[center][h1][color=ffd1dc][u]M a d i s o n[/u][/color][/h1][indent][indent][indent][indent][indent][indent][hr][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent]• Convention Center, Smith's Rest • [/center][indent][indent][indent][indent][indent][indent][hr][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent]

[indent][color=gray][b]"Why did she snap like that?"[/b][/color]
[color=gray][b]"I'd feel a little more at ease without a loose cannon protecting us."[/b][/color]
[color=gray][b]"Maybe she should be grounded..."[/b][/color][/indent]

What happened out there on the stage was an unforeseen outburst that came out of the blue. The subtle remarks and whispers that Madison heard only left her with confusion, embarrassment and uncertainty as she regrettably made her way into the canteen with the other pilots. It was there that she drifted—like a pale ghost haunting a graveyard—to sit down by her lonesome, to mull over the events that had taken place.

With her small elbows planted firmly on the table and the left eye buried within her palm, Madison started analysing her accursed bionic. She rotated and twisted the wrist in order to examine every fine detail, every precise design choice, and hopefully every chance of possible imperfection that would explain a bit more about what she was going through. It wasn't the first time she had zoned out and scrutinised her new attachment, but it bought back the questions as to what changed to her that fateful day, what part of her was missing, and what parts of her once bubbly self had been replaced.

It was within this hypnotic trance that her attention was drawn to the uninvited shadowy figure that loomed over from across the metallic table. She tempting fate, peeking a look to once again notice the familiar star logo on the jacket of Miss Styles.

[color=ffd1dc][b]"You've come to laugh at me like the others, haven't you?"[/b][/color] The cloud of depression that lingered around Madison was as prevalent as usual; a sad sight compared to the younger girl that once leaded the pack in enthusiasm and courage. Fewer and fewer questions had been asked about how Madison was feeling over the past few weeks, leaving the her to feel as though the others were slowly giving up on her full recovery.

Without even saying a word the shadowy woman planted her two hands down on the table with a solid, clunky thud. The sudden movement and loud noise startled the broken girl into pull her face away from her palm. With the most puzzled of expressions Madison glared down at the hands to see two glass cups hidden within Tahlia's grasps.

[color=8f735b][b]"What do you fancy? Scotch or Rum?"[/b][/color] A firm and direct question, as per the Australian's usual style.

[color=ffd1dc][b]"Err... Rum...?"[/b][/color] The uncertain reply was followed by the smooth action of Tahlia's left hand pushing forward the chosen drink. [color=ffd1dc][b]"But I never asked for a drink."[/b][/color]

Tahlia sat down in the chair, pulling the ice filled scotch glass closer to her chest as she hugged it's cool, smooth texture within her two bare hands. A cloud of smoke pillowed its way from her slightly agape mouth, drifting across the table and covering the duo's hands in a fine mist of poison and cancer. Tahlia's right hand rose to collect the stick from her lips, plucking it away with the thumb and middle finger before using the lit end as a pointing device to aim at the grief-stricken husk of Madison Cole.

[color=8f735b][b]"Why the fuck do you give a rat's ass about what those ass wipes think about ya?"[/b][/color] Tahlia spoke with a smooth tone, ensuring that Madison was actually listening to her and not about to zone out into one of her typical trances.

[color=ffd1dc][b]"I don't."[/b][/color] A clear lie... crystal clear to Tahlia since her locked sights didn't even break away for a millisecond as she took a sip of her drink.

[color=8f735b][b]"Then why you looking at your fancy arm like it's rooted?"[/b][/color]

Madison tilted her head to the side, confused for a second as to what Tahlia was saying.

[color=8f735b][b]"Aw Jesus Christ... Rooted! Cactus! Fucked up!"[/b][/color] Tahlia reached forward and flicked Madison's forehead. [color=8f735b][b]"Use your damn noggin, kiddo. No one is gonna give ya all the answers about your Polaris Shift. You gotta work that shit out for yourself. Find out—"[/b][/color] flick [color=8f735b][b]"—how—"[/b][/color] flick [color=8f735b][b]"—it's—"[/b][/color] flick [color=8f735b][b]"—fucking with ya."[/b][/color]

Madison buckled under the minor pain, cowering behind her hands as she whimpered with a quiet, self addressing, [color=ffd1dc][b]"Owww."[/b][/color] The actions of pain quickly moved on, allowing her to build up the courage to face Tahlia once more.

[color=ffd1dc][b]"I heard some of the nurses say that my emotions are currently unstable, that they could flip-out at any moment... like what happened up on that stage."[/b][/color] It was as if Madison wanted answers to questions that she did not even know of yet.

Tahlia could hear the vocal tremor from across the table, remembering that she was at one stage in a similar position as the suffering girl when she first broke her Polaris virginity. [color=8f735b][b]"To me, it sounds like your emotional instability is part of your Shift. All I can say to you, Madi, is welcome to the world of an NC Pilot; a world where all of us have to deal with all sorts of twisted crap."[/b][/color]

A small, yet warm smile washed over Madi's face. She had forgotten that what she was going through wasn't so different to everyone else. It was just that the point in her journey was different to all the other pilots, that some had already ascended to greatness while others were yet to enter their first NC. With the last ounce of courage she asked one final question. [color=ffd1dc][b]"Miss Tahlia,"[/b][/color] a heavy inhale to ensure she didn't run dry on breath, [color=ffd1dc][b]"What is your, err, Polaris Shift?"[/b][/color]

[color=8f735b][b]"Mine?"[/b][/color] Tahlia was taken back by the girl's curiosity. She didn't think Madison would become so inquisitive about her all of a sudden. [color=8f735b][b]"Mine makes fucking Wolf Creek look like a love story. I..."[/b][/color] She paused as the sound of a chattering cup resonated off the clear and empty table. The former commander looked down to see her hand twitching, uncontrollably tapping away with the cup's corner. Reactively, she lifted the drink to her mouth and sculled the rest of the scotch before slamming the empty cup on the table. [color=8f735b][b]"You seriously don't wanna know the bullshit I have to go through."[/b][/color]

With those conversation ending words Tahlia threw a leg over the bench she had perched herself upon, giving Madison an unintentional cold shoulder as she puffed away with the remainder of her dirty cigarette.