MoonSimply Posted September 27, 2022 Posted September 27, 2022 (edited) Carmen "Puma" When Carmen had been told that she was going to be going to school at Claremont and living in the States, the representative for the school had stated that the money itself would be all from a grant and a small amount from the mission itself to supplement her stay here. She'd listen to him, unresponsive his laughter yet one could tell that she was listening to him rather intently and focused. There was something to his story that rang true to her, oddly enough too like her own. "I don't think we are that unalike," she spoke in a plain voice, eyes drifting over to the pool for a moment before coming back to him, "My life as being normal was short. I got a few years before I became what I am." She places the magazine down, sitting up, "Then again, was it even normal. We have no parents, no family. There is no shared apellido to call for, it's just us. This really is our only chance at being normal and doing something with our lives for the better. If it means being some sort of hero so be it. I'm tired of staying locked up in my room afraid of the world." Edited September 27, 2022 by MoonSimply
secondling Posted September 30, 2022 Posted September 30, 2022 (edited) Legatus Felix rubbed a hand over his face, turning to look over the pool before turning back to Carmen with a tired smile. "I'm... sorry that you went through something like I did. No one should need to." Privately, he doubted she had gone through quite the same experiences as him, but... No one should have to endure growing up without affectionate guardians. He hesitated. "I guess I was 'normal' - without powers - for about as long as you. I only got them a few years ago, back when I joined Claremont." Now, XX, what can I share with this young woman? How much of our burden can I put on her shoulders? "I just had a number. No real name. I was, after all, to be a hero." Felix said finally, the last words coming out bitter. "A hero, the professor believed, had no need for a... 'normal' name." He turned to her fully, gently placing a warm hand on her shoulder. "Being afraid sucks." He added bluntly. "I don't blame you for wanting to move past it. To change the lives of everyone we can for the better." He smiled a little, but shook his head. "I'm still working on being normal. It's probably going to be a lifelong effort for me." Though really, I don't know how long I'll live. Probably quite some time, but... maybe not. His siblings' dead faces rose up in his memory. No. Not right now. She deserves my attention. Not you. "Do you remember your family, at all?" He asked, finally. "I had a family, after a fashion. My siblings and I... though we definitely weren't normal." XV, XX, I'm so sorry... The guilt never really went away. Edited September 30, 2022 by secondling
MoonSimply Posted October 1, 2022 Posted October 1, 2022 (edited) Carmen Maybe they were too different, but they seemed to share the same lack of family that haunted their lives in some way. Carmen found some sort of solace with this, she wasn't alone in misery, "I never had a real family. For all I know I'm an only child. Not even the nuns and priests know who really dropped me off, not even getting a birth certificate. I guess you could say the other kids and all the caretakers were but it's different." "I kind of think of them as my family but it's not the same. Something doesn't fit right now a days. Kids left the place, faces changed, a few stayed the same," she spoke before feeling his hand on her shoulder. It was a warm and somewhat soothing touch that calmed her nerves as she spoke, reassuring. Her hand went slowly up to his, gently touching it at her shoulder, "I'm not afraid of what we do, I'm afraid of myself." Edited October 1, 2022 by MoonSimply
Spacefurry Posted October 3, 2022 Posted October 3, 2022 Paper Leon nodded agreeably, after all who really understood girls. He was about to say so when Owain casually dropped the landmine right in front of him. “Ya, girls can be pretty confusing.” He chuckled. “And I know being from another time doesn’t help.” Leon added in a more serious tone as he gave Owain a pat on the shoulder. “But you two have made it work.” He gave the other boy a grin. “You guys have leaned on each other, and I understand that better than you might think.” Leon gave a small sigh and shook his head. “She’s cute, confident, and fun to be around. I know a lot of the boys and girls in and out of school have hit on her. But you know her better than anyone else, and I’m sure you know a don’t stand a cha-” Leon paused mid sentence as his brain finally caught up with his mouth, leaving him at a loss for words. His brow furrowed a little as he stared at Owain for a moment. “Wait… what did you just say…” -click-
secondling Posted October 3, 2022 Posted October 3, 2022 Legatus Blue eyes flicked to Leon and Owain's conversation and a faint surge of nostalgic regret passed over Felix. Ah, youth. Not that I'm that much older, of course. Returning his gaze to Carmen, he nodded gravely, giving her shoulder a (very) gentle squeeze. "People can be cruel, but family is far more than blood." Even if you can't choose them, as you can your friends... they aren't always related to you by blood. He shifted uncomfortably at where that thought might lead him, shoving it back. "Sometimes you leave home, and sometimes home leaves you. Whenever you reunite afterwards, well..." He added. "Nothing's ever the same as it was." He remained silent for a time at the suggestion of fear of herself. I... The bloody mess, the tearing flesh, the screams - all filled his head for a moment before he shook them off. "I know how you feel, if not exactly. Losing control of my power could hurt anyone I touch - and a bunch of people that I don't. I could even cripple myself if I'm not careful." Felix took a breath, before leaning in closer to whisper to her. "Why are you afraid of yourself?" He asked, oblivious to the gentle warmth of his breath on her skin.
Avenger Assembled Posted October 5, 2022 Posted October 5, 2022 "Wh-what?" Owain blushed the sort of deep red that only a pale person from a cloudy country could blush. "No, ah, no, you mistake me." I did distinctly say I was acting as her older brother, he thought, but decided that the 21st century boy must have misheard him. "Neko and I met in a war. On opposite sides," he added. "In an enemy, I found a friend, as a knight should. I act as her brother at times because she has none such here. But no, she is -" he looked distinctly like he was about to say something else, then said, "well, she is not even of the Church, so...not the sort of person I would court."
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