[DR] Bear with me, folks

[Byrna Cooper]

At the danger room, an older (relatively) x-man was running some required monthly diagnostics on the system computers. Her uniform was on, but a bit unprofessionally it was unzipped, and tied about her waist, revealing a tie-dyed t shirt underneath.

She was a little bored, but kept her spirits up with some humming of Beatles standards.

[Mary Ann London]

Mary Ann went to the Danger Room door dressed in her training uniform, saw it was in diagnostics and so wandered up to the observation deck to see what diagnostics on this thing looked like. "Oh, hi. Am I allowed to be in here?"

[Byrna Cooper]

"Sure. As long as you like boring, non-fighty afternoons in the danger room!"

Bear smiled, looking at the newcomer.

"The danger room isn't all fun and games all the time, I'm afraid."

[Mary Ann London]

"I was just gonna ramble around it for kicks," she said. "I'm Mary Ann."

[Byrna Cooper]

"Nice to see you around! I'm the Closer when in uniform, And Byrna Cooper when out. But everyone calls me Bear."

[Mary Ann London]

Mary Ann snickered, "Funny. I turn into a bear, but most people call me, Mary Ann. Where are you from?"

[Byrna Cooper]

"Originally? I'm from a little ol' place up in New Hampshire. Very rural, very cozy."

She pushed a few keys, humming a couple notes of hey Jude.

"How about you? You have a cool twang."

[Mary Ann London]

"Upstate New York, a little farming co-op. My parents were one of the founding members."

[Byrna Cooper]

Bear blinked at that.

"Really? That's awesome! We grew up, with just Vermont separating us?"

[Mary Ann London]

"Sounds like. You're a college student?"

[Byrna Cooper]

"I am. How about you?"

[Mary Ann London]

"Institute. A lowly high schooler," she grins.

[Byrna Cooper]

"We have soooo got to go hang out sometime!" Bear replied, returning the grin.

[Mary Ann London]

"Yeah. Sure that wouldn't be too much awesome in one place?"

[Byrna Cooper]

"The world will compensate." Bear smiled, giving Mary Ann a big hug.

[Mary Ann London]

Mary Ann hugged her back, "So long as it doesn't overcompensate."

[Byrna Cooper]

"We can't have overcompensation."

Bear smiled, looking over a new friend.

"A bear, really?" She smiled, still amazed at the coincidences.

"What color bear?"

[Mary Ann London]

"Brown, but sort of blond on the head," she said. She looked around the room. "I can try to show you, I think there's room in here."

[Byrna Cooper]

"I'll tell you what.. I think we a both a little nature girl. Let me set the diagnostics running.."

She pressed a few buttons, setting a recurring testing loop.

"And lets go outside, get some space."

[Mary Ann London]

"Okay, outside's good too."

[Byrna Cooper]

"Alright then!"

Bear smiled, leading her eerily similar new friend towards the quad, grabbing her satchel as she did so.

[Mary Ann London]

Once they were out on the quad, Mary Ann made sure she had lots of space. "I should still be able to understand you... assuming this works and I don't make a fool of myself. I just may be a little slow on the uptake."

[Byrna Cooper]

"No problem. I'll be gentle, I promise."

Bear turned, and took a seat on a low hanging branch.

[Mary Ann London]

Mary Ann nodded and started concentrating. For a bit, it looked like she was going to make a fool of herself as she feared. Then it all happened in a rush, fur sprouting everywhere and packing on mass. And then, where the smallish blond girl had been standing before was a huge kodiak bear. She dropped to all fours and shook out the fur on her head and looked at Bear.

[Byrna Cooper]

She looked on, smirking.

"Very groovy. I'm not giving up my nickname, though!"

[Mary Ann London]

Mary Ann made some gesture that may have equated to "fair enough" in bear body language. She snuffled the air and then looked in the general direction of the cafeteria before shaking her head as if trying to clear it.

[Byrna Cooper]

"Bears do get hungry, huh?"

Bear got down, approaching Mary Ann.

"I've seen quite a few feral mutants before.. But you are pretty much the biggest.."

[Mary Ann London]

Mary Ann sat down with a thud, dropping to the ground and tucking her paws away apparently in a bid to appear more friendly. She attempted what could be interpreted as a smile, but on a bear, it was more disturbing than anything.

[Byrna Cooper]

"Umm.. You might want to work on that."

Bear smiled, running her hand over the fur on Mary Ann's side.

[Mary Ann London]

Mary Ann schooled her face back into the bear's typical blank look. Then she started snuffle-chuckling and rolled away from Bear's hand.

[Byrna Cooper]

"No touchy? Not even a bear hug?"

Bear smirked, keeping her hands away for now.

[Mary Ann London]

Mary Ann recovered and got up, shaking her head and then pushing her side into Bear.

[Byrna Cooper]

Bear grinned widely, giving a big ol' hug to the bear.

[Mary Ann London]

The bear turned and, somewhat awkwardly, tried to hug Bear as well. It more or less worked and more importantly, Mary Ann managed to be careful enough to not break anything.