Mirandae

Crestwood Hollow - A Superhuman Roleplay

@Prisk & @Aeolian would you two like an opportunity to resolve your scene before I move us forward?

@Lord Wraith

I can do it retroactively, as a flashback parallel to the main progression. So, it depends on what @Aeolian wants to do. I don't think the interaction will be long, though.

Crestwood Hollow - A Superhuman Roleplay

Boop. Checking in.

Crestwood Hollow - A Superhuman Roleplay

Whew, breaking the rules on the first day of school. Good start!

Crestwood Hollow - A Superhuman Roleplay

_{T h e L o f t}

---

The usual scenario of acceptance rarely involved Esther’s hyperhuman ability. Nobody would ever know about it unless she actively showed it. However, her other disability was always the arrow being shot in the dark. She never knew where it was going to hit or how hard. Most people were able to accept it, but there was always one or two that had difficulties with it. The bunch sitting all around her were no different. Esther did not have to read their minds. Their expressions said everything that she needed to know. The eyes, the lips, the eyebrows—all of it told a myriad of words in their own right. A prime example was Felix Brooks’ reaction. Esther had seen and heard it all before, but hopefully it would go away rather soon. She gave the boy a brief glance that amounted to nothing. There was no point in acting offended. Hopefully, the participants of this class would overlook Esther’s minor setback in everyday life.

The modest bickering between Marcus Weston and Noah Gallagher was slightly amusing. A few other students seemed to think so as well. Although, Esther mostly agreed with the teacher in that the comment was not productive. She was not quite sure yet what her position was towards comments or jokes about father figures. Memories of the dream the previous night occupied her mind for just a moment. However, Esther returned to the material world upon hearing the teacher speaking of the ‘Holocaust’ and the typical notes on equality. The things that Esther’s father had taught her about that war and those events were quite different from what most people said about it. She had seen memories that belonged to her grandfather, who had been there. Whether those visions were true or false remained to be uncovered, as Esther had never fully figured it out. Either way, the topic of Germany during that war always made her uncomfortable.

Luckily, the discussion was interrupted by the rather delightful appearance of Aurora Zhang followed by Benjamin Hope excusing himself. Esther eased down from the teacher’s additional question, as there were too many things happening at once. She did not have an answer, anyway. The only ‘rule’ that she knew was her own about not entering peoples’ minds at random to snoop around or speak to them. However, if there was something that Esther had to change, then it would be to forbid hyperhumans altogether. She would never say it out loud, of course, and she did not know how anyone would go about to make it happen. It just seemed that the last thing the world needed was another ‘kind’ of people to deal with. Esther knew too much about people who thought themselves better than others. She had grown to dislike them all, equally. The only difference now was that the ‘special’ people were objectively special. It was not based on some ancient race or decree by gods—it was real.

Moments later, an all too familiar surge hit Esther. Such was the nature of her curse that some of its aspects could not be ‘turned off’. They were sporadic and unpredictable. One of those chaotic elements was her increased sense of empathy. It had always been difficult for Esther to explain exactly what this higher form of that common human trait entailed. The best she could do was to compare it to a gut feeling—it was half psychic, half intuition. The psychic part of it was the one that she could not control. Esther could randomly tap into a person’s state of mind without also hearing their inner thoughts. This part of her ability made public places quite a challenge for her at times. Luckily, movement and distance played into the effectiveness of the empathy. However, this particular instance, this particular surge came from nearby and showed no sign of moving away.

Esther’s curiosity peaked. She discretely excused herself with a modest gesture to the teacher. Outside in the hall, Esther was met by a rather well built boy that seemed to be in a hurry. He did not even spare her a glance. It became painfully clear that he was the source of her empathy surge, as he passed her by. However, she did not have time nor courage to confront him about it, so there was nothing left to do other than return to the class. Just as she was about to turn around and head back, the surge hit her again—it was still there. Esther continued down the hall and halted for a moment to feel where it was coming from. She briefly closed her eyes and ventured into some unknown realm within her mind. Her hand stretched out to touch the outer door of one of the bathrooms. It was the boys’ room.

Much to her relief and horror, Esther found one of the students of the class in distress. She already had an idea of what had happened, but also wished not to pry any further. Esther’s motion was slow and graceful, extending a gentle hand to touch upon the boy’s arm. It was her signal to him of her presence. The expression on her visage was mellow, yet of worry and concern. Unfortunately, Esther did not have her notebook with her. She had left it on her seat back in class. The boy most likely did not know sign language, and there was no way for Esther to ask ‘the question’. At any time when she had to or wanted to speak to someone telepathically, Esther always asked if it was alright with that person. However, there were exceptions as there are to all rules. She hoped that he would forgive her.

“I’m so sorry to do this, but are you okay? What happened?” Esther’s inner voice echoed throughout his mind, yet her lips did not move.

Crestwood Hollow - A Superhuman Roleplay

Boop. Checking in. Lots of spare time coming up in the following days.

Crestwood Hollow - A Superhuman Roleplay

Boop. Checking in.

Crestwood Hollow - A Superhuman Roleplay

◼ W E E K 0 0 3: If your character was to get 'Freaky Friday'd in the IC, which other character would you want to end up body swapped with? What is your reasoning?

Hmm. I feel like I don't know all the characters well enough yet, not even my own, to answer this. It's a great question, but I have to answer it a bit later, further down the line. Or maybe I just need to think on it a bit more.

Crestwood Hollow - A Superhuman Roleplay

Boop. Checking in.

Crestwood Hollow - A Superhuman Roleplay

The chat here turned a bit quiet. Everyone alright?

Crestwood Hollow - A Superhuman Roleplay

_{F a t h e r ?}

---

Her eyes fluttered open. The scene before her was divine, yet ruthlessly alien. Shimmers of amethyst and cerulean drizzled from a sky of void. Modest swells of water caressed a smooth surface where her feet remained half sunk. A duo of immense astral bodies clad the canopy above her frame with matching hues of the glowing flakes all around. Esther tried her voice and to her horror, it sung with vibration and waves. In all of her dreams and imaginary spaces, imposed or natural, she was always able to speak as a normal person. It was a telltale sign. If all other visual and auditory evidence contradicted fantasy, Esther could simply try her deepest wish and if it came true, none of what her senses experienced were real.

But surely, there he was. The man stood a rock throw’s distance away from her on the darkened beach. Two years had passed since they last shared a reality together. Esther’s breath halted for a fraction of a second upon laying her eyes on him—her father—a surge of both fear and relief slashing throughout her veins. With an aroma of doubt and hesitation, she approached that long lost patriarch in awe and wonder, a thousand questions galloping through her mind with rumbling confusion and agitation. Yet, something seemed different about him, something seemed off and derailed from the usual. He was calm, collected, harmonious.

“How are you doing this?” Esther asked with a stern voice. She kept a watchful eye on the man, who slowly approached her. He did not appear to have any answer, as he just gazed on the brightly colored planets visible in the sky above them. “I’ll ask again: how are you doing this?” Esther said with a harsher tone. She was obviously not happy with his sudden reappearance in her life, but at the same time glad that he had not vanished forever. “It’s not over yet, pumpkin.” Sebastian finally spoke before the entire setting decayed.

✕ ✕ ✕

_{T u e s d a y M o r n i n g}

---

Esther was slow to wake. The morning routines were sparse. She always felt slightly groggy after deep dreams and hallucinations, mirages, illusions—whatever one could call them. The wobbly state of her consciousness and befuddled coordination were imposed by the distorted perception of time in such encounters of the mind. Some of the longer and more complex journeys of the subconscious her father had dragged Esther into seemed to have lasted for weeks or months, even if they physically occurred for no more than a few hours. However, and luckily, the brief encounter just moments ago had not felt as extensive.

Sounds of breakfast escaped from the kitchen downstairs. Esther’s mother, Lieselotte, or Lisa, always made sure that the youngling of the house ate before any manner of adventures. However, the matriarch was in a hurry as usual. She held a rather important position in a far reaching corporation, with one of its local branches in the city. Although, Esther was not quite sure what her mother did there, exactly, other than that it was something business-y. Eggs, bacon, toast, and orange juice awaited the young girl as she came striding into the ooze of the kitchen.

“I have to go soon,” Lisa said. She set the table with two plates, cutlery, and a glass. All of it was sparkling clean, of course. “Do you have everything that you need for today? Do you have money? Do you have your charger with you? Is your phone charged?” A thousand mom-questions came rolling out as she unloaded the frying pan and orange juice container, along with some ice cubs from the freezer. Esther calmly waited for her mother to even look at her after asking all the questions. It was as if the woman had forgotten that her daughter cannot speak.

“I have everything. Don’t worry,” Esther signed. Her expressions were a bit sloppy. But, then again, Lisa understood sign language perfectly by now. Usually, Lisa would accompany her daughter to new and old places in order to translate, if needed. However, this time Esther had specifically asked to try things on her own. Naturally, Lisa was a bit worried and nervous about it all, but she also knew that her daughter could express herself in multiple ways. “I will text you if I forgot something,” Esther signed before digging into the serving. Lisa hastily threw everything she could fit into the washing machine and turned it on, gave Esther a kiss on the cheek, and ran out the front door—“See you later tonight! Love you!” She shouted. It was a typical morning.

✕ ✕ ✕

_{T h e L o f t}

---

Most of the day was as it usually played out. Esther kept her earplugs in with music playing as much as she could. She listened to what the teacher had to say and avoided having to answer anything. She had kept herself as invisible as she could during breaks and during the morning chaos in the hallways. Esther felt rather sad about that poor girl, Stewart. She spent some time reading about it on her phone. Even if she had never met the parents, Esther could sympathize with their agony—no matter where they were. The thought of doing something for that family occupied her mind the entire day. Esther just did not know what she could do. She figured it was a matter for the police, not her kind. That was one of those issues that bewildered Esther. Was she supposed to uphold some kind of moral duty because of what she was? It was a difficult question for her. Perhaps she would learn the answer in the last class of the day.

Excitement or Fear—Esther was not sure which to feel. Perhaps there was a bit of both as she flowed into that crumbling space. She removed her earplugs as she sat down in one of the seats decorated with a passcard and syllabus. Esther made sure to tuck both items into her bag right away, lest she would forget or lose them the first day. However, she was quickly distracted by the humps of skin poking out of the ripped slivers of her tightly fitting jeans. Esther was not awfully self-conscious about looks, but there was usually a desk that covered her somewhat fleshy thighs. She discretely tried to cover her lap with her clearly oversized sweater—a dark texture with an Oktoberfest graphic on it. Trying to forget about her predicament, Esther had a quick look around at the other students that had already arrived, and those who were still coming in. Some faces were new, others were familiar. Most of them seemed to be seniors.

Esther kept a positive expression and listened to the teacher’s introduction with great focus. He seemed rather determined and firm—she liked that. The question was a bit odd, however. Esther understood why he asked it, but perhaps the way in which he asked could have been better. She thought that if someone was to be cursed, it would be a bit better if one could choose which curse to be afflicted by rather than to have it be random. But, usually, when people thought of ‘icebreakers’, they thought of things like someone’s favorite food, and not what kind of life-long curse they would like to have. Esther thought that it would, indeed, be cool to be able to turn into an animal, as the ginger girl said. The responses from the students began to break out. The next one came from a dark-curly haired female, who pointed out what was probably on everybody’s minds. Esther hesitated at first, but eventually felt the need to express herself to be greater.

She modestly caught their attention with a tiny waving gesture. A peculiar smile remained upon her lips, but never breaking free the radiant pearl resting beneath. Her hands began to sign out of instinct, out of pure reaction, but she interrupted herself right away. She was positive that none of those present knew sign language. However, at least everyone could guess that she was unable to speak in a normal fashion. Esther indicated with a fast gesture of a finger for them to wait just a moment, as she retrieved her notebook from her bag. She quickly wrote down what she wanted to say, and then she held it up so that they could read: “I think it’s like if you are going to be cursed, isn’t it better to be able to choose your curse?” Esther slowly put the notebook on her lap, awaiting a response from whoever that wanted to interject. During that small window, she pointed to herself and extended her arms as if she was flying. She mimed with her lips the words: “I would like to fly”.