Remnants of the Earth

Pilot Royal Moon,
   I apologize for the short response previously. I was in a rush and so sent out the message before fully explaining my intentions.
   
   I would be thrilled to meet you Sunday at 1530. You said Manolins right around the corner, correct? Regardless, I look forward to our meeting and discussing the position that is 'unlike anything I that has been done before'. As I stated before my interest has been peeked.

-Pilot Echo Dawson

Another flinch as Heather called her Princess again. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Heather pick up a notebook, even noted how she had adjusted the headphones that Aspen had concluded weren't even hooked up to anything.

She tried funny, she tried nice, and she tried apologetic. Nothing seemed to get through to Heather that Aspen wasn't here to ruin her life.

Her fingers ceased movement as Aspen looked up at Heather. "You know what..."

Was she really about to do this?  Yep.

Pushing herself up off the bed Aspen turned around and began fumbling through her bag. Within seconds she had pulled out her own notebook, a few of her music players, headphones, pencils... everything. And just as quickly as she pulled them out she flung each item one by one towards Heather.

"... since you don't care I guess it's okay if I just put all my stuff on your bed too. I mean, after all, I am here to take everything over right? That is what princess's do right?" It was clear Aspen was agitated as she started picking up clumps of clothes and purposely started flinging them onto Heather's bed as well. In the end, all she had left was her keyboard, something she contemplated throwing over but chickened out in the end. The last thing she wanted was for Heather to break it.

"Bit of advice though I'm probably sure you don't care to hear it. There is more out there than what's in here." Aspen pointed at her temple, never raising her voice beyond slight agitation.

Okay, time to wait and die now because surely Heather was going to kill her.

Just as Aspen felt she had made some kind of ground it was quickly shoved back at her the moment Heather responded. She was right, Aspen did have no idea where Heather came from. But just as she was unaware so was Heather.

Another blow as Heather said all she could be was a princess waiting for a prince to come and save her. Was she really wrong? Up until a few weeks ago, that was exactly how things usually went. Aspen would fall and someone would come and pick her back up. She was also still failing Stage 3 at that point. But look at her now, Stage 4.

Mulling over the many things she could say Aspen was torn between giving Heather a piece of her mind or just letting it go. Halting the unpacking process Aspen turned towards her, shoving some clothes aside to set at the edge of her new bed.

Was she wearing headphones? Maybe she could find some common ground here, find something the two could actually talk about that didn't result in profanities being thrown back and forth. Yet despite searching for something to say Aspen was coming up shorthanded. Despite how far she had come she still couldn't muster the voice to say what she was really thinking.

"I'm sorry", more word vomit that instinctually poured out. "I'm sorry they made you have a roommate and I'm sorry it was me. I'm sorry I annoy you and I'm sorry that the very sound of my voice seems to piss you off." Pulling her hands into her lap Aspen fidgeted with her fingers.

"Still a mistake... still a burden... still me." Her own frustrated thoughts as Aspen thought of how horrible life in her dorm was bound to be now.

It had never really occurred to Aspen how little she owned until she first arrived at the ATC. With nothing more than a bag full of clothes, Aspen remembered moving into her very first room. Even when she tested up to Stage 3 not much more had changed other than the fact that Havanah had gotten her a smaller sized keyboard. But now as she stuffed the last bit of her clothes in a bag Aspen realized she had so much more.

The 'My Little Donkey' figurines, the substantially grown lyric book, little knick knacks here and there that she had acquired from the experiences she never thought she would have. All of it obtained through finally reaching out to others. Aspen had always assumed she would achieve little in her lifetime, yet already she felt she had so much.

The next floor, the next stage... the next adventure. Who knew she would ever make it this far? Who knew what else she had to learn here?

Rounding the last corner in what seemed like an endless hallway Aspen passed a few rooms she had come to know in her time here. Beyond the doors lay memories that would stay with her for a lifetime, some deeper than others. It wasn't until she took a double take at her Com that Aspen realized what room she had actually been assigned to. In the last seconds Aspen dropped her bag just outside the door, standing in fear as her chip activated the door and caused it to open.

"Suprise?" A less than confident declaration to her new roommate as Aspen's ability flicked in an out.

Pilot Royal Moon,
   Sounds like a plan. Can meet at 1530. See you then.

-Pilot Echo Dawson

WIP WIP WIP WIP WIP WIP WIP


__________________QUICK STATS
Name: Sidney Dawson (Aka: Sid)
Age: 33
Gender: Female
Species: Human
Height: 5ft 9in
Occupation: Assistant Squad Leader, Amristah Angels
Residence: Amristah

__________________IN-DEPTH STUFF

Physical Description:


Art by Meeeee <3

Just look at the picture. I'm still too lazy to type this up.
-Dark Skin
-Golden Eyes
-Dark Brown/Black loosely curled hair

Personality:
Sydney is, for the most part, a very calm and collected individual. She is not easily goaded and an easy conversationalist. However, she also won't hesitate to tell someone to cut the shit when need be. She often likes to give people the benefit of the doubt but is also capable of holding a grudge that could last a lifetime should someone betray her trust.

A fan of yoga and kickboxing, Sydney has no problem giving advice on how to live a healthier lifestyle but also isn't the type to shove her beliefs down someone's throat. Just don't expect her to sit back silently while someone blows a puff of smoke in her face or go on about their drinking benders every night. Should also note that Sydney is indeed... a vegan.

Sydney is also an adrenaline junkie. She loves the thought of living on the edge and taking advantage of every adventure presented to her. As a philanthropist, she likes to travel and spend a lot of her time in the lower castes promoting good welfare to unfortunate families who cannot afford health care all over Aedolis. This goes in line with her adrenaline seeking ways as you never know what kind of situations you could run into. Sydney also finds many budding psychics by doing this before their 13-year-old screenings.

Magic/Abilities:
Telepathy and Telekinesis: Proficient enough with both
Hemokinesis: Can control and manipulate blood on herself or others.
   Specializes in Haemo-Piezokinesis: Can control the blood flow of herself and others, allowing her to increase and decrease blood pressure, prevent heart attacks, stop external bleeding, or supply efficient blood flow to a damaged organ.

Weak Cryokinesis: Can generate only in her hands, useful for only medicinal purposes. Can freeze molecules, renew damaged cells to an extent, reduce swelling, etc. Also, keeps her gluten-free nonfat smoothies cool all day long!

Relationships:
WIP

[b:]Dragon:[/b]
WIP
History:
   Born and raised in Haviah by an upper caste family Sydney never wanted anything. She had great parents, who were great pilots. Her father a Cyro and mother a Hemokinetic both worked as independent CO's for all of Aedolis. Unfortunately, while Syndey was only 17 years old and still a Candidate both of her parent's were killed in the war from injuries sustained on the battlefront.
   
   After Candyland Sydney landed a job at DoSaM helping to aid her fellow pilots.

As Vaas approached her again Sparrow's smartass demeanor faded, melting into the same affectionate smile he gave her. If anyone else talked to her the way he did, touched her the way he did, they would surely have already had a few different fists to the face. Vaas was different, and because of this when he cupped her chin in that special way Sparrow felt like the world could accept her for everything she was.

Pushing herself deeper into the kiss Sparrow shivered at his hand on her back, craving the skin to skin contact with each passing moment. Again she placed her own behind his neck and pulled him back towards the counter, breaking their kiss for just a moment to hop up and sit on its edge. The few inches that normally separated them now gone as she sat eye level with the man she was putting everything on the line for.

Even if Vaas did just say that sometimes words are better Sparrow said nothing at all. Instead, she continued to lock her eyes with his, the normal hard lines and judging glare gone. She wondered if he really knew how much he meant to her. She knew that most of the time she was a bitch, there was no denying that. She also knew that sometimes she was harsher on him than someone who was allegedly in love.

Extending her arms she placed them over his shoulders, leaning towards him from atop the counter. Instead of a going for another kiss Sparrow then rested her chin on his shoulder, burying her nose into his neck. She caught herself looking at the door again and quickly squeezed her eyes shut, refusing to let whatever was going on in her head to ruin this moment. His scent, the feel of him against her body was calming enough.

Sparrow sat like that for a moment, taking in everything she could. Slowly she started kissing his neck, working her lips up behind his ear, brushing her lips against them before going back down his neck again.

Chills shot up Sparrow's sides, hairs standing on end from even the slightest of touch coming from him.

"You're a psychic aren't ya? Doesn't that mean you should be able to read my mind?" A grin of her own to match his while her other hand snaked up the small of his back. Oh, how convenient he wasn't wearing a shirt right now.

"Tell me Vaas..." Pulling away she took a few steps towards the counter away from him. "... what am I thinking?"

This was what Sparrow missed and for the moment it seemed like everything was falling back into place. Her eyes were set on his and that made nothing else matter except him and her. She wasn't thinking about how she almost died or the lizard that drove her to insanity. Instead, all she could think about was how Vaas looked with those shorts hanging off of him like that. Or even better, how when he looked at her with those gorgeous eyes that her heart jumped.

"I love you ya' fucking dumbass"

[One shot]

First it was Soleas, leaving Aspen to move to Stage 5. Next was Matt, moving on to Stage 5 and graduating in the blink of an eye. Slowly Aspen felt like she was watching all of her friends leave her behind while she was stuck forever. Viktor was still around, but his silence after Soleas left wasn't very encouraging. It was like her entire support system had fallen to peices in the blink of an eye. Now all she had left was Vanessa, who was one of the few remaining candidates she felt she could fully trust with anything.

Turns out a few fellow candidates were heading to the cafeteria for a late night snack and as appetizing as that sounded, Aspen didn't feel much like being around people right now. She was still greiving in her own way. Happy that her friends were moving on in life, but sad they left her behind in the process. The world kept turning, everything moving with time while Aspen was at a standstill.

Music roared in her ears as she completed yet another lap around the track. She could feel it now, the burning in her calves and lungs that ignited the will to push on beyond what her body thought she was capable of. It wasn't pain to her, but instead a fire that ignited her will to be more than what everyone thought she could be. She may not have been the smartest, funniest, prettiest, or bravest. But Aspen was determined that if she could be anything, then the fastest was what it would be.


Lap after lap Aspen pushed on, embracing the exhaustion slowly overtaking her body. It was working, slowly she was beginning to forget about all the things she saw wrong in life and instead realizing that she was capable of more than she was given credit for. Screw her parents, screw the other candidates that thought she was nothing but a problem. Screw anyone that ever held a single doubt for Aspen, the girl who would one day rise up and make a name for herself.

Just screw all of them.

From her temple to the floor Aspen had reached her limit and beyond as sweat fell. Each droplet a dark memory as she shed it. After all of that she was feeling quite great, despite the physical exertion she had just caused herself. Maybe she would catch a bite to eat with them after all. No sense in excluding herself when all she wanted was to build bridges anyway.

Flipping open her Com she navigated to the candidate blog to see if Vanessa and the others were still enjoying their late night snack. Maybe she would even enjoy a pudding, just for Soleas since he was no longer there. That is assuming that Tink didn't eat them all before she got there.

All of it, the running and then release of pent up frustration, led Aspen to not realize she was not alone at the track.

"Hey!" another voice causing Aspen's attention to avert away from her Com.
"Come here!" Yet another voice coming from a group of candidates standing a few hundred feet from her. How long had they been there anyways?

Cautiously Aspen made her way over, placing her Com and earbuds back in her pocket. She even managed to offer a genuine smile once she was close enough, offering the group of Stage 2 candidates all the kindness she could. Had this been a while ago, back when she herself were a Stage 2, Aspen would have just ducked her head down and went the other way. However, in that time Aspen had learned that people weren't always as bad as she thought and not everyone was out to get her. The likes of all of her friends had taught her that.

These candidates though were ones she had only seen in passing. She barely knew any of them, only familiar faces here and there every once in a while. Maybe she could change that, invite them to the cafeteria with everyone for some food.
"Hi, I was just about to he-" The blow to her stomach catching her off guard as she fell, clutching at her shirt as she attempted to catch her breath.

"What kind of freak are you!?" One of the candidates yelled out, kneeling down to get eye level with Aspen. "You got some kind of psyionic that helps you run? That's cheating... we don't like cheaters here."

Still short of breath Aspen could barely respond. Instead her lids clenched shut as she attempted to breathe through the pain. Another blow but this time to her temple as Aspen was knocked down.

"I said are you some kind of freak!?" The entire group was laughing by now, making Aspen the center of some kind of freakshow they were turning this into.

"I don't cheat" she finally managed to choke out. "I work hard..." Digging her fingers into the floor Aspen started pushing herself up, still using one arm to brace the aching muscles in her gut. "... I work just as ha-" Again Aspen was hit, knocking her back down and erasing any progress she had made in standing up.

"Oh, so then you're just a kiss ass then?" A different member of the group chimed in as he took a step towards her, sinking the toe of one of his boots into her side this time.
"Nah she's a freak! I've seen her before. She's an illumino. When she gets really scared she dissapears like some kind of freakish ghost." Again the group was laughing.

"Hel-" An attempt to cry for help before yet another blow was delivered to her face. Not like anyone would come anyway. These things happened all the time in here... Aspen was already walking around on borrowed time.

"Dissapear for us freak!"
"Yeah C'mon! Do a magic trick and dissapear!"

The one time Aspen wished she could control her ability like that. Making herself unnoticeable, that she could do. Completely dissapearing on the other hand... an aspect of her ability she had yet to master. There was always the other option, one she hadn't relied on since she was placed into the program. The option she thought she would never have to use again after making friends.

The taunting and tourment continued on for several minutes. Each member of the group seemed to have some kind of special message to relay to her, all of them belittlting her in one way or another. Each one reminding Aspen why every step she had made towards trusting others was a mistake.

People were monsters. Plain and Simple. All they did was leave or beat you down. Nothing more.... nothing less.

She wasn't sure how long she layed there for. A few minutes? An hour? No not quite that long. All Aspen was sure of was that while she just lay there no one came. No one came while she attempted to cry for help. No one came while they beat her or stole her shoes.

Numb to anything else Aspen reached and pulled her Com out of her pocket.

'Vanessa? Are you still in the cafeteria or are you back in our room?' Her hand flopped onto the floor while she waited for a response.

Maybe if she were lucky she could just sneak in and pretend this never happened. Nothing some makeup and long sleeved clothes couldn't hide for a while. There was also the option of just saying she fell.

'Vanessa: Uhh. I'm in the room. Why?'

Dammit.

"Okay"

Slowly Aspen pushed herself up, pulling whatever energy she had left towards cloaking herself the best she could. Now was the perfect time to be unnoticeable. With any luck she would make it all the way back to her room without raising any alarms. Once she got there she would figure out how to explain to Vanessa what happened. Something along the lines of it was her own fault.

Another 'ding' as her Com went off again.

'Tink: if you want food Garza and I are still here.' Avoid the cafeteria... got it.

"No thanks. Maybe another time."

Her Com dinged again shortly after, but Aspen was too worried about getting to her room to read it.

When Grisham leaned his forehead into hers Sparrow calmed, drawing in a breath and grounding herself to the moment. Never had she had this kind of heart to heart with Grisham, and seeing him express his own fears like this made her feel not so alone anymore. Even Grisham, one of the strongest people she knew, was afraid of things that no one else could see.

Closing her own eyes Sparrow tried to fully understand what he was saying. "If I keep holding it in and pretending it's not happening, it's going to get worse?" For anyone else that may have been an easy enough answer, but for Sparrow, she knew it was going to be much harder than that. Never had she been the kind to express her feelings well, usually just pushing the uncomfortable ones aside until they faded away. Especially fear. Anger though was one she let bare its angry teeth far too often.

Slowly she unwrapped her arms from around herself and instead wrapped them around Grisham. Another surprise to even herself as she hugged one of the toughest men she knew. Ever since she could remember Sparrow had hated hugs, yet here she was hugging this large man as if he were nothing more than the softest teddy bear. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I never thought you would understand because you're always so collected."