Participants:
| Scene Title | Grounded but not Punished |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Being confined to a room always sucks, but it's somewhat better when you get to have visitors. |
| Date | January 16, 2011 |
Bannerman's Castle, Shirley's room
It's seven in the morning, and Shirley is sleeping, only her head sticks out of the blankets. Most of her clothes are neatly folded up on a chair next to her bed. She's been assigned a room far away from any and all technology. Especially the energy generators and other vital equipment. The sun shining through her window frame is not sufficient in waking her up. As such, she is currently still asleep.
It's been a while since Ygraine was routinely getting up quite so early as she has today… but as the first hints of dawn lit up the horizon beyond the Hudson River, she was swinging her powerful, mile-eating motorcycle into hiding in the woods nearby, before setting off to hook up with the pickets on watch around Pollepel Island.
Now, relieved of the weight of her latest set of deliveries, she's picking her way quietly along the corridor towards Shirley's room… hoping that she's got the right door as she slips up to it, and delivers a gentle rat-a-tat to the wood.
That gentle rat-a-tat is just enough to wake Shirley up. She's not the deepest of sleepers. She slips out of bed, and goes to the door in her underwear, opening it very slightly to take a peek to see who's on the other side. "Hey Ygraine.." She says with that 'I clearly just woke up' tone of voice.
"I wondered if you'd care for some breakfast", the Briton murmurs, offering the younger girl a slightly nervous smile. "Combination treat… and apology for uprooting you. But I can let you just get back to sleep, if you want."
"No, it's okay.." Shirley responds with a slight smile, opening the door without revealing too much of herself to the outside world. "Come on in. I could use a bite to eat, really." Assuming Ygraine enters, the teen closes the door up again and starts to get dressed. Now that she's awake, she might as well do that, no?
Perching on the end of the bed, Ygraine busies herself laying out the breakfast options for Shirley, trying to give the girl as much privacy as she can manage while staying in the same room. A steaming bowl of porridge - fresh milk for making it having just been carried in by the courier - an apple, a banana, a carton of orange juice, and a couple of pieces of toast.
"I had no idea what you might want, so…. I hope that there's at least something here you like."
After having finished getting dressed, Shirley looks over the breakfast options. "Thanks, Ygraine." She says as she sits down on her bed and picks up the apple, "Do you have a knife..?" She asks, looking at it before going for the the carton of orange juice and opening it up, starting to drink straight from the carton for lack of knife.
Delving into a pocket, Ygraine produces a little bundle of cutlery - wrapped up in a paper napkin. "There you go. Anything you don't want, I'll happily dispose of. I've been on the road since well before dawn. But if you want the lot, eat up - I can just grab a bite to eat a little later."
Shirley takes the cutterly, and starts to skin the apple before cutting it to pieces. "You can have the porridge." She offers as she starts to put the pieces of apple in her mouth, chewing softly before swallowing and clearing her mouth. "I'll take the toast." And with that, she starts to bite down on the first piece of toast.
Flashing a grin, Ygraine nods, reaching for the bowl. "If I bring you breakfast again, I'll remember to avoid the porridge. How… how are you settling in? Have people been good to you?"
"I… don't know, really. I've only really slept since I arrived here… and the trip was crazy." Shirley says after clearing her mouth again, "Did you hear? Suddenly loads of birds started to attack the two boats we were on… this one guy, don't know his name, looked like he was pretty hurt, too." She sighs and takes another bite out of her toast.
Ygraine looks surprised, then shakes her head. "I was told that 'weird stuff' was happening, but… birds? That's…." She frowns pensively. "Hrmmm. Worrying, to say the least. What did the hurt guy look like? Sorry. Are you all right?"
"Can't recall, didn't look at him a lot." Shirley admits, noting the frown but not mentioning it or asking upon it. "I'm fine… I was inside a cabin of sorts, and the birds couldn't really get to me… except for that one that broke through the glass, but it didn't live long."
A startled look, Ygraine pausing with the spoon part-way to her lips. "Broke through the…? Good Heavens. I… didn't live long? Were people… fighting them off, then?"
"It killed itself… I think." Shirley responds softly, "They eventually went away when this guy arrived, he's been on the news, Sylar." She both emphasizes and whispers that name, "Though they seem to have called him Gabriel, I wonder if that's his real name…"
This time, Ygraine lowers her spoon to the bowl. "Sylar?!?" She swallows. "You're sure? It really…? Christ. What the…?" Closing her eyes, she forces a laugh - though it sounds distinctly nervous. "I… wow. You've had… quite the, ummm, quite the introduction. I'm sorry your first night was so… so weird."
"Well, if it wasn't Sylar… it was his twin or doppelganger." Shirley responds, shrugging it off a little. "It's hard to forget that face… they've shown it on the television an awful lot over the past few years…" She smiles again, "Don't be… you didn't know, right? I mean… I'm sure you didn't plan on this, right?"
Ygraine hastily shakes her head. "Fu- err, heck no. Definitely not. I hoped we could get you here so that you would be safe", she says, expression matching her tone in guilty apology. "I had no idea things would be so… screwy. Or scary. I… I knew there were some people around here whom I didn't exactly trust implicitly, but… that's to be expected when you're sheltering frightened people, isn't it? There'll be some who respond… well, and some who don't. But… Sylar? And a… a bird attack? I am so sorry."
"I'm safe now… though, aren't I?" Shirley asks, her eyes almost begging for confirmation. "And it's okay, really… you can't know everything, right?" She takes another bite out of her toast, glancing back down. "I … just, wonder how I'm supposed to fill the day… Brian tells me I can't leave my room… and I can hardly play video games like I used to when bored…"
Ygraine offers a rueful little laugh. "I fear that we need to get you trained to control things, before we can let you loose near technology. But we should be able to set things up so that you have a clear route to the woods, at least, so that you can at least get a breath of fresh air and stretch your legs. And… it's not much, but there are some lessons here - I give some myself. And I teach martial arts and self defence, if you're at all interested. I've got a couple of other pupils here…. But it's not much fun, I know. I can try to bring you some books, if you want. Or maybe some art supplies, if you're inclined that way at all…?"
"Books and art I can do… I love to draw, really… Daddy says I'm good at it.." As she says that last part, she starts to look down. "Of course… what daddy thinks doesn't matter a lot anymore… does it?" She sighs and glances to the window, "Some martial arts training would be good too… I mean, I know the basics of self defense, but… that's about it, really."
"It might do", Ygraine says gently, venturing a smile. "We… we can't let him find out where you are, for the safety of everyone else as well as you. But… I a believer in redemption. From all that you've said, your father's not… instinctively malevolent. He feels he's been wronged, and is focusing his anger to hide from the loss he feels. It gives him something he can use to replace your mother. That makes him wrong… but not inherently evil. And I hope that it'll be possible for him to change…."
Ducking her head, she chuckles self-consciously and shrugs. "I'm sorry. You don't need a near-stranger wittering on about the failings of your father. Just… remember that it's not wrong to love him, even if you can't see him, all right? But I can certainly see what I can do to teach you a bit more about defending yourself. Make it harder for anyone to hurt you."
Shirley just nods silently at the first part, taking a few more bites out of her toast, finishing the first piece. "Yeah… that would be nice." She says softly, pulling her legs up to the bed and hugging them. "And I'd appreciate some books and art supplies to fill my time… it'd give me something to do, at least…"
"I'll run some up whenever I'm next here. There are some things here already, but… mostly related to stuff for the Lighthouse - so that the people in its care don't wind up simply missing out on education", Ygraine says apologetically. "I provided a couple of simple laptops as well… but I'm afraid it'll be a while before we can let you at those."
"But" - she offers a smile - "I do have hopes that… self-discipline, and a routine of training, and learning about how to feel what your body is doing, rather than thinking about it… that all that might help with your ability. I can't promise it will, but while studying my own, and practicing it, and trying to figure out more about it, I used a lot of the techniques from physical training. So I hope that coaching you in a martial art will have knock-on benefits…"
Shirley nods again, smiling faintly as she hears that hope. "Let's hope so.." She agrees, opening up the banana and taking a quick bite. After clearing her mouth again, she continues, "Brian said I was going to be part of the Lighthouse." She says, "And I guess neglecting my education would be a bad idea, yeah… don't want to end up a moron…"
Ygraine laughs softly, allowing herself another spoonful of porridge before replying. "There's another girl here, of about your age - Koshka. She's one of my pupils for the martial arts. She's… she doesn't know anyone here either, really. And she's also… estranged from her father. And learning about her ability."
A rueful shrug, and Ygraine offers an apologetic smile. "You might hate each other, of course, or find that you have nothing else in common at all. But if you see her, you can commiserate with her about the weird company you're keeping now, and about the crazy wall-crawling Brit who took you up walls in the Ruins. And… while I'm happy to take orders from you for a few things, if you and Koshka - and anyone else you can get to support you - can agree on things you'd jointly like, it'll make it easier for me to bring stuff up here."
Shirley nods slightly, "Brian told me there were other minors here." She agrees, looking out of the window. "I guess I could try to see if I can get along with her…. any friends are better than none, right?" She takes another bite out of the banana. "And I suppose you have a point there… though really, the things I'd like most are the things I'm just going to break down anyway…"
Wincing, Ygraine finishes her present mouthful before nodding and sighing. "I know. And I'm sorry about that. Truly I am. You… you say you draw, though? I'm no artist, really, but… I had a fair bit of training in it. If you wanted, I could try offering some tuition in that as well, when I'm here. I'm usually not, but when I'm around I try to be useful. And even if I don't have much in the way of artistic inspiration, I have had a fair amount of coaching in what I ought to be doing technically."
"Yeah, I draw." Shirley nods. "And that'd be nice I guess… I mean, I should start looking into alternate options for my future just in case we can't get me to work together with technology again…" She smiles weakly, "Let's hope it doesn't come to that, though."
"I doubt it will", Ygraine says warmly. "I don't think that I've yet met anyone who couldn't learn to alter what they did with their ability, and get conscious control of it. It's possible that you're stuck like this - but I'd be astonished if that were the case. And… the fact that you didn't have control when it first appeared? That's entirely normal. Most people seem to trigger their… talents rather uncontrollably, when they first manifest. There's nothing wrong or abnormal in not having control, the day after it first appeared."
"Fortunately… I think that this might be one of the best places to test just what it is that you do, and to figure out ways to help you practice altering it. Because this is so isolated, I brought up a load of crank-powered tech - like the torch I had in the elevator, remember? And that seems to resist you a lot better than purely electronic gear. So… I'm thinking that it might be possible to get a good idea of range, intensity, and so on - without constantly breaking things. But… that's another thing you'll need help with, I admit. But if we can lend you a few devices for the purpose, then… someone like Koshka could help to figure things out, for example. You don't need me or Brian to test the range at which you affect things, and see if you can alter it. Though I admit that people might appreciate it if someone like Brian were around to confirm measurements and so on - finding out what your maximum range is could get you a lot more freedom around here."
"I guess…" Shirley mumbles, glancing back to the food. "I think I've had enough to eat for now.." She says softly. "And finding out my range and stuff sounds like a good idea…. maybe learn how to control this shit too…"
"Start with simple stuff - like finding what your range is, and seeing if anything affects it. You being asleep or awake, tired or angry or laughing or…." Ygraine shrugs gently. "If you wanted, I could see if there's anyone else awake around here, whom I could introduce you to? Or would you rather go back to bed and wait for it to get a bit warmer?"
"I guess…" Shirley responds to the comments about range, and what affects it. "And well… meeting someone else would be good, seeing as I know pretty much nobody around here." She gets up, "Go ahead and look for someone… I'll be here when you get back." Not that she's allowed to leave her room anyway. "Thanks for helping me out so much, Ygraine…"
Leaning forward, Ygraine accompanies a warm smile with a quick shoulder-squeeze. "It's quite all right. It's why I'm here, quite literally. I could be safer and certainly far less cold at home… but I'm here to help. So… anyway." Self-consciously, she clears her throat, then gathers up the remnants of breakfast and heads to the door. "I'll see if I can find anyone."
A few minutes later, two sets of footsteps might be heard returning along the corridor, to this - till now - empty end of the accommodation in the Castle. Then there's another polite, firm knock on the door, and a familiar voice quietly calls, "It's me again."
Shirley hops up from her bed at the knock, and opens up the door. When the other teen is noticed, Shirley extends her hand. "Hey, I'm Shirley…" She introduces herself a little shyly. "I arrived yesterday evening…" The door is opened further, "Come on in, you two…"
Not exactly the most encouraging of responses. "This is Koshka", Ygraine says to Shirley, with a somewhat apologetic smile, before looking back to the blonde. "Shirley will be staying here for some time. And… because of the effects of her ability that I mentioned, she's got… limited freedom to move around at the moment. I wondered if you might be willing to help her out - and help us out…"
"Hey Koshka." Shirley says, getting a little nervous again… she moves over to her bed and sits down, "I hear you can manipulate dust, Koshka?" She asks softly, "How useful is that?" She tries to make conversation… any kind of conversation, just to break that awkward silence feeling she gets from Koshka…
With a small nod, Koshka looks to Shirley again. Yeah, she can help out. Somehow. A small shrug and almost-grin is offered to the other girl, friendly, if shy and unsure in its own way. "It's useful enough. Still learning to control it, though. Kind've… like just chaotic when I do things right now."
"It's something I'd like to be able to help more with, but…." Ygraine shrugs, an apologetic look this time directed to Koshka. "I can't spend much time here, unfortunately. However… I was thinking that if you were willing, Koshka, you could help us to test Shirley's ability. We know that electronics rapidly break when they're near her… but my crank-powered tech survives a bit better. I was thinking that, if you wanted the commission and wanted to help Shirley learn about her ability, you could help to test range, speed of effect, and so on. Just try not to let anything break permanently, please, so I don't have to fetch replacements!"
"My… 'ability'.. kind of sucks." Shirley responds with a shrug of her own. "Kind… well, kind of wish I didn't have one, really." The older of the two teens sighs to herself. "But I suppose whining about it ain't gonna help a damn. So let's just… just try to see how much of this we can salvage."
Another shrug is offered in response to Shirley's ability assessment. Likely Koshka herself had felt the same way a time or three regarding her own special talent. With a nod, however, the younger teen looks up at Ygraine. "What kinds of things do you have in mind for testing? Some of your flashlights or.. What about wind up toys? Those're just bands and gears. Probably easier to fix."
"Mmmm. We can test both - see if there's an impact on how rapidly they wear down. If having electric components has an impact. I suspect it does… but it'd be good to know for sure", Ygraine muses. "But the wind-up toys are a good idea. I should be able to fix up several of those quite easily, and equip you with them. But… range. Whether it's a sphere. Whether it's the same distance from every part of Shirley. How rapidly things break down…."
A slight shrug, and Ygraine props herself against the wall. "From there, you could, if you were willing, just have some things around while, say, you're sat down drawing, Shirley. And we can see if your range varies with mood, time of day, how awake you are, and so on. It's not something I'm suggesting you spend days on without break - but after the initial tests to try to figure out what 'safe distance' is, then keeping testing things over time would make sense, along with trying some active things as we see if we can provoke a change, or if you can consciously affect it at all…."
"But as for use…" The Briton shakes her head, smiling. "Especially with the news we got from Brian…. Heh. That's a point - Shirley, whenever you're next back in the city, avoid Midtown. Like the plague. There are apparently drones - "hunter robots", Brian called them - pursuing Evolved in there. Which I would suggest is an indication that we might very well be extremely glad to have someone around who can break down complex technology…."
Shirley listens to Koshka's and Ygraine's suggestions, occasionally to show that she's listening and in agreement. And then the Briton beings the hunterbots up again. "But I don't want to be a weapon…" The girl complains, "I just want to live a normal life. Go to school, get average grades, go to college, get a degree, and get an office job…"
Koshka seems keen on the idea of destroying something that could be potentially dangerous. Robots hunting down Evolved? Not good. The complaint from Shirley gets a narrow-eyed look, and the younger teenager might just've stepped up onto a soapbox. "No one's saying you're a weapon," she points out tersely. "But if you're able to keep people like us safe by destroying something evil, you should. Not just whine and hide your head in the sand."
Pulling her hands from their respective pockets, Koshka folds her arms across her chest. "If it were me, or people who couldn't help themselves, I'd use whatever tricks I could to stop the injustice. Even my ability." Truth be told, she has used her ability for her own benifits, unafraid of holding back when the time calls for it. "School and normalcy are conditions reliant on how society functions. We can't have either if there's things out there hunting us or trying to control us."
Ygraine lifts an eyebrow at the exchange, then quietly speaks up. "There's a difference between being a weapon - something people use to do harm and to wreak destruction as they choose - and having something that yourself can choose to use to protect people, Shirley. If we can work to control your ability, and teach you how to handle it as you choose… then it opens up whole fields of opportunity that could let you make a real difference to a great many lives…."
Pushing off the wall and stepping to the door, she shakes her head. "It's not 'normal', and I'm sorry for that. But 'normal' has gone. It went before ever your ability manifested. You were born with the Complex in place, like a great many other people. But… anyone with your shade of hair never really wanted to just blend in, I'd bet. This doesn't have to define you - but it's a tool. An opportunity. Something that gives you another way in which you can choose to stand out, once you learn how to use it."
Venturing a smile, the older woman raises a hand to the two girls. "I'd best go and check in with a few people. But I think you two will be all right without someone watching over you. You've both given me reasons to be impressed with you. Just give each other a chance, all right?" A wave, then she slips out.
The comment about her hair strikes through. "Point." Shirley says to that, before looking back to Koshka as Ygraine leaves. "So… do you have any hobbies, Koshka?" She asks with a smile. "I mean, you have to do something besides manipulating dust… right?"
After watching Ygraine leave, Koshka looks back to Shirley. She replies with a shrug, and to step toward the door until her back rests against the doorframe. "I help out here, doing odd jobs and whatever." Yesterday, that job was peeling potatoes and disposing of inedible rock-cookies. "Plus there's sorta school and other things."
"School, oh right. I should look into school…" Shirley responds as she lays down on her bed. "So, what kind of school does… the Lighthouse wasn't it…? Well, what does it offer?" She is looking at Koshka, even if she's horizontal. "But I suppose that I can't join any classes until I figure out how to keep my ability in check…"
"It's like homeschool," Koshka says. Her hands fall back into her pockets, head tilting back to also rest on the doorframe. "That's all Abby's said, probably could ask her more about it. Plus Brian said something about helping with the younger kids." There's a tone left lingering, one that implies when you're allowed. She doesn't know what all Shirley is allowed and not, besides being confined to the room.
"Ah, okay." Not familiar with homeschool, beyond what she's heard, Shirley neglects to go into further questioning about about that part. "Who's Abby?" Is the followup question, "And well… ugh, helping kids…" She sighs, "I have enough to deal with that I don't want to waste time on some stupid kids. I'm not a kid anymore, by the way. So don't call me one…" She definitely still behaves like one.
"Hey, shut up about the kids," Koshka snaps rather than answer questions about who people are. "You want to be part of this community you're gonna have to help out. And that means helping out with the little kids, too." She may not have been around the rest of the Lighthouse kids herself for a full week yet, but the drive to stick up for them is still fairly intense. "If you're here and part of Lighthouse, then they're your family and you shouldn't be calling anyone stupid."
"So, I should put my priorities in helping little kids instead of not breaking down shit whenever I get near?" Shirley asks, "Whatever…" At the comment about the other kids being her family, Shirley sighs deeply. "Fine. I'll try to be nice to them… but I'm only here because I don't have anywhere better to go…" How much she wished she could explain the situation with her father… but Brian made her promise not to, and she is well aware she shouldn't be breaking that promise.
"Yeah, whatever." Koshka rolls her eyes. "Everyone else here manages to help out and still find time for their own things. You're not a special case any more than anyone else. And you'd better be nice to them." There's an unspoken promise of bad things to come if she hears of the kids being harassed by the older teen. "You're not the only one here with no where else to go. All the rest of the kids are orphans." She neglects to include herself in that, while her own father is alive he'd abandoned her just before New Year's.
Shirley is technically not an orphan either. "Well, for one… I'm being told I can't leave my room. Hard to help out when I'm practically imprisoned, no?" She asks, no… it's more like a bite. "But sure, I'll peel some potatoes if people bring me some. Or stuff like that… it's not like I've got anything better to do anyway, no?" She sighs a little… "But okay. I will be nice to them. As long as they're nice to me."
Koshka's head begins shaking as soon as the contradictions come. "You can't control your ability," she states flatly. "Whatever you're told about staying here is for your safety and everyone else's. Think beyond yourself for a minute. What happens if you wreck all the tech we have here? Suddenly we're at more risk because we have to have more fires going and anything else. And there's no 'as long as' with the kids. Just be nice to them without attaching strings."
"Still doesn't change the fact I am not allowed to leave my room." Shirley responds, "I understand why I'm not allowed to, but that doesn't change that if I want to help, it'll have to be something I can do in this room." She's very clear about that point, but then the next thing comes up, "So, wait. I have to be unconditionally nice to the kids, and they can be as nasty to me as they like? That's not fair."
"Oh, I bet there's lots that can be found for you to do in your room," Koshka's quick to point out. "So stop with the whole crying game of whatever you can't do. No one's said anything about you having to leave to work." Bringing up the kids again once more has the younger teen rolling her eyes. "Yeah, because little kids are so nasty and out to get you. Right, whatever. They have the same rules, and if they break them, be nice but tell an adult." It is fair, the older kids are expected to set an example.
Shirley turns around in her bed, looking away from Koshka. "Two days ago, just two days ago, my life was normal." She complains. "I was going to be a great software engineer. It's the only thing I'm really good at. It's what I lived for. Now I can't even come close to a computer without destroying it. How would you feel if your so called 'ability' ruined all the hopes you had for your own future?"
Having that card played on her strikes a deeper nerve with Koshka. Her jaw tightens and lips press together as she seeks to keep temper in check. How would she feel? Good question, and one she's taken long strides to never answer. Not likely to venture there this time, either. "Get over yourself," the younger teen states with a measure of exasperation. "You're not the only one who's had bad things happen to them. And no, it's not fair that things changed. Lots of things aren't fair. Move on! Start by trying to figure out how to control your power."
"I don't have a single clue where to start learning to control my ability." Shirley responds, but it's the only point of Koshka's she's responding to. And in fact, Shirley seems at the edge of emotional breakdown… if not there already. "If I know how to do that, I would've been in control already, wouldn't I?" She cries out, "I want to be able to control this. I just haven't got the foggiest how!"
It's funny, in a dark humor sort of way, but Koshka doesn't so much as crack a grin. "D'uh," she responds in all seriousness. "That's why you figure it out. You find it, try different things." Who knew she'd have to spell out what she meant? "No one can just open a book and tell you how to do it, all we can do is help by taking time from our own priorities."
Shirley just sighs. "I don't even know where to start trying…" She says after a few moments of silence, which allow her to calm down a little. "If you have any suggestions, I'd be glad to hear them…" She turns back to look at Koshka. "Did you know you were Evolved before you manifested..? Because I didn't…"
"I'm not registered," Koshka states. It's a fact she's proud of, and one she'll fight anyone over. More literally than figuratively. "So, no. I didn't know and it changed my world to." But do you see her crying over it? "Just… hell, I don't know. My power's done with thought so try that. Think about not destroying things."
"Well, okay. So we've got at least one thing in common…" Shirley responds, "Besides that we're Evolved teenagers, that is…" And at that suggestion, Shirley starts to concentrate on not destroying things… "Well… I tried… no clue whether it worked though… and we don't have any of the things to test it in my room right now…"
A delicate knock is applied to the door, and then as if the person outside is hesitating there is a pause before two more light knocks sound out. Another beat, before a voice announces the presence of the visitor. "Hi, Shirley? I brought you something." From the sounds of it, another female, teenage voice.
Oh, right. Things for testing would be good. "I'll see if I can find Ygraine and—" And whatever the rest Koshka had been about to say is cut off. Blue eyes cut to the door, then back to Shirley, brows raising. It's not her room, she isn't going to answer the door. The younger girl does, though, move aside to let the door be opened.
"Come on in, the door's not locked." Shirley responds to the new arrival, her eyes staying fixed on Koshka's former position to see what the new girl is like. "What did you bring…?" The elder of the two teens already in the room asks. "And… what's your name… if you've got any?" She smiles weakly, halfway sitting up to at least not look like a total sloth.
As the door opens, the smell of freshly baked apple pie wafts like a wave into Shirley's room. "Hi." Juniper pipes again, keeping up a polite and warm smile as she makes her entrance. Glancing over to Koshka, her brows jump up a bit at the other girls prescence. "Oh! Hi, Koshka. I didn't know you were up here." Looking back to Juniper, she takes a step forward her hands remaining behind her back. "I'm Juniper." The other red-head Irish girl announces happily. "I heard what happened to you on the boat. I'm.. really sorry. So. I brought you something out of my own private stash. I know it's not much, but you'll appreciate it, if you're here too long."
With that she presents her gift. A full size Milky Way bar, which she places on the edge of Shirley's bed. "Brian also asked me to bring up some stuff.. To like test your range. Of your ability? I left it out in the hall, but we don't have to do that right now."
With a reserved but still friendly grin for Juniper, Koshka shrugs. "Ygraine caught me on my way to breakfast," she says to explain away her presence. She pauses to appreciate the smell of apple pie, then tilts her head to observe the other two girls. She falls quiet, another one of those habits, and remains leaning against a wall.
That gift… is so not what Shirley expected. A quick "Thank you, Junie." Is said in response, "Wait… do you mind me calling you Junie?" She smiles a little nervously as she looks between the two visitors to her room. "Okay, so… Koshka and I were actually planning on experimenting with my ability already… so I suppose that would actually be marvelous."
"Um.. Yeah sure." Juniper gives a light shrug. "A lot of the lighthouse calls me Junie." She smiles brightly as the Milky Way is passed off to Shirley. Glancing over at Koshka, she takes a few steps backward. "They're like old watches. An ipod with a cracked screen. And an old gameboy. So.. I brought a measuring tape? So we can.. like put them on the ground and see one keeps working and measure how far it goes, right?" She asks for confirmation of Koshka.
Turning to look out the doorway and to the things that Juniper brought, Koshka nods. If they're both keen to get started quickly, no sense in putting it off. "Let's start by putting something at the doorway, then maybe work out at… five foot incriments," she suggests. "If we find a spot where Shirley's ability doesn't touch, then we'll go in and find out where it does."
"I'll be here on my bed… good luck with figuring it out!" Shirley responds, "I'd offer help placing things and stuff… but I don't think that would be, well… helpful." She's a lot more upbeat than she was a bit ago… perhaps it's the smell of apple pie. "Perhaps you could ask an adult to come over to verify the results once you've discovered my range?"
"Verify." Juniper giggles quietly to herself. Something about the word amuses her, apparently. Dancing out of the room, she waves a hand over her shoulder for Koshka to follow. Making her way down the hallway she hands a couple of the old analog and digital watches over to the younger teen. "iPod goes last. If it doesn't get broken, I get to keep it." Juniper chirps happily. Handing the gameboy to Koshka as well. Finally she pulls the measuring tape out of the little backpack she brought. "Okay, let's solve a mystery!"