I13DT: Lovely Wings and Pretty Things

by **Altamira Vazquez** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 5:57 pm

The Phoenix walked into a bar in downtown Malden, looking for someone her own age.

OK, not someone her OWN age, but someone the age of Altamira Vasquez, at least.

by **Laura Weston** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 6:00 pm

Laura was settled at one of the tables, not drinking as heavily as she had been previously, but nursing a large glass of something.

by **Altamira Vazquez** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 6:01 pm

"This seat taken?" Mira asked, approaching Laura's table.

by **Laura Weston** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 6:04 pm

"Looks like it," she said with a smile. "My name's Laura."

by **Altamira Vazquez** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 6:09 pm

"Altamira. I think I've seen you around Xaviers, yes?"

by **Laura Weston** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 6:10 pm

"Yup. Bumming around until the next semester starts. You?"

by **Altamira Vazquez** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 6:10 pm

"...coming back to do post-graduate work, you could say. I'm an old friend of the headmistress."

by **Laura Weston** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 6:13 pm

"She's cool. She's been helping me with my shapeshifting."

by **Altamira Vazquez** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 6:14 pm

"Oh, a shifter? They seem to breed here on campus.

She helped ME with my telepathy."

by **Laura Weston** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 6:22 pm

"She seems the helpful sort. Stretching my boundaries for sure, often literally."

by **Altamira Vazquez** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 6:24 pm

"Looking to make a big impression, then?"

by **Laura Weston** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 6:26 pm

"Big, small and a lot in between. She was kind enough to give me some of her time for tutoring."

by **Altamira Vazquez** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 6:34 pm

"Well, if I can help you out in some way, I'd be glad to, as well. I'm not a shifter, but I bring a...different perspective to things," Mira said, remembering Nailah's words.

by **Laura Weston** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 6:50 pm

"I probably do need to practice my flying some more, but that's not really something a telepath can help with either."

by **Altamira Vazquez** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 6:51 pm

"Not in the same style, at least. You'll need to find someone with actual wings, I think. Mine...don't work like yours."

by **Laura Weston** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 6:52 pm

"You have wings?" Laura tried to take a peek.

by **Altamira Vazquez** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 6:54 pm

"Sometimes.

You see, I'm....the Phoenix," she said, awaiting the usual scoffing and disbelief.

by **Laura Weston** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 6:56 pm

"That's your codename? Cool," Laura said, apparently never having heard of the Phoenix.

by **Altamira Vazquez** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 6:59 pm

"So..." Mira said, put off for a moment, but continuing. "So my wings are more psychic constructs, as opposed to actual physical things. They look cool."

by **Laura Weston** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 7:03 pm

"I'd imagine. I've been told mine look cool, but they're really just a nuisance most of the time."

by **Altamira Vazquez** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 7:04 pm

"But they WORK, yes?"

by **Laura Weston** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 7:30 pm

"They do. It's really a first world problem compared to what some other mutants go through."

by **Altamira Vazquez** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 7:47 pm

"It's just a matter of training your muscles then. I'm sure that won't be too hard."

by **Laura Weston** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 7:55 pm

"Just something I need to make time for, I guess. So what's your post-graduate work in?"

by **Altamira Vazquez** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 8:00 pm

"I'm going to say mutant studies. My job took me away for a while, and I've had some trouble re-adjusting."

by **Laura Weston** » Wed Jun 11, 2014 8:05 am

"Well, this is the perfect place to readjust," she said, raising her glass.

by **Altamira Vazquez** » Wed Jun 11, 2014 11:21 am

"Here's hoping I don't manage to annoy EVERYONE before I do so," she said, raising her own glass.

by **Laura Weston** » Wed Jun 11, 2014 11:31 am

"Having a hard time?"

by **Altamira Vazquez** » Wed Jun 11, 2014 12:00 pm

"I really am. I come around with the best of intentions, but I seem to annoy everyone I meet. It's hard re-adapting."

by **Laura Weston** » Wed Jun 11, 2014 12:09 pm

"Honestly, I got used to being so many different people when I was going to school in Canada that I'm still getting used to what it's like to just be me. I just sort of got lost in the shuffle of what I had to do."

by **Altamira Vazquez** » Wed Jun 11, 2014 12:11 pm

"See, I'm coming at it from the opposite angle. Just being me has already gotten me yelled at by the Headmistress."

by **Laura Weston** » Wed Jun 11, 2014 12:14 pm

"Well, then maybe you need to moderate who you are, just for the sake of community. Of course, it's kind an asshole move for me to pass judgment when I really don't know you that well."

by **Altamira Vazquez** » Wed Jun 11, 2014 12:15 pm

"Well, that's kind of MY job, and people get mad at me for doing it," Mira admitted. "You wouldn't like it if I came in here and told you how to solve all your problems, even if I was right."

by **Laura Weston** » Wed Jun 11, 2014 12:20 pm

"Nope. Because they're my problems. It's a big deal when a person asks someone else to give them a hand with their problems. You would not believe how long it took me to work up to asking the Headmistress for tutoring."

by **Altamira Vazquez** » Wed Jun 11, 2014 12:22 pm

"Right. And in my...recent work...I haven't HAD to wait until asked; I'm expected to come in and fix things. So that's been a culture shock."

by **Laura Weston** » Wed Jun 11, 2014 12:28 pm

"Really? That's an interesting job. I can see how that'd be hard come back from. How do you deal with the things that just can't be fixed?"

by **Altamira Vazquez** » Wed Jun 11, 2014 12:31 pm

"I'm not sure I understand the question."

by **Laura Weston** » Wed Jun 11, 2014 12:34 pm

"Well, personal example time, I just recently found out my parents are getting divorced. Worse yet, my male parent's being a major asshole about it. But you know, while it's a problem, it's really not something I can fix so I just have to deal with it. How'd you deal with stuff like that in your job?"

by **Altamira Vazquez** » Wed Jun 11, 2014 12:36 pm

"I'd need to know more about it. The reason for the sepearation. Whether one party was at fault or not. The severity of the punishment required."

Mira paused.

"I'm sorry to hear about that, though."

by **Laura Weston** » Wed Jun 11, 2014 12:39 pm

"Fault's a really tricky thing. If you listen to my male parent, it's partially my fault. If you listen to my mom, my male parent's always been an asshole, he just used to be better at reigning himself in." She smiled, "But thanks though. It took me a bit, and a regrettable night of heavy drinking, to make me realize that while it hurts, it's really their life and I'm here to do my own thing and I can't let it get to me."

Who is online