10/22 Instance: Working Hard and Hardly Working

[Ferguson]

Timeline Note: After Instance - 'Room for Improvement'

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<Cecilia> Cecilia wandered down the hall towards the rec room. She had been working on the same math question for over three hours and kept getting it wrong and had finally just given up. "How can you even be bad at math if you're good at science?" She muttered to herself. "That's impossible...I was top of my class..."

<Mayday> "Damnit...", came the uncharacteristic, under-the-breath curse from Mayday Parker, sat with her hair tied back in her N7 Hoodie at a table, scritching notes down on her paper and re-reading the notes beside her. She took a breath, sitting up and adjusting her glasses.

<Mayday> "'In short...'", Mayday read back to herself, "'If more research was done into the subject, I believe that should we successfully synthesize less than a gram of Tridium, its energy-providing possibilities would...'", she paused, feeling the presence of someone else and looking over her shoulder, "O-oh...hey!"

<Cecilia> Cecilia jumped a little at the unexpected sight of another student. "Oh! Hi! I, uh, I didn't know anybody was in here!"

<Cecilia> "I was just gonna work off some stress with Crash Bandicoot, but if you're working I won't disturb you." Cecilia turned to leave.

<Mayday> Mayday spun around, "N-no! No, it's fine, really!", she assured the other girl, "I-I'm pretty much done, just doing some work for Science class on possible alternatives to fossil fuels.", she looked at her notes blankly, "Erm...yeah, the more I look over this proposal, the more I think that employing the LHC to forge a God Particle capable of fusion with less than a point zero, zero, zero, one chance of success seems silly...", she rambled.

<Cecilia> Cecilia chuckled. "Ah, yeah. I was working on that one awhile ago, but I'm not sure my paper sounded half as smart as that." A fact of life that was occurring all too frequently these days, Cecilia thought bitterly.

<Cecilia> "We're in math together also aren't we?" Said Cecilia. She hadn't interacted much with May outside of missions and once on the Hallo'ween party, but she seemed very nice and they had a mutual friend in Fabian so they probably had something in common.

<Mayday> "Yes! Yes, we do.", Mayday nodded enthusiastically - finding friends was actually becoming easier since she moved here, "S-sorry, I'm usually really quiet in classes: it's easier for me to take notes when I just keep social interaction outside.", she realized how much of a recluse she sounded, "B-but I do other stuff too! L-like erm...I...play video games and read comics...", she gave up trying to sound 'cool', grinning wryly instead.

<Cecilia> Cecilia laughed. "I don't see how you have anything to be sorry for. It's good that you take your work seriously and don't spend all of class chatting. I swear to God, some people just don't know how to shut up," she laughed.

<Cecilia> She motioned to the television. "Wanna join me? I actually like co-op games best." Why not? Thought Cecilia. After all, it's not like she couldn't be nice.

<Mayday> Mayday nodded, "Oh, absolutely! Honestly, any more on this paper and I'd probably divide by zero...", she sighed, taking the notes and dropping them on the coffee table with her pen and pulling up a control, "D'you have any preference of game? I'm...pretty good at most FPS games.", she smiled, "...like, seriously, I rain death on Battlefield 3."

<Cecilia> Cecilia gave her a confused look. "Sorry, I'm a bit new at the whole video game thing. I didn't have a television growing up or a computer so I've just begun trying everything out." Cecilia thought for a moment, "Do you like fighting zombies? How about Left4Dead? I'm kinda looking to take out some frustration," she grinned.

<Mayday> "Excellent choice, take a seat.", Mayday patted the sofa beside herself, "I'll set everything up.", she hopped over to the TV counter to fix everything up for their game, "So...are you doing ok after the other day?"

<Cecilia> Cecilia sat down on the couch and grabbed a controller. "Ah, yeah. I'm okay now. I was just a bit stressed is all. First mission and all that." She thought a moment. "How about you? Is Sue alright? She seemed pretty shaken."

<Mayday> Mayday made a humming sound before sitting down again as the console came to life, "...er...yeah, she's ok. She was freaking out that she might have...you know...", she gestured with her hand, "...with her forcefields."

<Cecilia> Cecilia nodded. "Yeah...I figured...I didn't actually know you could actually suffocate someone with a forcefield. Well, now that I think about it I understand it's theoretically possible it's just..." She winced. "Ah, sorry. I shouldn't have said that..."

<Cecilia> "I'll just stop that train of thought now..." Truthfully, Cecilia was beginning to worry a bit. If Sue could cut off someone's air with a force field then there wasn't anything saying she couldn't too. Just how many terrible things could she do with her powers if she was careless or she made a mistake?

<Mayday> "Nah, no, it's ok.", Mayday assured her, starting their game and skimming through a few co-op menus in silence for a moment. "Seriously, it was a momentary lapse in concentration on her part, could have happened to anyone...", she affirmed.

<Mayday> She turned to Cecilia, "She was...really worried she'd....well..."

<Cecilia> Cecilia nodded. "I get that...I'd be worried too if I were in her place." Cecilia scrolled through the characters and picked Louis. "Ready to kick ass?" She asked.

<Mayday> Mayday chose Bill (naturally) as her character and nodded with a smile as the game started, "So, ah...t-there was something I wanted to ask: you were really agitated about your powers..."

<Cecilia> Cecilia fired some shots into a smoker as they left the zombie safehouse. "Agitated? Me?" She laughed. "I suppose you could say I was a bit disappointed in myself...why, what's on your mind?"

<Mayday> "Well...nothing much, it's just I used to have similar problems with my powers...", Mayday explained, switching her weapon for a katana and rushing around with her melee attacks cleaving enemies left and right, "I mean, come on: I climb walls, I shot web? Heck, I couldn't even shot web properly until recently..."

<Cecilia> Okay, that was grammatically incorrect. But Cecilia didn't remark on it. "I know I'm improving, especially with Sue's help," she admitted. "It's just I'm not improving as quick as I'd like. I don't like being a weak link and it wracks my nerves to think I might fail to save someone's life."

<Cecilia> Cecilia fired into a hoard of zombies. "I'm hoping last mission was just bad luck and things won't go as wrong as quickly in the next but..." She shrugged.

<Mayday> Mayday shook her head, "Hey, my first mission was pretty hectic, too. We went up against one of the Horsemen...", she shuddered as memory of triffids and improvised flamethrowers entered her mind, "...it was crazy. And then my second mission...", she pointed at the few cuts still on her face, "...even moreso."

<Cecilia> "I wasn't here for the Horsemen," said Cecilia, a chill travelling up her spine. "Which...one did you fight?"

<Cecilia> She frowned. "I saw the aftermath of the London mission though..." She thought of Fabian's cracked skull. "I heard you pulled Fabian's ass out of the fire. That was quick thinking."

<Mayday> "Famine.", Mayday uttered as her character's shotgun tore apart an enemy on-screen, "You might have seen the coverage; we were on an interstate when he appeared.", she smiled at the compliment, "I was worried about him, but...I don't know, I guess when I worry, I just snap and think that someone has to do something, you know?"

<Mayday> Mayday turned back to the game, "What I mean is...", she went on, "...that in a tough situation, any little thing you can do, I've discovered, is paramount to a victory in itself.", she looked back at Cecilia, "Y-you get what I'm saying? Or am I coming across condescending? I-I'm sorry if I am.", she frowned.

<Cecilia> Cecilia felt her pride bruise a bit at that but she didn't say anything. "No, you're not... I'm just...feeling a bit useless. So I'm taking things more to heart than I should." She took down a hunter before Francis was eaten. "I appreciate the thought, May."

<Mayday> "You froze up. Like, one time.", Mayday smiled, gently poking her, "You've got probably one of the most functionable powers there is; it's useful for so much. And Sue, well, Sue's been using hers...she uses hers all the time. For everything.", she explained, rolling her eyes at the thought a little, "I mean, seriously: floating things, invisible-ing herself all over the place...", she smirked.

<Cecilia> Cecilia snorted. "I can create the body armour you saw on the mission and that's pretty useful, I can hit a lot harder with it, but that's my most impressive move. I'm nowhere near being able to make things float. Domes, walls & body armour are a struggle as it is." She shrugged. "I just wish I'd frozen up at another time, instead of trying to rush Rogue...Essex...whoever the hell she is today."

<Cecilia> "Not my brightest move. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but now I realize just how stupid it was. I could've been hurt very badly. Maybe even killed."

<Mayday> Mayday laughed, "You know, I felt the same about trying to rush Rachel in London.", she smirked, recalling it, "It was a risky move, but it took guts to even try: you did really well for someone with no real offensive powers.", she assured the other girl.

<Cecilia> Cecilia chuckled. "I'm the defense trying very badly to be offensive." She thought a moment. "I should actually test just how hard I can hit with the armour. I should also test how much impact my fields can stand. Now that I can project them away from my body."

<Cecilia> "So...tell me about yourself, May," said Cecilia, shooting another zombie in the head. "I don't really know that much about you...well, I know a little. I know you sing a good Tina Turner, are good with costume make-up and are impressively nerdy," she smiled kindly. "And that you've taken some shit from people growing up and that we have a mutual friend. But what do I not know?"

<Mayday> Mayday flushed at all the compliments, "T-thanks, I er...I'm really not so great.", she squirmed awkwardly, "I was erm...I used to attend Empire State University and worked part-time at a Zoo, where I was bitten by a spider.", she laughed as she whacked a zombie down a set of stairs, "It was crazy: I was in a coma for three months."

<Cecilia> "How...How is that even possible?" Said Cecilia. "Was it the shock that triggered your powers? What kind of spider? Because if being bitten by a spider is a prerequisite to being a mutant my brother should be one too!" She laughed.

<Cecilia> "I was going to go to Columbia, I had a scholarship and everything...but I couldn't afford it even then. So I ended up working in fast food," admitted Cecilia. "What was your major?"

<Mayday> "It was a new tropical breed: Black Arrow spider.", Mayday explained, "As for powers, I don't know...I literally woke up afterwards and here I am with web powers and stuff.", she shrugged, not really getting it herself, "I erm...wouldn't go trying to get bitten by one though: I mean, they told me I almost died, so...", she grinned awkwardly.

<Mayday> "A-anyway, as for majoring, I've not really thought much of it. Physics, I think...I'm not bad at it.", Mayday continued, "What about you? Who is the Cecilia Reyes?", she smiled.

<Cecilia> "Jesus!" Exclaimed Cecilia. "That's terrible!" She laughed. "Oh, I wouldn't go trying to get bitten. I was born in Puerto Rico, I know what a tarantula bite looks like and it ain't pretty." She shuddered at the thought, thank god New York state was so cold.

<Cecilia> "Me?" Cecilia said. "I dunno, I'm not so interesting really. Grew up in a shitty neighbourhood in the Bronx, I'm biracial, Spanish is my first language, I mentioned that I was born in Puerto Rico, got a brother in the army..."

<Cecilia> She shrugged. "Can't say I've actually done much, but I'm making up for lost time here I guess. This place is friggin' crazy. In a good way," she added.

<Mayday> Mayday laughed, "I felt exactly the same, ask anyone - ask Sue!", she coughed as the last laughs came out, shaking her head and beaming so hard her face hurt, "Honestly! Honestly, it's insane, I know...but it's home, you know? Not just a school, it's a home.", she looked away in thought, "T-to me, it's like the only real home I've ever had."

<Cecilia> "I guess it is," said Cecilia. She'd never considered that, but she liked the idea. A home away from home. She even had a relative here. "I like that. It's my second home!" She laughed. "The only real home? Are you an orphan? Or foster care kid?"

<Cecilia> "Sorry, if you don't want to talk about it it's fine. I just...I knew a lot of people in foster care growing up, so..."

<Mayday> Awkwardly, Mayday shuffled in her seat, "...er...yeah, I was. Spent a lot of my life living in a Harlem foster home. D-don't really wanna go there.", she affixed her attention to the game.

<Cecilia> Cecilia nodded. "I get that. We all got places we don't want to go back to," she said. God, how well she knew that...

<Mayday> "Sorry, just...not something I wanna delve into.", Mayday dismissed, "I-It's just a big, boring, depressing thing that doesn't matter.", she smiled again, "So erm...you and Fabian......???"

<Cecilia> Cecilia blinked. "Me and Fabian...?" She said, genuinely confused.

<Mayday> "You're close, right? Like...close close?"

<Cecilia> Cecilia stared at Mayday for a long moment before bursting into laughter. "Hahaaha! Oh my God!" She snorted. "Me and FABIAN? Fabian Cortez?! We are talking about the same guy?!"

<Cecilia> She couldn't contain herself. "No! God no! Heehee!"

<Cecilia> "Fabian's a nice guy- well he can be anyway- don't get me wrong," she snorted. "He's a good friend to me. But we're not together. I'm perfectly aware of his faults and I don't date guys that date two girls at the same time!" She snorted. "God!! Imagine that..."

<Mayday> Mayday blushed awkwardly, "O-oh...I-it's just with how you two are so close I just a-assumed...", she shrank into her seat, "...w-wow, this is the most awkward I've ever felt here..."

<Cecilia> "It's okay. Really. I'm not mad, I promise. Everyone says I'm really mean but I don't actually yell at people for no reason. You didn't do anything wrong. You made a hypothesis based on the information you had. It was just incorrect, there's no shame in that."


<Mayday> "W-well...yeah, when you put it that way...", Mayday felt a little better about it, "B-but wait, back up a second: he dated two girls at the same time?"

<Cecilia> Cecilia nodded. "Yeah! Some girl named Jess that my cousin was crushing on for awhile and the pink one, Clarice."

<Cecilia> "Unbelievable, huh?" She laughed.

<Mayday> "He was cheating on Clarice?", Mayday gasped, no way - that wasn't like Fabian, was it? "Come on, seriously; Fabian?"

<Cecilia> "I don't know if it was cheating per se," said Cecilia. "From what I heard he was under the impression that until he made it clear he wanted to be exclusive it was a given that everyone would just date around a bit."

<Cecilia> "Which... is not really my thing. But it happens and would've worked out better if he'd been a little more clear about his expectations I'm sure..."

<Mayday> Mayday nodded at that, "Tripping over himself by not being explanatory enough? Yeah, I can see Fabian in that light.", she snickered, "He's such a silly."

<Cecilia> Cecilia snorted. "You're telling me! Do you know he's got a tramp stamp ? Seriously?! I almost died when I found out!"

<Mayday> "No way!", Mayday giggled, "That's so gross! W-what is it of!?"

<Cecilia> "A bull," snorted Cecilia. "Ask him about it. He's not even embarrassed! He'll tell you all about it!"

<Mayday> "I'll be sure to do so!", Mayday sighed, sitting back in the chair, "You know, we should really do this more often."

<Cecilia> Cecilia laughed. "We should. And we will!" She smiled. "I'm not one to turn a friend down."

<Mayday> "I'm glad.", Mayday grinned back, focusing in on the game again. Living here was awesome.

[Ferguson]

"Ask him about it. He's not even embarrassed! He'll tell you all about it!"

This could be said about so many things Fabian has done in his life and he should fear these two being friends.

Also, loltastic

[Starfish]

Yay, bonding and the magic of friendship! Very fun instance, you two!