ic Faint Echoes (IC)

[Thevshi]

Dr. Charles Claremont Building, Second Floor
Claremont Academy, Freedom City, New Jersey
Wednesday, January 15, 2025, 7:12 AM
 

Things had been somewhat chaotic after the events of earlier that morning, with the headmistress and some of the Freedom League getting involved, including going to check on the Nicolson student, Victoria, to confirm neither she nor her foster parents were in any immediate danger. Eventually Iris Miller had been able to go back to bed, though the rest of the early morning had not been the most restful sleep, as it had not been too long before she had to get up for classes for the day.

 

As the seventeen-year-old was walking up to the second floor of the Dr. Charles Claremont Building (where many of the main classrooms were located), she heard the sounds of a violin echoing down the currently empty hallways from the direction of one of the music rooms.

 

Inside the music room, Lynn Conners was currently playing the serenade from Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik 1st Movement. The blonde teen was dressed in a blue and grey plaid skirt, white button-blouse over which she had a light blue sweater. She was tired and her cheeks were red from crying most of the remaining morning after she, Mattie, Iris and Carmen had finally gotten out of her nightmare. 

 

Having not really been able to sleep, Lynn had come to the music room early, to practice various pieces in the hopes that playing her violin might distract her from the memories of having to relieve so many of the terrible moments of her timeline’s destruction. However, it was not going as well as she had hoped, as in the middle of the current piece, one of her bow strokes slipped a few cords, breaking the relaxing rhythm of the music.

 

Lowering her violin and bow, the blonde teen closed her eyes and took a deep breath, even as a new tear rolled down one cheek…
 

[Dracostern]

Cerebral

 

The events the previous night have been a lot, even for Iris, the young woman would have not been able to sleep after the closing of that event. She would confine in Daniel after he woke up at around six thirty in the morning, she knew when he normally woke up anyway. The twins had spoken privately so Iris could at least get a few things out of her system with him. Still there was a lot on her mind, more specifically her feelings regarding Lynn in general. At first the Psychic did not know how to feel about them, but she finally realised what they were. 

 

...regardless however, Iris was glad no one was physically hurt by what happened. 

 

The young woman put on some jeans and a white shirt, she was not planning on going outside much today anyway, and would wander up to the second floor, only to hear the sounds of a violin. Curious, she would move closer to the Music Room and glance inside noticing Lynn. She would wait for the other to finish her rather impressive musical solo before speaking up in the other's mind. "Lynn...are you alright?" As she thought this towards the other, she carefully moved closer and gently raised her thumb up to wipe the tear off her cheek. 

 

"You were really brave last night. It was admirable." 

[Thevshi]

Slipstream

 

Lynn started slightly at Iris' mental greeting, relaxing as she had quickly turned and realized who was there. Putting her violin in the open case sitting on chair next to her, the blonde teen shook her head slightly. "No, I am not to be honest." She replied, sadness evident in her voice.

 

When Iris came over to wipe away the tear, Lynn again seemed surprised by the gesture, pulling back slightly as she reached up to finish whipping the tear away herself. "No I wasn't." She replied softly, her body seeming to tense a moment before she added. "Despite it just being a nightmare, I still couldn't do what he asked me…what he begged me to do." 

 

"It…it probably wouldn't have changed anything; it was probably too late for our timeline…." She continued, whipping away another tear that was forming, "but perhaps I could have at least spared my brother the fate of becoming part of…the monster that did all that."
 

[Dracostern]

Cerebral

 

Iris blinks and reaches her hand out briefly to place a hand on Lynn's shoulder but paused and pulled back. Using her powers, she levitated one of the other chairs of the room over and sat opposite the other teen. She would listen to Lynn and shake her head, this was not an easy thing to deal with, and at their age too. She understood though, had it been her and Daniel, Iris was not sure she could go through it either. Her stoic look broke now and she gave the other a brief somber look before regaining her composure. 

"It's not your fault Lynn. Nightmare or no, being faced with a decision like that is...rough...however it is not bad that you didn't want to end him. You have heart, you aren't like that monster, they are really to blame for what happened to your timeline. I can't tell you what could have and what could not have happened but if you keep holding onto those 'what ifs', then you will spiral." 

Iris paused, she hoped what she was saying made sense. She was not Daniel, her way with words and social ques were inferior to his. But her heart still ached for Lynn. 

"But I get it, it's not easy, is it? Do not worry we are all here to help you through it all." Tears welled up in her own eyes, but she still smiled at the other, something Iris did not normally do. 
 

[Thevshi]

Slipstream

 

Lynn let out a deep sigh as Iris talked about not blaming herself. "I know, but…I grew up with parents with superpowers…my mom was a member of the Freedom League! And there I was…experiencing likely the worst-case scenario possible. And…I couldn't do something that might have had at least a chance of stopping things."

 

She nodded her head to the comment about things not being easy. "The only reason I am even out of bed this morning is because of all my medications, including a strong dose of rescue anti-anxiety meds." She replied. "And I know there are many to help me through things, it is just…I had been making some good progress on things, mostly. Now…I sort of feel likely I am almost starting all over again."
 

 

[Dracostern]

Cerebral

 

Iris nodded, with a mother in the Freedom League, and a father with powers. Large expectations for the self made sense. "Well, I'm glad you did get out of bed, it takes a surprising amount of strength to take medication, sure it may seem like you regressed but no person learns something once and sticks to it. Dealing with trauma takes constant improvement and hard steps. You are doing so well, both before the Nightmare and even now that you are up and about. It may seem like you're restarting but this is still part of the healing process."

 

The psychic shakes her head, she wanted to understand Lynn more, but their experiences were ultimately completely different. Yet there were some threads that Iris believed she could pull on to try and help. "As for that past well...I'm sorry Lynn but if what happened was nearly as bad as the nightmare then I'm not sure if you could have done anything. You made it out though. You can get stronger now. When that thing comes for this timeline, I believe that the new and improved Slipstream can make up for said failure." 

[Thevshi]

Slipstream

 

"Headmistress Summers offered to allow me a couple days off if I wanted it." Lynn stated. "But, I did not want to just allow myself to fall into the same emotional hole I first experienced after I arrived here. If I did, I was afraid it would be too hard to get back out again, or even worse, it would become too easy to just retreat to that place in the future."

 

A shocked look came to the blonde teen’s face when Iris commented about being ready if what happened were to come to the current timeline. "Did you not see the tear in reality that swallowed Freedom City and…we I suppose everything else in my timeline? How do any of us stop that? And as for….Collapse," she seemed to shutter slightly as she used the name, "my mom and two members of the Atom family where there when my brother became…that, each of them had decades of experience as superheroes, and they couldn’t stop it."

 

"I do hope the Velocity of this timeline is right and they have taken the necessary precautions to prevent that from happening here."
 

[Dracostern]

Cerebral

 

Iris nodded her head as she looked towards the shocked expression on Lynn's face. In truth the older girl was not too sure if they could do anything against Collapse, but they had to try, they can't just roll over and let someone...something like that steamroll over them! "I do remember seeing that...but things will be different. We know more or less how he works do we not? We will be more prepared for him when he does come. We just need to trust Velocity...Lawrence and the others. We won't let this dimension become like your own. I'd scarfice my life if need be to prevent that." 

 

Iris stood up finally and began to pace for a moment before glancing back at Lynn and looking at her with slightly lighter eyes. "We also have you, you have experience, you have amazing power Lynn. Collapse won't know what hit him...you just need to trust in yourself and us." Iris would smile at the blonde, hoping to encourage her a little bit. Iris wanted to see Lynn happy. She did have feelings for the speedster, but she wasn't going to bring them up. There was no need for them.