[hr][CENTER][img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1070792705547980842/1079900445021057155/Lucille_Banner.png[/img][/CENTER][indent][sub][COLOR=lightgray][B]Location:[/B][/COLOR] [I]Southern Plateu[/I] - [I]Dundas Island[/I][/sub][sup][right][COLOR=lightgray][b]The Homecoming Trials #1.54:[/b][/COLOR] [I]If You Show Me Yours[/I][/right][/sup][/indent][sub][hr][/sub][INDENT][sub][color=lightgray][B]A Collaboration with [@Tackytaff] as Mackenna[/B][/COLOR][/sub][SUP][RIGHT][COLOR=SILVER][b]Previously:[/b][/COLOR] [I][url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5434895]Z-bars[/url][/I][/right][/SUP]
[INDENT][COLOR=GRAY][quote][i][colour=BC8F8F] “Well that’s the first time anyone's asked me [i]that[/i] way,”[/colour] She grinned in reply, before throwing the package to the ground where if slowly began to unfurl and self-inflate.  [colour=BC8F8F]“Got a thing with voices,”[/colour] She continued casually. Except the next time she spoke, it was Dr. Lehrer’s voice that left her mouth.

[colour=white] “Esoteric expulsion ability seems to have produced a malleability within the vocal cords. Paired with the student’s exceptional ear for key and tone, it creates a unique opportunity for mimicry of voices and sounds.”[/colour] She decided it best to leave out the part about using HZE ions to create sonic blasts.  That seemed more of a second-night together sort of thing. 

Makenna began circling the tent as it took shape, kicking the corners slower to inflate.  [colour=BC8F8F]“That’s the long science bullshit version they gave me anyway. How about you?”[/colour][/i][/quote]
Luce fixed her eyes on Mackenna’s as she explained her abilities, trying to give the impression of polite attentiveness, hoping it didn’t come across too stare-y; when Mackenna demonstrated, Luce’s eyes widened as a pitch-perfect mimicry of the chummy-yet-mysterious Dr. Lehrer spouted from her lips. Luce repressed the urge to applaud; despite her own status, and the status of those surrounding her at this very moment, it was still so wondrous to see such quirks in action. A small part of Luce felt jealousy for the at-will nature of many of her peer’s powers. 

[colour=#9370D8]“Neat!”[/colour] She said, forcing a smile. She stepped back from the yurt as she fixed the last fastening, running her gaze over the firm dome and turning the idea of a couple nights sleeping within it over and over in her head. Again, her eyes flitted to the distant treeline. Were they closer than the last time she looked? Or was she just paranoid, looking for a reason to break down and be excused from the whole endeavour? Dr. Mercia’s words rang in her mind, offering warm reassurances that felt much more hollow now than they had done when spoken within her office, seated in a plush armchair, balancing coffee on the armrest, surrounded by sturdy brick-and-mortar walls. Luce put a hand in her pocket and wrapped her fist around the bottle of xanax. 

She realised she’d been staring as her vision sharpened, bringing the features of Mackenna’s face back into focus, patiently waiting for an answer. How best to word it?
[colour=9370D8]“I don’t die when I should.”[/colour] Is what Luce settled on, and the reactive furrowing of Mackenna’s brow immediately caused regret to blossom in Luce’s chest. She chased her words, stumbling over them as she tried to elaborate and explain. [colour=9370D8]“I-I mean, uh, w-when I get hurt. B-badly. I just keep- keep going? A-and then I get better after.”[/colour] Luce cleared her throat, not really feeling like she’d helped. 

Carefully, she pulled up her shirt, showing off golf-ball sized scarring on her stomach and below her breasts. [colour=9370D8]“These are from…from when I found out…”[/colour] Luce paused, feeling her brain rattle and eyes sting as she forced herself through traumatic memories. She squeezed her eyes shut, tracing the feel of the rough scar tissue beneath her fingertips as she pointed to each. [colour=9370D8]“That’s my stomach…”[/colour] she said, pointing to the lower one, [colour=9370D8]“...and that’s my lung,”[/colour] moving her hand upwards, [colour=9370D8]“and there’s another through my heart.”[/colour] She lowered her shirt, opening her eyes and feeling her face suddenly flush and burst red as she effectively trauma-dumped, embarrassing herself in the very first actual conversation with a peer she’d had since arriving on this island. [colour=9370D8]“I uh…I lived, and h-healed right up after.”[/colour] 
[i]Lucky you,[/i] said the slimy voice.

[colour=BC8F8F] "Wow, that's..."[/colour]  Makenna shook her head, the plastered smile still maintained, though she stumbled for words and the tent finished unfurling behind her.  [colour=BC8F8F]"Really useful,"[/colour]  She finally landed on saying, adjusting the shaking to nodding as she tried to look away from the myriad of scars on the girl's exposed body.  Maybe Trace [i]hadn’t[/i] been the looniest choice to make.  [colour=BC8F8F]"The perseverance bit at least, I hope we won’t be needing to defy death on our first week."[/colour]  She scanned the horizon, willing herself not to ask the obvious questions of just how Luce had gotten so many injures or discovered such a [i]niche[/i] ability.  The answers were likely related, and she wasn’t ready to single-handedly deal with this girl’s baggage the first hour of their trip.

She moved to unzip the tent door instead, showing the fully prepped interior bedroom that had somehow unfolded with the entire tent.  Makenna couldn’t help but let out a delighted laugh as she fell backwards into the bed.  [colour=BC8F8F]“These are better than the bunks at the intake house-” [/colour] The pillows and comforter had barely settled when she stood again to admire the curtains covering the transparent side of the wall.  [colour=BC8F8F]“Is this carpeted?”[/colour]  She continued, as though forgetting Luce entirely, until she was suddenly grabbing the younger girl's arm, encouraging her to come further in and examine the amenities afforded to them.  [colour=BC8F8F]“And here I thought we were in boot camp. Would have done so much more camping as a kid if it was like this, you know?”[/colour]

Luce forced a polite chuckle. [colour=9370D8]“Yeah, haha. Me too...”[/colour] She trailed off as Mackenna turned her back to unzip the tent and step inside; there was a peel of squealing laughter, and then as Luce peered round the flap at the plush interior she suddenly felt Mackenna seize her arm and yank her further in. She snatched her arm back, uncomfortable with the contact, but couldn’t help being amazed by the decor - the yurt was more luxurious than some hotels. She ran a hand over the soft bunks, and took a moment to appreciate the curtains that would definitively block out any notion of forestry in the distance; perhaps the coming days wouldn’t be as difficult as she had feared. 

Mackenna’s camping comment nipped at her, unintentionally riling Luce up, though she quickly chided herself; it wasn't Mackenna's duty to tiptoe around trauma she didn't know Luce had.
[colour=9370D8]“This has little in common with camping as [i]I’ve[/i] known it.”[/colour] Luce remarked, deadpan and stone-faced.  

Makenna couldn't help but roll her eyes as she looked out the window.  [colour=BC8F8F] "Glad to see the team bonding is off to a great start,"[/colour]  She said dryly. Outside one of the blonde boys was already storming away from the small group gathered around Calliope, meanwhile Luce had resumed a mopey tone and recoiled at the slightest touch. It didn't bode well for the 'fun life-long-memory' experience old [i]Jim[/i] had promised. 

By the time she turned to face Luce, she was all friendly enthusiasm and smiles again. [colour=BC8F8F] "Just so long as that storm doesn't ruin it all for us. The boys are still struggling out there; should we give them a hand?"[/colour]  Without waiting for agreement, Makenna exited the still-open tent door and began calling to the others.

[colour=BC8F8F] "Hey Trevor! Need a hand?"[/colour] She all but jogged to reach the pair, smiling wildly at them while frantically gesturing for Luce to follow.  Only once she did Makenna begin speaking again.  [colour=BC8F8F] "Makenna, Luce, Trevor, Rory."[/colour]  She quickly listed the names and pointed to the person that went with each.  [colour=BC8F8F] "That's names done, it's always powers next, right? You should tell them about your abilities, Luce, what you told me was super interesting."[/colour] Her sincerity was indeterminable beneath the nauseating cheerfulness. 

Luce froze as Mackenna put her on the spot, already overwhelmed having met more people in the last half hour than she had in the last six months. She cleared her throat, voice shaking, and gave an awkward half-wave as she spoke.
[colour=9370D8]“H-Hi, everyone. Luce. Y-yeah, uh, as Mackenna said. I um, I can’t die. I think. I haven’t uh, I haven’t tested it that thoroughly.”[/colour]
She coughed. 
[colour=9370D8]“H-how about you guys?”[/colour]



[/COLOR]
[/INDENT][/INDENT]