Bambi's Taking Her First Steps

Summer 2021, Week 5

Sunday morning

Briar Park, The Heights

Storyteller឵

Some people might treat a training session like a workout session, especially one that's geared towards making yourself better at your craft. Those people might even show up in something akin to workout gear. Paige is not those people. Y'all, she's wearing converse, ripped up skinny jeans, a studded belt, some sort of band t-shirt, and a hoodie. In July. Teenagers. You can't see me, but I'm shaking my head.  

Paige Nelson

She showed up 15 minutes late with bedhead and a little bit of sleepiness on her face. Music was blaring out of her headphones as if it was the only thing keeping her functioning. She went and collapsed dramatically at the same table as yesterday with a muffled, "I. Don't. Do. Mornings." coming from her smushed face.  

Greg

Greg had already been waiting, for 30 minutes since he's an adult and showed up 15 minutes early. A cup of coffee and a newspaper in his hands. Cliché, yes. Also good cover for anyone with questions. No one ever looked at a dude reading a newspaper. Especially not when he was as massive as Greg. "I can see that." He said as he finished off his coffee. Looking her over, he shook his head. Kids these days. Standing up from the bench, he stretched and slapped his legs. "All right. Let's go."  

Paige Nelson

With her face still smushed, she muffled out a response. "Why moving? Table good. Moving bad. Need pillow. So. Early."  

Storyteller

Greg took Paige a bit further into the park. Past the normies and their families if they dared risk it this close to the Wards and towards the edge of the park most people avoided. There, around another table, sat a group of two. The first was a man, long legs noticeable even though he was sitting down. He wore faded jeans and a t-shirt that looked wrinkled to all hell. His posture was uncomfortable, almost like his body was revolting over the idea of being this much of a mess right now. He would have been pretty damn hot had the dark circles under his eyes and stubble shouted that life, and maybe a freight train, had run him over recently.   The other was a girl, maybe a bit older than Paige, with highlighted hair barely peaking out of her hoodie. Her frame was small, and the way her hands were tucked into her jacket it seemed like she should have been shy. Instead she was the one looking at Paige with unrestrained curiosity.  

Greg

"Little one, meet my friends. This here is Rachel--"  

Rachel

Giving a wave of her tucked in hand "Nice to finally meet you. I've heard a lot."  

Greg

"And Jeremiah."  

Jeremiah

Raising his hand--since Greg had given him a very stern talk of playing nice--the man went back to looking out over the field of normals.  

Greg

"They're both like us, but not." Waving his hand for her to take a seat by Rachel, as the girl patted the bench, he went on. "First thing you need to know, Paige, none of us are the same. That's the whole deal. But between these two, I have a feeling your powers are similar enough that we can get started."  

Rachel

Jumping in, "I can read thoughts. It's a pain in the ass sometimes, you wouldn't believe the sick stuff people think. But don't worry, I'm not reading yours. I won't unless you let me. Jeremiah has an ability that might be close to the shield thing you do. That's how Greg described it."  

Paige Nelson

"Well hot damn, Auntie Greg, you've been talkin about lil ole me??" she said with a ridiculously fake southern accent. Turning back to the two of them. "So you're fr-" she stopped herself and gave a side glance to Greg as she sat down, hoping he didn't notice the slip up. 'Why do I care what the fuck he thinks? Ugh.' "You can do special shit too, huh? Well aren't we just a Brady Bunch of strange. If you really think you wanna see inside the mind of a twisted teenager, you go right on ahead lady." She locked onto Jeremiah and his silence. "What's your deal?"  

Jeremiah

Glancing over, the man's tired eyes didn't seem to have a fuck to give to the newcomer, nor were they hostile. "I fly and manipulate gravity." He said matter-of-factly, before returning his gaze back to the park.  

Rachel

As soon as she had gotten permission, Rachel dove in. Immediately she felt the pressure that was familiar to her. The pressure of another mind that didn't want to be intruded in on. What seemed like hours of watching memories was in fact a few seconds, and when she was done she rubbed her temple and spoke softly. "She's like me. A Pather. But not a telepath. She's...special, unique." Rachel's words, unlike Paige's, were honest and heartfelt. A freak, huh?

[Pather, x1 Normal, -3EP (22/25)]

 

Paige Nelson

Feeling the presence of the other woman, but not knowing what the hell it meant, she jumped up from the table, scrambling backwards. Or she would have if her legs had cooperated. What actually happened was she stood up and tried to hop up and backwards over the bench, but didn't quite make it, and just tumbled backwards in a splay of legs and arms and dirt flying everywhere. Eventually she was able to scramble to her feet and start dusting herself off. "What the fuck was that???"  

Rachel

Tempering her words having seen the inside of the girl's mind, but not too much to seem like she was--as the girl would say--pussy footing around, Rachel said, "That was me. The fact you felt me tells me that you're a Pather. Like me."  

Greg

Grunting, he nodded. "Means your powers come from your mind." He said, tapping his head.  

Rachel

"A little more than that. Our powers come from our mental abilities. Where Greg's, for example, come from his body. Jeremiah's come from his...I guess you'd say self? Anyways, you felt me because any Pather, even if they can't read minds, can feel another Pather when they're in their heads."  

Paige Nelson

"Well thanks for that fun lesson, Mr. and Mrs. Miyagi, but could we maybe not have it be an alien probe next time? K thanks." She walked back over to the table but stood next to it this time, crossing her arms over her stomach and hugging herself. This gesture showed the girl's anxiety at having to have these sorts of revelations. 'Great, I'm a mental case.' "Fine, so, could you like... read what I can do when you scanned my head? Wait, did you read all of my thoughts??"  

Rachel

“Even for someone like me, to read all your thoughts would have taken quiet a while. I limited my…let’s call it a peak, to only your powers. Your visual and sensational memories about them and a tiny bit about how they felt. My only goal was to see how they worked.” The girl rubbed the back of her neck and frowned slightly. “I don’t like going deeper than that. I’d have to carry all those thoughts and that’s not exactly my cup of tea. As for the probe, remember the feeling. If you feel it again, it means someone is trying to get in your head. Either surface level like me or deeper. Okay?”  

Greg

“So what’s the verdict, Rachel?”  

Rachel

“It’s a psychic shield. Condensed mental energy that formulated into reality. Sort of like telekinetics but not the same. Like…hmm”  

Jeremiah

The man who had been silent spoke up. “It’s like if you took the force telekinetics use to move things, times it by a thousand, but limit it to making a wall. Had a friend who could do it. It’s sort of a borderline power between the Pathers and Manipulators. Read up on it to help the kid.”  

Paige Nelson

The girl just gave a single nod of the head to Rachel's question. It's not a feeling she'd soon forget, that was for damn sure. Invasive bitches.   "Yeah I kinda figured out the shield bullshit. I had a pole fly at my fucking face and I stopped it. That was fun. But like... what about the other one...?" 'Or am I actually going crazy?' She left that bit unsaid, just in case she needed to fake ignorance...  

Greg

"Figured it out, huh?" Standing up, the big man smirked and walked towards Paige. "Toss one up for me then, little one. Show me what you got and lets see how strong it is." The other two, interested by this turn to Paige and seem to give their own version of support for the action.  

Rachel

"No one is around, so you're all good."  

Paige Nelson

She didn't move other than a quick shake of her head. "No. I'll do your little dog and pony show in a minute, but answer my question first." She emphasized each word of her next sentence. "What about the other one? Did you see that I can do anything else other than the shield? Cause if you didn't, then I'm losing my fucking mind."  

Rachel

Biting her lower lip, the girl thought for a moment. "Theres...something. I can't exactly tell what it is because I haven't ever come across it. But it's not mind reading, not like mine. But you can talk to people. People who...who aren't here. It's hard for me to understand, but I've seen it. I just can't put my finger on what exactly it is."  

Paige Nelson

The girl scoffed and rolled her eyes. "People who aren't here. Good one. You mean dead people. I talk to DEAD people. Like two of the college kids that died in the St. Maria bullshit. They looked just like you and me. Except I saw them after. they. fucking. died. They told me to get away from the school and then they ran off. I saw them on the news the next morning. Explain that one. Explain what the fuck I'm supposed to do with that."  

Rachel

“I…Well, I can’t? I don’t think anyone pretends to know how everything works. I definitely don’t. But…” Biting her lower lip for a moment, Rachel goes into her thoughts.   “It sounds like consciousness conversation. That’s what I’m hoping to get to, an ability to talk to someone’s inner self. I guess it’s like that but they’re…yanno, dead?” Waving her hands she adds. “I mean to say you can control it. Recognize it. Use it. Every ability we have can be used.”  

Paige Nelson

"Use it, she fuckin says. Sure, I'll just pull a Demi Moore and conjure up my very own Patrick Swayze to grope up on me while we make some fucking clay art bullshit. How the hell is this supposed to help anyone. I never had a chance in hell at being normal. Fucking figures. Fine. Whatever. Here, have your fucking shield."   Some people may have their abilities damped by certain emotions, but anger was like this girl's jet fuel. She put her hand out, palm up. She'd only meant to throw up a small dome like she had before, but she'd thrown so much of her anger and anxiety into it that the shield wrapped around her entire self. It was like a giant test tube had dropped on top of her. Not only that, but it was visible to everyone around her. It would look like they were seeing her through a clear shower liner.

[Pather, x1 Normal, -3 EP, 12/15 EP]

  The shock flashed over her face and the shield faltered for a second, but she tried to focus harder. This was supposed to be a test and for once she cared if she failed. She needed to be good at fucking something for once. Even if she'd never admit it out loud, she realized she gave a shit what these people thought.  

Greg

“Well…I’ll be damned.” The big man stood from his seat on the bench and walked around Paige. Even to his untrained eye, he could see the barrier was stronger than he expected. But better to confirm. Giving it a flick, it was like hitting a wall with his fingernail. “Huh. Keep it up, little one.” He said as he pulled his arm back and let loose a good punch at the barrier, not even cracking it. He hadn’t used any of his strength, he didn’t want to test it so far yet. Nevertheless, he was impressed. And his face showed it.  

Rachel

“It’s hard to sense her behind there. I wonder if that’s a side effect since it’s a mental shield.” The young woman said as she stood up with Greg and examined the barrier, hers being done with the mind rather than her hands.  

Jeremiah

Even the stoic man stuck in his head turned to look at Paige and her barrier. He didn’t say anything, but the slight widening of his eyes said enough.  

Greg

“Being normal…” He said as he hit the barrier with his fist like a knock. “Is overrated, Little One. Being able to protect yourself and live your life, that’s priceless. You were never going to be normal. Not with your mouth.” He cracked a rare grin. “But now, we can make sure you can live your life freely. Now, we can make sure no one mutters under their breath at you.”  

Paige Nelson

This was new, the sensations of them pushing on her shields. She could feel it, truly feel it like it was... a part of her. Fuuuuuuuck. Was it supposed to feel this way? Who the fuck knows... but it did. And now she knew what to expect. She knew somehow, instinctually, that she could anticipate those sensations and make those areas harder, tougher to penetrate. She knew she'd get there if she worked at it. And she knew that she didn't know anywhere near enough. "Man, you and Daddy Bolt really know how to make a girl feel leered at. Watching my mouth, huh Auntie Greg?" She smirked at him from under the shield. "I have to go back to school now, don't I? Not real school, but special freak school. I gotta learn how to get better at all this. You should know I was a C student at best. I think they only passed me so they wouldn't have to deal with my punk ass. But... you'll teach me and... you'll protect me? Help me protect myself? Don't fuck with me dude. No one's ever really... promised that before. I need you to mean it, Auntie Greg."  

Greg

"Teach you, of course. Protect you--" His voice trailed off as he tried to figure out the best way to put it when Rachel jumped in.  

Rachel

"We will teach you to protect yourself. I know that's not what you want to hear, but you need to hear it. The last person in line that keeps you safe is yourself, and that's also the only person you can 100% know about how far they're willing to go to keep you safe. Your training, your focus, your want to make your safety an absolute certainty. You control all that."   Her kind eyes went a tad hard as she said this, but soften on her next line. "But Greg...he's the only person at 99% for me. The only one who found me after--after everything. And he'd die for me. I know that even without reading his mind. And he'd die for you."  

Greg

"Until my last breath, little one. I'll keep you safe. And in the meantime, I'll make sure you learn from all of us how best to keep yourself safe. And more than survive, we're going to teach you to thrive."  

Paige Nelson

As she dropped her shield, she mocked him in the most obnoxious valley girl voice she could muster while flipping her hair around with her hands. "Oh my god! We're thirty, flirty, and thriving just like Jennifer Garner!" Returning back to her usual snark, she continued. "I'm gonna need you to not be so cliche around me, Auntie Greg. You make it too easy. But alright. Fine. Let's do this shit. What's first?"  

Greg

Grinning widely, not exactly the most beautiful sight in the world, Greg said with maybe a bit too much happiness in his voice for the words he said. "First, we head to the pit. And we teach you how to use those powers of yours to defend ya self."  

Rachel

"Don't you think we should go over how her powers work and what--"  

Greg

"That's all important. But this is what we did for you and it teaches faster. How your gifts work, when to use them, what we face out here. It's much quicker to learn in a good ole fashion pit."  

Rachel

"All work and no plays makes for a dull girl, Boss. How about this. What if I show her around first, and then you can toss her into the pit? How does that sound, Paige?"  

Paige Nelson

A spark of anxiety went through the girl at the mention of this "pit", but she wasn't about to let on to anyone else. So what does she do? Amp up the sass, of course. "Why is Auntie Greg getting a hard on for the pit? Y'all aren't gonna do anything inappropriate to me are you? Should I have kept that rape whistle they passed out to all the girls at school at the height of Me Too? Help! I'm about to be Lovely Bones'd over here!"  

Greg

A disgusted look on his face, Greg snorts. "You're not my type, Princess."  

Rachel

"She's my t--"  

Jeremiah

"The pit is a fight club we run so some street kids can make some extra money and learn how things work. It's also where we--" He waves his hands to point at Rachel and Greg "--practice using our powers. Powers emerge reactively for most of us, and we find fighting is the best way to replicate that emergence. Exhaustion, fear, pain, it activates whatever these things are we have."  

Greg

"It'a teach her how to defend herself too if she gets into a scrap. But Rachel is right likely. Take a look around at what we got first, meet some folks and learn the spot, then we start training. Fair?"  

Abbey Thomas (Nimue)

"Mmmhmm. That's why you hang out with Daddy Booooolt." She said quietly in a silly singsong voice. "I see you over there, boo. I'mma ship you with some hot chick one day. And you..." She motions over at Jeremiah. "You're just a grumpy mess. But yeah alright, let's look at this 'pit' that you're all excited about."  

Greg

"Enough outta ya, let's get going. The days young and we got things to do. Jeremiah, you staying for a bit?" Greg asks the sullen man who frowned deeper at Paige's comment. Didn't think that was possible if I'm honest.  

Jeremiah

"For a bit, yeah. Things to do."  

Rachel

Giving Jeremiah a half hug, Rachel told him she was here if he needed her, getting a short nod, before she went over and joined Greg and the new girl. Walking up alongside Paige, she says, "So I guess I'll show you our little spot first. Make sure you know where to go if one of us isn't around and you need something. Plus it'll be good for the peeps to know your face, you know?"  

Paige Nelson

"Sure, lezzz go. Show me the ways of the Jedi, Lez-be Wan Kenobi." I'm gonna sound so lame... but if I'm gonna be around for a while... damn it. "Bullshit aside though, dude, you, uh, you alright over there? You seem kinda down and shit instead of just being a depresso espresso."  

Storyteller

All three stand up from the bench, Jeremiah shaking his head at Paige’s comment, and Rachel trying not to laugh at the Daddy Bolt comment. All three still feel a strange sort of sadness at his mention. Their lost comrade. But it was time for the group to get to work, not allow themselves to wallow in sadness. It was time for an adventure.