Betsy and Amanda (backdated to April)
Apr. 5th, 2021 03:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
xp_daytripper posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
xp_logsBetsy drops by after Amanda's magic class to ask some questions about her "other" self. Amanda tries to be honest but doesn't tell her everything.
Amanda was busy wrapping a series of crystals in bubble wrap after her magic class. They'd been working on scrying, to various degrees of success, and they'd been using the stones as focal points. As she wrapped each one, she placed it carefully in the shoebox she kept them in, thinking she really ought to invest in something a bit more sturdy and less tacky for them, when she heard something at the door.
Betsy smiled sheepishly from the threshold, knowing her eavesdropping had been spotted. “I apologise, I saw people leaving and was curious as to what was going on. Classes aren’t as common here as I was expecting.” It may have been a half-truth, but at least it was a harmless one. Considering the group of people present she had a relatively good idea as to which class it had been.
"Magic isn't part of the usual school curriculum, or on the training roster," replied Amanda with a smile and beckoning Betsy in. She couldn't read body language like Doug, but she knew someone who was looking for an excuse to hang around when she saw it - she'd done it often enough herself as a teen. "So I have magic class for those of us who fuck with rational science. It mostly involves making sure they know enough to keep out of trouble. Pretty soon they won't need teaching, tho' they'll probably still get into trouble." This last was said with a wry face.
“Ah yes, I’ve met a couple of them and I’d expect trouble will be gotten into,” Betsy laughed and entered the room. “Not that I know much about magic, mind you, we just seem like the type that trouble seeks out. Besides, generally the mansion seems to have some to offer at any given time.” She eyed Amanda curiously. “You have lived here for quite a while, if I may ask?”
"Since I was fifteen, on and off," Amanda replied. She scrunched up her nose. "Which is more years than I'll admit to. And don't believe any of the stories you hear, except the one about turning one of the teachers into a frog. That did happen, but it was an accident."
“I can’t imagine what it would’ve been like, growing up here. Among people who, while they might not have understood, at least knew what was happening...” Betsy’s smile was wistful. “I realise it could not have been easy here either, but...” She leaned to look out of the large window overlooking the lake. “I was 13 when I manifested, ended up in a hospital talking about hearing voices before going catatonic. Family history of schizophrenia. Telepathy was not anyone’s first guess.”
"They tried, any way - I was the first witch they'd ever had and I was a messed up street brat. First and only expulsion." Amanda shrugged. "But I did have people who did help. And while it might be a bit late, you're in the right place now.”
“I didn’t realise expulsion was a thing that ever happened here. It obviously didn’t take,” Betsy gestured at their surroundings. “How did you come back?” There was no judgement in her tone, just curiosity.
“X-Force.” Amanda’s tone matched Betsy’s - she had long ago accepted what had happened back then, even Manuel. “If it wasn’t for the people who started up X-Force needing someone with connections to the magic community for a job, I’d still be in New Orleans probably. If Xorn had brought me back, that is. Things get a bit complicated when you factor that whole thing in.”
“It’s strange, how things twine together and apart and together again here. More people seem to return than leave at least. And yes, that whole thing definitely seems to complicate things.” The telepath was quiet for a while, still staring at the lawn, before taking a deep breath and turning back to look at Amanda. “Did you know me? The previous me, Betsy 1.0, I mean?"
So now they came to it. "Yeah, I did," Amanda replied. "We met when I started at the school, and later we worked together. How much do you know about her?”
“Nothing. Actually I wasn’t even sure she existed before just now, although I thought it was likely when I heard about the… thing.” Betsy clarified which thing she was referring to by a complicated spiralling gesture. "I mean, I had a codename before I expressed any interest in joining any of the teams. Some of the older inhabitants here seem either strangely hostile or just, well, awkward around me. More so than expected, I mean. Besides, I am a telepath. I know that sometimes people look at me and see someone else.”
Amanda made a wry face. "Yeah, even with the threat of reality unravelling I guess some things slip out regardless. And it's pretty weird, meeting another version of someone you knew pretty well." Putting away the last crystal and closing the box, Amanda gathered her thoughts. "The other you, when I first came here... there was some stuff going on. A sort of possession, I guess?"
“I think it’s just human nature, big things can never stay covered for too long,” Betsy shrugged. “She was older than me, wasn’t she? And hopefully less of a mess?"
"Weeelll, she was older. Less of a mess... that's debatable." Amanda couldn't help a snort. "Betts was a good person to have in your corner, but she had a shit-load of baggage. And a tendency to go into comas."
“Baggage is to be expected, I suppose,” Betsy replied. Then the rest of Amanda’s words registered and her eyes grew wider. “Comas? Was that, uhh, a lifestyle-related thing? With all the punching that seems to happen around here?"
"More a psionic thing. There were a lot of issues with her powers and she'd wind up down in the medlab for a month or two while it got sorted out. But part of that was because she had a tendency to let things fester and not talk about them until her powers fucked up." It was probably a be on the blunt side, but Amanda had an ulterior reason for that - she wanted to make sure this Betsy didn't go down the same path.
Betsy turned back to the window. The irises were really beautiful this year. And the waterlilies on the lake, too. She was totally not just trying to avoid Amanda’s eyes. “Yes, well. Comas have been successfully avoided thus far."
"Touch wood," Amanda replied, knocking on the desk she was sitting on with a chuckle, but the concern was still in her eyes. She just had to hope it had been enough - this Betsy wasn't her Betsy and deserved the chance to live her life without that overshadowing her. "You got any other questions?”
“Oh, many. So, so many. But it’s probably better if I don’t ask them. I have enough baggage as it is.” Betsy turned back towards the witch again and smiled, even if it was a bit strained. "I am glad to know she existed though. It makes a lot of things make more sense. May I treat you to some tea as a thank you?"
"As a fellow Brit, it would be treason if I turned down a cuppa," Amanda replied. "Just let me finish packing up this stuff."
Amanda was busy wrapping a series of crystals in bubble wrap after her magic class. They'd been working on scrying, to various degrees of success, and they'd been using the stones as focal points. As she wrapped each one, she placed it carefully in the shoebox she kept them in, thinking she really ought to invest in something a bit more sturdy and less tacky for them, when she heard something at the door.
Betsy smiled sheepishly from the threshold, knowing her eavesdropping had been spotted. “I apologise, I saw people leaving and was curious as to what was going on. Classes aren’t as common here as I was expecting.” It may have been a half-truth, but at least it was a harmless one. Considering the group of people present she had a relatively good idea as to which class it had been.
"Magic isn't part of the usual school curriculum, or on the training roster," replied Amanda with a smile and beckoning Betsy in. She couldn't read body language like Doug, but she knew someone who was looking for an excuse to hang around when she saw it - she'd done it often enough herself as a teen. "So I have magic class for those of us who fuck with rational science. It mostly involves making sure they know enough to keep out of trouble. Pretty soon they won't need teaching, tho' they'll probably still get into trouble." This last was said with a wry face.
“Ah yes, I’ve met a couple of them and I’d expect trouble will be gotten into,” Betsy laughed and entered the room. “Not that I know much about magic, mind you, we just seem like the type that trouble seeks out. Besides, generally the mansion seems to have some to offer at any given time.” She eyed Amanda curiously. “You have lived here for quite a while, if I may ask?”
"Since I was fifteen, on and off," Amanda replied. She scrunched up her nose. "Which is more years than I'll admit to. And don't believe any of the stories you hear, except the one about turning one of the teachers into a frog. That did happen, but it was an accident."
“I can’t imagine what it would’ve been like, growing up here. Among people who, while they might not have understood, at least knew what was happening...” Betsy’s smile was wistful. “I realise it could not have been easy here either, but...” She leaned to look out of the large window overlooking the lake. “I was 13 when I manifested, ended up in a hospital talking about hearing voices before going catatonic. Family history of schizophrenia. Telepathy was not anyone’s first guess.”
"They tried, any way - I was the first witch they'd ever had and I was a messed up street brat. First and only expulsion." Amanda shrugged. "But I did have people who did help. And while it might be a bit late, you're in the right place now.”
“I didn’t realise expulsion was a thing that ever happened here. It obviously didn’t take,” Betsy gestured at their surroundings. “How did you come back?” There was no judgement in her tone, just curiosity.
“X-Force.” Amanda’s tone matched Betsy’s - she had long ago accepted what had happened back then, even Manuel. “If it wasn’t for the people who started up X-Force needing someone with connections to the magic community for a job, I’d still be in New Orleans probably. If Xorn had brought me back, that is. Things get a bit complicated when you factor that whole thing in.”
“It’s strange, how things twine together and apart and together again here. More people seem to return than leave at least. And yes, that whole thing definitely seems to complicate things.” The telepath was quiet for a while, still staring at the lawn, before taking a deep breath and turning back to look at Amanda. “Did you know me? The previous me, Betsy 1.0, I mean?"
So now they came to it. "Yeah, I did," Amanda replied. "We met when I started at the school, and later we worked together. How much do you know about her?”
“Nothing. Actually I wasn’t even sure she existed before just now, although I thought it was likely when I heard about the… thing.” Betsy clarified which thing she was referring to by a complicated spiralling gesture. "I mean, I had a codename before I expressed any interest in joining any of the teams. Some of the older inhabitants here seem either strangely hostile or just, well, awkward around me. More so than expected, I mean. Besides, I am a telepath. I know that sometimes people look at me and see someone else.”
Amanda made a wry face. "Yeah, even with the threat of reality unravelling I guess some things slip out regardless. And it's pretty weird, meeting another version of someone you knew pretty well." Putting away the last crystal and closing the box, Amanda gathered her thoughts. "The other you, when I first came here... there was some stuff going on. A sort of possession, I guess?"
“I think it’s just human nature, big things can never stay covered for too long,” Betsy shrugged. “She was older than me, wasn’t she? And hopefully less of a mess?"
"Weeelll, she was older. Less of a mess... that's debatable." Amanda couldn't help a snort. "Betts was a good person to have in your corner, but she had a shit-load of baggage. And a tendency to go into comas."
“Baggage is to be expected, I suppose,” Betsy replied. Then the rest of Amanda’s words registered and her eyes grew wider. “Comas? Was that, uhh, a lifestyle-related thing? With all the punching that seems to happen around here?"
"More a psionic thing. There were a lot of issues with her powers and she'd wind up down in the medlab for a month or two while it got sorted out. But part of that was because she had a tendency to let things fester and not talk about them until her powers fucked up." It was probably a be on the blunt side, but Amanda had an ulterior reason for that - she wanted to make sure this Betsy didn't go down the same path.
Betsy turned back to the window. The irises were really beautiful this year. And the waterlilies on the lake, too. She was totally not just trying to avoid Amanda’s eyes. “Yes, well. Comas have been successfully avoided thus far."
"Touch wood," Amanda replied, knocking on the desk she was sitting on with a chuckle, but the concern was still in her eyes. She just had to hope it had been enough - this Betsy wasn't her Betsy and deserved the chance to live her life without that overshadowing her. "You got any other questions?”
“Oh, many. So, so many. But it’s probably better if I don’t ask them. I have enough baggage as it is.” Betsy turned back towards the witch again and smiled, even if it was a bit strained. "I am glad to know she existed though. It makes a lot of things make more sense. May I treat you to some tea as a thank you?"
"As a fellow Brit, it would be treason if I turned down a cuppa," Amanda replied. "Just let me finish packing up this stuff."
