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(ง ͠° ͟ʖ ͡°)ง This is our town, SCRUB! (ง ͠° ͟ʖ ͡°)ง
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She's here!
Z E R O
Z E L D A "Z E E" D I A N G E L O ◼ N O V E M B E R 5 T H ( 1 9 ) ◼ ( C I S ) F E M A L E
"I'm not living, I'm just killing time..."
▼ A P P E A R A N C E:
"For a minute there, I lost myself."
//DESCRIPTION:
//STATS:
An emotional snowball of energy, Zee seems to always be at the edge of melting, so to speak. Her efforts to maintain some semblance of control manifest in tight lips with an expressive face. Zee's good company, truly, if you look past her laconic troubled exterior. Dark humorous with a penchant for the drama. 60% of her vocal real estate is swearing and quoting songs.
Through circumstances beyond her control, Zee is unable to be physical with...well, anyone. And she dresses as such. A modest wardrobe in the form of oversized shirts, sweaters, and hoodies. Rarely seen in public without gloves.
Through circumstances beyond her control, Zee is unable to be physical with...well, anyone. And she dresses as such. A modest wardrobe in the form of oversized shirts, sweaters, and hoodies. Rarely seen in public without gloves.
//STATS:
◼ HEIGHT | 5'6"
◼ BUILD | Slender.
◼ HAIR COLOUR | Black hair bleached white by her metahuman powers.
◼ EYE COLOUR | Dark brown
◼ 'VOICE' TEXT COLOUR | #AACCDD
◼ BODY MODIFICATIONS| An old tattoo of a black sun inked over an older bruise on her left leg. Scar tissue spelling out 'murderer' on her right palm, art of her own making.
◼ SEXUALITY| Bisexual
◼ BUILD | Slender.
◼ HAIR COLOUR | Black hair bleached white by her metahuman powers.
◼ EYE COLOUR | Dark brown
◼ 'VOICE' TEXT COLOUR | #AACCDD
◼ BODY MODIFICATIONS| An old tattoo of a black sun inked over an older bruise on her left leg. Scar tissue spelling out 'murderer' on her right palm, art of her own making.
◼ SEXUALITY| Bisexual
▼ B I O G R A P H Y:
"I used to be alright. What happened?"
It was a good life of plenty in the suburbs off Boston for Zelda, her only worry the fact that she was named after a damned video game. The only child of the DiAngelos, a loving if eccentric couple of musicians, 'Zee' was nevertheless accompanied by a household of warmth and joy. She could care less about how many people at school made fun of her name and her small stature, home was always there to comfort her with a song. Zee idolized her parents and the happiness they brought to her life.
So imagine what happened if both were taken from her, by her own hands.
High school graduation day. Despite rising tensions with the metahumans, Zee was hopeful for the future. Boston University was on the horizon, and her parents couldn't be more proud. As she rushed them for a hug after receiving the diploma, the die was cast and her latent metahuman powers chose this precise time to make itself known. And it did so in lethal fashion. Zee's tight embrace brought forth a chill, then biting cold, then unbearable frost. Her parents screamed as abysmal temperatures set in, hypothermia claiming them faster than Zee could stop. Well, that's not entirely accurate. She couldn't stop it, and the people that raised her were soon naught but frozen corpses on the ground.
Panic defrosted the stunned Zee. Amidst screams, her own and otherwise, 911 was called and the celebration was soon broken up by the authorities. Manslaughter in broad daylight, what else could she even say to that? She resigned herself to the chains of the law and for the next several months in confinement, she would exercise her right to remain silent. Silence was preferrable to the blood-curdling screams of that day. Silence would have been all she knew were it not for AEGIS' intervention.
Pioneers of peace between humans and the humans beyond, they arrived to negotiate for Zee's release in exchange for her continued interment within their own facility, specialized compounds of rehabilitation for young metahumans. The warmth of compassion pierced through the cold exterior. Was this a chance at a new life? Zee really had nothing left to lose. No parents, no home, no future. Zero.
So why not?
So imagine what happened if both were taken from her, by her own hands.
High school graduation day. Despite rising tensions with the metahumans, Zee was hopeful for the future. Boston University was on the horizon, and her parents couldn't be more proud. As she rushed them for a hug after receiving the diploma, the die was cast and her latent metahuman powers chose this precise time to make itself known. And it did so in lethal fashion. Zee's tight embrace brought forth a chill, then biting cold, then unbearable frost. Her parents screamed as abysmal temperatures set in, hypothermia claiming them faster than Zee could stop. Well, that's not entirely accurate. She couldn't stop it, and the people that raised her were soon naught but frozen corpses on the ground.
Panic defrosted the stunned Zee. Amidst screams, her own and otherwise, 911 was called and the celebration was soon broken up by the authorities. Manslaughter in broad daylight, what else could she even say to that? She resigned herself to the chains of the law and for the next several months in confinement, she would exercise her right to remain silent. Silence was preferrable to the blood-curdling screams of that day. Silence would have been all she knew were it not for AEGIS' intervention.
Pioneers of peace between humans and the humans beyond, they arrived to negotiate for Zee's release in exchange for her continued interment within their own facility, specialized compounds of rehabilitation for young metahumans. The warmth of compassion pierced through the cold exterior. Was this a chance at a new life? Zee really had nothing left to lose. No parents, no home, no future. Zero.
So why not?
▼ M O T I V A T I O N / O B J E C T I V E:
"I want to live, I want to breathe. I want to be part of the human race."
Zee's powers have already claimed two lives, and by her reckoning, that's two lives too many. With nothing else to cling onto but the weight of the world, she will not let this second chance slip by. No one else is getting hurt. Especially Zee. She is never getting hurt ever again.
▼ A B I L I T I E S:
"Murderer, I'm a murderer. I'm not the same as you."
//ABILITIES:
//LIMITATIONS:
//WEAKNESSES:
◼ CRYOHUMANITY | Zee's metahuman body is permanently locked at slightly below 0 degrees Celsius. In lieu of shutting down, she has instead adapted to such low temperatures, giving her the ability to freeze anything she touches. With focus, she can also project her body 'heat' into a short-range freezing aura. Additionally, her body's temperature lock means that Zee is extremely resistant and even immune to the cold.
//LIMITATIONS:
◼ RANGE | As above, Zee's powers is lethal at close range but ineffective beyond. Until she can master her ice powers enough to actually make ice from nothing, which may be never at this rate, she is as effective in combat as a maniac with a knife. But, you know, that knife turned people into ice cubes
//WEAKNESSES:
◼ HEAT | Customary for an ice person, Zee does not operate well in extreme heat or the proximity of fire. The sheer cold of her own static body makes her somewhat functional in the heat, but high temperatures stop everything else from freezing, defeating the purpose of her powers.
▼ N O T E S:
//SUPPORTING CAST:
//STOMPING GROUNDS
//PARAPHERNALIA
//SKILLS:
▼ FAMILY
▼ FRIENDS
▼ ENEMIES
◼ ANTHONY & OLIVIA DIANGELO | Zee's late parents. They were a folk music duo, with all the new-age nonchalance that entails. They cared for their daughter more than anything else, and it pains her to think that the last moments of two wonderful people were excrutiating cold.
▼ FRIENDS
◼ TBD | Test
▼ ENEMIES
◼ TBD | Test
//STOMPING GROUNDS
◼ Newton, MA | A small suburbia, stone's throw away from downtown Boston. Far removed from the troubles of the world until Zee burned that bridge.
//PARAPHERNALIA
◼ TABLET | A laptop is clunky to charge and her phone is worth for little more than a call. Zee relies on the middle ground: a tablet for reading, browsing, and communicating.
◼ HARMONICA | Her mom's favorite instrument. Zee can't carry a tune for shit, so this is a sentimental memento above all.
//SKILLS:
◼ INTELLECT | Neither athletic nor a people person, Zee's lot at life seemed to be academia. She has a keen mind for humanities: anthropology, history, and literature studies. She'd like to use her future to learn from the past, but there's little chance of that with her criminal record, is there?
Like I said in the other thread and the Discord, I'm still in this! Not opposed to a slower-paced game if that is indeed the new form PRCU assumes.
But if PRCU does continue onwards, I personally don't have an issue with Ju-V being ran alongside.
My thoughts exactly! I'll take any reason to get more writing in.
Ditto with Ariel, if possible! I've had so much fun playing out their nice but self-serving persona, would love the chance to give them another go. I'm not opposed to creating a brand new character, however.
Sad to see PRCU end, but delighted to see the gang still sticking together!
Since I am too emotionally attached to Ariel at this point, I'd say pitches #1 and #3 appeal the most to me, but the absolute curveball of #6 really speaks to me because Ariel deserves to be a god. If I had to rank them, it'd go something like:
Since I am too emotionally attached to Ariel at this point, I'd say pitches #1 and #3 appeal the most to me, but the absolute curveball of #6 really speaks to me because Ariel deserves to be a god. If I had to rank them, it'd go something like:
- Post Apocalyptic Superpowers
- American Gods-esque
- Post Apocalyptic Modern Fantasy
Location: Stadium - PRCU, Dundas Island
First Class #2.61: Meet the New Team, Same as the Old Team
The second whistle came and went as swiftly as the first. It might have been that Ariel was too caught up in spectating the fascinating interpersonal battleground that was Team Blackjack. From where they were standing, the team really did look like a broken home. Then again, what had Hyperion done that night if not a breaking, a shattering of the status quo? As it was, their choice, and everyone else's, were now decisions, and decisions were now certainty. The teams they saw were the teams that will be, barring Banjo's obvious absence. No turning back now.
Much like Team Firebird itself, Ariel's emotions were a mixed bag as they took inventory of their newly-shuffled team. They had missed the opportunity to bond with all of Firebird, what with Hyperion and all, so Ariel met much of the departures with friendly neutrality at best and apathy at worst (which, to be fair, was their default temperament anyway). Without question, though, they sorely lamented the loss of Lucas. Seeing him walk off to the middle with wavering certainty was not something they expected to see. A more dramatic Ariel would fall to their knees. Nevertheless, it was heartening to see him take initiative. He had looked so small then, at the campfire with his pizza and dinosaur facts. Now, with conviction in his step, he seemed poised to Eclipse his old team. Ariel tossed him a hearty wave and a mouthed promise to 'keep in touch'. They have each other's numbers, after all.
And then, the arrivals. Three in total, with one immediately catching Ariel's eye. At first, they thought it was the white hair and somehow whiter skin on them, but they soon realized it was their manner of dressing that was of interest. It was...neutral, Androgynous, even. Even with the dress code and uniform and what have you, the younger Ariel that had been grappling with their gender would dress this way. Hell, current Ariel, now degrees more assured in their fluidity of self, would still dress this way sometimes.
Ariel knew they had to know more of this person eventually. They'd never had a friend who shared a struggle like them outside the Internet. The prospect of having one was...more exciting than Ariel would care to admit, but there was no need to rush. Why be a rogue wave when still water drowned all the same? Barring another murderous catastrophe by way of Hyperion, there would be plenty of time to get to know everyone, especially the pale one. They turned to the newcomers, a welcoming smile on their face and a fist bump offered to each of them.
"Hi, welcome to Team Firebird! My name's Ariel, 23, my pronouns are they/she." A reasonable introduction to start with. Covered every base they felt relevant. "Hope to get to know you guys soon, but I think there'll be a lot of time for that. We should take care of our Houses first." With that, Ariel walked over to the House representatives, double and triple checking the invitation envelopes in their hands.
Apparently, Ariel's previous appraisal had been spot on. They had reasoned that the virtues of Houses Alces, Gulo, and Ursus were the ones most compatible with their temperament and outlook. Wouldn't you know it, the envelope contained a moose, a wolverine, and a bear. No need to waste time deciding on this, either. They made way for the Ursus representative.
"Ariel Mustafa here," they said, returning the letter given to them. "Thank you, first of all, for the invitation to House Ursus. I have faith that it's the right place for me, just like Team Firebird." Channeling a bit of Lucas' conviction, or rather not to be outdone in that department by a cinnamon roll, Ariel nodded with pride and made the choice that was theirs and theirs alone.
"I accept House Ursus as the house of my choice."
Much like Team Firebird itself, Ariel's emotions were a mixed bag as they took inventory of their newly-shuffled team. They had missed the opportunity to bond with all of Firebird, what with Hyperion and all, so Ariel met much of the departures with friendly neutrality at best and apathy at worst (which, to be fair, was their default temperament anyway). Without question, though, they sorely lamented the loss of Lucas. Seeing him walk off to the middle with wavering certainty was not something they expected to see. A more dramatic Ariel would fall to their knees. Nevertheless, it was heartening to see him take initiative. He had looked so small then, at the campfire with his pizza and dinosaur facts. Now, with conviction in his step, he seemed poised to Eclipse his old team. Ariel tossed him a hearty wave and a mouthed promise to 'keep in touch'. They have each other's numbers, after all.
And then, the arrivals. Three in total, with one immediately catching Ariel's eye. At first, they thought it was the white hair and somehow whiter skin on them, but they soon realized it was their manner of dressing that was of interest. It was...neutral, Androgynous, even. Even with the dress code and uniform and what have you, the younger Ariel that had been grappling with their gender would dress this way. Hell, current Ariel, now degrees more assured in their fluidity of self, would still dress this way sometimes.
Ariel knew they had to know more of this person eventually. They'd never had a friend who shared a struggle like them outside the Internet. The prospect of having one was...more exciting than Ariel would care to admit, but there was no need to rush. Why be a rogue wave when still water drowned all the same? Barring another murderous catastrophe by way of Hyperion, there would be plenty of time to get to know everyone, especially the pale one. They turned to the newcomers, a welcoming smile on their face and a fist bump offered to each of them.
"Hi, welcome to Team Firebird! My name's Ariel, 23, my pronouns are they/she." A reasonable introduction to start with. Covered every base they felt relevant. "Hope to get to know you guys soon, but I think there'll be a lot of time for that. We should take care of our Houses first." With that, Ariel walked over to the House representatives, double and triple checking the invitation envelopes in their hands.
Apparently, Ariel's previous appraisal had been spot on. They had reasoned that the virtues of Houses Alces, Gulo, and Ursus were the ones most compatible with their temperament and outlook. Wouldn't you know it, the envelope contained a moose, a wolverine, and a bear. No need to waste time deciding on this, either. They made way for the Ursus representative.
"Ariel Mustafa here," they said, returning the letter given to them. "Thank you, first of all, for the invitation to House Ursus. I have faith that it's the right place for me, just like Team Firebird." Channeling a bit of Lucas' conviction, or rather not to be outdone in that department by a cinnamon roll, Ariel nodded with pride and made the choice that was theirs and theirs alone.
"I accept House Ursus as the house of my choice."
Location: Stadium - PRCU, Dundas Island
First Class #2.35: ...But I'm Here to Stay
Interaction(s): Team Firebird, and those who would move onto Team Firebird
Previously: Nothing's Okay
The stadium was an unwelcome change of scenery. The somberness of the coastside funeral at least had an air of universal respect and dignity. Here, Ariel saw nothing but tension and broken thoughts at the tip of fuming tongues. And it wasn't like they didn't understand why everyone was so upset. Someone died and another was dangerously close to dying. The last thing on people's minds should be protocol. All the discomfort of an emergency with none of the urgency, like a divided nation turning a blind eye to a coming war. How apt it was, what had happened that night if not a bloody declaration of war?
But Ariel digressed. They did not survive this long on the run from the law by making a fuss. If there was a speech to be had, they would listen. If there was protocol to be observed, observe it they shall. Standing silently with the rest of their team, they kept their ears open and attentive. Even in the heat of the tension, Ariel had good reason to listen to the meat of the faculty's speech. This was the first time anyone explained the particularities of the Team Swap, at least in a capacity that they understood. It brought forward a conversation in their mind, gone neglected in the aftermath of Hyperion's attack: Ariel's place in Team Firebird.
There was little reason to swap teams, in their mind. Little reason to care about team distinction as a concept, for that matter. 'Are we not the same despite our divisions?' they reasoned. Though Ariel had no doubt that they would have adapted well into both Team Blackjack and Eclipse, in spite of the two teams being a dysfunction junction at present, their thoughts were more towards those still in Firebird. Ariel was a familiar face to the team. Familiar for only a few weeks at best, granted, but a familiar face nonetheless. What would it look like to the others if they lost one too many familiar faces? Not everyone could throw away acquaintances as easily as Ariel could. Staying at Firebird made a statement: "I'm not going anywhere. You can rely on me." It was a good statement to make, especially for the soft of heart like Dom—like Lucas.
And then there was the matter of Housing. If Ariel had little reason to care about team unity, they cared about house unity even less. The attack had already cleaved a rift into the students, what good was there in widening that rift with arbitrary division? A sigh escaped their lips as that train of thought quickly went nowhere. Ariel didn't see it fair to rule out the House system without experiencing it firsthand. Splitting the students into teams helped make strong bonds so far—look at how many visitors were knocking on the broken Banjo's doorstep, come to pay the breathing martyr a visit. Who's to say this wouldn't end up helping as well?
Any house that would accept Ariel, Ariel would accept in kind. They had the final say, but as they understood it, it would not be without the acceptance of the Houses in the first place. Ariel had taken a cursory glance at the Houses and what each of their gists were. The wolverine house, Gulo, and its pragmatic tenets spoke to them on a personal level, but they'd be the first to admit that there wasn't an assertive or confident bone in their body. Some might see their gentle and passive nature as befitting of the moose house, Alces, though there was still a shred of ambition that would be disappointed to see them languish in soft stagnation. Alces would stifle them, and water had no use for dead weight.
Ursus, though. The bear house, espousing empathy and protective natures. Now that, Ariel understood completely. Pain was an old friend, and the less people fall to pain on their watch, the better. A look in the mirror did not show altruism, though; each and every one of Ariel's protective instincts was rooted in keeping themself protected. If they go to great lengths for others, others were more like;y to go to great lengths for them. No matter. For the sake of themself, they'd be as altruistic as they need to be.
Mired in thought, Ariel just barely noticed the speech dying down. The whistle was about to be blown then, and with it, a wholesale bout of decision-making and dilemma. Not Ariel, though. The decision had already been made, just moments before the count of three. As the shrill sound came, students stepped forward while others debated whether to step forward or not. In the midst of it all, Ariel stood where they were, adamant in their choice as they waved hello to those coming, and goodbye to those going. Calling Firebird 'home' was a bridge too far too soon, but there was no need to move this time. Nowhere to go, nowhere to flow.
For once in Ariel's life, they were here to stay.
But Ariel digressed. They did not survive this long on the run from the law by making a fuss. If there was a speech to be had, they would listen. If there was protocol to be observed, observe it they shall. Standing silently with the rest of their team, they kept their ears open and attentive. Even in the heat of the tension, Ariel had good reason to listen to the meat of the faculty's speech. This was the first time anyone explained the particularities of the Team Swap, at least in a capacity that they understood. It brought forward a conversation in their mind, gone neglected in the aftermath of Hyperion's attack: Ariel's place in Team Firebird.
There was little reason to swap teams, in their mind. Little reason to care about team distinction as a concept, for that matter. 'Are we not the same despite our divisions?' they reasoned. Though Ariel had no doubt that they would have adapted well into both Team Blackjack and Eclipse, in spite of the two teams being a dysfunction junction at present, their thoughts were more towards those still in Firebird. Ariel was a familiar face to the team. Familiar for only a few weeks at best, granted, but a familiar face nonetheless. What would it look like to the others if they lost one too many familiar faces? Not everyone could throw away acquaintances as easily as Ariel could. Staying at Firebird made a statement: "I'm not going anywhere. You can rely on me." It was a good statement to make, especially for the soft of heart like Dom—like Lucas.
And then there was the matter of Housing. If Ariel had little reason to care about team unity, they cared about house unity even less. The attack had already cleaved a rift into the students, what good was there in widening that rift with arbitrary division? A sigh escaped their lips as that train of thought quickly went nowhere. Ariel didn't see it fair to rule out the House system without experiencing it firsthand. Splitting the students into teams helped make strong bonds so far—look at how many visitors were knocking on the broken Banjo's doorstep, come to pay the breathing martyr a visit. Who's to say this wouldn't end up helping as well?
Any house that would accept Ariel, Ariel would accept in kind. They had the final say, but as they understood it, it would not be without the acceptance of the Houses in the first place. Ariel had taken a cursory glance at the Houses and what each of their gists were. The wolverine house, Gulo, and its pragmatic tenets spoke to them on a personal level, but they'd be the first to admit that there wasn't an assertive or confident bone in their body. Some might see their gentle and passive nature as befitting of the moose house, Alces, though there was still a shred of ambition that would be disappointed to see them languish in soft stagnation. Alces would stifle them, and water had no use for dead weight.
Ursus, though. The bear house, espousing empathy and protective natures. Now that, Ariel understood completely. Pain was an old friend, and the less people fall to pain on their watch, the better. A look in the mirror did not show altruism, though; each and every one of Ariel's protective instincts was rooted in keeping themself protected. If they go to great lengths for others, others were more like;y to go to great lengths for them. No matter. For the sake of themself, they'd be as altruistic as they need to be.
Mired in thought, Ariel just barely noticed the speech dying down. The whistle was about to be blown then, and with it, a wholesale bout of decision-making and dilemma. Not Ariel, though. The decision had already been made, just moments before the count of three. As the shrill sound came, students stepped forward while others debated whether to step forward or not. In the midst of it all, Ariel stood where they were, adamant in their choice as they waved hello to those coming, and goodbye to those going. Calling Firebird 'home' was a bridge too far too soon, but there was no need to move this time. Nowhere to go, nowhere to flow.
For once in Ariel's life, they were here to stay.
"Hello, I am a beehive." Jo responded, her Scandivanian accent was laced heavily in her words. Thankfully she had been well taught in English up to this point. She raised a hand in between her and the itchy boy, outstretching a finger. A lone bee crawled from under her sleeve up to the tip of her finger. "So I am house to many, many bees inside me." She pointed at herself and then to her bee with her other hand. She smiled, seemingly happy with that reality. "They are all me but not really all me. More like family." She admitted, laying a finger on that very bee she had to give it a soft pet.
Ariel's normally dry and self-deprecating sense of humor had a weakness, and that weakness was absurdity. No amount of witty insults and cerebral jokes could make them laugh as hard as an out of pocket sentence blurted without warning, and huddled closed to Team Firebird with a mouthful of pizza, nothing was as out of pocket as 'I am a beehive'.
Like a puddle in the middle of Death Valley, Ariel's calm and composed visage faded into the wind as they broke into an aria of soft giggling. A bad time to giggle, what with all the pizza and hot sauce in their mouth, and abrupt choking soon followed the hilarity. They couldn't care less, the only thing on their mind right now was those four words repeated again and again. That Scandinavian girl was a beehive! A beehive! Funniest shit they ever heard.
The choking soon went away and Ariel could laugh and giggle and snort in earnest. It was far from the most dignified sound, but their laughter was playground lively, naive and freshly squeezed. A part of them wanted to stop. Laughing like this was childish, people could think weak of them for this and take advantage of them. Other, much larger parts of them disagreed and so they kept laughing. Ariel hadn't laughed like this in a long, long time. It took them back to the day they discovered the surreal humor of early 2000's YouTube and Nico Nico Douga, staying up late at night browsing to play Russian Roulette on the computer from video to video. Were they about to laugh their brains out, or were they going to get jumpscared to hell and back?
Those were better days. Ariel missed those days, but somehow they knew that Future Ariel would come to miss days like this more. The humble beginnings of Team Firebird, the en masse breaking of the ice. Everyone was introducing themselves, getting to know each other, walking through each other's powers while enjoying pizza and a warm fire. These are happy days, too, Ariel thought as they tried in vain to maintain their composure in the midst of all her giggling. They could get used to this. They should get used to this, they deserved this. Even if they were a quiet and reserved kid, having other people close to her felt...right. Living with other people felt right, it was right.
Location: Funeral Grounds - Northern Cove, Dundas Island
First Class #2.19: Nothing's Okay
The funeral ended and Jo silently slipped free of Ariel's grasp, but she did not leave right away. Instead she lingered further away from the water until Ariel had retreated from the ceremony as well. Jo wasn't really good at communicating with people and didn't know what to say, but she did feel like she had to say something. "Sorry for you. Cass was your friend, ya?"
So focused on the funeral, Ariel did not get a proper look at the wrist they were holding. Tilting their head, they saw their hand clinging close to Jonna's skin. A smile broke out of their face, a pursed valley of melancholy. The blonde girl's face reminded them of the four words that had driven them to hysterics that night. The night where...everything...happened. As quickly as it came, the smile went the way of a puddle in Death Valley. Everywhere they looked, they saw splatters of gore left in Hyperion's wake, hideous scars left in the eyes of their friends that spoke of fear, sorrow, anger, hatred, doubt. Everything Ariel swore to leave behind in the screaming geothermal pools of Truth or Consequences. And yet here they come, haunting them once more. A deep breath and a shake of their head kept things at bay. And another deep breath. And then another. Ariel cursed their wandering mind and returned their focus to the Northern Cove, a trembling hand free from the beehive's wrist.
Truly, the less remembered of that night, the better.
With a solid footing on the present, Ariel turned their attention to Jonna, the smile returning as they beheld her. Still a sad smile, but it was a smile they didn't have to shake off in sorrow.
"Cass was our friend," Ariel replied. "I didn't get to know him that well, different teams and all. It's just...really really sad, you know? One of our own lost his life because of some power-hungry lunatics? One of our own may never walk again because of the same power-hungry lunatics?"
Ariel wanted to say more, partly to let out their feelings in more eloquent words than being 'really really sad'. But their feelings were complicated and it was difficult to let them out without sounding like either a selfish pretentious cabrón or a gradeschooler. Still, where else would those feelings go if they stayed where they were? They struggled to remember what the campus therapist advised on this, but it was 'something something reach out something something you are not alone'. Ariel let go of the deep breath they didn't know they were holding in. Time to put that advice to the test.
"And like...I'm scared about what comes next." Slowly, these words crawled out of Ariel's mouth. Words chosen carefully, tightly, not wanting overwhelm themself. Or Jonna, for that matter. "There is simply no way this...'Hyperion' stops at that. It's just not how those kind of people roll. They'll do something crazy dangerous again. Lives will be at risk again. I hope we'll be ready by then." Just barely keeping themself together, Ariel once again relied on Jo's wrist to keep their feet grounded in the now. Only after the fact did she realize how rough their hand must be and eased their grip, muttering an apology under their breath.
"I'm sorry for dumping all that on you," Ariel then said, in clearer breath. Relaxing the tense posture they didn't know they had been holding, their hands began to fidget. On their hair, on their face, on their uniform fabric, on the trans flag pin on their uniform, anything to distract themself again."Hard to think straight in a funeral, you know? Nothing's okay and that's just...not okay, for me. Maybe other people can handle better, but I can't."
"...Call me out if I'm wrong, but this is not okay for you either, is it?"
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