xp_logs | Maddie and Topaz (Reply)

Topaz returns to her room to find Maddie already waiting for her. This does not go well.

Topaz wasn't paying much attention as she let herself into the suite. She went to the kitchen first to make herself a cup of tea, going through the practiced motions with ease, prioritizing her homework in her head. English had the most reading, so it would probably be best to get started on that now. And what else did she have? She finished her tea and headed to her room, sipping from the mug...and stopped in the door.

Molly wasn't there. But she wasn't alone in the room.

An intruder had made herself perfectly comfortable on Topaz's bed, settled back against the pillows, engrossed in one of the books she had borrowed from the library. Maddie wasn't particularly interested in the book itself, but it was a way to pass the time while she waited for Topaz to return. She figured her classmate had to return to her room eventually, if not to sleep, then at least to change her socks. And clearly this method had worked, because here was Topaz in the flesh.

"Oh tea, lovely." Maddie tossed the book aside and in a whirlwind burst of energy, she leaped off the bed and swiped the steaming mug from the other girl's hands. Not because she was particularly interested in a cup of tea, but because doing so would keep Topaz unsettled, and that was precisely what Maddie wanted. "Mmmm. How did you know I was just thinking about making myself some?" Her voice was pitched higher than normal, providing the impression that she had something up her sleeve.

"Thank you so much. You're such a dear."

"That's me, always thinkin' of others," Topaz deadpanned in response. She leaned back against the door-frame, seeing as how Maddie had made herself so wonderfully at home. "It's Earl Grey, you probably won't like it much." The redhead wanted something. Probably not something good, if she'd felt the need to break into the room to talk about it. But Topaz was willing to play the game for a little bit.

"So what have you been up to?" Maddie paced slowly in front of the witch, blowing on the mug to cool the hot liquid, eyeing the girl up and down. "Anything... interesting?"

"Well last week I was kidnapped by other-worldly entities. Oh wait, you were there for that." Topaz pretended to think for a moment, still not entirely sure what Maddie was playing at. "Nope, nothing I can think of. Classes, homework, practicing magic. Same old life."

"With Amanda?" Maddie took a small sip of the tea. "Delicious."

"No, on my own. See, I sacrificed a cat the other day and I didn't think she'd approve." And now Topaz was bored with the game. But she knew Maddie enough to know that this would play out on her terms and no one else's. So she bit her tongue.

The redhead arched an eyebrow as she took another sip of tea. "The rules of practicing magic are probably similar to those that govern mutations, I imagine. Don't practice inside the mansion without supervision, and don't use them against another person, students included."

She resumed pacing, ignoring the other girl in the room. "Of course we all break the rules a little bit." Maddie chuckled. "I made Billy's bagel fly last weekend. And I have telepathic conversations. Billy caused potatoes to rain down in his room. Harmless things. No one really cares that much about things like that."

"The problem is when we do something that can affect others deeper than these superficial uses. No?"

"Don't presume you know anything about the rules of magic, Maddie." The humor was gone from Topaz's voice now. "What do you want?" It had been obvious from the start this wasn't meant to be a friendly conversation. And it sounded like they were getting to the point, finally.

"I want to know what you did to Tandy." It was said matter-of-factly with a shrug of noncommittal ennui. "What you've been doing, because I assume this is not the first time."

"Afraid I can't help, don't know what you're talking about." The reply was returned in a similar tone, no trace of a lie anywhere in her words.

Maddie resisted issuing a snort of derision at this statement, but she couldn't hide the smirk that played on her lips while taking another sip. "Now Topaz, with all we've gone through together, why would you lie to me? We both know how this plays out. You swear to me that if I read your mind there would be no trace of any questionable interactions between Tandy and yourself. I tell you I don't have to read your mind, that I already saw it in Tandy's mind. This whole thing will be much easier if you just admit you've been using your powers on Tandy."

She looked at Topaz expectantly. "So...?"

And there was the heart of the matter. "I'm not about to invite you to read my mind, what goes on in my head is none of your business. And if you'd actually read Tandy's mind, you'd know that she asked me, so I'm not doing anything to her, I'm doing it for her. And I don't have to explain myself to you."

"You can argue whatever fucked up logistics you want. Point is, you are using your powers on Tandy in what we both know is an unethical use."

"Did Tandy ask you to say something to me?"

"Why would she?" Maddie sat back down on Topaz's bed, legs crossed, daintily sipping her tea. "You're numbing her. Making sure she doesn't feel any pain."

She held up her hand to stop any forthcoming comments or protests. "Yes yes yes, she asked you to do it. I understand. But it was your duty, no your obligation to refrain from using your powers in such a manner that would negatively impact the well-being of others. And yes, this is negatively impacting her, despite what you may think. She needs this pain. And she needs to work through it, not numb it out. You are drugging her with your powers."

"And I don't see how it's any of your business," Topaz replied calmly. "What Tandy asks me to do and what I do for her is between the two of us."

"One," Maddie held up a finger, "I'm her friend. I genuinely care about her, unlike you obviously. And two, it may not be my business, but it is certainly the business of the Professor, Miss Frost the Younger, Mr. Haller, and Amanda, two of whom, if memory serves correct and I assure you it certainly does, are very concerned with the issue of drug misuse, and what you're doing is less than a short skip away from that."

"But I'm going to give you the opportunity to do the right thing. You will turn yourself in to those I have already listed."

"Oh I will, will I?" A myriad of sarcastic comments ran through Topaz's head, all of which she quashed. "Or what?"

"Or I will," Maddie said quite simply. "Either way they are going to find out. But if you turn yourself in they'll probably go easier on you."

Topaz considered this for a moment - or pretended to, at least. After a moment she stepped forward, taking the tea mug back from Maddie, stepping aside so the door wasn't blocked. "You can go now."

The redhead stood, taking the time to smooth out her shirt and jeans, a wry smile on her lips. She took as much time as possible to approach Topaz, size her up, and laugh in her face.

That laugh stayed with Topaz even as Maddie closed the door to the suite behind her.

It was on.