[hr][hr] [center] [img]https://i.imgur.com/3NXWvvj.png[/img] [hr] [color=b71d5d]Location:[/color] School Field [color=b71d5d]Skills:[/color] Enhanced Reflexes (Passive) [/center] [hr][hr] Selene had been quiet for weeks. There wasn’t much for her to do while trapped inside the acheron. She had already plotted a dozen different ways to punish the Genoshan survivors - and above all else, the pesky warlock who had seen her bound, Maximilian Gray. That had taken her approximately five minutes before her attention span began to wander. And of course, she had ensured to mess with her daughter, weaponizing her fears of her escape against her - it was [i]shocking[/i] how much a doll could do with a phone and a voice-to-text application. That had been another five minutes. But there were about 30,000 other minutes that Selene had had to find a way to occupy her time with. So needless to say, she mostly slept. Every now and then she gave a good effort to escape from the acheron, to return to the world unbound and set about enslaving those who had wronged her - the warlock would look rather nice at the end of a leash, she mused, baying like a hound. But really, there wasn’t much for her to [i]do[/i]. It was all rather boring. So dull, in fact, that when she wasn’t asleep, all she had was to listen to her daughter’s painful fretting - a crueler torture than one Selene could ever have devised. One she could no longer endure. “ENOUGH!” Selene screeched, her doll eyes snapping open. “Do you not have a single shred of dignity left to you, child?!” she huffed. Andy flinched at the yelling. She hadn’t heard much from Selene in long enough that sometimes she forgot about the doll that held her. [color=b71d5d]”Uh, what do you mean?” She asked. Unsure why her mother was yelling. “I am TIRED of all of this - this [i]pathetic lesbianism[/i]!” the doll complained. “If I have to see you pining after a girl who won’t even give you a second look for ONE MORE SECOND, I will find a way to devour [i]my own soul[/i] just to end my suffering!” [color=b71d5d]”She looks at me.”[/color] Andy blinked. [color=b71d5d]”She's just easily distracted.”[/color] Andy sat on the edge of the bed. Something had bothered her about their date. When Andy had asked if Zari minded if she kissed her, she had said “I don't see why not." Not yes or please, or even started the kiss. Just, I don’t see why not. Selene rolled her eyes, using what little control remained to her to bring the doll to its feet, and slowly hobbled across the room, until she was staring up at her daughter from the floor. She wasn’t going to disgrace herself by asking for Andy to lift her up onto the bed. Trapped as she was, she was still the Dark Priestess. “She looks at me,” Selene repeated mockingly. “She looks at you the way she looks at any other, child. Have you ever even kissed her? Do you ever feel like her eyes are for you and you alone?” [color=b71d5d]”We’ve kissed.”[/color] Andy’s face was hot. She sighed and sat on the floor next to her mom. [color=b71d5d]”But no. I don’t. When I first met her I thought she might be ace. I’ve asked her and she said she wasn’t. I had to explain what it ment. But she said no.”[/color] “Did you ever ask her if she liked women?” her mother asked bluntly. [color=b71d5d]”Uh, no. She just...seemed to be fine with it. But not, I guess, interested greatly in anything.”[/color] “Has she ever initiated [i]anything[/i]?” Selene pressed. “Or is it always you, Luna darling? Must you always take and never receive?” [color=b71d5d]”No. Nothing.”[/color] She sighed. [color=b71d5d]”I don’t want to only take. I want her to be enthusiastic about me. I gave up so many possibilities. I know what some of the others did and I could have been safe and happy with them. But I came here and it’s been nothing but a struggle. I don’t even think she realizes how much I gave up. At the time I didn’t think I was sacrificing at the time.”[/color] The doll nodded. She loved herself, fully and unconditionally - but if there was a curse to her existence, it was that her power only ever allowed her to take - a curse that she had shared with her daughter. They could take life, could take love, could take kisses - but to receive it, freely and willingly? That was another thing, another path. “You’re dull and sensitive, dear - you’re suffering from moral convictions,” Selene commiserated. “I could show you how to stop - how to be beyond it all. But… that is not your way. So listen to me now, when I tell you this - this girl isn’t your way either. Is it ever happiness you feel with her? Or just relief she hasn’t forgotten you?” [color=b71d5d]”I do love her. Being around her is a joy. But, I don’t know if she feels that for me?”[/color] Andy fought back the burning that was in her eyes. [color=b71d5d]”I like having moral convictions.”[color] She said, thankful for something to focus on other than her fear that she had made a lot of bad choices. She was glad for her current friends at least. Thankful for the healing that had been happening since the whole thing with Arcade. “The joy of a lover? Or that of a friend?” Selene pressed. “Or perhaps a sister?” [color=b71d5d]”I don’t know. I never had a relationship before.”[/color] “Well, it’s clear that you’re miserable,” the doll remarked. “And watching you pine after a girl who will never love you the way that you love her is torturous, dear. Even by my standards. Waste your life being less happy than you could - you’re immortal, so your suffering will only grow. Or perhaps take advantage of your beauty, however meager it may be, and [i]do fucking something else![/i]” she hissed. God getting advice from her mother was probably not a great idea. But this was something that had been bothering her. She put her head on the edge of the bed and thought for a moment. [color=b71d5d]”Just let it all go?”[/color] “You’re too young to be afraid of the future,” Selene chastised. “Or regretful of the past. You’re only a babe, Luna dear. Once you reach [i]my[/i] age, [i]then[/i] we can discuss paths not taken.” She nodded. [color=b71d5d]”I’ll think about it.”[/color] Maybe talk to Dr. Whitehall. The doll rolled her eyes. “Bah! I tried! Let no one say I did not give you advice! And when you are still breaking your own heart scrambling for meager expressions of affection, do [i]not[/i] come crying to me. After all, my child, [i]Mother Knows Best.[/i]”