ic Maybe It's Alchemy

[Electra]

Raina rolled her eyes, the flames on her fingertips flickering out even as the design painted on her hand continued to flicker as though lit from within. "Oh, unbunch those granny panties, Madison," she advised. "It's a costume effect, Fred's been working on them for our superhero thing." She showed the back of her hand to the invading trio with negligent scorn. "I know you guys were probably too busy with Disney Princess videos to watch The Hunger Games, so I can see why it would throw you. But we're not doing anything wrong." 

[Tiffany Korta]

 

Cathy peered around Raina to look at Madison and Celeste trying very hard to keep her powers in checks, though she was a little sad that the sparkling blue colour of the makeup had faded to it normal brown. She'd have to ask later if it was only a one time deal. She'd never quite understood the antagonism between them all, and she tried when she could to stay out of things.

 

"Wait are Disney Princesses uncool? Cause some are as tough as Katniss and..." she paused for a second as it dawned that she was babbling a tiny bit

 

"But yeah it was totally just cool makeup we were trying!" even to her it sounded a little weak.

[Gizmo]

"And you needed to make fire for that, Wicked Witch of the Midwest?" Madison scoffed, moving far enough into the bathroom so that she was a pace in front of Celeste while staying close to the door. She wasn't going to back down but it hadn't escaped her notice that they were technically outnumbered. The grey cardigan that reached down to her calves suggested a wizard's robe in a way that should have been ample fodder for insults but the way it hung over a dark top and shorts was irritatingly on point, as usual.

 

The fae archer tittered in amusement. "She'd need green makeup," she mused largely to herself, barely even acknowledging the other girls. Her tie-dyed sundress ranged in colour from deep blue to violet and the way it fit around her butterfly wings without issue suggested some amount of glamour.

 

"The cosmetics are alchemical," Winifred spoke up in a clipped tone, all trace of her smile gone from her face and replaced with stoney indifference. She'd straightened from her lean and was standing with her back perfectly straight. Since the altercation in the Doom Room and Sofia's injury at the hands of the Alkahest there had been no love lost between Madison and herself, nor had she forgotten Celeste's actions during the fight. "Raina was testing a property activated by heat, not that it's any of your concern."

 

The Chicago native narrowed her eyes as her attention turned to the shorter girl. "Are you kidding me? You're still messing around with that stuff?" Madison raised both hands and looked about in exaggerated exasperation as though looking for a hidden camera. "Learn from your mistakes much, head case?"

[Electra]

"Please, Madison. At least I don't keep my broomstick wedged where you're keeping your magic wand these days," Raina countered, apparently paying more attention to her fancy makeup than to her antagonists. "You and I may get our powers from training, but most of the people here, including most of your buddies, got their powers from some kind of accident somewhere down the line. Somebody got a little nonhuman nookie, or maybe a little DNA mutation, or somebody's lab exploded in an exciting way." She looked at Celeste and gave her a very brief raised-eyebrow smirk before returning her attention to the cosmetics.

 

"Really it's a little bit hypocritical to start bitching about how people got their powers now, especially since all this is school-sanctioned." If Raina was even aware of the fact that Madison was expressing the same concern she herself had voiced not five minutes earlier, she gave no sign of it. "Now if you came in here to tinkle, why don't you just get on with it?" 

[Tiffany Korta]

Cathy really didn't like the way the Raina would behave when her back was up, not that she could totally blame her after Madison's comments. But she had never been that good at the put-downs until well after the fact, something about escalators she was sure it was called. It seemed to be something that many did in combat, the one thing she was pretty good at, so she'd be practicing. Not very well right now if she was honest.

 

Of cause unless there was a mind reader nearby no one would know any of this, as she watched the whole thing in a state of nerve. She didn't think the fact that she needed a wee right now was a good addition to the conversation.

 

[Gizmo]

"Okay, first?" Madison snapped back at Raina, swipe a raised finger through the air. "Mommy and daddy using blood magic to give you a boost is not 'training'. What we do is not the same. Second? She doesn't have 'powers', she has a time bomb which - in case you weren't keeping track - has actively tried to murder everyone in this room at some point. So maybe don't go mouthing off like a stupid--"

 

"Maddie," Celeste interrupted with a sigh, heaving her shoulders petulantly. "The Headmistress was very clear that I needed to have a really good reason before shooting Winifred again or I'd get in trouble."

 

That seemed like a non-sequitur for a moment but looking over to the alchemist explained why the archer was raising concerns. Winifred had already been taking slow, deliberate breaths to help keep herself calm but once Raina's parents had been brought into the conversation her grip on countertop had turned white knuckled. "Oh, don't stop on my account," she spoke up through gritted teeth. "This has been such a productive discourse so far."

 

Despite herself Madison took a step backward away from Winifred before regaining her bluster with a huff. "Ugh. Keep it in your pants, Wei. Come on, Celeste, we'll just use the other bathroom." Without waiting around to let things escalate any further the pair made their retreat out the way they'd come.

 

The silence that followed hung heavy in the air while Winifred closed her eyes and silently recited the element. She let out a long breath before digging into her bag and producing a small cloth stained with old grease and other less easily identified substances. "Cathy, be a dear and put some ice in this, would you? Just need a moment to cool off." She managed a weak smile, looking between the other two girls. "I'm fine, honestly. It's fine."

[Tiffany Korta]

Cathy had been so intently following the bitchy exchanged she'd not been paying Fred much attention. Most time she didn't worry at all about Fred's "inner demon", despite meeting her in the past, seeing more the calm collective teen she normally was. Still, she wasn't so oblivious that she didn't see the potential danger right now.

 

"Of couse Fred, here we go!"

 

To try and lighten things a little she made the ice in cute little shapes like flowers, butterflies, and bunnies or the best she could do with such small shapes.

[Electra]

"Take your time," Raina encouraged as she threw the lock on the bathroom door to keep out any other unwanted intruders. She walked back to the counter and began rummaging in her makeup box again, ignoring Fred's difficulty long enough for the girl to pull herself together without too many eyes on her. A little careful application and another tiny fireball had Raina's eyelids flickering and smoldering like her hand had been a minute ago, a striking and rather eerie effect. "This would be completely kickass in the dark," she decided. 

[Gizmo]

Winifred breathed something that almost could have been a soft laugh at the twee shapes Cathy deposited into the cloth she held out before wrapping up the ice and placing the bundle to the base of her skull. Better access to tension points hadn't been on the top of her list while choosing a new hairstyle but it was a fringe benefit nevertheless.

 

Moving to one of the other sinks she silently set the cold water running with her free hand, awkwardly splashing a little on her face while taking calming breaths. She appreciated the other girls not drawing attention to the whole production and focused instead of pulling out of the spiral of self-reproach that could turn a near-miss into a full-on episode. She closed her eyes for a few long moments and focused on the sound of the running water, her thoughts her own.

 

She turned off the faucet and looked up when Raina spoke, a shaky smile spreading across her face again. "Believe it or not, 'kickass' was precisely the overall effect I was seeking. I don't think most ladies could pull that off but you make it rather the jammiest." The alchemist gave a hiccupy laugh before her bottom lip quivered of its own volition. Pressing her mouth back into a thin line she covered her eyes with her freehand. "Eugh. No idea where this is coming from, pardon me. It just... It means quite a bit that you like it."

[Tiffany Korta]

But upbringing and circumstances Cathy wasn't an overly tactile person, but even she knew that sometimes everyone needed a hug now and then. She was quiet for few second as she concentrated drawing in her chilling aura as much as she could, though even then she was a little chilly to the touch. Then she embarrassed Fred in the most massive friendly hug she could manage.

 

"We appreciate everything you've done today Fred, it's all pretty amazing stuff." her voice was, unlike the rest of her, was as warm as it almost always was.

[Electra]

"It's really good," Raina told Fred, glancing her way in the mirror, but not paying too much attention to her while she was sniffling and pulling herself together. "I think I might have to actually pull together a real costume now to go with it. The school uniforms look stupid on their best days, but it'd be especially lame with this to accessorize. Anibal's just going to have to take me shopping again." She grinned into the mirror as she applied her lipstick, and only rolled her eyes a little when Cathy hugged Fred. It didn't look like Fred was about to lose her composure in any damaging way, so some spontaneous hugging was allowable. 

[Gizmo]

"Ha! Alright, steady on, Cathy," Winifred laughed as she was enveloped in the hug, returning it with one arm and the hesitation of someone unused to - though not opposed to - physical displays of affection. After a beat she squeezed the Scot a little tighter, burying her face in the shoulder of Cathy's sweater and letting out a hitching breath.

 

Her emotional whiplash seemed to have evened out by the time she extricated herself. "I'm very glad you both like it. I don't suppose I can imagine a higher compliment than to select a new outfit simply to best accentuate the cosmetics." It wasn't hard to convince Raina to go shopping, particularly if someone else was footing the bill but she'd generally disdained both the generic uniforms provided by the school and the more fanciful attire that seemed to be part and parcel for heroes of the modern day in equal measure. "I was considering taking orders from our classmates, seeing what was most popular before selecting a core inventory but... I doubt our dear colleagues in the Next-Gen society would respond favourably to that announcement. It may not be worth the headache."

[Tiffany Korta]

 

Cathy held the hug for as long as she could before gentle stepping away and letting off a blast of cold air around her, frosting up the mirror behind her. She was pretty happy that she'd controlled her powers for so long, hopefully, one day she could do that all the time.

 

"Well I know at least someone who'll buy the fireproof stuff, though I might have some influence there." she gave a little knowing smile before continuing

 

"And I'm sure that some of the Next-Gen would be happy to try the stuff, maybe through a neutral third party though."

 

School might have it own complicated weave of friendships and allegiances but good stuff tended to find ways to spread among people despite such things.

[Electra]

"Don't do that," Raina advised, "most of the students around here don't have that much disposable income, and most of the ones that do aren't very smart. With a few notable exceptions," she added, grinning at herself in the mirror. "You need to sell to adult heroes, people who have some money and aren't looking to be bitches to a high school student with a good idea. There's gotta be some kind of Facebook group you can dig up, or even a bulletin board at Freedom Hall or something. Or get yourself in with one of those super-tech companies, see if they'll help you get started for some equity in the company or a share of the profits or something. You've put this much work into the product already, you might as well get it off the ground as a real business." 

[Gizmo]

"Hah, you sound just like--" Winifred cut that line of though short, pressing her lips into a thin line for a moment but quickly pushing past memories she wasn't prepared to deal with just then. "Mh. That is to say, you make a strong case for greater ambition. It seems as though a more mature audience might find fault with my age but perhaps a good idea truly can speak for itself." She studied Raina's reflection in the mirror, seemingly lost in thought, before turning to her own reflection to tug the lines of her shirt crisply back into place. "Our visit to the AEON Institute may not have gone very well but I wonder if Miss Albright might not be interested in this. She was quite keen on providing for those with unusual needs and physiologies."

[Tiffany Korta]

 

Maybe it was to do with her upbringing but Cathy was always the more level-headed of the group, she’d watched her parents and occasionally helped, run a small farm for the last decade and longer. It wasn’t something that was easy to do, even if it was a sometimes very rewarding process. If it wasn’t for her mutation she would have probably ended up working on a farm in some manner, though she would have never been a farmer's wife, for quite obvious reasons.

 

“Whilst I encourage you to fully follow your dreams, it might be worth refining the product before taking it to market.”

 

She was her normal upbeat self about the whole thing, she really did want her friend to succeed in well everything she did really.

[Electra]

"You need capital if you're going to refine it and expand it," Raina countered. "You need an investor, or at least seed money. You know what they say, if you're good at something, never do it for free." She began closing pots and wiping brushes as efficiently as she'd set them out in the first place, tucking each one back into the little box. "And money is one big part of it, but if you can swing somebody who'll give you industry contacts too, that's way better. You should give it a try. And hey, if you need somebody with social skills, I'll even come along with you. I've got a trustworthy face." The fact that she could deliver such a proclamation without laughing spoke to her bluffing ability, if nothing else. 

[Gizmo]

"Oh, you don't think I could make the case myself?" Winifred asked with mock offence that soon gave way to a pleased smile. While she'd been confident in the technical quality of the cosmetics she'd crafted there was no doubt that Raina was the defter, more practiced hand at applying them and seeing the full effect in practice represented a gratifying success. "I suppose I might need a model, though. What's the term you use for the prettier boys? 'Eye candy'?"

 

Allowing herself a smirk she turned to Cathy and added, "And I've been refining for the past six months, you know! I wasn't about to ask you to put on any of the first trials!" With both boxes packed up she led the way out of the washroom and back to the dorm room to discuss which products she should make in larger-than-sample sizes and to note down any feedback. Holding the door open with one hand she paused in consideration. "The tattoo inks could probably use more work, though."

[Tiffany Korta]

 

"Oh I wasn't suggesting you were trying to poison us or anything for Science!" she blushed a little thinking she'd said the wrong thing "It's just the business side of things takes a lot of time and effort to achieve success, though I guess you're pretty methodically about these kinds of things..."

 

She followed them out of the bathroom trying to process everything that Fred was saying.

 

"Do you think tattoo inks are a good idea though? I mean I believe it's legal and stuff for us, but I suspect the school would take a dim view of us getting inked up!"