Pixie and Topaz (backdated to Feb 12)

[x-welshpixie.livejournal.com]

Bells chimed behind them as the girls entered the coffee shop. Normally Pixie wasn't big into coffee, but this place had some really tasty and creative drinks on the menu that rotated regularly. "Puddifoot's Pumpkin Tea Latte, that sounds good," she said as she glanced at the chalkboard specials. The shop had a nice ambience too. Not too bright, with comfortable chairs and couches, shelves of books and board games to borrow.

Topaz had been surprised, to say the least, when the older girl had invited her to get coffee. Then again, it wasn't really Pixie's fault she was unaware of Topaz's limited conversation skills. She'd find out soon enough though.

"Oh that sounds delicious." She'd ignore the Harry Potter reference. It was too easy. "Or maybe the white chocolate latte..." She didn't usually like coffee, but Frank was starting to rub off on her.

"Mmmm, yeah," Pixie agreed. "I had that once with the bitter orange syrup and it was delicious." They shuffled up to the front counter, Pixie changing her mind 3 times in 2 minutes before going with her original order. She then stood at the end of the counter to wait for her order, but the server waved at her to find a seat, so she flopped into an armchair while pulling off her modified-for-wings woolen coat.

With their orders placed, Topaz sat down in the chair beside Pixie's, unease settling in already. Well that was fast. Okay, breathe. "So how's being able to use magic been treating you?" She finally asked. She knew Pixie hadn't been practicing for long. It was an okay question, right?

Pixie saw the younger girl's pained expression and gave her a small smile. "It's sort of like going to live with a foreign relative who's forcing you to speak only the correct language and follow all the customs. But... you get to live in a posh house with amazing old history." She paused when their drinks were brought, then resumed when they were alone again. "I just hope it gets easier. How about you, did you grow up around magic?"

Sounds like being adopted. But Topaz didn't get to comment -- and she wasn't really sure she would have anyways -- before their drinks were delivered. "It will. Everything's hard at first when it turns your life upside down." She took a sip of her drink, trying to figure out the best way to answer Pixie's question. "Mostly. I was eight when I started studying." Truth, without having to go into too much detail.

Pixie stirred her tea latte, folding in the spices that were sprinkled on top. "Studying, always more studying. I guess that's one thing that remains the same for now." She didn't really have a choice about it, but it was pretty interesting - and she had a newfound appreciation with those with talent in magics. "I'm way better at flying. It feels so natural and freeing to fly. Is that what magic is like for you?"

"Not...really. Not for me, at least." She looked down at her drink, turning the words around in her head and trying to figure out how to best explain it. "For me it's like...I draw energy from emotions, I can feel the energy running through me, and I feel the emotions too. And it kinda...it weighs on me. Like. I have this power. I could do anything with it." It was something she'd always been acutely aware of, but even more so since everything with the Destines and Amanda had started teaching her. "And havin' the emotions there too just screws with my head. But I'm pretty sure that's specific to me."

Pixie nodded and sipped her drink. Could do anything with that power... It reminded her of how she had felt when she was !Evil Pixie, in Belasco's realm. Having a beverage sure was handy during long silences or awkward moments like this. "Sooo... what other classes are you taking?"

Topaz didn't say anything as Pixie turned everything around. She could sense the unease - to put it lightly - running through the young woman's mind, and nobody liked to be disturbed during that. "Me? Oh...usual high school stuff. English, sociology, pre-calc - which wasn't very smart of me." She wasn't bad at maths, but it was very wearing considering how tired she was ninety percent of the time, between her other classes, magic lessons, and psi lessons. "What about you? I mean," backtrack, backtrack, "I know you're a graduate, but any...university or anything?"

"I don't know about university. I'm not really sure what I what to do. I'm just working and, now this. I guess I'm more a creature of habit than I thought. It's comfortable to be back at the school, even if my studies are different. It's like an old friend. And school is... good for getting ideas, talking to similar-minded people." She felt like she really needed to talk to someone other than Amanda about magic, in order to be reassured about the new path her life was taking. Even she felt some trepidation about it, too. She briefly wondered what her emotions seemed like to the empath - maybe a butterfly that was changing direction from moment to moment. No, that's your scatterbrain, Pixie. "What about you, any plans for continuing your studies after you graduate?"

The empath was actually actively trying not to follow Pixie's emotions - it would've been rude - but she couldn't keep from picking up a few. "Well finding actual magic users in a university is probably a bit difficult, so probably best you stick around Xavier's for that." Her tone was dry. Billy would have probably been better for the whole new life path thing - Topaz had come into magic at such a young age, it hadn't really phased her. But she was still available for any questions Pixie had. And she'd answer the best she could. At Pixie's last question she blinked, startled. "Oh. Uh. I dunno. My mum..." Her expression softened just slightly as she looked down at her coffee, "my mum was talkin' about it, once, I get good marks and all, but...haven't really thought about it.”

“That’s good - getting good marks. Before I came to Xavier’s, I spent so much time worrying about friends, boys, fitting in and being well-liked that my studies kind of suffered. The teachers here didn’t let me get away with as much. It will be tough to find a place that matches Xavier’s,” Pixie agreed, not minding how matter-of-fact the other girl was. “So… you have this power. It’s tied to your mutation, right? So even if it hurts… it weighs on you… does it still feel like a part of you? Or does it ever seem like it has a mind of its own?” She hoped that wasn’t too personal.

"I didn't really have much else to do at home." Topaz shrugged. "Studying was sort of a pass time."

It wasn't personal, but it was actually making Topaz think. "More like...it has a mind of its own. Like, my power comes from emotions. Usually it's my own, but I can also take other people's emotions." Something she'd actively avoided doing since June, but that was another story entirely. "So the other emotions are there...and I know they're not my own. I can feel them fighting against me." She pressed her lips thin. "If I take on too much, I get overwhelmed.”

“Mine feels like it has a mind of its own, too,” Pixie said, nodding slowly. “I don’t know what it will be like going forward. I’m glad to have you and Billy in class with me. You both seem strong."

"You just have to learn to be stronger than it," Topaz said, taking a sip of her drink. "Even if it does have a mind of its own, in the end, you're still the one in control. Right?"

"Yeah, so far," Pixie replied with a quick grin. "I can't do anything as powerful as you or Billy can. My magic is small and it seems like it wants to grow. But I feel like it can't actually do anything unless I let it. It behaves like a separate entity sometimes, but I remind myself that it's part of me."

"It's a lot of power, even if it's small." That was something that had been drilled into her head from the moment she'd begun studying. "Like Amanda's always sayin', we reshape reality. Even the smallest bit can be a disaster if you can't control it, you know?"

"Yeah. I mean, who else can reshape reality? Maybe physicists who make new forms of matter or something by slamming particles into each other. But still, lots of energy required." Pixie took a sip of her tea latte. "Magic may be hard but I'm really glad I didn't have to get good marks in physics."

"Yeah, minimum physics knowledge required for bein' a witch's apprentice." Topaz actually smiled at that. "Think we might actually have it easier than that."

Pixie's straw drew up air with a loud gurgle and she sat down her cup. "Hmmm... I wonder..." She pictured the cup getting heavier and fuller again. If she could just reshape the volume a little bit... "Drats. Nevermind."

"Probably for the best," Topaz pointed out, raising an eyebrow a bit as she looked around. "Last thing we need is somethin' goin' horribly wrong here."

"I was pretty sure it wouldn't work without the right spell words," Pixie replied in her light, airy voice. "Should we head back to campus?"

She finished off the rest of her drink, giving the older girl a smile. "Sounds good to me."

As the girls stood up to leave, Pixie touched Topaz lightly on the shoulder. "Hey, thanks for coming and chatting with me."

"Hmm?" Topaz looked back, smiling. "Yeah, no problem. Any time you have questions feel free to ask. Magic types gotta stick together right?"

"Yeah, that we do," Pixie agreed wholeheartedly.

Comments

[xp_daytripper]

Aw, Amanda's all warm and fuzzy now. Yay for apprentice bonding!