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Seemingly unphased by the cold Kyle stepped out of the gym with nary a flinch despite his ludicrously short attire. He started across the street, his loose, relaxed stride expressing a distinct lack of care for the world around him. Even Alice's potentially scathing remark was met with an easy amusement. "Oh." He replied, a smirk accompanying the glance he sent Alice's way. "Who says those three minutes are for myself?"
Kyle didn't wait for a reaction to his continued innuendo, rather he continued crossing the street, stepping up onto the opposite curb and heading for the door to the bar. From the looks of things the bar had just opened and there were very few people inside save for the employees. "Of course." He said, answering Alice's assertion as he pushed open the door to the bar, pausing once again to allow her to enter first. "I am a classy gentleman, after all."
Kyle couldn't be considered a mastermind by any stretch of the imagination, a shortcoming he was well aware of. This made the rare moment when a ridiculous scheme of his actually worked all the more sweeter. It didn't matter that he'd been a shameless flirt from day one and the yoga instructor hadn't dismissed him yet making the plan a calculated gamble. These were the small details he tended to not focus on. What he did catch was the look in Alice's eyes that seemed to express a mixture of amusement and possibly curiosity.
Not needing to be told twice, Kyle simply smirked, nodded and started toward the door alongside Alice. He cast a short grin in her direction, one that made it apparently clear he'd long given up the notion of taking himself too seriously. He pushed the door leading outside open, pausing to let Alice exit first. "Oh, I only need three minutes."
It didn't take a trained raccoon with a Walt Disney imagination to see Kyle had shown up exactly when he'd planned. Subtlety wasn't his strong suit, though given his background this rarely came as a surprise. He spent little effort to hide the smirk that touched his lips or the mischievous gleam in his eye. He was up to something, of that anyone could see.
"Oh, man." The mock disappointment in Kyle's voice was far too easy to hear. He even gave a swing of an arm in an 'aw shucks' motion for emphasis. "You know, I do my best to be on time but sometimes it just doesn't work out." He explained, his head shaking faintly. "That's just how it goes." A shrug followed his simple take on the situation. The smirk then melted into a bit or a grin as he watched Alice for a moment. "Guess that means you're free for the next hour." Which had been the idea all along. "And I happen to know the bar across the street makes a great Manhattan."
As medical science began to extol the virtues of low impact workouts and flexibility the US military had started adopting many elements of traditional yoga into their physical fitness regimens. A further, little known fact was the rise of yoga as not merely a tool for fitness but also stress management and anxiety relief among those in military circles. Older soldiers especially turned to yoga to remain fit while also reducing injuries and limiting muscle fatigue that had become increasingly difficult to recover from. These were all reason one Kyle Foster kept in his proverbial back pocket in case he found himself questioned about his seemingly intense commitment to the craft even after he'd stepped away from his life as a soldier. The real reason he caught as many yoga classes at the local gym happened to have little to do with a healthy, post career lifestyle and more to do with fashion. Or, more specifically, one trend the workout had lent its name to in recent years.
Yoga pants.
As usual on Friday afternoons after work Kyle made his way to the gym clad in running shoes, a tan tanktop and a pair of far too short running shorts. Unlike most Fridays, however, he was arriving just a few minutes after the early yoga session had ended and easily an hour before the next would begin. Another peculiarity of the day's activities was that Kyle had, for once, a specific purpose for his planned gaffe. And that purpose happened to be making use of his primary reason for getting into yoga in the first place.
"Am I early?" He asked the yoga instructor as she was putting away her gear from the recently ended session. "I set three alarms just to make sure I was on time."
"Eh." Kyle waved a hand dismissively. "The club scene is overrated." He spoke from experience, naturally, having seen his share of all manner of such establishments around the world. Maybe his life was far from what could be called 'quiet' but that didn't mean he sought out the stuffy, annoying confines usually found within clubs. "Large groups of people and I don't mix." The last comment came out in a bit of a mumble as he brought the Thermos up and took another drink.
Kyle paused a moment at Gina's reply. No Beibers but possibly some shades of Hendrix? That was obviously something he hadn't expected to hear. "Well fuck yeah." Came his encouraged retort. "That sounds pretty badass." He paused for another pull from the Thermos. "You ever have a student go on to anything big? Are you the driving force behind some big rock band or anything?" The question came with a hint of a smirk. It was only partially in jest, though, as Kyle found himself far more curious about the workings of a music class than he would've thought.
The pouring of the small plastic bottle into the Thermos seemed to elicit... something in Gina that caught Kyle's attention. His power kicked in of its own volition making the world around him seem to slow down and snap into sharp focus. He became acutely aware of every tiny nuance in Gina's nearly imperceptible reaction. The way her eyes flicked toward the Thermos as the liquid was poured into it. How the sound, not the act itself was what resonated with her.
In an instant the world returned to normal. Even after so many years of living with the mutation it could still catch him off guard. He blinked a couple times, shaking the cobwebs from his mind before offering an almost apologetic smile. "Sorry about that." He cleared his throat and went to the Thermos as a way to buy a few more seconds to gather himself. "Yeah, it'd be bad enough to have a bunch of hormonal teenagers away from home from the first time but add in super powers and I'm amazed this place doesn't get leveled every six months."
"Really?" There was a hint of disbelief in Kyle's voice as he once again glanced over his shoulder. She didn't look that old. Surely not so much so that she would be blamed for enjoying a night out now and again. Of course he hadn't taken the normal path through to adulthood and in many ways he was still getting accustomed to being away from the strict rules and guidelines that had dictated much of his former career. "That doesn't sound like fun." He pulled the pot from the coffee maker and poured a few cups worth into his Thermos before moving to sit at the table across from Gina. "You know what they say." He lifted the Thermos, brow furrowing as he tested the coffee, quickly coming to the decision he should wait for it to cool before continuing. "Is boring as hell." He finished.
"Yeah?" Kyle perked up a bit at the talk of Gina's students. "You teaching any future Beibers?" He paused, thought a moment then added. "Or whatever the hell the kids are listening to these days." He shrugged, waving a hand dismissively. It wasn't as if he knew much on the subject. He'd dabbled with a guitar during a couple of his deployments though that was the extent of his musical experience.
"Well, who'd a thought taking kids away from their homes after what's usually the single most traumatizing event in their lives would be enough of a problem to need an entire staff position dedicated to it?" Kyle presented the question without any hint of sarcasm or ire. He knew a thing or two about being sent off all over the world and it never ceased to be stressful and he'd volunteered. "Basically I take the kids in, show them around, help them get used to being different and away from home." A hand fished a tiny, plastic bottle from his pants pocket and he unscrewed the lid and poured the contents into the Thermos. "I give them a friendly face to go to when they have trouble adjusting. Sort of a mentorship program, I guess."
Kyle waved a hand dismissively at Gina's apology. It wasn't as if he'd meant to fall asleep in the staff lounge, let alone do so right in front of her. If anything the little surprise served to clear his mind a bit and wake up him up, something that should be praised, not apologized for. "You could say that." He answered before getting to his feet to pace a couple laps across the floor. He was here for a reason, after all, and had just a few precious minutes to clear up before his next appointment.
"How about you?" Kyle then busied himself with starting a fresh batch of coffee. He glanced over his shoulder to the teacher sitting nearby and offered a polite smile from behind his sunglasses. "I can tell just by looking at you the morning hasn't shit on you like it has me." A yawn punctuated that fact as he turned his attention back to the coffee maker. "You teach..." His hangover addled mind cycled through the sparse conversations the two Academy staffers had shared in the past. "Music, right? How's that working out?"
The exclamation of surprise as a result of the woman's voice was immediately followed by a grunt of annoyance. Kyle's head tilted just so, bringing his sunglasses clad gaze to bear upon his fellow staffer. He looked at her for a long moment as his fuzzy brain attempted to remember her name. When he drew a blank he resorted to the time tested solution to a hangover: caffeine. He scooped the Thermos off the table and leaned back, nearly killing the contents in one go before pulling his feet down and leaning forward, elbows coming to rest upon the table. Progressing age and civilian life, it seemed, were catching up to him.
"Hey..." He mumbled, trailing off a bit. Using first names was still weird and alien to him and he'd seen Gina's last name on staff manifests so attempting to pronounce that on the regular wasn't something Kyle felt like doing. "What's up?" He asked, yawning loudly. "I wasn't snoring, was I?"
By the time the bell signalling the start of late morning classes blared through the hallways of Bellefonte Academy most of the staff members were eyeing the back half of their respective work days. For Kyle Foster, the last period before the Academy adjourned for lunch marked the beginning. With dark sunglasses covering his face Kyle shuffled into the Academy administration building with a large, banged up metal Thermos in hand. After a passive wave toward the receptionist, Kyle made his way toward the staff lounge. Before the door to the lounge had even swung closed behind him Kyle was at the coffee pot set up in the far corner to refill his Thermos. Once that had been taken care of Kyle slumped into the nearest chair and yawned, bringing the Thermos up and taking a heavy pull from it.
Kyle sat for the next few minutes, losing himself within his own clouded mind. He scanned the empty staff lounge from behind his dark sunglasses before glancing at the clock on the wall. He still had over half an hour before his appointment with one of the students. Why in the hell did he drag himself out of bed so goddamn early? A discontented grunt escaped the counselor as he leaned back, bringing his sneakered feet up to rest on the table. Within mere moments his head dropped, chin nearly resting against his chest as the long, taxing night (or morning, if you wanted to get specific) of heavy drinking had caught up with him and lulled him into a light, yet satisfying sleep.
AGE: 36 GENDER: Male ORIENTATION: Heterosexual POSITION: Integration Counselor, Bellefonte Academy
♦ THE ABILITY ♦
POWER: Super Agility and Enhanced Reaction Time
Kyle is, to put it simply, capable of athletic feats centering around quickness, agility, and precision beyond that of a normal human. He is an adept track athlete and possesses superhuman levels of acrobatic skill including climbing, tumbling and leaping. His foot speed is superb, though falls only barely above the human norm as does his physical stamina and strength. He is built mainly for agility and precision, not power.
Furthermore, Kyle's hand-eye coordination enables him to perform tasks of manual dexterity with remarkable efficiency. He's shown to be adept at sewing (a hobby he picked up when he was 16), and is an avid card player well versed in tricks utilizing sleight of hand and subterfuge.
The second part of Kyle's mutation is an enhanced reaction time. Kyle's mind is able to analyze and process information much faster than a normal human. This allows him to remain calm and stoic even under extreme duress. He's rarely, if ever, caught off guard and always seems to be one step ahead of everyone else, especially when this power is coupled with his physical traits. With his body and mind able to move so quickly, Kyle is adept at avoiding danger so long as he can see it coming. LIMITATIONS: - The enhanced athleticism only extends so far into the realm of pure strength and endurance. While he's in stellar physical condition, he's not exceptionally powerful or tough. He's just as susceptible to fatigue and injury (like from falling) as the next guy.
- Although it may seem as though he is reacting before something actually happens, Kyle doesn't posses a 'danger sense' or anything similar. He's incapable of sensing anything through anything other than normal, natural means. For example: If an object is thrown at him and he's not able to see it he can't react to it.
- The height of his power so far as been the capacity to dodge an arrow shot from a bow at a moderate distance. He's nowhere near capable of dodging bullets and he doesn't wish to test this theory. SIDE-EFFECTS: - Because of the way Kyle's mind processes stimuli and information, he's prone to growing bored and restless. He can typically keep this at bay while at on the job, but it's not uncommon to catch his mind wandering, daydreaming, or otherwise not paying attention to his surroundings. This condition manifests physically through severe insomnia. Even now Kyle has trouble sleeping without making use of medication.
- With enhanced physical traits comes the need for enhanced nutrition. Aside from eating notably more than the usual 'Murican Hero, Kyle supplements his diet with a steady stream of protein shakes and nutrition bars. He doesn't have to constantly eat, but going more than a few hours without some sort of viable sustenance can cause headaches, dizziness, weakness and nausea.
- Much like a high performance super car just seems to crave being opened up and driven fast, so, too, does Kyle's body desire to be pushed to its limits. Kyle is a gym rat simply because his enhanced body all but demands the attention. If he goes more than a few days without at least a deep stretching session he's prone to joint and muscles stiffness, aches, and cramps. Failing to stick to his strict physical training regimen also makes his body much more susceptible to injuries such as strains, sprains, and muscle tears.
♦ THE FREEFORM ♦
NAME: Foster, Kyle J. LAST UNIT: 75th Ranger Regiment, 3rd Battalion BRANCH: US ARMY RANK/GRADE: First Sergeant (1SG) / E8 HOME OF RECORD: San Jose, CA
* 2003 – Deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom
* 2005 – Transferred to 25th Infantry Division (Ft. Richardson, now Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, AK)
* 2006 – Deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom
* 2007 – Entered into selection and training for US Army Rangers. Upon completion, assigned to 75th Ranger Regiment, 3rd Battalion
* 2008 – 2013 Deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (3 times) and Iraq in support of support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (2 times).
* 2014 – Granted permanent medical retirement, released from active duty.
* NOTABLE AWARDS, COMMENDATIONS, AND BADGES
Combat Infantryman Badge Parachustist Badge Ranger Tab Airborne Tab Air Assault Tab Military Freefall Parachutist Badge
Silver Star Medal Valorous Unit Award w/ oak cluster Iraq Campaign Medal Afghanistan Campaign Medal Bronze Star Medal w/ 'V' Device Purple Heart
“It's not our fault Hollywood always portrays us as cheesdick and cliché. Like that stupid salute every time at the end of the mission?” The bearded, well muscled man sitting at the bar slowly lifted a tattooed arm, hand shaking as he mockingly struggled to render the proper salute with a look of grim determination on his face. “And we're always humorless. Always acting like neanderthals.” He downed a shot of whiskey during a pause, almost as if for emphasis. “I mean, yes, we are neanderthals, but we're pretty fucking funny.”
“You keep going on about that.” The stocky recipient of the previous drunken rant readied a counter. He'd been friends with one Kyle Foster ever since the two had first met while serving in the 82nd Airborne together in the early 2000's. So familiar he referred to the hard drinking, gun toting former Army Ranger by the nickname he'd earned while still a private, 'DB'. “And you're right. But who are you to bitch about it? You're a fucking school councilor.” A head shook with disbelief. “I weep for any kid going to you for advice.”
The man known to a select few as 'DB' only laughed. There was far more to his position at the Academy up on the hill than met the eye, for sure, but there was also much less than most would realize. Something Foster appreciated. “First off, you know what I do you dumb bastard, and you know why. Second, dealing with these kids is way easier than NOC any day. You know how many times I've been woken up at 2 AM because one of my kids got picked up by the local police for soliciting a hooker downtown?” A finger came up, pointing in a gesture of emphasis. “None.”
A laugh that carried a certain understanding bounced between the two old friends. Foster shook his head and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the bar as the drunken, sardonic grin on his face melted into a somewhat contemplative smile. “I can relate to them.” Foster spoke calmly and soberly even if the empty shot glasses lined up in front of him told a different tale. “I mean, I was only thirteen when two weeks after basically having a heart attack I was being dragged halfway across the country to come here. It's all about knowing how to adjust to unexpected change.” He snorted a bit and cast a short glance at his old Army buddy. “That's something we're way too familiar with.”
While Foster had been talking his friend had silently gestured for another round. The bartender complied and within moments and set two fresh glasses of beer in front of the two veterans. “See?” He said, pulling his glass closer. “I told you getting your degree would pay off in the long run.” Foster could only nod in agreement. It had been a long, unexpected and often very strange ride leading up to this point but it didn't seem like either of them, even as they quietly contemplated their life decisions, would change anything if they could.
“Alright.” Foster said abruptly, the taste of the cold beer instantly snapping him out of the calm, sober mood. “That's enough heartfelt shit for one night.” He took another long pull from the glass, turning his gaze out to the bar around them in the process. “We're gonna do another shot of Jameson then I'm going to go pick up that drunk chick at the end of the bar.”
♦ THE PLAYER ♦
USERNAME: Puppy or any variant thereof AGE GROUP: 'Early teens' Really. Honest. EXPERIENCE: *sigh* WHERE DID YOU FIND US? Pure circumstance
