She Was Good

Participants:

jonathan_icon.gif poppy_icon.gif squeaks_icon.gif

Featuring:

celeste_icon.gif

Scene Title She Was Good
Synopsis Two survivors of recent tragedy come together and encounter a shock.
Date March 15, 2019

Jackson Heights


The cracked, ruined rubble that was the apartment building that has worked its way into his dreams sits in front of Jonathan. Walking from work he hadn't realized he was here until his feet landed on the street and he noticed the debris in front of him. Nightmares had plagued him, guilt though there wasn't much for him to do. The blonde young woman's face, the open shock she wore that something like this could happen to her.

Marigold was doomed before he had even set foot inside the flames so selflessly. A lone, mangy tabby cat prowls out from the entrance giving the bespectacled man a yellowed eyed look and curious meow: are you going to feed me? Do you know where my owner is? The meow seems to convey, nerves get the better of the feline though and it sprints away around the corner and down the side alley.

There is a shaky breath that leaves him, as Jonathan’s nerves about undo him. It wasn’t just her that plagued his dreams, though now she starred in them. Standing there all bloodied, accusing him of not being fast enough, while small bodies burn on the ground around her. The bodies of his students who perished in the Midtown bombing.

Never in his life had Jonathan tried something like that. He was the type to find help. Real help. Yet that day, he jumped into the fire without.

Looking down at the trio of daisies he found on his way there. They were a pretty white with yellow centers. Too early for the season, so they seemed as pitiful as he felt. Still he moves to set them on the porch, the pitiful feline getting only the meerest glance. His best suit had been destroyed in the fire and his jacket gone; so he was currently forces to wear a nice pair of slacks, a simple deep blue polo, and a black leather jacket.

Stepping back, Jonathan doesn’t bow his head in prayer, he had long lost faith in higher beings. Instead, he thinks back on that day and offers a soft, “I’m sorry,” to a life ended too soon.

It was the wrong bus stop again.

At least that’s what Squeaks is telling herself as she wanders along the not-too-familiar road toward the burned out apartment building. It’s easy enough to do, so it’s easy enough to think. Even though she’s partly curious about the ruins.

And hoping just a little bit she might see Aunt Eve floating around.

It’s the last place she saw the seer, so it makes perfect sense in her mind to look where the fire had been. Squeaks steps carefully near the charred timbers and debris. Besides, it’s safer here than it is outside the fence. Since she isn’t looking for anything in particular, only the someone that probably isn’t anywhere close by, she only realizes someone else is around when she hears Jonathan talk. It draws her attention to where he stands, but she only watches him silently.

His sorry isn't answered by Marigold's ghost or the fallen students but there is a rustling in the side alley where Squeaks has escaped with Silas draws both of the people's attention. The shuffling of shoes echoes out from the place and soon a figure comes running out of the alleyway. Her face is familiar to both people standing in front of the building. Platinum blonde hair close cropped and dressed in a myriad of colors of a skirt and long sleeved loose shirt. Her knee high boots today are deep green. Poppy looks worried as she searches the street before spotting Squeaks and Jonathan and running over. "Have you seen a wo- wait," Stopping as she realizes who they are and her eyes widen a fraction.

"You're from that night…" Her long limbs seem to tense and she looks nervous for a moment. A sound above the three has Poppy's eyes flicking upwards and then widening into saucers. "Celeste no!!!"

Standing there on the roof with head bowed and face covered by mid length brown hair that's wet and stringy in its appearance is a woman.

Her clothes are dark in shade and those shoes are a dirty pair of blue Converse. She seems to be trembling as her hand raises slowly to her face to cup it, a silent sob moves through her. It's clear this isn't for show, she doesn't stop to respond to Poppy she doesn't even look at her. Instead Celeste takes a breath and she shivers as she steps out into open air to fall to the ground below.

The sight of Poppy gets a blink from Jonathan. She wasn’t someone he had thought he’d be seeing again. “You…” he starts in wonder, only to have his attention immediately turned upwards.

Eyes widen behind black framed glasses at the sight of a woman on the roof. It doesn’t take much of a genius to know what she might be up too. “Oh no…” he utters softly when it becomes obvious and she steps off. Was it something about this place!?! Even though Jonathan is in shock at the sight, a part of him is moving forward out of pure instinct. That need to protect. Unlike her, Jonathan wouldn’t be killed by such a fall or by being under her when she drops.

Arms go up to try and grab her as she falls and pull her in, while letting his whole body go limp and soften the fall. Neither of them were going to enjoy this, but… that wasn’t going to stop Jonathan. In the end, it would hurt her more than him, even when his head smacks against the ground, rattling him a little; but she’d hopefully live.

Poppy’s appearance has Squeaks shrinking backward, maybe considering backtracking and running home instead of investigating further. She even manages to slink a few steps away before the voices beckon she turn and listen. Her feet shuffle with indecision while she watches Jonathan and Poppy, wondering if she should approach or continue with the idea of leaving.

The cry and both grown-ups looking up prompts her to look too. The girl’s eyes go from squinty in trying to figure out what’s happening to wide with realization. Her face turns away, eyes squeezed shut in bracing for the sickening thud she’s anticipating to come. It doesn’t, she didn’t see Jonathan moving in to catch Celeste, and she cautiously side-eyes in that direction to find out what happened.

Celeste's eyes are closed as she descends.

Completely at peace with the fate she's chosen for herself.

As her body collides with Jonathan at the same time that Poppy gives a new shriek to the air like an offering, the pair hit the pavement with an audible smack. Jonathan's glasses bounce down the street landing at Squeak's feet.

There's a cry from Celeste as she lands and she immediately goes to clutch at her wrist which has a been bent at an awkward angle, clearly winded she lies there on top of the older man as Poppy rushes over with tears falling from her face, "What the fuck are you doing Cel?!" A loud fizzle fills the air as sparks leap off of the dark haired woman's body in all directions crawling over Jonathan but ineffective, she gasps as she hyperventilates and that's when Jonathan and Squeaks see her face clearly.

It's like staring at a ghost. It's Marigold.

A woman who looks exactly like her, the difference being that Marigold's hair was dyed a blonde to match her best friend while Celeste's is a natural brown. Dark eyes that have haunted his nightmares lock with Jonathan's eyes as the woman tries to scramble back but she cries out again giving off more sparks and clutching at her side.

There is a moment when Jonathan is dazed, breath knocked out of him… but all in all he is uninjured, unlike the woman he caught. Once he can think clearly, arms loosen and fall to the side, allowing her to get away.. When she moves, his head comes up off the ground. However, without his glasses he’s pretty blind; so eyes narrow to near slits, in an attempt to see who this crazy—

Jonathan’s voice catches mid gasp as realization kicks in. Though the last time, she was bloody and limp in his arms. In fact, the shock is enough to leave him speechless and starting… even as the sparks crawl over his skin, feeling more like he’s being tickled then anything else.

“How— ?” Jonathan starts and then stops… No, it couldn’t be her. Twin maybe?

What was apparent, while Jon was uninjured she was not. The cry of pain has him moving to sit up and steady her. “You’re hurt.” Captain Obvious over here. “I have my car, we should get you to the hospital.” A sensible choice to a moment of crisis..

The rattly-clack sound of glasses on the pavement draws Squeaks’ attention down for the smallest of seconds. She stoops to scoop up the glasses and straightens in time to see Jonathan and the lady who decided to walk off the roof. Celeste — or Marigold’s doppelganger — isn’t someone she recognizes. She never saw Jonathan come out of the building, or the body he’d been carrying.

But there’s still apprehension in the girl’s approach. Suspicious eyeballing at both women, Poppy for all of her shrieking and yelling and Celeste for falling off the roof on purpose, keeps her from getting too much closer than arm’s reach. The glasses are held out to Jonathan, hopefully they’re not too smudgy or scratched.

"My Goddess!" Poppy is on her knees with tears trailing down her deep caramel cheeks, she doesn't reach out a hand and she's weary of the sparks holding a hand out to Squeaks in an effort to keep her from getting too close not that the teen is moving that much closer to begin with. "It's not safe. She sparks.. Celeste please listen to him." To which the dark haired woman writhing in pain who looks like a wounded animal scrambles back away from the three all along white dazzling sparks lift and pop around her. "S-Stay away!" Celeste says and she slowly gets to her feet with a wince.

Her face is identical it's uncanny for Jonathan, "You know me?" Celeste's dark eyes track to the older man. Lips tighten in a line and she stands taller, firmer. "You knew her?" The young woman's shoulders shake, she clearly isn't stable. Someone whose willing to just jump off the roof…

"Cel listen to me, you're not well. You've been through a lot. Let us get you to Elmhurst-"

"You only care because I look like her!"
Celeste's roar of rage shocks Poppy into silence raising a hand to her mouth, Celeste's eyes widen as well as she fizzles and crackles with energy. She's never done that. Maybe she's not lying though.

"You knew her?" The electrokinetic speaks over her friend, Marigold's friend.

Jonathan is staring at Celeste when Squeaks movement pulls his attention. She isn’t much more than a blur, but he can make out what she is holding out. The glasses are retrieved with a quiet thank you, making sure not to touch the girl.

The roar of the woman’s voice make Jonathan grimace and duck away a little. His glasses are shoved on and he looks up at the woman again. His eyes widen again. He hadn’t been seeing things. “You…” He sounds uncertain of what he is seeing. “Was…” his voice catches as guilt starts to wash over him. “Was she your twin sister?”

She had to be… He doesn’t move to stand like she does, Jonathan stays kneeling on the ground where they feel. His gaze falls away from them all, unable to face her and that question. “I-I-I tried to help her,” Jonathan says quietly, fingers flexing without thought, remembering how he held onto Marigold. “Someone had hurt her. She…” Taking a shaky breath, he swallows back the guilt. “I… couldn’t save her,” he whispers the words like he was the reason she was dead and not the man that had shot her.

Freed of the glasses, Squeaks is only too eager to skitter away. The yelling and obvious rage only spurs her on faster, and once she’s retreated to the far corner of the house she turns around again. One hand drifts to her pocket, fingers inch-worming between the fabric to curl around the cellphone that’s tucked inside.

“I could call,” the teen offers, but not very loudly. “I could call for the…” Her mind races, trying to decide who would be the best person or which is the best place to call. Maybe the Benchmark? But if Celeste also needs to see a doctor then an ambulance would be better first, maybe. “I could call anyone. Whoever you think is best”

"No." Celeste says and she begins to back away shaking her head and holding back tears from the pain in bed wrist. No Benchmarks, no… shaking her head again Celeste looks more firmly at Jonathan. "Thank you, for trying. My sister…" Celeste stops and looks down. Her sister. "Have to find them." The jumbled train of thought of the brunette makes Poppy's eyebrows show up. "Hey Cel-" The woman with a ghost's face just ignores Poppy for the moment. That is familiar to Poppy, flashes of their childhood in her mind.

The brown haired woman dashed off, sparks bouncing off of her in every which direction. She needs to be alone or at least that's what Poppy thinks. She'll find her.

"She… is sensitive. Always has been. Marigold's death.." Poppy nervously bites her lips and curls her fist in on itself. "You're lucky you're not able to get hurt." The blonde remembers Jonathan at the fire, even Squeaks. "You tried to help too?" Dark eyes study the young teen.

Wait!” Jonathan lunges to try to stop her, but fingers just manage to miss snagging the retreating woman’s hand as she flees. He stares after here, that hand hanging out there for a long moment before it drops to the ground to help him get to his feet. “Find who?” He asks no one, but it is a question easily tossed aside. It wasn’t any of his business.

“Twin?” Is what Jonathan really asks Poppy, finally turning his attention to her. “Is she going to be a danger?” Did he need to inform the MPs is what he is asking her. He has a Safe Zone to protect after all… which was his job.

“But,” Squeaks starts to call after Celeste. It's not very forceful though, and maybe a little bit quieter than her original offers to call anyone. Her eyes follow the woman running away, unsure of what to think about that strangeness, or what to do. Probably she should tell one of the agents what happened.

The teenager’s attention fixes on Poppy and Jonathan once Celeste is fully gone. Instead of answering the question directed at herself, she asks, “Who's she looking for?”

Celeste doesn't look back as tears fall freely down her cheeks, there's guilt on her face but she hears what they say. She's not ready, never been ready. Maybe if…

The dark haired woman sparkling disappears around the corner her steps echoing off the street as she makes her way. Poppy frowns and looks down to the ground before nodding at Jonathan's question. "Celeste was born twelve minutes before Marigold, they were close at first.. all three of us were." Bitterness mixed with regret tinges in her voice.

I, I can't lie

I'm scared to open my eyes

'Cause what if I find nothing at all?

What is the point of my lips

=If they don't make noise? Oh

Shaking her head again, "No no, she's not going to hurt someone." Poppy quickly speaks not wanting to get anymore people involved than they already are. "I'm keeping an eye on her." Her voice shakes and a hand goes to hold her arm effectively wrapping her long arm around herself. "We just wanted to party that night…" trailing off Poppy closes her eyes and tears sprinkle to the cracked ground below her.

As to who Celeste is looking for? Poppy looks up and even she has anger in her eyes, Celeste wasn't her enemy. Lewis was. " …the people who believe in those sort of actions." Murdering of the SLC-Expressives… "We're supposed to be Safe now." Her tone pleading, confused. Why was this happening?

What is the point of doing nothing at all?

Watching it fall

Ever since that night Poppy hasn't felt safe at all.

The flicker burning

You know the time's running, running out

Only I see all the diamonds, diamonds

Breaking down

I won't stay quiet, I won't stay quiet


A Few Days Later…


The roar of the crowd is deafening as the latest match just beginning, in the ring of the Crucible as people rush to place last minute bets the Master of Ceremony clears his throat, "Welcome! For our first fight we have a seasoned professional versus a rookie! On our left we have the terrible, the venomous… Briar!!"

'Cause staying silent's the same as dying

I won't stay quiet, the flicker's burning now

The crowd screams in delight as a handsome man of average height and dirty blonde hair strides forward his mouth hanging open in a deranged smile, his saliva hitting the ground causing sizzling and smoke to rise up. A crowd favorite.

"Anddddd to my right, a wee thing, mousey but she seems to have a fierce heart. Give a warm welcome to…. Mari!!!!!" The crowd isn't as enthusiastic as it was for Briar's welcome but as Celeste lifts her head there is a buzz at the quite plain looking woman's appearance. Her recently broken wrist was wrapped in a slint, hanging on her left and while the fear remains in her eyes she shakily nods her head.

This is not a, this is not a

Swan, swan song

This is not a, this is not a

Swan, swan song

Celeste had heard rumors about this place, about a healer. What better place to try to prepare herself, throwing herself right to the wolves. The pair of fighters slowly begin to rise into the air as the gravity manipulator lowers the field in the ring to a feverish cheering now below them. Briar blows a kissy face towards the dark haired woman who flinches but tightens her free fist.

A bell rings, "FIGHT!"

Briar charges forward flying towards the young woman whose eyes widen in shock at how fast it was all going, the man's saliva flying wildly in the wind generated by his flight.

We just gotta, we just gotta hold on tonight

This is not a, this is not a

Swan, swan song

She thinks of her twin, of Marigold. Her face, all she was supposed to be doing still. All the lives she would have changed just with that smile. Celeste's eyes narrow as she too allows herself to be carried forward and as she does so, bright white crackling sparks spread from her shoulder to her palm.

Swan dive


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