Melissa

Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP

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_{Location: Myotis House - Pacific Royal Campus}

Take On Me #3.032: Something in the Orange

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_{Interaction(s): N/A}

Previously: Daylight

It started like it always did.

The small ranch house at the end of the cul-de-sac, beige stucco exterior and red clay tile roofing baking in the dry desert heat. Peony and rose perfume which greeted her as she turned the knob, familiar walnut cabinets and a taupe tile floor underneath her bare feet. The loud open and close of the front door behind her which sent her into a panic as she raced to her childhood bedroom.

But when she opened her bedroom door, she didn’t see the bland blue walls or the glow-in-the-dark stars.

Instead, she was greeted by a sterile hallway and bright white overheads. They illuminated the area in cold washes of light, casting towering shadows that danced down the pathways as they stalked their prey. She could hear screams, her teammates, as they encountered the darkest of their fears. But Aurora couldn’t go to them, no, her feet moved of their own accord down the hall and towards a solitary room where figures without faces stood surrounding a hospital bed. A man and a woman, together, holding each other for comfort. A smaller girl and an older boy, his arm protectively wrapped around her shoulder.

And lying there between them all was Lorcán.

She could see him clear as day, everything else became blurred in the background as she beheld his eerily still form. Every slope and curve of his body, every line of his tattoos, every mark and mole and scar she knew him to have, she could see it all. His monitors beeped around her, echoing sadness and grief off of the empty walls and into the vast expanse beyond. Aurora tried to talk, tried to speak, but it was as though her voice had been taken from her, chords ripped from her throat.

She reached for him, but before she could touch him, be with him, let him know everything that she believed to be true and everything that they could be, the incessant sound ceased and went monotonous as he flatlined.

Instantly, forces began to pull her back, hands grabbing her arms and covering her mouth as they tried to tear her from that room, take her away from her love, her whole world. She fought to remain by his side, attempted to resist the powers that be and tried to make her way back towards him. Warm tears slid from her eyes down her face as she lost her footing and the salty ocean waves took her away. And just when he began to fade, she found her voice.

And Aurora screamed.
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“Rora!”

The girl’s eyes flew open and she bolted upright, her hands trembling as they fisted her bedsheets. Her cheeks felt damp and her breath came out in quick pants as she woke from her nightmare, shaking like a leaf in the wind and her throat dry and strained. She blinked rapidly, and as her vision cleared and her surroundings became apparent once more, she looked into the worried brown eyes of her roommate Kelcey, who stood beside her bed.

“Shh, you’re okay, it’s okay.” The brown haired girl tried to soothe, reaching out her hand to touch her comfortingly. But Aurora tensed and dodged her gesture, still wrapped up in the throes of her mind and fearful of whatever else approached her. “It was just a dream, Ror, just a dream.”

Two pairs of racing footsteps could be heard on the hardwood in the common area as her other roommates appeared in the open doorway, a blonde with green eyes and a curly haired girl with skin like caramel both shared worried expressions.

“What happened, what’s wrong?” The blonde, Leah, fretted, running into the girl’s bedroom absolutely panicked, eyes wide and holding a heavy looking textbook. Maddy followed, her exaggerated breathing indicating her fear and alarm as she also approached the bed.

“We heard you scream!”

Aurora swallowed and cleared her throat, preparing to articulate what had happened, but still overwhelmed and overcome with emotion, she could only manage to dissolve into tears. Her roommates looked at each other, sorrowful, and were able to piece together that it had been a nightmare that caused her loud cry. Maddy sat down on the edge of her bed gingerly so as not to startle her, Leah moved to sit in the girl’s desk chair, and Kelcey reached out her hand once more, the redhead not shying away from her grasp this time as she rubbed circles on her back.

“I’m sorry,” She finally breathed, the words coming out between gasps for air. The curly haired girl shook her head profusely as Aurora finally used her voice to apologize. “I’m so sorry, I-”

“No, Aurora, it’s okay,” Maddy interrupted to put her at ease, scooting closer to her friend. “We just got scared, is all. You’re okay, everything is fine.”

Kelcey sighed, looking at the redhead with sympathy in her gaze. “We know you’re going through a lot right now, and you never have to apologize to us.” She pulled her friend into her arms and held the redhead as she continued to cry, the anguish she felt from the nightmare still so real and palpable.

Maddy looked to Leah, seeing the book she was holding, and she raised an eyebrow. “And just what were you planning to do with that?” She asked incredulously, and all the blonde could do was shrug in response.

“I don’t know!” She replied, “Aurora could have been in danger, I grabbed the first thing I saw that was throwable.”

“Sure, like a textbook would have saved her.”

“It was better than nothing!”

Kelcey coughed intentionally, which caused the two girls to cease their small disagreement and she returned her gaze to her friend, who’s quiet cries began to slow and ebb away. “Everything is okay, you’re okay.” The brunette reassured again, the repetition of the same statement between them bringing Aurora back to reality. “Let’s go and make a cup of tea, try and relax a little bit.” She looked to Leah, who quickly stood up from the chair and hurried to their kitchen to turn on the kettle.

The redhead sniffled and nodded, taking a breath before moving to stand, following her roommates into their shared common area. They all proceeded to pile onto the couch and wait for the water to boil, turning on one of their favorite obnoxious reality shows in the meantime to help take the redhead’s mind off of the turmoil that rampaged in her mind. When the tea was ready and brewed they sat and drank.

They didn’t ask questions, didn’t pry as to what Aurora’s nightmare had been about. Kelcey, Leah, and Maddy just sat there with their friend, cups of tea in their hands as they added ridiculous commentary to the silly dating show they always enjoyed watching together. They sat there for as long as it took to finish the pot, as long as it took for the redhead to grow calm and tired once more.

Her roommates didn’t go back to sleep until she did, and when Aurora finally closed her eyes, they took turns checking in on her throughout the night until morning.

Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP

The corridor outside was unexpectedly busy, with nurses and doctors moving briskly and the murmur of hushed conversations filling the air. Harper paid it no mind as she walked aimlessly, her hand hovering over a name in her contacts, her thumb hesitating just above the screen. She took a deep breath, her heart pounding in her chest as she tried to summon the courage to make the call, to take that first step at reaching out as she had with Gil.

Just as she was about to make the call, she bumped into someone, her phone nearly slipping from her grasp. Startled, Harper looked up and saw Cass standing before her, his presence causing her heart to skip a beat. She quickly steadied herself, clutching her phone tightly. The joke she had been about to make immediately died on her lips as she took in his expression—grim and tense.

The older boy looked up, his green eyes studying Harper with a look of confusion before they lit up with familiarity.

“Hey, Baxter!” Cass called over the din of the infirmary, making several quick strides towards her, “If you’re here to see Lorcán they’ve got him quarantined right now, I just texted Tyler, surprised you got here so fast.”

He looked at her again, his eyes intently studying the new haircut noting how it brought out her cheekbones. He hadn’t noticed just how slender of a jawline she had when the long hair had shielded either side of her face.

But that wasn’t exactly a priority right now.

“Uh sorry about the trial,” Cass deflected, “Must have really sucked being trapped in there, can’t imagine having my worst fears plugged into a machine that can bring them to life.”

Harper nodded, her mind too busy racing with questions about Lorcán. She glanced down at the phone in her hand, the screen still displaying the name there: Aurora. She knew she’d wanted to- no, needed to- get into contact with her. But now, it seemed, it would be for entirely different reasons. Her eyes flicked back to Cass, her expression one of concern.

“Yeah, it was intense. And I was visiting a friend,” Harper managed, trying to brush off the reminder of her own experience. It wasn’t important now. “What do you mean they have him quarantined? What the hell happened?” Her voice was edged with unease, her eyes searching Cass’s face for answers.

“No one seems to know,” Cass replied looking down the hallway he had come from. “Couple of my teammates found him out in the Northern peninsula, nasty scratch on his arm. Medics all say it’s already severely infected, they’ve got both him and the two girls quarantined until they can rule out that it’s contagious.”

He turned back to Harper.

“Heard one of them commenting on the smell too, apparently it reeks, like a tomb.”

Harper’s breath caught in her throat. The image of Lorcán, injured and isolated, filled her mind. “Infected? Like a tomb?” she repeated, disbelief and dread mingling in her words. What did any of that even mean? “So, what are they doing for him now, other than making sure whatever it is doesn’t spread? And what can we do from out here?” Her voice wavered, the helplessness she felt seeping into her tone. She already knew the answer to that latter question. What could she even do for her friend from here? She was no doctor, yet. Not even close.

She swallowed, hesitant but needing to know.

“Does…does she know yet?”

“She?” Cass took a second before realizing Harper meant Aurora, “If she doesn’t already, she soon will. Uncle Aiden sent Ripley to get her and they’ve made sure the infirmary has her down as a caretaker so she can be here at all hours if,” He paused, “Once, he clears quarantine.”

He flexed his hands, cracking his knuckles while stifling a small reflexive flare in his palm.

“Other than that, all we can do is wait and hope the medics can do something, don’t much care for feeling this powerless. Just takes me back to a darker time in my life,” Cass replied, “But uh, if you weren’t here for Lorcán then I won’t keep you,” He stated, his eyes wandering upwards in the opposite direction.

Harper’s concern deepened, not just for Lorcán but for Cass as well. She could see the struggle in his eyes, the way he tried to mask his feelings with a brave face. “Cass, I—” she began, reaching out to him, but he cut her off, his tone shifting to something more resigned.

“I uh, imagine Gil will be happy to see you,” The words were bitter on his tongue, but Cass managed to spit them out while doing his best to control his disappointment.

His words were tinged with an edge Harper couldn’t quite place. She blinked, taken aback by the sudden shift. “Cass, I came here to see Gil, sure, but do you really think that’s important to me right now?” she asked, her voice gentle but firm. She reached out, touching his arm lightly. “Besides, I’ve already seen Gil, and he’s exhausted. Right now, what I want to know is how you’re doing. Lorcán’s your family too…I can’t imagine any of this is easy for you.”

“Frankly,” Cass started,“I don't know how I am.” He replied, “None of it has sunk in, I don't know enough about the situation to know to be worried. He could sit up any second, fall out of bed flat on his face and still want to grab his board and go surf.” Cass changed his posture, mimicking Lorcán’s laid-back slouch as he slapped his feet along the tiled floor to imitate the flip flops.

“Sup, Paddlepuss, nice wipe-out on those mushburgers.” He said, using the nickname Lorcán had given Harper when she became a lifeguard.

“I just wish I had the full story, I can't help but feel someone is missing something.”

Harper groaned and rolled her eyes, a sarcastic smile playing on her lips. “Ugh, not that nickname. It’s not my fault I’m not crazy enough to go out there against those waves. I have some sense of self-preservation, unlike him.” She could picture her sweet but absolutely crazy friend now, charging into the surf with the recklessness she knew him for, his laughter carried away by the wind. Despite her grumbling, there was a hint of admiration in her tone.

Her smile, however, faded slightly as she considered Cass’s last comment. Why had Lorcán been on the Northern peninsula at all, especially after everything they had just gone through with the trials? Was this incident related to that somehow, or had Lorcán stumbled upon something-or someone- that posed a new threat?

A shadow of concern crossed Harper’s face as she pondered the possibilities. The trials had been gruelling, testing their limits in the face of their fears. So, the thought of Lorcán facing yet another challenge unsettled her. Her mind raced with questions and scenarios, each more troubling than the last. Had he discovered something that could jeopardize their hard-won peace, or was he simply unable to stay away from danger? The uncertainty gnawed at her, making it hard to shake the feeling that something significant was unfolding where he was found.

“I wish I knew more, too,” Harper said, her voice tinged with frustration. She hated sitting by and waiting for answers, the same drive that she had with Haven during their investigation simmering beneath the surface, threatening to boil over.

But look how well that had turned out.

“Rippers is going to start blowing up my phone if I don't get back, but uh,” Cass paused, “It’s not really a priority but I’m looking forward,” He hesitated again.

“I’ll pick you up Friday, I’m still taking you to the dance so wear something nice, or don’t, I don't care,” He forced a chuckle, hiding his excitement as he tried to ensure their date was still on for the dance.

Harper’s disappointment softened as she looked at Cass, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She appreciated his effort to lighten the mood, even if he seemed to be struggling to find the right words given the situation.

“I’ll try to look my best, as always,” she replied, her voice carrying a hint of the playfulness she’d felt that night before the trials.

Harper watched him turn the corner, the hand she’d raised in a wave goodbye slowly dropping. Her smile lingered for a moment longer before fading, replaced by a more serious expression. Her eyes drifted back to the phone in her hand, the screen still displaying the name of her friend who was in God knows what kind of mental state.

How should she even begin to approach this problem? The question echoed in her mind, bringing with it the same sense of helplessness as before. She wanted to be there for Aurora, to offer support and comfort, but she didn’t even know where to start. The thought of reaching out and saying the wrong thing made her hesitate, her fingers once again hovering over the screen, unsure of what to do next.

As if the heavens had decided for her, her phone buzzed in her hand, Aurora’s name lighting up the screen with an incoming call. Harper sucked in a sharp breath, her heart leaping into her throat. She stared at the screen for a moment, her mind blank, before her hands moved on their own, answering the call on the third ring.

“Harps? I need you, please.”

Aurora’s voice was shaky, the recognition of it causing Harper’s grip on her phone to tighten, her own emotions swirling within her.

“I’m here, Aurora. And I know,” she replied, her voice steady but her heart racing. She began to move, her feet carrying her in a direction—any direction—just to avoid standing still. The weight of her emotions threatened to pull her down, to make her sink into the floor if she stood still any longer. “I’ll figure out a way to see you, alright? Just keep taking deep breaths. We’ll get through this together but…” She glanced around, her eyes darting from one indistinguishable landmark to another.

Where was she going?

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_{Location: Infirmary - Pacific Royal Campus}

Take On Me #3.021: Daylight

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_{Interaction(s): Cassander @Lord Wraith}

Previously: All Falls Down & By the Lives That Wove the Web

Aurora kept her knees hugged to her chest, back flush against the wall, while Harper’s comforting voice flowed through the phone. Her tears continued to fall, but more so now since she was relieved that the girl had answered her call as quickly as she did, especially given how she replied to her plea.

“You’re- you’re here?” The redhead sputtered in between heaving breaths, wiping at her nose with her sleeve. The mere thought that her friend was close soothed her, and at her response, she sat up a bit straighter. Looking around for any markers or indications of the location she was sitting in, the girl’s baby blues landed on a placard affixed next to the door she had entered through. “I’m in Stairwell B. On the 2nd floor.”

“C-can you come find me?”

Harper’s heart clenched at the sound of Aurora’s distress. She gripped her phone tighter, her voice unwavering despite the turmoil she felt. “I’m already on my way, ” she reassured, her footsteps echoing through the sterile hospital corridors. “Just hang in there, okay? I’ll be there in a minute.”

Harper moved with purpose, her mind mapping out the quickest route to Stairwell B. Her eyes flicked to the signs overhead, her pace quickening with each step. She pushed through a set of heavy double doors, the bustling sounds of the hospital fading as her focus narrowed to one goal: finding Aurora.

The sight of the stairwell sign brought a surge of determination. Harper took the stairs two at a time, her breaths coming in short, determined bursts. She reached the second floor, her eyes immediately spotting Aurora’s familiar red hair, the girl huddled against the wall, looking small and vulnerable.

Without hesitation, Harper rushed to her friend, dropping to her knees and enveloping Aurora in a tight, protective hug. “Aurora,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “I’m here. It’s okay. You’re not alone.” She held her friend close, feeling Aurora’s sobs against her chest, offering silent comfort through her embrace.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, the redhead letting all of the fear and helplessness she had felt building finally bubble over. It was cathartic to let it all out. She’d tried her best to keep it together in front of Lorcán’s parents, in front of Cass, and especially in front of Ripley, but if she had learnt anything from her years on campus, it was that she didn’t always need to be the strong one. Life had dealt her a shitty hand, and yes, the majority of the time she still tended to muscle through things on her own, but she had people to lean on now, and it meant everything to her to be supported.

Aurora’s tears began to subside, her gasping breaths and hiccups starting to lessen, and she found herself able to form sentences once more. “I need him to be okay, Harper, I can’t lose him.” She whimpered, another choking sob following her words. “They don’t know what’s wrong with him,” The girl moved to look at Harper through her overflowing eyes, “I’m so scared.”

Harper’s eyes, so stoic and guarded since the trials, softened with deep empathy as she held Aurora tighter, feeling the tremors, every ounce of her friend’s anguish, against her own chest. She could feel Aurora’s fear and pain as if it were her own, and it made her hold on even tighter as if her embrace could shield Aurora from all the hurt. If she could completely absorb some of it, and take on just a little more, she would do it in a heartbeat.

Because Aurora didn’t deserve this. Not one bit.

And Lorcán, ever so loyal and brave, definitely did not deserve to be in this state. Her mind flashed back to the memory of him snapping her out of her misery when she’d been stuck in her own mind, lost in a sea of despair. She remembered the way his voice had cut through the fog, grounding her, pulling her back to reality with the firmness of not just a leader, but a friend.

Harper had yet to pay him back for any of it, and the thought gnawed at her every being.

He needed to pull through. He just had to.

“I know,” Harper whispered to Aurora. “I know you’re scared. It’s okay to be scared.” Her words were gentle, each one carefully chosen to offer comfort and reassurance.

With a tender touch, Harper gently brushed a few stray strands of hair away from Aurora’s tear-streaked face. Her fingers moved lightly, almost reverently, as if she were handling something fragile and precious. Her precious friend. She wanted Aurora to feel her presence, to know that she was truly there for her.

“But you’re not alone in this,” she continued, her voice filled with unwavering conviction. She leaned in slightly, her eyes locking onto Aurora’s, ensuring that her friend could see the sincerity in her gaze. “I’m here for you. So is the team. We’re all here for you, and we’re going to get through this together. Whatever happens.”

“We’ll find out what’s wrong,” Harper continued, her voice filled with quiet determination. She squeezed Aurora’s shoulder gently, her touch firm yet comforting. “And Lorcán is sure to receive the best care possible. You’re not going to lose him, Aurora. I…I promise.”

The redhead continued to calm down as the company of one of her closest friends soothed her, her breathing returning to a normal pace, eyes slowly drying out. She swallowed, throat strained, and although her heartbeat remained elevated, it wasn’t racing as it previously had been. For as long as she’d known her, between her actions and her words, Harper always made Aurora feel safe. It was a quality the girl never overlooked, always appreciated, especially in this moment.

Her tremors quieted, and she leaned back from Harper’s embrace, resting her body against the wall once more. Reaching up with the sleeve of her sweatshirt, she wiped at her face to cleanse herself of the tear stains and mucus that came with such an emotional break. “You can’t promise something like that Harper,” Aurora knew her friend meant well with the statement, but the logical side of her brain understood there was no way of ensuring such a thing. “They said the infection wasn’t like anything they’d ever seen, even went so far as to say it wasn’t of this Earth. How are they supposed to care for him when they don’t understand what they’re dealing with?”

She sighed, but it came out more like a wheezing, and the girl coughed to clear out whatever remained. “He’s everything to me, Harps, and there’s a very real chance he’s not going to make it through this.”

“I don’t want to live in a world without him in it.”

Harper immediately felt a pang of regret for her impulsive words. The promise she had made was indeed fragile, fraught with the unknown, and she knew it. Still, she wanted to be the rock Aurora needed, just as her sister had been for her all those years ago. She reached out, gently squeezing Aurora’s hand, hoping to convey some measure of comfort through her touch.

“I know,” Harper said softly. “I know I can’t promise that, and I’m sorry that I did.” Her eyes met Aurora’s, blinking away the tears that had begun to form. “I just…I want to give you hope, even if it’s just a little bit.”

Aurora nodded, understanding completely that her friend only had good intentions which drove her choice of words, and had she not experienced such loss in her life before, she wouldn’t have commented on it. But the redhead was no stranger to grief, her mind instantly flicking back to the Trial and the illusion that her teammates were exiting without her. The numerous foster placements she bounced from, a suitcase that always remained packed. Her mother dropping her off in the pitch black of night and leaving her behind.

This situation may have been different from the rest, it was not of Lorcán’s own volition that he found himself at risk of departing too soon. But to Aurora, the cycle continued, no matter the means in which it occurred. The story changed, but the premise was always the same.

“No one ever stays,” She spoke out loud, more tears brimming. “And I am so tired.”

“I thought if I kept him at arm's length, if I managed to keep my feelings at bay, then I wouldn’t get hurt or disappointed when I lost him like everyone else.” She started talking and couldn’t stop, years of yearning and unresolved tension coming to a head, tears overflowing from her eyes once more even though she was under the impression she had nothing left to cry. She’d been stewing over this for days, since the night they shared in the tent, since staying over after the Trial, things finally having come into focus for her.

“But the way I feel about Lorcán is consuming, Harper, and he might die before I ever get the chance to tell him.”

Harper leaned in closer, her eyes never leaving Aurora’s face. Each word that fell from Aurora’s lips seemed to echo around them, resonating with a feeling of sorrow that Harper could almost touch. The years of buried emotions and unspoken fears were now laid bare, and Harper felt the full weight of her friend’s anguish pressing down on her own heart. Her fingers intertwined more firmly with Aurora’s, a silent vow of unwavering support and presence. As always, for her.

She had already suspected the depth of Aurora’s feelings, but hearing them articulated with such raw honesty was a revelation. The name Lorcán hung between them, heavy with unspoken history and emotion. Harper’s thoughts raced, piecing together the fragments of Aurora’s confessions, understanding now the profound impact Lorcán had on her friend’s life. An impact so big that…if the other was to lose him.

She did not, could not, dwell on that thought.

Instead, Harper’s voice was gentle but firm as she spoke, her eyes searching Aurora’s for any sign of reassurance. “I know it feels like the world is falling apart right now,” she began, her tone filled with a quiet strength. “And I can’t imagine how scared you must be. But you have to hold on to hope. Lorcán is strong, and he’s fighting with everything he has right now. Just trust in that.”

Harper’s voice softened, filled with a tender urgency. “And when Lorcán wakes up,” she said, her eyes still locked onto Aurora’s, “you’ll have the chance to tell him everything.” She could see the flicker of hope mingling with fear in Aurora’s gaze. “He needs to hear it, Aurora. He needs to know how much he means to you. You’ve carried these feelings for so long, It’s time to let them out, to share them with him. He deserves to know, and you deserve to be heard.”

Even amongst the agony she felt, to voice her deepest thoughts out loud felt freeing. Her heart was just a bit lighter having confided in Harper the secret she’d scarcely thought she’d tell and it allowed her at least some control in a moment where she previously had none. Aurora sniffled, she didn’t even want to think about how pitiful she looked right now. She gripped onto her friend’s hand tightly as she spoke, anchoring her in the present.

“He may be a fighter, but we have no clue what he’s up against.” The image of Lorcán lying in his hospital bed was at the forefront of her mind. “You didn’t see him Harps, but he looks awful. It’s bad.” She candidly stated.

The redhead took a shaky breath, “I-I slept over at his dorm the other night because I didn’t want to be alone, and he was telling me how much the Trial scared him because he thought he was going to lose me. He said everything that he went through in there was to get me back, that he didn’t know what he’d do if anything had happened to me.” She was an open book in that moment, not caring about her previous reservations, spewing words like a broken fountain much like the tears that still threatened to fall from her eyes. “I should have told him then, why didn’t I tell him then? I missed my chance.”

She hung her head shamefully, “And then in the morning, god Harps, I woke up in his arms and it felt so right, but you know what I did? I left. I teleported out of there so fast that I threw up when I got home.” Her exhale was heavy, as she continued to carry the weight of her actions. “It was so real at that moment, and it terrified me.”

“Rora… it’s okay to be scared,” Harper replied softly, her voice filled with understanding. “Love is… it’s huge, and it’s overwhelming. I can’t say I’ve felt it the way you do…but I understand fear. I understand how it can make you run, even when all you want is to stay.”

Harper’s mind flashed back to the countless moments when fear had gripped her heart. She remembered, in particular, the look in her sister’s eyes when she’d discovered Harper’s abilities. She had always thought it was hatred, but now, thinking back to their previous conversation in the motel, she realized it might have been fear. Fear of losing Harper, fear of what could happen to her. Her sister had loved her, and that love had been wrapped in fear.

But she also knew that love, no matter what form it took, was worth fighting for. That she knew for a fact. Love was a powerful force, capable of overcoming even the deepest fears. And it was probably the best thing, really the only thing, that Aurora could hold onto at this moment.

“Fear is a part of love…or at least I think they’re two sides of the same coin,” Harper continued. “I’ve been afraid too. Afraid of losing the people I love, afraid of what might happen if they knew the real me. But I’ve learned that the love we have for each other is stronger than that fear. And it’s worth facing whatever comes our way.”

The redhead slipped back into old habits for a moment, the four-letter word Harper used causing her to recoil and prepare herself to backpedal. But for once, Aurora stopped and embraced the discomfort.

Because she did love Lorcán.

What originally started as friendship had blossomed into something much more profound over the years she had known him. It was why she felt safe in his presence, the reason she trusted him inherently, the meaning behind her actions. Not just because they were best friends, but because she loved him.

The feeling had been there all along, even when she hadn’t realized what it was.

And it was that which made this situation all the more dire, the cause of her reacting in such a visceral way. The boy that she loved was in critical condition, fighting for his life down the hall, and she was at risk of losing him.

Aurora looked into Harper’s eyes and saw the recognition there, a gentle affirmation of what she was voicing and a wordless support of her current emotions. Her friend was compassionate and loyal, and it was moments like this that she was thankful she came into her life. The redhead's tears slowed and subsided as she beheld the gravity of her words.

As scared as this feeling made her, and as daunting as that four-letter word was, Lorcán was worth it. He always had been, and always would be.

“If he wakes up- when he wakes up, I’ll tell him.” Aurora declared, wiping the moisture from her cheeks.

Harper smiled, a warm, encouraging smile that lit up her face. “Good,” she said, her single word carrying a world of support and confidence.

The redhead managed a sad smile back, but the weight of her current situation dragged it down quickly, her expression morphing into something neutral once more. “Thank you,” She cleared her throat, “For being here for me.” Aurora understood that right now they were all going through it - between this and the implications from the Trial - and it meant everything that Harper had still shown up for her in her moment of need.

She looked up to the door and let out a deep sigh, “I should get back, I don’t want them to notice I’m gone for too long.” Bracing herself on the railing, she stood up and extended a hand down to Harper to help her to her feet. “I know you guys aren’t allowed to visit him, so I’ll try to keep everyone updated.”

Harper clasped Aurora’s hand, rising to her feet. “Thanks. And if you need anything, anything at all, just call me, okay?” Harper’s voice was steady, but the slight quiver in her tone betrayed her worry. “Even if it’s just to talk.”

Aurora nodded before pulling her friend in for another hug, squeezing tightly.

“I’m so lucky to have you, Harps.”

Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP

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_{Location: Academic Quadrangle → Infirmary - Pacific Royal Campus}

Take On Me #3.019: All Falls Down

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_{Interaction(s): There are a ton of characters in here and they’re all played by @Lord Wraith}

Previously: Every Rose Has Its Thorn

After dropping Ripley off in the East Wing of the Quadrangle, Aurora continued on to her own class in the West Wing, keeping her head down and remaining focused on just getting through the day.

The redhead liked school, in fact, she was good at it. She applied herself, had a good work ethic that lended itself well to studying and test taking. By no means was she an overachiever, but she’d maintained an impressive grade point average since arriving at PRCU, especially considering she didn’t attend a traditional school until getting placed in the foster system. Before then, her mother taught her what she could, and the rest, Aurora read in whatever books she could get her hands on.

Walking into the assigned classroom, she took her seat in the back next to the window. Normally, she preferred to sit somewhere in the middle, at least somewhat towards the front, but today, she was attempting to remain inconspicuous. Aurora had been looking forward to the subject matter of this course, the Psychology of Language, but wasn’t exactly thrilled about the faculty. It was taught by the Dean of the Language & Linguistics department, Dr. Theron Demetrios, who didn’t exactly have the best reviews. Although he was a respected professor, demeanor wise he was often cited as aloof and cold. What also didn’t help was that he was notoriously a harsh grader.

The seats quickly filled in with other students from her major as well as the Language department, and shortly thereafter Dr. Demetrios entered the room, placing his briefcase on the desk at the front. He didn’t waste any time and started his lecture, beginning with describing the overall course structure, but Aurora tuned him out almost instantly. She thought she could do this, that getting back to normalcy and a schedule would be good for her, but that notion was quickly proving to be false.

“Ms. Mitchell,” Dr. Demetrios’ voice calling her name broke through the static in her ears, “Although the University may no longer have a dress code in place, I’d advise you to lower your hood while in my class, it’s disrespectful.”

All eyes darted in her direction, her peers turning around in their chairs and craning their necks to see what the fuss was about and Aurora froze. Hesitantly, she removed the hood of her sweatshirt, ruffling her copper hair in the process, putting her injuries from the trial on full display. Dr. Demetrios’ eyes went wide, realizing his error after putting two and two together. But it was too late to take it back, so he swallowed his tongue and simply continued going through the syllabus.

About fifteen minutes in, an unexpected knock on the door interrupted class.

“Theron,” Jim O’Neil’s voice echoed through the classroom before he stepped through the door frame. “Could y’all step outside with me for a moment.” A hush fell over the room, followed by an ‘Ooh’ muttered in a chorus as the class wrongly assumed Jim had been called to speak to Demetrios about his treatment of Aurora.

After what felt like the longest agonizing minutes of her life, Aurora looked up to see her teacher re-enter the classroom.

“Ms. Mitchell, if you could please gather your belongings and step outside, the Chancellor needs to have a word with you.”

Her thoughts raced, and Aurora prepared to go on the defensive, but hesitated as she saw nothing but sympathy and compassion on Jim’s face when she emerged into the hallway.

“It’d be best if we walk and talk,” He stated, extending a hand towards Aurora, “I can carry that for y’all if you’d like?” He offered before steering Aurora towards the infirmary.

“There's no easy way to say this Miss Mitchell, but young Mr. Roth was attacked and found unconscious in the Northern Forest. He’s been transported to the infirmary and is receiving care while under the watchful eyes of his parents, but they and I both felt it was important y’all were not only notified but brought to see him right away.”

Aurora instantly felt like the wind had been knocked out of her lungs.

Mr. Roth was attacked

It was almost as if she’d been punched in the gut, Jim’s words causing a visceral reaction.

Found unconscious

She sputtered, stuttered, trying to find any words at all. “W-What? What do you mean he was attacked?” The redhead stopped dead in her tracks, her face paling. As her brain worked overtime to decipher the other things Jim had said while she still attempted to process the news, she began to spiral. “He’s going to be okay right?” She searched Jim’s eyes and could tell that there was more he wasn’t telling her yet, could see how bad things must have been to warrant this kind of response.

“Right?”

“Miss Mitchell, it’s in both of our best interests not to lie to y’all and currently they don't know what attacked, let alone what has rendered him unconscious. He’s quarantined for the time being along with those who brought him in. But we don't have a lot of answers at the moment.” Jim replied, “I assure you, he’s getting the best care we can provide and if there was better care anywhere in the world I’d be calling in every favour I had to to get it to him.”

He straightened the Stetson upon his head.

“I do solemnly hope he’ll pull through this, but that's not a question I am able to answer at this time.”

Aurora’s mind was going a mile a minute, her pulse beginning to race faster with each word Jim spoke to her. The more he described, the worse it got, and nothing the Chancellor was saying lessened her panic.

She had to get to Lorcán. She needed to see him.

The redhead closed her eyes and willed herself to move, sensing outward for that familiar tug and pull that would bring her where she wanted to go. But everything was noise, her thoughts steeped in pure anxiety and fear, and her head still recovering from the concussion. She attempted to teleport, but reappeared only a few feet in front of Jim, gasping for air as if she was caught underneath a rip current.

“I need to go, I have to-”

Jim gently gripped Aurora by the arm, steadying the girl as he did so before helping to support her.

“Last thing Mr. Roth needs is for y’all to over exert yourself and end up in a bed a whole wing away from him. So why don't we forget the powers, and walk together.” Jim suggested firmly,

“Briskly, I might add.”

“‘Rora!” A voice called before a petite brunette started running towards the copper-haired girl, “Come quickly! It’s Leo, he’s-” Ripley froze upon seeing Jim.

“Ah, Miss Jones,” He smiled softly, “I was bringing Miss Mitchell to your Auntie and Uncle. Could y’all do me the favour and escort her the rest of the way? Prompt like.” Jim asked Ripley, “I need to go and have a word with the infirmary and ensure we’re all on the same page that visitors, outside of Miss Mitchell here, aren’t allowed due to the nature of your cousin’s case.”

“Sir, yes, Sir!” Ripley saluted smartly before grabbing Aurora’s hand, “We need to hurry! Leo has to wake up if you’re there!”

The pair rushed to the infirmary, and if Ripley hadn’t been tugging her along, Aurora would surely have drifted out to sea. The younger girl talked nearly the whole way, but the older of the two couldn’t hear over the loud ringing in her ears. How could this have happened? The Northern Forest? Lorcán never ventured to that side of the Island… at least he never had before.

Bright white hallways greeted them as they entered the medical wing and Aurora winced, the fluorescents reminiscent of where Blackjack had found themselves the other day. A metallic taste hit her tongue and it was only then she realized she had been gnawing at the inside of her cheek anxiously. Ripley pulled her towards a row of chairs where Lorcan’s mother and father were seated.

Still in a state of shock, Aurora heard the words leave her mouth before realizing she was saying them. “Mr. and Mrs. Roth, I-” She exhaled audibly, eyes darting around, searching, “Where is he?”

“He’s quarantined right now,” Victoria answered, placing an immaculately manicured hand on Aurora’s. “But you can see him through the glass on the other side of the hallway, and please Aurora, call me Tori.”

“And Aiden will be just fine for me,” Lorcán’s father replied, gesturing with an open arm for Aurora to follow. “Here, we can take a look over here.” He prompted.

The redhead peered through the window.

Lorcán lay motionless yet chaos swarmed around him. Medics circled like hawks, examining the gruesome wound on his arm and administering aid. His chest fought to rise and fall, and Aurora almost could hear the heaving breaths he struggled to take through the glass. Bile rose in the back of her throat as she fought off the immediate nausea that came over her, growing lightheaded at the sight of him in such distress. Dampness hit her cheeks, and it took her a minute to realize a few stray tears had fallen.

She sucked in a breath, quickly wiping her eyes on the sleeve of the sweatshirt she wore - Lorcán’s sweatshirt. It still smelled like him even amongst the antiseptic that coated the halls of the infirmary, citrus and smoke flooding her senses. The redhead tore her gaze away from him, looking back at Tori and Aiden and taking in their solemn expressions.

“Come, sweetheart,” Tori beckoned, “Sit here with Ripley and I.”

Aurora’s feet moved back towards the chairs, even though she felt completely and utterly numb, taking a seat beside Lorcán’s mother. Ripley’s hand reached out and met hers, and she vaguely felt pressure as the younger girl gripped her palm.

“How did Leo get attacked again?”

“All we know is that he was in the North Forest, two students from Firebird brought him in, said they found him in a clearing with Rothschild and his arm was already scratched.” Aiden explained, the wheels beginning to turn in Aurora’s head as she thought about who possibly could have been the ones to find him.

“Wait,” Tori interjected, raising her face from between her hands. “Why would Lorcán venture into the North Forest?“ She asked, her eyes darting between them, “He doesn’t surf on that side of the island.”

The redhead shook her head, in agreement with the older woman, finding her voice once more. “No, he doesn’t, and as far as I know he never has.”

As Aiden, Tori, and Ripley discussed, Aurora racked her brain for anything she could think of that could explain why he’d been there.

“It was the weirdest thing, Uncle Aiden,” Ripley piped up, “I was talking to Leo on the phone and there was just this terrible noise as the call was cut. I could hear Rothschild in the background growling,” Ripley persisted, “I just feel like those girls aren’t telling you something-”

“Mr. and Mrs. Roth?” The medic interrupted, entering the hallway from the room where they were tending to Lorcán.

“Can we see our son, doctor?” Tori rose from her seat, Aurora’s eyes not leaving the woman’s frame.

“Yes, you can go in and wait with him, we’re getting him transferred to a private room now that we’re sure he’s not contagious.” The medic answered, “Once he’s there, he’ll be allowed family and relatives during regular hours, immediate family and caretakers overnight”

“Is he going to be alright?” Aiden asked.

The medic looked up at Lorcán’s father, a heavy exhale preceding the reply, which Aurora could only assume meant that this wasn’t going to be good news.

“It’s still too soon to answer that. This infection, it’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen and as far as our resources go, it’s unlike any one on this Earth has ever seen.” The medic let out another sigh, “I know it’s going to sound unprofessional, Sir, but given my experience, it’s very possible it’s not from this world.”

The redhead’s baby blue eyes went wide.

Not from this world? How was that even possible?

She couldn’t hear the rest of the conversation that the medic had with Tori and Aiden for her heartbeat began to pound in her ears, a buzzing sound overtaking everything. Jim had said Lorcán was getting the best care possible, but if they didn’t even know what was wrong with him…

There was a very slim chance that he was walking out of here.

“Then we’ll just have to hope the tests turn something up.” The medic offered a sympathetic smile. “If you’ll follow me, we’ll take him to his new room.”

Lorcán’s parents quickly disappeared down the hallway and into the room where the boy was being held, and with them gone, Aurora found herself going back and thinking through everything that had been discussed. She was still wrapping her head around it all, but a comment that the younger girl said previously stuck out to her, and Aurora looked at Ripley, eyebrows raised. “Wait, when did you talk to him on the phone? Before or after you saw me?”

“Right after,” Ripley smirked, breaking her gaze away from the hall her Aunt and Uncle had gone down. “I told him to take the board wax out of his water logged ears and listen to me or he’d end up watching you dance with someone else.” She smiled sadly, “But the call dropped and then this happened,” She sniffled.

“Do you think he got hurt because I distracted him?”

“Oh, Ripley,” The redhead knelt down to the petite brunette’s level, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder and rubbing it soothingly. “No, honey. This isn’t your fault.” She reassured, looking into her sad blue-green eyes. With Cass not present yet, and Lorcán’s parents having been whisked away, Aurora swallowed her own grief to step in and take care of the younger girl. But even as she consoled Ripley, her thoughts drifted.

I just want to take you by the hand and disappear into the sunset, we could go our own way.

She should have listened to him.

Not sure what I would have done if anything had happened to you.

What was she going to do?

Guiding Ripley back to the chairs, she sat down next to the girl and placed her arm around her. “Don’t worry, he’s getting the best care possible. They’re going to take good care of him.”

“I always dreamed of coming here,” Ripley admitted, “Almost gave up hope before my powers came in. But it would kill me to not be here right now, even if it’s for something so awful.” She smiled, a small smirk forming in the corner of her mouth.

“Someone has to help keep you distracted.”

Aurora feigned deep thought for a moment before smiling back. If there was anything she knew could distract the younger girl, it was getting her talking about…

“Well, I’d just love to hear more about this conversation you and Lorcán had.” She tapped her nose playfully, attempting to lighten the mood. “Either that, or more dress ideas. What’d you call it? A revenge fit?”

“You gotta get something that puts the girls front and center,” She said pushing up against her own chest before looking down with a small sigh, “Well you know what I mean, I’m sure mine will show up eventually,”

A small tap on an adjacent wall caught their attention as Cass didn't wait to be invited to the conversation.

“That was gross,” He smirked at his adoptive sister. “I could have gone the rest of my life without hearing that sentence.”

Aurora winked at Ripley before standing up, her facial expression instantly falling as soon as her back was turned, making eye contact with Cass. They exchanged knowing glances, both completely understanding of the gravity of the situation.

“Tori and Aiden just went back to see him.” She informed the blonde boy upon his arrival, nodding in the direction they left. “They don’t know what it is, couldn’t really give much of an update.”

“Well, all of Blackjack knows now,” Cass stated taking a seat, “How’s he holding up, Rip?”

“He’s out cold, sedated I think, but they found him unconscious. The wound looks bad, Cass, real bad.”

“And still no leads on what caused it?” He asked.

“Nope, none, zilch.” Ripley replied, shaking her head, “You don't think whatever did it is still out there do you?”

“Honestly, it might be worth grabbing Uncle Aiden and Rothschild to take a look,” Cass mused, his eyes watching Lorcán on the other side of the glass as they prepared to move him.

The redhead looked between the two siblings and figured it’d be best if she offered them some space. After all, they were Lorcán’s family, and as close as she and him were, she still wasn’t blood. “Why don’t I give you guys a few minutes.” She brushed a strand of copper hair behind her ear before looking at Ripley, forcing a smile. “I’m just going to go and get some air.”

Cass stood, extending his arms while motioning for Ripley to join, the siblings embraced Aurora before releasing her.

“We'll call if there’s a change in his condition, otherwise we'll see you when you get back.” Ripley smiled.

The older girl managed a sad smile and ruffled the younger girl’s hair before placing her hand on Cass’ shoulder reassuringly. She simply nodded, no further words needing to be exchanged, before making her way over to the room that Tori and Aiden had disappeared into to be with their son. She stood in the door frame for a few long moments, her eyes memorizing Lorcán’s form as he lay there amongst the tubes and the wires.

He looked so helpless. And it killed her.

Timidly, she knocked, not wanting to bother his parents as they oversaw the medics treating Lorcán, but she didn’t want them to think she just upped and left, or even worse, couldn’t handle being there in their darkest hour. “I’m so sorry, I don’t mean to interrupt,” She took a step inside, managing to tear her eyes away from the boy in the hospital bed to meet their gaze. “I’m stepping out for a second, do either of you need anything?”

“I’ll be back though, I promise.” She indicated, but quickly followed up, not wanting to assume, “If that’s okay, of course. For me to be here with you all.”

“Of course that’s okay, sweetheart,” Tori reassured Aurora, “You can be here as much as you’d like to, Lorcán would want that.”

The redhead nodded, grateful, before exiting back to the hallway. Her legs moved before her brain could catch up, not even caring which direction she was walking in. Her breathing started to hitch, each inhale and exhale growing shallower than the last, eyes searching for some place of refuge. She found herself approaching an enclosed stairwell, and didn’t hesitate to open the door and let it slam behind her. As soon as she was alone, she let her tears fall freely, leaning back onto the wall and sliding down until she was seated on the landing.

Sobs racked the redhead’s body as she sat there, her hands shaking as she brought them to cradle her face. She shouldn’t have left the other morning, shouldn’t have run from the man who she knew would do anything for her, she should have stayed. For all she knew that could have been the last time he would hold her, and that terrified her even more than the feelings she had harbored for him for so long.

Gasping for air, she reached into her pocket and grabbed her cellphone, sliding her thumb to unlock the screen and pressing the contact she sought. The phone rang once, twice, before a voice answered on the other side.

“Harps? I need you, please.”

No pain worse than than losing someone you love.

Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP

^{| Two Days Ago}

Aurora waited until late the next day to look at herself in the mirror, to visually see the damage that the Trial had inflicted. The healers had given her something for her head in order to speed up the recovery process and assist with the pain, but since everything else was purely cosmetic, and would fade with time, she opted to let it go away on its own. She could feel the bruises that covered her skin, tender and sensitive, but had not yet taken a look at them all together.

Fearfully, she approached her bathroom, turned on the lights, and took a deep breath before stepping into frame.

Who stared back wasn’t her at all.

The redhead’s left cheekbone up to her temple and underneath her brow were stained black, purple, and blue, stretching into her hairline. Broken blood vessels peppered her jaw, residual trauma from the impact on the blast door and the invisible wall that had extended outwards.

Fingertips were imprinted into the back of her neck where Sierra had laid her vice like grip and bruises covered her arms and legs where she had hit the cold floor not once, but twice. Red seeped through the bandages on her knuckles. Her body was a walking and talking tapestry of what had exactly happened when Blackjack entered the hedge.

And yet, in the reflection, all Aurora could see was her mother.

The girl said nothing as she turned off the light and exited the bathroom, her face devoid of emotion. Returning to her bedroom, she closed the door and locked it before climbing onto her mattress and curling up underneath her comforter.

It was only then she began to sob.

^{__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}

_{Location: Myotis House → Community Farm - Pacific Royal Campus}

Take On Me #3.003: Every Rose Has Its Thorn

^{_{________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}}

_{Interaction(s): Ripley @Lord Wraith}

Previously: Riptide

^{| Present}

In the days following the Trial, Aurora barely left her dorm room.

Her roommates and Myotis housemates continued to fuss over her, from completing her community contribution on her behalf to bringing her back food from the dining hall so she didn’t have to make the trek. It was a testament to the House system that they rallied and showed such compassion towards her, and she couldn’t remember the last time anyone had gone to such great lengths and taken care of her that way. Well, aside from second year of University when she got the flu, Lorcán ran around campus like a madman getting all of her coursework and bringing her anything she needed for the five days she was down for the count. Then again, Lorcán always showed that amount of care.

But now that classes were in full swing, it was pertinent that she reintegrated back into campus life. Her therapist, who she had spoken with every day since the Trial, even made it a point to call her that morning to ensure she was getting ready for class like she was supposed to.

As she slipped on her shoes, Aurora glanced at her reflection in the mirror. The large bruise on her face had fully set in, stained the darkest shade of purple throughout and a yellow ring outlining the border. She wore leggings to cover the marks on her thighs and calves. On top, she wore Lorcán’s Canis sweatshirt that she had taken the morning after she stayed over, for no other reason than that the hood was large enough to cover her bruised face when it was up.

At least that’s what she kept on telling herself.

Departing her dorm, she began to make her way towards the farm. It was no secret what had happened to Blackjack over the weekend, everyone knew what they had gone through when they ran the trial. But as she walked across campus, Aurora could feel eyes pinned on every movement she made, almost as if they pried for more. Each step she took on the gravel path was tracked and even with her face shrouded by the sweatshirt’s hood she’d never felt more exposed.

“Hey,” The voice of a younger female called towards Aurora, “Hey, sorry to bother you, I was wondering if you could help me find-” She explained while running up beside her.

“Oh!” The girl exclaimed excitedly, “Aurora! I didn’t recognize you,” She beamed as Aurora looked up from under her hood, her eyes meeting those belonging to Ripley Jones, Lorcán’s cousin.

“Nice hoodie,” Ripley smirked, “I didn’t know you were in Canis,” She ribbed trying to keep the mood light, “Sorry, I can’t help myself sometimes, how are you doing?” She asked, a look of genuine concern crossing her face.

“We saw some of what happened, before we got moved back to campus, if there’s any truth to the rumours I can’t imagine going through what you had to in there.”

Aurora tried her best to muster a smile in the presence of the younger girl, popping her earbuds out of her ears so she could hear her better. She normally would have laughed at her joke, made some playful quip back, but it felt too forced. “I’m just borrowing it. Not good enough with makeup to cover this thing up.” Ripley had conveniently ended up on her non-bruised side, but no doubt noticed it when the redhead turned her head to reply.

She didn’t want to scare Lorcán’s cousin, make her fearful of this place only in her first few days, so she played things down. “I’m alright, it looks worse than it feels.”

Lie.

“Rumors are just rumors, we’re all okay.”

Lie.

“Nothing we couldn’t handle.”

Lie.

The words left a bad taste in her mouth, but she was better off not knowing the perils of what had truly occurred. Aurora inclined her head to Ripley, directing the attention away from herself. “How did your trial go? Where’d you end up?”

“It was different than what I was expecting,”Ripley replied, “Ultimately still pretty fun,” She rocked back and forth on her heels excitedly, “I was originally really hoping to be placed in Canis, kind of carry on the family tradition,” She paused, her blue-green eyes locking with Aurora’s own. “And I kind of did, just like you and Aunt Tori, I’m in Myotis!” Ripley beamed.

“And we’re both doing the farm for our community contributions!” She added, leaping forward and giving Aurora a small hug, “So I guess we’ll be seeing a lot more of each other.”

The redhead was slightly surprised by Ripley’s sudden embrace, but did not mind the affection, even though she tried not to wince as the younger girl unknowingly wrapped her arm around one of her more prominent bruises. “That’s really great Ripley, I’m excited for you,” She tried to sound enthused, and hopefully it came off as such, but at the very least, her intentions were genuine. The promise of getting to know another one of Lorcán’s family members better was certainly something to look forward to.

“You’ll love being in Myotis, I definitely do.” Aurora’s thoughts were brought back to her housemates who had been watching out for her over the last few days, and her heart felt warm. “I’m headed to the farm now, actually, were you on your way there? I’ll take you.” She motioned further down the path in the direction.

“Yes, please,” Ripley nodded eagerly, “I never imagined being able to get lost on the campus, but I keep getting turned around on this island.” She elaborated. “How long have you been here again? I know Leo probably said it before but I’ve forgotten embarrassingly enough. Do you go home for the summer at all?” Ripley asked while the pair walked before chiding herself.

“Sorry I’m asking so many questions, Leo - err, Lorcán has just talked about you so much I feel like we’re already best friends. I don’t mean to be a total Haven,” She joked, remembering how Lorcán had mentioned that of Blackjack’s members, Haven had a bit of a reputation for asking questions.

“You’ll get the hang of it, it’ll just take some time.” Aurora remembered how challenging it had been to navigate campus upon arriving. She was a small fish in a big pond when she first got to PRCU, she’d never been in a place that required such focus to get around before. Luckily, she had a built-in tour guide in the form of Lorcán, who grew up on the Island and knew it like the back of his hand.

Ripley’s question was innocent and well meaning, but Aurora couldn’t help but feel a twinge of self consciousness at explaining her situation. “I live here during the summer. Your cousin is stuck with me year round, unfortunately for him. ” She kept her response brief and deflected with a sad excuse for a joke, before stating the facts. “7 years, I’ve been here since I was 13.”

The redhead picked up on Ripley's comment about Lorcán talking about her, even remembered her saying something similar the other day after the ceremony. “Hopefully he’s said good things about me,” Her lips turned up, a small, soft smile appearing for the first time. “I’m honestly surprised he’s told you much about me at all.”

“Unfortunately for him,” Ripley repeated with a small giggle, “I’m sure Leo’s in dire straits about it,” She laughed, “Are you kidding me? You’re his favourite topic, even when he’s not meaning to talk about you, he’s talking about you. And he’s never said anything less than stellar about you.”

The younger girl skipped along beside Aurora, her mischievous eyes studying the older girl.

“So what do you, y’know, do?”

Aurora’s face flushed, her cheeks tingeing pink hearing about how much and how highly Lorcán spoke of her according to Ripley.

Someone you love.

His words replayed in her head from the other night, they’d been one of the key parts of their encounter that she continued to think about. She’d spent three days thinking about it. That, and waking up in his arms, having committed the feeling of his touch on her skin to memory.

Snapping back to the conversation at hand, she raised an eyebrow at the younger girl. “What do I… do?” It took her a minute, but recognition finally crossed her features. “Oh, you mean,” A laugh escaped from her lips, “I can teleport.” Aurora explained, “All I have to do is think of where I want to go and I can be there instantly.”

“I’d show you, but I’ve been advised not to by the healers while I’m recovering.” She looked around, before leaning in towards Ripley, a smirk on her face, her spark slowly returning. “I think your cousin would kill me too.”

“What about you? I don’t think Lorcán ever told me what your abilities are.”

“I was a late bloomer,” Ripley replied cheerily, “I know, it’s ironic, girls are supposed to mature faster than boys,” She added while continuing to skip along beside Aurora, “So prior to my enrollment here, I think everyone thought I was going to end up being mundane, but then, BAM!” She yelled suddenly, “Summer hit and powers! I don’t think my parents could get on the phone fast enough to Uncle Aiden.”

Ripley suddenly cartwheeled ahead of Aurora before coming to a stop.

“Thankfully, I didn’t take after the men in the family, so no risk of me doing an accidental strip tease by burning off my shirt.” She smiled while giving Aurora a small wink, “Though I warn you, some people find this a little unsettling.”

Ripley suddenly bent over backwards, making the bridge position before the girl unexpectedly split at the waist, her legs standing up straight while Ripley walked on her hands out from behind her lower half.

“Ta-da!” She exclaimed before accidentally popping her head off its neck. The brunette’s face rolled onto the ground before coming to a stop at Aurora’s feet.

“Ow.” She muttered as her torso wandered around blindly. “I’m over here!” She called before rolling her eyes.

Aurora couldn’t help but find herself laughing at Ripley’s display. Not a forced laugh or a fake laugh, but a real true belly laugh. The kind that makes you feel better, one that reminds you that there is still good out there. The younger girl had spunk and energy, it not only made complete sense that she was placed in Myotis, but also solidified her relation to Lorcán, clumsiness and all. “That’s pretty impressive, don’t think I’ve seen anything like that before.” She watched as the girl struggled to wrangle the other parts of her body. “Need some help there?”

“Just give me a second,” Ripley replied with a smile, blowing towards the ground and sending her head rolling back towards her body. A hand felt around, grabbing a hold of her hair prompting a small squeak of pain from Ripley before her body cradled her head properly and affixed it back atop her neck. Her legs kneeled down allowing her to quickly clamber back atop them.

“There we go.” She grinned back at Aurora, “I’m still getting the hang of all of this, I envy people like Leo who developed their powers so young, but then again, look who his parents are.” She shrugged,

“Super-Mom and Super-Dad if ever there was a pair, practically bigger heroes than the Foundation Force.”

“Hey, we all have to start somewhere.” The redhead reassured, starting to walk again towards the farm, the outline of the building coming into view. “Everyone struggles for the first while, it’ll take a bit to learn how to master your abilities but you have a really great support system to help you.” She pointed out, referring to the aforementioned relatives.

“Dare I say I’m a little bit envious that you got to come here so soon after your H-Gene manifested. I had my abilities for a few years before I really figured out how to use them.” Aurora remarked, trying to help the younger girl feel a bit better about her situation. It was true though - she would have given anything to have at least one person who understood what she was going through at the time her abilities emerged. Her mother was mundane, and quickly after she got her powers she entered into the Foster system, where she rarely encountered other Hyperhumans. Most of her original tricks she had to make up on the fly.

“Yeah, my parents were pretty surprised. I still don't know if they know where they came from. Presumably my Mom’s side since she's Uncle Aiden’s sister, but given how different my abilities are from his and Leo’s, there’s a chance my Dad had a latent gene or just abilities that have completely gone undetected.” Ripley rambled on.

“Leo always refers to your abilities as rad, he has such a funny way of speaking.” Ripley commented, “Do you ever have moments where you're just left there trying to piece together exactly what he just said?”

Aurora nodded in agreement, another laugh leaving her lips as Ripley seemed to voice exactly what most people were thinking. “Oh, all the time.” She stated, before reaching into her pocket to grab her cellphone. Tapping into her notes app, she held the phone out to the younger girl, revealing pages upon pages of jotted down words and their corresponding definitions.

A makeshift Lorcán dictionary.

“When I first met him he would say things and I could not for the life of me remember what everything meant. So I started writing it down.” She shook her head subtly, as if she couldn’t even believe this was something that needed to exist. “Like any other language, the more you hear it, the more you understand.”

“I’m not fluent, but I'm definitely getting there.”

“Choka, Lady Dude,” Ripley giggled, throwing a little shaka at her with her hand. “I wasn't so sure it’d be easy to make friends here after leaving my life in Crestwood Hollow behind, but I’m glad Leo met you, so I could too.” She beamed fondly before opening a gate and stepping into the farm.

“So what do we do here?”

Aurora’s heart was simply about to burst.

She didn’t have siblings, she didn’t even have a proper family, and yet in that moment she wanted to protect Ripley with the tenacity of an older sister. Something about the girl’s pure heart and vibrant spirit she wanted to bottle up and hold close to her, preventing anyone from sullying her view of the world. With a warm smile, she guided the younger girl to the back of the farm where the flower boxes sat, grabbing two watering pails on their way. Now away from prying eyes, she lowered the hood of her sweatshirt, revealing her soft copper curls.

“Well, our job is to water the plants and herbs that grow here.” She motioned towards the rose bushes, tulips, and peonies, as well as the baby’s breath and greenery. “These flowers specifically are for the Senior dance. Later this week we’ll pick the best ones and hand them off to be used for corsages, boutonnieres, and centerpieces.” Aurora explained, filling up the pails and handing one to Ripley.

The girl nodded along, listening to Aurora’s instructions before taking the pail. A mischievous smile crossed over her thin face as she locked eyes with the older girl, lips pursed like a cat who had just caught a mouse.

“So who’s lucky enough to escort your beautiful self to the dance?” Ripley asked, batting her long eyelashes at Aurora, “Anyone I know, hmm?”

The redhead bit her lip, instantly brought back to her night in the tent with Lorcán, his half asleep mention of bringing someone to the dance at the forefront of her thoughts. Did he mean her? Did he mean someone else? She still didn’t know.

“You’re very sweet, but I currently don’t have a date.” She revealed, pouring copious amounts of water over the rose bushes to make sure they were well tended to. Especially after the Rory incident the other day, she wasn’t eager to rush and find someone to go with. “I’m just planning on going with friends right now. It’ll be a great time… I still have to figure out what I’m wearing though.”

“You don’t have a date?” Ripley replied stunned as she failed to stop her watering can from pouring, only realizing after her feet began to get wet. “I can kick his ass for you, Aurora.” Ripley mimed, exaggerated outrage coming over the girl.

“Ripley, language,” The older girl chided, and yet, raised a brow inquisitively. “But whose ass are we kicking, just so we’re clear?”

“You should get a revenge fit, something in either blue to make your eyes pop, or maybe a green that accents that gorgeous hair of yours.” Ripley smiled deviously, “Make that water-logged cousin of mine rue the day he didn’t ask you to the dance.”

She shook her head again in disbelief that Lorcán hadn't asked Aurora to the dance.

“Rue, Aurora! Rue!” She repeated, her volume starting to draw a few unwanted eyes before cracking another smile, “Are you going dress shopping on the mainland?”

Aurora couldn’t help but roll her eyes playfully. Just when she thought she was safe from being questioned about her relationship with Lorcán, Ripley was seemingly joining the chorus. “Look, I don’t know what kind of nonsense Sassy Cassy has been feeding you, but your cousin and I are just friends.” She explained, keeping her voice low, unlike the younger girl. But as the words left her mouth, she questioned herself again.

Someone you love.

Were they just friends?

Letting the thought wash away, she continued to water the flowers, making sure the peonies got enough before her pail grew empty. At the mention of the mainland though, she tensed. Especially given what had just happened to Triton, as well as her experience during the trial, the redhead was hesitant about making the trip. “We’ll see, I’ll only go if the rest of my teammates do. If not, I’m sure someone has to have a dress laying around here that I can borrow.”

“You should ask Aunt Tori, it might be some sort of 80’s fit, but what’s old is new again.” Ripley offered while mirroring Aurora's actions.

“Purple would also look good on you,” The younger girl suggested, “A little black dress would knock him on his a-” She paused, smiling widely before stating. “Tush.”

The redhead hadn’t considered asking Tori, didn’t even think it was an option. She raised a brow, “You really think she would lend me something?” She inquired, not sure whether Ripley was being serious or not. Tori may have been Myotis’ Faculty Representative, but she was also Lorcán’s mother, and she didn’t want to overstep. But quickly, she shook her head, “Beggars can’t be choosers, I’ll just be happy if I end up with a dress that fits.”

Emptying what remained in her watering can on the tulips, Aurora walked over to the younger girl and took her pail from her, following suit. “There, your first community contribution is complete.” She set down the twin containers next to the flower box and put back up her hood, gesturing for Ripley to follow. “Where’s your first class? I’ll walk you.”

“Of course she would,” Ripley nodded eagerly, “Uh, my first class is History of Hyperhuman Development, I know it’s in the Quadrangle, I think it’s with a Mr. Strum?” She added scratching her head.

“I feel like it's going to be a hard class first thing in the morning,” Ripley continued, miming a sleeping pose with a small giggle.

“Can't wait to be a University student, you guys get all the fun.”

Aurora’s previous smile fell at her words, once again innocent and well meaning, but she plastered a fake one on before the younger girl could notice.

“Yeah, you could say that. Let’s get you to class, Ripley.”

Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP

^{| Four Years Ago}

On a mild Spring evening as the clock struck 1am, campus lay quiet and serene, the sound of cicadas and the whistling of the wind the only audible noise moving through the trees.

But in the depths of the Intake House, the campus speakeasy was indeed alive and vibrant, packed with University students enjoying the revelry of the weekend. Aurora had only heard rumblings before about the existence of the bar and yet, she found herself there in the mix, her best friend by her side. How they had gotten an invite, that was Lorcán’s doing. Well, not actually him, they had Ryan to thank for pulling some strings and getting the both of them in, especially since they still weren’t 19.

Aurora was drunk.

It wasn’t the first time she had drank- she and her roommates had gotten some booze before from their older Myotis peers- but she definitely didn’t have much of a tolerance to go off of. So, needless to say, she was a bit of a lightweight. You could see it on her face- her cheeks were rosy and flushed and her normally sharp blue eyes were glassy, accompanied by the relaxed and happy grin that tugged on her lips.

As the pair stood in the center of the room, enjoying the organized chaos around them, the redhead felt someone bump into her as they passed by, likely headed to the bar. She wobbled, unbalanced in her inebriated state but managed to remain upright, a few drops of her drink spilling over the edge of her cup. She giggled, looking at Lorcán next to her. “Whoops, sorry!”

Those molten eyes that were the same colour as the soda he was drinking studied the copper-haired girl intently. He had never seen her like this before, at first it had been invigorating partying alongside Aurora, watching some of her inhibition melt away as she danced to the music, finding rhythm with the pounding bass that echoed through the speakeasy.

But the night had gone on long enough and Lorcán was beginning to worry about the Aurora of tomorrow and her impending hangover.

“No worries, Lady Dude,” He replied with one of his signature smiles, brushing away his wavy, shoulder length hair from his face. “Think it might be time to quiver the boards and head for shore. Walk you home?”

Aurora jutted out her bottom lip, pouting playfully at the mention of leaving the party. They were having a good time, why would they leave now? She attempted to reason with the boy, “Nooo, Lorcán, why do you want to go home? This place is fun.” She asserted, trying to maintain her convincing facial expression before quickly dissolving into a goofy smile.

But she knew him well, well enough that even though things were a bit blurrier than normal, the look he was giving her wasn’t him asking. She took one last large sip of her drink before accepting defeat. “Okay, we can go,” The redhead raised her eyebrows, a thought coming to mind, “But what about Ryan, shouldn’t we say bye?” She quickly spun around to try and spot the similar shade of copper hair amongst the masses, but that was a bad idea, as she immediately grew dizzy. Aurora braced herself against Lorcán, her hands resting on his arms for stability. “Or we can just leave, that works too.”

“I have a feeling brah won't miss us too much,” Lorcán replied, looking towards the older redhead currently behind the bar doing her best rendition of ‘Cocktail’ while she had several male students fighting for her attention. When Ryan had invited them, Lorcán had originally been flattered but upon arriving at the party it quickly became clear to him that his invitation was more to ensure his silence. While the speakeasy was open to students, it generally wasn't open to parties of quite this volume. Ryan was certainly enjoying the privileges that came with being the Team Mentor to Eclipse, but Lorcán was feeling a little used.

“Do you, like, want my arm?” Lorcán asked Aurora, extending a denim jacket enclosed arm. “Or maybe my jacket, it’s pretty nippy with the sun down.”

Aurora nodded, setting down her half empty glass before grasping his bicep and forearm as they began to move towards the door. She held on tightly, half because she didn’t want to lose him in the crowd, and half because she was still a tad unsteady. “I’ll be fiiine, you’re like my own personal space heater after all.” The girl giggled again, thinking her overused joke was absolutely hilarious. With each step they ascended the music grew softer and the chatter dulled, until they were greeted by the cool April breeze. As they walked away from the Intake House, she inhaled the fresh air, her wavy locks rustling in the wind, before an idea popped into her brain.

“What if I were to just…” In an instant, she let go of Lorcán’s arm, teleporting back to the front door that led down to the speakeasy with a devious grin on her face. She reached for the handle slowly, baiting the boy and admittedly testing his patience with her.

Lorcán’s eyebrows rose as Aurora suddenly vanished. He stopped abruptly, spinning around on one heel, turning to face the giggling redhead while one eyebrow remained elevated.

“Hey, get back here! Don’t make me chase you, Lady Dude.” He called in his own teasing tone. Though truthfully, he was a little worried Aurora might hurt herself in her inebriated state.

“Come on, just like take my hand and then we can totally make our way back to the dorms.” Lorcán added while approaching. “Your bed must sound rad by now.” He suddenly blushed, turning as red as the flames he could create.

“I totally mean for you, not like us or me. Your bed, for you. Sleeping alone is totally rad.” He rambled on, now looking towards the sky.

“Mars is bright tonight, eh?”

Aurora considered teleporting off, but instead audibly sighed, an exaggerated indication of her agreement, before intertwining her fingers with his, “You know I don’t sleep much, Hotstuff.” She gently swung their arms back and forth, “I don’t want to think about going to sleep.” She stated as they restarted their walk back to the dorms, her head tilting upwards to look up at the sky.

“You can’t see Mars silly.” The redhead stated matter of factly, squinting up at the various stars. “I like looking at the constellations though.”

“Maybe you can't,” He teased, “But I happen to know that,” He pointed to a slightly crimson dot above the Eastern horizon, “-is Mars.”

“I've always liked Draco,” He continued, pointing towards the constellation, “But I often find myself staring at Gemini while on my board at night.”

Aurora tried to focus on where Lorcán was motioning, attempting to spot the shapes he was referring to, but everything was just a little too blurry for her to visualize. Another spark of genius came to mind as the boy mentioned surfing, and she gently changed their course, taking a few steps in the direction that would lead them to the beach. “You’re sure we can’t go sit for just a little bit? Please?” She pleaded, no doubt her avoidance of the dorms and her bed evident in her voice. The girl attempted a few more steps, but nearly tripped over her own feet as she went as far as she could go whilst in Lorcán’s grip. She let her next statement hang in the air.

“If I don’t go to sleep yet, I don’t have to dream, and he won’t be able to hurt her again.”

Aurora’s words took Lorcán aback. But he knew he couldn’t say no to her so it was simply easier to comply. The beach at least was still away from the party and the cooler air coming in off the Pacific might just be what the red-headed girl needed to sober up.

“I could totally do the beach,” He replied before leading her in the proper direction, “Might be better if we just hoofed it though.”

She frowned, looking up at him through her lashes, “You’re no fun! We could be there right now if we wanted to be,” Without hesitating, she let go of his hand and disappeared, materializing a good distance ahead of him on the path to the sand and surf. She was definitely trying her luck, but something about her buzz rid her of any reservations she might have been holding onto. A challenge danced in her eyes, “Bet you can’t catch me!” Aurora called back to him, grinning.

“Lady Dude wait-” Lorcán called but Aurora had already teleported before he could protest. Despite that, he couldn’t stop a smile from spreading over his face. She had always beat him at tag when they were younger, but he had a feeling tonight might tip in his favour. Ditching his flip-flops, the boy with long wavy hair ran after the copper-headed girl. His bare feet raced through the cool sand, before jetting forward with the air of his abilities only to meet empty air where Aurora once was.

Looking around, he spotted her again. Once again giving chase, he came up empty. Looking around, he saw Aurora waving towards him before feinting a boost and instead moving backwards in anticipation of catching her.

His strategy worked too well as Lorcán bowled Aurora over, tackling the redhead into the sand before landing on top of her. His face hovering not even inches from her own. The smell of roses and peonies wafted into Lorcán’s nostrils as his molten eyes looked down into Aurora’s shimmering sapphires. His tongue tapped his lower lip, as his jaw pointed forward before Lorcán caught himself and rolled off of Aurora.

Despite wanting that moment for so long, he wasn’t about to take advantage of her.

“Caught you.” He managed to spit out, grateful for the cover of night to hide his beet-red face.

The redhead shrieked as his strong arms caged her, her unrestrained laugh filling the air as they toppled to the ground, eyes closing as they hit the sand. Upon opening them, she met his fiery gaze above her, seeing just how close together the two of them were. Aurora looked down to Lorcán’s lips, feeling an overwhelming urge to close the distance between them, his wavy hair that fell around her face seeming to block out the rest of the world. But the second she lifted her face to meet his, the moment escaped her as the boy moved to lay by her side.

The drunk girl only giggled again, the desire to kiss him ebbing away just as quickly as it had come on. “You may have caught me this time, but we both know that I am still the record holder.”

“Uncontested champion,” Lorcán flashed a smile, despite his still racing heart. The sound of the nearby waves was always soothing, and while he didn't have any alcohol in his system, the idea of going for a swim at this hour if only to cool his flushed face was enticing.

“The swells sound tame tonight.” He muttered sitting up from the sand, his hand looking towards the water where the moonlight was reflecting, illuminating the Northern Horizon.

“I’m all amped up now, tempted to take a dip into the green room to soak my head,” He added with a playful elbow nudge.

Aurora let herself relax into the sand, looking up at the stars. They were so bright here, the lack of any nearby city meant no light pollution to detract from their glow. But at the mention of the water, she sat up as well, gazing out at the dark expanse that stretched out into nothingness. Slipping off her shoes, she dug her toes into the cool grains. “I’m a bad swimmer when sober, let’s not find out how I am after a few drinks.” She smirked, still having her wits about her even under the influence,“But I’d put my feet in, that sounds nice.”

Lorcán allowed himself a small laugh, he had seen Aurora in the water and her point was incredibly valid.

“A walk in the shallows sounds rad,” He replied before offering the girl his arm again, “What did you mean earlier when you said he won't be able to hurt her again, in reference to your dreams?” The words had been sitting at the forefront of his mind since she had spoken them but only now that the blood had stopped rushing had the courage and overwhelming curiosity prompted him to ask.

Aurora wobbled as stood back up once more, clinging on to Lorcán’s arm for stability as they approached where the waves met the shoreline. She hummed happily as she submerged her feet into the water, enjoying how refreshing it felt on her skin and kicking playfully, sending droplets back out into the ocean. The redhead didn’t even look up as she answered Lorcán, seemingly numb to the true weight of the question, her inhibitions and hesitations out the window with the alcohol in her system.

“My stepfather was not a nice man, Lorcán.” She stated, taking a breath before continuing, exhaling audibly, “He used to hit my mother, take his anger out on her.” Aurora looked up at the stars again, “I was too young to do anything to stop it.”

The temperature suddenly rose as Lorcán felt his hackles rise at Aurora's words. He had never met her, but given who Aurora was, he knew her mother was a big part of making her the extraordinary young woman he knew. The idea that anyone would intentionally hurt her got him hot under the collar.

“I can't believe people can be so cruel to each other. I find it hard to believe the mundane world is just or fair in any way.” His voice was stern, almost condescending. “I just wonder how we’re the persecuted ones sometimes. Where is your mother now?” He asked, softening his tone as his ember-like eyes looked back at Aurora.

The girl moved her hands from his bicep to instead intertwine their fingers once more as they continued to walk, the waves lapping at her ankles. She could feel his skin growing warmer, and she met his gaze with a sad smile, “It’s far from fair, but that’s the way the world works I guess.” Aurora directed her eyes out to the ocean, seemingly searching the distance, the stars blurring together in her drunkenness. “I don’t know where she is.” The redhead shrugged, digging her heels in the sand with each step she took.

“It wasn’t safe for me at home, for many reasons, but especially when my abilities manifested. Damon would have killed me if he knew I was Hyperhuman.”

Aurora looked back up at Lorcán. “So, my mom brought me to a children’s home and left me there. I never saw her again, don’t know if I ever will.” She rested her head on his arm, his temperature comforting as the breeze triggered goosebumps along her limbs. “You’re really warm.” The redhead added, seemingly voicing her stream of consciousness.

“I can’t imagine a world where I didn't know where my Mom was,” He allowed himself a small chuckle, “Though some days I wish she didn't know where I was.”

Lifting his arm, Lorcán wrapped it around Aurora, allowing himself a rare moment of boldness before enveloping her in his warmth.

“Alcohol must be wearing off if you're getting cold.” Lorcán teased before looking up at the stars. It was amazing that he could be surrounded by such awe inducing beauty and yet his eyes always found their way back to Aurora.

“I’m still hoping we can find your Mom someday, she must be pretty special to bring you into my life.” His voice was low, nearly a whisper as he spoke before those fire-like eyes turned back to the subtle ebb and flow of the midnight tide.

“Someday.” He mused again, his eyes wandering down to Aurora's left hand, before retreating back to the serene ocean scene.

The redhead leaned into Lorcán’s chest as she was tucked underneath his arm, the chill she had briefly felt instantly replaced by the heat he radiated. She closed her eyes and sighed contently, inhaling citrus and smoke, a soft smile tugging at her lips. “I’m not cold, you’re just hot.” The girl mindlessly replied before nearly losing her footing on a rock that, according to her, came out of nowhere. “Nope, still drunk.”

She opened her eyes, resting her chin on the boy’s torso as she looked up at him.“She was special. The strongest person I know.” Aurora stated, hazy visions of blonde hair and blue eyes coming to mind. “But, I’ve already come to terms with the fact that I might never see her again, who knows what happened after I left.”

“I wouldn’t be shocked if Damon had killed her by now.”

“Hard to send you to bed on that note, Lady Dude,” Lorcán tried joking to soften her words, “But we can't stay out here all night.” He gave her a quick squeeze, “Though I don't think another few minutes would hurt.” He added, gazing out at the ocean before taking a seat in the sand and gently pulling Aurora down beside him.

“I only ever need two things for a perfect night. A beautiful view, and the ocean.” He smiled, thankful Aurora once again couldn't see him blushing in the dark.

“And tonight I have both.”

The redhead, who would have less than gracefully flopped onto the sand had Lorcán not guided her down with him found herself smiling at his words and her cheeks turning rosy. She hadn’t expected him to say something like that, especially to her, but she certainly wasn’t opposed to it. She moved closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder.

“I want every night to be like this.”

^{__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}

_{Location: Southern Plateau - Pacific Royal Campus}

Hope in Hell #2.046: Train Wreck

^{_{________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}}

_{Interaction(s): Lorcán (Flashback) @Lord Wraith}

Previously: I Wanna Hold Your Hand

Aurora had forgotten what her mother’s voice sounded like.

It was sweeter than she remembered, melodic, more gentle than what her nightmares had warped it into over the years. In her dreams, her mother was always suffering. But here, the woman’s tone was warm and inviting; it was as if you could hear her smiling.

“Sweetheart, come here!”

The redhead willed herself to move as fast as her body would allow and followed the sound of her mother’s call. The shock she was in helped her in this instance rather than hindered, the numbness she felt in response allowing her to propel herself forward without her injuries inhibiting her. The dregs of Amma’s power managed to fight off any residual exhaustion she felt.

She was rejuvenated. Hopeful.

“Firecracker? Are you there?”

Firecracker. She hadn’t been called that since she was a young girl, hadn’t ever told anyone about the nickname her mother lovingly bestowed upon her. Although they weren’t exactly sure where her red hair had come from, presumably from her father’s side, Sasha taught her daughter to embrace her copper coloring. What initially had been a moniker to represent her fiery appearance quickly became so much more. Aurora was always the spark that kept Sasha going, the brightest light in her darkest hour.

And Aurora did indeed embody that spark as she chased her mother’s voice down hall after hall, stopping at nothing to find her in the labyrinth.

“~Aurora!”

She didn’t care that her body began to catch up to her brain. Didn’t care that she was growing weary, her breathing heavy. The redhead navigated each turn with agile grace as Sasha’s call echoed. She grew closer, the woman’s words growing louder and louder. She could already feel her embrace, imagine her warm golden blonde hair and striking blue eyes that held so much strength and perseverance.

Aurora turned the final corner and it wasn’t her mother who she found.

She was instead met with the sight of her teammates at the end of the hallway, battered and bruised, but alive. Calliope looked worse for wear, leaning on Banjo as a physical crutch while Rory carried Haven, her injuries more significant than the last time she saw her. Amma limped on her broken ankle, refusing to accept Katja’s help, the blonde visibly shaken and covered in a thick crimson liquid that made Aurora gag at the sight. Gil and his clones, noses bloody, stood together next to Harper, whose eyes were wide and expressionless, and Lorcán - Lorcán, alive - who clutched his chest, AR suit ripped open revealing a deep wound.

They were gathered in front of a door.

An exit.

The redhead didn’t hesitate, breaking out into a sprint to join them, relief flooding her features as realization hit her that the end was in sight. They had done it, they had survived the trial, sabotagers be damned, and they were getting out. Her mother had guided her to safety. But it wasn’t until she had made it halfway down the hall, a few yards from her friends, that she slammed face first into something unyielding. Static rang in her ears as she recoiled, her already aching head beginning to pound even worse than it had been before, black spots flooding her vision. Aurora reached up to her face and braced the point of impact, feeling something warm on her upper lip and pulled her hand away to find it covered in her own blood.

She looked in front of her, not seeing what had forced her to a stop so viciously, and reached out her other hand, coming into contact with a wall, invisible, but there nonetheless. She pressed her palm against the surface and pushed, not feeling any give in the structure that would allow her to get through to her teammates. Up ahead, she could see Katja open the door with ease, bright light from outside flooding the entire hallway. The mere sight of it was enough to make the redhead begin to panic once again.

Closing her eyes, she calmed her now racing mind and attempted to teleport to where her teammates were by using the last whisper of Amma’s power, but it wasn’t enough. Her form flickered, and she felt a weak pull, but it was to no avail. Aurora tried again, grimacing in pain, but the last bit of energy she had been holding onto flickered out, leaving her with nothing left to utilize.

“Are we all here?” Harper asked, taking stock of the group, and was met by nods and mumbled affirmation. Boots shuffled, and Blackjack began to move.

They were leaving.

They were leaving without her.

“Hey!” Aurora’s baby blues grew wide and she banged her fists up against the invisible wall, using whatever physical strength she had left to try and bring the barrier down by force. “Wait! I’m here! I’m right here!” She shouted, hoping to capture their attention before they departed.

But not one member of Blackjack turned or even flinched at the sound of her voice.

They didn’t hear her at all.

The redhead hit the partition harder as she continued to yell. “Don’t leave me here!” Her throat burned as she raised her volume even louder than the first time, attempting to fight her way through. “Please don’t leave me!” Her knuckles split, growing bloody with the amount of force she was using to try and get to the other side.

One by one, each of her teammates disappeared through the exit, leaving the horrors of the Trial behind them. Calliope and Banjo hand in hand. Rory with Haven in his arms. Amma and then Katja. Gil, his clones, and Harper. With each silhouette that vanished, Aurora grew more and more hysterical, eyes beginning to overflow with moisture, any hope she had held onto fading fast.

Lorcán brought up the back of the group and stopped in the doorframe, hesitating and turning his head to look around. Brow furrowed as if he was in deep thought.

“Lorcan!” She screamed in pure desperation, tears streaming down her face. “Lorcán, please!” The girl wailed as she watched him simply shrug before exiting the Trial, the door slamming behind him and locking into place.

He had left her there.

Her teammates had forgotten her.

She was alone.

The redhead’s fists against the wall grew weaker and weaker as she lost steam. Knowing that they weren’t coming back for her, she sank to her knees, her inconsolable cries filling the now empty hallway. For even though she was older, even though she had grown, the cycle would never cease to repeat.

No one ever stayed.

BHHS: Limitless

^{Timestamp: Between the Rally and the Game
Location: The Montoya Home
Ramón and Stella
Small FT: Rio Montoya
@Aces Away and @Melissa}

____________________________________________________________________



____________________________________________________________________

Ramón threw his door open and tossed his bag to the floor next to his vanity while his clutch hit the furniture’s shiny dark wood surface, and then proceeded directly to the door on the other side of his room that led to his office. Stella had relatively free reign of his home and could follow him easily, and he wasn’t one to break routine so he simply kept moving until he’d reached the destination of the next unchecked box of his mental list. The pale aqua fabric lit up one corner of his office like woven moonlight across water, the jeweled breast line sparkling like scattered stars under the room’s intense lighting. As always with something he’d made, it was a masterpiece. He gently rolled the dress form out from its place and removed the garment from its fabric body before presenting it to his childhood best friend with a smug air.

“Go ahead, try it on, I know you’ve been waiting,” He goaded. He had to make sure everything was fine with her outfit by the time he had to leave to get back to the school for the game, or else he’d be working back and forth between both Stella and Cael’s homecoming clothes later tonight. Plus, as much as he enjoyed making his best friend wait for things just to see that angry red tint that takes over her skin, he was just as impatient to see the completed piece to his work and that included Stella being in the dress. “And be gentle or I will take my fabric shears to everything in your closet that I didn’t create.”

Stella twirled her car keys in her fingers as she followed closely behind Ramón to his room. She’d been uncharacteristically silent for the majority of their drive; the only sign she was there with him was the jingling of her lanyard as she spun it around her index finger. The blonde had been in a sour mood ever since homeroom, and it had only gotten worse as the day went on. Ethan was being a royal pain in her ass, and to make matters worse, he was completely ignoring her. Like, hello? Who just ignored their on again, off again, situationship! How rude.

But all of her woes melted away the second that she laid her eyes on her best friend’s masterpiece. Her jaw went slack as she took in the blue dress, completely left speechless. “Mo… baby you’ve outdone yourself. Holy shit.” The blonde took the fabric in her hands and marveled at the details. “I have nothing snarky to say. You really did that, bitch.” Stella walked over to Mo’s bed and placed down the gown so she could undress to try it on. She had no shame in stripping right there - there was no such thing as needing privacy for the two of them. Stepping into the dress, she delicately pulled it up over her bust, slipping her arms through the straps. She looked back to her best friend, “Can you zip me up please?”

“I know, I’m amazing, aren’t I?” Mo replied shamelessly while also preening from her compliment, checking his phone to see a confirmation text from Andre about the other boy picking his outfit up tomorrow morning before the dance. Mo’s talent was in high demand for the dance, especially amongst his friends, and they all knew it. They also knew that, as his friends, he would spend the most time on their outfits and also be willing to dance along the deadline while still providing the completed product with grace. Thus, the likes of Stella, Cael, and Andre were the last to receive their outfits as for them his final touches went to the last minute to ensure every detail be not only perfect but also eye-catching and show stopping. Stepping up to help his best friend when she’d asked, he put his phone away upon reading Dre’s confirmation and grabbed the zipper, pride flowing through his body as it closed smooth as butter and hugged every curve of his friend like a second skin.

He stepped back and took Stella in as she turned towards him, a grin that only friends like she and Cael got to see, unrestrained and childish in its happiness. She looked stunning, gorgeous, fabulous. Showstopping, just like she always was, only ever accentuated by his designs, never overtaken. And from a first glance, not a single thing needed to be altered on her dress. Ramón has known every minute change and fluctuation in Stella’s measurements since they were children and she they had both decided she was going to be his first model, and the older they got, the less and less he actually needed Stella for intermittent fittings and tailoring. Eventually, it got to the point where they only needed this: the final fitting.

That didn’t stop them from getting together in the least, of course, it just showed how well they knew each other.

“Damn bitch, you said I did that? Look in the mirror, that dress is nothing without you wearing it. You’re going to blind people with how bright you shine, babes.”

Stella could instantly feel how the dress fit her like glove before even glancing at her reflection in the mirror. No matter how many dresses Mo made for her, or outfits he curated, it still never ceased to amaze her how talented her best friend was. He had a gift, it was evident. And seeing his unbridled joy and wide smile was just the icing on the cake. She loved being able to make him feel this exuberant. Hell, if she had it her way, he’d be like this all the time. Because even when she was in a sour mood, like today, when he was happy, so was she. What was that saying… happy wife, happy life? The blonde walked over to the full length mirror in the corner of Mo’s room, stepping onto the little pedestal.

She gasped, her breath taken away.

It was truly a masterpiece. The shape of the gown, the off the shoulder sleeves and the jewel encrusted bodice hugged her in just the right ways, highlighting her figure effortlessly. The color was perfect too, just the right shade of blue to make her skin glow while complementing her hair color. “Mo…” Stella started, turning her head to look back at her best friend. “It’s perfect. Absolutely perfect.”

“Isn’t it?” He responded giddily. Mo was practically glowing under his best friend’s praise, the excitement and satisfaction of finally seeing the completed piece, and how immensely pleased Stella was being all he needed from his almost full month of work since his inception of the design. He’d started hers first, and she was the third to last to get it because while he delivered perfection to every client he had, those closest to him deserved absolute divinity.

“Alright, let me make sure everything’s as it’s supposed to be,” He said as he stepped up behind her place on the pedestal and began to do his quality checks on the gown. Once he’d confirmed the perfection of his product, he helped Stella delicately remove it and put it in a garment bag for her to keep it safe when she left. With business completed, the best friends were left with free time before the game where they’d both be returning for different reasons, Mo’s being supporting his cheerleaders and to later be Cael’s ride back here so that Mo could do his final fitting and the other Candy could sleep over. Which was perfect, because there was a new development involving a mystery letter that he needed to talk to his other best friend about.

But that was for later.

With Stella now in the comfy clothes she kept in his room and the two of them sitting on his bed while he touched up her makeup, he decided it was time to ruin the good mood.

“So, was it Ethan that had that look on your face before you saw your dress?” He asked, ripping the bandaid off as he always did. Quick with a bit of inevitable sting. “Because I was almost insulted when I got in the car and got the bitchface directed at me.”

Stella was mid-sip of water when Mo decided to declare war.

She nearly spat out the drink as the words left his lips, so much so, she had to cover up her mouth with her hand to ensure no water escaped unceremoniously. Swallowing, her facial expression softened from her normally frigid exterior, the light in her eyes flickering. “I’m sorry.” The blonde stated, first and foremost. It was a rarity for her to apologize to just anyone, but her best friend was the exception. She sighed, revealing her current thoughts, “He ignored me all fucking day. Didn’t even reply to my message this morning about the dumb coffee. Of course, the one day I go out of my way for that jackass he blows me off.” Stella shook her head, “And he just finally had the mind to text me after nearly 8 hours and all he could say was ‘it’s been a day’. Like come ON.”

“Ew,” Ramón offered with a matching disgusted expression, pushing his glasses back up his nose so he could raise it in the air in distaste. “It sounds like you need to find someone that isn’t such a little bitch, Stells, because who the fuck does he think he is to ignore you and then not grovel at your feet in apology?” Inside, Ramón was simmering for his friend. He was also upset because despite the fact that it had been with much different boundaries first set in place, Mo had set the whole situationship with Ethan and Stella up.

The girl shook her head, “It doesn’t make any sense Mo. Like, I get he and I have our moments, but everyone in this school wants to be with me. Why does he act like it's a chore?” Stella furrowed her brow, but then quickly reversed the movement since she knew her best friend would have her head if she messed up his makeup job. “It’s a shame, the sex is great, but everything else is well… meh. I like arguing with him and giving him a hard time, but that’s just my way of showing affection.”

“A chore?” The disgusted expression morphed to indignation and Ramón forced his best friend to look at him with a few stern fingers under her chin. “Stella Louise Manning, if you even so much as think that he feels that way then you need to take a step back and look at why you’re still bothering. You can have good sex without a relationship, situationship, whatever,” He said with a glare before she could correct him herself. He stared deep into her striking sky blue eyes, grounding her with his own warm earthen brown. “If he doesn’t get you, if he doesn’t respond to you properly, if he doesn’t even give you gifts that fucking fit who you are, then he doesn’t deserve any bit of you. You are a goddess gracing him with your presence and like an ignorant, godless heathen, he is turning a blind eye. You shouldn’t chase him, you should smite him.”

Ramón Montoya was the King of the Candies, the literal thread that held the drama club together, and one of the most vindictive and vicious responders to a perceived slight against him or his loved ones that Beverly Hills High has ever had the luck of not seeing, his worst reactions being restrained as his attitude was put on a leash by his family and their wariness of bad press and media. If Mo had it his way, if he could get away with it, he would give Ethan the most public humiliation of his life, and make sure there was evidence so that the boy never forgot it.

How dare someone so basic make his platonic soulmate deflate like that? Unforgivable.

Stella listened to her best friend, although her eyes seemed to glaze over as he went all Mama Bear. It was very unlike the girl to show such raw emotion, most of all let a stupid boy like Ethan Green get the best of her. She prided herself with having the grace and poise of someone twice her age without the wrinkles, what was it about this specific situation that was causing her so much discomfort? She and him had played this song and dance for nearly a year and a half. Why now was it suddenly an issue?

Maybe it was the fact graduation loomed in the distance and Stella had to figure out what the fuck she was doing with her life. Maybe it was because Katie Callaghan was favored to get the lead again this year. Maybe it was the creepy DMs she was getting that seemed to pile up by the day. Ethan Green was the straw that seemed to break the camel’s back. “I bother because I enjoy his company and he’s the only person I know who is willing to put up with my bitch ass attitude and serve it back to me tenfold. It’s fun, he’s fun.”

“Fun is fine, babe,” Ramón responded, well aware she had zoned out on him the moment he started his rant against Ethan but willing to let it slide due to her mood. “But you haven’t seemed like you’ve been having fun recently,” He thought back to the car ride in, where she seemed okay, almost defensively hopeful in a way she tried to hide behind a casual air and act of whimsy. How different she was less than half an hour later when he’d entered Belmonte’s class for Cael and Minnie’s cupcakes and some good old Candy kiki. Stella swinging between moods like Tarzan between vines was not unusual, hell it was practically a requirement of the Thespian Society to have a volatile personality regardless of where it was on the spectrum, so that alone would not normally be a problem. However, this wasn’t her being dramatic and shifting through attitude because she felt like it and she could, this was because of a boy.

Gag me with a chainsaw.

Mo took a deep breath before he said something that hurt his friend in her vulnerable state, visibly restraining himself and forcing a more neutral look onto his face when he asked the only thing he could think of that really mattered to him in the end.

“Does he make you happy?”

Stella snapped out of her funk real quick. This was getting too deep for her very shallow emotional bandwidth. Was she really having this come to god conversation today of all days?

Of course he made her happy.

Right?

“Nevermind, Mo. Let’s just drop this please.” She deflected, pursing her lips. It was rare for her to be this candid, but even she had a breaking point, and that came with the evaluation of her own needs.

Ramón's emotions vacillated between shock and worry at the way his best friend was acting. Never had a boy caused his beautiful blonde bestie such confusion and self doubt. Never had Stella sounded so small, so begging, as she did when she was unable to answer his question and requested instead his discretion. His regret at getting the two together was quickly morphing from exasperation to genuine, true remorse as he took in the state that the athletic Green boy was leaving Stella in. Mo slackened the pressure of his fingers under her chin but left them there as stabilizers and he harshly bit his tongue while he began to silently resume fixing the blonde’s makeup. He was gliding a perfect, solid line to finish the point of one eye’s wing when his bedroom door was thrown open, hitting his dresser with a solid thunk and rattling all of his possessions sitting atop it. Mo jumped in his own skin and the black line shot across Stella’s temple like it was making a run for her hairline, and the small boy hissed in rage at having been shocked into a mistake, turning a blazing glare to his doorway.

“What? Look what you made me do pendejo!”

For his part, Ramón’s older brother Rio did exactly as his little brother demanded and took a few gliding steps into his room to stand in front of the teenagers, bending down and getting in Stella’s face to stare intensely at the black streak breaking up her pale skin. He maintained a serious expression for only a moment before he broke out into an amused grin and booped the blonde lightly on the nose as if she were still the child that first befriended his baby brother, holding his hand out to intercept Mo by the face as he lunged forward in protective rage. He pushed the smaller boy back into his sitting position by his face while the younger spluttered indignantly.

“I’ve seen worse done professionally for the red carpet, hermano,” Rio finally said, releasing his brother when he stopped smacking at his forearm. “Don’t be so upset, I came up here to tell you that mamá made your favorite for dinner, and even made it early since Stell’s is here. Both of you make sure to thank her for spoiling you.”

“Excuse you?” Ramón glowered in offense, getting up to try and shove his brother out of his room. “When the hell don’t we? Don’t make us seem like ungrateful brats,” He pushed harder against Rio’s back when the actor didn’t budge, grunting when the older Montoya son slumped backwards over his little brother’s body, sending them both onto the bed in a heap beside Stella. Ramón grunted in frustration and kicked his legs wildly where they were hanging off the bed, failing to wiggle out from under his brother’s torso and dead weight. “Get off you bitch!”

“But Mónie you’re being such a drag that you’ve dragged me down with you! Now I’m stuck!” Rio put a hand to his forehead and feigned a swooning noise, somehow managing to squish his brother further into the soft mattress. He looked to his left and winked at the girl that had become his third little sister before giving Mo another moment of struggle and then finally getting off the boy, standing up while Ramón scrambled to regain composure. He laughed at the look on Mo’s face before explaining. “That was from Rosa, apparently you pissed her off this morning somehow and she didn’t get a chance to get revenge. Now get your bratty asses downstairs so mamá’s work doesn’t go to waste! Stell’s, she made your favorite too.” He closed the door behind him and his footsteps retreated down the stairs, leaving the teens alone once more.

“Have you eaten today?”

You knew that Stella was in a bad mood when she didn’t even care that eyeliner had just been smeared across her face. The blonde might have jumped a smidge when Rio burst through the door, but otherwise, her face was expressionless. No anger, no frustration, just neutral. She watched as the brothers fought playfully, a small smirk pulling at the edge of her lips. She stood up, walking over to Mo’s dresser and pulling out a makeup wipe from the pack, and got to work cleaning up the mess on her face.

Stella was an only child. She was a miracle baby, her parents having struggled to conceive for many years before she came along, so siblings weren’t in the cards for her. Sometimes she was jealous that Mo had such a big and happy family (even though she knew they could be annoying as shit sometimes), but other times she simply felt thankful that she was included as one of their own and welcomed with open arms into their home. Her heart felt warm at the thought, especially given Rio’s words that their mother had cooked her favorite.

With the rogue eyeliner removed, she threw the wipe into the trash. “I had a small lunch, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t hungry. But even if I wasn’t, I’d still want your mom’s cooking.”

“She would have force fed it to you even if you didn’t,” Ramón answered, despite knowing Stella was already aware of where he got many of his overbearing habits from. He got up off of his bed and made for his door, coming up beside her where she was still standing near his dresser. As annoying as his brother had been, he could see that the intrusion had helped bring back a little bit of the natural shine that had left Stella during their attempted talk. No matter how many times Ramón tried to bring it up, it always ended this way, with the talk of Ethan brushed aside in favor of something, anything, with less meaning. Mo stared at his friend for a long moment, saying nothing as he searched her gaze for something that would make this game worth it in the end. Sighing at what he found, he tried once more despite knowing it would be in vain.

“You don’t have to answer, and I’m dropping it after this so we don’t lose our appetite, but think on this,” Ramón didn’t say please or beg, but his friends could hear the implication of the word in his tone. The ones that mattered understood how he spoke. Because when people mattered to each other, they learned each other. He thought Stella knew that just as much as Ramón did. “Does he know a single one of your favorite things? And I mean personal, favorite things, not something the whole school knows about you. Again, fun is fine, but does he deserve you?”

The look on his face told her that he didn’t want an answer even if she had one. He didn’t want to upset her or tear her down, but he also wasn’t about to let her keep her head clouded with any delusions that weren’t geared towards furthering her grandeur. No one had ever made Stella act like this before, and thus this was a new part of her that even Mo had to learn, but the fashion designer had never been one to walk on eggshells even around the most sensitive of their friends, and unless she was literally moments from a complete breakdown then he figured Stella would forgive him for continuing to be himself and not coddling her.

Eventually.

“Ramón Inigo! Estella Louise!”

“Coming, mamá!” He held Stella’s gaze for one more moment, hoping she’d take the time to read him as much as he was reading her, before finally breaking contact and opening his door. As he headed out and down the stairs he paused and added over his shoulder to his best friend, “I’ll fix that eyeliner after dinner.”

The blonde let Mo’s words reverberate in her mind. Like always, his inherent wisdom was showing and he did have a point. What did Ethan actually know about her? Sure, anyone who had a pulse at BHHS knew Stella, but only a handful truly paid attention to her quirks and habits. They weren’t technically dating, but could she consider her on again, off again beau one of those people? She sat with her wandering thoughts as she followed her best friend down the stairs to the kitchen, the promise of food a welcome distraction from her crisis. Her eyeliner was the least of her concerns, but still, she nodded.

“You better,” She attempted to jab, but her tone wasn’t cooperating. Instead, she offered her best friend a solemn smile. “Thanks, Mo.”

“Don’t thank me,” Mo responded with a grossed out expression on his face, his attitude returning now that he saw Stella was actually thinking on his words and he didn’t have to go soft. “You never thank me. You never have to, dummy,” He held his hand out to Stella so they could descend the stairs together. “You just owe me the loyalty of being your sole designer and bestie for life, I think that’s a fair trade.”

Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP

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_{Location: Southern Plateau - Pacific Royal Campus}

Hope in Hell #2.023: Spot the Difference

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_{Interaction(s): Lorcán @Lord Wraith}

Previously: Trial by Fire

The first thing Aurora knew was pain.

She instantly felt her throbbing head, pulsating with each labored breath she took. God, she’d never had this bad of a headache before. Was this what a migraine felt like? The right half of her face was on fire, hot and achy, and her arms and legs were heavy and sore. Maybe she’d slept funny? Or she was having an allergic reaction to her detergent again.

What were those god awful noises? She winced, the ringing in her ears amplifying each sound tenfold. Five more minutes. She’d hit snooze and then once her alarm rang she’d get ready for class. Pop a painkiller. Lorcán would understand if she was late for breakfast.

The redhead whimpered, hoping to find any relief from this torment. She shifted, although it was agonizing, feeling the cool bite of a leather cushion underneath her.

Wait a minute. This wasn’t her bed. It wasn’t a bed at all.

And then it all came rushing back to her like a tidal wave. The Trial. The classroom underneath the ocean. The cracked window. The locked door. Teleporting to find the panel. And after that… nothing.

Finally managing to open her eyes, Aurora let things come into focus. She saw the string lights first, their warm hue welcoming as opposed to blinding, then the vague square and round shapes that adorned the walls.

Records.

She knew this place.

Her eyes continued to drift along the wall until they landed on what she was looking for. The red guitar suspended off the ground.

Lorcán’s garage. The trial was over? They’d made it out?

The redhead glanced up from her spot on the worn leather couch and sure enough, a familiar head of wavy hair slowly moved closer, his sunset colored eyes searching as he stood over her. She went to sit up but groaned, lying back, the movement causing more pain to course through her body. “Lorcán? What happened…” Aurora trailed off, groggily.

“Something for the pain.” He muttered, bringing a cool drink to her lips and placing a thick cloth wrapped around a few ice cubes against the bruise forming on her face.

“You took a nasty fall, Princess, maybe surfing isn’t your thing.” Lorcán chuckled slightly. He was wearing a tank top while a black suit was half pulled off, torso and arms tied around his waist. Though even in her groggy state, Aurora noticed it wasn’t like any wetsuit that she had seen Lorcán wear before. The heavy boots on his feet were a far cry from the barefoot or flip-flops the normally clumsy boy ran around in.

“Surfing?” She asked, trying to rack her brain to recall the incident he spoke of, but nothing came to mind. “But the trial-”

“Trials?” Lorcán asked with a confused look. “You mean like we had back at P.R.C.U.? We haven’t run a trial in almost seven years. The school has been decommissioned for nearly five. You helped me torch it for Hyperion's glory.” He laughed like someone reminiscing about a camping trip despite cruelly talking about the destruction of their home.

“You truly did get hit hard in the head.”

Hyperion?

Aurora’s head seemed to pound even more brutally as she tried to wrap her mind around what Lorcán was implying. She closed her eyes, hoping it would help her find some clarity, but she struggled, “No, that… that’s not true,” The redhead managed to choke out, propping herself up on her elbows even though her arms seemed to scream at her in protest. “We were running the Trial, someone messed with the simulation…” She recounted each detail, holding tight to the narrative, “We were locked in a Foundation classroom, we were going to drown…”

“That Draoi from Nepal must have gotten into your head on our last mission.” Lorcán leaned down, gingerly placing a hand on the non-bruising side of Aurora’s face as he carefully inspected her eyes. Her own blue eyes locked with his before noting the jagged scar running the length of the left side of his face.

“Just as I suspected, you’re concussed.” He muttered, “We should get you looked at by one of the Sages. They’ll patch you right up, have those nasty false memories pulled out so you can get back to your right self.”

Her eyes went wide, fear intertwining with her discomfort. She moved away from his touch, sinking further into the leather couch to create as much distance as she could between them. She wasn’t going to let him do that, mind wipe her, how could he even suggest such an outlandish thing? “Lorcán what are you talking about?” She exhaled, panic laced into her voice, “You’re not making any sense.” The redhead broke eye contact and looked around his garage, hoping she could find something, anything, to jog her memory as well as his.

But upon more detailed inspection of the space, she noticed things were… off.

His bass on the wall was coated in a layer of dust, evident he hadn’t played it recently. The boy always tried to squeeze in at least ten minutes minimum per day.

He always kept an extra Canis uniform thrown over the back of his desk chair, for those times when he was working on his bike and got grease everywhere or when he wanted to surf before class. But where the blazer should have been were a pair of plain black swim trunks.

Gone were the pictures of their friends he’d framed and displayed. The one of him and Rory after they’d won Hyperball championships sophomore year. He and a drunk Gil at a party Blackjack threw last November (which got them all extra community contributions for two weeks). She and him on the first day of University when they were freshman. She was smiling at the camera in the photo, he was looking at her. Where they once sat held only scattered papers and drawings.

Aurora looked at the corner of Lorcán’s desk for one of the first birthday gifts that she had ever given him when they were younger. She’d spent weeks collecting sea glass from around the Island. All sorts of colors, shapes and sizes. The jar was nowhere to be found.

It clicked.

This wasn’t Lorcán’s garage. And the boy standing over her was definitely not Lorcán.

Aurora mustered her strength and teleported across the room, practically keeling over upon reaching the other side of the garage next to the assorted tools. Her knees buckled, she was still weak, in no shape to use her abilities, but she knew she had to get away from him at all costs. “Where’s Lorcán.” She spat, keeping her eyes pinned on the doppleganger as she braced the wall in order to stay upright. “Where are my friends.”

The boy that looked like Lorcán let out a heavy sigh before slowly shaking his head.

“I gave that name up after watching my father cut down in cold blood. Your Lorcán, he hasn't had that happen, he’s happy, he’s carefree. Never had a bad thing happen to him.” He stated, looking towards Aurora while slowly untying his suit from his waist and pulling on the armoured attire. A long hood hung from his shoulders as he finished fastening the last few straps.

“I am Raze. And your friends are dead.” He replied.

“Or at least they will be. Even if they survive their own fears, the mind can only take so much.” He tapped the side of his head where Aurora’s neural uplink was located.

“Hyperion's Children needed you to be their sacrificial lambs. Through you, Hyperion will return again. So forget Lorcán, he’s gone, your friends are gone. Embrace the future, you have so much potential being wasted by P.R.C.U.”

Raze extended a hand towards Aurora from where he stood on the other side of the room.

“Join me, together we can take our rightful place as rulers of a new world.” He stated before motioning towards a cabinet with his chin.

“And I’ve already picked you out a wedding gift, go ahead. Open it.” He urged.

She grew lightheaded as Lor- Raze spoke. From his reveal that Hyperion would rise once more, to the promise that her friends would be killed one by one, each word struck a chord and further unsettled Aurora to her core. She was injured, she knew that, and she highly doubted he was lying when he mentioned her having a concussion. There was a slim chance she would be able to teleport out of here. And even if she did, she likely would not make it far enough, and he’d come after her once more.

She also was well aware of who she was up against. Although he wasn’t the version of Lorcán she knew, he shared his abilities. In her current state, he’d overpower her in an instant. So the redhead made a choice to play the game, to bide her time and reserve her strength. She had to be strategic if she was going to get out of here alive. The words wedding gift churned in her gut, but cautiously she approached the cabinet. She wrapped her fingers around the handle and opened.

Her heart rate skyrocketed and her breathing grew quick and shallow as she met the cold and harsh eyes of Damon Fray.

Her step-father. The man who haunted her nightmares, who abused her mother relentlessly, who's vehement hatred was the reason she was given up and put into the system.

Age showed on his face, but otherwise he hadn’t changed from the last day she saw him 11 years ago. The man still had the same thick brows, dark hair and tattoos covering his arms that she had memorized. He was bound and gagged, stuffed into the closet and actively fighting his restraints. But the second he saw her, beheld her, he froze. Damon attempted to speak, but all that could be heard were muffled sounds. Something like pain in his eyes, which morphed into unbridled fury as he began to resist his bounds once more.

The redhead wasn’t able to look for more than a few seconds before slamming the cabinet shut, pressing her back to the surface and sliding down to the ground until she was seated. A broken noise escaped from the back of her throat, her eyes welling up almost instantly. Rendered speechless, she turned to Raze, horror etched onto her features. “I-I…”

“Go ahead,” Raze urged, “He is beneath you, it is time you bring penance upon him for the suffering of your youth. Use your abilities and banish him to freeze in the Antarctic, or send him to the depths where his life will be snuffed out. Drop him in an active volcano where he’ll burn alive. You are like a god to him, he is not worthy to even clean your boots with his tongue, daughter of Hyperion.”

Aurora shook her head quickly, closing her eyes and trying to fight back the tears that began to fall. She took a shaky breath, attempting to regain her composure. She’d always wondered in the back of her mind how she’d react if she’d ever saw him again; what she’d say, what she’d do. But nothing could have prepared her for what it would actually be like experiencing it. The feeling was paralyzing. But she knew one thing for certain.

Death would be too easy for Damon. She wanted him to suffer, to live out the rest of his days behind bars. He didn’t deserve her mercy.

Not today.

She didn’t want his blood on her hands. He already had reign over her dreams, the last thing she wanted was his execution on her conscious mind. She refused to let him have any more power over her than he already did. The redhead continued to shake her head, “No,” She blurted out, “No, I’m not like you, I refuse to be like you.” She pushed herself to her feet, walking backwards and creating separation between herself and the cabinet where one of her demons lurked.

“I want no part of this, I won’t join you.”

“Disappointing,” Raze replied. “But to be expected, P.R.C.U. has made you weak. Did you realize one among you trapped you here? Did you realize one among you still lives to serve Lord Hyperion?” He chuckled darkly.

“No, Team Blackjack solves all problems through the power of ‘friendship.’ Pathetic, relying on others to compensate for one’s own weakness. It makes you blind and vulnerable. Ironic how your team's greatest strength will be its downfall.”

Raze opened the door of the garage, the sterile white hallways of the Foundation lay beyond it.

“I suggest you run now.” He grinned wickedly, his hands igniting into flame.

Aurora didn’t hesitate.

She bolted from the garage, not turning back.

Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP

A late summer wind whipped through Aurora's copper hair as she beheld the situation that lay before her. The young girl didn’t understand exactly how the trial worked; she was still attempting to comprehend how she had even gotten here in the first place. When she was brought to this boarding school for “special kids like her” she wasn’t expecting to be thrown essentially into a gauntlet on only her third day.

The 13-year-old shifted from foot to foot nervously while waiting for the group to go inside the structure. She was both small for her age and incredibly thin, making her look younger than she actually was. She was unassuming, you’d likely miss her if you didn’t look carefully. But Aurora was there, scared and skittish, and would try her best to tackle this challenge like she did the rest she encountered in her life.

Her baby blue eyes darted from face to face around her, sizing up the other kids her year who were running the trial. Some seemed excited at the premise and chatter flowed easily for them. But there were also many others like her who remained quiet, cautious.

“It’s okay to be clucked,” The voice of a young boy said from behind her, his long wavy hair spilled down to his shoulders while brilliant orange eyes smiled at her, an iris colour she had never seen before. A puka shell necklace peeked out from his athletic shirt's collar, a sweatband wrapped around his right wrist, and a guitar pick tucked into the band.

“My Dad says that the Trial is supposed to be fun, it’s not like the Thunderdome or anything. Everything you see in there is just for fun.” The boy repeated the word fun, sounding more like he was trying to convince himself than he was Aurora.

“You got this, Lady Dude,” He added, extending a fist for a bump, “Just breathe, stand up on your board and ride the wave.” The boy winked while flashing a toothy grin.

“It’ll be all choka, brah.”

He was the same boy from the other day, the one who had smiled and waved at her near the Administration building.

At this moment, however, the redhead looked at him like he had three heads. He was saying things, it was obvious he was talking, but she did not understand him in the slightest. Who even talked like that? Clucked…Lady Dude…Choka… What did those words even mean? So, she just smiled politely at him and nodded, too timid to try and even plot a reply. She didn’t bother to return his fist bump either.

The students ahead of them started moving towards the hedge, thankfully cutting the conversation short, taking out their student cards to scan. Aurora followed suit, clutching her ID with a trembling hand as the machine beeped upon her movement. She slipped the card back into her pocket as she entered the maze, the neural link on her temple warming slightly.

Some kind of idea of fun these people had.

^{_{____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}}

Towering spires and soaring pillars of stone surrounded Aurora as she raced through the kingdom, heart pounding in her ears. She navigated the unfamiliar landscape as best she could, dodging visible obstacles by teleporting around them and bobbing and weaving past the other students in her path. The girl had overheard one of them explain how the seniors designed the trial every year and so the theme was up to their discretion. Guess someone had been on a fantasy kick recently.

The redhead moved with agile grace, but inside, all she felt was panic. She was doing well, but it was because she had to, not because she wanted to. Last thing she needed was to be kicked out before she could even begin and subject herself to the vicious cycle of change she had been victim to for the last few years. Her strategy was simple: fend for herself and get out as fast as she could. She’d do it alone.

The clocktower chimed, the bells tolling loudly, and Aurora braced herself for what followed. It was a pattern she had picked up on quickly once they had gotten inside the trial - her keen eye and ear for detail recognized it after only the second instance. Every time the clocktower went, so did one of the pillars around them, crumbling to the ground. The girl’s eyes searched, trying to determine if it would be one near her, which is what allowed her to see him.

The boy from before with eyes like wildfire.

He had stopped momentarily and he wasn’t paying attention to his surroundings. The pillar directly to his left had started to shake… he didn’t see it. The girl felt fear, pure fear, as she screamed out to him, hoping he’d hear her in time.

“Hey! Watch out!”

It happened so fast that Aurora didn’t even realize what she was doing until it had already been done. She appeared at his side and grabbed his hand before he could even blink, teleporting the both of them a safe distance away. The pillar fell, crumbling to the ground, but they were nowhere in harm's way.

“Whoa,” The boy blushed looking down at his hand while regaining his bearings.

“That was rad, you’re rad, Lady Dude.”

The redhead glanced to where her fingers intertwined with his, and once she recognized the contact, quickly let go. The speed in which she dropped his hand was noticeable, as if she had even surprised herself. Because she had.

It had been the first time she had teleported someone else.

Aurora didn’t even know she could do that; it had never been something she had thought to try. Sure, she’d teleported objects before, but never a person. And why him? She didn’t even know him. The girl took a step away from the boy, creating more distance between them.

“A pillar falls every time the bells ring.” The redhead paused, before blurting, "Watch where you’re going next time.”

The boy nodded solemnly.

“Appreciate the tip, brah. You know you don’t have to go it alone right?”

She didn’t even reply before teleporting away.

Aurora sped through the remainder of the trial, utilizing her abilities to bypass the rest of the obstacles and challenges throughout the kingdom. As she came to the castle’s moat, she teleported across the wide expanse with ease. She looked back from the other side, watching as a couple of students evaluated the unstable bridge that was their only ticket out. She didn’t spare them a second glance before turning back around and making a break for the exit.

You don’t have to go it alone.

The boy's words replayed in her mind as the simulation ended. But what he did not understand is that she did have to go it alone. She always had, and likely always would. There was no one she could trust in this world other than herself, she was certain. She’d been let down too many times, forced to fend for herself without the assistance of others. She had accepted that a long time ago. And yet, she had still helped him, shocking herself by doing so. Maybe it was because he had been kind to her. Or maybe it was because she didn’t want to see anyone get hurt.

Aurora pushed open the door, returning to the Plateau. The small girl’s baby blue eyes took in the faces around her who simply stared as she emerged, in awe.

She had been the first to complete the trial.

^{________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}

_{Location: Southern Plateau - Dundas Island, Pacific Ocean}

Hope in Hell #2.010: Trial by Fire

^{_{____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}}

_{Interaction(s): Lorcán @Lord Wraith Harper @Qia}

Previously: Chasing Cars

“Savour it, work together and I know you’ll do great.”

Aurora snapped out of her daydream as Tad wrapped up his pep talk. She widened her eyes and raised her eyebrows, blinking rapidly to bring herself back to the present day. Exhaustion tugged at her limbs but she still followed her teammates and walked towards the maze, swiping her card to gain entry to the Trial. She’d managed to get a few hours of rest after her late night chat with Banjo, her mind put a bit more at ease, but she still felt sluggish this morning. However, if this was anything like her first time running, it should be a breeze. After all, she could teleport through if she was particularly having trouble.

Lorcán stood behind her, she could feel the heat radiating off of him, but he seemed to be standing closer to her than usual… or maybe she was simply more aware of his presence this morning. Neither of them had brought up last night’s conversation. In fact, they had barely spoken during breakfast. She did catch him looking at her though when he thought she wasn’t paying attention. He had the same fire in his eyes that she noticed the evening prior, there was intention behind his gaze.

They walked into the Trial, Harper following behind them, and as the simulation was booting up Aurora looked back into the boy’s sunset colored eyes and smiled. But that grin quickly disappeared as she beheld his confused and troubled expression.

Something was very wrong.

The redhead whipped around to see what he was staring at and her face paled almost instantly as she took in their surroundings. It was clear that this was not the Trial that had been planned. The callous hallways of the Foundation, cold and sterile, went as far as the eye could see. Fog collected at her ankles and static buzzed in her ears accompanied by the dissonance of whispers and hissing. From her vantage point she could peer into two of the classrooms and winced as she saw the gurneys with their restraints, the colorful vials and syringes with the dried blood. Goosebumps peppered her arms underneath her AR suit.

This wasn’t a school. It was an asylum.

Lorcán’s voice was strong and assertive as he took charge, rolling up his sleeves and rallying their teammates. He was a natural leader and commanded attention with his unwavering confidence, a quality that was not lost on Aurora. She felt his touch and looked down to see his hand enveloping hers. He squeezed gently, and she immediately squeezed back, every stray thought evaporating from her mind. The tone of his statement indicated that she didn’t have a say in the matter, but even if she did, the redhead had no desire to leave his side.

She glanced back up at him, a hint of fear noticeable in her eyes, and nodded.

Together. This time they’d stick together.

As Amma spoke and stepped closer, the redhead clutched the boy’s hand tighter, a shiver running down her spine as the raven haired girl smirked. She knew something they didn’t, after all, the transfer had the advantage since she was familiar with these hallways. Bile rose up in the back of the redhead’s throat, whether it was the danger they were now certainly in or the EBI field messing with her body, she wasn’t sure. Either way, she was instantly nauseous.

And then Amma was gone, running down one of the eerie corridors. Aurora took a few steps in the direction the girl headed in but stopped as she felt the pull of the person she was grasping. She looked back at Lorcán, “We have to follow her. I have no clue how this happened, but Amma is the only one who knows this place and is our best chance of getting out of-”

Calli crumpled to the ground, her breathing quick and shallow as she spiraled, icy exterior melting right before the redhead’s eyes. She recognized the signs of the panic attack, just as she had with Lorcán yesterday, and her heart broke for the blonde. But her focus wavered as she noticed movement out of the corner of her periphery.

They weren’t alone.

Who emerged, however, was not anticipated in the slightest. At first Aurora thought she was seeing double, but realization hit that the figures were only Calliope and Katja in appearance, not in mind. They may have looked like them but they spoke of weakness and suffering, an air of disgust laced with chaotic unrestrained energy. If these ‘anti’ versions of two of their teammates existed, who else was lurking inside the Trial? An even better question was how many people were they possibly up against here.

The last thing she saw was Anti-Calliope’s smirk, which rivaled that of Amma’s. Darkness consumed the group and the redhead vaguely felt the sensation of being pulled elsewhere, a version of teleporting, but not of her own accord.

Light returned, and as her eyes adjusted she saw that they were now in a worse situation than before. Separated from the rest of Blackjack, her, Lorcán, and Harper found themselves in a classroom. They were underwater, how deep she didn’t know, but by the looks of it, they were far from the surface. She attempted to examine her surroundings, noting the locked blast door, but jumped as the unmistakable crack of glass reverberated off the walls. Color disappeared from the redhead’s cheeks as she saw the window, a clear line running down the middle. The crack continued to radiate outwards, spidering slowly, but surely. Her mind immediately went to the worst case scenario; the glass could shatter completely and let all of the water in. And with no way out…

She wasn’t a strong swimmer, she’d be pulled under before she could even cry for help.

They’d drown.

“That glass isn’t going to hold forever… we have to find a way out of here.” She declared, although it seemed obvious, her eyes immediately finding the door and the small window that showed the hallway. “There has to be a set of controls on the other side, a way to deactivate the fail-safe.” She turned to Harper and to Lorcán, who’s hand she was still somehow holding, “I’ll teleport and unlock the door.”

"Okay, that sounds like a good idea. Just...be careful.”

Lorcán gave Aurora a look, his eyes darting between the glass windows and the single door.

"It'd be a grom move to just try without at least testing for an EBI field." He reluctantly admitted, taking a few steps forward before raising his hand. Taking a deep breath, he placed it on the blast door and exhaled a small sigh of relief. "I still am not stoked about this."

“We don’t have a ton of options here, Lorcán. I’ve got to try.” Aurora asserted, squeezing his hand before letting go and not giving him another opportunity to detest. She vanished into thin air.

The redhead materialized outside of the room after a few long moments, completely unharmed. She was relieved. How that door bypassed the EBI field, she wasn’t sure, but she was simply thankful that she hadn’t been rearranged along the way. Teleporting had been a massive risk, she could have been seriously injured if her abilities had been nullified, but it had paid off. Only a few steps away she found the controls embedded into the wall.

“I found the panel!” She exclaimed, hoping Lorcán and Harper could hear her through the thick walls. Her blue eyes quickly scanned all of the buttons and levers, attempting to find the mechanism that would disarm the safety and open the door. The labels were non-descriptive, some marked by symbols and others with acronyms. “Give me a minute, I-”

A cold and calculating laugh echoed through the hallway.

Aurora didn’t have time to react before he struck.

BHHS: Limitless

_{@Melissa & @BrutalBx
LOCATION: BHHS Football Stadium/Parking Lot
TIMESTAMP: Before the Football Game
Featuring: Adelaide Jones & Ivy Leung}

Game day was always a good day.

Not that Adelaide Jones particularly cared for a sport where men ran with a ball, though her pretty blue eyes were often glued to the girls on the sideline in the short skirts holding the pom poms. God she wanted to be at the bottom of that pyramid. Although she was on the soccer team herself and was a damn good player, Ads was mostly there for the extra credit. The main reason that Addie enjoyed game days was for business. Every Bertie, Betty, Boris and Angela wanted their quick fix of something to get them through another slog of pubescent boys grunting and groaning more on a field assgrabbing than they would watching PornHub all week in their basement boy caves.

Unlike her sisters in the PLC, Savannah, Neveah and Everly, the pint sized blonde didn’t live or die on the hill of a sale; Addie just made the shit. If she didn’t sell a single blunt or bag of shrooms she would be fine, for her, the excitement was in the preparation. She doted on her garden like a mother would her child; she fed them every day, bathed them, nourished and cherished them. Then there were the days where she spliced the plants together and used experimental chemicals to make a super strain of kush. Lucky for her that usually falls around game or events day.

There was a lore surrounding Addie and she was very conscious of it despite most people’s perceptions of her. To most, she was an idiot; a ridiculous, childlike buffoon obsessed with sexual relations and whose ADHD was barely managed. She didn't mind letting people believe that, she wasn’t one for confrontation and didn’t see any benefit in correcting them or maybe she just didn’t care? The truth of the matter was that those very same people didn’t know that underneath the bleach blonde bangs and dark eye makeup, Addie possessed an intellect that was near dangerous. She always scored at the top of her exams and tests. When examined, her IQ was leaps and bounds higher than an average girl of her age. Before attending Beverly Hills High, Addie’s parents were approached with the idea of placing the girl in a special school for gifted youngsters. They would have said yes had Addie not refused to go; she didn’t want to leave her sister.

Now there she sat, wearing her fathers old service bomber jacket, on the hood of her van parked in the lot just by the stadium. Addie couldn’t drive the van of course but inside its walls adorned with a naked lady was her collection of what a normal person would call drugs; Adelaide would call them her babies. Her feet dangled over the edge, the lit blunt in her painted lips bounced as she nodded her head to the dulcet sounds of her beloved Dave Grohl playing in her left ear. The rest of PLC were odd doing their thing trying to out work the Strattons. Addie said fuck it and went off to do her own thing. She had her own “clients” that she preferred to work with.

One of them was coming towards her and she couldn’t help but smirk. Adelaide was a sucker for a pretty girl. She took her joint out of her mouth and blew a love heart into the air with the smoke illuminated by the Friday night lights. “Hey purrrrty lady.” She leaned back on one pal and waved with the white stick still between her finger tips. “I wouldn’t come any closer, I hear that girl Addie is riff raff.”

Game day was always a good day.

Cheerleading under the lights with the attention of a crowd was everything to Ivy Leung. What started as a way to channel her extra energy as a child had become so much more to the dark haired girl than her parents ever could have anticipated when they first enrolled her. She was a natural, with a bright smile and enough pep in her step to power a small army, not to mention blessed with flexible limbs, which were the gift that kept on giving. Most importantly, the pom poms brought her joy, and year after year she returned for more.

Tonight, she stood on the turf with her teammates, donning skin tight matching uniforms that left little to the imagination, stretching out before the whistle blew and the game began. Ivy was antsy, checking her phone for the fourth time to make sure she wasn’t late for her little… rendezvous. It was unlike the girl to be unprepared for the weekend’s festivities, but this morning before leaving for school she noticed she was oh so dangerously low, and thus an emergency text was sent and a meeting place was agreed upon. As the clock changed to quarter past, she exhaled and nudged Cael, “I’ll be right back, really need to pee.”

With hurried steps, she quickly made her way from the field towards the parking lot, bobbing and weaving past her classmates who were headed to the bleachers. Homecoming was a big deal, and tensions were a tad high, which made this adventure all the more crucial. As cars came into view, it didn’t take long for Ivy to spot the familiar van and the blonde lounging on top of it. As she approached, she fixed the bow in her hair and readjusted her skirt. “Addie might be riff raff, but then again, so am I.” The dark haired girl smirked devilishly, before looking around, half expecting to see the other members of the PLC on her trail. “Where’s your crew? Not much for school spirit?”

“Addie can text them and we can make this an orgy, more love is good love.” Addie replaced a roll up in her mouth before pushing herself off of the roof and dropping down relatively gracefully onto the floor below. She was no cheerleader; she was five foot nothing and had a habit of falling out of windows but like her current compatriot, Adelaide found that she had enough skill and poise to make her dramatics look good. “But something tells me that you would much rather this just be us.” She stopped to admire Ivy in her uniform, she didn’t hide it, there was no point. Addie was Addie and everybody knew Addie, even the vegetarians. With sculpted long legs, taut abs that she wanted to lick maple syrup off of and a smile that even Adelaide had to admit she fell in love with just a bit every time she saw it, Ivy Leung looked every bit the dream girl that she pretended she was.

In some strange way, Addie viewed Ivy and others just like her as reflections of the self she could have been. For all intents and purposes, the pint sized pixie should’ve been a white picket fence pom pom powerhouse but the cards she was dealt were different. Her mother Wednesday was a stunning woman, blonde hair, blue eyes, a body straight outta playboy and her youthful grandma was the same. Her father Paul, that all American army type; strong jaw line, just enough edge to make the women swoon and then there was her sister Dallas. She was so beautiful, so intelligent, she could’ve reigned supreme. They could’ve been the picturesque American nuclear family.

But they weren’t.

And that was ok. It was better this way.

Addie loved her new family, the Jones girls were all great in their own way and her new stepmom was badass. Her Mom was saving lives like she did at the hospital. Grandma was dissecting the worlds future psychopaths and Dally was training to fuck Martians? Or was she building rockets? She couldn’t remember. Adelaide missed seeing her Dad every day but he was off being Batman or some shit. She got to see him every other weekend so that was nice.

“So, what do you need? Cos baby I got it. And if you wanna take our clothes off and stare at each other, maybe touch stuff, Addie is always down for that. I’ll even pay for breakfast”

Ivy didn’t mind as Addie’s eyes roved over her body, in fact, she liked it. The girl worked damn hard to maintain her physique in order to remain in good standing with the squad, and she wanted people to appreciate it. It didn’t hurt that her dealer was one of those people; she would cut her a deal from time to time - an extra pre-roll here, a discount there - and there was never any harm in that. After all, pretty privilege had its benefits.

The dark haired girl nodded, “Two's company, three’s a crowd.” Her smile reappeared at Addie’s bold proposition, eyes fiery. It was no secret that there was chemistry there, then again, Ivy had chemistry with most people. But it was something that the girl thrived on, the validation of it all. “Maybe another time.” She purred, raising her eyebrows suggestively before her laughter followed. “What I do need though is something to get me through this game, and some party favors for this weekend. Got anything special for me, Addie?” She inquired, leaning up against the van.

“You’re a fucking tease.” Addie giggled as she threw her joint and stomped it out under the heel of her Doc Martens. “I’ll hold you to that, Ivy. My face is gonna be between your legs sooner rather than later but I digress.” The drug dealer lifted a single index finger up in eureka. “Give me two minutes and feel free to stare at my ass. Addie has been doing squats.” Opening up the back doors of the van, Adelaide revealed her nursery. Bright, shining heat lamps illuminated a variety of potted plants and vegetation. Weed, mushrooms, potatoes? All were growing inside the walls of Addie’s moving greenhouse. She climbed inside, her butt sticking out as she fumbled around to find what her client required.

The wagon was not Addie’s but she had claimed it. Many moons ago, the van where she grew her product once belonged to her father. He went off to war and it sat vacant for years in her grandparents garage. When he returned, it continued to gather dust until finally it was unearthed and sent to live with the then Davies. When Paul and Wednesday divorced, he decided to leave the van to Addie since she loved it so much. She hated driving the thing but she enjoyed the naked lady decal on the side and the fact it was easy to grow her supply on there sans prying eyes.

“Okey dokey.” Hopping back out, Adelaide sat on the edge of the van as she began to place Ivy’s wish list into a plastic baggy. “I got some good shrooms in here, some peyote which I got from the new girl and my latest product…” Addie pulled a single white stick from behind her and held it aloft. “I call it the Hawaiian. You will be a Aloha’ing yourself all the way into a coma. This is some good strong shit. Tastes like pineapples.”

“You certainly know how to make a girl feel special.” Ivy did indeed take the opportunity to check out Addie as she ducked into the van, simultaneously admiring the vast assortment of plants she had growing in the vehicle. It was impressive, to say the least, the variety she had cultivated with her green thumb, not to mention it was a genius business model. In her eyes, this was talent at the highest caliber. She simply felt fortunate she got to reap the rewards.

She watched as the blonde hand selected each item that went into the plastic bag, nodding along with her choices. As Addie introduced her creation, Ivy plucked the blunt from her fingers, examining it before dissolving into a grin. It was perfect, exactly what she was looking for. “You never miss, do you?” The dark haired girl reached into her skirt waistband, grabbing the folded up wad of cash she had stashed there. Cheekily, she extended her arm towards the seated girl, tucking it into the pocket of her jeans for her. “I think that should cover it, doll.”

“Hnnng.” Ivy was every inch a Goddess in Addie’s eyes and as she bit the air to prevent herself from saying all the uncouth things her lips wanted to scream to the heavens, she wanted to catch the cheerleader's hand and just taste her. She could smell her perfume, her shampoo and conditioner. It wasn’t fair. For much of the summer had been in therapy to try and work on her…tendencies. The tiny drug dealer had a habit of just blurting out her thoughts and feelings, especially when it came to the matter of sex and romance.

Despite her outward appearance as Kurt Cobain’s lost daughter, (fuck you Frances Bean, what kind of name is Bean anyway? It was a good job she was hot), Adelaide loved love. She truly did. Her freedom and willingness to give it to anyone was both a blessing and a curse because Addie knew how to have a good time but she also knew just how much rejection, loss and grief could tie a person in unbreakable knots. The manic pixie drug girl had felt both the highs and lows of love but that would never deter her. Hedonism aside, she did want someone to look at her, truly look at her and see beyond the cat eye make-up and deeply layered behavioural disorders and see Adelaide Philippa Davies Jones; girl waiting to be loved.

“Addie also does house calls.” She smiled tilted her head to look up at the tall beauty of Ivy. “If you need home delivery, just leave a window open and Addie will find a way….or, if you just want me to climb into bed with you and whisper sweet nothings, I do that for free. Tell that to your sister Isla too, I bet she’d love a good spoon and she’s super hot. Addie will get her out of her shell and walking on the wild side”

“Oh really…” Ivy raised a brow, a smirk slowly forming, gracing her full lips. Next thing she knew, the wheels in her head were turning. Not about herself though.

About Isla.

Sure, the dark haired girl had tried to facilitate friendships for her twin, ones that would pry her out of the box she’d locked herself in, but never had she dared to attempt a romantic pairing. She knew better than to meddle with her sister’s love life, but in this case, Addie had expressed interest. It seemed natural, organic, whereas any other attempts would be forced and awkward. The more she thought about it, the more she liked the idea.

“Well you know, Addie,” She purred her name, a devilish glint in her eye, “Isla is going to the dance tomorrow night...” Ivy paused, leaning a little closer to the blonde. “Alone. Maybe you could, you know, get to know her a little better.” She reached out and brushed a strand of the girl’s hair behind her ear, “She’s a little bit shy, but I have no doubt you could find some things to talk to her about.” Ivy grinned, “Or, you could do things that require no talking at all.”

Addie’s knees knocked together and quivered in sheer excitement as the cheerleader leaned in and touched her hair. For all the times the dealer had been with a girl, every time almost felt like the first. Love and lust were exciting and should always be treated as such. To grow bored was a fate worse than death in her eyes. There was so much in the world to taste, to touch, to experience and submerge one’s soul in. There was so much to take and Addie was gonna take as much as her tiny ass could carry.

“Addie can absolutely do that.” She jumped up to her feet, almost giddy. “I was planning on being there to sell some stuff and grab ass for any lonely girls dumped by their dates but actually going for a date of my own would be cool too!”

One would have to be blind not to have noticed Ivy’s sister Isla around the halls. Ivy was a model, a glow, you could see her a mile away. Isla, well you really had to pay attention and Addie always paid attention. She shared her sister's striking looks but their auras were different. Isla was a whisper in a crowded room and Addie liked that, it meant she had to lean close and really be in the moment and not just a part of it. The more she thought about it, the louder the heartbeat she always heard in her head got louder. Addie’s interest had been piqued.

“For the tip, how about I give you a freebie? I got some of last month's batch somewhere in the van if you want it?”

The younger of the Leung twins grinned. This was going to be perfect. She was actually optimistic about the odds here! It was very possible Isla would murder her later, but Addie was cute and interested and not much else mattered at the end of the day. She was doing her sister a favor, she was a saint. Ivy shook her head at the proposition of additional substance, “Nah, that’s okay. You give me freebies all the time! Consider this me giving you a freebie, Addie.” She answered, tucking the plastic bag in her skirt pocket, twirling the blunt in between nimble fingers.

She checked the time on her phone and cursed under her breath. “I’ve gotta get going if I want to have enough time to smoke this before the game starts.” Ivy looked back up at Addie, “Appreciate you always. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Not if I see you first.” Addie smiled as she brought one foot up onto the wheel of the van. “Which Addie will, cos imma be staring at your jiggles and your wiggles and those abs…mmm now you got me thinking about maple syrup again.” Attempting not to drown in her lurid thoughts of drenching Ivy in Canada’s best export, the five feet of concrete pulled herself back up onto her perch on the roof of her makeshift greenhouse. She was excited; Isla Leung, now there lay a challenge. Adelaide wondered if perhaps the other twin was the one that could make the ringing in her ears stop. She wondered if Isla was the one that could slow her heart down and could make her drink in the smell of the roses and savour the world like a sip of wine, rather than inhale it like a line.

“Enjoy the Hawaiian, my peach and warn your sister, Addie is coming and soon she will be too!” Addie stood up to her full tiny height, towering a whopping five feet over the parking lot and outstretched her arms as wide as she could. “MAMA GOT DRUUUUUUGS. COME GET SOME! ADDIE GOT THE GOOD KUSH, NEW STRAIN! HOMECOMING DISCOUNT!”

Ivy simply shook her head with a laugh as she walked away from the van, not fully realizing the can of worms she had just opened. It would definitely be a sight to see - Addie, her effervescent drug dealer, seducing her sister, the hermit. But, Isla needed some excitement in her life, and this was the perfect opportunity to bring her some much needed zest. The dark haired girl made her way over to the edge of the parking lot and reached into her pocket to pull out a lighter, but her hand came up empty.

Fuck. She forgot her lighter.

It was a rookie mistake. She groaned, realizing her stupidity. “Fucking hell.”

Rolling back into the Beverly Hills High parking lot on his skateboard just in time for the fans to invade the stadium, Adam blew the fire from his lungs and into the ebony night. The brief confrontation with Piper’s butler had left his blood boiling and his mind in chaos. He knew better than to pick fights, he always defended, always, never started. His mother was a damn lawyer for God’s sake he should have known not to get involved. But he could not abide the way the man was handling a girl a quarter his size. It just wasn’t right. Adam had to hope that Piper would convince her family not to press charges, he also hoped that she would take up his offer of spending time with him; he would really like that.

Kicking his board into his hand, the fighter dragged it tailside across the floor. He could hear several sounds in the distance and circling him like a September wind, none of which he really wanted to focus on right now. The cheers of a filling stadium, the laughs of students, Addie screaming at the top of her lungs that she’s selling illegal narcotics and then there was…

Fucking hell.

That voice cut through.

He looked up and bathed in light stood a single solitary girl, a cheerleader, a joint between her lips struggling to light it and her silhouette perfectly aligned in a frame as if painted by Michelangelo himself. Adam dropped the board and completely and swung his camera swiftly around from his waist and up to his face. He took aim and shot the image of the lonely girl, how could he not? It was a perfectly imperfect image. Picking up his board again, he made his way a few feet closer before pulling a lighter from his jean pocket and holding it up.

“Here.”

Ivy lifted her head and turned to where the voice came from, her previously frustrated expression softening as she made eye contact with the boy, spotting the item she sought in his grasp. Wordlessly, she reached out towards him, their hands brushing ever so slightly as she took the lighter he offered. She nodded once, in thanks, before rolling her thumb along the wheel and igniting the spark, bringing the flame up towards the end of the white stick. It caught and she inhaled deeply, her shoulders relaxing almost immediately as she felt the smoke curl at the back of her throat. She reached up and removed the blunt from her full lips, exhaling. Addie was right, it did taste like pineapple.

The girl extended her arm, gingerly handing him back the lighter. “Thank you,” She motioned with the blunt, “You want?”

“I’m good.”

Adam shook his head. He didn’t feel like he was in the right headspace to partake in brain altering drugs. Any other time and he would’ve likely said yes but he was nothing if not a creature of habit. When Adam deviated from his routine, even a single step out of the line, that had the potential to throw his entire day off and send him off balance. He, like any boy his age, loved to have a fun time and he knew how to let loose but doing so, without any examining the potential consequences was dangerous. Not just for Adam but for anyone around him. Unbalanced, he just wasn’t safe.

He took the lighter back and placed it back into his pocket. The martial artist knew this girl from school, if the colors of her outfit didn’t give it away. Ivy. Adam had seen her perform, in more than once sense of the word. There was a girl, a social butterfly, flapping her wings around school, attracting onlookers like a moth to her flame. Then there was the other girl, in the center of a crowded room, peacocks feathers awash in flickering embers as she danced the night, thrusting to burn out and fade away.

She was beautiful.

“Suit yourself,” The girl shrugged and took another drag, turning her head and blowing the smoke in the opposite direction. She wasn’t an asshole, after all. If he didn’t want any, she wasn’t about to give it to him secondhand. Ivy glanced at him curiously. He looked vaguely familiar, she’d definitely seen him hanging around before, but no name was coming to mind. And for someone who knew a lot of things about a lot of people, that was intriguing in it of itself.

She smirked at him, “So what’s your deal?” The dark haired girl challenged, “Do you stand here and wait for lighter-less girls to fall into your lap? Or do you actually like football.”

“Lighter-less girls, anyone who needs directions, that sort of thing.” Adam responded with a tilt of his head, his light brown bangs falling softly to the side. “I’m not some sort of animal.” Jokes were not his specialty and even he had to admit that was probably a lame one. Maybe he did need that blunt after all? He reached into his trouser pocket once again, this time pulling out a joint of his own. Placing it between his finger tips, he held it aloft, the end gently caressing the point of Ivy’s and waited for it to light.

Although he could’ve used his lighter, something was telling him not to bother. As a moment stretched into eternity, Adam looked closely at the face before him and began swimming in her eyes. He wasn’t staring, gazing maybe? Now in the light and up close, no longer shrouded by shadow like in the photo he had captured mere seconds before, he could see that beautiful did not do this girl justice. No word had been invented or was at least in his vocabulary to describe the majesty of her and what he was seeing.

“Hate football. Just here for friends.”

Ivy felt her breath catch in the back of her throat, taken by surprise as the boy moved closer. He was so mysterious… and yet, so bold? She felt the weight of his gaze and she welcomed it like an old friend, the way they stood there oddly intimate while waiting for his joint to ignite on her own. She relished in the way he looked at her with such intention and how his eyes seemed to dance over her skin. The dark haired girl dared lean in towards him, the distance between them growing even smaller.

“Friends?” She inquired, a hint of mischief in her expression as she felt a haze begin to settle over her. “We could be friends.”

“Maybe.”

Adam knew what the word “friends” meant in Ivy’s circle. Friends here meant letting go, letting loose, allowing time and tide to carry you where it may. The thought of him and the cheerleader on an island somewhere, alone and shipwrecked, with only each other and the smile of the sun and the whisper of the waves to keep them company…was by no means a repulsive thought. Yet Adam also knew that allowing himself to open up, to free himself from the chains that he had chosen for himself could possibly lead to something that terrified him.

The joint in his fingers ignited between them in sparks but Adam almost didn’t notice as he found himself near lost in the woods of her eyes. The fighter brought the blunt to his lips and let it hang there, daring not to step away in fear of losing their intimate moment, their connection. His life had been absent of those for so long. He wondered if any he found could even be truly genuine. He hoped that by the way she was looking at him, that it was.

“You want to be friends Ivy? Do you know my name?”

She let her eyes dip down to his lips as he placed the joint in between, raising an eyebrow as she heard her own name spill from them. He knew who she was, which, if she was being honest, wasn't all that surprising. But it now bothered her that she didn’t know him. A lot. Ivy brought her hand up and removed the white stick from her mouth, letting her fingers rest on the side of her cheek as she inclined her head “No. But I’d like to.”

“fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck, YOU’RE NOT MY SUPERVISOR.”

Before Adam could get another word out, the repeated sound of a high pitched swear grew louder than the chants in the stadium. Turning his head away from Ivy, he saw Adelaide Davies Jones sprinting over parked cars like a mad woman out of an action B-movie. The pint sized drug dealer ran past the two of them for only a second before jumping back and looking up at the two taller students with a cheeky smile on her face.

“Y’all bout to fuck ain’t ya?” Addie began to swivel her hips as her big blue eyes stared at the pair. She may have been nearly eighteen but the drug dealer and aspiring botanist sometimes had the mind of a child. It was somehow both annoying and endearing at the same time. “You would have some hot ass babies. With the swishy hair and the sexy porcelain Chinese face and abs of granite…and ooooh mama…”

“ADELAIDE GET BACK HERE!”

A male voice called from somewhere in the steel jungle of cars. Addie stood to attention and mockingly saluted the two beautiful people before her. “Addie’s work here is done. Peace out.” She flashed two fingers before taking off once again towards the stadium. She was soon followed by their sociology teacher Mr. Fell, complaining about how out of shape he was.

After the whirlwind had ceased, Adam released his breath as he took a step back away from Ivy. “We should probably get out of here before Mr. Fell realises that he just walked by us both with joints in our hands.” He picked up his camera once again and raised it up to his forest green eyes and began snapping away at the girl under the street light. “I’d like to get to know this girl, not the one that they’re all about to see in there.” Adam motioned to the stadium behind him before peeking out behind the lens.

Ivy took another drag of her blunt and blew the smoke towards him, seemingly obscuring his camera’s view. “That’s too bad.” She commented, “They’re the same girl.” Her eyes began to glaze over, whatever Addie had given her began to have its effect. She looked around, the last remaining people had found their way to watch the game, which left the two of them effectively alone. “Maybe you’ll get the chance tomorrow night.”

“Maybe I will.” Adam softly placed his camera back down to his side and polished off the last of his weed before throwing it down and stomping out the remaining ember with the twist of his heel. He could say the soft waters begin to fill Ivy’s eyes and the strong scent of pineapple began to waft around them. She was losing herself in the moment, as was her right to do. He was sad that he would not allow himself the same pleasure.

He wondered if maybe they would cross paths again the following night, there was a party after all. Still, Adam also knew what he would be doing at that party, the same thing he always did. He would be trying to satiate the demon inside of him, he would be seduced by the subtle glow of violence and he would fight tooth and nail to alleviate his boredom and find someone, anyone, that could challenge him. He yearned for it. He needed it. He wondered if Ivy had anything inside of her like that.

“Be seeing you, Ivy.”

The dark haired girl checked the time on her phone, she still had a few minutes to savor her smoke before heading into the stadium, so she stayed put. As the boy began to back away, though, she called out to him in an attempt to make him stop.

“Hey! You didn’t tell me your name!”

“I know!”

Adam called back and smiled as she reached out towards him, that was his second smile of the day. Once was a rarity, two times was something almost mystical. He wasn’t used to smiling; he didn’t hate it. Placing both hands in his pockets, the martial artist continued to back away from the cheerleader. As he slowly began to turn away completely, he yelled out to her once again. “You didn’t tell me yours. Weird huh?!”

Adam ushered himself into the stadium, feeling the moment slip away as his mind returned to its stable state of being. For one that seeks clarity, today had only brought him chaos and strangely….

It was the good kind.

Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP

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_{Location: Southern Plateau - Pacific Royal Campus}

Welcome Home #1.105: Smoke Signals

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_{Interaction(s): It's a collab folks! @Hound55}

Previously: Chasing Cars

Banjo snapped awake. His head dripped with perspiration, which hadn't just confined itself to his brow.

He looked over at Calliope who had managed to keep sleeping peacefully, despite his dramatic awakening. Banjo ran his hands through his hair, and over his ears, before pinching the bridge of his nose with his forefingers and letting out a deep sigh.

Again. Tonight of all nights. Another bloody nightmare.

Banjo pushed his frustration and rising angst down, and decided the best place to let it go was outside of the tent. No need to ruin her sleep as well.

Carefully he slid around her, planting one foot on the floor and lifting himself over her, watching her whilst holding his breath until his other foot safely found the floor.

Banjo rustled through his belongings on the floor, making sure his cigarettes and lighter were in his shorts pocket, before pulling them on and quietly unzipping the tent’s flap, unveiling the night’s sky. Outside it was spitting and threatening to turn worse, but he needed the open air so he walked out into the brisk open air.

A few strides away, he popped a single durry from his packet of Winfield Blues, and holding it in his leeward side, lit up, with a hand sheltering it from the weather. Taking a first deep drag, his mouth twitched, and he sniffed in agitation.

That’d be bloody right. A night away from one of those daft big beds, a night where I can curl up with Calli, and the bloody nightmares come back so I still can’t get a proper sleep.

It was infuriating. Just when all was right with everything else. Things couldn’t just go smoothly.

He sat on the grass and hugged his legs whilst the dart hung from his lip.

And the worst thing was, there wasn’t anything he could do about them, or properly explain it to anybody else.

Aurora had let herself toss and turn for a while, hoping sleep would wash over her like the waves on the shoreline, but it wasn’t looking like rest would come to her easily tonight. Her mind was restless, a jumble of thoughts that she had attempted to unravel to no avail.

She sat up and looked over to the other side of the dimly lit tent, watching as Lorcán slept soundly. The redhead admired him quietly, studying each slope and curve of his upper body, memorizing the lines of his tattoos, his scars. She imagined what it would be like to fall asleep in his warm embrace, tucked underneath one of his strong arms.

Sure, it was a little bit creepy to stare at him like this. But in her defense, it was the only opportunity she had to do so without anyone questioning her. But as she looked at him, her thoughts drifted back to the moment they shared earlier. The things he said, the way he made her feel, the fire in his eyes she hadn’t seen before. It was confusing, she was confused. She was also scared. Oh, so scared.

Maybe some fresh air would do her some good.

Silently, Aurora slipped on her shoes before ducking out of the tent. There was a noticeable chill outside in comparison to the warmth inside, and she shivered as she felt the temperature shift, along with the small drops of rain that had started to fall. It might have been late Summer, but the nights on the island ran cold. Well, at least by her standards - she was an Arizona girl, after all.

Popping back inside, she spotted her bag on the far end of the space, but it’d be far too loud to rummage through her things to find her sweatshirt; she couldn’t risk waking Lorcán up. She glanced to his side of the tent and noticed his hoodie was within grasp, laying on top of his backpack. The redhead picked it up, attempting to not make any noise and headed back outside. She’d apologize later for stealing it but something told her he wasn’t going to mind that much.

She pulled the sweatshirt on, inhaling citrus and smoke as she covered her head with the hood. She was practically swimming in the oversized garment, but something about it made her feel secure, safe. Aurora began to walk away from the tent and towards the cliff’s edge, but movement out of the corner of her eye made her stop in her tracks. She turned, spotting Banjo crouched down on the grass, taking a drag from his cigarette.

Seems she wasn’t the only one who evaded sleep.

The redhead didn’t hesitate to make her way over and sat down next to him, wrapping her arms around her bent knees. “Just one of those nights, huh.”

“Mmm. Another one.” He replied. He looked over at her and caught sight of the red of Lorcán’s hoodie and smiled to himself as he turned away and took another drag.

Good. Looks like those two cleaned up whatever was on his plate. He thought to himself. Curling and uncurling his hands to hopefully stop the shaking and jitters.

He turned back once he was satisfied he’d straightened himself out enough.

“I’d offer ya one, but you can’t out-jump the big ‘C’.” He showed her, before pocketing the pack.

Aurora shook her head, “You know I don’t smoke, Banjo,” She noticed the way he had moved his fingers a moment prior, seemingly trying to lessen the physical reaction of whatever had gone on inside his head whilst he slept. Although he tried to hide it, the motion didn’t get past the redhead; she knew how bad thoughts could manifest physically. “Calli still sleeping?”

“I know… but it’s that weird thing where it’s rude to not offer ya one, but at the same time I know you wouldn’t want one, and nor should ya. I’ve got a lot of things where it’s just going through the motions.” His hands gestured from side to side, as if directed by the path of social niceties.

“You know me… Always on the frontline battlin’ rudeness, fightin’ for social decorum.” He chuckled to himself at the absurdity of his own statement.

“And yeah. That she is. I take it Matchstick is too?” He took another puff.

The redhead couldn’t help but laugh softly at the nickname he had given Lorcán. “Like a rock.” She answered, holding her palm out facing upwards, feeling the droplets of rain hit her skin one after the other. “I’ve been up all night, never even fell asleep in the first place.” She glanced back at the blonde, a small smile gracing her lips. “And here I was all worried I’d wake him up.”

“Ahh… so not the dreams y’self this time?”

He thought for a moment. So something had wound her up then. Or maybe he was too quick to assume they’d ironed everything out.

“I noticed he took it pretty bad at the Assembly thing earlier today. But that all got straightened out earlier, didn’t it? So what’s on your mind, because you seemed pretty down earlier on over grub? Wasn’t going to say anything, because you looked like you didn’t want attention drawn to it at the time.” He asked, deconstructing what he’d seen throughout the day.

Aurora sighed, letting the sides of her mouth fall downwards, her grin turning into a more neutral expression. “You saw that, did you?” Just as she was observant, so was he. Out of all of her friendships, the one that she and Banjo had felt more familial than anything. They supported each other like siblings, leaned on each other as few others understood their common denominators. “We had an… interesting day.” To boil down the events of the day to one adjective was a vast understatement, but she couldn’t bring herself to elaborate at that moment. Instead she raised an eyebrow curiously.

“Can I ask you something?” She didn’t give him the chance to answer, plowing forward with her question before she lost the nerve, “Were you… scared to let Calli in? How did you know you were ready for that after everything?” There weren’t many others she could be candid with when it came to the subject.

“Ahhh.” He said in recognition, rocking back and drawing a second dart from the pack, before stubbing the first into a blackened palm.

“Doesn’t apply, I’m afraid. She was everythin’ I already wanted, I was just too afraid to ask. Fortunately for me, I didn’t have to.” He reminisced back to this same plain five years earlier.

“But yeah… because I probably wouldn’t have. Between you and me, I thought there wasn’t much point and I’d never have a shot, til it just happened.” He lit up the second, before snapping the zippo shut, pocketing it.

“Everywhere I bounced around, all the foster places, boarding schools, and such. Well, boarding schools tend to be single sex, or at least segregated in some way, so I didn’t exactly have a whole lot of experience with the fairer sex before I got here, and I never really stayed put in any one place long in the few places which were co-ed. And I was new, weird and wild. Didn’t exactly draw a lot of attention in that way, not that I’m aware of.”

“So here, with Calli? That was pretty new. I’ve never really been afraid to be myself, but.” He said, taking a draw. “I mean… I can’t hide me forever, so what’s the point in tryin’? So no. I didn’t have much fear in lettin’ her in once it came to that. All of my fear was gone the second the door was open. If you catch my drift. And she did that for me.” He shrugged.

“I got incredibly lucky.” He said, adding another puff to accentuate.

The redhead watched as the smoke from Banjo’s cigarette curled, only slightly visible in the air as the raindrops fell. She nodded slowly as she made an effort to internalize everything he had just spoken. It wasn’t the answer she was anticipating, she hadn’t expected the boy to feel that way about it all. Kids like them didn’t plant roots, it was too challenging to see them be ripped up over and over again. But hearing the blonde’s sentiments seemed like a small sliver of hope, should she choose to go down that path. Still, the voice in the back of her head piped up, “And now? Are you afraid that you’ll lose her just like you did the others?”

Banjo stuck his tongue in his cheek considering the question. Thought about who was asking it and why.

“I think sometimes I’m helped by the fact I’ve got no memory of them at all. Abandonment issues and all.” He said.

“Harder to miss what I don’t remember ever havin’.”

“Doesn’t help with these fuckin’ nightmares though.” He said, poking at his own head with a few hard taps. “I’m damn near certain it’s from something back then, but the memories… that time’s swiss cheese.”

“It’s frustrating, I can get everythin’ bloody right in my life. Everything going perfect, and I mean PERFECT right now. And then this bullshit happens again. And I can’t do anything about it, because I don’t know what the Hell it’s about.” Anger had rushed back to the surface, and his hands trembled slightly with agitation.

“And they don’t even make any sense to anyone to be frightened about, when I try to explain ‘em! But I’m terrified in them. I think it’s because I was there, and knew what it meant– but now it’s all just… Space. Empty space and residual terror. Faaaarked.”

He stopped and realised he’d deviated too far from the question.

“Shit… sorry for the self pity party. Nah, short of bein’ worried she could do much better and ditching me, I’m not too scared of losin’ her. And with the way she’s been talkin’ lately, even that’s been seeming unlikely.” He smiled, at the thought of the woman in the tent.

“I put in the effort. She puts in the effort. That’s the magic to it. Simple trick. And always think of it as effort and not work. Work’s a begrudgin’ thing. Effort though… Effort’s just give-a-shit. Effort’s just energy, at least to me. And I can get that whenever I care enough.”

“I catch m'self lookin’ at, or listening to her sometimes and–”

He pulled the smoke from his mouth and turned and looked at it for a while. His mind a thousand miles away. Before he caught himself and took another drag, before continuing.

“Well, I just can't see ‘give-a-shit’ ever bein’ an issue.”

Aurora knew that was where their stories deviated. Where Banjo had no memories, she had plenty, too many, of her past. She was in agreement with him that it was easier when you couldn’t remember and didn't have to think about what you never knew. Clearly, it was an issue the redhead needed to tackle on her own. She empathized with his nightmares, however. She knew how debilitating they could be, how helpless they could make you feel, especially when everything else felt in your control.

“Don’t apologize,” She placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, “I get it, truly. Just because someone else might not find it terrifying doesn’t invalidate your fear. It’s not the situation itself, but how the situation makes you feel. Anything is scary if you believe it to be.” Aurora explained, “Doesn’t matter if it doesn’t make sense in the traditional way.”

A small smile returned to her face as he talked about Calli. He was so in love, and it was obvious. The redhead was happy for him, for them, and glad that they had found each other. But the same envy from earlier crept up, now accompanied by the weight of what had happened in the tent with Lorcán. She could be as happy as them, if she tried. But the questions she had asked didn’t seem to have clear answers. Turning the subject back to him instead of continuing on with her inquiries, she nudged him playfully with her arm. “Sounds like you’ll be buying a ring soon, Banj.”

He smiled to himself, internalising the question. His mind raced through a half dozen ‘Get Rich Quick’ schemes he could run to pull some cash for a ring together. The smile turned to a smirk, and he took another drag before answering.

“Quite possibly.”

The line of questions. She’d been beating around the bush looking for advice to hopefully be of some help with Lorcán, of which he’d been able to provide all too little. Maybe summary statements?

“I don’t really remember my parents at all, but everything else since then is still solid. A lot of pain, sure. But while I didn’t feel hurt by being dragged around, yanked away from every place I’d been very soon after we’d just got there. It’s mostly because I just got numb to it. For the most part, I didn’t get too close to the other kids, figuring I wouldn’t be around long. Found my own ways to entertain myself along the way.”

“Bein’ numb isn’t a good or permanent solution, ‘Raw. And even if it were, I suspect it’s too late for that anyway, in this case. Let me ask you something. Hypothetical: Say the Foundation up and decided to segregate the entire school by sex tomorrow. Picked all us blokes up and whisked us away, made us form new class teams, and oh… you’re in Myotis and he’s Canis. The New team lunchtimes are set at different times, and they brought in a strict curfew at close of school every day.”

“How would you feel?” He’d smoked the second durry down to the filter, and so stubbed it out once again in a black palm.

“Because unless I’m very much mistaken… that’s your answer right there.” He reached into his pocket and shook the remnants of his carton. Only three to go. He thought better of saving them and pocketed the pack.

Aurora’s face fell as Banjo presented the scenario, the “what ifs” of it all popping in her head. But, her eyebrows raised back up in a panic as he mentioned teams, not having indicated otherwise that the questions had any relation to a specific person. It seemed like everyone around her today was picking up clues that she was not intentionally putting down - first Harper, now Banjo. Not to mention, the words that Lorcán spoke continued to bounce around her mind, which wasn’t helping her train of thought.

How would she feel? Like a piece of her was missing.

The redhead exhaled audibly, shaking her head. So much doubt clouded her judgment, even though the answer seemed simple and straightforward. “Hypothetically,” She looked back towards her tent, where Lorcán lay sleeping, the only indication she was willing to provide without uttering the words out loud, “It would be… difficult.” The rain began to fall slightly heavier, more noticeable in the evening air. “I don’t want to be alone again, Banjo.”

“So, if you’re scared of bein’ hurt… and you’re already at a stage where it’d hurt…” The rain had picked up, matted his hair some, and was running down his shoulders and back.

“Seems to me, you’re already takin’ the risk without reapin’ all of the rewards.” He rocked back and forth with his arms around his knees.

“Like I said, there’s your answer.”

“But that’s just the lawyer in me. ‘Never make a point you’re not willin’ to belabour.’” He offered a warmer grin, getting to his feet.

“Now hold back, I’ve got to get this crap out me lungs.”

His breath quickened and halted, and his body turned blacker than the night’s sky around them. A much smaller corona surrounded him, due to the lack of available light, and his flesh re-knitted. His lungs and system cleaned itself out, and his synapses flared and sparked out all of the effects of the nicotine. He held a few seconds before reverting back to his usual appearance.

Rain droplets had supercooled from the effort and turned to frost on his shoulders. He smiled, as his thoughts once again returned to the woman in his tent.

Aurora sat with Banjo’s words, letting them reverberate while he used his abilities to effectively undo the damage of the cigarettes he had smoked. He had a point, she had already taken the risk by forming the connection in the first place, which only added to her conundrum. But how was she supposed to know that their innocent friendship would turn into something more? It was too late now to save herself apparently. She was going to get hurt either way.

The rain continued, thunder looming in the distance. The redhead looked to Banjo, inclining her head towards his tent. “You should try and go back to sleep. There may not be hope for me getting some rest, but that doesn’t mean you can’t.”

“I reckon I might.” He said, looking back at the tent. If nothing else, it had been good to puzzle himself over someone else’s business, rather than dwelling on what was between his own ears. He’d originally planned to come out and analyze what he’d heard from Alyssa on the Foundation, but this had worked too. Probably saved him some smokes too.

“You should probably head on in as well. Seems this is pickin’ up, but I’m betting it’s a damn sight warmer in your tent, than here. Yours comes with a space heater.” He stuck his tongue out.

“I’d feel bloody terrible if you wound up comin’ down with pneumonia or somethin’ as well, on my account.” He reached a hand out to help her to her feet. “So head in and see ya tomoz?”

The corners of Aurora’s lips curved upwards ever so slightly. “That's why I keep him around.” She joked as she stood, sticking her hands in her front pocket and looking up at the sky, “Hopefully this storm clears through before the morning.” The girl took a few steps towards her tent before hesitating and turning back to the blonde. “Hey, Banjo?” She called back to him, “Thank you.”

Banjo unzipped his tent, and hearing ‘Raw's thanks, raised his brow. He hadn't anticipated there being any more to say. Deciding he'd rather not risk waking Calliope so close to his own tent he settled for a simple thumbs up, before stepping back inside out of the elements.

Aurora watched as the boy disappeared, walking a few strides in the direction she was supposed to be headed. But before she pulled the zipper of her tent, she stopped, taking a moment to simply breathe in the fresh air as the rain continued to fall around her. Just like the beach, there was something about the sound of water that soothed her mind. Letting her intrusive thoughts win, she tipped her chin upwards, the hood of Lorcán’s sweatshirt falling to her back as the droplets began to dampen her copper locks, curling the ends. With another deep inhale, she removed her hands from the hoodie and ran her fingers through her scalp. It was calming, refreshing, freeing.

With a slightly clearer head on her shoulders, she re-entered the tent, immediately greeted by the heat that seemed to radiate off of the boy as he slept. She peeled off his hoodie, draping it off the end of her cot to dry over the next few hours, and returned to tossing and turning once more.