Topaz and Betsy
Sep. 29th, 2018 08:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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xp_logsBetsy arrives at the mansion. Topaz has been roped in to giving the new girl the tour.
Betsy’s new coat itched. Her coat itched and she was tired and she was sitting on her mum’s old suitcase in the front hall of a mansion even bigger than the one she’d grown up in. Still not quite as big as Kinross Castle, but few places were. At least this one was in better repair, she mused, the corners of her mouth quirking up slightly. Good thing too, or half of this hall would be missing a roof. Someone is coming this way, the voice in her head whispered and woke her from her reverie.
Introduce the new person to the mansion, Topaz. You're both British and psis, you'll make her feel more at ease. Topaz wasn't necessarily annoyed at being tagged for helping show the new girl around, but she really needed to talk to someone about that reasoning. She popped out the bud in her ear when she came around the corner, seeing the purple-haired stranger in the entrance hall. "Hey," she said as she approached. "You're Betsy?”
The telepath's expression was more of a smirk than a smile. “Afraid so. I assume you’re the poor sod who’s been tasked with showing me around, then?” Betsy stood up and stretched, legs still aching from the long flight, then offered a hand to shake. “I am not necessarily much of a conversationalist at the best of times, and even less so after an intercontinental flight, so please excuse me for the lack of small talk. Right now I would mostly just want to know where to go for a bite to eat, and then whether there’s anywhere available for me to sleep?” She sighed then looked at the other girl curiously. “So, I assume you’re staff here then? Would it be impolite to ask about superpowers at this point?”
Topaz raised an eyebrow, shaking the girl's hand. She liked her already. "I was appointed for welcome committee today, yeah. Something about needing to get out of the library and be social. I'll try to keep the tour short. We can start with the kitchen." She nodded off in the direction of the kitchen and turned. "And I'm Topaz," she added as an afterthought. I guess you could call me staff in the loosest form of the word. Mostly I run the library and make sure the magic class doesn't blow anything up. As for superpowers, I don't think anyone will mind if you ask. It's kind of why we're all here. I'm an empath. And a telepath, sometimes.”
Betsy picked up her suitcase and turned to follow the other girl. “And you’re British, too, by the sounds of it. I’m guessing that’s what led to your appointment then. I don’t know how much they told you about me, but I’m a telepath as well. Also crazy, although considering that you just brought up magic class I don’t know how much that counts for in this place", she said with a shrug.
"I think British and psi is what sold it. And yeah, crazy is pretty relative in a place where people can turn into animals, see the future, read minds, and come back from the dead with surprising frequency." They passed a hall Topaz had from, and she pointed down it. "That way's the library if you ever need quiet,and a bunch of old classrooms. And yeah, there's a magic class. There's about..." She counted off on her fingers, "six magic users. Don't mention Harry Potter around the head witch. Or do. Her reaction is pretty funny."
“Are any of the students underage, or is it mostly older ones like me?” Betsy asked, taking a note of the hall the other girl pointed to and trying to memorise the path they were taking. “And I may have to try that then. Is she just bitter about the lack of firewhisky and package-delivering owls or is there some deeper secret there?” She paused in contemplation. “Well, I assume there are no package-delivering owls, although if there are shapechangers that may be premature.” Betsy thought she was doing a good job of taking all of this in stride, although that may have partly been due to jetlag. “How does empathy differ from telepathy, by the way? I don’t think I’ve ever met an empath before."
"Oh, no, she hates Harry Potter. Says it gives people the wrong idea about magic." Which was what made needling her about it so much fun. "And no, no package-delivering owls, although I have brigade of animated stuffed toys who run around and do errands for me. Anyways, we've got three kids left in high school, I think? Mostly it's twenties and thirties. A lot of those have been here since they were in high school, though." They entered the kitchen, and Topaz started pointing around. "Pantry over there, good tea for people who appreciate it is above the stove, mugs are over the counter next to the stove. Unless something is specifically marked, you can take pretty much anything from the pantry and fridge. It's more or less a free for all. Empathy is being able to tell what other people feel, rather than reading their minds. You know, like I could tell right now how you feel, if I didn't have manners and good shields. First rule of reading minds and emotions here - don't do it without permission unless it's a serious emergency."
Betsy blinked, not sure if the other girl was joking about the stuffed animals but too afraid to ask. Instead, she reached above the stove and picked a nice looking green tea before turning on the kettle. Then she opened the fridge and started looking for something to eat. “Yes, that was the first thing they taught me on Muir. I suppose I never thought about the difference between feelings and thoughts that much… It makes sense, though. You’re welcome to read me if you want, although I’ll probably just come across as tired at the moment. I’ve had so many people trying to get into my head even before Professor Xavier did it literally that I don’t mind that much anymore.” She pulled out a tupperware with just the word ’soup’ written on it and stuck it in the microwave before turning back to Topaz. "Would you like something to eat or some tea as well?”
"I'm good, ta." Topaz settled on a stool at the kitchen island, watching Betsy. "There's a pretty fine line between telepathy and empathy. Telepaths can get snips of emotions from thoughts sometimes. It's like listening to someone talk out loud - unless they're completely monotone, you're always going to hear something in their voice. But a telepath can't manipulate emotions the way an empath can." She paused, then sighed. "Blimey, listen to me. I'm starting to sound like the professor. There are better people than me to teach you about this."
Betsy nodded, busying herself with the tea while the soup warmed. “That’s why I’m here, really. Apparently the professor would have taught me himself before his stroke but unfortunately that’s not an option anymore, so they sent me here. Not that I think the staff here will be anything but excellent, but I do seem to have chronically bad timing.” Betsy sighed and set her tea down, then turned to fetch her meal. She grabbed the tupperware and let out a yelp, dropping the unexpectedly hot container on floor and spilling it’s contents all over the tiles. There was a flicker of… something on the telepath’s face, before she turned sharply and walked to the tap, running cold water over her reddening hand. “Sorry about that, it was hotter than I was expecting. Shame to waste the soup though, it smells delicious”, she said, then grabbed a roll of paper towel and started cleaning up the mess.
Topaz was momentarily distracted by the flicker, her head tilting at the abrupt changes. She shook it off quickly, saying, "It's all right, not the worst thing to happen in the kitchen. Here." She slid off the stool and knelt to help Betsy with cleaning.
“Thanks,” Betsy smiled wanly and passed Topaz a piece of kitchen towel. She concentrated on dabbing out the last bits of soup soaking into the grout, then stood up. “I think that’s all of it.” For a moment the telepath just closed her eyes and concentrated on her breathing. After a few moments she opened them again and gave Topaz another smile, this one dazzling and completely void of emotion. “I do believe I have lost my appetite though. Would you be a dear and show me to my quarters now, please? Oh, and do you think I could take the tea?"
Topaz met her gaze, none of her curiosity showing in her expression. "Yeah, of course. The suites have kitchens once you have a chance to do some shopping, too. You can hoard whatever you want. Come on, I think I know where there's an empty one.”
Betsy grabbed the mug and her suitcase, and trailed quietly behind Topaz. When they got to the empty suite she bid the other girl goodnight, locked the door behind her, leaned her forehead on the wall, and cried.
Betsy’s new coat itched. Her coat itched and she was tired and she was sitting on her mum’s old suitcase in the front hall of a mansion even bigger than the one she’d grown up in. Still not quite as big as Kinross Castle, but few places were. At least this one was in better repair, she mused, the corners of her mouth quirking up slightly. Good thing too, or half of this hall would be missing a roof. Someone is coming this way, the voice in her head whispered and woke her from her reverie.
Introduce the new person to the mansion, Topaz. You're both British and psis, you'll make her feel more at ease. Topaz wasn't necessarily annoyed at being tagged for helping show the new girl around, but she really needed to talk to someone about that reasoning. She popped out the bud in her ear when she came around the corner, seeing the purple-haired stranger in the entrance hall. "Hey," she said as she approached. "You're Betsy?”
The telepath's expression was more of a smirk than a smile. “Afraid so. I assume you’re the poor sod who’s been tasked with showing me around, then?” Betsy stood up and stretched, legs still aching from the long flight, then offered a hand to shake. “I am not necessarily much of a conversationalist at the best of times, and even less so after an intercontinental flight, so please excuse me for the lack of small talk. Right now I would mostly just want to know where to go for a bite to eat, and then whether there’s anywhere available for me to sleep?” She sighed then looked at the other girl curiously. “So, I assume you’re staff here then? Would it be impolite to ask about superpowers at this point?”
Topaz raised an eyebrow, shaking the girl's hand. She liked her already. "I was appointed for welcome committee today, yeah. Something about needing to get out of the library and be social. I'll try to keep the tour short. We can start with the kitchen." She nodded off in the direction of the kitchen and turned. "And I'm Topaz," she added as an afterthought. I guess you could call me staff in the loosest form of the word. Mostly I run the library and make sure the magic class doesn't blow anything up. As for superpowers, I don't think anyone will mind if you ask. It's kind of why we're all here. I'm an empath. And a telepath, sometimes.”
Betsy picked up her suitcase and turned to follow the other girl. “And you’re British, too, by the sounds of it. I’m guessing that’s what led to your appointment then. I don’t know how much they told you about me, but I’m a telepath as well. Also crazy, although considering that you just brought up magic class I don’t know how much that counts for in this place", she said with a shrug.
"I think British and psi is what sold it. And yeah, crazy is pretty relative in a place where people can turn into animals, see the future, read minds, and come back from the dead with surprising frequency." They passed a hall Topaz had from, and she pointed down it. "That way's the library if you ever need quiet,and a bunch of old classrooms. And yeah, there's a magic class. There's about..." She counted off on her fingers, "six magic users. Don't mention Harry Potter around the head witch. Or do. Her reaction is pretty funny."
“Are any of the students underage, or is it mostly older ones like me?” Betsy asked, taking a note of the hall the other girl pointed to and trying to memorise the path they were taking. “And I may have to try that then. Is she just bitter about the lack of firewhisky and package-delivering owls or is there some deeper secret there?” She paused in contemplation. “Well, I assume there are no package-delivering owls, although if there are shapechangers that may be premature.” Betsy thought she was doing a good job of taking all of this in stride, although that may have partly been due to jetlag. “How does empathy differ from telepathy, by the way? I don’t think I’ve ever met an empath before."
"Oh, no, she hates Harry Potter. Says it gives people the wrong idea about magic." Which was what made needling her about it so much fun. "And no, no package-delivering owls, although I have brigade of animated stuffed toys who run around and do errands for me. Anyways, we've got three kids left in high school, I think? Mostly it's twenties and thirties. A lot of those have been here since they were in high school, though." They entered the kitchen, and Topaz started pointing around. "Pantry over there, good tea for people who appreciate it is above the stove, mugs are over the counter next to the stove. Unless something is specifically marked, you can take pretty much anything from the pantry and fridge. It's more or less a free for all. Empathy is being able to tell what other people feel, rather than reading their minds. You know, like I could tell right now how you feel, if I didn't have manners and good shields. First rule of reading minds and emotions here - don't do it without permission unless it's a serious emergency."
Betsy blinked, not sure if the other girl was joking about the stuffed animals but too afraid to ask. Instead, she reached above the stove and picked a nice looking green tea before turning on the kettle. Then she opened the fridge and started looking for something to eat. “Yes, that was the first thing they taught me on Muir. I suppose I never thought about the difference between feelings and thoughts that much… It makes sense, though. You’re welcome to read me if you want, although I’ll probably just come across as tired at the moment. I’ve had so many people trying to get into my head even before Professor Xavier did it literally that I don’t mind that much anymore.” She pulled out a tupperware with just the word ’soup’ written on it and stuck it in the microwave before turning back to Topaz. "Would you like something to eat or some tea as well?”
"I'm good, ta." Topaz settled on a stool at the kitchen island, watching Betsy. "There's a pretty fine line between telepathy and empathy. Telepaths can get snips of emotions from thoughts sometimes. It's like listening to someone talk out loud - unless they're completely monotone, you're always going to hear something in their voice. But a telepath can't manipulate emotions the way an empath can." She paused, then sighed. "Blimey, listen to me. I'm starting to sound like the professor. There are better people than me to teach you about this."
Betsy nodded, busying herself with the tea while the soup warmed. “That’s why I’m here, really. Apparently the professor would have taught me himself before his stroke but unfortunately that’s not an option anymore, so they sent me here. Not that I think the staff here will be anything but excellent, but I do seem to have chronically bad timing.” Betsy sighed and set her tea down, then turned to fetch her meal. She grabbed the tupperware and let out a yelp, dropping the unexpectedly hot container on floor and spilling it’s contents all over the tiles. There was a flicker of… something on the telepath’s face, before she turned sharply and walked to the tap, running cold water over her reddening hand. “Sorry about that, it was hotter than I was expecting. Shame to waste the soup though, it smells delicious”, she said, then grabbed a roll of paper towel and started cleaning up the mess.
Topaz was momentarily distracted by the flicker, her head tilting at the abrupt changes. She shook it off quickly, saying, "It's all right, not the worst thing to happen in the kitchen. Here." She slid off the stool and knelt to help Betsy with cleaning.
“Thanks,” Betsy smiled wanly and passed Topaz a piece of kitchen towel. She concentrated on dabbing out the last bits of soup soaking into the grout, then stood up. “I think that’s all of it.” For a moment the telepath just closed her eyes and concentrated on her breathing. After a few moments she opened them again and gave Topaz another smile, this one dazzling and completely void of emotion. “I do believe I have lost my appetite though. Would you be a dear and show me to my quarters now, please? Oh, and do you think I could take the tea?"
Topaz met her gaze, none of her curiosity showing in her expression. "Yeah, of course. The suites have kitchens once you have a chance to do some shopping, too. You can hoard whatever you want. Come on, I think I know where there's an empty one.”
Betsy grabbed the mug and her suitcase, and trailed quietly behind Topaz. When they got to the empty suite she bid the other girl goodnight, locked the door behind her, leaned her forehead on the wall, and cried.
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Date: 2018-09-30 05:19 pm (UTC)