at this rate of earth decay —

[evite]

WHO: daisy johnson & anyone who wants to come by!
WHERE: the underground caves
WHEN: september 7 and onwards
WHAT: powers training!
WARNINGS: a little sexual content (heed the subject lines)
OOC NOTES: want to sign up for a session? feel free to pm or have your character sign up on the network here!

[ for those that have lingered in the city for a few weeks, the pin and follow-up directions provided should lead to a familiar destination. for newer arrivals, daisy offers to meet them outside; she shows them the marked door, drawing the pattern on the back of their hand with her fingertip, encourages them to remember this space without photographs or writing it down. the neural networks and inboxes aren't entirely secure, and though the city administration hadn't bothered to crash the big party, there's no need to risk putting them all on some fbi-equivalent list for favoriting an illicit meeting space.

nowadays, the rusted door seems a little more apropos to hush-hush superpower school than a cave rave, and the twisting tunnels offer much appreciated privacy for this most personal of classes. with the insomniac's ball now well and truly over, the rooms that had once been flush with people are now empty, devoid of life or even physical evidence of their visit, leaving them all as options for training space. daisy's claimed a space near the western edge of the tunnels for training purposes — a small collection of gathered LED lanterns lay around the perimeter of the room for light, a box of questionable first-aid kit supplies "borrowed" from the safehouse lay tucked in a corner, and her own jacket spools out across the floor where she sits cross-legged, waiting for any due arrivals.

let's have some fun, shall we? ]

♪♩♫

Comments

REY.

[evite]

[ friday it is. early morning serves as late night with the flip-flopped new amsterdam hours, the pretty flush of color creeping into the sky by the time daisy leaves work and makes her way underground. it's a relief, honestly; this far under the surface, the rock walls are cool to the touch, any hot air long since seeped back up through any cracks and crevices.

daisy knows rey is probably still a little irritated with her, thanks to her network shenanigans with a man who she can only assume is rey's most special of friends (with or without benefits) — but she also knows the other girl wants a handle on her powers. so she hopes that rey will still come, despite personal frustrations.

in any case, she dressed cute for her, so it'd be a bummer for the outfit to go to waste. ]

[forcevisions]

[ She's ... annoyed.

It's easy to forget about it when she's lost in her mechanical work, an unexpected call (at this point, it really was rather expected — she's working more because of her unpredictable hours and she'd known to warn Daisy the likelihood that she wouldn't show) that pulled her across the city. Mechanical work is engaging, freeing, focused. A problem to solve that doesn't leave her too wrapped up in her head because it takes her whole brain and her whole body and afterwards she's too tired to think.

It's perfect for someone who's been abandoned, again. Who has to spend every day wondering where her friends have been taken and feel stupid and powerless as to get them out. Who has just been forced to actively think about the fact that she's allowing that loneliness and fear to push her closer to Kylo when she'd been determined to keep a healthy distance until he figured himself out.

It's not Daisy's fault, of course.

But the job takes too long to complete and by the time she gets to the caves, she's late. Not intolerably late, but closer to a half hour than ten minutes. She's breathing hard, though, like she hurried to get there, and she's still in her work uniform. ]

I know. I'm late. [ She starts pulling off her work jumpsuit. Unzipping it reveals more normal clothes underneath, protected by the fabric. She muscles off her boots. ] It's not because I don't want to do this. I promise.

[evite]

[ if it was a meeting for pizza or for casual drinks after work, daisy probably would have gone home. she could do those things any time, after all, and rescheduling wasn't that big of a deal. but this isn't just drinks or a meal or a movie — and she knows, more importantly, that rey wants to do this. she wants control over her powers as much as daisy had wanted control of her own, and there weren't many options for mr miyagi mentorship on the market these days.

so: she waits. she entertains herself with stupid videos on social media feeds and the future equivalent of a buzzfeed quiz (or ten), and by the time rey comes careening around the corner of the caves, daisy is complacent enough to not even mind the gap. ]

It's fine. [ a shrug, words said in a light-hearted tone, as she peels off her jacket and deposits it in a pile near the wall. ] Don't beat yourself up about it.

[ though... ]

Do you think it'd help if I yelled at you, though? You tell me, they're your powers.

[forcevisions]

That depends on how scary you are when you're yelling.

[ She piles her work jumpsuit in the corner, barefoot and rubbing the back of her neck, where sweat has gathered. Beneath it, she wears the skintight athletic-wear of New Amsterdam, all light grey and ribbed. She takes up stretching immediately, as if this were a physical endeavor. She isn't very good at removing herself from the physical. ]

Mortal danger seems to do it. [ A beat. Her expression scrunches, thoughtfully, ] Or a lot of anger. Is that not what you were going for, before? [ With the texting. ]

[evite]

What, on the network? [ daisy laughs, as if rey had been joking; after a beat or two, she realizes the question is more likely serious, and the laughter stops abruptly. ] No, I was just teasing.

[ not... literally. ]

Your boyfriend doesn't actually have to send me dick pics, Rey, I thought that was kind of obvious?

[ this isn't why they're here but it's apparently now being discussed. ]

[forcevisions]

He's not my —

[ She clamps her jaw shut to stop herself from what sounds like an overeager denial. No. It's not even remotely persuasive when she's so immediately incensed by the discussion of it. Even Rey, an infant in all things social, knows that. She huffs out a breath. ]

... It's not like that. [ Which doesn't really explain anything, but it establishes that she doesn't necessarily want to explain anything. She approaches Daisy then, softer and eager to move on: ] I can tell you what I've done, if that will help.

[evite]

[ oh? it's not? because every sign in the freaking universe points to "this is a tetchy and uncomfortable topic", which means rey's hackles are going up, which means she's about to get emotional.

which, in turn, means it's exactly the kind of bullshit that would normally trigger an outburst of unrefined inhuman abilities. daisy's willing to bet good money that'll be the case here too. ]

If he's not your boyfriend, you want him to be. [ a brow lifts, challenging; there's no denying her choice to ignore rey's attempt to resteer the conversation. ] I'm not blind.

[forcevisions]

I don't want Kylo Ren to be my boyfriend.

[ Just the word feels petty coming out of her mouth. There's some exasperation to the way she frames it, too. No one could possibly want Kylo Ren to be their boyfriend, and if even one of them knew what he'd done, they wouldn't be — ... salivating. That's what she settles on.

But Daisy's pushing does prompt some unpleasant self reflection. It's true enough, what she's said — she doesn't want Kylo Ren. She can't even frame it in past tense, say she doesn't want him to be anymore now that he'd hurt her and lashed out and refused her because it had never been about Kylo Ren.

She'd wanted — and still does want — an ideal. Ben Solo, the Jedi. Ben Solo, the son of Han and Leia, the heir to the Skywalker legacy, soft and understanding and comforting and compassionate. Ben Solo who'd been in that hut with her that night on Ahch-to.

So she shakes her head a little to dismiss the thought and knowing Daisy won't just let it go, follows up with: ] You're simplifying it. You don't know what you're talking about. Just leave it.

[evite]

Don't do that. Don't just run away from the conversation because it's not what you wanna hear.

[ pot meet kettle, but this is the point. push someone to the breaking point, push them past their own self-control, until raw instinct comes out. that's when abilities break to the surface in pure self-defense, and that's why they're here. ]

Talk about it. If I'm wrong, tell me I'm wrong. Prove it.

ILLYA.

[evite]

[ he doesn't get a choice. that said, she doesn't think he really needs one. would he say no? probably not, so why offer the choice? in any case, she sends him a pin for just outside the maintenance room mid-way through her work day, casual as anything; in the next message, a question about what he's hungry for. italian? french? questionable pan-asian takeout?

later in the day, as she's heading out: what does he think about the current roster of options at the movies? sure, there are the vr simulators and the neural film stock to choose from, but they're a little old-fashioned in preference. there's something to be said for the retro movie theatre in town, the one that promises a true "old americana" experience with seats that recline just a little bit too much and buckets of popcorn that are both too big and not nearly seasoned enough. excess and disappointment, all in one.

she doesn't wait for him to arrive, though. that'd be too — something. formal, maybe. too much of an implication of togetherness, perhaps. no, daisy opts to wait in the room itself, leaning up against the cool stone walls, cropped hair brushed back out of her face. ]

Re: ILLYA.

[kgbs]

[ throughout the day, he gets messages from her. a location, a question about food, a question about a movie and he answers them straightforwardly enough, not even really thinking about what he's doing. it is not the first time she's asked him these so, while not routine, it's not out of the ordinary.

once he's finished with most of what he'd planned to do, he goes home, showers, changes into something casual (for him) and makes his way to the location she'd sent him earlier.

she is, of course, not waiting for him but illya expected nothing less. that was...a little too noticeable perhaps (or maybe that is not the right word) so finding her not there is not unexpected. he slips into the room, eyes falling on her quickly enough. instead of saying anything, he comes to lean beside her, arms crossed over his chest. ]

Very comfortable spot you have chosen.

[evite]

[ how clever of him to notice. and to mimic, in the way that a stodgy old man crossing his arms can mimic anything at all, looking incredibly uninterested in the opportunity he's arrived for. ]

Yeah, well, the Four Seasons was all booked up, so here we are.

[ not that a ritzy hotel was really the kind of place to do training on powers people weren't in control of yet, but that's neither here nor there. what is important is getting started — so with an energy previously reserved for kindergarten teachers and zumba instructors, daisy pushes herself off the wall, clapping her hands together in front of her face. ]

Alright, [ alright, alright, echoed with increasing levels of fake cheer ] Let's do this thing.

[ poor illya. ]

Tell me what we're dealing with. What's your weird power look like!

holy shit i never got this notif

[kgbs]

It is not weird.

[ it was just confusing and sometimes a little out of control. and he wanted to be careful with it because he knows he gets angry easily and he knows that might cause him to be out of control at the worst possible moment. ]

It's tied to anger. [ and while he would demonstrate, he really doesn't want her to make him angry. ] When I get angry, I get more powerful. And I've put holes in walls and doors and people.

[ it was the simplest way to explain what he could do. ]

[evite]

[ that suits him, doesn't it? anger, bubbling hot beneath the surface, making demands of physical exertion to satisfy the primal rage within? it's the sort of cartoonish superpower she'd expect in a comic book — not exactly the sort of thing she associated with this place yet, but daisy was slowly coming to the realization that everything was likely here. everything and nothing. ]

You've put holes in people. [ not questioning. just... reiterating. pointing it out. ] Well, that's probably useful, but it's also terrifying. I'm guessing you can't control yourself when you get mad then?

[ if he had it under control, he wouldn't be here. or maybe he would, but likely not for training purposes. that wasn't very likely, though — was it? ]

[kgbs]

Sometimes.

[ a lot of his control depended on the situation, the people involved and his surroundings. if he was in the ring, he was typically under control for the most part because he was able to tell himself that those were not fights to the death.

but, if the anger stemmed from someone thinking they could try and mug him or get in his face about his accent, then the anger was a little harder to control. ]

There are certain things that are triggers, I assume. Certain areas of my life that I do not let people speak about.

[evite]

[ certain things, he says, and a twinge of guilt washes over her. has she crossed that line unknowingly with him? she's never teased out of anything but affection, but the implication remains... ]

For most people, that's their mom. [ she somehow doesn't think that's the case here. ] What made you punch a hole through somebody?

[kgbs]

They decided they knew about my family.

[ so yes, it was about his mother in a way. ]

I set them straight.

[ with violence. ]

[mercurio]

[soon as daisy volunteered to help others figure out what their powers are, prompto jumped on the opportunity. it's been what feels ages since he got here, without any real thought or hint as to what his powers could be. he's never had powers! so the fact that he gets to have some, for whatever reason, is really exciting.]

[arms crossed after having a look at the place, he spins around on his foot and faces daisy.]

You weren't serious about trying to scare me, right? 'cuz I think you've lost any element of surprise.

[he's excited.] Any ideas? I got some!

[evite]

[ most of her ideas have come from her own experiences. trauma, pain, fear: the sorts of things that trigger internal self-defense, when rational control loses out over raw emotion. but prompto is different. he's not a walking trigger warning, his past doesn't color every waking moment (as far as she can tell). he's easygoing and fun, like daisy used to be when she still went by skye.

(she still is, but it's different now. she doesn't take that joking easiness for granted anymore.) ]

What did you have in mind? I'm all ears, chicky.

[mercurio]

Chicky?

[he makes a face at that, crossing his arms. it's not offensive by any means, but it's really far beyond what he's used to hearing as his nickname.]

Well, anyway. I've been thinking, right? I really don't know what my power is so there's like a hundred things I can do in order to try an activate it.

[he's taking a leaf from noctis's book, since he's the magic user.]

Maybe I can tire myself out! Exhaustion draws out the power, for some reason! Maybe. It's all theoretical! Or, or-- I should run around really fast. Speed, y'know. What do you think?

[evite]

[ yes, chicky. if he wasn't so endearingly obsessed with chickens, it probably would have been something else. though she's not married to the name. maybe something else will come up later on.

but she's not letting him change it. nicknames must be organic. ]

It's not a bad idea. If you haven't had anything come up for you at all, figuring out what's lurking in the glowcube is going to be the hardest part. [ she's hoping she doesn't have to resort to finding out what people's abilities are after they find themselves in life-or-death situations, but if her experience is anything to go off of, that might be the only guarantee. ] Why don't you try taking a lap? However many you think you need.

[ she'll just be here... filing her nails... ]

[mercurio]

[he punches one hand into his open palm like he's some shounen character, getting himself excited and pumped at the prospect.]

I usually run in the mornings, but I'll do is I'll try to go the fastest I can run!

[there's no true logic to this, so he starts dramatically stretching, allowing daisy to do her own thing as she awaits results. in about a minute, however, he's bouncing on his feet and pushing forward into a jog that quickly turns into haphazard running--as fast as he can go--ending at the wall opposite his starting point. he cushions his crash against it with his hands, using the momentum to push himself to run back fast as he can until he reaches the other wall.]

[this continues for a bit, prompto exerting himself to the limit, until he's exhausted, pausing halfway through and holding onto his knees, breathing heavily.]

I... Any changes...?

[evite]

[ so far, the only change is his breathing, now ragged and desperate as he tries to catch back up. running back and forth had been a good idea, but it doesn't look like it's triggered anything particularly interesting in him except for maybe a mild case of cardiac arrest. ]

No... I mean, you tell me. Do you feel anything weird or unusual?

[ does she need to clarify that? ]

Like, other than being out of breath, obviously.

[mercurio]

[he closes his eyes and thinks for a second, ultimately giving up after the ten second mark and lightly slapping his face with his hands.]

Not really!

[he's an impatient guy, and he'll end up becoming too impatient for this. shouldn't these things be pretty straightforward?]

[and so he lands himself on his ass, sitting down on the floor as he tries to get air back into his lungs at a normal rate.]

What's the opposite of running real fast?

[meditating?]

[evite]

Not running?

[ sitting down, probably, which he's already doing. breathing slowly, which he's not. trying not to overthink whether or not he has powers, but just focusing — focusing. ]

Shit, I didn't even think of it. Okay, sit with me. We're gonna try something new.

[ she's so excited, she can't even calm herself. ]

When I was in Afterlife — a place, not like, actual after-life slash heaven stuff — I had to focus. I had to think about my powers, how they worked, how the world around me worked, in order to hone them. Once I figured them out, I could use them how I wanted to. I mean, I had to practice for years to get to where I was before I got here, but it's a start.

[ deep breaths. first for her, and then for prompto to follow along. slow, gentle, deep breaths. the kind that fill up the lungs and then slowly push out. in through the nose, out through the mouth. ]

Just... focus on the feeling of the empathy bond. Of that warmth that comes through when you touch one of us. Of the power that's in your chest. Think about it, nothing else. Just let it happen.