[h3][center][color=SkyBlue]Valora[/color] and [b]Alice's[/b] Super Sappy Feelings Jam 2k18[/center][/h3]


[b]"You're right, Val, you're right. But would you mind if I went with you? If you wanted to talk about all this, that is."[/b] Alice asked, hoping to try and uncover some of the issues plaguing her friend. Her eyes glanced away from Val’s eyes and too her ear, which was becoming that of a cat.

Valora's grey gaze flicked to Alice at her question, then back down the hall. She was back to nervously rubbing her thumb against its opposite palm, careful of the clawed tip. One of the feline ears that had overtaken her twisted and flicked, hearing something in the gym that had her quickly nodding.

[color=SkyBlue]"That's, that's fine."[/color] She finally responded, a hint of relief in her voice. No doubt at the thought of distancing herself from the [i]cat[/i].

Alice nodded, glancing down both corridors. [b]"Where do you want to go?"[/b]

[color=SkyBlue]"My room,"[/color] Was the immediate response, the shapeshifter seeming to cringe at her own abrupt words. She quickly added on, [color=Skyblue]"If that's - that is, if it's all right. We can go somewhere else if you prefer!"[/color]

Alice smiled reassuringly.[b]"'Course. No problem, sweetheart. Lead the way."[/b]

A short nod was the only response Alice got before Valora began to lead the two of them down the corrider, to the elevator.  As soon as the heavy doors closed behind them the shapeshifter let out a shuddering sigh of relief and her shoulders slumped. Yet the tension was still obvious, even when the elevator reopened to one of the  residential floors. It was only on unlocking her room and inviting Alice inside that Valora relaxed, , with the door firmly closed and locked. The blonde rested her forehead against the cool material of her door, gathering herself, before suddenly jolting upright and turning to her Team Leader.

[color=Skyblue]"Ah, I'm - sorry! Sorry. Can I get you anything?"[/color]

[b]”No, thank you, I’m fine.”[/b] Alice said trying to reassure her. [b]”Mind if I sit down?”[/b] She asked.

[color=Skyblue]”Please,”[/color] Valora responded, gesturing to the maroon garbed living space in her small apartment. She seemed to hesitate a moment, wringing her hands once more before cautiously moving to sit on the end of the couch.

Alice followed suit, thinking about what she should try and say. Onyx was going to be a part of their little team...would Valora just have to avoid him forever? Alice hoped not, but she intended to find out. Valora’s aversion to contact with Onyx was justified somewhat due to the nature of her emphatic powers, but Valora has a deep rooted fear outside of that.

Alice sat and crossed one leg over the other once more. After a brief moment of silence, she thought of something to say.

[b]”You know,”[/b] Alice began, [b]”I used to be afraid of locusts.”[/b] She said, recalling a childhood memory. Valora glanced up, having been staring at her hands and the claws that tipped them.

[b]”Unlike with your situations, locusts really were harmless to me. I never saw a big swarm a’ locusts, or got attacked by any, nothin’ like that. The little things just creeped me out.” [/b] Alice slightly smiled.

[b]”I was walking home from school one day- I was around twelve at the time- and one of them had planted themselves right in front of the door. Just sittin’ there. My parents weren’t home, they never were when I got back, and I couldn’t bring myself to scare it off. Nope. Couldn’t move. Like there was a glass wall or somethin’.”[/b] Alice raised an eyebrow knowingly at Valora after she said her little joke that wasn’t much of a joke at all. Still, the girl quirked a small smile at it anyway.

[b]”I tried throwing my lunchbox at it. It didn’t care- just buzzed towards me which ran me off for sure. So I scaled the side fence. I wasn’t...terribly athletic at the time. I used the trash can to climb over the fence, gave myself a cut on the leg for my trouble.  I went to the back door- it was locked. I only had the key to the front door. Then- and this is true- it started raining.” [/b] Alice laughed quietly, Valora chuckling nervously with her.

[b]”That was when I decided I was tired a’ being scared of some stupid little bug.”[/b] Alice continued.

[b]”I read books about ‘em. I learned about ‘em. I looked at ‘em long and hard whenever I saw them, daring myself to get a little closer each time. They were just bugs, you see? They made sense when I learned about ‘em. They weren’t...mythical. Or supernatural.” [/b]

[b]”Before I knew it, I had ran up and kicked at one. Sent it buzzin’ off. I’m still nervous around them sometimes- but not enough to let that old fear control me.” [/b]  She looked up at Valora, briefly pausing, trying to read her emotions.

[b]”It’s okay to be afraid. Fear can keep you alive. But it can also keep you from living.”[/b]

For a long moment Valora didn’t say anything, keeping Alice’s gaze with her own one eyed one. Finally however she dropped her head to look back at her hands, once more rubbing her thumb against her palm. Her teeth began to worry at her bottom lip only to stop abruptly feeling the point of fangs, and finally she took a deep, shuddering breath.

[color=SkyBlue]”I don’t…”[/color] The French woman trailed off for a moment, the feline ears peeling back against her head before she finally continued, her accent heavy. [color=Skyblue]”I don’t want to live in fear, Alice. No one does, I think. But I am not as brave as you. Everytime - [i]everytime[/i] I see so much as a little bird, it makes my chest tighten and my blood freezes, and all I can think of is how dangerous they are … and how dangerous I am around them.”[/color] 

Valora swallowed heavily, finally stopping her fidgeting to touch the dark black bracers that adorned her wrist.

[color=Skyblue]”Even today, if it weren’t for these, I would’ve been nothing more than a mindless beast due to being so close to that … [i]creature[/i]. I have no doubt all of you can defend yourselves, but all it takes is one [i]split[/i] second…”[/color] A full body shudder coursed through the blond, and Valora reached up to touch the cotton patch that covered her maimed eye. Abruptly she laughed, shaking her head.

[color=Skyblue]”I suppose that is silly, yes? In a room with not only Victory but Phoenix Dawn.”[/color]

Alice shook her head. [b]”It’s not silly that you’re worried about your friends, Val. But it is silly to think you’re not as brave as anyone else ‘round here. You were right there, besides- no, [i]in front[/i] of everybody in that fight this morning. That’s courage.“[/b]

[color=Skyblue]”But if they were [i]real[/i] animals then I would’ve been close to useless! This-”[/color] Valora spread one arm to the side, showing the black device that was always strapped to her inner arm. [color=Skyblue]”Is the only way I can even function on some missions. I do not … I don’t want to be afraid but I don’t even remember a time I wasn’t.”[/color]

Valora lapsed into silence, drawing her arms close once more. Her eye focused on the table in front of her, spotting the book she had left there after receiving the call to arms this morning. Her pointed ear flicked, before she almost absently reached out to push it off the edge.

Alice looked at the power dampener strap around her arm. [b]”We all need our armor, Valora.”[/b] She said, trying to be reassuring.

[color=Skyblue]“I will literally eat your face.”[/color]

[b]”No, Valora, you won’t. You’ve gotcha armor on. And if something does go wrong, we’ll all be there to help, okay? Because we want too- because you’re our friend.”[/b]

There was no response at first as Valora seemed to be considering her words. Finally she shook her head and closed her eye, and after a moment the sharp claws on her fingers recededl. On their disappearance she let out a shuddering breath of relief, lifting her head to catch Alice’s gaze once more. Slowly, hesitantly, she let a small smile cross her face.

[color=Skyblue]”... And even though I am not comfortable with these powers, I will be there to help you all as well.”[/color] Valora finally replied. [color=Skyblue]”Just do not expect me to be comfortable around ‘Onyx’.”[/color]

[b]”Thanks, Valora.”[/b] Alice said, pausing, before continuing. [b]”Don’t tell the others this, but Onyx doesn’t sit right with me either. I guess we’ll both just have to try and get used to him.”[/b]

Valora couldn’t help but laugh at that, brightening a tiny bit at the confession. [color=SkyBlue]”Okay, but you get to deal with him. I have an excuse.”[/color] The blonde reached out, laying her hand against Alice’s arm in a mirror of what she had done earlier for her.

[color=SkyBlue]”... Thank you, Alice.”[/color]

[b]”No problem. We’re all lookin’ out for each other here.”[/b] Alice replied. With that said, she stood up, feeling better now that she made someone else feel a little better. It was all anyone could do, right? As she opened the door, preparing to close it behind her, she stuck her head back in. [b]”I’ll be in the gym if you need me. I’ll try to keep Ricky from levelling the tower.”[/b] The door slowly closed behind her.

Valora gave a slight wave, calling out a simple good luck after her Team Lead. Once the door was closed she let out a sigh, retrieving the book from the floor to replace on the table and feeling a little lighter after the encounter. It was [i]good[/i] to be reassured, though she made no intention of having it be common place if she could help it. Though, she wasn’t sure if she would be able to stop herself with Onyx... 

A small ‘thump’ alerted her to the fact she had absently shoved the book off again.

[color=SkyBlue]”Merde!”[/color]