Inspecting the school

"I never considered that..." Galen scratched his head through his hat, the idea disconcerting. She'd presented it as a joke, wink and all, but now that he thought about it, it was quite possible his wings would never be able to bear his weight. "If they don't, I'm gonna get them amputated. It'd be worth it to sit on a chair with a back for once." He finally decided, grinning toothily. "Plus, I'd be able to go out in public... If they build that bridge."

"It really doesn't annoy you?" He raised his eyebrows incredulously. "I hate it when I can tell people are... thinking about me. You know. Speculating, and stuff. Except there's actually a good reason to stare at me." He stopped himself suddenly, eyes wide, hands held up apologetically. "Not that you - I mean... I'm sure there's good reason for people to stare at you - not that there is a good reason to stare at someone... I'm not insulting you or anything." He shut himself up with some effort, shoving his hands into his pockets and carefully staring at the ceiling. "I look weird. That's what I meant."

Galen shrugged, trying to think of a way to explain himself. "They've created problems for me my entire life. They're awkward, they make me look strange - a department in which I need no help - and they're constantly getting bruised and stiff. So, yeah, if I was sure I could never fly... I'd be happy to be rid of them." His wings had never been anything but useless appendages, serving no other purpose then to make him look like something he wasn't. He'd always thought the various inconveniences would be worth it if he could fly, but if he couldn't, they were nothing more then unwanted reminders of his past.

"That's a mature way to look at it." He conceded, involuntarily recalling all the times in his life when he'd felt like screaming, how his thoughts had never matched up to his calm, kindly exterior. If anyone he'd healed had been a psychic... He shuddered to think what they would have done to him. "I'll have to keep that in mind next time somebody stares at me."

He laughed at her reassurance, wondering aloud "What did we decide about you and lying, again?" A pause, and he smiled, eyes briefly meeting hers for the first time. "Appreciate it, though. Even if it is a lie."

He frowned softly at the girl's reluctant concession, the way she ducked her head like she had personal experience with missing appendages. He couldn't imagine why the topic had turned her so melancholy, but he felt strangely guilty anyway. "Maybe I won't have to worry about it. They'll probably bear weight; the Academy doctors would have told me if they thought I wouldn't be able to fly," he mused, talking to himself more then her. The idea was worrying, and he pushed it from his mind with effort. Nothing he could do about it right now, anyway.

"What, are you a mind reader?" He arched an eyebrow, mock serious. "Or is it just that easy to tell what people are thinking?" He had to admit, it usually was with him. It was always one of two things - they stared at the wings, or they stared at the scars. Usually it was the former, but even in the short amount of time he'd been around the students of this school, he had a feeling that was going to change. Wings probably weren't all that out of place at a school like this.

He had been staring blankly into space, but at her announcement his eyes snapped back into focus, eyebrows shooting up in surprise. "You... Really? No way. Is that how you got your powers? What-" He stopped mid sentence, realizing too late that she was grinning. "...You're joking." He finished, gaze shifting sheepishly to the side. "Sorry. You kinda deadpanned it." ...And, great, now she thinks you think it's plausible that she used to be a guy. "...You... Don't look like a guy." He offered lamely, stuffing his hands in his pockets and trying to disappear into himself.

Galen went silent, mind racing as he combed back through his thoughts over the last twenty-odd minutes. Mostly they had just been angst-filled recollections of his childhood... He frowned, momentarily distracted with a twinge of disgust at himself. He was supposed to be trying to forget about all that, not dredging it up at every opportunity. Since when was he the kind of person to wallow in the past, anyway?

"...Okay, well, now I feel stupid." He finally said, pulling on a loose lock of hair thoughtfully. "I was thinking you're the bad liar, and here you've probably known every time I've... stretched the truth." He didn't exactly trust her, but he knew she wouldn't tell anyone. She'd probably heard millions of secrets in her life; it would be a bit egotistical to think that his was the one she'd go blabbing to everyone. It was the idea of her knowing that was troubling. He didn't want her seeing what a pathetic pushover he'd been his entire life.
He frowned, realizing that he was probably acting exactly like everyone else who had just learned they were in the presence of a mind reader. "Sorry. Okay, I'm good. In retrospect, it makes sense." He relaxed an iota, grinning toothily at her. Nothing he could do about it, so he might as well just ignore it. And maybe try to stop angsting so much.

...She wasn't exactly denying it. He felt horrible for even thinking it, especially knowing that she could maybe hear him thinking it - or however it worked - but he couldn't help but notice that she never outright said it was a joke, the way her smile seemed less then genuine. Didn't most girls like being told they didn't look like guys? "...Um," He started, quickly shaking his head and dismissing the question. It was a ridiculous idea. She was just telling a joke. Right?

Galen arched an eyebrow, the full implications of her power just now dawning on him. "So that's what you meant with the 'uncomfortable thoughts'." She was right - he did have it better off then her. At least no one... imagined things about him. His scars took care of that, he guessed. After considering it further, "that must be uncomfortable," he said, trying to keep from laughing. It had to be horrible, knowing what people are thinking about you - but still, he couldn't keep himself from imagining the look on someone's face after she'd revealed she knew that they'd pictured her naked. "Guess I got off easy, then. And... You know. Sorry for the miniature freak out." He pushed the lock of hair he'd been playing with back under his hat, smiling sheepishly.

"Relax." He repeated, like saying it himself would help him somehow. It was a pretty ridiculous idea - she was even laughing at him. And then she introduced herself, and he felt stupid all over again for never thinking to ask her name, and for calling her 'pink-tights' in his head the entire time. "I'm Galen. Nice to meet you?"