Mistress Dizzy

Hopefully Sanctuary

Devika's parents exchanged a very brief, unreadable look. "Well, alright then. We hit the heavy stuff first, and then work our way to the food and games!" Tim lead the way through the already decent sized crowds, heading toward the rollercoaster that had been visible since they had arrived.

The Rockin Roller was a massive display of woodwork. The paint looked a little worn, but the main attraction was very much safe and intact. Screams of terror and delight came whooshing around the corner as they joined the line. Luckily not many people had made it that far back. They were getting strapped in within about ten minutes. Tim and Devika tucked their glasses away lest they be lost to the wind. Then the coaster started up. It whooshed. It swerved. It rose and dove. It was pretty damn good for a small-town carnival ride.

Mara was staggering slightly by the time they got off. "I just... need a second. The inner ear... very delicate." She leaned on Tim's shoulder, face a little wan. "The things I do for love. Devika. Never marry a coaster enthusiast. I swear that thing gets faster every year."

"Pretty sure it doesn't, Mom." Devika said with a chuckle.

Tiny and the Terminator [Mistress Dizzy & Shifter_Master]

Jinny was quite enjoying her lunch. At her old school, she had taken her lunches alone. It only bothered her sometimes. But this was brand new. Would they become true friends as the year progressed? She hoped so. Bee seemed super chill for an older girl. Gizmo was… honestly a little bit of an asshole? But the way his mind worked, it was hard not to like him either. By the time her phone buzzed, they were deep in conversation about movies and how they were super inaccurate. She took a moment to read. A roommate, huh? Maybe it’d be an opportunity for another new friend. Hopefully, they didn’t just suck.

Another student. But I promise to come visit, Otou-san.

She sent it quickly, paused, reread it, and had a flash of panic. She hadn’t meant to type that last bit. It had just come out of her fingers without routing to her brain.

She’d been thinking of him as a father for some time. Ever since they had gotten honest with each other about who they really were. Calling him “Dad” didn’t feel exactly right, because she needed a separation between him and her actual birth father. Otou-san fit, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t embarrassed about it. She wasn’t really his kid, after all. Maybe he’d overlook it, or ignore it? Hopefully he wouldn’t be mad. After staring at her blank phone screen for answers, she returned to the conversation. Something about Die Hard being bullshit, but at least exciting bullshit.

“So what’re the dorms like? Do you guys have roommates?”

The Sahasian Alliance

Jinayah was very pleased to meet Sulhana on the way to breakfast, before everyone else. Sulhana did not always tell the truth, but Jin would have known if the armor was a mistake by how smoothly she reacted to it.

“Oh yes, Father is going to have a royal conniption. I’m ready for it. I’m very tired of hiding myself.” She said with a prideful grin.

They fell into step together, heading toward the dining hall. When Hana said she’d pluck the princes’ eyes out for not finding her beautiful, she chuckled and shook her head. “It’s not about the beauty, Hana. It’s about the respect. Always has been.”

Then they entered, and she bowed to her father. “Good morning.” She did her best to keep a smirk from her face as she locked eyes with the man. There was a battle of emotions behind his eyes, at least the ones she could read. Surprise as he took in the armor. Confusion as this was not her usual male clothing. A sudden flash of anger as he realized where it would have come from. She almost saw his mouth make to open, but by the end, it did not. Perhaps if they hadn’t had guests, there would be an interrogation. Instead, there was a look of wan acceptance, and then distraction, as Jin finally settled at the table with a polite clanking of metal.

Sulhana had given her pointers on how to read people’s faces years ago. She said that those were the unspoken words, and that they often mattered more than what left the mouth. Jinayah had found this true. No one would outright say that she couldn’t do these things. But their expressions certainly hinted at it. It was worst around the older nobles. Most of the time, new courtiers were confused. Shocked. Scandalized, even. Funnier, some of the younger nobles seemed amused, or even pleased. Especially the daughters. She was used to all of it, but she wondered just what level of reaction proper armor was going to get her.

The princes were beginning to filter in now. She greeted Prince Vyarin with a little smile and nod. It seemed his Astalian had improved. Perhaps he’d studied even after the party? If so, good on him. Prince Erick was another story. She’d stopped him in his tracks – that, or the sun had. He did have quite a lot of wine last night. But she tilted her head in a very proud way as he too, sat.

Now all they needed was Prince Alvaro, who she had yet to really meet besides the polite introduction.

Star Wars: A Legend Reborn (Nobodyman123 and Mistress Dizzy)

Kijani went quiet, hand going to one of her dreadlocks to wind it around a finger. Adam had known her long enough to have spotted this tell, a sign of her nervousness despite any outward appearance.

“I missed you too.” She stared a bit at her shoes, then without warning, tossed her arms around Adam in a tight hug. “Probably more than I should have.”

She inhaled a shaky breath. So, this was nice. He was very warm, and she could feel his heart beating against her ear. The only real problem was that she probably stunk to hell, having been fighting for a solid 15 minutes through swamp muck and sweaty boots.

And perhaps the other problem was that her body had not consulted with her brain about being in Adam’s arms at all, and had made the decision without committee approval. Rather rude of her body, honestly.

She didn’t say anything for several moments, then: “...I smell like Dagobah.” And ever so reluctantly, she pulled back. “Sorry.”

Young Justice

Before the Conference:

As she and Ja split to check on the other teams, Kassy found herself dragging her fins, not wanting to see Dr. Bingley’s face again. She just couldn’t fathom how a human, even a smart one, could be so well versed in Atlantean politics and culture. He could be a fan of some kind – they had those. Sort of like Zach, most of them were harmless.

This was something different. This was like an obsession. It didn’t quite make sense.

Before she could really think more on it, the sub came into view. She opened the hatch and poked her head in. “Talon, Dr. Bingley, it’s all over. You can come out now.”

As the doctor grumbled quietly about interruptions to his life’s work and brushed past her, Talon grabbed her arm. His voice was low, but audible. “There’s something you should know.”

-
At the Conference:

Kassy’s mind was reeling. If what Talon had told her was true – and she had no reason to believe otherwise – Dr. Bingley was a very smart, very unhinged man. She felt sick to her stomach as the crowd seemed to lap up his speech.

And then he opened the case, holding up an innocent looking vial.

It was already real? This… thing, this genetic curse, it was right there.

There were about a hundred people in the room, including her teammates. So many people, so much potential for disaster. Yet – suddenly, none of them mattered. She had to stop him, no matter the cost.

Was this what it meant to be a true hero? Sacrificing everything for the greater good?

Even sacrificing yourself?

“Stop.”

The samples were being handed out already. No one seemed to hear her.

“I said, STOP!” Her shout carried clear across the room this time. That did it. Everyone seemed to freeze in place. Two hundred eyes stared her down. She swam toward Bingley and the other researchers, her eyes resolute.

“I can’t let you do this. I won’t.”

“What is the meaning of this?! What are you doing, Miss Mirage?” Bingley stepped in front of her, his eyes unreadable behind thick glasses.

“Stopping you. I won’t let those side effects hurt other people, innocent people, those who aren’t even here yet.”

She was trembling, but carried on. “This isn’t right, Doctor. My people haven’t done anything to deserve this. We aren’t dangerous. Just misunderstood.”

Bingley frowned, eyebrows furrowing. “Your people? What do you mean, your people? Wait a minute-” He wasn’t a fool, and quickly caught on to Kassy’s implication.

Kassy smiled, all teeth. “That’s right. I’m the one you’re looking for. Your genetic curse, your controversy.” She turned, pushing her white hair up from the back of her neck. A little mark lay there, always hidden by her curls. A single eye.

“YOU?! You’re a – a - ”

“That’s right.” Kassy spat the words out. “I’m who you want. I won’t let you go through with this.”

Bingley gaped, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. “I can’t believe it. My perfect test subject, right in front of me.” He reached for her for a split second, then yanked his hand back. Fear lit in his eyes. “Wait, wait – don’t you dare hurt me.”

Kassy shook her head, “Dr. Bingley, I am not dangerous. I’m just a person. I never asked for any of this!”

He wasn’t listening. His voice raised to a panicked pitch. “Guards, you heard what she said! She admits it! You know what she is, what she’s capable of! I demand she be taken into custody!”

“No, no! I’m not dangerous. Please, just listen-” Kassy shut her eyes, trying to keep her temper under control. She could feel her fists clenching. But she had to face this.

Bingley laughed, but it was a cruel sound. “I don’t have to listen to you. Guards!”

“Stop it, please!” Her ears were ringing as she reached for Bingley’s arm. He jerked back from her grip.

“You’re nothing but a sociopath. A menace to society, a dangerous beast. A siren!”

She had heard this before. How many times had her aunt used these same words? This same excuse, over and over again, to treat her like dirt. How many times would she hear them again? For a moment, she saw the same cold eyes, the same cruel smile. Dr. Bingley and Aunt Kristy could have been twins. All of the calming methods, all of the meditation, all of the times she told herself to endure, none of it mattered. It was never going to change.

Something snapped.

“I. AM NOT. DANGEROUS!”

Her scream carried across the conference room. Her irises got darker and darker, their brilliant orange filling into a dark, eerie fathomless black, like the eyes of a shark. Even the water around her seemed to warp, optical illusions twisting the eye of anyone who looked.

She trembled, her whole body taut with rage. Tears started to slide down her cheeks.

“Is THIS what you all fucking wanted?!”

Tiny and the Terminator [Mistress Dizzy & Shifter_Master]

Jinny absorbed the information about the pink haired girl, now a little bit more curious. The fact that Mikron said she’d accidentally killed other students didn’t go unnoticed. That meant she definitely didn’t want to be in the same room as this girl. “That’s… actually kind of freaky. Killing someone without meaning to, just with ‘bad luck’.” Her mind was already on the train of thought however, about how one would even go about quantifying ‘luck’. This Jinx probably had some probability-changing ability. The pink sparks were lucky to be there as proof of power – imagine if she could cause one of those cascading failures without any sign at all! She’d be the perfect assassin.

Most of that thought process ceased as they hit the cafeteria. The scents of various foods hit her nose, and her stomach growled in anticipation. After she got in line, she sent a quick text to her uncle. He probably wasn’t worried, but best to let him know. Hi! I think I made friends. I am eating lunch with them. See you later!

Once they were all settled at the table, Bee’s question took her off guard. “Ah. Um. My mom was an assassin.” It wasn’t the truth of the matter, but it wasn’t a lie either. She quickly stuffed her mouth with a big bite of taco, having sampled the Mexican line for lunch. Jinny just didn’t want these two to react like the pink-haired Jinx, and just want to be near her for what her uncle could provide. She just wanted to have people around her because they actually liked her. Whatever that would mean at this school.

“What about you guys?”

Hopefully Sanctuary

The weather was excellent for being outside, and Devika’s father had the windows down the whole drive. Devika had subtly requested it. Hopefully it would make Roxy more comfortable in the cramped car.

The amusement park venue could be seen from quite a while away. The top of the roller coaster came into view first, and then the Terrible Tower drop ride. The scents came next, popcorn, and sugar drifting through the windows. Wacky World came into view proper within a few minutes.

There was cheery carnival music piped through hidden speakers, and a small crowd already at the ticket line. However, since their tickets had already been bought, the group breezed through the gate.

The park was already busy, despite the early hour. Devika felt the strain against her and Roxy’s bubble. Luckily, most of the emotions were joyous, but even too much of that left Devika hyperactive and almost manic.

“Well, where would you like to head first?” Tim’s eyes were shining behind his glasses.

The Sahasian Alliance

Jin awoke in the morning with a mild groan. The morning sunlight was warming her skin, but it was also in her eyes. That light made her head start to throb, and she buried her head in her soft pillow for another moment more.

“Ugh.” Her mouth was dry and papery. While she had not participated in last night’s drinking contest, she was unused to the regular wine. She’d been drinking from the silver cups all her life up until yesterday, so the real stuff was both a pain and a pleasure.

After rising up and washing her face with the warm water the maids had provided, she did her usual stretches and pushups. It was important to keep the body limber. Sir Arnold was always fond of stating that ‘danger could strike at any moment’, to keep his knights on their toes. Jinayah always had this advice in the back of her head. Even though today was a different kind of battle, it would be good to keep it in mind.

Once she was done exercising, she rang for a bath and clothing. The maids showed up promptly, with steaming, perfumed hot water, and a selection of gowns. Jin frowned, and sighed. Sulhana’s words from yesterday were still ringing in her ears.

“Ladies, please send my armor off to be buffed and shined. I will be wearing it this morning.”

A silence settled in the room. The eldest maid spoke up. She was in charge of all the others who assisted Jin in the mornings. “My lady, are you sure about that? You will be expected to dress for the occasion, and-”

“Bianca.” Jin interrupted with a word.

“Yes, my lady?”

Jin smiled warmly. “I will be wearing the armor. It’s time to be me, instead of what other people think I should be.”

“But-”

The smile dropped. Jin’s eyes and voice went sharp, and she squared her shoulders. “I believe I issued an order, not a request.” Her royal bearing shone through, and ‘no’ was no longer a possibility.

“...y-yes, my lady! Right away!”

The maids went back into action, and Jin relaxed again. She hated to pull rank like that, but sometimes it was necessary to get her point across.

Hours later saw Jin bathed, brushed, and headed down the halls toward breakfast. The armor glittered in the morning sun, and fit like a dream. She stifled a yawn into her glove and wondered just what the reactions would be.

Star Wars: A Legend Reborn (Nobodyman123 and Mistress Dizzy)

Kijani nodded, though she was frowning. “I don’t know exactly how much I can go incognito. Unless you have a mask for me or something, someone is going to recognize this face. There aren’t exactly a lot of 6 foot women with dreadlocks walking around.” She thought deep as she walked, then snapped her fingers. “Maybe I don’t hide at all. Maybe I’m on Eskel’s arm, walking in like I own the place. As if the ridiculous engagement plan actually worked. That way I can make sure Eskel doesn't just get shot immediately. We just have to make sure that Eskel is calm enough to play nice for a while.”

She looked to him for his approval. "Then we sneak you in somehow, and get to the real work. I think that's a pretty solid idea."

Hopefully Sanctuary

I live again and I'm out of the fog cloud that has been my brain this last month.

Shall we jump to the park?