The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead
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Duchess
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Intuitive Horticulture
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21
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Post by Persephone Dean on Jan 6, 2017 12:26:46 GMT
 High School Reunion Honestly, Persephone was tempted. For the tiniest of moments she even started to reach for the pill that Cory had set down before her but she stopped herself, frowning. There was still something that put her off; clearly her defences weren’t as lowered as she thought. She still watched intently as Cory methodically crushed and snorted the little pill, undeniably curious.
“Does it hit hard?” she asked, eyes fixed on Cory. “Are you gonna be out of it now?”
She tipped her head back and stared at the ceiling for a moment, enjoying the rushing dizziness that came with it. A bubble of laughter burst from her of its own accord and she indulged in it for a while, letting herself go giddy. With a deep breath she tore her eyes away from the ceiling and tucked her chin into her chest, peaking sideways at Cory.
“So you’re done with dealing...”
It was hard to imagine finding yourself suddenly unemployed with a fairly difficult-to-transfer skillset. Sure, it was technically customer service… but Persephone could hardly imagine that more conventional retail outlets would consider Cory’s work experience valid. Out of an unusual, THC-born sociable curiosity, Persephone was finding herself genuinely interested in the avenues available to Cory now.
She reached for the bong once more, still keeping clear of the pill for now. The ice was no longer quite so icy but it had been doing her good so far, and her next long, deep breath was still just as satisfying as the last. Smoke poured back out from her mouth, taking with it another tiny percentage of any anxieties still remaining.
“What’s lined up for you now?”
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The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead
ALIAS
Duchess
CLASSIFICATION
Auxiliary
POWER
Intuitive Horticulture
AGE
21
Inactive
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Post by Persephone Dean on Jan 6, 2017 10:36:59 GMT
High School Reunion It seemed that all tension in the room had evaporated. Persephone was pleasantly surprised by Cory’s assessment of her garden and, as she had relaxed, began telling Cory all about the slightly more interesting plants in the room. She gushed fondly over her Sungolds, which were her latest foray into the world of tomatoes, and pointed out a couple of the lesser known spices which Cory’s mom might like to experiment with. From Cory’s enthusiasm, Persephone surmised that she was probably at the very least a proficient assistant when it came to cooking. Ever the diplomat, however, Persephone continued to pretend that the advice was 100% aimed at momma Wilde.
There was something nice about being able to share her space with somebody. She’d reached a pleasant, sociable level of high that was allowing her to chatter away mindlessly for the first time in years. Normally she smoked alone, so she hadn’t realised until now just how tense she always was around people in her sober state. It made her question her own acting ability. Maybe she wasn’t so good at putting on a positive and friendly face as she thought.
They’d fallen into a pleasant hush, Cory spread out in the little space she had available while Persephone sat cross-legged with one hand propping up her head, hair tumbling into her face once more. She was just about to reach out for another hit when Cory moved suddenly, rustling through her bag for a second.
Then she pulled out a couple of white pills, one extended towards Persephone.
“Oh, um…” Persephone peered at it more closely from behind her curtain of dark curls. “I don’t know, Cory. I don’t know what that is.”
She hated to be a buzzkill, but she was also very much against the idea of taking a mystery pill. Even relaxed as she was, there was no fighting her natural distrust for the unknown. It was a huge part of why she was so fixated on uncovering the doctor’s identity, after all, and that fixation was not going to go away of its own accord.
Remembering the Cory of high school – who would never take offence when kids turned down her offers of a quick toke – she pushed her hair back momentarily and looked her in the eye. “You go for it. I’m not so sure, I’m already fucking…” She lost focus, giggled, and returned to her sentence. “Super, super chill.” The hair plummeted back into position – unintentionally, but successfully, illustrating her point.
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The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead
ALIAS
Duchess
CLASSIFICATION
Auxiliary
POWER
Intuitive Horticulture
AGE
21
Inactive
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Post by Persephone Dean on Jan 5, 2017 10:38:51 GMT
High School Reunion Persephone nodded tersely and backed her way through the door, moving to one side and motioning for Cory to come through. There was just enough room on the floor for the two of them to sit amongst the plants, although there was also the option of the stairs and the tiny loft area should Cory opt for a higher perch. Definitely not an ideal hosting space but not without its charm, she supposed.
She wondered how much Cory would understand of her surroundings. She would obviously recognise the cannabis plants, even if she wasn’t a grower herself, and possibly some of the more common, traditional herbal and medicinal plants, but the vast majority of the indoor garden was probably just a bizarre, nameless sea of green peppered with the occasional flower. It was probably a safe bet to assume that Cory wasn’t about to try and taste anything that was growing so Persephone kept quiet about some of the more dangerous plants in the room. If Cory was interested, she would be honest about which plants she had here, but there was no need to trouble her with such details unnecessarily.
There was also the small matter of her gift’s effect upon her garden. Cory hadn’t reacted out on the balcony, which didn’t say much except that gardening was not an interest of hers, but the unnatural vitality of her plants was ten times more obvious in here. Whether Cory would recognise it as an act of supernatural ability rather than immense competence was unlikely, but it was still glaringly obvious that everything here was a prime specimen.
“ Just one joint, sure.” She cast her eyes around to see if she’d left out any of her own smoking supplies. There was a recent, quite indulgent acquisition to her collection which was sure to impress.
“Or…” She finally spotted her new treasure randomly balanced on a rare free spot on the windowsill and presented it excitedly to Cory. “I’ve got this new ice bong. Makes everything so smooth.”
She toyed with the glass vessel in her hands as she waited for Cory’s assessment. Honestly, any response other than that stone-cold seriousness was fine by her. Definitely not bringing up the doctor again any time soon.
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The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead
ALIAS
Duchess
CLASSIFICATION
Auxiliary
POWER
Intuitive Horticulture
AGE
21
Inactive
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Post by Persephone Dean on Jan 4, 2017 13:46:16 GMT
High School Reunion Well… Persephone officially had no idea what was going on in this conversation any more.
The Tangerine Sky was losing its appeal, tainted by the scary expression on Cory’s face. She stubbed the joint out in her ash tray and carefully rose to her feet to stand in front of Cory. It was a surprisingly difficult task – face to face with that deathly serious look. It certainly confirmed her suspicions that she’d over-stepped some unknown line.
It was hard to believe that Cory could react so passionately to a breach of patient confidentiality. There was definitely something else here. It had to be something bad – Cory was fearless.
Now Cory had turned her back on her and was grabbing her bag, having also discarded her joint, and seemed to be ready to leave. Ordinarily, Persephone would have let her go. There was still a fairly vocal and proud part of her inner monologue that insisted on leaving Cory to it, but she pushed it aside. There was a sudden dart piercing her high. Fear.
“Okay, if you have to,” she said softly. She took a deep breath.
Ugh.
“If you wanted, though… we could go in.” She gestured towards the door. “It’s not comfortable but, as I said, great for hotboxing. I’ll uh… I’ll shut up about the hospital. I don’t know what I’m talking about, it’s all very strange and new.”
It was quite humiliating to be talking like this. She was practically begging Cory to stay, in her own way, and she was sure that Cory would know that. In the end, it didn’t matter too much if Cory did leave, but Persephone had genuinely been enjoying the company and there was always the chance that she could approach the subject of the doctor and her new powers much more sensitively in the privacy of her home.
Until then, she was staying well clear of the subject.
“There’s still quite a load of that unwanted stock left,” she pointed out, smiling.
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The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead
ALIAS
Duchess
CLASSIFICATION
Auxiliary
POWER
Intuitive Horticulture
AGE
21
Inactive
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Post by Persephone Dean on Jan 3, 2017 15:33:29 GMT
High School Reunion It was hard to tell whether or not Cory was genuinely outraged at pizza being slighted. Her tone was so serious and her expression so fierce that Persephone was quite convinced that Cory’s protests were in fact deadly serious. She smirked a little, unafraid of displaying her amusement.
“I think even the most dedicated of pizza connoisseurs would hesitate before branding a failure to prioritise fast food blasphemy.” She laughed. “Got your own little strand of faith that you’re following there?”
Even now, far away from her devout father, Persephone still danced around the topic of religion from time to time. She didn’t believe in a God, certainly not the same one her father followed, but it was hard to shake the years of her parents’ occasionally, but sternly, enforced doctrine. Blasphemy was no laughing matter in their house.
And yet, as she gradually let the details of the accident tumble out of her mouth, it seemed like Cory was dancing too – in her own way. She wouldn’t have noticed normally but for the fact that it was like staring at a reflection. Weird. She wondered if Cory’s mother had some strict rules about hospitals and confidentiality or something.
In any case, despite Cory’s obvious interest, it seemed like she was determined to steer the conversation away with a dismissive chuckle and a roll of her eyes.
Ignoring the pressing feeling that she was giving something away and treading where she ought not to tread, Persephone straightened herself up and folded her arms.
“I’m not lying you know,” she insisted. “That doctor is probably capable of so much more than you or I could ever dream of. She brought six of us back – either from death, or from the brink of it. It’s changed us somehow.”
The joint spun around in her fingers, a nervous habit.
“She’s powerful, and apparently she’s not the only one.”
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The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead
ALIAS
Duchess
CLASSIFICATION
Auxiliary
POWER
Intuitive Horticulture
AGE
21
Inactive
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Dec 18, 2016 18:29:16 GMT
Post by Persephone Dean on Dec 18, 2016 18:29:16 GMT
High School Reunion The blasé attitude towards money was a foreign concept to Persephone. She liked having money – she liked the independence of her chosen lifestyle. Currently she earned more than enough to pay bills and toy with her gardening interests. Even food wasn’t a great expense as a result of the various fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices she produced. Sometimes she would tire of a particular ingredient, eventually growing something new in its place, but she rarely felt the need to go out for more than a handful of things at the grocery store.
So she hoarded the leftover money. It wasn’t a huge sum but it was beginning to pile up. There was nothing in particular she wanted to spend it on besides eventually amassing enough to move to a place that actually had a garden without being in a terrible neighbourhood. Maybe if this superhero dream of Dominic’s took off then that dream could become a much more tangible reality.
“Of all the luxuries, of course you’d settle for pizza,” she said with a smirk.
Cory’s reaction to Persephone’s declaration was exactly what she’d been hoping for. There was no hiding that quiet awe. Persephone watched with a satisfied smile as Cory monkeyed around on the balcony. It was as if she needed to impress her on some level, which was amusing. More likely, Cory just wanted to mess around and show off simultaneously… it seemed to be her most prominent behaviour pattern.
“I broke a lot, I think,” Persephone said slowly. “The medical notes were scary, all kinds of things going wrong with my brain and spine.” The joint danced between her fingers as she remembered the hospital. With a swift flick, she snapped it back into position and inhaled deeply before continuing. “There was this… doctor. She fixed everything.”
The weed was making her loose-lipped, but she didn’t care. What was Cory gonna do about it?
“You look weird upside down,” she teased, “Like the smoke’s going the wrong way.”
In an uncharacteristically playful move, Persephone tilted her head to invert the scene. Her hair tumbled across her face but she made no moves to swipe it away, enjoying the way the mass of curls moved. “Dude, this stuff is strong,” she noted cheerfully, peering up at Cory. She pushed her hair back to smoke, grinning. It hadn’t helped that she’d already been smoking before Cory decided to come bearing gifts of free marijuana and her own product was equally as strong.
Ah, whatever. This was fun. She was on top of the world and it was upside down. The perfect day-off.
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The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead
ALIAS
Duchess
CLASSIFICATION
Auxiliary
POWER
Intuitive Horticulture
AGE
21
Inactive
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Dec 13, 2016 20:47:51 GMT
Post by Persephone Dean on Dec 13, 2016 20:47:51 GMT
Side Effects May Vary It seemed like Claire was continuing to play the role of Mason’s shadow, even making an obvious attempt at replicating his overly cheerful, immature sense of humour. She forced out a polite laugh, shaking her head in bemusement just in case anyone thought she’d actually found the joke funny of its own accord. It definitely seemed to be in her best interests to keep somewhat on the group’s good side for now and she could always haul some of the more useful members aside in order to focus their attention on tracking down the doctor.
Will was obviously good at what he did and seemed obsessive once he properly set his mind on a task. He would be undoubtedly instrumental in unravelling the mystery. Claire was just a random art student and Alice seemed childish, even for her age. They’d be no use, she imagined. Mason’s new power could actually come in handy for more hands-on detective work and Dominic no doubt had access to all kinds of contacts and resources.
Persephone was finding herself relying on the males of the group for this one. It was disappointing but not a real issue. Maybe Claire and Alice would have their uses elsewhere.
“You guys should follow up any places you know of,” she said, mostly directed at Will. “I know there are a ton of warehouses further south,” she suggested vaguely. “San Mateo county kinda way, unless you’re planning on travelling even further away from the city. No idea if there are any isolated enough for our purposes… Or alternatively there might be places in nearby shipyards.” Persephone shrugged and grinned apologetically.
There, she’d been as helpful as she could. It was not very helpful, but she considered it important to contribute to the discussion if it would help them to progress – or if it appeared like it would help them to progress. Sometimes all people needed to remember was that you’d said something relevant, not what it was.
“When are we planning on doing this? ‘Cause I have work most days…”
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The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead
ALIAS
Duchess
CLASSIFICATION
Auxiliary
POWER
Intuitive Horticulture
AGE
21
Inactive
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Post by Persephone Dean on Dec 7, 2016 18:25:34 GMT
High School Reunion She laughed. “You’re acting like I’m telling you to watch out for the Boogeyman. Just passing on some friendly advice, that’s all.”
If Cory didn’t want to listen to her, that was fine. For all Persephone knew, people with powers were exceptionally rare and probably wouldn’t move in the same circles as Cory. She imagined there was an elitist attitude that came with that hidden group and she could hardly imagine Cory falling in with such a crowd. For starters, she couldn’t even see Cory hiding her abilities well at all. If the girl could fly, Persephone would’ve assumed that she’d have been chasing jets long ago.
Considering the superficial level of their relationship, however, there was very little Persephone actually knew about Coryelle Wilde. For all she knew, maybe plane-catching was a frequent hobby of hers. The pastimes of old smoking buddies were hardly on Persephone’s list of things to care about. Admittedly, the list was very short.
“Yeah, well, they’ve got the money to sue. I’m sure they’ll survive,” Persephone scoffed. She’d missed her calling by not being born rich, she was sure she’d have made an excellent socialite given the chance, so… she was quite happy to dismiss their problems.
With a smile, Persephone spread her arms wide. “Well you’re looking at one of the survivors.” She dropped them immediately, feeling excessively dramatic. “I mean like, I don’t even know if I should be alive right now, I was right in the thick of it. Absolutely no memory, which is fortunate, I guess.” She tapped her head. “Boring enough for you?”
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The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead
ALIAS
Duchess
CLASSIFICATION
Auxiliary
POWER
Intuitive Horticulture
AGE
21
Inactive
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Post by Persephone Dean on Dec 6, 2016 20:16:09 GMT
Side Effects May Vary Nod. Nod. Nod.
It was really all she could do as she basked in Dominic’s performance. She saw it for what it was, of course, but it was impressive nonetheless. He was presenting such an Opportunity, capital O. They would be kicking themselves in the future if they didn’t seize it now. The first in the public eye to demonstrate extraordinary abilities… it was significant. Even if greater and more powerful individuals came along, they’d still be remembered as the trailblazers.
She smiled at Will as he defended himself, her expression predominantly blank and meaningless. It was a warm yet empty smile, and intended as such. She wanted him to know that she had no intention of criticising him further as a result of apathy. Persephone couldn’t really offer much in this discussion; her focus was too drawn towards the doctor instead. Had Will lost sight of this crucial detail or was he merely distracted for now?
Alice’s suggestion of testing powers was a fairly good one – it made sense to do at least some information gathering before getting carried away with the PR executive’s marketing dream.
Another nod. Even a bit of a smile in Alice’s direction to signify her approval.
In all honesty, she just wanted this discussion to be over so they could get back to the mystery at hand, intrigued as she was by these newfound abilities and the secret world they came from. They needed to chase down new sources, gain inside information, find out exactly who this doctor was, what she was intending and how Persephone could settle the debt of her life as painlessly as possible. There was no way she’d done this out of the goodness of her heart – she wanted something from all of this, and Persephone wanted to find out just what that was before it came around to bite them.
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The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead
ALIAS
Duchess
CLASSIFICATION
Auxiliary
POWER
Intuitive Horticulture
AGE
21
Inactive
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Post by Persephone Dean on Dec 6, 2016 18:55:42 GMT
High School Reunion Cory seemed right at home perched on the railing of her balcony, her aesthetic a sharp but not unpleasant contrast to the flowers and greenery that filled the small outside space. Persephone was leaning up against the doorframe, one leg extended backwards in a typical, unintended display of flexibility while she used the other to playfully prod a few low-hanging leaves that were within reach with her toes. The majority of the plants out here were pretty typical, with only a few rare species dotted here and there. It was inside where her garden really became interesting – home to her poisonous plants. She had shamelessly modelled her collection off of the Duchess of Northumbria’s poison garden and lately it had really been flourishing.
Purely an academic interest, of course…
The joint hovered an inch from her lips as she paused to glare at Cory. “Don’t call me cute.” It was an instinctive retort and she just barely held back the pout that was sure to have garnered further teasing. The weed was making it hard to keep a leash on her emotions now.
“It’s not gangs you should be worried about. I’ve made quite a few discoveries over the past few days and this world is a lot more dangerous than you’d know,” she said cryptically.
She tilted her head and blew a long column of smoke. “Maybe your interfering is why that building’s now sinking and tilting like some wannabe Italian landmark.” She grinned, amused at her own joke.
“Ah yes, the most high-class of lowly waitresses,” Persephone scoffed, rolling her eyes. She was secretly pleased to have given Cory some kind of impression to the contrary. For someone who wore the simplest and plainest clothes, she wore them well.
An easy silence fell over them for a moment before Cory punctured it with “pleasantries”. “Your memory isn’t so great, I wasn’t that bad in high school. I joined the circus one summer… Didn’t last though.” She laughed and shook her head. “Anyway, um, life is pretty interesting at the moment. You see that mega crash on the news?”
The words were out before she could consider that she might regret saying them. Surely it couldn’t hurt to talk about the crash with Cory, right? It wasn’t like she needed to trouble her with the knowledge of that secret, superpowered underworld that she’d consequently stumbled upon.
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The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead
ALIAS
Duchess
CLASSIFICATION
Auxiliary
POWER
Intuitive Horticulture
AGE
21
Inactive
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Post by Persephone Dean on Dec 4, 2016 16:14:59 GMT
High School Reunion Quirking an eyebrow at the mention of cash, Persephone quickly shook her head. “Tempting though that sounds, I’m pretty fine for money right now.”
She wouldn’t admit it, but the idea was far more tempting than she’d let on. Several times she’d found herself browsing potential buyers but she’d always torn herself away from the prospect. There were very few issues of morality that she actually held much of an opinion on, but for some reason she’d never liked the underlying concerns that came with supply chains. At least by growing her own she knew that she wasn’t supporting them.
It was a strange issue for her to fixate on, given that she was far more intrigued than disgusted by the shady underworld of drug cartels and gangs, but it was one that she stood by nonetheless.
She rolled her eyes at Cory’s derision but said nothing. This wasn’t a debate she was even interested in taking part in, let alone winning.
“I think we have different definitions of honesty,” she grinned, trying to show that she wasn’t actually concerned about how Cory chose to earn her living. “Sounds like you have some lucrative options… Be careful who you trust.” The advice was earnestly given. Cory would probably smirk and make another cutting comment but it didn’t matter. It’s not like it really bothered Persephone whether or not the girl was headed down a dangerous path.
Cory settled on the balcony, causing Persephone to breathe an inward sigh of relief. Outwardly, she tried not to show too much gratitude – chilled as the weed was making her, she still had some control over her displays of emotion. “Yeah, yeah, we can stay out here if you want.”
Her jaw dropped a little. “The roof?”
Apparently clambering up to Persephone’s apartment was indeed child’s play if she could somehow make her way to the roof of the Millennium Tower. Admittedly Persephone couldn’t imagine her boldly climbing up the side of the building in broad daylight, but it was still probably not the easiest thing to access and would have required some skill, be it stealth or otherwise.
Cory’s eyes fluttered shut as she indulged in a slow, appreciative drag of her joint. Persephone raised her own to her lips, eyes fixed dreamily on a distant imaginary speck on the horizon, and followed suit. It had a strong odour, even before the smoke really hit her, and there was an oddly potent kick to it as she breathed in deeply before letting it tumble out of her mouth, lips pursed like a kiss around the fumes.
“Not bad,” she said slowly, hoping Cory would understand that she meant that as high praise. She took a second to sit herself down in the doorway and looked up, a wry smile appearing on her face.
“You can stay.”
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The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead
ALIAS
Duchess
CLASSIFICATION
Auxiliary
POWER
Intuitive Horticulture
AGE
21
Inactive
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Post by Persephone Dean on Dec 2, 2016 20:15:17 GMT
Side Effects May Vary Well, that was a little dramatic.
Persephone had no intention of becoming a majestic champion of the weak and vulnerable. She wasn’t remotely pulled in by the more romantic ideas that Mason and Alice were putting forwards. Her own personal attitude to life had never included wishing for some hero to come swoop in and save her from her troubles. Hard work and a tough manner had kept Persephone going this far and she was under the impression that she’d been at least somewhat successful.
Regardless, she couldn’t bring herself to agree with Will either. He was obviously very passionate and obviously had information that they themselves did not. Yet, here was making a narrow-minded, fear-filled statement and expecting that to persuade the room?
Persephone was moderately offended that he thought she could agree with such an argument.
“Who are we dragging into the light?” she asked simply.
She hesitated to continue, unwilling to seem like she’d picked sides just yet, but she couldn’t let this slide. She was far more interested in uncovering details of the doctor in order to understand exactly what her motives and intentions were – this question of revealing the existence of powers was strangely trivial in her mind.
“Just because Dominic wants to show the world that he can shoot lightning bolts and exploit that, doesn’t mean that those in hiding are in any imminent danger. For all the world knows, he’s an anomaly, and if they don’t believe that, fine. Those hiding can continue to do as they know best.”
Persephone shrugged. “My ability seems pretty concealable, so I could be biased. But I don’t think you should be quite so frozen in the headlights of progress, Will Chase.”
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The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead
ALIAS
Duchess
CLASSIFICATION
Auxiliary
POWER
Intuitive Horticulture
AGE
21
Inactive
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Post by Persephone Dean on Dec 1, 2016 20:45:52 GMT
High School Reunion There was a weird amount of modesty in Cory’s response that didn’t quite match with the acts she was accomplishing. Persephone didn’t care enough to pry, but she also didn’t think Cory’s level of fitness was the result of a few morning runs around the block. Since quitting acrobatics, Persephone hadn’t really done much in the way of training, although she had occasional month-long bursts of physical activity before neglecting it again. At the end of the day, she was still quite healthy, but being an acrobat was something she had enjoyed as a hobby rather than as an urgent calling. Even so, she doubted she’d be able to clamber onto a second-floor balcony with the same effortless ease that Cory had.
In a world of superpowers, the significance of gymnastics performed by normal, limited human beings was surely next to nothing. Now that Persephone knew of that secret other world- no, belonged to it, she could only dream of what physical feats were truly achievable.
Cory actually seemed impressed to know that Persephone had been growing. It was only a modest supply really, enough to keep her own habit with spare for a rainy day, but it was something she was quite proud of. Her new abilities were sure to perfect the strains she’d been cultivating, utterly personalising them with flawless precision. “It’s just a side hobby, I don’t sell,” she explained, shrugging. “Always felt a little more… ethical to grow my own.”
She laughed at Cory’s aversion to job-seeking. Personally, she’d never been fussy. It probably explained why she was 20, with good grades that could’ve gotten her into college, working two dead-end waitressing jobs that swallowed her entire schedule rather than looking to “better herself”. There was no inspiration, no burning desire to strive for anything else right now.
“So what, you’re going to be making an honest living now? I bet you’ve got quite the resume.”
Persephone stepped back through the open door, subtly shuffling a few plants aside in a useless attempt to make the studio apartment look less like an overgrown greenhouse and more like a place that was actually occupied by a human being. “Technically I’ve not invited you in yet,” she said with a grin. “Following me would still be a break-in of sorts.”
She bit her lip and looked around hesitantly. “Don’t get me wrong, that sounds great, but this isn’t the most hospitable space. There’s space to sit up there…” She pulled a face as she gestured to the loft part of her apartment where the bed was. Way too intimate. “Or like… the bathroom…”
Being a concerned hostess was entirely foreign territory, but Persephone was suddenly hyper-aware of just how odd her home was compared to most. It was hopelessly obvious that she never, ever had guests here.
She hovered at the threshold to the balcony, running out of ideas. “Or we can stay out here, I don’t mind. Being on top of the world sounds ideal though, let’s do it.”
On top of a world full of unimaginably powerful beings… Yeah, she liked that idea.
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The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead
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Duchess
CLASSIFICATION
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Intuitive Horticulture
AGE
21
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Post by Persephone Dean on Dec 1, 2016 17:23:43 GMT
High School Reunion “I’m sorry, I wasn’t expecting company,” she retorted, her tone more joking than accusatory now. Cory’s mock-offense was admittedly pretty amusing and she couldn’t help but smirk herself. On some level, Persephone knew that she probably wouldn’t be so relaxed had she not smoked beforehand, but as a result of it she wasn’t really in the mood to care about such things.
There was an awkward pause as Cory made no secret of checking her out – the girl had never even tried to be subtle – but the moment passed just as quickly as it came. Clearly she didn’t mean anything by it; she was just admiring the view as any good connoisseur would. Persephone couldn’t really return the favour, having managed to steer entirely clear of the world of sexual attraction so far, but she took a second to assess Cory’s outfit. It was pretty simple for what she remembered of Cory’s tastes but the threads were obviously well-loved and accompanied by a loyal pair of headphones. Not too much seemed to have changed in the past few years on an artificial level. It was oddly comforting.
She raised an eyebrow. “Not what I meant, smartass. I am vaguely aware of the concept of roads, but less familiar with climbing buildings. You still training or something?”
What little animosity she had left in her expression dropped as she admired Cory’s stash. “Nice,” she said softly. “I mean, I’ve got plenty here, grow it myself…” Persephone grinned conspiratorially. “I’m sure my grandmother would’ve smoked a bowl with me if she could have, so I don’t feel too bad about using her space for it.” She gestured vaguely back into the apartment. “It’s tiny. Great for hotboxing.”
Finally Persephone allowed herself to laugh. “I can testify to your smoking capabilities, but, hey, I wouldn’t want to rid you of the thrill of getting high with a legal minor. Weed’s not so exciting any more since the law passed, huh?”
She perused the selection lazily. “You got different strains in there? I don’t wanna tell you how to do your job, so… deal me something. Something that’ll keep me chill cause, you know,
“Someone did just break into my apartment.”
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The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead
ALIAS
Duchess
CLASSIFICATION
Auxiliary
POWER
Intuitive Horticulture
AGE
21
Inactive
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Nov 30, 2016 19:55:15 GMT
Post by Persephone Dean on Nov 30, 2016 19:55:15 GMT
High School Reunion Finally, after the extended mayhem that had coloured Persephone’s past week, a spare moment had opened itself up in her schedule and led her to recline lazily upon her balcony. She was still only required to work by one of her employers and so actually found herself experiencing what appeared to be a “day off”. Not including public holidays, Persephone was struggling to think of a day within the last two years where she hadn’t had at least one shift on the agenda. She’d normally resent the opportunity for a full 24-hour period wherein nothing was accomplished, but today was different. Today she was giving herself a well-deserved time-out from human interaction.
The only person she was planning on talking to today was good old Mary Jane.
Online orders supplemented by a fruitful trip to the garden supplies store meant that Persephone’s plants were all exceedingly healthy-looking. Even to the untrained eye, the overwhelming aura of vitality was hard to miss. Something told her that any future harvesting undertaken would deliver on a whole new level to anything she’d experienced before. Or maybe she was getting too excited about a bunch of herbs and vegetables. It wasn’t like she had the cooking skills to really take advantage of exceptional quality ingredients.
The day was living up to every expectation of peace and quiet until her phone had the audacity to notify her of a message from an old high school acquaintance.
“Is she some kind of stalker now?” Persephone mumbled under her breath, quickly informing Cory that she was at home without giving her any hints as to where home was. Hopefully she’d get the hint – Persephone was not leaving the house today. An unsettling thought crossed her mind; there was every possibility that Cory did actually know where she lived. They’d moved in similar circles at school for the brief time that they were both pupils together and Persephone hadn’t been as private a couple of years ago as she was now.
Shit. Was she planning on visiting? Persephone hurriedly rushed out a Why? but the message went unanswered. Maybe Cory had understood and left her to her solitude.
She rolled a clumsy joint, unable to concentrate fully under the concern that she was about to have to fend off a home intruder. Unable to let herself smoke pot of such quality in such an unseemly vessel, Persephone re-rolled it. Twice.
The balcony was Persephone’s favourite place in the apartment. She could lean back and watch the world go by from the safety and refuge of her own home. She liked the way smoke curled and drifted across the open space before her, her own personal cloud show. It didn’t bother her if people could see her smoking – even now that it was legal for most, Persephone was still under-age – because she knew they wouldn’t care. This area was middle-class enough to breed complete disinterest in neighbours, which suited Persephone to a T.
Just as the joint was on the verge of burning out, Persephone heard a familiar, gratingly loud voice call out something from directly beneath her. Rapunzel?
She stayed silent, hoping that she hadn’t been spotted. Unfortunately for Persephone, the effort was entirely futile, and before she could even take another drag there was the distinct sound of somebody hauling themselves up the drainpipe.
Cory stood before her, breezy, easy, not having broken a sweat.
Persephone could only assume that she had somehow climbed her way up here. The ex-gymnast had certainly earned a name for herself and clearly she hadn’t lost it. Jesus, this girl was strong.
“Oh hey?” Persephone said incredulously. She brought the dying joint to her lips for a final, long inhale before tossing it aside (carefully) into an ash tray.
“What… What are you doing here? How??”
She was feeling surprisingly calm. After all that had happened recently, a fellow high school alumnus scaling the side of your building for a friendly chat didn’t seem all that extraordinary. It wasn't hard to check her mild outrage by burying it beneath a thick layer of confusion.
Still… what the hell was she doing here?
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