xp_logs | Medusa and Amanda: Checking in

Amanda comes across Medusa using a rather unusual skill in her attempt to check on Angelo.

Medusa had a look of intense concentration on her face as she extended a strand of hair to fit into the lock of the door in front of her, a second strand quickly following as both worked to swiftly move the pins into place while applying pressure to the plug. When she had called Crystal, her sister had expressed concern for Angelo and explained what had occurred on the journal system. While Medusa wasn't usually prone to sticking her nose into other people's business, her sister had request that she check on Angelo and Medusa had eventually obliged. The young man had locked his door, obviously trying to isolate himself. Lucky for Medusa, locks were merely an inconvenience.

There was a clatter of boots on the wooden floor as Amanda came briskly around the corner, hands full of files, her PDA balanced on top. She stopped dead at the sight of Medusa kneeling in front of the very door she'd been intending to knock on. For a start, Medusa wasn't really the sort to kneel on the floor generally. But most of all, she didn't seem to be the sort to know anything about lockpicking, which was the only reason she'd have her hair stuck in the keyhole. Approaching a bit more slowly, she said, with a raised eyebrow: "Afternoon, Medusa."

Medusa retracted her hair, hiding a flash of guilt as the click of the door unlocking was clearly audible. "And a good afternoon to you as well Amanda. I would generally make some attempt to cover up my actions, but as I have gotten little sleep over the past week, I will bypass the excuses. Crystal was worried about Angelo and requested that I check on him, but he refused to answer the door when I knocked."

A flash of worry that was almost pain crossed Amanda's face. "Yeah, he's... not doing so well with people right now," she replied softly. "That post of Jennie's... I know she didn't mean anything bad by it, but he's taking it pretty hard. Won't even talk to me, tho' I can generally get in without the B&E." She tilted her head a little curiously at the Attilani royal. "Sorry if this seems a bit rude, but where'd you learn to pick locks?"

"He is taking it harder than he should, but given the circumstances, that is not all too surprising," Medusa said as her hair resumed it's normal pattern. "As for the lock picking, I acquired it as a parlor trick of sorts," Medusa said with a shrug. She wasn't ashamed of the skill (though maybe a bit at it's current application), but it wasn't something she generally advertised either - her parents would be appalled if they knew. "I was very bored during my early adolescence and was friends with a variety of people with too much time and money on their hands. We tended to find ways to entertain ourselves." She glanced at the now unlocked door. "Some of the skills I picked up are more useful than others."

"Sounds a bit like how I first learned to drive, if you count going forwards very fast as driving. Of course, you probably didn't have quite so much underage drinking and hotwiring going on." Amanda gave the other girl a wry grin, but it slipped as she looked at the door again. "That's Ange for you, tho'. He always takes things hard. He tries so hard to be someone... different to who he was, and it means when he gets angry, he blames himself. I've been trying to talk him 'round, but like I said... he's taking it hard." And it was breaking her heart all over again, seeing him like this. She hoped they'd get back to New York soon, where the X geezer could help.

Medusa decided it would be smart not to comment on the underage drinking and hotwiring comment - she'd never done the later, but there had been an incident with a yacht she'd rather not think about again. Her hair wasn't just handy for unlocking doors. "I am not sure why he is taking the comments of a high school senior to heart. He has plenty of other people with more experience telling him that they understand his reaction."

"It's... complicated. Which Ange - and me - tend to do a bit. We've spent so long trying to prove we're better than what first impressions might lead people to believe, that what other people think gets to be more important than it should be." Amanda shrugged. "Or at least, that's what I think it is - he's not talking, so I don't have a hell of a lot more to go on past what I know of him. He's angry, mostly. Angry at the bastards who did this, angry at Jennie for being thoughtless and seeming to tell him to just get the fuck over it already, angry at himself for losing his temper at a silly high school girl in public... And there's not a hell of a lot he can do personally to fix things, so he's frustrated too." She gave Medusa a crooked smile. "Like I said, it's complicated. Mainly 'cause we make it that way. We hold ourselves to a high bloody standard. Too high, sometimes."

"That is quite a bit of anger to be feeling and internalizing. He should realize what a gift it is that he can talk about his problems. Not all are so lucky." Medusa returned Amanda's smile with a slight one of her own. "And believe me, I know what is is like to hold oneself to a high standard."

At that, Amanda gave a wry chuckle. "Yeah, you would and all, wouldn't you?" She shifted the files in her arms, and titled her head towards the door. "So, did you want to go and talk to him still? I'll go disappear for a bit. Got plenty to keep me busy, after all."

"Perhaps I should allow you to check on him. He and I do not share the same close friendship that you two do," Medusa said with a nod to the blonde. "I was just hoping to let Crystal know that he is alright. She often feels a great deal of concern for people and has not had the best experience with being reassured since her arrival at the school."

There was perhaps the slightest hint of a blush as Amanda nodded. "Crystal's a good sort that way," she said. "And she has a lot to worry about sometimes, living at the school. Tell her... tell he's doing as well as can be expected?" It wasn't exactly a lie, but it also wouldn't add to the younger Lady Amaquelin's worries.

Medusa nodded, understanding the careful phrasing the other girl was using. "Let him know I stopped by?" She didn't make the offer of being around if he needed to talk - he had plenty of people doing that for him and they were honestly better suited to it.

Amanda smiled, the expression lifting the weariness in her face for a moment. "I will. Ta, Medusa. He'll appreciate the thought."