Remnants of the Earth
AEDOLIS => Haviah => Advanced Training Complex => Topic started by: Marakai2.0 on October 14, 2017, 09:01:57 am
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Seven years was a long time to be trapped in a cage.
True, this particular cage was massive, filled to the brim with dorms, classrooms, gyms, pools, and a myriad of other things. But at the end of it all, any place where you cannot hope to simply walk out of could always be defined by a single word.
Cage.
The ATC was one such place, full to the brim with its Pilot Candidates, who's only hope to escape was graduate and become a Pilot, or fail and become TRIM'd. Most of the candidates failed to see what this place truly was, not sticking around long enough to see that walls had replaced bars and chip-locked security doors had replaced a padlock and chains.
But Garza knew cages. He'd been in one before, and after a few years, he was beginning to see the similarities.
The thought of the cage itself didn't bother him, not so long as he wasn't trapped in it by himself. No, the part that bothered him the most was that those he'd befriended were slowly leaving him behind. Soleas had already left, moved on to Stage 5 to live in the Citadel. Matt likely would, soon. Heather had her newfangled Mentor, so that was only a matter of time.
But not Garza. Passive telepathy was a real bitch, hard to silence. For hours on end, he'd hear the mixed voices of the other Candidates echoing around in his skull, their surface thoughts leaking through. True, he had made much headway in blocking them out, slowly building up that mental block that would allow him to tune out everything but what he wanted in his head, but it was taking far too long. These days, that truth infuriated him.
So, he'd be left behind again, until he could master his power. And the big man had no choice but to channel that anger into something constructive.
He grunted as he shoved the weight bar up, hitting his two-hundredth rep at three-hundred pounds, by now his arms beginning to shake and quiver. He could put more weight on, he knew, but he wanted to distract himself, not push his body. He laid on the bench, his shirt long since discarded and his grayish skin covered in a sheen of beaded sweat, eyes glaring up at the weight bar as if hating it could make his life easier.
He shoved forward again, and again. 201, 202, 203.
He'd go for 300, and past that if he could.
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Almost four years as a Stage 2 Candidate and even Joelle knew she was testing the limits and patience of her instructors. It was not as if she wanted to be TRIM'd or anything. He subjects were difficult for her though especially as she faced her thoughts constantly flitting to other more exciting ventures such as the next game she was going to compete in or the next thing she was going to build and repair or even what she was going to eat next.
Classroom learning was doable but difficult and yet her time was running out, causing the young woman to stress and struggle even more than usual. She tried to take her mind off her worries only lay awake at night with equations and theories swirling around and around we head like hungry demons wanting more.
Antsy and eager to burn off some energy and nerves, Joelle decided to hit the gym. With a com pad in one hand for studying and a full packet of Coreos in the other, she jogged her way on down there and bounced into the room with a slight thud of the door. At this time of day it was not surprising to find the room relatively unoccuppied but one fine specimen of the male sex certainly caught her attention.
'Mm mm mm-mm mmmm, yum-MMY!' she thought to herself as she drank in toned muscles working hard to repeatedly support the weights testing them. 'Hello handsome!' unaware that her thoughts could be easily heard, Joelle smirked to herself before taking a seat on the recumbent bicycle, cracking open her packet of goodies, and getting straight to work. The former stillness of the room was now broken by the gentle whirl of her machine paired with the crinkling of her package wrapper and her own chewing.
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Heated red eyes stared forward, gray fingers tipped with black claws grasping the steel bar in a grip that looked as if it could warp the solid metal.
227. 228. 229. 230. Mm mm mm-mm mmmm, yum-MMY!
Wait, what? That was a second voice echoing in his head, one that sounded oddly...satisfied.
Hello handsome!
He quirked a brow at this, the skin of his face bunching up around the barbs that followed his eyebrows. Surely, it couldn't be him that had that female voice so full of admiration. He was used to shock, and sometimes fear. Not this.
A moment later, he heard the telltale crinkling of a wrapper of some kind, and he decided to see who was sharing the gym with him all of a sudden. With a heave, he pushed the bar back up onto the rack, sliding his massive frame out from under the weights as he did so.
When he sat up, casting his gaze around the room, his eyes stopped on a familiar figure - one that he'd seen a few times before, had even noticed her occasionally sneaking glances at him.
Had drawn her profile out of boredom, a face stuck in his mind after he'd noticed her attention pointed in his direction.
His gaze dropped from her face to the pack of cookies in her grasp, and again his brow arched.
"It seems like a waste," he started, his deep voice like that of grinding stone and gravel, "to push oneself to exercise while eating junkfood." He let out a deep chuckle, before collecting his shirt and standing. "But surely you know that."
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"Nu-uh," she replied with a mouthful of choclolatey crumbs. " Swallowing quickly she continued without missing a beat in her exercise, "I'm burning it all off as I go. It's productive guilt-free binge-eating you see! Besides," Joelle added with far more confidence than she felt, "I'm also studying so double calorie burning and triple multitasking. Pretty ingenious if I do say so myself." She puffed up, smiling brightly at him even as her eyes wandered to glance over his full body twice.
Seeing his shirt in hand she could not help but think, 'Oh honey please don't put that back on, it'd be a crime to all humanity to hide that figure. I bet you're quite popular with the ladies. So unfair to look that good and I'm the only one to witness it.'
"So do you come here often?"
'IS THAT REALLY THE BEST LINE YOU COULD COME UP WITH IDIOT?! WHAT ARE YOU, TWELVE?!'
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As she spoke, his eyes continued to widen.
Does she really think it works that way...? he wondered.
"I'm...relatively sure it doesn't work like that. You are consuming far too much from an unhealthy source to burn it off as fast as you say." He blinked once, red eyes closing only momentarily.
As he opened them again, her voice echoed within his mind again, and he couldn't help but to raise a brow incredulously.
"E-excuse me? Oh...uh..yeah. I'm in here quite alot....actually... ." He glanced down at his shirt, his fingers twisted around the material, before his gaze shot up to her again as she berated herself mentally for her own question.
"Uh...excuse me, but...you're....thinking rather loudly. I can hear....everything."
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She blinked once, twice, thrice before her breath hitched in her throat and her mind exploded in terror at his admission. 'Abort! Abort! Abort! Run Tink, RUN!!!' her mind shrieked as it fought to drag her out of her horrified stupor. With a high-pitched squeak, Joelle faltered in her cycling causing herself to tumbled backwards in her attempt to dismount while still mid-stride. Com, cookies, and cowardly human all landed with a shark thud.
All she could think to do in the moment was to raise the packaged cookies above her head and declare, "it's all good. I was able to save the Coreos!"
'Maybe the floor will just swallow me up and he won't notice.'
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Garza's eyes came to squint as he winced, her voice cutting through his consciousness. Usually, he would keep quiet about the things he heard in the thoughts of others, and he'd wanted to do so now, but...
Well, he'd never run into this situation before. The most positive thoughts he picked up about himself were generally simple tolerance. The other end of the spectrum usually was a taste of abject horror. But attraction...?
It was new.
His eyes widened as he watched her flail and tumble off the back of the exercise bike, and he stepped forward to help as soon as she hit the ground. He halted a step or two away once her arm shot triumphantly into the air, cookies in hand.
Even as she pronounced the preservation of said cookies, he couldn't help but smile. "I would think you'd be more worried about your own well being than that of your snacks."
As if her want to disappear would stop him from wanting to help her. Ha. He took that last step forward, and gently grabbed her wrist, pulling her to stand in front of him. Once she was off the floor, he looked down at her face. "So, nevermind the cookies. Are you okay?"
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"I'll live," Joelle commented once she was on her feet again and brushing herself off. 'Only my PRIDE is wounded. He heard my thoughts! Could this get anymore embarrassing? ...oh god, you can still hear them can't you?'
She looked up at him wide-eyed and extremely flushed as a deep blush crawled up from her neck all the way to the tips of her ears. "Sorry," Joelle apologized sheepishly while chewing on her bottom lip and hanging her head. "I don't mean to do that. I just have such lousy control over shielding. Not of course that that's any excuse for what I was thinking. That was incredibly rude of me."
Swallowing thickly, the young woman glanced back up at him. "You should probably put your shirt back on." Not knowing what else to do, Joelle shuffled awkwardly before holding up her pack of cookies towards him. "Coreo?"
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"I'll live."
At this, he tilted his head, eyes blinking slowly, though he straightened once her mental voice again filtered through his mind.
"Yes...I can still hear them. But don't be embarrassed. I can hear almost everyone, so don't worry about that." He again tilted his head to the side, a small smile gracing his lips. "Though your earlier thoughts were a bit...disconcerting . But there's no way you'd have known I would hear you, and one's thoughts should generally be private. So, worry not."
He glanced down at his shirt, still tangled up in his fingers. He sighed when he lifted it up, seeing four holes rent in it, where his claws had punctured the fabric.
"...It seems I will need another. But just as well, I need to head back to my room eventually, anyway." He glanced down at the pack of Coreo's she held up to him.
Should he decline? But it would be rude, wouldn't It?
He settled with taking a single cookie, popping it into his mouth and crunching loudly.
"Thank you," he said, using his mental voice while his mouth was occupied. Once it was gone, he resumed speaking normally.
"So... I couldn't help but notice, though. I've seen you a few times, especially in the cafeteria...and caught your gaze more than once."
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Joelle had begun to relax a bit as he conversed with her and accepted the cookie. That all went out the window though the moment he admitted he knew she had been staring at him for quite some time from afar. She gasped slightly nearly choking on her own spit before pinching her face up tightly in shame.
"Sorry," she whispered, truly wishing the floor would swallow her whole or even bit by bit. "I didn't mean to stare or disturb you. I won't do it again, or bother you for that matter. I'll uh, let you get back to what you were doing now. Thanks for the help," she added, refusing to look at him as she attempted to back out of the room.
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As she started backing away from him, towards the door, he felt horrible. He hadn't meant to embarrass her or cause her to feel ashamed, and he felt ashamed himself for having brought it up.
He was quiet for a moment, and she was nearly to the door before he spoke.
"Wait..." he started, one single word echoing through the otherwise quiet room. His gaze was cast on the floor now, and slowly a reddish hue began to heat up his cheeks, only a few shades off of his eyes.
"Before you go, I do have an admission. I mean...how would I have known you were looking, if I wasn't looking as well? And..well, that isn't all. After I noticed you were watching me, I snuck a glance of my own, every now and then, and...."
Fuck, if anyone else knew this, he'd die. But he wanted to put her at ease. Shame for shame, so to speak.
"Well, I'm surprised you didn't notice, but... I drew your face. A side profile, to while away an hour or so. And I thought to myself, 'What is this girls fixation on me?' while I drew it. Knowing is...satisfying, I suppose."
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She froze where she stood at his plea. What he said though was the last thing she expected to hear. He had been watching her? He had drawn her? Joelle's eyes got larger and larger as he continued to admit that he possibly liked her as well. Her mouth fell open before she was able to shut it would a loud clink of teeth.
Feeling flushed, she did the best she could to gather herself before licking her lips and smiling shyly up to him. "Perhaps we started off on the wrong foot here." Taking a few steps towards him she held out her hand to him. "I'm Tink and it's a pleasure to meet you." Joelle chewed on her lip tensely before shyly asking, "do you want to get cleaned up and then maybe meet for food some time?"
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"Tink. That's an interesting name." He offered a light smile, and took the hand she extended to him, marveling at how small hers was in comparison to his own. He gripped her hand lightly in his own, and gave it a gentle shake.
"I am Garza Ozkai, and the pleasure is mine. And...well, if you don't mind waiting for me to shower, we could go here in just a minute." He released her hand, smiling sheepishly as he looked down at her.
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"It's a nickname," she replied a bit sheepishly with a shrug of her shoulders. Joelle marvelled at how his hand just completely encased hers and how gentle he was with her. She had no doubt he could easily crush her if those muscles were anything to go by and yet, she knew she was safe with him. While others had often whispered about the giant of a man, she had always found herself watching him instead. He was beautiful to her and perhaps always looked a bit sad. Then again if people were constantly talking about her she supposed she would be sad too.
"I would be more than happy to wait for you, Garza," she blushed slightly as his name rolled so effortless off her tongue. "I'm not the kind of girl who turns down offers to food ever."
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"A nickname, huh?" Garza smiled down at her, the gentle points of his teeth just visible. "Well, then what is your actual name, if you don't mind me asking?"
At her next words, he smiled again, perhaps a bit wider. "Well, I must say it doesn't show," he said, making a vague, if not awkward gesture to her form. She was small and lithe, yet still athletic and beautiful, he noted, and not to mention quite attractive. "Perhaps those cookies don't have as much of a negative impact as one would think, hmm?"
He chuckled good naturedly, and glanced toward the door. "Oh...and where would you like me to meet you? At the cafeteria, or...?"
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Joelle pursed her lips tightly at mention of her real name. "Joelle Tinker," she ground out. "Daddy calls me Joe and everyone else calls me Tink. You can call me either but never Joelle if you want to stay friends." She winked to lessen a bit of the bite to her words but Joelle was indeed dead serious. She hated her first name that was so close to her dead mother's.
Those thoughts were quickly tucked away though as she smiled up at him again. His comment about her form made her laugh without restraint. "I don't know if you'd be saying that still after you realise how much I can eat. I think I'm just immune. But, cafeteria it is then! Say I'm about half hour? Will give me enough time to put my stuff back and you to get cleaned up?"
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"Joelle," he murmured, testing the name on his tongue. Listening to the way it sounded, he looked at her for a moment. After that moment had passed, he smiled.
"Well. I think 'Tink' is a much better fit, anyway. A friend of mine called me 'Gurney' before he moved on to Stage 5. Others simply call me 'Gar.' You're welcome to either, if it suits you." That brought him again to the line of thought that had seen him to the weights to begin with - the one who that had dubbed him 'Gurney' had been Soleas.
But the thought of being left behind, oddly enough, didn't sting quite as much as it had an hour or so before. Perhaps still being here had its perks...like this pretty little woman who stood before him. He could use a friend, always could use a friend, and....perhaps, more.
"Oh, of course. If somehow I beat you there, I'll simply wait for you." One edge of his mouth quirked up a bit, and he glanced toward the door. "Well. I suppose I had better get a move on, then. So, I'll see you then, Tink."
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She clicked her tongue at him and winked. "Race ya there!" Joelle laughed like a pixie as she darted out of the room and down the hall. She was actually skipping down the hall in her excitement. Not only was she going to eat but she had finally spoken to her crush. The pair had even admitted the feelings were kind of mutual.
Standing in front of her bedroom door the thought finally hit her. "IT'S A DATE!!!" She flushed in embarrassment as several heads poked out of nearby doors to look at her strangely. "Sorry!" She murmured quietly before ducking inside. 'Oh I hope Garza didn't hear that too. Mmm Garza though, the name suits him.'
Joelle quickly dragged herself from her thoughts and became trying to make herself more presentable. Her long hair was rebraised neatly into a side braid that came over her left shoulder. She hanged her clothes into clean ones and even washed her face before darting back out the door. A bright smile lit up her festures as she was practically beaming with joy. 'Oh I hope I'm not too obvious,' she quietly mused to herself as she finally reached the cafeteria with time to spare.
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Garza was momentarily taken aback by her enthusiasm, yet found himself grinning like a fool as he followed her out the door. He watched as she sped off - or, rather, skipped off - down the hall.
But that face, that cute wink of hers, was etched into his memory. Perhaps he'd draw that later, or...
He was struck by an idea, just then, as he turned to lumber in the direction of the stairs. Maybe he could show her...
A few minutes later, he found himself on the floor above, freshly cleansed of all the sweat he'd accumulated in the gym. He was already dressed in the mandated gray clothing all candidates were issued, his sketchbook and pen in hand.
As he left his room to head to the cafeteria, he could feel the bass beat of his heart thudding in his ears, pounding in his chest. He was slightly nervous, and he was desperately hoping that it didn't show too strongly as he stepped through the doors.
It took only a moment for him to find her, and he walked purposely in her direction with a smile on his face.
"Well. It looks like you beat me here, this time."
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"This time?" she asked coyly with a wink. Joelle certainly liked the sound of that if there would be more. "Shall we?" The Candidate was beaming as she reached out, easily slipping her smaller hand in his much larger one before gently tugging him forward towards the food line. It felt natural to her and she did not even pay it a second thought as she did so.
Joelle giggled nervously but she could not be happier. Food was sacred and she never would say not to it. The fact she got to share a meal with someone who also happened to be her major crush just made it all that much sweeter. "So do you have a favorite food, Garza?"
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"Yes. This time, as in I can think of no possible reason why I wouldn't want to go to the cafeteria again. Unless you, say, decide to eat half the room, or some other such thing." Garza grinned down at her, one eye winking.
"Yes. Let's---?"
The next thing he knew, he was being pulled into line, chuckling as he followed after her. "Easy, there, Tink. I'm not going to run away." His tone held a hint of a laugh in the making. When they reached the back of the line, he stood behind her, and already caught himself looking at her as she turned to ask him about food.
"Mmm....honestly, no. I'll eat nearly anything that's put in front of me, though I've heard that food outside the ATC is much better than what is served here." A second too late, he realized that sounded as if he'd never had - or couldn't remember having - anything else. Too late to take it back, but perhaps he could make a recovery.
"What about you? Is there a culinary delicacy you have in mind?"
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Joelle sighed heavily letting her lips flutter at his answer. "Woof! I hear you. It's been so long I've been in here I hardly remember what real food tastes like." She pouted as her shoulders slumped sadly. Her low mood lasted only for a second though as she quickly bounced back at the thought of her favorite things.
"Oh there's too many to say! Coreos are definitely a favorite but then there's chocolate and salt and vinegar chips and oo oo and butterscotch pudding! That stuff is more addictive than any drug. I could eat a tub full and still want more." Joelle whined softly as she rubbed her stomach. "Definitely miss that the most."
As the line moved up and they were finally reaching the food, the Candidate perused her choices briefly before piling her tray up with whatever least healthy things she could get on it. Not a single vegetable was in sight and only the smallest piece of obligatory fruit she could find ended up on it. She went for the watered down juice in place water itself and two bowls of the "mystery" dessert that at one time probably still was not really all that edible. She was completely in the zone as everything was carefully balanced and piled onto the tray in a sizeable mountain of food.
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Been in here so long....?
"Question...just how long have you been here? I've not seen you in the Stage 4, or even Stage 3 floors, and you appear too old to be a Stage 1." He blinked one time, and tilted his head. "Also, following along those lines, how old are you?"
He'd asked these questions whilst watching her build her mountain of foodstuffs, and as he observed his eyes flicked from that tray to her stomach. She's so small...where does it all go? he wondered with some amusement, noting that the pile of "edibles" was larger even than what he would usually eat.
In fact, by the time his tray was filled, it wasn't quite two-thirds as full as hers appeared, and full of a healthier selection.
"Hmm. I may need to confiscate some of yours, and replace it with some of mine. It's a wonder how you manage to stay healthy, eating like that." As he said this, the smile was plain on his face, his statement meant as a joke despite his phrasing.
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She blushed and winced at his questions. It was not exactly a matter of pride for her that she still had yet to graduate to the next stage. "That would be because I've been in Stage 2 for three and a half years now," Joelle informed him quietly. More cheerfully she added though, "but that should be changing real soon!"
'One way or another," her mind chimed in unhelpfully.
"Now though didn't anyone ever tell you you're not suppposed to ask a lady her age? Tsk,tsk," she teased. "Don't worry though, I'm seventeen...definit ely no Gracie," she laughed warmly.
His joke regarding her food mountain though did earn him a bit of the side eye. Surreptitiously Joelle slid her tray a bit more to the left to keep it out of his reach just in case he decided to make good on his joke. Food was sacred and one did not simply come between Joelle Tinker and a meal if one wishes to keeps one's hand.
"You're a Stage 4 though right?" She asked while leading him to a table where they could sit a bit to themselves. Joelle was completely oblivious though to the looks the pair were earning as they walked past. A certain purple-haired Candidate even went so far as to gape openly st the scene.
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Garza couldn't help but hear the subconscious addition to her words, and winced right along with her. Being TRIM'd was drilled into every candidate as their greatest singular nightmare, the consequence of failure to succeed their candidacy and graduate to become a Pilot.
For some time, since he'd gone on to Stage 4, he'd feared it as well. Alot of headway had been made in bringing his telepathy to heel, but he still had a ways to go.
"Well...if you're having problems...I'm always available to help. I had to fight my way through Stage 2 for a year, so I have an idea of what you're dealing with."
When she revealed her age, Garza sighed in relief - he should have realized as soon as she said she'd been in Stage 2 for over three years, but hearing the actual number eased a troublesome itch in his head. He didn't want to feel like a creep for feeling some attraction towards a girl who'd, say, began 'developing' early in her life.
Garza watched with an amused sort of face as she slid her tray a bit further away from him, as if thinking he'd planned to make good on his joke. "Never fear, Tink. Guessing by how you felt about your Coreo's before, I somehow feel as if truly messing with your food would be less than wise." He winked one large eye at her and grinned, his slightly pointed teeth just visible. "And...yeah, I'm in Stage 4. Have been for...just a little over four years, actually."
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"Thank you," she commented hesitantly. His offer to help left her feeling both warm and fuzzy inside as well as troubled and worried. Joelle knew that she was on her last chance here. Enough progress had been made to scrape by in the past but this was now or never. She did her best to remain upbeat even as she felt the pressure of her future weighing heavy on her shoulders. There was no reason to let him see that. "I think I would like that," she continued softly and shyly, unable to look him in the face.
Her brow twitched at the joking threat to her food continued and she pretended to threaten him with her fork. "No man has survived coming between a Tinker and her food. I don't recommend testing it unless you like living with only one hand." Joelle stuck out her tongue an crinkled her nose in jest before popping a bite of food into her mouth and chewing quickly.
"Four years ain't so bad. Won't be long before you're out of here though. That must be so exciting! Are you looking forward to earning your own dragon?"
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Garza noted the soft, hesitant tone she used in thanking him, and at first could only tilt a brow in response. Something troubled her, and he knew not what...he realized quickly that none of the relevant thoughts she may have been having were reaching him.
Something she wanted to hide, perhaps? He didn't know, and he couldn't bring himself to ask her, if the matter was private. He didn't know her well enough, and couldn't assume she would be comfortable with him asking.
"Well. Whenever you need help with something, you need only ask. I'm not hard to find." He smiled lightly, and returned his attention to his food for the moment, as he listened to her speak.
"Oh? And you think you can take my hand with that tiny utensil?" He grinned, and lifted his own fork, clenching his fist around it in an iron grip. When he released it, it had a noticeable bend along its length. "Well. Mayhap I have less to fear than I had thought," he joked.
When she mentioned his eventual graduation, he sighed. "I would be excited, were it the simple matter of time. The reason I'm still here, and not moved on to Stage 5, is laughable. I still can't control my telepathy...and I've been a candidate for over seven years, now."
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Joelle squinted at the bent fork with pursed lips but made no comment on it. She would have to find a stronger implant of doom and protection for her precious food mountain. Instead she was more focused on his graduation-related moodiness. Her eyes rolled in irritation as she cocked a brow at him.
"Hush! That's like twice the time I've been here and I'm still just Stage 2. You're much further advanced than I am. Besides Stage 4 is for learning that kind of control. At this point they've enough effort in you that there's no way they'd try to get rid of you. If anything you probably just have to relax to see the picture clearer. Live a little! Eat some junk food!" She pointed her spoonful of mystery dessert at him to accentuate her point. "You have nothing to fear, believe me I know these things," she informed him confidently.
Inside though she was beating her own self up. If anyone was at risk of being pulled from Candyland it was the basket case on Stage 2 still. 'I'm the one voted most unlikely to still be here in six weeks. Dust bunnies have better odds than that. At least I finally got to talk to him though. Never going to forget this.'
Despite her darker thoughts, Joelle was smiling and laughing as she teased Garza. "So do you have like a range you can hear up to? I've always heard strong telepaths were like super good at that kind of stuff. Like hearing across compounds and picking at you know specific people."
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At the word 'Hush!' Garza turned to look at her, blinking slightly while she explained her reasoning to him. As she went on, he smiled slightly, one edge of his mouth curling in a smirk. As she gestured toward her food, that smirk only grew, and he had to fight the temptation to do just as she said, and steal a forkfull. Though idly he thought about the idea of having fork tines forcibly inserted into his hand....
...yeah, probably not the best course of action.
He was about to respond, though, when her thoughts again reached him. He found himself listening to those, instead, and completely missed her verbal words.
Despite her smile and her teasing, he reached toward her face, seizing her chin gently between his thumb and forefinger.
"Hey, whoa. Let's stop and discuss what's in your head, first. If you're going to try and build me up, don't turn around and tear yourself down. I told you, I will help you." Despite the fairly harsh tone to his voice, he ended his sentence with a smile.
"Don't forget, I can hear most everything you think about. Your surface thoughts might as well come through an intercom. I don't mean to be rude...but you don't need to be thinking about those things." Only then did he release her chin, and focused on straightening his fork so he could resume eating.
After a single bite, though, he gave her a sidelong glance, and spoke again. "And....I'm glad I got to speak with you, as well. But I've no intention of letting that stop anytime soon."
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The Candidate completely froze and clammed up at the sudden, unexpected touch. It was warm and gentle, so unlike his display of strength against the poor defenders spoon. Her eyes stared deeply into his own as she listened intently to what he had to say. She was not keen on his sudden delving into psychoanalysing her but given how pathetic she was at shielding her thoughts, she could not completely blame him. Still though, knowing did nothing for her when her thoughts were still as free as the wind.
'I can't help my thoughts any more than you can help hearing them,' she mused, knowing he would still be able to hear. 'I'll try to quiet them more of you though. My apologies.'
Joelle sighed a bit shakily when his touched receded again and she was left to recompose herself. His next words though caused her cheeks to burn fiercely. Her heart fluttered to know he enjoyed her company despite all her constant blunders. "Thank you for your kind words and offers. I will do my best to not disappoint you then." She smiled softly to herself even as she played with the food on her plate.
More seriously she continued, "I likely will still be quite busy the next month or so though. I've been informed it's my last chance to test and move up or out. Glossing over that isn't going to solve anything. Isn't it more practical to be real with myself about the situation to better face it head on?"
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"And I shall endeavor to hear less of them...also, no apologies are necessary. I wouldn't have said anything at all, if it weren't for that thought you had. So...the apology should be coming from me."
He looked to her a bit sadly after that little bit of communication, feeling awful for speaking out of turn...and perhaps for being a bit too forward about it. It wasn't often he took advantage of the things he heard from other people, as he believed highly in the privacy of others.
Hearing what she said next brought a smile to his face, erasing the sadness from his features. "Don't worry about disappointing me, or anyone else. All you can do is try your best, and in that, there is no shame in failure. And whether you're given this deadline or not doesn't even matter. Besides...thinking and worrying about it will only distract you. Distractions cause mistakes, and mistakes are what will hurt you the most."
He set his fork down, turning to her more fully. "So, keep that upbeat attitude of yours, hit your books, and try not to worry about anything else. I'm almost positive you'll get through just fine." Garza grinned, and pointed a finger toward her food. "But before that, enjoy your food."
-
It was difficult to not let herself be dragged down by fear and doubt. She always had been and always would be a competitive soul. As long as Joelle viewed it as a game or a challenge, she could be sure to succeed. She had to because despite what Garza, if her best was not good enough then that would be the end of the line for her.
Such thoughts were quickly shoved away in lieu of a loud chorus of 'food' being shouted repeatedly in her head. Joelle smiled impishly up to him as she made quick work of her food mountain. Taking a swig of her juice though, she winced at the taste. "I really wish that they would stop watering this stuff down though. It's not like we can really get that much of a sugar high off it anyway."
Sulking but with a look of concentration, she lifted two fingers at the glass and motioned them as if beckoning it to come closer. A second later and there was a gentle sploosh as the juice concentratein the glass separated from the water she had pulled up. Little by little she had more water back as she brought it to the right ratio for her liking. The remaining water was easily formed into an orb that she tossed up above her like a grape and caught in her mouth. A scowl formed but was quickly washed away with several gulps of her preferred drink. "Water is so gross," she hissed once she could talk again.
-
Garza smirked at her at her sugar high comment, his lip curling just enough to make his teeth visible. "Well, you, anyway. Most of us don't take in quite as much sugar as you do, so we're not quite as used to it."
He watched her with fascination when she did her hydrokinetic bit, wide eyed while she manipulated the solution of her juice by gradually removing some of the water from it. "That's amazing...I didn't know you were hydrokinetic. That's quite a gift, and I admit to being only a little envious." He gave a small smile, his eyes following the grape-sized orb of water as she plopped it into her mouth.
"Gross? I disagree. It's good for you, and besides, being a hydro means you'll be working with it alot." He smirked a bit, and drained half of his own juice in a single gulp. "Might as well get used to it."
-
"What's to be envious of?" she asked, having missed the expression on his face during her focused display. But she flushed once more at the sound of awe and praise in his voice. "It's nothing special to write home about. Daddy would have been a lot happier if I'd been and electro like him. My sister's a techno," she told him with a proud smile. "She'll be starting next year. Definitely a Tinker through and through."
Joelle chuckled and shook her head as she thought of her overly exuberant younger sister. "She's a pill but I love her to death. If you think I'm overly accustomed to sugar," she shook her head with a smirk, "she doesn't even eat the junk I do and she's still bouncing off the walls. Such a dork!" Despite the name though Joelle's eyes had softened as she thought of her sister with a great deal of love.
"Hydro or not though water is gross and there are so many things that taste loads better. Seriously would you pick water over a nice cold soda-pop? I wouldn't! Water is boring."