Study: Under Pressure
Skills: Touch Of Ice
Pulling out a pocket watch, Evelina checked the time. The bell had tolled, hopefully Sophia would get up quickly and be there any moment. Considering the time line the girl came from, she figured it wouldn't take much to get her out of bed. Sure there wasn't time for breakfast but that would be dealt with later. A horse in the barn stall whinnied and Evelina smiled slightly, she enjoyed training new Paradoxes. She understood how important it was and she felt teaching them how to remain detached was a large part of that. Looking back on the womans life, she felt Sophia would do well but she worried about some hangups she might have.
Sophia slowly opened up her eyes as she looked around her room and stretched slightly as she, she was used to waking up rather early in the morning it was going to be her first official day of training. As she got up from her bed, Sophia noticed a letter that was slid under her door as she knelt down and picked it up she started to read it. It was from Evelina telling her to meet her at the barn, she was both excited and also a bit nervous as well. She went to get changed and then reached for her prosthetic hand, and made sure that it was secured and on tightly she made sure that she had her room key with her before leaving.
Sophia then started to go down the hallway of the main house and made it outside looking around the grounds for a moment, before spotting the barn in the distance and headed there. Once she was there Sophia spotted Evelina and gave her a smile and waved towards her,
"Good morning. How are you this morning?" Sophia asked as she approached her, and looked at the horse and reached over to gently pet it.
"What are we doing today?" Sophia asked.
Looking down at her pocket watch there was a hint of a smile.
"Right on time," she said more to herself than to Sophia as she slipped it back into her front pocket. A trail of smoke curled up from the pipe in her other hand as she turned to look more directly at Sophia.
"I am very well thank you for asking. I would ask how you are but giving what we are about to do, I must apologize because even if you are well you won't be for long. Today we start training you to remain calm, how to control your powers, and most importantly, both at the same time." Turning her attention back over towards Evelina when she told her what they would be doing today, and gave her a slight nod though she wasn't sure how they would actually be doing it on the grounds. The grounds appear to always be pretty calm for the most part, though she did remember very freshly when her first power came up that caused her to pass out and gag which probably didn't make a good first impression on some of the others.
"Sounds like a plan to me. However where are we going the grounds seem to be fairly calm for the most part?" Sophia asked giving the horse one more pat on it's nose before taking a step back turning her attention fully now to Evelina.
Stepping over to a worn knapsack, Evelina opened it and pulled out some rather worn out items.
"We go somewhere less calm." Holding out a a very dirty shirt and torn jeans, as well as a pair of overly used boots she nodded slightly.
"We're taking a trip to Minnesota, summer, 2012. Your time line." Pulling out another set, Evelina stood behind a stall and began to change.
Sophia eyed the knapsack which contained worn out clothes, and listened to her she wasn't to thrilled going back to her timeline full of walkers. But it was probably the best place to go, it was never calm then, Sophia gave her a nod before grabbing the clothes.
"Alright then I'll get changed and we can get started." She said as she turned and headed into an empty stall, and stripped out of her clothes and quickly got changed she came out feeling more comfortable in the clothes that she was given.
Once they were both ready, Evelina lead Sophia to the back of the barn where a portal had been set up.
"This way," she said and stepped through. On the other side she stepped onto a platform of sorts. It looked to be a connecting tunnel of glass with a floor between two buildings. The sun was shinning outside, and the smell of death was heavy in the air. There were tents set up but it looked like nothing was alive around them. Sure didn't smell like it. Below them on the ground, walking between the buildings of a large city looked to be a hoard, thousands of walkers shuffling through the streets just twenty feet below them.
Following Evelina towards the back of the barn, she then paused for a moment as she stared at the portal standing before her eyes, it was both amazing and also a bit terrifying as well. She watched Evelina walk through the portal, she hesitated for a moment before stepping through herself. Stepping on the other side, she looked around it felt something out of Star Trek or some other Sci-Fi or fantasy show.
"This is amazing.." She said softly, as she noticed the cityscape before her, and the massive herd of walkers below and the stench that came from them made her gag slightly.
Puffing on her pipe Evelina nodded.
"Yes these walk ways saved many lives during the beginning of the outbreak. They were made to allow people to walk to work during the winter months here in Minneapolis. Quite ingenious. It will serve a purpose for us." Looking over at Sophia, Evelina clamped her teeth around her pipe and held it there.
"I want you to think about the most painful loss you had after the outbreak," she said in a firm voice.
"We didn't have anything like this in Newnan, but then again I didn't see much of it I was confined to the infirmary." Sophia said before turning her attention towards Evelina. She nodded slightly she had experienced quiet a bit, losing a hand was up there focusing on that for a moment. Remembering that experience was the worse pain she'd ever felt, but Sophia then thought for a bit longer and thought about earlier in the outbreak. It was a few months into it, she settled into a group though they weren't as prepared and used just a large convoy of vehicles as shelter and traveled as a group like that for awhile. They came across a group of raiders, and they just opened fire doing the only thing she could survive was to hide under the bodies of people she had gotten to know. And then when the dust settled she was the only person left alive.
"Separation can be the most painful of things. Pain needn't be physical to scar us." Evelinas eyes watched the walkers moving through the streets below them.
"Latch onto that pain, slowly let it in and as you do, let your senses expand." Putting the pipe back in her mouth she took a puff, her eyes darting between the surroundings and Sophia.
"Use the amount of pain you allow yourself to remember to gauge how much of your senses you let in. Sound, light, smell, taste." Sophia turned her head to look at the walkers below, then her attention went back towards Evelina.
"Alright then.." She said softly as she closed her eyes again as she focused on the pain. Focusing on the memory of losing her hand, though the pain itself was faint and occasionally came back every now and then. Sophia then opened her eyes and decided to focus on looking out further into the city below them, while ignoring the walkers shambling below them as well.
"Stay focused." The words were short. It seemed to be a reminder or perhaps a warning as from her pocket, Evelina pulled a small oddly shaped hammer and struck it against the glass. It shattering a panel away and getting the attention of the walkers below. Their sounds increasing as a rush of air came through that could knock either of them over if they weren't careful.
"Stay calm." Sophia's concentration was quickly broken when she heard glass shattering, then the walkers attention was diverted to them looking a bit terrified. It was certainly a very long drop and Sophia didn't want to end up falling down and getting eaten alive by the hungry herd of walkers. She could feel the gust of wind going through her hair as she quickly tucked a few behind her ear, gulping slightly.
"Alright got try and stay calm.." Sophia said mostly to herself as she remained very still and focusing on hearing the things around her.
Things were going smoothly, too smoothly. Evelina eyed Sophia as she continued and decided to up the ante. Grabbing a hold of her by the shoulders she spun her around and shoved her out the open window. Her hands sliding down Sophias arms until she reached the wrists. At that point she tightened her grip and caught her just barely. Letting her dangle over the edge.
"I will drop you." Her voice was cold, as cold as ice as she spoke. One could feel her palms sweating against Sophias skin. She would drop her at this rate.
Sophia felt Evelina grab her by the shoulders, what next she wasn't even expecting as the Emendator literally shoved her out of the window causing her to scream rather loudly. She could feel her heart beating harder as she dangled above the twenty foot drop, looking down at the walkers. She used her right hand to grip onto Evelina's rest, feeling her hand go very cold which would go up Evelina's arm as well.
"Don't drop me please!" She begged, Sophia wasn't sure if she wanted to actually kill her or it was still a test either the drop would kill her or the walkers would if Evelina did drop her.
Feeling the icy touch Evelina quirked a brow as it caused her muscles to tense but not enough to keep a good grip.
"Remain calm and focus. The ice is from you, it is causing my muscles to tighten. Better grip. If it doesn't get colder you will fall." Her voice was calm even as her grip on Sophia faltered. Her breath remained calm as she watched her newest charge start to slip from her grasp.
Sophia gripped onto Evelina's wrist even tighter, looking down made her stress out and worry even more instead she went and focused up at Evelina and nodded. Just remain calm and try and relax, it didn't get any colder than it was right now but she wasn't sure how much longer or if she will fall. Sophia started to calm down some but her grip remained very tight feeling herself starting to slip slightly.
Evelina nearly lost her grip, that was until she felt her blood run cold through her hands. It caused an involuntary muscle crap, her hands clawing up. There was a grimace on her lips but a slight light in her eyes as she managed to get a good enough grip on Sophia to be able to pull her up and back onto the walkway.
"Now if you would be so kind as to calm further and stop icing me before I look like a Tyrannosaurus Rex permanently that would be wonderful." Sophia was about to brace for the inevitable fall, that was when she was starting to get pulled back up again letting out a sigh of relief. Once her upper body was back up Sophia quickly let go once she was able to get a better grip and rolled onto her back, taking in several deep breathes. Sophia started to finally calm down looking over at Evelina's arm and hand and then at her, she was glad that she did end up falling but she wasn't expecting the training session to end up nearly killing her.
"I'm calm now, just wasn't expecting to be dangled like that." Her hand was shaking slightly but she was starting to calm down now.
Pulling out a small flask from her coat pocket she held it out.
"Being able to control oneself is not something you learn when things go as expected." Reaching over she cupped Sophias cheek and smiled softly.
"You did wonderful, never doubt that. Let us get home. I believe that is enough for the day." Turning she moved back to the portal and stepped through.
Sophia accepted the flask that Evelina offered her and quickly took a few large gulps of it before handing it back to her, she gave Evelina a slight smile. Though she was very annoyed after being shoved and nearly fell to her death, she felt Evelina touching her cheek she was grateful for the compliment.
"Just promise to not shove me out of a window like that again if we have further training." Sophia said as she stood up again and dusted herself off. She watched Evelina walk through the portal first, and then looked back for a moment she was tempted to go back. But she knew that she couldn't now, with Newnan knowing that she was dead she turned around and headed back through the portal, once she was back at Ville au Camp Sophia gave Evelina a slight wave before deciding to head to her room for a little bit of rest.
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