Not her Tears, Not her Smile

Virginia Paige - empath [afterapocalypserpg admin and member]

[zeldablaine-deactivated20171014]

Zelda paused when they got outside. The night was a pleasant one, airy and silent. She raised her head and took a deep breath, as if replenishing herself by the moon’s energy. She implored Virginia to open her eyes. 

Then the illusionist got to work. 

With a wave of her hand the once stagnant night came to life in a glimmering show. The myriad of stars were dipping and spinning, glittering in unison, as if caught in Zelda’s orbit. She commanded them to take shape. And shape they did, assembling into constellations, more countless than the mind could encompass. The Eagle swooped around the Big Dipper. Auriga commanded his celestial chariot. 

There was a dreamy quality to Zelda’s voice. “I can make more than just monsters.”

[thepathetic-empath-blog]

Virginia watched the illusions with awe, not sure of their reality but enjoying it all the same. She felt poorly for the students tucked safely in their beds below. They missed out on this wonderful joy.

Her heart leapt at the sight.

Virginia could not deny the mere physical attraction she'd felt at first glance of the girl. She'd experienced the same in many more before. But as she sat atop the roof, watching the stars dance above, the only thing more glorious was the smile on Zelda's face. It was, alone, bright enough to fill the night sky, so passionate to see. The question of something more tugged at Virginia's chest. She suspected only time would tell it's outcome, but she'd best the wait to discover.

"It's beautiful," she breathed, eyes lingering on her new friend.

[thepathetic-empath-blog]

Open Rp - Event 07/27/16

[zeldablaine-deactivated20171014]

“I think I can manage.” 

Zelda wasn’t sure about that. She was toned and deceptively strong in spite of her slight frame, but she certainly wasn’t a climber. The one time she climbed a tree in her youth resulted in a lost tooth and busted lip. But Zelda did not want to seem like a burden. 

She stared at the fence, silent for a moment. Well, she thought with an exhale, here goes nothing. 

Zelda released the other girl’s hand (grateful for Virginia’s brief touch, as it had comforted her) and approached the fence, getting a firm grip. The wrought iron felt cold to the touch. As Zelda climbed she wished silently that the Professor didn’t have such refined taste, as chain-link would’ve provided a better hold.

Zelda managed to dismount on the other side with little, to no bother. Her feet hit the ground with a thump. She waited for Virginia to join her, feeling almost proud of herself. 

[thepathetic-empath-blog]

Virginia smiled faintly at the girl on the other side. Her feeling of pride and Virginia’s own admiration swelled and bubbled in her chest for a unique effect.

“Showoff,” she teased, planting a firm foot on the iron bar. Hands grasped the bars above and she hauled herself over the ledge and onto the other side.

“Wish I could say the hard part’s over,” the empath began, dusting off the dirt from her jeans and face becoming serious again, “but the night’s just begun. I know a motel down the road. I stayed there a few nights before coming to Xavier’s. It’d be a good place to start. I figure if the kidnappers have these mutants, then they’ll have to keep them locked up somewhere.”

[thepathetic-empath-blog]

Virginia Paige - Pantone Aesthetics

Negative Traits

[zeldablaine-deactivated20171014]

Zelda agilely hopped off the counter. She held her cup in one hand, the other came to rest on her slender hip.

“Where’s the fun in just telling you?” Said Zelda, with a minx grin. “Come on. We’re going up to the roof.”

[thepathetic-empath-blog]

"The roof, huh?" Her grin turned mischievous in thought, though she couldn't nearly fathom what the experience might entail.

"Okay," she agreed. The smile Zelda displayed to Virginia was persuasion enough. She followed the other's lead up to the roof, closing her eyes near the end to help build up the surprise effect.

[thepathetic-empath-blog]

80'S Aesthetic - Virginia's Wardrobe

A look at Virginia's summer wardrobe, featuring items such as overalls and leather, finger-less gloves and all things better.

[thepathetic-empath-blog]

||Open Rp||

[theycallmemirage-blog]

It wasn’t easy to pull off as normally she only used it to get someone off her tail before letting it disappear. After a moment the double seemed to glitch before falling apart. “If I can get it to work without making me exhausted, certainly.”

[thepathetic-empath-blog]

It piqued Virginia’s interest to watch the second image of the girl appear. Then to watch it fade away just as fast, it left her mesmerized. She could recall more than one or two occasions where having a double might had been handy for her. Suddenly, her own mutation seemed even less than before.

Her lips twitched into a smirk. “What if you fed your double espresso shots by the minute? Would that help?”

[radioactivebanner-blog]

Jameson frowned, especially when his own ankle started throbbing as he sensed the girl’s pain. Taking a subtle breath, he rubbed his leg beneath his desk to coax himself into knowing it was in his head, that he wasn’t feeling it. Standing up, he wasted little time. “I can give it a quick look.”

[thepathetic-empath-blog]

“How kind of you,” she replied, her mood taking quite the toll with the condition of her health. She brought herself over the the other end of the desk, fumbling briefly before catching herself on the corner of it. She eased herself into a chair.

“Tell me the truth, Doc. Are you gonna have to cut it off?”

[shadcw-king]

“A boy scout? I used to be, believe it or not. I was six. Tough life, that was,” Niklaus joked lightly.

[thepathetic-empath-blog]

“No kidding? I was a girl scout up until fifth grade. Then I was ‘asked to leave’ because I made some of the other girls and their parents ‘uncomfortable’.”

[thepathetic-empath-blog]

“Hm? Oh yeah,” she responded, breaking out of her stupor. “On your left we have the gymnasium. Not much to see there, just a bunch of sweaty guys doing their best impression of a push-up. To your right we have the cafeteria. Lunch doesn’t begin for another hour or two but remember where it is.”

“Now, have you checked in with the Professor yet, dear Kay?”

[enamoredxangel-blog]

She took a mental note of both locations and nodded as they proceeded. “I guess sweaty guys is important…?” She tried to joke a bit with her to lighten the mood some. Don’t really think that’s working… “Maybe if you’re not too busy we can have lunch together, since we’re having such a grand time, right?” Though Makayla did want to keep peace and attempt to at least be positive acquaintances, there was a slight hint of sarcasm in there. “No, I haven’t yet. I got in touch with him before coming here, but you and I ran into each other almost the second I got here.”

[thepathetic-empath-blog]

Virginia held her tongue before telling Makayla what she really thought about the ‘sweaty guys’ in question. None was too nice, after all. Insertead, she pondered the possibility of eating with the girl. Giving a weak hum, she left her answer up for interpretation.

“Lucky me,” she murmured, ill intentions coming slowly to a fade but the disposition still flowing strong.

“I guess we’d better get you there now. Not long and he’ll be transmitting a lost student call to half the building in search anyhow.”

[thepathetic-empath-blog]

Open Rp - Event 07/27/16

[zeldablaine-deactivated20171014]

“All right.” She said, exhaling. Zelda had not thought to change out of her shorts, and her bare legs were now goosebumped in the chill of the evening.  

“But we’ve got to play it cool.” She demanded. “Two teenage girls wandering around at night, asking weird questions about dead mutants…We’re going to look suspicious. And the last thing we need is to cause a scene.”

Zelda surveyed the deserted lawn. Nothing stirred. Dead silence. She knew they shouldn’t linger outside the mansion for long, lest someone should discover them. 

“Let’s go.” But she was already on the move.

[thepathetic-empath-blog]

“Relax, we’ll be fine,” she replied dismissively, though she agreed wholeheartedly with the girl’s position. The last thing they needed was to cause a scene indeed. Virginia had no illusions about her mutation. It was neither offensive or defensive most times and would not be good in a fight tonight. To make matters worse, her hand to hand combat was only at the start.

At best, she would have to endure pain before she could transfer it back out.

Virginia followed Zelda close behind before matching her pace. At what seemed an agonizing pace, they two crossed the stretch of green. Along the way, Virginia had laced her hand with Zelda, afraid they might get separated. It was dark, and she would be up in arms if she let something as insignificant as the night get between them and their mission.

Finally to the gates, she turned to lock stares. “We’ll have to hop the fence... Do you need a lift or can you make it over?”

[zeldablaine-deactivated20171014]

Zelda smiled at the other’s praise. “I certainly try.” 

She gazed back at the hazy moon, absently eating the marshmallows right out of the bag. Then she had an idea. Looking back at the other girl, there was a bewitching twinkle in Zelda’s eyes.

“There’s something I want to show you.”

[thepathetic-empath-blog]

Virginia arched a groomed brow, but nonetheless left herself open to the possibilities of what this ‘something’ might be. This place was full of surprises, left and right, and if the night so far was any indicator, she doubted she’d be let down.

She took another sip from her mug and swallowed it hot.

“And what would that be?”

[thepathetic-empath-blog]

Open Rp - Event 07/27/16

[zeldablaine-deactivated20171014]

“I said I’d come.” Zelda frowned. She wasn’t fond of the tone Virginia had taken with her, but understood that the girl was lashing out. She was bitter, on edge. Hell, they all were. 

Professor X had convinced everyone that they were safe. Maybe at the mansion that was true. But Zelda knew that if given a reason – and surely Apocalypse was reason enough – people would be quick to ostracize and harm the mutant community. She had seen it happen to her own mother. One should never underestimate the human propensity to hate things they can’t – and refuse – to understand. 

Zelda could feel herself coming unhinged, an alien distress she had felt during a childhood trauma, the “witch” incident. She heard her own heart beating, pound, pound, pound, like the sound of a military drum. She could turn back; she could hide. But what was the use? Two mutants had died. Two. And if Virginia knew a way to do something about it, as she claimed, well…Zelda couldn’t possibly ignore it. 

“But I’d feel a whole lot better about it if you’d just tell me what the plan was.”

[thepathetic-empath-blog]

Virginia sighed softly to herself, hoping not to let her uneasiness show. This was why she had brought the other girl along, to keep her level-headed, ask the questions that would keep her on the straight path.

“We’re just going to go around town and ask if anyone knows anything about the deaths. Maybe we can figure out what the cops couldn’t. Not that I think they tried their best anyway.” Virginia knew her plan was flimsy at best, but she couldn’t just stand back and do nothing, not while the killers were still out there. It wasn’t in her nature.

“I promise we’ll be back before the Professor even notices, Zelda.”

[zeldablaine-deactivated20171014]

Zelda put a generous heap of marshmallows into her cocoa. “Wasn’t my first rodeo. But thank you.” She briefly recalled the incident at the group home, the initial nightmare that inevitably brought her to the mansion.

Things aren’t much different now, she thought and immediately dismissed it. But they were. They are. She had friends and stability. A sense of direction. If only that were the extent of her problems. 

“I think there’s different ways to be brave.” She commented, a sudden clarity in her voice. “Sometimes just getting out of bed in the morning can be this astounding act of bravery…it’s all relative.” She took a sip of her drink. “I have to constantly remind myself that.” 

[thepathetic-empath-blog]

Virginia hadn’t yet considered that. There were many days that she didn’t consider herself brave at all. But if such a thing could lead to bravery, perhaps she would allow herself such a feeling. She nodded in response, pulling out a few marshmallows for her own mug.

“True. You have a really good way of looking at things, you know?” Virginia smiled at that, liking the positive effect this girl had on her outlook.

She briefly wondered how her life would have turned out if she’d had such an influence earlier in her days.

[thepathetic-empath-blog]

She led the girl down the start of the hall, avoiding the few lingering students that had grown late for their studies.

“Virginia,” she answered absently, her mind wading through possibilities. Should she show the new student to the basement and leave her there to find her way back up? Or should she guide her to the boys dorms and leave her there sputtering? She wasn’t known for typically being so malicious, but with the day she’d been having, this single event had been enough to push her over the edge. She felt it garnered means for some retaliation, as misguided as it may be.

[enamoredxangel-blog]

Makayla tried to take in the surroundings best as she could, as she was whisked away by Virginia. She had a bad feeling about this little ‘tour’, but she wanted to give her new acquaintance the benefit of the doubt. She signed inwardly as she continued to be dragged along. “Don’t tour guides typically speak and explain things as they go along…?”

[thepathetic-empath-blog]

“Hm? Oh yeah,” she responded, breaking out of her stupor. “On your left we have the gymnasium. Not much to see there, just a bunch of sweaty guys doing their best impression of a push-up. To your right we have the cafeteria. Lunch doesn’t begin for another hour or two but remember where it is.”

“Now, have you checked in with the Professor yet, dear Kay?”

[radioactivebanner-blog]

“Are you here for an appointment or something? I haven’t gotten everything set up quite yet.” Jameson muttered as he rummaged through his desk, looking for files and papers he swore he put down somewhere. 

[thepathetic-empath-blog]

“Bummer. I was really hoping you could help with this,” Virginia spoke in reply, limping into the room and out of the doorway. She hissed in subtle pain as her ankle dragged softly against the carpeted floor. It seemed a minor injury, that her mutation had picked up from another student, but she didn’t want to risk it being sprained or something alike without seeing the man about it first.

[thepathetic-empath-blog]

Open Rp - Event 07/27/16

“Look, you’re either coming with me or you’re not,” Virginia snapped, eyes a vicious shade. With the events of this month, she had no other reason for them not to be. The hurt that she felt from the mutant community was masked almost fully by the resent and vengeful emotions she shared with the school. They fueled her own desire to strike back. Tonight she was going to sneak out after curfew and track down a lead, a clue, something that would give her mind rest to the unanswered questions before her.

But she didn’t want to do it alone. Brave as she was, it did little to assist her in her endeavors. One mutant was clearly not enough to spark this revolution.

[zeldablaine-deactivated20171014]

Zelda didn’t respond for a moment. She was just staring at the moon. 

“You’re very brave.” She said finally. And that was true. The world could be a cruel and dour place for a mutant, and Virginia seemed to take it all on the chin. Zelda liked her for that. 

She casted a warm look at the other girl. She appeared inured, yet casual, her hair prettily mussed. Zelda reached for the marshmallow bag and reaffirmed: “I mean it.“

[thepathetic-empath-blog]

Virginia felt her cheeks turn a pink tinge at the other’s words, not accustomed to sincere praise as such. She wanted to deny the accusation but felt it may do little more than incur another. So instead she settled on simple thanks.

“You’re pretty brave too, you know? That thing from earlier? I could see it.” Virginia pulled her arms around herself and searched for the right set of words. “It was so... dark, but you woke up to it and handled it so easily.” Like she’d done so many times before. “That’s gotta mean something for bravery.”