On Your Mark

[Incognito]

Friday, August 25, 2023 | 197 words | open! | Just one last summer thread for Incognito!

Hot summer days were the best for running.

Okay, so that statement sounds crazy even to Mason, but he had a good reason for thinking in such a way. Running was one of his main forms of exercise and keeping in shape. Mason never had a problem with getting his body to move around, especially in the warmer weather thanks to his active mutant gene, but it was particularly awesome to practice his track running on hot days like today due to the major benefit of having a large, in-ground pool at his disposal. If Mason hadn't been living at the Xavier Institute, he probably would have done his running at an indoor track or gym somewhere, a place that was filled with a working air conditioner to beat the heat.

Today, however, Mason was going to do a couple of laps around the manor -- well, if he can, if one considers that he's not entirely sure how large a circumference the mansion has -- before collapsing in the pool to cool-down. Who knows? Maybe if he's that hot, he may not even bothering changing into his swimsuit beforehand. He didn't mind at all if his track suit got wet.

[Critter]

Tag: Incognito
Words: 259

This was one of Willow's favorite kinds of days. The middle of summer brought warm, weather with lazy clouds and gentle breezes that proved to be the best kind of weather for sunbathing or diving into a pool. Leaves were bright green as they did their best to provide shade people and animals alike, and today one such tree at the edge of the institute's yard was sheltering a golden retriever laying on her back.

Granted, Willow wasn't very picky about the weather. She tended to find something that she liked about every day.

She stretched in her dog form, the double-coat of fur keeping her semi-cool in its own way, as her tail wagged softly at nothing in particular. She was about to roll over so the sun could reach her back, but a small breeze brought the scent of one of the other members of the manor. Willow perked up and scanned the grounds, eventually finding Mason running.

Her head tilted in confusion at the sight. As far as she could tell, nothing was chasing him. After a moment or two, she concluded that he was running because he was on the track team at the high school, and she stood up to give her limbs one last, good stretch.

Then, with a doggy grin, she loped off after Mason. With his easy stride, she caught up to him quick enough. She kept pace with him for a few moments before giving him a mischievous woof and pulling out in front of him.

Let the race begin.

[Incognito]

201 words | Critter

Mason nearly jumped out of his skin (which, considering his mutant genes, could have happened quite literally -- in fact, he may have shed a piece of skin or two from his arms or legs while running) when a golden retriever suddenly caught up with him in his run. He raised an eyebrow at the apparent friendly canine, wondering if it was a stray or if the manor was just so large that he hadn't noticed the dog living with them yet.

Then the dog gave him a woof that could only be described as teasing before pulling ahead of him, and Mason grinned. No way was he going to lose a race to a dog, particularly one that was probably one of his housemates.

"I'm comin' for ya, Willow!" he called out before increasing his speed. She had been one of the friendlier recruits (granted, everyone seemed nice enough, but Willow was the type to initiate conversations rather than shy away like some others), and Mason definitely didn't mind her company.

And if the dog wasn't Willow? There'd be no harm done, except for the fact that there's a loose dog on the manor grounds. But, hey, that was something they could handle.

[Critter]

Tag: Incognito
Words: 219

Willow woofed again, her tail wagging madly behind her, as she did her best to keep her lead on Mason. Dogs were faster runners than humans, that much was a given, but she wasn't particularly running at full-speed, not in this heat with a fur coat.

She heard the other teen call out to her, sounding like there was laughter in his tone, and Willow was pleased that they had a new recruit that could handle jokes and being teased. For the most part, all of the recruits were good sports with one another, and Willow could understand one being apprehensive regarding one's powers, but it was still nice at how easily Mason had fit right in with the manor. He didn't shy away from meeting and talking with his housemates, whether they be student or teacher.

Willow focused on the route they were running, suddenly realizing that she was unsure as to which way they should go. They were starting to turn the corner of the mansion, but there was also the beautiful hedge-garden in the back that would be fun to lose Mason in, but she couldn't guarantee that he'd follow her...

She didn't realize that she had slowed down to a jog, her canine brain too focused on trying to figure out which way to go.

[Incognito]

164 words | Critter

Okay, so racing a dog in the summer heat probably wasn't one of Mason's brightest ideas. He was getting hot and he could only imagine what it was like in a fur coat (then again, maybe as a panting dog Willow was feeling a lot cooler than he was at the moment). Perhaps Mason could convince Willow -- dog form or not -- to take a dip in the pool with him after one of them won this impromptu race...

After a few minutes, right when the pair were getting fairly close to turning the corner of the mansion, Mason noticed that Willow the dog was starting to slow down from a run to a jog. He frowned slightly, wondering if something was wrong, but to his knowledge, everything seemed okay. If anything, the dog looked a bit confused, and Mason decided to use that to his advantage.

Putting on a burst of speed, Mason ran and took a flying leap to try to tackle the dog. "Got'cha!"

[Critter]

Tag: Incognito
Words: 162

Willow sensed more than saw Mason suddenly catch up quicker than she had expected and taken a flying leap in her direction. She gave off a yelp, more out of surprise than anything else, as the other teen tackled her canine-self to the ground.

The pair rolled for a few moments on the lawn before they lost their entanglement and Willow her transformation. She found herself on her back dressed again in her shorts, t-shirt, and feathered earrings rather than in a fur coat. A serious case of the giggles erupted from her as she relaxed on the grass.

"I wasn't expecting that!" she eventually said, glancing over at Mason, wherever he had landed after their roll. "Who even thinks to tackle a dog?"

Her gaze went up to the summer sky, blue with a few clouds drifting by, unhurried and uncaring as to where the wind was taking them. "Any special reason as to why you were jogging in this heat, anyway?"

[Incognito]

196 words | Critter

"You and me both," Mason said with a laugh from beside the girl, his gaze on her as she giggled freely. He was glad she hadn't gotten annoyed with his unexpected "attack," and even more glad that his tackle hadn't resulted in a more awkward situation between the pair of them. Fortunately, Willow seemed to be a good sport about such things and he relaxed beside her for a moment before she asked him about his jogging.

"I like to try to keep in shape," Mason said with a small shrug, "and jogging in the heat gives me a perfect excuse to be lazy in the pool later on. Besides, with the warmer weather, the reptile side of me just always wants to be on the move, and running helps me get out some of that energy."

He glanced back over at her, his gaze tracing down the edge of her feather earrings and hair that framed her face. "I think this is the perfect time for a swim. Care to join me?" Mason bounced back up to his feet and, with an inviting grin, held his hand out to Willow to help her off the ground.

[Critter]

Tag: Incognito
Words: 170
Notes: I'm good to wrap up this thread here if you are.

Willow took a few deep breaths as she tried to catch her breath in the hot, summer air. She glanced over at Mason, a lazy smile on her face as she listened to him talk about his mutation.

"Always on the move?" She reached over and poked his side with a teasing grin. "You seem pretty tired out to me right now."

It didn't last long, however, for Mason soon popped back up from the ground and invited Willow to join him for a swim in the pool. She grinned and took the offered hand, allowing him to help her off the ground.

"I guess I have some time to hang out with you some more," she said, "even if you did just tackle me to the ground like a maniac." After a moment, she dashed off, yelling behind her, "Last one in the pool needs to give the other cookies...!" With that, she morphed once more into a dog and took off toward the house to change into her swimsuit.