The Morning of (IC)

[Electra]

"Puzzles are good for you. They'll keep you from getting Alzheimer's," Erin told him. "And it never hurts to try and look up. Things could always be worse, you know? But there's no point in thinking about that. At least thinking about better gives you some kind of hope." She nudged her shoes off her feet, biting her lip for a moment as she concentrated on the game. "Things are okay, I guess. I've been here a year now. It seems weird. I guess maybe I'm just starting to get used to it."

[Cyroa]

James chuckled. "Joking..." He nodded slightly distracted by the game. "Can't argue with that. No sense getting bogged down in the depressing thoughts. Better to live in the opposite direction. Or try anyway." Certainly wasn't always possible but he definitely tried. "You guess its ok? Not exactly a rousing endorsement. What's weird?"

[Electra]

She shrugged again and was quiet for a few moments, concentrating on the game. When it seemed like she wasn't going to answer the question at all, she finally said, "I don't know, really. The whole world is still strange to me. I figured eventually I'd get used to it, and I sort of have, but at the same time, it's always just a little out of place. It's something I took for granted, I guess, the feeling like you belong in the world you live in. I haven't even seen the other me in more than five months, but she's still always going to be around, and be the one who belongs here." She snorted. "At least I'm not locked up as a danger to myself and others anymore, well, except for tomorrow. That's progress."

[Cyroa]

James played quietly, waiting and letting her take her time. He nodded slowly. "Wish I could help you with that. I could tell you you do belong here. That this world is your home. That you are not a copy, that you are a unique person with all that it entails. That you belong. That you are my friend, not just a stand in for someone." He shrugged. "But I can understand the feeling I suppose." He cracked a little smile. "Well, it is progress. One day at a time I suppose."

[Electra]

"Thanks." She leaned back on the couch, looking at him out of the corner of her eye. "Give it another year, maybe, we'll see how much any of that sinks in. Right now I just keep reminding myself I'm lucky to be here in the world and here at Claremont, weird or not. People might annoy me sometimes, but I'm still glad they're around." Erin fiddled with the controls for a minute, then changed the subject. "So if you can teleport to hell, does that mean you can go anywhere on earth now, too?"

[Cyroa]

He nodded with a smile, still focusing on the tv. It was damn annoying; he was so used to watching people when he talked with them. He had to deliberately stop himself from looking over and over. It was kind of irritating but he was doing his best.

"Just don't ever forget that." He shrugged. "It'd take a bunch of jumps but I'm certainly farther than one mile. And which Earth? The theory is a little beyond me but I think I can go to any dimension I want, using Hell as kind of like the hub/nexus/Grand Central kind of place. Wouldn't really have to go _to_ it, just kind of flicker through. I haven't done it yet nor was I planning on it anytime soon, but I think it would work."

[Electra]

"That's handy," Erin acknowledged with a nod. "Who did you say you were working with on the dimensional travel stuff? I didn't know anyone at the school did that sort of thing except Darien, and he only does it with his machines. Is it one of those mentoring program things?" Her own mentorship had fallen apart in the summer when her mentor had left town, but it had been very useful while it lasted, and Alex was still doing hers. They seemed like a good idea.

[Cyroa]

"We kind of bumped into each other one night a few weeks back. Had a rocky start given her less than cheery nature when in costume but it kind of worked out. Nothing to do with school, no. Her 'hero name' is Phantom. Done some big things but mostly her stuff is behind the scenes kind of thing. Wait. Mentoring program?" He'd missed that one; not the hard really considering his schedule of late. School (minimal at least), practice, learning magic, destroying Daisy, dancing, partying, dating, and general having fun; oh, and Eddie's band thing. He could have missed some kind of school announcement easily.

[Electra]

"I guess, the school's been hooking up some people with adult heroes who have similar powers, especially if there's no one really with the same powers teaching," Erin told him, concentrating half her attention on the game. "Like I did a few training sessions with this super-strong ex-wrestler type who taught me some stuff about pulling punches. You remember, she had me batting around that stupid steel ball all summer? And Alex got paired up with some psychic to do extracurricular study. I don't know if anyone else is doing that sort of thing. Maybe if you keep on working with Phantom, you can get a class credit for it or something. Has she helped you?"

[Cyroa]

James nodded. "I thought that was just a thing for various people. Didn't know it was an actual program-like thing." He waved one hand vaguely. "I don't really care about the credits or even the classes that much really. It's not like its going to matter much to me." James didn't exactly plan for the future too much for various reasons. Combined with the wealth he had and would gain, the concept of a future job hadn't really occurred to the teenager.

He nodded. "Well, not school related things. Or even with my powers. Its more about studying magic and stuff. Definitely not standard school curriculum. Lots of reading though. In Latin no less. Ugh." He frowned at the game, trying to figure it out before Erin though not having the most luck. It wasn't like she was a genious; she was only a little smarter than him. But combined with the fact he was distracted from personal issues and trying to not look at her, she was kicking his butt. He was getting used to it.

[Electra]

"You have to pick up the little green balls and get them to stick to the wall," Erin pointed out helpfully, "and keep spreading them out so they climb the wall." She demonstrated, neatly maneuvering the controller to get the little balls where she wanted them. "I didn't know you could read Latin. Where do they teach that anymore? Back at my old school it was Spanish or French and that was about it. Are you reading old religious books or something?" When neither of them were looking at each other, the eye-contactless conversation was less awkward.

[Cyroa]

"I know how to do. Just having some trouble with the execution today, thank you very much," he said in mock-annoyance. With his various increases in powers, he'd also gotten significantly quicker at these games. Though today was not a good day for it apparently. He laughed lightly. "Yeah, me taking religion. Funny. Though I have read quite a bit on the topic. Oh, yeah I know Latin and pretty much every other one too. I can speak, understand, read and write in any language I've every seen or heard about. Part of the whole powers from dad thing."

[Electra]

"I was giving you the benefit of the doubt," Erin teased, watching him take his turn at the puzzle. "But I guess you really don't have to worry about finding a job anywhere, not if you know every language. You could be an interpreter anywhere, even if that was the only power you had..." She chuckled at herself. "Not that you need to worry about a job anyway. But does that mean that hell is the same for everyone, no matter where they come from?" she asked. "Or do you know?"

[Cyroa]

"Yeah. I hadn't really thought about jobs or anything. I'm sure I'll find something to do. As much fun as partying and dating and just having fun is, not like I can do just that. It'd get old eventually." James frowned, partly at the question, partly at the game. "I don't know everything about it. Far from it. But the infernal planes are big. Ridiculously so. And suffering and torture is a little different for everyone. So there's different places for different types. So I guess the answer is yes, Hell's a little different for everyone maybe? I'll be sure to ask next time I head down there," he said with a wry smirk.

After a little while later, James admitted defeat for the umpteenth time. The sun was going to rise soon and he still had things to do. "Ok, I'm done. What happened to the days when I could kick your butt with these games anyway," he asked rhetorically with a grin as he stood.

[Electra]

"I learned how to work the controller," she smirked back. "Now there's no stopping me. Besides, you have a social life, you don't need video games." She stood and stretched as well, shutting down the game system. "Speaking of, maybe tomorrow night if your personal stuff wraps early enough and you don't feel like going to the party, you could stop by and we could hang out. None of the RAs are going to be upstairs anyway, probably. Dr. Marquez gave me a bag of little candy bars to make up for having to stay in." She rolled her eyes. "I wasn't going to tell him no."

[Cyroa]

James chuckled as he stretched. "Silly me, teaching you to play! We'll work on that social life of yours. Someday, right?" He closed the guitar case and pushed it off to one side before walking . Hopefully he'd be back for it later. He walked to the door, pausing at her words, facing down the hall but still doing the corner of his thing. "I'd like that. Sounds wonderful. I will do my best to be back here, honest, but can't guarantee it."

He hesitated one moment, pulling something from his pocket. "Hey Erin, do me a favor. Not going to need this, so hold onto it for me 'till I get back," he said. His risked a last glance at her to remember his friend and he tossed the object to her. Even as it left his hand, he turned and walked around the corner, disappearing. It was time. No more putting things off.

[Electra]

Erin lifted her hand automatically to catch, pulling down a handful of keys. She looked at them quizzically for a moment. She recognized James' keys, including the all-important keys to the Chevette, but why give them to her? She glanced up to ask him about it, but he was already gone, as he'd doubtless intended to be. James was good at the dramatic exit when he wanted to be, and really, she wasn't sure she wanted to ask any questions right now. Clutching the keys in her hand, she checked the clock. After 5am, past curfew hours, but before Alex was going to be awake... oh well! With a bounce in her step, Erin hurried outside to try out the car, all by herself. Everything else could wait.