ABERRANT: WEIRDER STUFF - CHAPTER III "THE BALL DROPS"

[Sean Cassidy]

"Now we just need Jaunt to grow up and mature a little," Sean teased, craning around to face Devin pass Sara's shoulder.

With Lilly putting her arm around Sara, Sean contented herself with giving her a comforting squeeze on the thigh and a mental caress over their link as she nodded in agreement. <You aren't alone in this anymore, and not ever again. Even if I'm not there, due to actually needing to sleep occasionally or engaged in something else, send me a whisper, even just say my name out loud, and I'll be with in spirit, and in body, if I can.>

"For myself, I was considering something with literary weight and meaning," Sean said, idly tossing dice across the gaming table, making them spin on a point like tops and seeing if she could make them land showing a face of her choice. "But ended up deciding it came across as too pretentious and besides, I would probably have to explain it too often." She gave them a winsome smirk. "My powers are knowing things and being good at things, and in most cases, it came as suddenly as my transformation. So I'm choosing Savant as my handle, which is actually quite accurate, except my expertise runs to most fields rather than a single or narrow one."

Her smirk turned slightly wistful, her gaze sliding up to the roof for a moment as she let her hyper acute senses expand. Her talent with computers had come naturally, but she had worked hard to turn it into a real skill, and had taken pride in doing so. And while she took equal or even greater pride in developing new technologies, feats of engineering and programming that should have been decades away at least, there was a vague sadness that most of the ineffable skill she now possessed had come without effort, even as she exulted in her capabilities.

She was a peerless marksman and martial artist, an athlete that only certain of her enhanced friends could compare with. A scientific polymath that the world has never seen before, even during the heights of the Renaissance and the Enlightenment Eras. She was a master thief - calling her a ninja in most ways was a woeful understatement. She was a singer and actress, a performer in general, of such excellence, she could win Grammys and Oscars with minor effort. She knew how to persuade, manipulate, and seduce men, and women for that matter, by sexual means and others, with a sex appeal that dwarfed that of any pornstar, glamour model, or pinup girl from the golden age of Hollywood.

All this and more was hers, and she had done little to earn it, except to have the right biochemistry in the right situation, at the right time with the right mental framework. She didn't regret it, far from it, but she felt it should not be so easy. If knowledge was power, and power corrupts, by the transitive property, absolute knowledge corrupts absolutely.

She wasn't omniscient, but at times, she felt she was growing towards it. Hell, she was... aware whenever anyone anywhere, mentioned her name or referred to her. They weren't so numerous yet, but even still, she had to filter her awareness. She could see firsthand how a god could be so overwhelmed by the cries of her faithful that she had no choice but to ignore them, for her own sanity. Sean sighed in a way that couldn't help but draw the eyes of the Irregulars before glancing at Lilly with a thoughtful look.

"The motto of the Olympics is Citius, Altius, Fortius - Higher, Faster, Stronger. Mount Olympus is a mountain, and mountains are generally considered near invulnerable," she mused in her melodious, singular voice. Though they say faith can move mountains, and I've seen said science can reduce them to rubble. "And Ms. Olympia is the title given to the winner of the highest reputed female bodybuilding competition. Have you considered 'Olympia' as a call sign? There are any number of amazons and warrior goddesses that would suit you too, of course, but Olympia has more relevant meaning, in my eyes."

Sean's gorgeous turquoise eyes gleamed with playful mischievousness. "Besides, an 'O' on the front of your outfit would make a great boob-window."

[Lilly Pryor]

Lilly sighed herself now, her eyes downcast at the floor as she shook her head.

"I've accepted.. or at least I think I have... that I no longer even have a chance as this thing I have worked toward almost all of my life. The Olympics."

"I trained hard, even when I wanted to quit so bad. I denied myself things and dieted, even when everybody else was having shakes and burgers. I missed out on all sorts of things and endured being called a freak or whatever for looking like this... All for a dream that was taken from me now."

"It was replaced with a new purpose, but I still do not want to be reminded of it, especially every time somebody uses my call sign. If that make me selfish or petty, or immature or whatever, then so be it." Lilly shrugged.

"I feel we were given these abilities for a reason, and though that dream is gone now, but nothing is going to stop me from fulfilling this new purpose either. I wouldn't quit when I was doing something just for myself, so I am sure as hell not gonna quit when the literal WORLD is on mine and our shoulders either."

[Sean Cassidy]

"It doesn't make you petty or selfish," Sean replied sympathetically as she reached around Sara to give Lilly a consoling pat on the shoulder. Her lips quirked wryly. "It just makes you human."

Sean hadn't known Lilly was training for the Olympics, though reviewing her memories it seemed rather obvious to her now. She had offered the name as a means for Lilly to claim a part of her dream, but she could see how one would rather distance herself from it rather than hold onto something so ephemeral.

"Considering your beliefs on our powers and purpose, how about Stalwart or Vanguard instead?"

[WS ST]

On 6/2/2017 at 10:06 AM, Sean Cassidy said:

her gaze sliding up to the roof for a moment as she let her hyper acute senses expand.

The wooden beams of the roof dissolved, then the roof itself leaving the whole of the sky revealed. Clouds, planets, stars, Galaxies...

"The others have been contacted and all but Lord Eddam have responded." The Servant said to his master, The Great Over-Lord.

"The fleet?"

"Three spans to gather Overlord, four to make the journey..." the servant is cut off in mid sentence

"Four?"

"It is the seventh galaxy Overlord, it will require four jumps to cross the gulfs..." again the servant stops before finishing it's sentence this time when the overlord bends its gaze upon him.

The creature cringes beneath the baleful stare.

"Eddam."

The servant had expected annihilation, "At once master." it scurried away to make the call.

 

The president, his once black hair almost completely grey now, snubbed out the cigarette and looked at the file the SecDef had brought outlining the operation.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" he asked already knowing the response he would get.

"I don't see how we have a choice Mr President. 4 in 4 weeks and this is week 5. if another one opens we need to know, and this is the only way find out what we may be facing."

"But they're kids..."

"Mr President, they signed the waivers, their parents signed the waivers, they have been emancipated. They are not kids Mr President, not anymore. Hell they may not even be human anymore." The SecDef was tired and his crankiness was showing through.

The President picked up a picture which showed a very young but exceedingly attractive, no, if he was being honest with himself, an exceedingly beautiful woman, who could never be mistaken for a 'kid'.

"Why the hell couldn't this have waited another month then it wouldn't be our problem anymore." He sighed and reached for another cigarette but the pack was empty.

"That's the other thing I wanted to talk to you about. No one wants that idiot to have the button for the arsenal and to be honest these are possibly worse than even that. I want to take Guardian Shield Ultra Black." The SecDef's voice had drop almost to a whisper.

The President leaned back and pondered. "How on earth would you do that?"

"It can be done. Ultra Black gives us incredible lee way and makes the operation autonomous. We hand pick some people place them in charge with very explicit instructions. We an even make ourselves advisors after the fact, that way we can still influence and the only offical part is the budget. W have to make sure that the Senate and congressional oversight are on board but with the budget i think we can do that. And with that The new president and his waky administration won't even know about them unless they end up on the news." The SecDef smiled as he handed a cigarette to his President.

 

Gina was in love with the dress and face it if it weren't for the existence of Courtney and that she thing Sean Cassidy everyone at school would have noticed how she had changed and blossomed into an incredible beautiful young woman that and if they could remember her for more than a few seconds after she left their attention. Fucking retards the whole fucking human retard race. "It's wonderful Courtney thank you so much."

Courtney smiled at the younger girl, She alone had recognized the beauty which now resided in the unfortunate Gina such a shame that her power left it a secret she would never be able to capitalize on. Not like her powers, her beauty. "It is all my pleasure Gina we are going to be radiant, we are going to be the most incredible things Shelly Montana has ever seen. We are going to fucking rule!

The Irregulars won't even know what hit them they are so pathetic."

"Have you cleared this with DeathOtter?" Dan asked as he set aside his Ipad. Chet stopped chewing chips at the mention of their dreaded leaders name and looked around nervously to make sure she hadn't appeared or worse her enforcer.

Courtney scowled at Dan, "For fucks sake, Dan, it's a goddam dance not act of war. I'm just putting Sean Fucking Cassidy and the rest of those weirdo misfits in their place. Right under my six inch heel!"

Spoiler

You may consider this an interlude. Sean is fully aware of all three of these conversations the rest of you are not unless she informs. if there are no further posts today or indications that  you wish to post, I will be moving us to the dance tomorrow.

 

 

[WS ST]

Sandy had reached over while Lilly and Sean spoke and taken Lilly's hand. He gave it a squeeze, as he leaned over and whispered in her ear, "I'll do what ever I can, what ever you want me to do and We'll find new dreams."

[Sean Cassidy]

Letting Lilly ruminate on a call-sign she found fitting and evocative for herself, Sean slowly retracted her awareness, putting the filters back on, letting her subconscious mind keep tabs on them, freeing to conscious mind to be with her friends. Still, her luscious lips curved down in disbelieving frown and she couldn't help but shake her head at Courtney's pettiness.

"What is it, babe?" Sara asked her girlfriend, noticing Sean's expression as she absently drew a representation of her character for Abel's game on the pack of the character sheet she didn't need as a reference.

"Oh, nothing serious," Sean replied airily in her haunting and sultry melodious voice, making a dismissive wave. "Just amused by Courtney getting all worked up  to have her band show me - show us - up at the Winter Ball."

Sara sat up straight, flames almost visible in the depth of her eyes, her tone heated. "They are going to start a fight at the Winter Ball?!"

"No, no," Sean laughed, laughter that could have been sold as a replacement for viagra or an aphrodisiac. "Nothing like that, hon. She didn't even ask DeathOtter for 'permission'. The only fight Courtney intends it for will be crowned Queen of the Ball. She rather not fond of us Irregulars and more or less wants us groveling beneath her impractically high heel. Aliens and people with super powers, and this is what she is focused on. Alas, she and Chet and Gina and the rest will have to be disappointed I fear."

Sean wasn't sure if it was Laurie's enthusiasm infecting her, wanting to preen and flaunt herself for Sara's sake and regard, or her own delight and pride in her appearance, but she had grown quite interested in attending the Winter Ball. She had designed and made her dress herself and to her own critical eye, it was easily the equal to anything found in any fashion House. The shoes she had found in Italy on one of her and Sara's trips. She had put herself on display for strangers in Vegas on Halloween - now, she was going to do so, if of a different kind, for people she knew.

Sean twisted lithely around and gave Sara a fleeting kiss. "I'm a little surprised, but I'm actually really forward to the Winter Ball. And all it took was having a girlfriend and boobs of my own."

And, she willingly admitted to herself, she was very much looking forward to making sure Courtney didn't get what she wanted, just a tiny bit of vengeful spitefulness for all the torment she had inflicted on her when she had been an underdeveloped, feminine-looking boy.

A single, cute furrow blossomed between her perfect brows. Gina. She'd been aware of her presence and ire as she had been Courtney's but she couldn't precisely remember at school since their transformations. She was there, and in classes, but Sean couldn't remember a single thing she said, or even what she truly looked like. To someone who had had an excellent memory before being enhanced, and now had a flawless one married to senses that made her aware of events happening in other galaxies, it was a little disconcerting.

Could someone be so... so dull, so boring, that even I barely realize they exist?

The Alien Armada was a threat, a growing, but still distant one. Nothing they could do in the next few days would make a difference in that regard, so Sean kept silent about it for now, letting her friends enjoy the excitement surrounding the Winter Ball. Laurie's excitement pleased Sean, even if she had the poor judgement to go with Devin, and even with their first mission imminent and the danger it portended, it felt good that she and her friends could still be enthused by something as comparatively insignificant as the Winter Ball.

It also felt that to know the current President and Secretary of Defense seemed genuinely concerned about their welfare and the welfare of Guardian Shield and how unprepared and unpredictable the President-Elect was for the reality. Sean's lips tightened. Had her metamorphosis had just occurred a few months earlier, she was sure she could have altered the outcome of the election to one much more of her liking, and she would have.

But this wasn't a world of what ifs. They had to make do with what they had and what had come before them to make what came later better for themselves and for everyone.

If any of her friends believed the administration, as a whole, was out to control them, to use them us for its own benefit at their expense, Sean would reveal to them that there were those, at the highest level, who still had their interests in mind, even if their interests couldn't be their only priority.

[WS ST]

The Winter Ball

At Shelly it signified the mid point of the school year, the start of the holiday season, and the promise of the coming spring just a few months away. Whereas Homecoming was a celebration of accomplishment and alumni, and the Prom at the end of the year was more about the senior class than anything else, the winter ball was more a celebration of friends and family, of people and schoolmates regardless of position, grade or anything else.

It was a coming together.

The Auditorium was decorated in silver and red the traditional winter colors here in Shelly, it was tasteful and understated, another Shelly tradition. There was a live band a local group made up of students that hoped to one day make the big time. The ball would commence at 8:pm but the band and event planners and workers were there most of the day setting things up, only leaving about 30 minutes before the ball to change and get ready themselves.

Gina Keller strolled trough the auditorium casually the canvas bag flung over her shoulder, she watched the other kids and stupid adults running around doing they're last minute preparations god how she hated all these idiots. She stopped at each table and, completely unnoticed by anyone there, hid powerful microphones in flowers or under the tables, she placed small camera gotten from a commercial spy shop in Grate Falls at strategic locations all around the room. Everything tonight would be recorded. DeathOtter would be proud. If she knew.

Or really really pissed, with her you could never tell.

Grace Sissiano was enjoying herself. She had been annoyed at the assignment originally but over the weeks and months since joining the faculty she had found a hidden passion for teaching. She liked her students and really had thrown herself into making their learning experience special. But she never forgot why she had been sent here in the first place.

Grace was standing on the ladder attaching some foil icicle when she felt a tingle on her wrist. She stopped and looked at the special watch which had been issued to her a couple of weeks earlier. It was among other things a Quantium detector. While the small device couldn't analyze what it was detecting it could alert the wearer to a larger than normal Q field that came within a few meters a field such as that emitted by an Enhanced person.

Grace froze. Then swept the auditorium looking for any of the Irregulars. None were there in fact no one except Bobbie Douglas, a junior who had volunteered to help with the event, was anywhere near her much less in range of the mini detector. Then something seen from the corner of her eye drew her attention.

Gina Keller froze. Ms. Sissiano was staring right at her. Gina looked her right in the eye as the teacher stared at the table she was standing at. Stared and saw nothing. Gina grinned the stupid bitch couldn't see her none of them could, unless she wanted them to. She grinned and moved on to finished setting up the toys as Courtney had instructed.

Grace stared at the table a couple of meters away, but there was nothing there just a trick of the light she supposed, but still the watch tingled on her wrist. Then suddenly it stopped. She looked at it touched the buttons , had no idea what the readings meant but nothing was here so she just shrugged and went back to work. She would have the Brain Trust look at it back at base.

 

 

Sean was making the finishing touches on Laurie makeup when she heard the doorbell. Laurie pulled away and rushed to the window and looked out, her eyes went wide. “Oh My God!”

Sean joined her and even her eyes widened at the sight of the stretch limo parked in front of the house. She heard voices down stairs.

Sara had told her last night after gaming that She and Jaunt, Devin (funny how Sara had so easily took to using the annoying boy's codename), would pick her and Laurie up at 6 Pm for a quick dinner before taking them to the ball at 8. But Sean had not imagined this not in the least.

“Sean, Laurie,” their mother called from downstairs, “you're dates are here.”

The two girls checked each other over one last time and then headed down stairs.

Spoiler

The Tailored Suit Sara is wearing, Jaunt is wearing a Tailored suit as well his matches Laurie's Dress

 

 

[Abel Cross]

Abel had gone to Pick up Kia earlier in the day, bringing her and her mother to his home.   When asked why, he simply smiled knowingly, and said he had his reasons, and it would certainly be worthwhile for them to do it this way.   It gave Kia a chance to spend time with his sisters and mother, who were there to help her, and tell embarrassing stories about Abel.   Abel had resolved not to see Kia until it was time to go, though they did speak through the doors, and by the laughter, at least they were telling her and her mother the funnier stories.  When it was finally time to head over to Sean's to get everyone, He was there in a new suit he'd gone to buy, having been saving his money for some time.  The big surprise was outside.  normally it was saved for Prom, but since they could be at war by then, Abel was taking no chances, he'd make this a night to remember for her.

While not wearing a Tuxedo, his Father had gone with him, and they'd gotten him a new bespoke suit, made to fit him perfectly.  He'd trusted the tailor they'd gone to for advice on what would look good, given the color of Kia's dress, and favorite colors.  He'd planned alot of the evening out, but all the same, he was ready to just go with the flow.   While he wanted everyone to have a great time and great night, he was mostly concerned with Kia doing so.

[Kia Mizuki]

Kia and the Moms got along very well, and Abel couldn't help but overhear Kia's laughing several times through the door, along with an occasional giggly, melodramatic 'noooooo' as her mom shared a few doozies of her own. Things quieted down though once Kia and her mother unveiled the dress they'd gone out to buy. Kia had come to the same conclusion as Abel...prom might not be a thing for them.

Her dress this time out still had the blues and greens she was so fond of, but more muted this time and with curls and whorls of red and orange farther down the long skirt. Despite it being winter, the dress left most of her shoulders bare and had a neckline that was a bit daring for a high school dress. Over the months since being bitten by the quantum 'bug,' the ongoing changes in Kia had continued. Something separate from, though perhaps related to, her shapeshifting powers; her body had slowly but surely optimized itself. Stronger. Faster. Fitter. In that process her appearance had changed as well, though far more subtly than Sean or Lilly's. She'd always been beautiful, but it couldn't be denied now that she'd crossed a threshold. The dress really emphasized those changes with how it hugged her body to the waist, and flared out to show just a bit of leg when she moved.

When Kia emerged from the room in her dress, both her mom and Abel's were a little misty-eyed. Kia, with the pink and orange flower in her hair, which was gathered up and pinned back to leave her neck and shoulders clear...smiling a little shyly at Abel as she held her arms out and turned around once. Her eyes lit up on seeing his suit, and she went over to him to tug on a sleeve here, and straighten his tie there. Then, because Kia, she put her arms around him and gently hugged him.

It was a hard thing, in the moment, to imagine the night being anything other than magical.

Dress?

[Abel Cross]

Abel looked at her and smiled that kilowatt smile he'd seemed to have developed over the fall, and nodded.  After a moment he went on.  "I'm not usually at a loss for words, but Kia, you look Amazing.   Even I really can't tell you just how beautiful you are."  He'd hugged her back reflexively, and hadn't really wanted to let her go, practically entranced by Kia herself.   "You are gonna turn every head at the Dance."   His steel grey eyes never left her gaze, and he smiled  "Glad we went with Orchids."

As if on cue, his sisters brought in the corsage and Boutonnière, which were matching dark blue/purple orchids, matching the darker colors of her dress, and he smiled, placing hers on her wrist, as he stood still to let her pin his to his lapel.   Both their mothers insisted upon taking pictures, Which they did in front of the fireplace, in all manner of combinations of parents, kids, and the couple themselves.   Finally it was time to head out, and He held the door for her.  What greet her when she got out the door was a jet black limo.   It hadn't been cheap to get it to come from Great Falls, and for the whole night, but her smile made everything worth it to him.   The driver got out when the door opened, and went over to open the passenger door for them.   He was smiling, obviously taken aback abit by The allure of both halves of the couple, and Abel nodded.  "Our Chariot awaits, as do the others.  I figure we can all arrive in style tonight."

[Sean Cassidy]

"Well, that is a sight better than showing up to the Ball in Little Bigfoot, wouldn't you say, sis?" Sean commented with a glance towards Laurie, her scarlet lips creasing in a grin, delighted at the surprise. These days, Sean was rarely surprised, by anything, unless she made an effort to be. In this case, she had and she was looking forward to seeing what Sara was wearing.

"I'll say!" <I'll say!> Laurie exclaimed, both vocally and mentally, pleased and still in wonder that Devin seemed to making a concerted effort in taking her to the Winter Ball. "Don't get me wrong, Sean, your car is awesome, but for how we're dressed, the limo just fits the image, yeah?"

"Yes, yes it does," Sean agreed. "And you don't have to talk out loud to be heard over the mental link, Laurie."

Sean had established the dedicated mental link with her sister while making a few minor adjustments to Laurelei's dress for a better fit and doing her hair and make-up. In part, it was to give her sister a taste of quantum enhancement she tried so hard not to be envious about. But for another reason, it was just in case Laurie found herself in trouble. From her read on the situation, Courtney was more interested in embarrassment than in inflicting actual harm, and Sean didn't believe she or her lackeys would target Laurie to get at her, but better to be safe than sorry.

It was also there, just in the very distant case that Devin tried for more than Laurie was comfortable with.

"Sorry!" <Sorry!> Laurie frowned and shook her heard, picturing scrolling to another contact number in her smartphone. "Sorry. That's better."

"No problem, Laurie," Sean said, making one last adjustment to Laurie's hair. "You'll get used to it. Now, let's go wow our dates, make mom cry in joy, and dad feel very conflicted."

Laurelei came down the stairs first, trying to maintain a composed expression, though her heart fluttered at what Devin would think, despite telling herself this was just a transaction so she'd have a date for the Winter Ball. Devin tried to affect indifference, but his eyes widened and his mouth dropped open - just for a second - at the sight of Laurelei Cassidy.

She had just turned fifteen, but she seemed older and more sophisticated without losing any of her playful sarcasm, coming down the stairs gracefully in her three inch heels. The elegant, navy blue dress suited her very nicely and she filled it out well. The colour really complimented her red hair, which was styled in an elaborate updo, bound with gold wire, which almost gave it the appearance of dancing flames.

Laurie reached the bottom of the stairs and gave a twirl, her eyes alighting on Devin. She grinned broadly as his slack-jawed expression. "You like, I take it?" She gave him her own frank appraisal then feigned a condescending nod of acceptance. "Your attire is acceptable, you make accompany me to the Winter Ball, good sir." She broke out into another excited grin. "Who knew you'd clean up so well?"

Sean let her younger sister have her moment, then she descended the stairs to silence and gasps of wonder. Her opened-toed strappy sandals might have had a five-inch heel, but Sean navigated the stairs to fluidly and smoothly she might as well have been dancing. Her Grecian-style dress was made of a lustrous white charmeuse silk that made her seem clothed in moonlight, revealing a bit of thigh with each step she took, and it draped her dramatic figure to best effect without emphasizing it. Understated and classical, it made the crimson of her lips, the turquoise of her eyes, the sunset hues of her hair, which tumbled down almost to her waist in a thickly curled tail and faint, matching eyeshadow really pop.

Spoiler

Sean's dress, more or less, though made of lustrous/satin white silk, and the cinch and shoulder piece is of simpler design

Sean moved with the bearing and presence of a Greek goddess. An amused goddess, as she took in Sara's attire, her eyes bright. Who knew that the first time I attended the Winter Ball, I'd be wearing a dress and my date would be wearing a suit? The switch absolutely delighted Sean and she was glad she hadn't peeked and ruined the surprise. Sean flowed up to Sara, gazing down into her eyes and made a show of straightening her lapels, which they did not need.

"I love it, babe, I absolutely love it," Sean proclaimed, her voice more than matching her regal, deific appearance. She made her own slow, graceful twirl, giving Sara, and everyone, a full view. "The limo was a great idea and a fun surprise."

Carolyn Cassidy was delighted and pleased. Teagan had never been into the glamour and elegance of the Winter Ball, but Laurelei had been and it seemed now, Sean was as well, now that she was a girl, a woman, really, or something 'other'.

Jack Cassidy was indeed conflicted. He was happy to see his daughters - even if just months ago one had been his only son - were having a great time. He also couldn't help but feel protective of them as well, even if Sean was one of the most formidable beings on the planet, from what he knew. He gave Devin a warning look and tried to give Sara one too, but it curdled into something self-consciously wry. He might have come to terms with who and what his son now was and who she was seeing, but the acceptance still felt awkward to him.

"Warning, warning, threat, graphic discussion of consequences involving power tools, curfew," Jack joked, though his expression was a little more serious when directed at Devin. While Sean might have been his daughter, it was impossible to think of her as anything less than a woman, while Laurelei had just turned fifteen. "Just try not getting my daughters pregnant tonight, hmm?"

They posed for pictures at Carolyn's insistence, then got ready to leave for dinner, Devin helping Laurelei into a long coat. Though very hardy by unenhanced standards, Sean wasn't as inured to the climate as Sara was. She swirled the heavy red cloak she had worn when costumed as Wonder Woman over her shoulders and it suited her current outfit perfectly, granting her a faintly Spartan or Martial air while adding to her classical elegance.

[WS ST]

When Sandy turned onto Lilly's street he had second thoughts... Devin had said that he and Sara were getting a limo and Abel had told him the same and even invited him to join in. But Sandy had declined, he just couldn't justify the money and relying on some one else, even a good friend like Abel, wasn't something he could do. So the only concession was borrowing his moms 2011 Lexus. He had washed and waxed it this morning so the car which mom really didn't drive much, looked like new, except for the older body style.

He pulled into the drive and got out and carrying the corsage went to the door and rang the bell.

Col. Pryor opened the door, he looked at the boy, so out of his league, but he approved of what he saw. "Hello Sandy, come on in." he stepped to the side opening the door fully to let Sandy in.

Sandy stepped in seeing Mrs Pryor off to the left a big grin on her face, he also noticed a camera on the coffee table behind her.

"Good evening Colonel, Mrs Pryor." He reached out and shook the Colonel's hand

"Hello, you look very nice Sandy, I'll get Lilly. be just a minute." Said Mrs Pryor as she smiled at him again before going to get her Daughter.

[Lilly Pryor]

Lilly looked at herself in the mirror, thoughtfully, considering herself, her body and all that had happened since Homecoming.

Though she had never considered herself ugly, she did know that the changes to her body, her physique, was unattractive to some. After her enhancement she could throw a tank and being shot by one was just a minor annoyance, and yet all she gained a few inches in height, her general muscle tone was better and her smallish breasts, thanks to her diet, exercise and general low body fat, went up a cup size or so. In a way, it was kind of like Wonder Woman now, she mused. Strong, tough, with a very fit, yet still feminine physique.

She was certainly no Greek goddess when it came to beauty, at least not like her friends.

Over the months since their enhancement, Abel, Alec and Kia had all grown more handsome and beautiful. Sometimes gaining a few inches in height, more muscle tone and/or mass. They still looked like themselves, but it was more like an absolute perfect version of themselves, kind of like the different she had see in that article about the photos of celebrities for magazine covers and how they looked before and after they were photoshopped. Even Sean, who had changed from a boy to a girl, was absurdly sexy. How the heck that was fair, Lilly could not grasp.

And that was the thing, being around them so much once could not help but feel a little... inferior? Ugly?... when compared to them.

Sara and herself had changed the least physically, at least visibly. Granted, Sara had changed her hair and style a bit, but that was about it, much like Lilly. She was dating Sean though, so that had to minimize the impact of being around the  others who were so incredibly beautiful and handsome. Lilly could only wonder how Taleena felt too. She was 'in the know', but not enhanced herself. Always around them though, kinda like being on the edge of a world she figured. Thought that totem thing did still bug Lilly...

And then there was Sandy.

Sandy was not enhanced, but was still around them a lot, much like Taleena. He had found Lilly beautiful long before Homecoming, and despite seeing Sean and Kia nearly daily, he still found Lilly beautiful. From most in his situation it would just be flattery, but Lilly knew he truly meant it, and the thought could not help but bring a small smile to her face, maybe with a hint of a blush too. The fact she had superpowers was also not even an issue for him. Even though she tried to turn off her powers when she was with him, some guys might feel inferior or emasculated in his position. In fact though, not only was it a non-issue for him, but he really did not even care at all. It was irrelevant to him, except for when being an enhanced agent for the government put demands on her schedule, that is.

Sandy found her beautiful, and that was more than good enough for her, she thought with a smile and began to get dressed.

 

"Lilly, honey. Sandy is here." came the voice of her mother a short time later through the door, with a knock as she opened it and peeked in.

Her mother had helped Lilly shop for her dress and even helped do her hair up, but finally seeing her daughter all made up and in the dress brought a happy smile to her mother.

"Okay Mom. Can you check the back while I put these earrings in?" Lilly replied, turning her back to her mom with a smile as she collected the earrings off her dresser.

"You sure dad will be okay with the dress?" she asked her mother with a faint hint of apprehension.

"It is elegant and beautiful. Besides, at some point he is going to have to accept you are a young woman now, if he hasn't already. You have been working so hard and still going to school and been so responsible that you deserve some fun. So don't you worry. If he says anything, I'll take care of it." Cassandra Pryor said as she adjusted the tie behind Lilly's neck.

 

A few minutes later Mrs. Pryor came down stairs and grabbed the camera, turning to watch as her daughter descended the stairs to where her mother, father and Sandy were waiting in the foyer.

Spoiler

 

"Wow. Just.... wow." Sandy said as he watched Lilly walk over with a smile.

"Time for some pictures." Mrs. Pryor said, lifting the camera to happily snap some shots of Sandy slipping the corsage onto Lilly's wrist.

Mr. Pryor nodded approvingly... at least mostly so. He had learned a lot about his daughter and her strength of character in the last few months, affirming what he had always thought about her and even surpassing it some areas. He knew she was smart and responsible. She was not going to let herself be taken advantage of by anybody, and woe is any guy who might ever try. And besides, the Caldwell boy seemed to be an upstanding young man.

At her mother's urging, Lilly and Sandy went outside to get a few photos as well, sanding in front of the car, house and anything else Mrs. Pryor could seem to think of.

"You two have fun now and enjoy the ball." Col. Pryor said finally, hinting to his wife that the photoshoot was running a bit long.

"Oh, I almost forgot." Lilly said, rushing back inside and returning with the large case for her bow and the satchel with her PAM suit in it.

"They said to keep them close at all times." she shrugged and slipped them into the back of Sandy's car.

Col. Pryor hid his small frown as he was reminded of just what was expected his daughter and her friends, but at the same time was also proud that she was so dedicated.

Slipping an arm around his wife to hold her close, the couple waved as the car started and their daughter and her date drove off to enjoy their Winter Ball.

 

[WS ST]

While thee various members of the Irregulars were taking their pictures and receiving last minute warnings from parents about staying out to late the snow had begun to fall. IT wasn't a storm but it was steady and would pile up as the night progressed

They had all planned to meet up at at the Frontier Bar and Supper Club about ten minutes down US 2 in Dunkirk. The place looked likke an old fifties gas station converted into a resturanut, but it had the best food in the area. You would have had to drive all the way to Great Falls to find any place as good and pay a hell of a lot more.

Of course Devin had offered to take them anywhere they wanted to go but Abel said that this was Shelly's night and that we should honor their town. Plus what would they do with the limo's and drivers. Everyone agreed after that and so they party found themselves have a pretty dam good dinner and acting like the kids they were for an hour or so.

After eating they piled back into the limo's and car, Alec and Telena who had ported to the Restaurant rode with Abel and Kia, and drove back to Shelly and the School.

Kids had been arriving and when the first Limo pulled up to the auditorium all eyes were on it. Those eyes grew wide as saucers when Abel, Kia, Alec, and Telena got out. No one had expected the school's nerds to come in limos or to look like A-list movie stars. Lilly and Sandy Joined them and waited for the Limo with Sara, Sean, Devin, and Laurie. Which arrived a few minute later.

All eyes were on Sean as she exited the limo and made her way up the steps on Sara's arm to join her friends. Devin and Laurie followed. but the attention of all those in the entrance were on Sean.

Once the group was all together in all their splendor they went inside pausing for the pictures they were the absolute center of attention.

Alec waiting in line for pictures with Telena he glanced at the glass front and saw a third limo pulling up.

This limo was impressive it was a double long customized HUMVEE Limo and it was huge.

He knew who it was before the doors even opened.

<Guys> he sent through guild chat along with the image he was seeing.

Gina and Dan stepped out of the Limo first they glowed with health and the same perfection of form that all of the Irregulars also had displayed since their manifestation. Sean and Able could see the flows of Quantum surrounding them. Next out was Chet and his quantum aura was powerful not as high as any of theirs but the highest any of them had ever seen outside of their own group.

Then came Courtney.

Every eye was drawn to her, she glowed in the way only Sean glowed. Her beauty shown through and her very presence enhanced that of her companions. Her form was still that of the Courtney they all knew but was now perfection personified as she became the center of attention the Irregulars could see that her Quantum Field was as potent as Chet's and her Beauty rivaled that of Sean in equal measure.

With Chet on her arm and followed by Dan and Gina they began the walk up the steps, a regal procession led by a queen and as far as the world of the winter ball in Shelly was concerned Courtney Adams was the undisputed center of the universe.

 

Spoiler

This is the first time any of you have seen the deviants un dormed. while all four have powerlevels close to your they do not posses the same amount of raw power also their flows are more insular there is no direct quantum connection between them as there is between you.

 

[Kia Mizuki]

Kia blinked, taken aback despite herself. She'd had time to get used to the effects of her friends' enhancements. Seeing it on a new face was still something strange and kind of amazing. It took her a moment to realize that this was how other people saw the Irregulars, and it made her feel a little bad.

She pressed up against Abel's side and hugged his arm.

"Maybe at least they won't have to feel jealous anymore," she said hopefully to him. "Do you think it'd be okay to talk to them tonight? Would it be dangerous, like at the game?"

[Abel Cross]

In part Abel did have to admit Courtney was physically attractive, but he knew that beneath it she was pure bitch.  He sighed, glad he'd become accustomed to the presence of beautiful women, even if one had previously been male and was his best friend.   "An apple can be perfectly shiny and red on the outside, and inside be nothing but rot."  He held Kia gently.  "I don't know if talking to them is the best idea.  I think we should simply enjoy tonight.  If they approach us, we can at least be civil.  Beyond that we just have fun."   
 

Across guild chat he added.  <I definitely recommend staying mostly together.  No one goes off by themselves, don't take drinks you or someone you trust didn't make.   Just standard party behavior.>

As they walked in Abel did do a quick scan of the Deviants, just to make sure there was no bullshit planned for the dance.   He didn't care if they rigged the vote for courtney, but anything that was harmful to his friends would not be acceptable.  He frowned as he hit upon a rather petty scheme, one that would be incredibly damaging at this stage if allowed to be perpetrated.  Over guild chat, he sent  <okay, they are up to something.  Looks like Courtney is out to expose the truth about you Sean, they've planted cameras and microphones all over the auditorium,  recording it all for direct streaming to the net. I can probably fabricate a jammer of some sort, or we could see if the base has something for this.>

He looked down to Kia and shook his head, Over their private link, he sent  <Sorry, I don't think there's going to be any peace with them. >

[Sean Cassidy]

Sean basked in the adulation and admiration of her friends and fellow students, most of whom she had known for the majority of her life even if they did not know it. She had cut loose on Halloween and was taking a great deal of pleasure in doing so in front of those who had derided and mocked and teased her for her appearance as a boy now that they stared at her with lust and awe, need and envy, as a woman.

Sara had gotten a lot of flack about her sexuality in Shelly, whether they had known the truth or now, but with Sean on her arm, glamorous, elegant, and intoxicating, most of those glancing at her, whether male or female, did so with envy or admiration for the woman she was attending the Winter Ball with. Those few who looked to voice their bigotry, student, guest, faculty, or chaperone, Sean utterly quelled with a mere glance, arch of a brow, grin or frown.

Sean wasn't going to let anyone ruin their night. Not even Courtney.

Then Courtney glided in with her entourage and Sean felt the slightest twinge of doubt and a stab of something else twinned with surprise. It wasn't quite jealousy, and irritation was too mild of a sentiment. Perhaps affront would be most accurate. She didn't take it for granted per se, but Sean had grown used to the expectation that anywhere she went, she was undeniably the most attractive and charismatic person there, her dynamic presence unmatched.

Courtney matched her, at least in this instance, drawing all the eyes that had been directed at her a moment before. A sweeping glance showed Sean that Courtney's proportions, while different, were as mathematically perfect as her own and she felt a stir of arousal despite her hatred of her former tormentor, Courtney's beauty undeniable. Sean thought the HUMVEE limo was ostentatious, but Courtney had show far more class and taste in her dress than she would have ever expected from her.

Sean dipped her head towards Courtney, acknowledging the point she had made with her and the rest of the Deviants entrance. Unveiled as a group for the first time, Sean studied their individual Quantum Field Signatures, particularly Courtney's, attempting to decipher what else they may be capable of.

In light of what the world faced, whoever was crowned Queen of the Winter Ball was inconsequential. But Courtney wanted it and not above petty vengeance it seemed, Sean intended to take the crown from her, or at the least, prevent her from claiming it. For her, it would be fun. And surprisingly, she realized, she wanted to win the crown for her own and Sara's sake. Huh.

The Irregulars could feel Sean's mental eyeroll as Abel told them Courtney's scheme. She didn't find it as much a danger as Abel did, though the early exposure could be a nuisance. Without a visual account of her actual transformation, there was nothing they could record this night that Sean was sure she couldn't explain away as something innocuous.

Sean peeled away the filters on her senses, revealing all the wireless signals to her awareness, radio, cellular, bluetooth, and other transmissions. It wasn't quite sight, it wasn't quite hearing, and it wasn't quite tactile, but something between them, another sense entirely. With a casual glance around the hall, Sean picked out the signals showing a similarity in their frequency indicating their were transmitting to the same location.

<Don't worry about jamming quite yet, Abel,> Sean assured him over GuildChat. <I've located the recording devices. Unless DeathOtter is helping them in something this minor and petty, I'll just hack the feeds to my tablet and leave them with nothing, without realizing until it's too late. They probably didn't even switch the passwords from the factory presets. And I have no intention in hiding or avoiding Courtney, Chet, or the rest. I'm not letting them ruin our enjoyment of this night by forcing us to be cautious and defensive.>

Sean drew herself up, regal and awe-inspiring as she sent a thought to Laurie. <Remember, most people think I'm your Cousin. If you slip up and say sister - you did that half the time I was a boy anyway - just say its because you see me that way.> Sean smiled. <That shouldn't be hard, since it's more or less the truth now anyway.>

Spoiler

Sean activated her Awe-Inspiring Enhancement.

Sean laughed in delight and amusement, as if enjoying the spectacle of the Winter Ball and/or Sara had told her something funny. Her laughter rolled throughout the hall like the waves of the ocean, mingling with the music instead of overwhelming it, even as it held echoes of her piping laughter at Prom. The sound of the rich, delicious laughter turned eyes away from Courtney, if not nearly all of them.

"Almost all you havel been so welcoming to me since I move to Shelly to stay with my Aunt and Cousin," Sean said, addressing those who had turned her way and graciously nodding her head. Her voice was an instrument with more depth and clarity than a Stradivarius and she used to best effect to convey her message. For the most part, it was even all true, in sentiment, if not details. "I never got to attend something like the Winter Ball before and just wanted to express my thanks that I get to do so in a community like Shelly. I'm sure its more rewarding, more honest, than anything I'd experience in a bigger city, and I hope for my sake," Sean chuckled with self-deprecating entitlement, letting everyone in on the joke, "and all of yours, that this is the best Winter Ball yet."

With her heels on, Sean stood taller than almost everyone and over their heads, she flashed Courtney a pearly toothed smirk. Here's my opening salvo, Bitch! Bring it on. Working up the crowd, playing up their civic pride, if anyone wrecked the Winter Ball, it would be remembered. Courtney might have the looks and the charm to turn aside the discontent, but Sean was doubtful the others did.

Sean's challenging smirk widened slightly as her entrancing turquoise eyes slid towards Chet for a moment, a step behind and to the side of Courtney. Sean replayed all her interactions with her primary tormentor, both before and after her metamorphosis and considered them in a new light. She read his body language with an expert's eye, determining what he demeanor and behaviour he found most enticing.

Sean had no intention in actually doing anything with him, let alone cheating on Sara with him, but she no compunctions about playing on his expectations if it would get him to spill on Courtney's plans or preferably, torpedo them entirely. Chet was always an idiot and was a bigger one for a pretty face or spectacular tits, and with the possible exception of Courtney, who had a prettier face or more spectacular tits than her?

<Whatever you may see between me and Chet,> Sean informed Sara over their private channel, as she tilted her head down to give Sara a kiss, <just know its to fuck over Courtney and to make sure they don't do anything to put us in danger or ruin our night.>

Spoiler

Using her Seductive enhancement to find what behaviour Chet finds most enticing and sexy, but not affecting that behaviour just yet. Requires a Charisma roll - 8D10E7 => 1 success, which is all that is needed.

 

[Jaunt]

"So, Devin asked softly, trying to keep their conversation from everyone else.  They had finished eating, had an amazing meal, and were dropped off at the dance in an amazing limo.  Not to mention his date was the hottest ginger in school.  Sure, Sean was hella sexy, there was no denying that she was a stone-cold stunner, but Sean was all kinds of quantum plastic surgery.  Sean was slime and snails and puppy dog tails, while Laurie was... apple pie and base ball.  She was just Laurie.  Everything about her seemed real and Devin hated to admit it to himself, but he was really enjoying having her at his side this evening.  "How long have you known?  Y'know, about all of us?"

"Awhile now," She replied.  Her fiery hair had let go of a single rogue lock sometime during dinner and the curls had come to rest along the side of her right eye.  Sean was asked to fix it, but declined.  She proclaimed that she could work wonders with hair and make-up but the way the strand framed her face was beyond anything she could have planned and encouraged her sister to not 'repair' what incidentally made her whole look 'pop'.  "How could I not, my brother is sort of my sister now.  As you may guess, sneaking that past mom and dad was not gonna fly."

He looked at her, okay how could he not look at her?  Actually, he'd been staring pretty hard, the whole evening so far, but he was a bit puzzled with his expression.  "Wait, was that even an option?  To hide it?"

She laughed, her cheeks flushing.  "Hell to the yes.  I mean, come on, how many chances do teenagers have to pull that kind of prank on their parents?  But, in the end it turned out as you heard.  So, Sean never actually told me what you do."

Devin smiled and considered his response.  He'd thought for sure the Sean had spilled their secrets by now, but considered carefully how much he wanted her to know about him.  After all, this date was only tonight and women could be vindictive with information about guys, especially when they hate them, and doubly especially when they really want to get back at them for some perceived slight, triply especially considering how adept Jaunt was was at both slighting women and getting them to hate him rather quickly.  "I'm the plucky comic relief."  He mused.  "I'm the Beast Boy to Kia's Starfire."

"Lame.  Fine, don't tell me."  She offered only a slight huff of disappointment, but it was enough to warn him that he'd irritated her.

"Does it really matter?"  He asked.  "I didn't come here to talk about super friends.  I didn't, in all honestly, want to honor our end of the agreement because I find these balls to be stupid and an absolute waste of time..."  Laurie's expression was one of surprise mingled with anger and disgust.  Her hands balled into fists and a part of her wanted to slap the quantum node-a-jiggy-thing right out if his head.  "...and then, Laurie, you came down those steps, and... I... I realized that I had managed, in my usual half-assed way, to stumble into a date with the most beautiful redhead in all of Montana.  It dawned on me that I'd been a complete jerk to a woman who'd done me a favor.  So, now, I don't want to talk 'shop', I just want to be here, with you, and revel in every waking moment of what will probably be the only time my life is ever going to be this story-book."  Devin wasn't always the most likeable guy, but at times he had his moments, a flair for words that managed to smother, albeit temporarily, his more annoying qualities.

Laurie stood there looking at him.  She'd been friends with his twin sister, Marissa, since they'd moved here from California.  He'd been nothing but cruel, cold, and as mean and hurtful as a single person could be to another and every time his sister defended him, blaming it on him not wanting to move to Montana to begin with.  Laurie didn't buy it, and over the years she'd just learned to ignore him.  She'd even go as far as to say she hated him and every mean thing he'd ever said about her.  Here she was though, melting under the weight of the sincerity of his words.  She cursed inwardly at herself as she realized she'd just found herself attracted to the one guy in all of Shelly she could stand the least.

The lure of Courtney pulled them out of their moment.  The pair stood awestruck by the cheerleader as she and her entourage arrived.  After the fanfare Sean made her move and Devin winced.  "Ah, crap."

"What?"  Laurie asked.

"Your sister just has to be the belle of the ball, that's what.  Let the pissing contest begin."

[Lilly Pryor]

Lilly sighed and rolled her eyes at the Deviants' entrance, shaking her head slightly. It was typical Courtney, clamoring to be the center of attention since her spotlight had been stolen by Lilly, Kia and Sean all without even trying. In a way

Lilly actually was saddened by the display, and felt sad for Courtney. Probably most, if not all, of her life Courtney was the center of attention, but she had let that attention go to her head. So much of her self-worth was tired up in being the prettiest and most popular, that to have it taken away from her was probably utterly unbearable. A response like was to be expected, and to be fair, Lilly had expected much more from her at the Homecoming dance when she and Sandy won King and Queen, leaving Courtney out of the spotlight.

For whatever reason though, Courtney had waited until tonight for some sort of retaliation, and frankly, if what Abel said was true, then it seemed rather tame.

"Just stay close. I am sure Courtney is gonna try something tonight. Just leave her alone." Lilly said softly to Sandy, squeezing his hand as she leaned her head on his shoulder for a moment.

<< Really? That's their plan? Lame. >> she though over Guild Chat.

[WS ST]

Slowly the Irregulars filtered into the auditorium proper followed soon after by the Deviants.

That there were two factions, and only two that counted, vying for supremacy was apparent to any and all. The mental confusion that Able could pick up was substantial. Courtney's group together with the Irregulars was the hot topic as the normal student class and the adults all had their thoughts focused on the enhanced gangs.

People discussed the clothes, the beauty, the way each member of both groups seemed to represent perfection in each others eyes. Of course opinions varied and there were arguments and worse things.

Abels could pick up the underlying dark vibrations, mental waves that had been there ever since their manifestations but on the fringe simmering easily to overlook but not tonight.

The thought pierced his filters sharp and precise <Just look at her Gina Keller the plainest most forgettable girl in the universe and shes so beautiful now everyone will want her, and i'm just usless and ugly, I might as well go slit my wrists in the bathroom RAZOR BLADE>

Abel looked over at a girl she was a sophomore her name was Clare Riley he didn't know her well but he knew that this suicidal thought was real.

Suddenly more dark turbulent violent thoughts came into focus. Thoughts of fear, self-loathing, hate, lust, and violence. The majority seemed concerned with Sean and Courtney but some were directed or about Him and Alec, and to a lesser degree the rest of both groups. It was by no means overwhelming but it was there.

Amid the rapture was sour darkness.

 

Chet had been staring at Sean. He couldn't help it she was everything he thought he would want in a girl and even if he knew that what he was seeing was fake... Courtney's elbow caught him in the side and he met her glare and shrugged.

The Deviants moved off and gathered at a table their closest friends surrounded them like a barrier. The Irregulars did likewise and their friends followed suit.

The band played a mix of modern country and rock the popular styles currently and people began having fun

But the Enhanced were still very much the focal point of the ball.

It was 8:30

[WS ST]

Spoiler

Disregard Abel's last post Justin is rewriting it to make a bigger impact.

 

[Abel Cross]

The undercurrent of dark thoughts at the ball were the sort of thing that annoyed Abel.  It was a night for couples to enjoy each other's company, but here so many were hating others and themselves due to the flaws they saw, real or imagined.   Out of all of them, Clare Riley's were perhaps the most alarming.   Normally a quiet girl, she wasn't an athelete, or a particularly notable scholar, she was your average fourteen year old high school girl.    She played french horn in the band, and it was in music that she excelled most.  Still tonight she'd gone out of her comfort zone to be with her friends, coming without an actual date, and here she was, even less attractive now that Everyone got to see how ultra hot Sean, Courtney, Gina, Abel, and Alec were.   

Her suicidal intentions, and the resolve she had backing them were enough to spur Abel to action in a new way.   Of course, he had to admit scientific curiosity certainly was a factor, but dammit he was Not going to let this evening be ruined by a classmate killing herself.
He sent his own memory of her thoughts to Kia and nodded with determination.  <She's really serious, and close to  doing it, so I'm going to put a stop to her doing this.  I know you understand my reasons, please trust me in this.  Don't doubt my feelings for you.>   To Sean he sent <Get your tablet out please and shut down all the recording gear now.>   While he'd rather dance with Kia, perhaps lifting Clare's spirits would help.  As Kia and the others talked, he made his way to Clare, her friends had seemingly left her there alone, as there was an odd number and they'd gone to the dance floor.  She didn't even notice him, until he spoke.  "You look really good tonight Clare."

The compliment startled her, and her eyes got even bigger when she realized who'd given it.  Her eyes went wide as she looked up at Abel, who virtually towered over her.  "A-A-Abel, h-hi..."  She caught herself staring up at the school's track star.  "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you, I just noticed you sitting here all by yourself, and figured I'd come over and say hi."

"But aren't you here with Kia?"  her gaze never wavered from him, she just couldn't look away now that he was so close.  "Well yes, I am.  Still no one should just sit alone for the whole dance.   So I thought I'd see if you'd like to dance with me?"  

"But Kia..  "  

"You know her, she'd rather see me help someone have a good time than have one herself.   I honestly think her happy attitude is powered by the happiness of those around her."  which he did believe, the way she acted at times.  "So I wouldn't worry.   I stole abit of a march on her, because i wanted to come say hi, but I'm certain she'd have come herself to invite you over with us.  Who knows, Sean and Sara might have asked you to dance too."

Abel wasn't lying, if he'd told everyone he was pretty certain all those things would have been suggestions to get her to not do what she had been thinking about doing.  "I see, that's pretty cool of you guys..."  It was all she could really get out, her whole world seemed to be just Abel at the moment.  

"So, would you like to dance?"  He held his hand out to her, and almost as if she feared him to be an apparition, she reached up and took it, allowing him to lead her out to the Dance Floor.

That moment of contact was the last part he needed for this.  He instantly read her genetic makeup, a similarity to one of Kia's powers.   his hyperenhanced brain  formulated a series of variables, and the correct means to achieve what he wanted to do, as he also read her mind.   He knew her wants and dreams, everything important about her.  

Armed with knowledge, his own resolve gave him the strength to go through with this idea.   As they danced, he reached out slowly feeding her a steady amount of energy, It wasn't so much that she would Manifest like the others, with the debilitating headaches, and uncontrolled powers.  This was totally guided, and Abel was there managing every aspect of it every step of the way.   He was focused on giving her what she really wanted, without making it life threatening, maxing out her natural talent, but leaving room for her to hone her skills.   

[WS ST]

The ball had started with the usual announcements and such and the band was playing those perceptive enough among the Irregulars could feel the under current of tension. the couple moved off to dance except for Kia and Abel. Kia paused at Abels thoughts and relayed them on tot he rest of the gang. The thought of one of their fellow students doing something so drastic was unthinkable.

Everyone watched as Abel and Clare came onto the dance floor and suddenly the room took on a new radiant aura that only the enhanced could perceive. Sara and Sean had experienced this before with Devin.

Quantum energy coalesced from all of the enhanced present, Deviant and Irregular alike, the tendrils of power flow from each of them into and through Abel and into the unwitting Clare. The energy flashes through the node nascent and unseen activating it feeding it. It grows almost instantly from a microscopic dormant piece of flesh to a fully functioning MR Node in less than a tenth of a second, the energy flashes through the node and is sent through the brain directed not by the girls subconscious but by the will of the Man reading her thoughts, interpreting her dreams, choosing her future.

Clare manifested

 Sean heard Sara whisper "Oh my god", as Clare blossomed.

Clare stared into Abel's eyes entranced, her envy of her friend Gina at least temporarily forgotten "I don't know why you asked me Abel, especially being with Kia, but this is so wonderfu...." a piercing pain stabbed through her head as the room exploded in light and the sounds thrummed like the roar of a jet engine. It lasted an eternity and was over in an instant.

She backed away from Abel easily avoiding tripping over the couple behind them her eyes wide at what she had seen in those eyes a moment before she had thought so beautiful.

 Across the room Courtney and the rest of the Deviants felt and saw in their own way the exchange of Quantum but they were completely in the dark as to what it meant and what it was. Almost universally they thought it was an attack directed at them.

Spoiler

Abel you have triggered and guided a quantum manifestation... this cost you one point of your power pool permanently.

 

[Sean Cassidy]

Though there was subtle tension brewing between the two camps of Quantum Enhanced Teens, if few keen enough to notice it, Sean refused to let it deter her, drawing Sara on to the dance floor. Being the one wearing the pants at the moment, Sara led at Sean's amused insistence. Both young women were possessed of heightened grace, but Sean had the skill and (un)natural flair to compliment Sara's every step perfectly, elevating their dancing into a true performance. It was one more thing Sean hadn't believed she ever would have done, at one time, but was delighting in now.

Focused on Sara as she was, her hands caressing her shoulders and Sara's around her trim waist, Sean pushed thoughts of Chet and Courtney and Alien Invasions away for the moment. Still, she had an inkling of the shadow darkening the looks of admiration, lust and yearning directed their way, if no direct understanding of its cause, though she could guess, or the depths to which that shadow sunk in some.

When Abel revealed the true extent of the issue, the briefest of frowns twisted Sean's red lips. In seeking fun for her and hers this night, and ruining that of Courtney, she had neglected the wants and desires of everyone else. School had been far from pleasant when she had been a boy, but now, even with the responsibilities and dangers they now faced, Sean felt like her life was unfairly fortunate and blessed compared to most. She felt a sharp pang of regret and shame that it led to others feeling worse about themselves.

<I've already taken care of the feeds, Abel,> she assured him, having done so under the pretense of going to the bathroom. It had been rather trivial - her tablet had more processing power than most desktops and with her pre-made scripts and macros that NSA and the CIA would even, she had redirected the feeds to her tablet while wiping the onboard memory from the recording devices, with a trigger to return to factory reset mode at a command from her. <They aren't a problem, as I said.>

She hadn't taken more than a step towards the band, thinking of prevailing upon them to play something upbeat that everyone knew and could sing along to to lift the spirits in the room when Abel made his move towards the girl suffering the darkest inclinations at the moment due to the quantum brightness she, the Irregulars, and the Deviants were radiating.

Sean smiled wryly. Abel would be able to distract Clare from her dark thoughts with a dance and some light flirting tonight, but Sean feared it might only be a temporary measure. And in trying to ameliorate one person's dark thoughts, it was entirely too possible to raise them in others. They would never be able to satisfy everyone, not with working their own selves to destruction.

It seemed Abel wasn't interested in temporary measures and wasn't satisfied with a mere dance and some flirting. Sean felt, could see, the quentrinos flowing from her and all the other Quantum Enhanced, through Abel and into Clare, activating her MR Node.

"Shit," Sean muttered over Sara's whispered, "Oh my God!"

<I think that was a bit of overkill in this situation, Abel,> Sean thought with tight disapproval even as her mind raced with damage control.

The changes in Clare were clear and obvious to her, and they would be to most others with a second glance. Symmetry Quotient, 99.56%. Height increase, 5.11cm. 77 additional discrete shades of colour added to her hair. Waist reduced by 17.61%, mammary tissue volume increased by 88.98%. The front of her dress straining tight against her new curves, Clare had become an idealized version of herself as seen through a Sean, and surprisingly, a Gina, filter. If Clare wasn't the equal to herself and Courtney in the looks department, there was no one else that exceeded her in the Hall. Sean noted the way she moved as she stepped away from Abel, her enhanced agility in avoiding the couple she hadn't even seen.

Sean had also noted the way Courtney, Chet, and the other Deviants were suddenly on edge, having sensed or seen something without knowing quite what it was. Damn it!

<Damage Control, people, let's see if we can get this cleared without causing too much of a disturbance,hmm?> Sean suggested over Guildchat. <Alec, control the ambient light and turn it off for a moment. Devin, get Clare out of here - base or elsewhere? - and Kia, take Clare's place and form, her original one.> Sean sent Kia a precise image of the pre-manifested Clare. <Abel, stay or establish mental contact with Clare and try to keep her calm and cooperative. As soon as the switch is made, Alec, bring the lights back on. I'm gonna try to convince Courtney and the rest that 'whatever' happened wasn't us. Everyone else, keep a look out for any other unexpected events and stay sharp in case Courtney and company act... precipitously.>

Sean affected an expression of confusion and suspicion, directing it the Deviants and turning in their direction and starting that way as hopefully her plan went into action.

[Kia Mizuki]

Kia was sitting up straight, eyes wide in wonder and alarm, sensing that shit was getting real, but a little behind the curve on getting exactly what was going on. Sean's rapid-fire instructions didn't help much either.

<Take her place and form? But...that's not how this works! Devin, wait a second before you take her away!>

She jumped up from the table as the lights dimmed, and hurried across to where Abel and Claire were, ducking around the dancers as she went; her eyes gleaming in the dark like a cat's. When she got to where her boyfriend was, she reached out and took hold of Claire's arm gently but firmly.

"Don't be scared," she said. "Everything's going to be ok."

Claire, the information that made up her body, flowed into Kia's hand...carried by skin cells peeled off and taken into herself. Instinctively she knew the sample wasn't great with just one brief touch. There was probably going to be nuance missing. Hopefully nothing that would be too obvious in this setting.

<Okay Devin, I'm ready.>

Still shrouded, she waited for the confused new Enhanced to be whisked away, then took her place in Abel's arms. Then she realized the gaping flaw in the plan.

"Oh shit...dress."

<Sean! I can't copy her DRESS! What do we do?!>

[WS ST]

Following the rapid fire command issued from Sean, Alec grabbed the light and twisted the photons to increase the shadows in the area. It wasn't as easy as Sean thought. He couldn't control the source of the light just the light itself and that didn't include making it go away, he had to move each light singly and that required energy and concentration.

The result was not the flickering and then darkness that had been suggested but rather a redirect which made other areas brighter and plunged the immediate area around Abel and Clare into deep shadow.

"Shit babe," Devin said quietly where only Laurie could here, " Weird stuff and I gotta run for a bit I'm so sorry." Then he kissed her. It was an instinctual, impulsive thing to do and it lit up his world. Their lips met awkwardly and Laurie's eyes flew wide in surprise but  the biggest surprise was that she didn't pull away instead she pulled Devin closer and pressed her lips harder against his. "You want to come?" He aske das their lips came apart. Lauri didn't say anything just nodded rapidly, and then they were beside Clare and Clare?

Devin reached for Clare and stopped. There were two of them, identical except for their dresses. "Clare?"

Kia was startled when Devin and Laurie suddenly appeared beside them, she heard Devin's confused question and pointed at the real Clare <That's her!> Kia was satisfied Devin couldn't tell the difference. <It worked guys> she told the gang over guild chat as Devin, Laurie and Clare vanished.

Spoiler

Devin Laurie and Clare are at Bunnies now, nothing like a good milkshake to put things in perspective. Abel was unable to interject himself because he was in the middle of a deep scan of Clare and is now a bit stunned because his consciousness was stretched without his awareness.

Sara stood and stared at Sean who was now walking toward Courtney and back at the shadows where the drama was taking place, that she was suddenly tense was an understatement.

Sandy was oblivious to what was going on all he knew was that he had the most beautiful woman in the world in his arms and he was dancing with her to a song he actually liked. He was happy. Lilly  on the other hand was following everything and tensed as well prepping to spring into action if she was needed.

Alec let go of the light and felt a reassuring squeeze on his arm he looked down at Telena who was looking up at him a beautiful smile on her face.

The shadows retreated and the music played on. The vast majority of the balls attendees had no idea that anything had happened most hadn't even noticed the shadow play. Only those right at the center which amounted to about a dozen people  had noticed anything and had mild confusion. And the Deviant's too of course.

Oh, and one other.

Grace Sissiano  was somehow not surprised when her watched suddenly sent jingly tingles up her arm, she was however surprised when she looked at the face of the watch and saw that it was flashing red. That meant that it had been hit with a dose of Quantrinos far beyond the norm for inactive enhanced to be putting out. this could indicate the opening of a portal!

Spoiler

While Abel was dazed for a second he will regain his senses fast enough to pick up the thought s of people only those dozen or so around him and Clare noticed anything and they don't know what they saw they are all confused. he also picks up Grace Sissiano's thoughts and those are more urgent.

 

[Sean Cassidy]

<Just brazen it out, Kia,> Sean replied to Kia's concern about the dress. <It won't need to last to long, we'll just have Clare leave early under some excuse.>

Sean had believed altering the ambient lighting conditions, manipulating the photons, wouldn't be difficult for Alec, but apparently she wasn't aware of quite all the factors involved. Still, what Alec did achieve was more than adequate - the brighter areas of light would make it harder to see into the circle of deep shadows. Okay, good enough, we can work with this.

Kia moved to join Clare and Abel with alacrity, as did Devin, though Sean thought teleporting across the distance was hardly necessary, nor was taking Laurie along for the ride. Still walking towards Courtney, Sean could feel the change of mass in the room, more than should have been accounted for Devin and Clare. She glanced over her bare shoulder and stifled a curse.

Devin had taken Laurie along with Clare. Sean sent her sister a thought, not concealing her annoyance over the link. <Laurie! Where are you?>

<Bunnies,> Laurie replied brightly, seemingly, rather than being overwhelmed by events, excited by them. <Devin is getting her a milkshake, though by the looks of it, Clare now has more than enough milkshake to bring all the boys to the yard.> There was a pause, then Laurie added, her mental tone full of rueful amusement. <I gotta say, you're a terrible influence on Shelly, sister Sean.>

<Excuse me?!>

<Put it this way, sis: if girls keep manifesting here - and guys manifesting into girls, for that matter - the way they have been, I'm opening a specialty bra shop,> Laurie replied. Since she was thirteen, she'd been more endowed than either her mother or older sister Teagan, modest as they were, if nowhere near Sean's size. Nor did she ever want to be. But she hadn't been able to rely on hand-me-downs and had learned about bra sizes and proper fitting. <I'll make mad bank.>

Laurie grinned at Sean's psychic eye-roll, but Sean was more than proud at her sister's attitude. She had a really good head on her shoulders in the face of all the strangeness afflicting Shelly. In Sean's opinion, Laurelei would have been a much better candidate for Manifesting than a suicidal girl.

The lights returned to normal and Sean barely stifled another curse, though the mental head-desk of exasperation over GuildChat was so loud everyone at the Dance should have been able to hear it. <Kia, you look like Clare!>

<Wasn't that the point?> Kia said with adorable puzzlement, forming a moue with her lips.

Sean tried not to scream at her - it would be like screaming at a kitten. <You look like the new Clare, not the old one. If you look down, you'll see you're almost popping out of your dress.>

Kia looked down and blushed slightly, sounding slightly abashed. <This is what her genetics say she looks like now.>

<Can you use your shapeshifting to tell her genetics to look like her old self?> Sean suggested as she turned back and continued to stalk towards the Deviants.

<It doesn't work like that,> Kia tried to explain. <It's not that precise or discrete. Maybe if I had a sample of her old hair or som->

Precise, discrete, limited alterations. Hmm, could work. <How about my ability to tailor my appearance to a limited degree? like how I was Spanish Latina Sean yesterday at gaming. It works kinda like opening up the sliders on a character creator in a MMO.>

<MMO?>

<Video Game. The Sims. Will that work?>

<Yes?> Only Kia could infuse so much positive exuberance into a question.

<Okay, we'll try that,> Sean confirmed. <Aim for a passing touch when I get back. If it doesn't work, Abel, hustle her out into the hallway or outside, say 'Clare' needs some air or something.>

Sean stopped right in front of Courtney, glowering down at her and shaking a finger vigorously, while striking a pose that emphasize the length of her legs and the fullness of her breasts to distract Chet and Dan. Courtney was tall for a girl, but Sean was several inches taller and her heels were nearly as pronounced.

"I don't know what your problem is with me and the Irregulars, Courtney," Sean bending down slightly to hiss in her rival's ear, still making the pretense of being her own cousin. "Others in your group have done some really shitty things, if you don't know about it, but this isn't the place for it. Stop, whatever it is your doing and we won't have to make you stop."

Courtney reared back from Sean's intrusion into her personal space, a sneer on her perfect lips. "We aren't doing anything, you overblown sex-toy," Courtney whispered back venomously. "You're the ones ruining everything, thinking you can do whatever you want. Get the fuck out of here, you tranny-lez freak. You don't belong."

"Riiiight," Sean drawled, feigning a condescending dismissiveness at Courtney's insult as if it no bearing on her whatsover. "It's not us. And if," Sean loaded the word with heaps of dubiousness, "it's not you, then its another... event. Stay out of it and don't make things worse, because it will just end up bad for all of us, but I'll make sure it's especially bad for your lot."

<Speaking of bad, Lilly, could you give Sissiano a quick update on the situation?> Sean asked.<Her watch it going ape-shit, and we don't want her overreacting believing the situation is worse than it is.> Which isn't to say the situation is good.

Sean pursed her lips in a grin, then strutted away, barely restraining herself from blowing her and Chet a taunting kiss. Sean slipped around the milling confusion around Kia and Abel, slipping the copycatting girl a surreptitious low-five. <Only copy my make-over power, okay, Kia? It's similar in effect to what you can already do. My other enhancements might cause you trouble if you aren't use to them.>

Sean didn't stop there, instead navigating her way on stage with the band, to put into play another plan to draw attention and make a distraction. She let them finish their song, the glided up to Burt, the lead singer. Standing only five-seven, he was almost a foot shorter than Sean in her heels, and she bent over to whisper her request.

"Hey, Burt. Seems like there's some shit going on, and I'm really sorry if my enmity with Courtney is putting a downer on things," Sean said. "I think we need something upbeat, something everybody knows and can sing along to, to lift some spirits. What do you think?"

"Um, yes, sure, Cassidy. I mean, Sean, I know what you mean," Burt stammered, barely managing to pull his eyes off a leg bared to the thigh to meet Sean's non-judgmental gaze. "What did you have in mind?"

Sean made her request.

Burt looked back at the rest of the band. Everyone nodded that they knew the chords except Ben, the guitarist, who looked very disappointed. "Don't worry about it, Ben. You willing to lend your guitar for just one song?"

"Uh, of, of course." As if he could refuse her anything. As hot or hotter than Courtney, and a million times less of a bitch.

"Thanks, Ben. You're a dear, and I owe you one. And could I sing back up, Burt?"

"It would be my honour and my pleasure, Sean," Burt said, much more smoothly this time. He had a thing for legs, and Sean had legs for miles, but there wasn't a thing he had ever experienced that turned him on as much as Sean's voice did.

Sean turned and waved Sara onto stage. <We need a guitarist.>

Sara, still tense, made her way to the stage, if somewhat doubtful. <For?>

Sean told her over their link, even sending her the sheet music if Sara wasn't familiar with it. Sean ear for music now was flawless and she had perfect recollection of every single song she had every heard. Sara was familiar with the song, her lips quirking in a smirk. <That is such Dad music.>

<It's still better than 99% of what comes out now,> Sean responded haughtily. <And it's a great distraction.>

<That's not what will be distracting them,> Sara countered. Sean's response was a blown raspberry.

But more aware of how standing in the limelight, demanding it, Sean took a step back, letting Burt step to the forefront and take the lead. Still, Sean affected an enthralling enthusiasm trying to get the other students, and the adults for the matter, to get involved, and sing along.

Just a small town girl
Livin' in a lonely world
She took the midnight train
Goin' anywhere

Burt's voice was good, if not excellent. But Sean melded her voice to his, harmonizing with superhuman precision, and instead of overwhelming him, she elevated his voice into something special, which served to bolster his confidence, so that he was singing the best he ever had. People paused at first, surprised at the change in music, then turned to listen.

Just a city boy
Born and raised in South Detroit
He took the midnight train
Goin' anywhere

Some started bobbing along with the music. Sean could hear a few whispering along with the lyrics and she smiled. It was an older song, but it had seen a resurgence in the aughts, appearing in numerous movies and tv spots. They might not know the original artist, and the lyrics even, but they could sing along when they heard the song. Sean encouraged them, waving her fingers upward, nodding and smiling at anyone she caught singing in the crowd.

A singer in a smokey room
The smell of wine and cheap perfume
For a smile they can share the night
It goes on and on, and on, and on
 

On the last word, enough began joining in from the crowd that Sean turned the mic she had been using towards them. As the pre-chorus began, the number of people singing swelled, even adults acting as chaperones adding their voices to the melodic din, and the band stopped playing so that only the voices carried the song for the moment.
 

Strangers waiting
Up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searching
In the night
Streetlight people
Livin' just to find emotion
Hidin' somewhere in the night

 

[Kia Mizuki]

Kia actually took hold of Sean's hand in the low-five and held onto it for a second, concentrating. A normal person might have felt a little tingle, or an odd sense of 'stickiness' like static cling that lasted only a moment. Sean's enhanced perceptions gave her a more detailed accounting of the millions of little...fibers or almost 'spikes' made of modified skin cells that briefly latched onto the cells in Sean's hand, yanking a layer of skin off when they broke contact.

For the moment Kia could ignore the sudden flood of knowledge of Sean's genetics...though she couldn't resist peeking at his X and Y chromosomes to see if she was really a 'she' now...she was! She focused instead on the glow, the heat...the sound of the now-decaying quantum 'signature' embedded in those cells. In her head it was like blowing on a fire, inviting it to spread. Her own energy signature resonated, incorporating part of that new pattern of power into itself. New channels opened in her mind. New possibilities.

'Claire' twirled with Abel, the motion helping to conceal that she was getting shorter, her figure returning by subtle steps to something more suiting a teenage girl.

"This is all messed up," said Kia in Claire's voice. "I feel a little like we're the ones messing it up, too."

She looked over at the stage, where Sean was starting to do her thing.

[Lilly Pryor]

Lilly sighed and rested her head on Sandy's shoulder for a moment.

<< WTF Able!? Seriously. Powers are not the solution to everything. She just needed to feel better. We could have just talked to her and hung out or something. Now we're trying to clean up this mess and who knows what this is going to do to her. Uggggggh.  >> Lilly's irritation and frustration was plainly evident over Guild Chat.

"I'll be right back. Stuff... is happening. Nothing to worry about though." she said to him softly before slipping away and moving across the dance floor to find Ms. Sissiano. 

Lilly approached with a smile and a cup of punch in her hand, doing her best to make it look more like she was just taking a break and meandering than going directly for Ms. Sissiano. Once she got close she softly spoke to her, not really even looking her much so as to not draw much attention.

"Don't worry. We are taking care of things. It's all well in hand." she said to Ms. Sissiano, trying to sound as calm and reassuring as possible.

[WS ST]

Grace jumped when lilly startled her while she was digging her phone out of the little clutch she carried. "Wha...?" She looked around trying to spot the rest of the Irregulars in the crowd and couldn't there were just too many kids all of them moving and to be honest all of them looked a lot alike.

"Taking care of what?"

Lilly had surprised the Security officer/Teacher, but she nevertheless caught the shift in Ms Sissiano's demeanor from startled to suspicious.

[Lilly Pryor]

"Didn't mean to startle you, but your watch. The thing you are so worried about. We are taking care of it. You can relax." Lilly explained, trying to ease her suspicion. 

"Nobody wants this night ruined, so we are taking care of it."

[WS ST]

Grace hurriedly looks around then takes Lilly by the arm and starts to lead her away but Lilly doesn't move and Grace realizes that the young womans arm feels like a steel girder. She drops her arm and swallows, it's so easy to forget that theses...people, aren't children.

"I'm going to need more than that, aside from how you even know about this watch, much less that it was alerting me. I need to know whats going on here. There's been some sort of ...event and I need to inform the base, assuming they don't know about it already." She said rapidly and quietly so none of the other nearby Chaperones could hear.

[Lilly Pryor]

<<I gotta tell her guys. >> Lilly sighed over Guild Chat.

"A girl enhanced. We just covered it up and got her out of here so nobody is any wiser. She is safe right now and we're calming her down." Lilly reassured and took a sip of the punch.

"As far as the watch, some of us have really good sense you know. Noticing your watch going crazy at the moment it happened does not exactly take Evil Knievel to make that deductive leap." she joked with a smile.

"Seriously. Relax. We got this." 

[WS ST]

Grace looked around at the kids having a good time and nodded.

"Alright but I still have to report in or the whole damn SecOps team might be crashing through those windows in a minute."  She dials the phone with a flip of her thumb. "Go on back to the dance but none of you wander off to far."

[Lilly Pryor]

"No problem. We're all on the same side team here. I'm sure there'll be a debrief or something later." Lilly said with a smile.

"Enjoy the party." she added, raising her cup of punch to Mr. Sissiano before departing and returning to her boyfriend, waving to friends and acquaintances as she moved through the dance floor.

[Abel Cross]

Abel looked at Clare and mentally he grunted, feeling like a part of his own energy aura had vanished.  It was a small amount, but still it hadn't happened with Devin.  Perhaps that was part of the price to control the reaction.   Still the look in her eyes gave him some concern, so he did a quick scan of her mind.  What he found was beyond unexpected, and he frowned.   She knew he'd done something, but not exactly what he'd done.   This ability had so many different variables, things he'd yet to even think about their existence.  Well I'll have plenty of time in solitude I'm sure after this.

Still he moved seamlessly into damage control as the others sprung into action, right up until Devin Teleported off with her, which disrupted his own thoughts for a moment, which was odd.  Soon enough he came back to himself as Kia/Clare returned, and they continued to dance.  Her comment was like a knife, and he frowned.  "No Kia, just me, this was my poor decision.  You're all just trying to help a friend who acted recklessly and ruined the night."

Over Guild Chat he sent <Thanks guys>

After that he looked to Kia, segmented his mind, part to stay here and keep up the charade, the other to go and try to help Clare make some sense of this, and apologize.  He reached out to Clare's mind, which was rather easy to do, and he "knocked" on the door, so to speak  <Clare, are you alright?  I know things are very strange right now, just try to remain calm, and I will answer any questions you have.  You should not ask verbally, just think about it, and i'll be able to answer.>  For his part he was using all the quantum infused charisma he possessed. He would be honest with her, and do what he had to to take responsibility here. (using soothe)

 

[WS ST]

Bunnies was as empty as usual when there was a event at the school, But Bunee never closed so the drive in was open.

Devin had teleported them into the side storeroom just to make sure, Clare was in shock but not panicky Laurie was holding her hand and had a comforting arm around her shoulder as they led her to a booth. Suddenly she started mumbling "No no no no no..."

"It's going to be fine Clare, we'll help you through this don't worry." Laurie told her softly soothing ly

"Noooo, " Clare started tapping her head rapidly  with both hands, "He's still in my head He was in my head he did this to me and now he's back!"

 

Just then Bunee came out of the back and saw the three kids, he glanced out at the snow covered lot then back at Devin. "Evening Dev, ball over early?"

[Sean Cassidy]

"My girl's friend needed some air, so I thought we'd grab some real food while we were out, instead of relying on the grub at the ball," Devin lied blithely. "If that isn't a problem, Bunnee?"

Bunnee glanced at Devin again, the girls with him - when dressed to the nines, the other seeming to have squeezed herself into a younger sister's dress - arched a brow, then shrugged. Just wanting to run a decent diner and drive-in with more than decent food, Bunnee didn't question much, even with the extra weird infecting Shelly of later. "Sure, Dev. You know where everything is."

While Bunnee went back to man the drive-in, Devin breathed a sigh of relief... until he felt Laurie staring at him.

"What?"

"'Your' girl?" Laurie huffed until Clare's panic.

"For this night at least," Devin whispered back. "That was the deal, wasn't it?"

Laurie tried for a regal hauteur, but her cheeks reddened faintly and she grinned as she nodded, conceding the point. It hadn't irritated her as much as it should have, him calling her 'his' girl. "True enough. Got make us something to eat - triple strawberry shake for me - I'll try to get Clare calmed down."

Devin sauntered to the grill, while Laurie got Clare settled down in a booth. Sitting across from her, Laurie held onto Clare's hands so she wouldn't keep tapping with ever increasing vigor at her head. Being in the same grade, she and Clare had shared many classes together, even if they hadn't really hung out together or been friends.

Still, she didn't like seeing Clare freak out., even if Laurie didn't see why what happened to her should make her freak out. On the other hand, she hadn't been enhanced, so she didn't know what it was like, despite Sean trying to explain it to her.

"He thought he was helping you, Clare," Laurie said, in the low, soothing tone one used on an agitated pet or child. "I think he realizes he, um, helped too much and just wants to make sure you're okay-"

"Get him out! Out! Out! Out!" Clare moaned, starting to make choking-gasps in her anxiety."

"I'll, I'll do what I can," Laurie confirmed, pressing her lips together and sending a firm thought to her sister. She only mumbled a tiny bit. <Sean, I'm sure she'll appreciate what he did later and will thank him and all that, but can you tell Abel to please stop the hell telepathing Clare right now? I don't know what he's saying to her, but she's about to go into a full blown panic.>

<I'll relay the message,> Sean confirmed, partitioning a part of her mind so she could respond to Laurie without stumbling over her singing on stage. On a private channel, Sean gave Abel Laurie's message, trying to not come off as condemning and judgmental, though she believed Abel had acted very precipitously. <A lot of the impossible has just happened to Clare. How about we let Laurie and Devin try to calm her down in a more possible sort of way, hmm?>

[Kia Mizuki]

"Clare," replied Kia mysteriously, until Abel remembered his last spoken words to her. "Not Kia. I'm sure she'll be back soon though. That is, if you still want her."

She grinned mischievously, and her surface thoughts clearly indicated she was joking.

"As for having screwed things up, I wouldn't worry TOO much. I feel like sometimes people think they have to take everything on to themselves, or they're solely responsible for everything bad that happens that they maybe could have done something about...or maybe not. Those people should relax a little. No matter how much you can do, you don't have to do everything. And just because you can punch through a wall doesn't mean the wall's better off with a hole in it. You know?"

[Abel Cross]

Abel smiled, and completely withdrew from Clare's mind, giving her her privacy, and a chance for the others to calm her down.   his mind whole again, he looked to Clare/Kia and nodded.  "That's a very good outlook to have Clare, and I'm glad you have it."   He continued to dance with her for abit before guiding her over to the table the irregulars had staked out for themselves, and smiled as he sent privately.  <Seriously Kia, you're so amazing, I really don't deserve someone so great as you.>

While he knew it wasn't over by a long shot, at least things could calm down abit for now.  He made some quick introductions for Alec and Taleena, and would do so for Lily and Sandy when they came off the dance floor as well.