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[amethysts]

[Why are things floating.

Libby sits (this time on a table in the kitchens--chairs exist, girl, why are you like this) and she is surrounded by slowly drifting utensils.

She's already figured out how to lie about it. She never told anyone she wasn't telekinetic. (Because who does that?). So she'll just say they made her like this, and Jesse's secret will be protected while Libby gets to show off--because this is wicked sharp, and even makes her confident enough to roll up her sleeves, baring scars and soft white feathers.

She grins at the camera, which she turned on with her mind.]

'Sup, bitches.

[She's not opening this up to the network for any reason. Can't a girl just be bored?]



[What she sends to her--crew, that's what she calls them. Her crew, like she's some fucking gangbanging idiot.

But they're not her friends, and allies sounds so formal. So crew it is. (She knows that Jesse is a surprisingly good hugger, that Mouse has a sweet smile, that Nikolai doesn't want to be called Nik. She has to be careful, here, because if she's not--she's going to end up wanting to keep them around. She'll actually like them, and then where will she be?)

(It's already over.)

What she sends them is different. Still things floating, still on a table, but she looks serious for once.]

'Kay.

Status reports, if you got 'em. And I got one.

So--we're Jesse, Mouse, and Nikolai, right now. And me, obvious. Jesse, Mouse, Nikolai is going to be our protection around here.

But that's complicated, because--I've got in with Loki, too, and he is--wicked dangerous. But I want what he's got. And he can be useful. But I'll handle him, 'kay? He doesn't know you, just me, and--look what I can do.

[She waves her hand around and smiles, briefly, before--serious, again.]

I'll drop him when we can't use him anymore. Promise. But stay the fuck away from him, he's bad fucking news.

Comments

[amethysts]

[This. Again.

It's actually starting to piss her off more than it does as a baseline. She's not. Even if she could have kids she couldn't breed with a human, not even for a mule. She's distinct. Species of one.]

Before we go through this fucking song again--I'm not. I don't want to be. I'm me, I'm like--10% a fucking bird with added strawberry.

I have feathers and I'm a dove more than I ever wanna be human. I could pluck these, you know. Pass. But I don't for a fucking reason. So let's not go there.

[birdhousesoul]

[Her vehemence actually lightens his anger, though. She's not broken. She's talking like a radical Resolutionist, even, in a way. It's not an approach Anders shares, but it's one he can understand.

And so -- he pulls a long face.]

Added strawberry. I'll remember that.

[amethysts]

[If she tried that more often she'd pick less fights.

But she usually starts the fights on purpose, is too loud and too open on purpose. Look at me, remember me as something at least, any one of these--freak, hooker, hacker. Just remember.

Loki taunted her about her life being cut short. Already is. She has to live it all right, as fast as she can.]

Good.

And I hate fucking strawberries.

[birdhousesoul]

And here I was already starting to think of you as Strawberry.

[Well, it's not like you offered him another name to call you. At least he didn't tack Princess or Serah onto the name, there. Though maybe he did IN HIS MIND.]

[amethysts]

Libby.

[No associations for strawberries yet besides the usual. So she just smirks.]

Feathers?

[birdhousesoul]

Anders. I've never been called Feathers. Sparklefingers, yes, and, er ... Blondie. But never Feathers.

[amethysts]

Should've been. Hell you do, kill an ostrich.?

Big ass birds.

[birdhousesoul]

[He was about to ask what an ostrich was. Good thing she's thought to gloss it. Clever girl.]

The best feathers for defense come from a simir. Rare, those.

[HUZZAH ren faire garb]

[amethysts]

Buddha fuck me, you're fucking wicked weird.

[...says the girl with feathers.]

[birdhousesoul]

[Once upon a time, Anders might have answered: My compliments to Buddha! He won't, now. That would just be vaguely wrong. Nonetheless, he grins.]

From you, I'll take that as ... well, not a compliment. Not an insult, at least.

[amethysts]

[Libby laughs. For a cosplayer he's all right, actually.]

Weird is better than fucking normal. Normal is for stupid fucks.

[birdhousesoul]

[Anders' smile fades. He looks a little emo thoughtful.] Unfortunately, normal also means they outnumber us.

[Otherwise, weirdness would be normal, and normality would be weird.]

A pity organizing mages is worse than herding cats.

[amethysts]

Yeah. But we're better than them.

[As demonstration Libby flexed a knife, then with a little wrinkle of her forehead snapped it in half. It was hard, but she was getting used to it. Gifted to her, it already felt natural. Tactile and good, and she could make it so precise or so blunt--Jesse, she thought for not the first time today, was amazing. And not just for this.]

And at least you have somebody to organize. Still. Wanna join the freak parade? We got androids and mutants and geneti--you have no idea what genes are.

Uh. Fuck. I was made and not born? With...you'd call it magic.

[birdhousesoul]

[Anders' mouth twists.] I suspect I'd be counted in the freak parade whether or not I agreed.

I also suspect I'll need to learn about ... genes, was it?

[somewhere, sometime, in the near future, someone shows him a Punnett square and he sits there transfixed SUDDENLY MAGIC RUNNING IN FAMILIES MAKES SO MUCH MORE SENSE]

[amethysts]

[HE CAN ADD IT TO THE MANIFESTO.]

You have a fuck ton of things to learn, buddy. You're way out of date.

[birdhousesoul]

[He understands -- or thinks he understands -- she's not insulting him in saying so.]

Where would you suggest I start?

[amethysts]

[Anders is right. Libby only mocks people who ought to know better.]

I can put together a curriculum. If you want. But you owe me magic later. Healing. Anyone I ask you to heal.