ic Buddies a-Brewing (CONCLUDED)

[Hestina]

Thinking about, Vicki realized that she probably looked riddiculous.  Laying on the floor, her butt pushed up against the bed and legs bent up on top of it, she also realized that it wasn't that uncomfortable.  Kind of like sitting in a chair that had tipped over.  She really was going to have to get back into the gym, that should have been something she could have done in her sleep.  Oh well, a little humility and embarassment went a long way towards desire to practice more.  

With her feet sitting in Eileen's lap she thought about her reply, <"well... I did see a boy turn into a bear in the cafeteria.  I don't think he meant to do it on purpose either.  I mean... he ended up with most of his lunch all over him.">

<"I guess on one hand, I expect a lot of the same that happens in any other school.  You still have to take classes, even if some of them are called things like Translocational Theory, or Energy Emission 101.  So that part won't be too much different.  I kind of expected some of the cliques to be a lot more catty, you know, when you can do some pretty mean things to people.  Like Casey... she can move really really fast.  How hard would it be for her to pants someone?  They'd never even know she had been there.  Not that she would, she seems really sweet... but just saying, there's a lot of potential for it.">

<"I don't know, I expect we're going to be using our powers a TON!  That's what Siren seemed to think at least, when she was trying to get me to come here.  Did you ever see that one... um... with the superhero school in the sky?  I kind of thought it was going to be like that.  Although... it hasn't so far.">

[Mad Scientist]

Hmmmm.  Eileen hadn't particularly thought of that little wrinkle -- if petty bullying and cruel jokes were the norm of most high schools, how much moreso would there be of that sort of crap when powers came into play?

"The one with the flying schoolbus, you mean?" she asked dryly.  "Of course I have.  The comic it isn't officially based on is a better version, though," she added thoughtfully.

"I guess you're right about classes," she went on, considering the whole 'pantsing' dilemma.  "I'm also guessing that's why there seems to be an ethics class of one sort or another offered at every grade level, according to the course calendar," the curvy blonde added, poking Vicki in the sole of one foot.  "So people don't go around freezing other people into statues, and then decorating them like a Christmas tree."  She was pretty sure that everybody there had the potential to abuse what they could do -- it was more a matter of would they, than could they.

"I'm willing to bet there'll be classes where we have to use our powers," she pointed out.  "Otherwise, not a whole lotta point of having a place like this at all, right?"

[Hestina]

Vicki silently giggled and wiggled on the floor, <"watch the feet, that's like my super vulnerability..."> she thought some of her silver laughter leaking through as well as her actual thoughts.

Getting control of herself, she finally replied to the question, <"Oh, yes, I guess that's why I have Power and Responsibility on Thursday.  I kind of figured they would have to teach that, because... well I mean they wouldn't want to be training the next generation of super psychos.  Are you in that one too?  I saw a bunch of different ones when I registered.">

<"Although I hope not just classes, but also like training time.  You know, where we can get together in pairs, or groups and train that way.  Maybe with, or even against each other.  I mean, I was able to handle some bank robbers a year ago, but I worry about what it would be like to face someone who can do other things too.">

[Mad Scientist]

Eileen made a face.  "I'm in Ethics and the Metahuman World, Fridays.  Mine's the Junior class, I think," she noted.  That was certainly something that she hadn't really anticipated when she'd made the transfer out here -- her roommate wasn't even in the same class.  Of course, given that they were transferring in towards the end of the school year, it made sense.  Who knows -- maybe next year, they'd have new room assignments, and be paired up with someone in their own class at that point?

She had no idea how room assignments worked here, and added it to the list of the many things that she didn't, when it came to this school.

"Definitely need to find that out," she agreed, brightening.  "Is there, like, an arena or a dojo or something, where we can go and cut loose without worrying about property damage?  I've got a few basic things I know how to do," she went on, waving one hand, "but not only haven't I had much chance to practice them, I wanna know if I can figure out how to do more things, and that's gonna be by trial and error, I think."  She wasn't sure if it was possible to be taught how to do something different with the energies she had available to her -- maybe if there was a psychic link involved?  Well, that was why they were the instructors, and she was the student....

[Hestina]

<"Yeah... I was held back a year in one of my transfers.  Not sure why, I've always gotten good grades... but it is what it is."> she said explaining her year.  At some point Eileen would have wondered about her age and year in school.  <"But as far as practice, I'd love to practice with you.  I mean as long as you can kind of tone it down.  Not sure I want to be zapped...  All mine is non physical harming, or however you want to call it.  I'm kind of a pacifist when you get down too it.  So anything I can do to incapacitate people is good.  Which means... I can train with anyone!  Well I think at least.  Don't want to start breaking rules... yet.">

Vicki paused for a long moment, <"So you're a Junior?  I'm just finishing my Sophmore year.  I hope they don't move us to new rooms next year when it starts.  I mean... I know it's just been a day, but... well I think I'd really like to room with you next year as well.  I mean if you want too as well.  I suppose we don't need to make any hasty decisions or anything.">

 

[Mad Scientist]

"Probably a difference in state education standards," Eileen replied absently with regards to Vicki being a Sophomore.  "Before we go all swearing to be blood sisters and all, though, let's see how we feel about each other after rooming together for a couple of weeks," she laughed.  "You might get insanely irritated by the way I chew, or the Bollywood soundtracks you play until two in the morning might make me want to pop my eardrums -- you never know," the blonde told her roommate with cheerful mischief.

"I'd be happy to practice power slinging with you, though," she agreed readily enough.  "I've got no objections to going up against someone who doesn't want to actually hurt me."  Eileen flashed a quick grin -- anybody would be okay with that, she'd imagine.  "I've actually got a couple of things I can do that don't cause any lasting harm either, so it's not like we're dealing with blood or nothing," she agreed.  "As for my heavy-duty stuff...I've never really tried to do it just a little, I'll have to give that a go."

She was intrigued by the idea -- with something like a gun, the best you could do is 'wing' someone rather than go for a kill shot, but you can't shoot them 'just a little'. But if powers were more like your own strength, maybe you could blast someone 'just a little', much like you can hit someone lightly.  The thought had never occurred to her before.

"Definitely putting that on the to-do list for tomorrow," she decided with a decisive nod.  "Find out where Thunderdome is."

[Hestina]

Vicki nodded, which was hard to do laying on the floor on your back.  She concentrated, vanished and then reappeared on the bed sitting.  Reaching back over, she touched Eileen's shoulder even as she sat back against the wall again, <"Oh yeah, that's very true.  I just think it would be a shame to get to know you for what... a month?... and then go through it all again in the fall.  Besides, I don't start playing Bollywood until 2AM.  Before that it's Polka and Waltzes..."> her mental laughter mirrored the wide smile on face.  <"You're right though.  No sense getting carried away just yet.  Although now I am wondering, what are you doing for summer?  Are you here, or going back?  For me it's no big deal, Dad's at Lonely Point Naval Base right now, so I'm in town for the next couple of years whether I'm boarding here or not.">

She thought about it, the one problem with moving around so much was that you tended to come and go to different schools at odd times of the year.  You'd just get settled in, make some friends, and then summer would creep up and everyone would scatter like a pile of leaves in the autumn wind.  

<"Oh.... and at some point, my Mom is likely going to invite you over for Dinner or Sunday lunch.  I hope that's not a problem... just giving you fair warning.  She's already told me that like five or six times before I came here today.  As for the Thunderdome?">

She raised her other hand and made a fist, shaking it like she was chanting, which of course, she couldn't, <"two men enter, one man leave!... that was one that Dad watched all the time.  He said it was his guilty pleasure.  That and Big Trouble in Little China.">

 

 

[Mad Scientist]

Eileen started as Vicki unexpectedly just sort of...blinked into a different position, but she managed to avoid yelping and dropping stuff.  She did heft a pillow threateningly at the talk of polkas, but she had a smile on her face as she did so. 

"I...honestly don't know what I'm doing this summer, yet," she admitted. "Frankly, the way these sorts of things seem to work, I'll wait to see if I'm even in this dimension or if I've got a clone or whatever once summer arrives, and go from there." She liked to think of herself as being fairly genre-savvy, and those were two of the milder options that came to mind. 

"I very, very rarely have a problem with people wanting to feed me," she continued soberly.  "As long as it's tasty, I'm golden," waving a hand in a smooth line.  Food is good, and that was that. 

She was pleasantly surprised twice -- once for the comprehension of the Mad Max reference, the other for dropping Big Trouble into the conversation. 

"It's all about the reflexes," she quoted, a broad grin spreading across her face. "Such a cheesy movie, but a whole lot of fun," she giggled. She'd have to check a few places out if she ever had the chance to make it to San Francisco. 

"So, that's your dad's guilty pleasures; what's your favourite?  Frozen?" she asked slyly, trying to get a rise out of the other girl. 

[Hestina]

Smiling Vicki blushed just a little, <"yeah, I saw it and I liked it and maybe I can sing the soundtrack...  It's not my guilty pleasure though... I loved Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and V for Vendetta, I think they qualify as my guilty pleasure movies.  Oh!  I'll never ever turn off Sixteen Candles!  I love that one.">

She sighed and wiggled her toes togther, <"that was a tradition with Dad when he'd come back from deployment.  We'd pop up some popcorn and curl up on the couch watching movies until I fell asleep.  I don't think I usually got through more than one until recently."> there was a giggle across her link, <"now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure mom would have rather us had a different tradition.  I kind of monopolized him when he came home.  But she understood.">

<"But who wouldn't want a clone?  I mean your clone could sit at home doing homework and doing dishes while you got to go to the movies, or a party or something.  I think I'd love a clone!">

[Mad Scientist]

Eileen snorted.  "I know me, and I'm not about to sit by quietly and do the boring stuff while another me does all the fun stuff," she replied dryly.  "We'd get into an epic fight over who was supposed to do the work, and nothing would get done except for maybe some property damage."  She never understood why people thought if they made a double of themselves it'd passively do whatever they wanted.

Didn't anyone read Calvin and Hobbes?

A thought struck her, and in typical Eileen fashion she abruptly changed tacks.

"So...have you noticed that all the boys around here seem to be, well...short?" she asked, eyeing Vicki.  "Aren't superheroes supposed to be all tall, broad-shouldered and muscly -- when does that kick in?" she demanded with mock exasperation.

She wasn't shallow, when it came to guys -- she'd just rather minimize the chances that someone she was hanging out with might run face-first into her chest....

[Hestina]

<"Well you're a few inches taller than I am... so no... not really."> she sent with an appologetic shrug.  <"Besides if that was true, then we should all be... well spilling out and wearing physics defying spandex.  I'm only 5'5" most guys are my height or taller.  Although I'll take a double of broad shouldered and muscles.  There WAS a real advantage to gymnastics beyond sparkly outfits and falling on your head.  Actually, I kind of liked watching PT on base too, some of those boys were very very good looking.  Okay... maybe I've been spoiled for choice.">

She pulled her knees up to her chest, sighing at the memories, <"I think I was pretty lucky on the guys I've dated too.  Although, maybe not lucky enough to find someone that I kept in touch with after moving bases.  I mean, there's like no evil exes out there... I don't think at least.  They were nice to date and have fun with, but nothing that seemed to last more than a few months.  No one I really keep in touch with anymore.  What about you?  Do you have exes in your past?  Should I have some kind of secret sign for stalkers?">

[Mad Scientist]

Eileen snorted, then chuckled.  "No, I don't think we'll need to break out the Stalker Signal," she replied, amused.  "I don't have a lot of exes," she admitted, shifting to maintain contact with Vicki as the other girl adjusted her position. "I mean, I'm definitely no Taylor Swift," she added dryly.  "I got my height early, and well, other things too," she gestured down the front of her body.  "And you know how it is -- boys seem to hit their growth spurt later than girls do.  So I was generally at least a good few inches taller than just about everyone else my age, which made things tough."  That, and freshmen boys generally weren't very...interesting.

"I did have the one boyfriend in my freshman year, but in order to not feel like I giant it ended up being one of the seniors," the blonde went on, a smile tugging briefly at the corner of her mouth.  "It...didn't really take long for me to figure out why you shouldn't date the sort of senior who goes out with freshmen."  It hadn't been a bad experience, just an...unsettling one.

"So!  Yeah, that's me, too-tall loud-mouthed dork without much dating experience," she concluded with a shrug.  "Sure doesn't help that boys seem to prefer tiny, quiet girls," she added with a generous eye-roll.  She was absolutely nothing of the sort, other than the girl part.

After a moment, she shot Vicki a sly glance.

"So...fell on your head a lot, did you?" she asked, amused.

[Hestina]

Vicki leaned and nudged Eileen playfully keeping the shoulder to shoulder contact, <"Are you asking if I was dropped a lot as a child... it's possible, I hope not.  Although, yeah, I did fall a lot in Gymnastics.  It's kind of part of the learning curve, not the pleasnat part of it either.">

She did give Eileen a sympathetic and knowing look, making a little bit of a pout as she thought, <"I do know what you mean about older boys in school.  I saw enough of that to kind of miss that trap early on.  But hey, if they are looking for small and QUIET, I am certainly up to that task!  Don't have a whole lot of choice in the matter really.  Although I guess they say, if you never had it, you don't really miss it.">

Then looking down at her far less developed figure she paused, <"yeah, whoever said that was trying really hard to delude themselves.">

[Mad Scientist]

Eileen immediately felt bad about clearly making Vicki feel...inadequate.

"Oh, no, don't be like that!" she protested, facing her roommate directly.  "There's nothing at all wrong with you, and don't you ever let anyone tell you that!  I've had more than my share of people saying I'm overweight, and honestly, I don't care! If I'm 'fat', then so be it -- I'm comfortable, I like how I look, and I sure as hell don't want to spend hours every week killing myself at the gym trying to look how someone else things I should!"  It was a surprisingly strong reaction -- the strongest to any topic so far brought up between the two.

"Besides," she went on, a little more sedately, "since there are all those people out there who think I'm fat, clearly they're looking for someone with more your build," she pointed out logically.  "There's a lot of people out there who are looking for someone who looks just like you, or like me, or like pretty much anyone or anything.  So don't miss the fact that you can wear pretty much anything you want, without worry about what might pull or gap funny," she said dryly, rolling her eyes.

[Hestina]

Vicki stretched her foot back out, pressing her sock clad toes against Eileen's knee so they could remain facing each other, <"thanks, I mean, I guess I don't mind too much.  Probably the same as everyone, you want to have something a little different in how you look or feel.  Otherwise why would I read Seventeen?"> she finished the thought with a whimsical smile.  <"...and I think you look awesome.  I mean, guys like curves and you're cuper cute!  I guess that means we'll just have to find that right person?">

She nodded determined, it was going to be a great year.  Well a fraction of a year, but who cares?  As she talked, she started to play with the french braid she had tied for school.  It was late enough that it was time to undo it.  Her hair was just a little longer than shoulder length, and while she normally kept it in a ponytail, today she felt like doing something a little special.  As she was literally letting her hair down, she wondered how tolerant Eileen was to being casual?

<"So... I sleep in an oversized tee, you don't mind if I hand out before bed in that do you?  Haven't had a roomie before and don't want to mortify you or anything.">

 

[Mad Scientist]

Eileen flapped a hand dismissively.

"Doesn't everyone?" she replied rhetorically.  Oversized tees were awesomely comfortable, and she'd wear one around on a day to day basis if she could figure out how to get away with it.  The closest she'd found so far was a maxi-dress, which lacked the super-comfortable baggy top of the oversized tee, but gained the benefit of essentially being crotchless yoga pants.

"Getting ready for bed is probably a good idea," she agreed, picking her phone up again to check the time.  "Unfortunately, we've still got classes tomorrow," she added making a face.  The weekend wasn't coming fast enough!

Wiggling forward until she could slide off the bed, Eileen continued to talk as she stood first on one leg, then the other, hurriedly peeling off her socks before she fell over.

"We're definitely going to find those right guys, though," she went on, balling her socks together and tossing them almost into the laundry hamper.  "Is there a school dance or something like that before the end of the year?" she asked, pausing in the midst of unbuttoning her jeans.  "If there, is," she went on, unzipping and wiggling them down over her hips before letting them fall to the floor, "I'll bet you that we both have dates for it.  How about that?" she demanded.

Bending down, she collected her jeans and padded barefoot over to the laundry hamper by her closet and stuffed them inside, retrieving the wayward socks and tossing them in as well.  Opening one of her dresser drawers, she rooted through it looking for her favourite sleep shirt.  While she'd gotten quite comfortable speaking with Vicki in her own unique manner, it didn't occur to her that that was impossible at the moment now that she'd moved away from her roommate.

[Hestina]

As Eileen started to change Vicki felt a surge of relief.  She was a little worried that this was going to be one of those awkward moments, like gym showers.  Actually there was a lot that she had been relieved about.  Eileen seemed pretty at ease with most things and didn't seem to put on pretentious airs or anything like that.  While Vicki had practice dealing with lots of different people in her life, she was very glad that she seemed to be paired with someone who was just happy to be who they were.  It was also good that she didn't seem to mind being comfortable, because at the end of the day, there was nothing better than comfy clothes.  

She quietly smiled as Eileen moved to her dresser and realized she didn't have her phone with her.  It was still setting across the room where she had left it.  Quietly getting up, she padded to the other side of the room to her own dresser.  She kept an eye on her roommate, hoping at some point Eileen would realize that she was holding a one sided conversation.  Vicki figured a thumbs up would do the job, but only when she was looking.  Besides, she kind of liked the challenge or bet that Eileen had tossed out and wanted to agree with her idea.

However, in the mean time, getting ready for bed was not a bad idea.  Finding her sleep shirt in the mostly disorganized pile of clothes that had come from her dimensional pocket, she gave one last look back at Eileen to see if she could catch her eye.   Seeing her still getting ready, she shrugged with a smile and slid off the sun dress which she had been pleased to wear on the first day of school.  Pulling on the large light blue cotton shirt, which fell nearly to her knees she did a little wiggle before popping her head out.

[Mad Scientist]

There was a long moment of increasingly awkward silence, long enough for Eileen to start to wonder what she'd said, before it hit her that it wasn't anything she'd said -- it was what Vicki couldn't say!

"Ohmigod, I'm so sorry!" Eileen exclaimed, whirling about with a shirt in her hand.  Her pale eyes were wide, and she looked stricken that she had cut Vicki off, as it were.  "I totally forgot, I wasn't thinking about how you have to talk, I'd just gotten used to it and I didn't think about it," she babbled hastily -- although truth be told, her roomie looked more amused than anything else.

She also looked mostly ready for bed -- while Eileen had been rooting around in a drawer, it seemed that Vicki had done a quick-change and was done with it!  For a moment she wondered if the other girl had moved so swiftly behind her back out of a lingering feeling of inadequacy in comparative figures.  She hoped not -- she wasn't really comfortable of being a focus of envy, no matter how nebulous.

"Hang on, just let me get changed," she told the other girl, and along those lines of thought she turned her own back for a moment as she peeled her shirts off in one go, dropping them into the hamper.  Twisting her arms behind herself, she unfastened her bra and slipped it down her arms, folding it and tossing it atop her dresser before collecting her sleep shirt and sliding it over her head.

Turning back to Vicki --  the shirt had a Dalek upon the front, plus a rhyme based on a popular song from The Big Bang Theory -- she reached up under the hem of the shirt and wiggled her underwear down over her hips, stepping out of them and tossing them in the hamper as well as she spoke.

"C'mon back over, so we can talk properly," she suggested, and settled herself back onto her bed again.  While Vicki's way of communicating was neat -- and probably very confusing to anyone who might be listening to what seemed like half a conversation -- it did certainly have its drawbacks, she had to admit.

[Hestina]

Vicky silently giggled and shook her head to indicate that everything was alright.  She was pretty used to the fact that people did not always realize that she couldn't speak.  It was not the first time that she had been the recipient of an unintentional monologue. 

Pulling her arms into her sleep shirt, looking a bit like a burrito, she wrestled a bit to remove her bra. After finally removing it she was able to slide it down the bottom of the sleep shirt. Pushing her arms back into the sleeves she walked back over to eileens bed, and plopped down. Sitting close enough that their shoulders rubbed she gave Eileen a very wide smile, as well as two thumbs up.

<"Hey don't worry about it. I've had a lot a very one sided conversations with people. although I haven't been able to communicate like this with more than one or two people. You know, most people kind of freak out.">

<"So I think your idea is a great challenge, or bet or whatever it is. Not sure that I think it will happen yet, but if it does that'd be awesome. I mean don't get me wrong, I'd love nothing more, but I'm totally fine now too. Just getting here and being with all of you is more than enough to make this a pretty awesome year. Guys are cool and all but not required.">

There was a certain sincerity in what she said. over the years, relationships had been more of a bonus instead of something that she needed. Perhaps it was always having to move and the knowledge that regardless of how much she wanted it any relationship would be a short term endeavor. she wondered if that was going to change, since her parents had said that even if her father was reassigned she would remain at Claremont.

<"Friends however, totally different story.">

 

[Mad Scientist]

For a moment -- just a moment -- Eileen wondered at the confluence of sitting with Vicki on her bed, both dressed in oversized tees and not much else, shoulders touching, and the observation of 'guys are cool and all but not required'.

Then she pushed it away, determined not to worry about it.  If something came about she'd deal with it then, but she didn't think it would, and it wasn't a big deal even if it did.  Life wasn't a million poorly written erotica stories, after all.

"Friends are important," she agreed, flashing her new roommate quick smile.  "Of course, there's always the corollary to friends, especially in a school setting -- rivals," she added dryly. "I'm pretty sure we're almost guaranteed to run into someone who feels they need to prove they're better and try to do so by putting everyone else down."  It was almost a rule.

[Hestina]

If Vicki had intended to give some kind on entandre, she didn't seem to show anything regarding it sitting relaxed as she often had with her sisters and friends talking before bed.  Although if she had thought about it, she was acting far too familiar with someone who she had known for just a day.  The realization that she would be able to talk to Eileen nearly any time she wanted, without the artificial pauses of the phone, or having to teach her ASL was so liberating that it had not only dropped her guard, it had pretty much smashed it into bits.  The bonus that Eileen seemed really cool was just icing on an already wonderful cake!

<"Yeah, I've always run into a few of those.  There was a girl who was better at gymnastics than I was... I mean, she would have never fallen on her head.  Anyway she was always so snooty about it and did everything she could to 'put me in my place'.  Captain of the team, popular clique, straight A's, the whole nine yards.  I was so thankful that I had my Gremlin Marauder to back me up or that would have been a pretty hard year or two.  She was really good at being a manipulative witch.">

She bit at her bottom lip suppressing a decidedly wicked grin but still looking very furtive, <"a couple months before I moved, though we totally set her up.  My partner in crime distracted her while I set her BFF's text contact to a distribution list for the school.  She sent out some nasty things about people and it went out to most the school.  Opened more than one set of eyes.  I know it was wrong, but it was VERY satisfying.  She figured it out pretty quickly, but by then all the nasty things she was saying about everyone got spread around.">  

[Mad Scientist]

Eileen's response was an open, genuine laugh.  Not an affected giggle or titter, but a from-the-belly laugh of pure amusement, her eyes glinting.

"Diabolical!" she exclaimed, but she sounded pleased.  "I'm going to have to remember that one.  Both for your method, and keeping in mind that there are probably people here that can make machines sit up and beg just by thinking about it, so be careful what you text to anyone,"

Speaking of texting, she broke contact for a moment as she leaned over to the bedside table, retrieving the end of a USB cable that had to be ten feet long and plugging her phone it -- the battery was starting to get low.  Sitting back up properly again, she placed her shoulder back against Vicki's and flashed her a quick smile.

"It's almost scary, thinking about how much more potential for ridiculous crap there is here compared to a normal school," she went on, as the ramifications sank in.  "Tech geniuses to mess with your phone...or social security number.  Girls with super strength who can put a car on a roof.  Mind-benders who can make you do things without you even realizing you're doing them, invisible guys in the girls' locker room...."  She trailed off, shaking her head.

[Hestina]

<"Well..."> her thoughts kind of faltered.  <"I do get an indication when something is about to go bad.  So... I'd hope that invisible boys would fall under that, although I'm not about to test it any time soon.  I don't like saying it very much as most people then just make the assumption that I'm reading their minds.  Which I totally can't.">

She nodded watching Eileen charge her phone.  Given that it was often her only means of communication she not only charged it, but a host of battery packs as well.  Actually ending up mute was a total pain.

<"If you ever want, I have like... I don't know... ten to so battery packs and a really really good charging station.  It's usually my only lifeline to people and I had a time where I was talking with the totally cute guy and the phone conked out.  I was about to tell him what I thought of him and all.  Then... nothing.  Never had the nerve to do it again.  He ended up dating a girl on my gymnastics team.  So moral of the story?  More power!">

[Mad Scientist]

"Oh my god, that would be the worst!" Eileen cried, flailing her hands for a moment.  "I hate it when you're trying to get something out, and the damn thing just powers down on you!  Two more seconds, that's all you need!"  And if it was, in most circumstances, the only way you communicated?

It'd be like having your voice cut out on you without warning.  Eileen had had laryngitis once.  She had not liked it.

"Definitely need to make friends with some science geniuses," she observed, poking Vicki in the shoulder.  "Nuclear powered phone case, good for six weeks of use per charge!"  Or something like that -- of all the things she was, a science genius wasn't one of them.  She could rattle off the chemical formulae for complex hydrocarbons or Avagardro's Number to the last digit, but that didn't mean she had any gift for putting them together in creative ways.

Thumbing at her phone, she abruptly held it up before the pair of them and leaned in a little closer.

"Selfie!" she exclaimed, and triggered the camera.

[Hestina]

As the camera in the phone snapped Vicki had already given a brilliant white smile along with a thumbs up, tilting her head towards Eileen so they would both be centered in the picture.  As the camera snapped she thought to herself, which inadvertently leaked through the communications channel <"this is so perfect!">  Absorbed in the moment, she didn't feel the telltale echo of her thoughts moving along their shared contact.

While she stopped posing, her smile remained <"I don't know about that.  I'd be worried that it was going to explode, or mutate me or something.  I mean I like changing styles and all, but scales or turning pink would not be cool.  No, it's not that bad.  I mean there's just the one time it was terrible.  Other times, I can just shrug and go back to being that quiet girl.  Let me tell you, no one ever suspects the quiet types.  You can get away with tons of mischief that way.  Oh!  Like if your teacher calls on you and you don't have the answer because you were totally daydreaming about going to a concert or something?">

While discussing her ability to cause mischief, her look turned conspiratorial and while she didn't need to, she turned to look Eileen in the eyes, leaning close like someone might be listening, <"fake out that your phone is dead and you get total sympathy points.  She feels terrible for picking on someone handicapped and then you can go back to daydreaming with impunity!  It's a perfect setup I tell you.">