Eilidh was regretting the dangling, golden, butterflies on her mask just a wee bit. They were really cool, there was no argument there, but they were doing a fabulous job of getting in the way. Who knew how violently they might swing across her face once she was ready to tackle the dance floor? Still, it was a distraction. It was all a distraction, really. Vanguardia might have moved forward since the aptitude test, but its after-effects hung in the air around them. Eilidh so desperately wanted to forget about it. At least, for tonight.
"Oh, hey! Hi, stranger. You look amazing, oh my gosh. Um, sorry, anyway - do you know where the drinks are?" @vanguardiastarters
Lyndsy had been looking forward to the aptitude test since she had found out about it. As far as she was concerned, it was an opportunity for her to show off without the eyes of other students on her. The professors would be able to see what she was capable of without anyone resenting her for it, and that would do wonders for her future career. So, when the simulation shifted, she hadn't been prepared. Lyndsy didn't really have one specific traumatic event for her mind to latch on to in this moment. What she had was a collection of memories reminding her of everything she strived not to be; every time she disappointed her parents, every time they paraded her around like a circus act, the friends she almost had before they realised she was insufferable, the attitude of believing she had been better than them. Everything she had ever hated about herself, laid out before her in full technicolour.
It took her a moment to realise when something had shifted, but the blaring car alarm was enough to tell her that she wasn't in her own memories anymore. Was she still in the simulation? Lyndsy started walking towards the car, when she noticed the body on the ground and released a gasp. Eilidh. She picked up the pace, running over to her instead of the car, and dropping to her knees beside her. "Eilidh? Eilidh, are you okay?" Despite the years that they had both been in Vanguardia, Lyndsy hadn't spoken to her old friend until now, and even in a situation like this, she struggled. "Can you move?"
Lyndsy. "Lyndsy?" Eilidh would recognise her voice anywhere. Against her every instinct, she lowered her hands and met her eye as she kneeled in front of her. She'd opened her mouth, but nothing came out. This had to be some sick joke, right? A cruel prank. A terrible twist of fate. Here they both were, alive, while the memory of their friends' last night wailed in the background. Lyndsy, who hadn't been there that night. Lyndsy, who they had fallen out with over her perfectly insufferable power. Lyndsy, who didn't know what had happened to their childhood friends. Hannah. Callum. Morgan.
"I'm okay," she answered at last, her palms stinging - but this wasn't real, right? "I'm okay," she said a little louder, but her voice still shook. She balled her hands into fists briefly, before reaching out to touch Lyndsy's shoulder. "I can," she nodded, struggling to her feet as a new panic rose in her chest. She didn't want Lyndsy to see this. It was one thing to confess the terrible truth to her, it was quite another to do so at the scene of the crime. "We- We should get out of here."
( madison pettis, cis woman & she/her. ) LEARNER'S FILE #030202 : EILIDH MACDONALD is registered as a THIRD YEAR student, age TWENTY3, training and refining their power(s) of TELEPORTATION under the institute's programs. evaluations describe them as ADVENTUROUS, ECCENTRIC, and FICKLE, highlighting strengths and areas for improvement. academic records indicate both potential and dedication, and their performance continues to be monitored to ensure compliance with institutional standards and preparedness for real - world application of their abilities. ( PAIGE, SHE/HER, 29, GMT. )
RP Tag / Pinterest / About
Who Is Eilidh?
Name: Eilidh Lauren MacDonald
Pronouns: She/Her
Hometown: Pitlochry, Scotland
Power: Teleportation
Occupation: Third year student studying Readings in Gifted History and Uncanny Sciences (majors) Martial Conditioning, Applied Metahuman Physiology and Performative Arts (specialised)
death tw, car accident tw
Background ☆ | ⋆｡°✩
Eilidh grew up with a tight-knit group of friends who she loved with her whole heart. Hannah, Morgan and Callum might not have been perfect, but Eilidh thought they were. They were so special to her, they were the foundation of her entire existence. They were her world. Hannah. Morgan. Callum. And Lyndsy. Lyndsy who was so good at everything, so talented, and so irritating... at least, that's how the rest of the group voted when they froze her out. In hindsight, that was the best thing that could have happened to her.
As a kid, Eilidh was weird and you know what? The weirder, the better! She was obsessed with mythology, conspiracies and the stars. She loved learning about everything she could, especially myths, legends and magic. She loved to play make believe, to draw her wild creations and dream of endless possibilities.
There's no one sweeter than Eilidh MacDonald. Her heart has always been wide open, her smile brighter than the sun, and she's always chosen to see the good. She has a bright and unwavering spirit, and she's always brought good vibes to the function!
Eilidh's life was pretty much perfect, you know? She was 17, riding in the passenger seat of her best friend's car, singing her lungs out and laughing until her stomach hurt. It had been raining, but what was new, right? She didn't see it coming, didn't even think... until it was too late.
The car was a wreck. There were no survivors. Except Eilidh. She didn't know what had happened then, how she had survived, but it became apparent pretty soon. Hannah, Morgan, Callum - they were all dead. And Eilidh should have been, too. But she had teleported from the car without meaning too. She didn't mean to.
The aftermath was a blur, but it didn't take long for their small community to start whispering and pointing fingers. Why had Eilidh survived? What did she do? Her parents used the influence they had at the time to squash most local news stories, burying this small town tragedy as best they could. They had to leave after that, though, and Eilidh was quickly shipped off to Vanguardia. Out of sight, out of mind, right?
At Vanguardia ☆ | ⋆｡°✩
To cope, Eilidh turned to daydreaming. She buried herself in anything and anywhere else, letting her mind wander and pretending like everything was okay. Fake it 'til you make it, right? If she believed she was still the happy-go-lucky girl she'd always been, then she was. Of course, she wasn't left unscathed, but no one had to know about that.
Eilidh would later make an effort to make friends - not best friends, not like her childhood - and fill her hours with noise. She wanted to talk, to dance, to sing off-key and maybe indulge in one too many tequila shots at the weekend. She wanted to hold onto the person she was. The person she is.
She doesn't open up about her history, really. She has a power so she's at Vanguardia, end of story. And besides, not everyone has a tragic backstory... even if they totally have a tragic backstory. Eilidh tries to focus on the present because if she's learned anything, it's how fleeting it can all be.
Additional Info ☆ | ⋆｡°✩
Still a giant weirdo and cutie patootie! Will talk your ear off about folklore and fairytales, strange and unusual creatures. If super-humans are real, what else is, right?
An Aquarius, sunshine baby, always smiling, always happy to have fun! Will do anything to keep her brain busy.
An artist, painter specifically, often has a smudge of paint somewhere.
Can't keep a plant alive to save her life.
Wanted Connections ☆ | ⋆｡°✩
Friends - lots of friends!! Friends who nerd out together, friends who go dancing 'n drinking together, friends who do karaoke duets together, friends who gossip, friends who kiss... bring 'em on!
A grumpy storm cloud - all sunshine babies need a grumpy storm cloud(s) to help balance them out. Let Eilidh pester you to have fun or hang out, or let's get paired up together or get stuck in a locked room. May they either love or hate to see her coming!
A sparring partner - someone for these lil fists of fury to train with (sexy tension optional, lol!).
Situationships/flirtationships/exes/crushes - the usual shenanigans we love to see!
'Take a drunk girl home' - your muse helped Eilidh home/held her hair back/tucked her in/heard her confess something sadTM about her past, and they've definitely not talked about it since.
There was no reason for Eilidh to believe that this aptitude test would be any different from the training she'd had these past few years. They wanted to see how everyone would manage in a high stress situation, right? Dodging obstacles was easy-peasy for her, and she wasn't afraid to throw her fists up, either. She was ready for anything that came her way. And, besides, none of it was real.
Truly, her famous last words. The shift was jarring as Eilidh suddenly felt the gravel under her palms and tasted the blood in her mouth. The air was cold, the road slick with rain water. The feeling of foreboding was undeniable. She laid there, face down in the road, scared to move - scared to breathe, even - because this was all too familiar. Almost six years had passed, but she couldn't forget this night, no matter how hard she tried. The air came pouring back into her lungs, then, as she coughed and spluttered her way to her knees. The glass had cut her palms, the sound of the car alarm was wailing, and she knew that if she looked behind her, her whole world would end again.
Hannah. Morgan. Callum.
"This isn't real," she whispered to herself, covering her eyes with her hands. This was a nightmare. @l-yndsygutierrez
