Mistress Dizzy

Star Wars: A Legend Reborn (Nobodyman123 and Mistress Dizzy)

“Well, I appreciate the apology.” Kijani said, very nearly flustered by Adam’s gaze. Only years of etiquette and poise training kept her confused feelings from her face. “As for Eskel and I… we have the potential to be friends. Great friends.” A smile slipped onto her face, but it was about as detached from reality as the royal ‘we’.

“Speaking of him, let me go tell him the plan. I’ll be back soon.” With that, she let herself detach. It ached. She just wanted to be in his presence longer. For the rest of the trip, at least. For the rest of time, maybe.

It didn’t take her long to find the cockpit. There, she quickly explained the barebones plan that she and Adam had concocted. She also tried to calm Eskel down, as she could sense the anger rolling off of him.

“You’re going to need to be calm by the time we arrive, Prince Eskel. Otherwise, this won’t work at all.”

“I know. And I will be, when the time comes.” He turned and flashed her a smile. His eyes showed no hint of it. “Also, it’s just Eskel now. We’re about to start a rebellion, after all. I think titles may be a bit unnecessary.”

Kijani chuckled softly. “Fair point, Eskel. Adam and I will both be in your corner, no matter what happens.”

“Thank you. I appreciate it. I will need you both.” He exhaled, and Kijani felt some of the anger leave him. That was a relief.

“Good. I am going to borrow your shower.”

“Very well.”

“And your clothes.”

“You... what?”

-

Kijani basked under the hot water in the ship’s grand quarters. The steam and soap were such a deep relief after months and months of swamp. She scrubbed from head to toe, washed her hair twice, and found a perfumed soap that didn’t smell too masculine.

Then she simply soaked. Admittedly, she had missed this the most. The fine clothes and food were one thing, sure, but nothing beat a steaming hot shower. While she was in there, she thought. About what was going to happen next. About what she needed to do. She managed to get out before the water started to get cold.

Wrapped in a thick towel, she perused Eskel’s closet for something that would suit. Most of the clothes were too large, but she managed to put something together with a cream colored shirt that, along with a thick belt, fit her like a dress.

Then she went back to where she had left Adam.

“Does this pass for what a future Queen would look like?”

Persona - Soldiers of Fortune

Jin was quiet as the group walked through the trenches. They had seen places like this before. Just… half empty buildings with even emptier people. Usually drugs were involved, but not always. Sometimes, people just gave up. Jin had worked their whole life trying to avoid that fate. Walking through this place was a means to an end, and they tried not to let the fear prickling at the back of their neck overwhelm them.

As they moved through slowly, Jin grabbed a dirty plank of wood and gave it an experimental swing as they walked through the bizarre house. Trying to parse the angles of the architecture made their head hurt. Other people had gained weapons from their Personas. From the sound of things, that… thing… that had chased them in the jail cell earlier was probably Jin’s ticket to this newfound power. However, they just hadn’t been strong enough. All they could do was run, run, run. Just like every other time that things went down. But it was so easy, wasn’t it? They had no friends, no family, no connections. It was simple to just bail and start anew somewhere else. That was why they had no intention of getting involved past getting these people’s names.

As those strange, not quite children turned into more Shadows, Jin readied their makeshift weapon. Sure, they didn’t want to be stuck in this situation. At the same time, they couldn’t just do nothing. Waiting on someone else to help was just suicidal. As the Persona users got into gear, they took a hard swing at one of the monsters. It didn’t seem to do more than distract it and piss it off. However, that would leave a very nice opening for whomever decided to attack it next.

Young Justice

Pandemonium.

It was as if everything was happening in slow motion for Kassandra. Screaming, swimming, panic. She looked at it, what she’d caused, and still felt that raw, open wound inside her screaming for attention. Everyone always expected her to be a monster. So who was she to say differently?

Distantly, she saw a figure approaching. She turned, and Victor’s fist went past her face easily, bubbles flying. It was clear he couldn’t see or hear right.

Unfortunately for him, she could.

She grabbed his wrist, hard. Then she shoved him in the chest, and as she did, she let her out-of-control illusions wash over him. The distortion around her lessened. But not for Victor.

With a blank stare, she simply activated his sense of touch.

All of it.

It would be mild at first, but soon would become overwhelming. Crippling.

Pain.

If he wanted to treat her as a threat (and why wouldn’t he) then she would respond in kind.

That’s what monsters did, didn’t they?

Why had she even bothered to pretend to be a hero in the first place?

This was all she'd ever be seen as.

Hopefully Sanctuary

Devika's parents exchanged a very brief, unreadable look. "Well, alright then. We hit the heavy stuff first, and then work our way to the food and games!" Tim lead the way through the already decent sized crowds, heading toward the rollercoaster that had been visible since they had arrived.

The Rockin Roller was a massive display of woodwork. The paint looked a little worn, but the main attraction was very much safe and intact. Screams of terror and delight came whooshing around the corner as they joined the line. Luckily not many people had made it that far back. They were getting strapped in within about ten minutes. Tim and Devika tucked their glasses away lest they be lost to the wind. Then the coaster started up. It whooshed. It swerved. It rose and dove. It was pretty damn good for a small-town carnival ride.

Mara was staggering slightly by the time they got off. "I just... need a second. The inner ear... very delicate." She leaned on Tim's shoulder, face a little wan. "The things I do for love. Devika. Never marry a coaster enthusiast. I swear that thing gets faster every year."

"Pretty sure it doesn't, Mom." Devika said with a chuckle.

Tiny and the Terminator [Mistress Dizzy & Shifter_Master]

Jinny was quite enjoying her lunch. At her old school, she had taken her lunches alone. It only bothered her sometimes. But this was brand new. Would they become true friends as the year progressed? She hoped so. Bee seemed super chill for an older girl. Gizmo was… honestly a little bit of an asshole? But the way his mind worked, it was hard not to like him either. By the time her phone buzzed, they were deep in conversation about movies and how they were super inaccurate. She took a moment to read. A roommate, huh? Maybe it’d be an opportunity for another new friend. Hopefully, they didn’t just suck.

Another student. But I promise to come visit, Otou-san.

She sent it quickly, paused, reread it, and had a flash of panic. She hadn’t meant to type that last bit. It had just come out of her fingers without routing to her brain.

She’d been thinking of him as a father for some time. Ever since they had gotten honest with each other about who they really were. Calling him “Dad” didn’t feel exactly right, because she needed a separation between him and her actual birth father. Otou-san fit, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t embarrassed about it. She wasn’t really his kid, after all. Maybe he’d overlook it, or ignore it? Hopefully he wouldn’t be mad. After staring at her blank phone screen for answers, she returned to the conversation. Something about Die Hard being bullshit, but at least exciting bullshit.

“So what’re the dorms like? Do you guys have roommates?”

The Sahasian Alliance

Jinayah was very pleased to meet Sulhana on the way to breakfast, before everyone else. Sulhana did not always tell the truth, but Jin would have known if the armor was a mistake by how smoothly she reacted to it.

“Oh yes, Father is going to have a royal conniption. I’m ready for it. I’m very tired of hiding myself.” She said with a prideful grin.

They fell into step together, heading toward the dining hall. When Hana said she’d pluck the princes’ eyes out for not finding her beautiful, she chuckled and shook her head. “It’s not about the beauty, Hana. It’s about the respect. Always has been.”

Then they entered, and she bowed to her father. “Good morning.” She did her best to keep a smirk from her face as she locked eyes with the man. There was a battle of emotions behind his eyes, at least the ones she could read. Surprise as he took in the armor. Confusion as this was not her usual male clothing. A sudden flash of anger as he realized where it would have come from. She almost saw his mouth make to open, but by the end, it did not. Perhaps if they hadn’t had guests, there would be an interrogation. Instead, there was a look of wan acceptance, and then distraction, as Jin finally settled at the table with a polite clanking of metal.

Sulhana had given her pointers on how to read people’s faces years ago. She said that those were the unspoken words, and that they often mattered more than what left the mouth. Jinayah had found this true. No one would outright say that she couldn’t do these things. But their expressions certainly hinted at it. It was worst around the older nobles. Most of the time, new courtiers were confused. Shocked. Scandalized, even. Funnier, some of the younger nobles seemed amused, or even pleased. Especially the daughters. She was used to all of it, but she wondered just what level of reaction proper armor was going to get her.

The princes were beginning to filter in now. She greeted Prince Vyarin with a little smile and nod. It seemed his Astalian had improved. Perhaps he’d studied even after the party? If so, good on him. Prince Erick was another story. She’d stopped him in his tracks – that, or the sun had. He did have quite a lot of wine last night. But she tilted her head in a very proud way as he too, sat.

Now all they needed was Prince Alvaro, who she had yet to really meet besides the polite introduction.

Star Wars: A Legend Reborn (Nobodyman123 and Mistress Dizzy)

Kijani went quiet, hand going to one of her dreadlocks to wind it around a finger. Adam had known her long enough to have spotted this tell, a sign of her nervousness despite any outward appearance.

“I missed you too.” She stared a bit at her shoes, then without warning, tossed her arms around Adam in a tight hug. “Probably more than I should have.”

She inhaled a shaky breath. So, this was nice. He was very warm, and she could feel his heart beating against her ear. The only real problem was that she probably stunk to hell, having been fighting for a solid 15 minutes through swamp muck and sweaty boots.

And perhaps the other problem was that her body had not consulted with her brain about being in Adam’s arms at all, and had made the decision without committee approval. Rather rude of her body, honestly.

She didn’t say anything for several moments, then: “...I smell like Dagobah.” And ever so reluctantly, she pulled back. “Sorry.”

Young Justice

Before the Conference:

As she and Ja split to check on the other teams, Kassy found herself dragging her fins, not wanting to see Dr. Bingley’s face again. She just couldn’t fathom how a human, even a smart one, could be so well versed in Atlantean politics and culture. He could be a fan of some kind – they had those. Sort of like Zach, most of them were harmless.

This was something different. This was like an obsession. It didn’t quite make sense.

Before she could really think more on it, the sub came into view. She opened the hatch and poked her head in. “Talon, Dr. Bingley, it’s all over. You can come out now.”

As the doctor grumbled quietly about interruptions to his life’s work and brushed past her, Talon grabbed her arm. His voice was low, but audible. “There’s something you should know.”

-
At the Conference:

Kassy’s mind was reeling. If what Talon had told her was true – and she had no reason to believe otherwise – Dr. Bingley was a very smart, very unhinged man. She felt sick to her stomach as the crowd seemed to lap up his speech.

And then he opened the case, holding up an innocent looking vial.

It was already real? This… thing, this genetic curse, it was right there.

There were about a hundred people in the room, including her teammates. So many people, so much potential for disaster. Yet – suddenly, none of them mattered. She had to stop him, no matter the cost.

Was this what it meant to be a true hero? Sacrificing everything for the greater good?

Even sacrificing yourself?

“Stop.”

The samples were being handed out already. No one seemed to hear her.

“I said, STOP!” Her shout carried clear across the room this time. That did it. Everyone seemed to freeze in place. Two hundred eyes stared her down. She swam toward Bingley and the other researchers, her eyes resolute.

“I can’t let you do this. I won’t.”

“What is the meaning of this?! What are you doing, Miss Mirage?” Bingley stepped in front of her, his eyes unreadable behind thick glasses.

“Stopping you. I won’t let those side effects hurt other people, innocent people, those who aren’t even here yet.”

She was trembling, but carried on. “This isn’t right, Doctor. My people haven’t done anything to deserve this. We aren’t dangerous. Just misunderstood.”

Bingley frowned, eyebrows furrowing. “Your people? What do you mean, your people? Wait a minute-” He wasn’t a fool, and quickly caught on to Kassy’s implication.

Kassy smiled, all teeth. “That’s right. I’m the one you’re looking for. Your genetic curse, your controversy.” She turned, pushing her white hair up from the back of her neck. A little mark lay there, always hidden by her curls. A single eye.

“YOU?! You’re a – a - ”

“That’s right.” Kassy spat the words out. “I’m who you want. I won’t let you go through with this.”

Bingley gaped, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. “I can’t believe it. My perfect test subject, right in front of me.” He reached for her for a split second, then yanked his hand back. Fear lit in his eyes. “Wait, wait – don’t you dare hurt me.”

Kassy shook her head, “Dr. Bingley, I am not dangerous. I’m just a person. I never asked for any of this!”

He wasn’t listening. His voice raised to a panicked pitch. “Guards, you heard what she said! She admits it! You know what she is, what she’s capable of! I demand she be taken into custody!”

“No, no! I’m not dangerous. Please, just listen-” Kassy shut her eyes, trying to keep her temper under control. She could feel her fists clenching. But she had to face this.

Bingley laughed, but it was a cruel sound. “I don’t have to listen to you. Guards!”

“Stop it, please!” Her ears were ringing as she reached for Bingley’s arm. He jerked back from her grip.

“You’re nothing but a sociopath. A menace to society, a dangerous beast. A siren!”

She had heard this before. How many times had her aunt used these same words? This same excuse, over and over again, to treat her like dirt. How many times would she hear them again? For a moment, she saw the same cold eyes, the same cruel smile. Dr. Bingley and Aunt Kristy could have been twins. All of the calming methods, all of the meditation, all of the times she told herself to endure, none of it mattered. It was never going to change.

Something snapped.

“I. AM NOT. DANGEROUS!”

Her scream carried across the conference room. Her irises got darker and darker, their brilliant orange filling into a dark, eerie fathomless black, like the eyes of a shark. Even the water around her seemed to warp, optical illusions twisting the eye of anyone who looked.

She trembled, her whole body taut with rage. Tears started to slide down her cheeks.

“Is THIS what you all fucking wanted?!”

Tiny and the Terminator [Mistress Dizzy & Shifter_Master]

Jinny absorbed the information about the pink haired girl, now a little bit more curious. The fact that Mikron said she’d accidentally killed other students didn’t go unnoticed. That meant she definitely didn’t want to be in the same room as this girl. “That’s… actually kind of freaky. Killing someone without meaning to, just with ‘bad luck’.” Her mind was already on the train of thought however, about how one would even go about quantifying ‘luck’. This Jinx probably had some probability-changing ability. The pink sparks were lucky to be there as proof of power – imagine if she could cause one of those cascading failures without any sign at all! She’d be the perfect assassin.

Most of that thought process ceased as they hit the cafeteria. The scents of various foods hit her nose, and her stomach growled in anticipation. After she got in line, she sent a quick text to her uncle. He probably wasn’t worried, but best to let him know. Hi! I think I made friends. I am eating lunch with them. See you later!

Once they were all settled at the table, Bee’s question took her off guard. “Ah. Um. My mom was an assassin.” It wasn’t the truth of the matter, but it wasn’t a lie either. She quickly stuffed her mouth with a big bite of taco, having sampled the Mexican line for lunch. Jinny just didn’t want these two to react like the pink-haired Jinx, and just want to be near her for what her uncle could provide. She just wanted to have people around her because they actually liked her. Whatever that would mean at this school.

“What about you guys?”

Hopefully Sanctuary

The weather was excellent for being outside, and Devika’s father had the windows down the whole drive. Devika had subtly requested it. Hopefully it would make Roxy more comfortable in the cramped car.

The amusement park venue could be seen from quite a while away. The top of the roller coaster came into view first, and then the Terrible Tower drop ride. The scents came next, popcorn, and sugar drifting through the windows. Wacky World came into view proper within a few minutes.

There was cheery carnival music piped through hidden speakers, and a small crowd already at the ticket line. However, since their tickets had already been bought, the group breezed through the gate.

The park was already busy, despite the early hour. Devika felt the strain against her and Roxy’s bubble. Luckily, most of the emotions were joyous, but even too much of that left Devika hyperactive and almost manic.

“Well, where would you like to head first?” Tim’s eyes were shining behind his glasses.