[hr][center][h3][b][u][Castle on the Clouds][/u][/b][/h3][/center][hr]

Dawn rested her elbows on the table and rubbed her temples in silence for a long minute before taking a deep breath. Is this how she made other people feel? [b][color=#f7e286]"Sit,"[/color][/b] Dawn instructed, with an air of frustration. She turned one of her fingers down and pressed it into the table with a gentle [i]thump[/i] as she pinched her brow with her other hand. A barely perceptible iridescent force pushed down on Felix's shoulders and at the back of his knees until he fell back into his chair.

[b][color=#f7e286]"Take a breath. Felix. I like you, but... you frustrate me. I'm going to impart on you some wisdom I never thought would come out of [i]my[/i] mouth,"[/color][/b] she flicked her eyes towards the ceiling as she took another deep breath. Gods why am [i]I[/i] the responsible one in this dynamic? [b][color=#f7e286]"It's never going to be perfect,"[/color][/b] she said, locking eyes with him.

[b][color=#f7e286]"If you run back to your lab every time you experience a glitch or a setback to fix something, you'll always be fixing it. And there will never be any meaningful progress if it can't leave the lab until its perfect. What about the other ten things you overlooked? How about those three situations where it might not perform the way you expect it to? How about... that one time it breaks when you [i]really[/i] needed it to work? Where's your lab going to be? Not where you need it?"[/color][/b] Dawn reached across the table like she was going to take his hands in hers and seemed to think better of it.

[b][color=#f7e286]"My brother should be the one saying this to you, not me. I'm [i]not[/i] qualified- I~~'m an impulsive, immature fuck up,"[/color][/b] she said, stabbing the table with a finger for emphasis. [b][color=#f7e286]"Spirits alive, we're [i]at a restaurant![/i] Just order something! I'm not allowed in your lab, and that's a [i]good[/i] thing! I'm here. Talk to me [i]here[/i]!"[/color][/b]

[b][color=#43a2f0]"Trouble in paradise, Nightlight?"[/color][/b]

[b][color=#f7e286]"Oh, fuck me,"[/color][/b] Dawn muttered, pressing her face into her hands. Ion rode down on a curtain of lightning, alighting on the glass and sliding a good ten feet towards them unsteadily on Felix's vomit. He squared his chest after regaining his balance and planted his fists on his hips dramatically. His helmet peeled back, retracting in segments into the suit's collar and revealing a roguishly handsome grin. It was clear from his unshaven stubble, and even the dark circles under the thin mask that only covered his eyes that he'd probably been out on patrol all night. Dawn peeked through her fingers and looked him up... and down... and then up again.

[b][color=#43a2f0]"The thing! Your Thing! It did the [i]thing!!![/i]"[/color][/b] he gestured at Felix excitedly. [b][color=#43a2f0]"Holy smokes, you were in the Tower one second and then BAM! Wow! I think that beats Fang for the speed record, King!"[/color][/b]

[b][color=#f7e286]"We're not touching, and I didn't drag him off the net,"[/color][/b] said Dawn, holding her hands up defensively.

[b][color=#43a2f0]"Naw, Felix filled me in. You're on the [i]okay[/i] list,"[/color][/b] Ion informed, snorting when Dawn exhaled in relief. [b][color=#43a2f0]"Hey, listen: I gotta scram. Big hubbub on the Sector 7 plate, some kind of explosion over in Justice Square?"[/color][/b]

[b][color=#f7e286]"Oh, fuck!"[/color][/b] Dawn blurted out, covering her mouth. Her golden eyes flicked over to look at Felix... if she hadn't played hooky from the office this morning, there was a chance they'd have been caught up in all that.

[b][color=#43a2f0]"Yeah, bunch of people got hurt. It's an all-hands-on-deck sort of thing. Hey,"[/color][/b] he smirked, leveling an armored finger at Felix. [b][color=#43a2f0]"This kind of up-all-night chaos is what you have to look forward once you pass your Field Agent exam!"[/color][/b] Ion waggled his eyebrows suggestively and clucked his tongue at Felix.