After The Fall

Jean stretched, arms over her head and back arching completely. Stretched so fully her toes very nearly brushed the ground as her telekinesis buzzed reflexively. There were very few places that were safe for them to work in anymore, but the padded mats of the gym were both comfortable and provided some measure of protection. There was always the risk, of course, that the glass would shatter, but frankly, no place was one hundred percent safe - not from a telekinetic.

So they'd settled somewhere relatively quiet and peaceful, and so far it seemed to be working out for them. They weren't taking time away from anyone who needed training - they were doing some measure of training themselves, after all. Even if most of it was on an entirely different plane.

She turned to smile at her companion. Emma was proving remarkably resilient. She was strong and determined and their abilities harmonized rather well. Which made things easier, and more difficult at times.

"Ready?"

It had happened overnight. Her fever had been intensifying, punctuated by strange disorientation and shaking. She was so out of it, she didn't notice when bits of her skin where there had been a rash seemed to harden to a clear crystal. Definitely didn't notice when that crystalline patch began to spread.

Was not with it enough to realize that soon enough, her whole body had turned to crystal.

And that the weak control she had on her telepathy was completely gone.

"The food was almost as good as the company," Roberto commented, smiling at Emma as their waitress cleared away the last of their plates. He'd paid the bill already, and he pushed his chair back and offered Emma a hand up. "Shall we find a decent cup of coffee?" His voice was a little hoarse, and he'd been making liberal use of his handkerchief, but all in all he didn't feel...too very bad.

It was very early morning and the house was (mostly) still. It was never completely quiet, not with so many residents. And even if it was physically quiet, there were so many who didn't know how to shield that it was never mentally quiet.

Emma was sitting in the kitchen, white silk pajamas a crisp contrast to the filtered pre-dawn light coming through the window.

She sipped contentedly on her coffee as her bagel toasted, mind drifting through the surface thoughts of the mansion.

Emma had been spending most of her time in New York and London, getting the feel of the financial world in this time and place. Attending seminars and lectures. Making plans.

Listening. Lots and lots of listening.

Finally, she knew what she wanted to do and how she wanted to accomplish it. Although in some ways it was riskier, she invested the money based on her research, not on any minds she'd read. Of course, reading those minds had been part of her research but...

She returned to the mansion with a spring in her step and a suitcase full of new clothes. If only she didn't have to haul it to her room herself...

Paige tapped her eraser against the page of her notebook, trying to stay focused on what she was reading. As much as she enjoyed a good book, the book she had been assigned was far from good. In fact, it was downright boring. She sat up, leaning back against her chair as she pulled her glasses off and pinched the bridge of her nose. She still had a few days before she really had to be finished with it, but the sooner she got it done, the sooner she could start on the assignment for the next week.

Dropping the glasses to the table, she frowned at the book. Maybe she did need a break.

Most of the mansion seemed to be out at this battle-of-the-bands thing that had been randomly announced. Emma had declined to go, and was now using the time to explore more of the mansion. So much easier to do when there were fewer minds to listen to.

She'd been actively blocking because there were so many that weren't shielded at all, she'd been developing headaches.

What she really needed, she decided, was a drink. A large, stiff drink.

Very large.

Emma pushed open the door, then cursed quietly. She'd been blocking and hadn't realized the room was already occupied.

Anya pulled the car into the garage and turned it off, taking her time as she collected the things that had made their way out of her pockets. She disconnected the mp3 player from the car transmitter and plugged her headphones back in then slipped the unit into her pocket. After tossing her cell phone into her purse, along with her keys and chapstick, she climbed out of the car and headed for the door. When she opened the it and stepped through, though, she realized very quickly that she was not standing on the path to the main building.

She was in what looked like a throne room, and as she stepped down from the dais, she caught sight of a portrait on the wall. She nearly dropped her mp3 player, but managed to keep a grip on it instead, as she stared at the faded picture.