. The question was, was Gen's sleeping quarters through door number one or door number two?

"Vincent, right?" Gen said, shifting her attention back to the young man, "Which room is yours?" She asked, adjusting the strap of her shoulder bag as she waited for an answer. Whichever room was his would mean the other was hers, then Gen could dump her singular bag and head out to seek the friends who wouldn't mind hearing her tirade about inadequate airport services.

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Cell pressed against his ear, the boy had to listen to his mother chatter away about how much she was to miss him. He yawned, not really paying attention as he walked the campus grounds. It wasn’t his first year, though it was his first starting in the beginning of the year. His parents assumed the academy was a pristine school he managed to get a scholarship at, which caused them to be overly ecstatic. Yet it was just a school for freaks, training them to keep their freaky aspects under control. "Are you listening to me?” His mother shrieked from the other end and he cringed, taking the phone from his ear for a moment.

”God, yes I can hear you clearly. I have to go.” Before his mother could say more, the teenager hung up on her. He smirked, looking around the academy that would be his home for a long year. He might have only joined the last semester of the former school year, but Kailan had already gotten to know a few people. Though, not all of them were friendly with him. He chuckled softly at the thought, running a hand through his hair.

Yawning, he rubbed at his eyes, dark bags visible sign of Kailan's rather insomniac schedule. Having spent the entire summer with an erratic sleep order, Kailan would have some trouble with the schools typical hours. This is gonna be great. Waking up around eight isn't really for me. He sighed softly as he sunk down into a bench that sat outside the courtyard. He could very well go to his dorm and meet his roommates, but he decided to wait a bit.

Upon registration, Kailan had only glanced at the room number that was his dorm. He didn’t bother skimming over the names, as he found it more fun to figure out who they were in person. In fact, after figuring out the dorm room, he had thrown away the slip of paper. The information held no importance to him, after all. As he watched the other students, Kailan lit a cigarette. While the boy wasn’t much of a smoker, he did enjoy them every now and then. That and he currently had nothing else on him currently. Normally he’d carry candy or gum, some type of sweet to chew on as a way to keep him occupied. Still, a cigarette would do for now.

Deciding he waited long enough, the teenager rose and grabbed his belongings before making his way towards his dorm. He didn’t have much on him as normally he’d just buy things throughout the year. His parents weren’t wealthy but they were upper-class citizens, and usually sent him some spare change through the mail. They didn’t trust him enough to own any form of debit or credit, though. Taking a drag and letting it sit between his lips, he trudged on and finally found his dorm room.

As he stepped inside the dorm, the first thing his eyes fell on was a large tabby cat. As it noticed him, the large feline let out a hiss, letting the teen know he was unwelcome. “Well aren’t you ugly.” He said simply as he closed the door behind him, receiving another hiss from the tomcat. There were two others in the room, and once he looked over at them, his mouth quirked up in a smirk, “I heard the witch was killed, but I guess you’re still alive. Isn’t that a shame?” He spoke evenly to Geneva, ignoring the other on the couch. Frankly he was shocked to see his childhood friend lazily sitting in his dorm room, but whatever surprise he felt, it was not worn on his face.

Has he always been here? It was possible that they missed each other when Kailan had arrived to Rorschach as he had only joined the academy briefly before the start of summer. Still, it didn’t sit well with him. His eyes flickered over to Vinny, as if in question as to why the hell both of them were here. They hadn’t seen each other in three years after all. He turned to Vinny, unsure exactly what he could say to the other but he just chuckled, “Well, at least I share a room with a pretty face. Compensates for being in a dorm room with the ice queen.” His attention turned back towards Geneva, and though his lips rose in a grin, it was hardly friendly.

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Before he could acknowledge the sarcastic stranger, Vinny found himself paralyzed by that familiar tone of voice. It was different now, darker, deeper and full of apathy. For a moment, he wished and prayed to some higher deity that it wasn't who he thought it was. But wishes are for fairy tails, and prayers are for the religious.

With a sort of chest-gripping asphyxiation, Vinny rose to his feet and slowly but steadily turned his attention to the door.



The face he met sent more emotions swimming through him than he had endured in the last three years. Pain, glee, perplexity, doubt and anger all rushed from the center of his chest to the ends of his extremities, and he wasn't sure which emotion to focus on. So he chose the latter.

With a few short strides, he met Kailan face to face, a ring-covered fist coming up to grip his dearest friend by the collar of his shirt and anchor him into all of Vincent's undisclosed rage. The emotions on his face were only evident by his narrow brows, and a tinge of grief in his sapphire eyes, but they were there none the less, and Kailan was to witness them from only inches away.

He wouldn't hurt Kailan. He couldn't hurt Kailan, but god damn if he didn't want to. For himself, for Aislin, and for the past three years that they were left alone to wonder, and unconsoled to blame themselves. Those were the soul reasons why he found himself trapping Kailan flush against the door, fighting the urge to sacrifice a few finger bones to get the point across. Though he was quick to violence, he was usually nothing less than playful about it. It was a sport to him on most occasions. But in the moment, everything from his stance, to the flare of his nostrils said he was serious. As always, Kailan had struck a nerve.

"You asshole." He spit through a tense jaw, his voice gravelly and ridged. This was who Vincent had become, after all. Quick to anger and impossible to please. And the catalyst for his disarray of emotionally crippling baggage was standing within fist's reach. He really could have used that cigarette right about now.

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Barely had Geneva had the opportunity to catch her breath before the door behind her opened again, heralding the arrival of a certain individual whom Geneva would have been very happy to not see for the remainder of the year, or really her life. The first drawling insult dripping from his mouth had the girl rolling her eyes, turning to see Kailan Tsai as he saunered into the room. At least the cat seemed to have good taste, hissing at the disdainful boy as he closed the door behind him. As always his insults only caused Geneva's lips to form their own cold smile, perceptive eyes inspecting her enemy as quick comebacks formed.

However, before a single insult could pass through her lips, a streak of blonde hair crossed the room in a series of long strides and pushed the darker haired young man against the door. Geneva's eyebrows rose as she watched the scene unfold, mentally smirking and cursing herself from not preparing popcorn to enjoy while she watched the drama unfold. As it was Geneva let her arms cross over her chest, tilting her head to the side as she attempted to guess what Kailan had done in the past to warrant being called an asshole with such vehemence.

"And here I thought we'd all become best buddies living together." She commented with her usual sarcastic tone, eyes sparkling as she waited with baited breathe for more information to emerge, "But please, don't mind me. Pretend I'm not here and continue, this is most enjoyable."

Of course, it seemed that this was only the prelude to the real theatrics as no sooner had Geneva spoken then someone knocked on the door. Nudging the door open - a feat in itself given the two young men pressed against it - and entering a moment later with a teasing remark to 'Vinny' was one Aislinn Buckeldee. Geneva was on good enough terms with the blonde, perhaps not best friends, but she's had no trouble getting along with the girl in the past. Though, she wasn't aware of anything that might tie her to the two young men sharing the room with them, though she was most certainly curious to find out. "The plot thickens." Geneva thinks to herself.

The responsible thing to do would be to break up the two boys before a fight broke out, but Geneva wasn't inclined to do 'the responsible thing' in this respect. One reason being that she doubted she'd be able to pull the much taller boy off Kailan, and the other because she wasn't averse to seeing the detestable jet-haired young man land himself in uncomfortable situations. However, her curiosity was gnawing at her, and Geneva thought a little probing couldn't possibly hurt the situation any, right?

"What the hell do you do Kailan?" She asked, her tone more amused than anything.

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It wasn’t like he wasn’t happy to see Vinny, in fact he was practically ecstatic to see his long lost friend. Though, he wasn’t really fond of the idea of being shoved against the door. Expected, but undesirable. Pulling a grin, the smile didn’t meet his eyes as he levelled them with Vinny’s. It gave the impression of malicious intent, and oh did he want to snap back. Instead, he clicked his tongue on the inside of his mouth, making a tsk sound as he leaned forward some. Too close for comfort. Watching Vinny intently, he took a drag of the cigarette that sat between his lips, blowing the smoke into his childhood friend’s face. He just snickered lightly, his eyes adverting over to Geneva as she spoke up, causing him to go a bit rigid, and reminding him that they weren’t alone.

“Now, that’s no way to greet someone,” He said, dropping his voice so his threat only reached his friend’s ears, “And if you don’t let go of me I’m going to break that pretty nose of yours.” He smiled, pushing his way aside just as another entered the room. He looked over, tossing his head back slightly as he assessed her with a cool gaze. His jaw jumped slightly as he watched his middle school plaything waltz into the room, tossing a few teasing words at the other boy before she glanced over at him. Raising an eyebrow, the corner of his lips tugged upwards slightly, if only for a moment. She looked completely shocked to see him, even a bit regretful. Perfect. He purred to himself, watching the two. Oh, this is going to be so fun.

"What the hell do you do Kailan?" Geneva seemed to speak up once more and he whistled under his breath, walking into the middle of the room, getting away from the others. He was never good with awkward situations, always pushing aside problems with shitty jokes and aloofness. Turning to the darker haired of the two girls, he leered at her, “Oh, curious are we? Well, I’m flattered you’re so interested. Maybe I can show you some time.” His words were laced with some underlying venom as he cut his attention over to Aislin and Vinny, both who looked equal parts of pissed and shocked that he was here. He couldn’t really identify what he was feeling, annoyance maybe? The whole situation was bullshit, and he could swear that he was probably in some fucked up nightmare where his past was hoping to stick and prod. Though, no matter how much he willed himself awake, he knew this wasn’t a dream and he couldn’t just disappear.

Still, that didn’t stop him from having a shitty attitude towards the situation. He rested his chin in his hand, his brow furrowing slightly as he tilted his head in mock confusion. “I’ve known so many pretty eyed blondes, could you refresh my memory, dear?” He resisted the urge to snicker, knowing very well that was gonna sting. But such as he was, when stressed he aimed to hurt. People left much quicker that way, and he preferred his lonesome far more than shitty and dramatic relationships. Still, he did toy around. A game of cat and mouse every now and then was fun. He shrugged, as if not caring whether she answered the question as he went and pressed the cigarette into the ashtray that sat on the coffee table. Still, he had no way to dance around these two, so he might as well get them to leave him alone, after all he did disappear for three years without saying so much as a goodbye. So why did they care if he was here, what type of damage did he cause?

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Icy blue eyes stared at the two boys that she had grown up beside; one of which had abandoned her completely and left her broken and unforgiving. She did nothing to stop Kailan slip from Vinny's grip, and stood there in mute shock for a few heartbeats, overwhelmed by the whole situation. She bit the inside of her lip, to stop herself from saying anything she may regret later, and to hold back her own emotions, to allow herself to concentrate and breathe. She could feel her chest throbbing, as if the scars that her former friend's disappearance had left were tearing their bonds apart and falling to pieces all over again.

Instead of focusing on the black haired smoker in front of her, striding around and making rather snide comments at Geneva, who Ash was sure wouldn't appreciate, Aislin focused on Vinny's cigarette, crumbling in his hand. Normally, Aislin carried one or two about herself just in case, but she hadn't had the opportunity to get some since she'd returned. She sighed through her nose, pinching the bridge with her forefinger and thumb, before rubbing her temples with her left hand, as if getting rid of a nasty headache. She looked at the light blonde boy, trying to figure out what to do next.

Her chest seemed to be crushing her lungs as Kailan's comment hit her hard. She was determined not to cry, and she knew Vincent would brush off the comment like it was nothing. He always knew how, whereas Aislin tended to be an open book, a fragile thing waiting to be broken. She glared at Kailan, keeping the air flowing in and out of her, not allowing for a panic attack. She felt the way she did the day she discovered her abilities - and to her, it wasn't a good feeling.

Vinny was definitely not letting it show, and that became apparent as soon as he shot his own tearing comments back at Kailan, before wrapping an arm around Ash. Deciding to just go along with it, as a form of her own little insult, she placed her own arm around him, letting her hand rest on his hip for a few moments. She knew that Kai's comments had come from nowhere - she knew deep down, Kai recognized them both. He had to. Aislin wouldn't know what to do if her face had become a blur to him, when his face was permanently etched in her memory.

She was glad when she was swiftly released from Vinny's grasp - which wasn't a bad thing, but Aislin did tend to enjoy hugs and she didn't receive many from most people. She stared at her feet and shuffled herself away from Vinny. In the end, she just couldn't take it. She forced herself to look up, at the person she had gotten attached to, before being slowly cut away from him. She studied Kailan for a second, trying to place what had changed. He'd grown, at least, from what she remembered. That, or Aislin hadn't grown an inch. His hair was the same dark shade, his expression was the same as the times where he tried to brush people off, turn them away. She never had understood why he or Vinny did that, but they did. They did it thousands of times in the past - one time was towards her, after all - and Aislin didn't understand why she was so upset by it this time around. She just found one word bubbling in her mind, looping itself around her thoughts like a disease that she just couldn't cure.

Why why why why why?

Aislin wanted answers. She wanted a reason for his sudden and inexplicable disappearance. She wanted answers, and not just for herself. The whole thing had brought Vinny and her together, but she wasn't sure that Vinny could forgive Kai, even if she could. Even if she didn't get answers, she wanted them for Vinny. Eventually she couldn't keep it in any more. The crushing in her chest felt like it was about to explode, and her head hurt. She just shook her hair out of her face and quietly asked: "Why?"