Isaiah, still regenerating a bit from that last mess, pauses for a moment while Inquiry finishes ejecting water from its internals before coming over to the pair. The ship unpacks a large Aurascanner to take a look at Praetoria's energy levels.
"Hmmm... Looks like you're up to about... 23 or 24 percent. Since you were used to about thirty before, you're probably just about back to your normal strength, though it might be a few more days before you have the same kind of energy reserves as usual. Still, moving along pretty well at least."
”Oh,” she sayslooking down at her hands, ”That’s insane. I could have sworn I was close to full power. Was hoping you and I could go out over the water and test my boundaries. Any suggestions to speed up the process?”
"Well, the basic answer is the same as for most illnesses; rest and taking it easy. Barring that... well, if you know of a high-magic zone to hang out in, or high-energy foodstuffs to consume, that might give it a boost. After that you get into methods that range from mildly risky up to downright insane. I'd rather steer clear of those unless we really need more power right away."
Isaiah gave Kayla a pat on the shoulder. "At the very least, at this rate you should be back to your old strength by tomorrow, and can start working on pushing beyond it after that."
She lets out a sigh in a huff, ”This is crazy. I thought for sure...”
She turns and gives Isaiah a hug. ”Thanks. Thanks anyway. Maybe tomorrow we can try something, after the games. But in the mean time...maybe you should talk to Holly,” she says with a wink.
Mattie looks down at herself, "Yeah, I'm still not sure about it. Still kinda feel more comfortable with shorts, but I promised Kylie I'd give it a go without them." Something about her seems a bit different, and not just what she's wearing. Rory somehow senses a complex mix of happiness, sadness, confusion and nervousness almost emanating from her.
"Sounds like an interesting date." Mattie replies aloud, giving Kylie's hand a gentle squeeze and letting a pulse of warmth flow through to the other girl. "I don't really think I had anything specific planned. I mean, I guess I kinda hoped that something might happen between us, but I don't think I really thought it would. Nothing this weekend has gone like I thought, or even like I hoped. I mean Kayla! That was totally weird. Amazing, but weird. Don't know what I'm, what she's going to say to Rory, but it felt good. Like I said before, it felt somehow, right. But, maybe that was just because its the first time I've kissed anyone properly since Jade? With you, well, I guess I thought something might happen when you brought me to the 'private beach'. I mean I thought about it obviously, but I didn't know how it'd go."
Unbidden, an image flashes into her mind of Kylie and Mattie topless in the water kissing, before Mattie is able to suppress it. She stops and reaches forward to hold Kylie's other hand so that they're standing, facing each other."I guess you saw that?" she says, nervously as she stands there, her skin seeming for a moment to take on a flushed red tone that seems to contradict what she's told you about her immunity to sunburn.
How do I start this? If Kayla was here we'd all over each other by now. Why did I ask her to stay away?!
I shouldn't be doing this. She's going to think I don't like her.
Just kiss her the way you want to.
"Yeah, I did." She leaned in to kiss Mattie, not their demure kiss from earlier, but the fulfillment that it promised. The kiss started slow and gentle, allowing Mattie every chance to pull away, but quickly built to something much more.
She loved the feeling of Mattie's hands in hers, but she wanted to be closer. For the briefest moment her hands touched only air, but then they were running through Mattie's hair, circling her hip, her nails lightly digging into the firm muscles that her work with Shield had earned.
She didn't let go long enough for a moan to escape her lips, but that only meant it echoed through both their minds longer.
The first date between the two Sentinels leads them to walking toward a side of the island that is not used by the Taylors at all. Rather than a soft and sandy beach, the ground rises up to a series of rocky bluffs overlooking a nearby series of reefs. It's a lovely view, with the surf churning against the rugged coastline on this side of the island.
As the two open up and share some of their secrets, the walk continues along this new and interesting topography. Before long, they spot a broken and crumbled ruin of what looks like an old Spanish fort.
You sense another mind on this side of the island, though hazy and with indistinct thoughts. In fact, the more you try to concentrate on the mind, the more wispy and hazy the presence of the mind becomes. However, you are able to get a direction of the mind.
Psyche's head snaps to the ruins, where they both see the faint, translucent figure of a woman in an old-style dress, standing on the edge of the cliffs overlooking the churning surf below. She clutches her hands to her breast, and looks desperately out to the nearby reefs.
What do you do???
There better be some strings. Holly says, getting Prae's back Or else this will start to feel a little too awkward after yesterday. and this trip is HBO enough for me.
I'll talk to him.
After Praetoria is done talking to Isaiah, Holly waits a moment, then takes his hand, and leads him toward her bungalow. Can we talk?
I was thinking Hierarchs Stadium, actually. I'm not sure if you like baseball, but there's a game I attended with my family when the villain Belladonna trapped everyone inside a living hedge maze. I got to see the fight she had with Meadowlark, the first female Alliance member. I thought you'd enjoy seeing that memory. It had definitely been a cool experience for a twelve year old. More terrifying for his parents.
"I think if we're doing teams, we should nominate who we think should lead them. One to nominate, a second vote to confirm it. So, starting off, I'll nominate Praetoria for team leader. And whomever is confirmed last gets to pick from the others first, that sound fair?"
Kayla winces at Shin’s suggestion. ”I was thinking names in a bowl. That way it’s random with no signs of cherry picking favorites. But maybe we could pick team captains, who then draw the remaining names from the bowl?”
Rory puts his had on her leg a jostles her, "alright, what's going on? Did something happen? You seem off a bit."
"No, I'm good. Great actually, but um. Look, can we talk about something a bit later on?"
Mattie sighs and eagerly leans into the kiss, letting her own hands slip towards Kylie's hips and pulling their bodies together tight. The moan that escapes her mouth reflecting Kylie's metal one as she pushes the psychic back onto the ground without breaking contact..
As they walk hand in hand along the cliff tops following the earlier events, and come across the Spanish fort, Mattie is surprised to see a figure standing looking out to see. "Who's that, do you think?" she asks Kylie. "She looks like she needs help."
***
"She does seem to be in some distress..." In a flash, Psyche was re-clothed in her psychic webs, their bundle of clothes and towels skimming along the beach to help Mattie do the same. "But there's something strange, be careful."
She floated up for a closer look, calling out with her mind, "Hello? Ma'am? Are you alright?"
"That's why I nominated you. I think that everyone here agrees you have what it takes to lead. But for my second nomination..."
He peers to the corner of the table, where a certain redhead and her happy dog are seated. "Gallowglass, I'll nominate you."
Mattie quickly pulls makes herself more respectable, annoyed at herself for not bringing her uniform, and follows Psyche towards the strange woman.
As Kayla floats in Rory’s arms, she is clearly thinking about something. Eventually, she wiggles out of his arms and stands facing him. The pair are well away from the shore, far out of ear shot, though the water is shallow enough on this island shelf that it laps gently just above their mid-stomachs.
”So, I was wanting to talk to you more about our conversation in the grove. The ‘exclusivity’ part,” she says as she looks up at him, her eyes darting back and forth between his. ”I know I was a bit nervous about it. I still am. My family has been so forceful and demanding of my love life that I had feelings similar to how they made me feel.”
She looks down at the water between them, ”So, I...I want you to know now that when I say it, it is my own choice. I want to be with you. I really do. But...I...I am like...95% sure I’m bi. Does that bother you?” she asks as she looks back up with him, fear in her eyes.
Having been tipped off by Kayla, Isaiah was not surprised when Holly pulled him aside.
"Sure! What is it you want to talk about? Well, as long as it isn't that underwater mess we just got out of. Not inclined to talk about that."
"Yeah we can talk about anything baby sis," Rory musses Mattie's hair a heads off to change
The woman takes no notice of the two heroines approaching. Neither does she respond or react to the attempts to get her attention.
Psyche is able to pick up waves of desperate anxiety and terror as the transparent woman stares off away from the island.
Distant booming suddenly echoes across the sea. Following the woman's eyeline and looking out toward the shallows, Scorch and Psyche are able to make out two ghostly ships out of a bygone age. Full sail, high-decked and each outfitted with black powder cannons, they exchange fire back and forth. The larger vessel appears to have foundered on the reefs, letting the smaller one circle it and evade the devastating broadsides.
The battle rages, and though the smaller ship is more nimble, it suffers from attrition. It, too, begins to founder, even as grappling hooks and rope from the larger vessel are thrown at it, dragging it into close quarters combat.
The faint shouts of men in battle reach the Sentinels' ears. The pops of small arms fire and the distant ring of steel clashing on steel rise above the sound of the surf. Eventually, the larger ship manages to break away from the reef and push off, and moments later, the smaller ship explodes.
The woman wails in anguish, the sound piercing the hearts of the two heroes. She fades as her scream settles in Psyche's and Scorch's minds, shaking them to their core.
Not again
Dread shot through Psyche in nauseating waves, only becoming slightly manageable when she realized that Scorch could see them too.
....What the hell was that?
You still sense a lingering pool of painful anguish around where the woman vanished. You also sense the residue of intense despair and sorrow out where the smaller ship detonated. And worst of all, you sense a deep wellspring of vile malevolence emanating from the larger ship as it fades from sight.
Mattie stares as the ghostly battle takes place, her hand instinctively seeking Kylie's for reassurance. "I,.. I don't know. But, that poor woman. She was so sad!" she replies, feeling tears in her eyes.
Okay, so, You know I think your nice, and funny, and pretty cool. And we kissed, and you said that there were some people you were attracted to for like personality and-am-I-one-of-them?
Look, much as I love popularity contests. Holly smiles a little I think Kayla's right, we divvy up based on random draws, and trust to fate. A good leader should be able to work with what fortune gives them.
When Kayla mentions exclusivity Rory heart sinks a bit, then again when she says she thinks she may be bi, it's a moment before he responds beginning to speak then stopping several times, "I guess I am fine with it... as long as you let me know where you are at as far as us being exclusive, I mean I'll be just as upset if you go around kissing girls as I would if they were dudes..." there is another long pause, "...so what makes you 95% sure..." Rofy swallows very hard and can feel his heart pounding in his throat.
"They're not really gone, Mattie. That big ship especially... There's something really wrong feeding it...
Her eyes spill over with light, evaporating what tears might have begun to form. Arcs of power carve their way through her skin, hot and angry to the touch as her power reaches into the world around her. Automatically she floats from the ground, only tethered by Mattie's hand as her mind's eye opens wide.
"Mattie, if I tell you to run and get help, you'll do that, right?"
She keeps looking at him, ”I’m not going to lie to you. I kissed someone today. I won’t be naming names, so please don’t ask. But it was purely a test to see if it was true physical attraction to girls or if I was desperate for friends. I don’t have many...any really, outside of the team. Anyway, I had to know so I wouldn’t be lieing to myself or to you. That test is done. That’s how I know. But,” she says as she puts a hand on his chest, ”I’m here, with you, right now with no pressure from outside sources, you or my family, and I’m telling you right now, I’m willing to turn this you and me thing into an us. An US us thing. No one else. If I had said it before knowing, I’d have been lieing to both of us. And now I know I can say it truthfully.”
"Hum... Well, at the risks of sounding a bit non-committal, I can say that I like you, but I am not yet certain if it goes beyond that. I'm a bit of a cautious sort. Still, I'm certainly not averse to spending some time getting to know each other to find out. Just would rather take things slowly, if you will."
Isaiah dropped some of his usual cheerfulness for a moment.
"Though I will warn you that I've got some heavy secrets weighing me down, and you might prefer not to find out about some of them."
Rory's head is spinning, more so than when he awoke this morning, he was frozen in place, Kayla could feel his heart about to pound through his chest but couldn't discern whether or not he was actually breathing at the moment, then finally he inhales sharply and speaks, "oooookaaaaaauyyyyy... uh... um.... ugh. So I guess I understand what you did but I am pretty hurt, you're telling me you want to be an US, but after saying we'd try being exclusive you didn't make it 24 hours... why didn't you just say something yesterday... I... oh man... so you're with me, exclusively, and you're not gonna go kissing anyone else?"
Kayla hangs her head in shame, ”Yesterday, I...I guess I said that out of reflex from always doing what I was told by others. My family, they train me to be independent, but only if it’s what they want. I...I guess I’m more used to being told what to do. So when you said you wanted that, it just came naturally for me to say yes. But I thought about it, and I...I guessed you’d rather me mean it for wanting that instead of saying what you wanted to hear. But to know that, I had to be sure,” she looks back up at him, taking his face in her hands, ”and I am now. No kissing anyone else...” she gets a playful smirk before adding ”Unless you want to bring in a little extra fun at some point.”
I don't... Holly starts as Isaiah turns serious. she pauses to think for a moment before she says. I don't think I'd believe you're a bad person. And I want... someone who i can talk to, someone who isn't... Well, Prae and Psyche both have so much going on for them, and You're so calm and cool, and maybe you could be that someone, and maybe someday, if you needed it I could be that someone for you.
Rory tackles Kayla into the water, lips pressed together as they are enveloped by the ocean.
"No chance!" Mattie replies refusing to relinquish her hold on Psyche's hand. "You can call for help if we need it, but I'm not leaving you. Not now!"
Mattie nods at Holly's words. "I agree. It should come down to the luck of the draw. So, what, Prae and Rory as captains maybe? Or should we draw for that too? Shield always says its a good idea to be prepared. Maybe it'd be a good idea if the rest of us had some experience of leading the team too? After all, I did OK when we captured Shard."
"Mattie, I promise, if this thing can be set on fire then I don't want you to go anywhere either."
"After all, I'm not done with our date yet."
"Neither am I." she says, as she forms a sulfurous fireball in the hand she's not using to hold on to Kylie. Somehow, her visage seems to turn darker and more dangerous for a moment, though a second later its gone. Kylie can sense more words forming in her mind, even without reaching out.
..I'm not going to let a ghost ship ruin the best day of my life!
The sun baked the sand on the beach as they set up the next, two teams on either side facing off against each other. Shin disliked being the leader, but he'd gotten his team together and they seemed willing to follow his lead, as uncomfortable as that made him. He swallowed that fear as he stepped up to the net, shaking hands with the admittedly taller and now tanner Praetoria.
"Good luck," He told her, as he stepped back with the rest of his team. he had Psyche start with the ball on the serve. They'd agreed that for this at least, no powers were necessary. He gathered up the team in a rally, putting their heads together. "I'll be honest. I'm not comfortable leading, because that's where my bad future seems to go. But here at least, with you guys, who are my friends, I believe that we can kick butt and take names. Let me try to make it up for all the things I've done," He says, before breaking and heading for his position.
The game was tighter than he expected. Prae had the advantage of height against his team, with Isaiah and Holly as well. But Rory and Mattie were quicker, and were capable of setting each other up for some great spikes into the other team's area. Psyche held the outer perimeter, and Shin had the other corner, calling out shots. He was surprised to see Holly calling the shots on the opposite side, but she had a good eye for keeping up the defense. Sweat rolled down his torso as they played for a solid hour, bodies caked in sand. It was coming up to the final two points for either side, and he was waiting for their chance, looking for a mistake to exploit...
Kayla comes out to join the volleyball game in a new look for her Regalia...one that shows off her tan quite extensively. She winks at Rory through the net before she gets to Shin to shake his hand, winking at him as well and says ”You’ll need it!” playfully before huddling with her own team.
”Holly...remember back at school in gym, that play you were good at? Let’s use it, but make it better it with our abilities...” she says with a giggle.
The teams might have been fair in a lot of ways. But in a race? Holly? Gallowglass? Isaiah without his ship?
Maybe if Scorch wasn't so blazingly fast. Maybe if Shin hadn't figured out his vantablack cocoon. Maybe if Rory weren't in such great shape and really was some kind of weak link, or even if everyone had had to run.
But when Psyche's team went all out? It shouldn't even be close.
Still, she'd drawn the first leg against Kayla, and there was no reason to have her team get off to a bad start.
Bear barked the starting signal and they both streaked away towards their next teammate, they'd started off neck and neck, but Kayla really wanted it. Calling on the reserves she'd been learning about with Isaiah she began to pull ahead.
I could weaken my shield and shift it into faster flight, I don't have to withstand the air for long.
I could latch onto her, make her pull me along until it's time for the final sprint.
I could just draw in more power. It's only a game, but that well never runs dry.
I could just be at the end. Why should I act like things like space and time are immutable. I know they're not.
She could feel Rory's competitiveness barely kept on its leash as he waited for the baton; she could feel Mattie's excitement, Shin's pride as she flew against the latest scion of the greatest superhero lineage in Halcyon's history.
I could trust my team.
Kayla beat her to the mark, but that was just fine. When Psyche's team went all out? It shouldn't even be close.
The capture-the-flag game was a long match. Psyche's telepathic powers seemed like they should have given Horizon's team an unbeatable advantage in knowing where the opposing team's flag was... except that Isaiah wasn't so easily read; by having him hide the flag with the rest of the team not knowing its location, it could still be concealed... at the cost of the rest of the team not knowing where it was to defend it.
Both sides had fast fliers; with the impossibility of staying hidden during flight, there was no way to penetrate with that method alone. And with powers like Holly's shields and Rory's ice on each side's defense, getting any distance at all was difficult. Eventually, after long, drawn out stalemate, it came down to a matter of stealth. Gallowglass' skills at navigating the underbrush, together with Isaiah managing to pull the old 'tag-and-replace' got them deep into the other team's territory. At the same time, Horizon's team eventually decided to just use their larger number of fast fliers and go on an all-or-nothing raid. Only a quick tip-off from the disguised Isaiah that let Praetoria's team know what was coming let them shut that down, and the sneaky pair made off with the flag while the aerial tag-battle waged over unclear borders.