(2018-10-03) Fractures
Fractures
Summary: Reverberations of the shapeshifter flu cause a meltdown.
Date: 2018-10-03
Related: NA
NPCs: NA
Scene Runner: NA
Players:
callisto..daxton..ness..

Metis Room 101, Coral Springs
Wed Oct 03, 2018


This room is quite sizable as far as dorm room goes. It could probably fit three students comfortably with room to spare. Fortunately for the occupants there is only furnishings for two people. Two beds, desks, dressers and a double closet.

It is a fall night. The weather is cool and raining.

(OOC: Mood music - "The Way" © Zack Hemsey)

===

It's been a long day for Callisto… full of lessons. There's been soem catchup work to do following her stint as a fox and though the school made some concessions for students who landed animal forms, they haven't been coddled. But the fey girl really doesn't mind.. truly not. If anything to immerse herself in homework — English, this evening — is to forget, for awhile, her many plights. She has the room to herself tonight, with Boomie out with her brother and RILL.. which suits Callisto just fine. It's a cool, rainy night and she's not given to being out on the grounds… so here is just.. it works. There's some manner of soft music playing, permeating the dorm.. it's classical. The lighting is subdued; Callisto's side of the dorm is uncluttered, concise… everything you would expect of her.

So here, at roundabouts 8 o'clock in the evening, she is in her loungewear: fitted cotton pajama pants of antique white and a matching camisole. Her hair, freshly washed, is loose and spread like a silver-white cloud over her shoulders. Aside from the mellow music, the only other sound this evening is her pen scritching across paper.

She's really just an old lady at heart!

She has pajamas too! Except hers are footie-pajamas, with a hood, shaped like a penguin. She also has a bulging garment bag over one shoulder, and looks as pleased as punch whenever she raps on the door lightly with her fist. Her collar is already turned off. Knockknockknock! Full of energy this one! She's got, bizarrely enough, all her makeup on. Smokey, provocative, and in one ear, a headphone of sorts playing music of some sort. Industrial, in fact. After a moment, she even begins knocking in time with the music. It looks like she is anything but an old woman in her desires or energy.

Blink? Who could be there? Callisto looks up, blearily at first… she blinks hard once, twice. Was she really Zoning out? since when does Callisto zone out? Since now. She's been at it for about and hour and a half straight with no break so it makes sense. She leans back in her chair and scrubs the heels of her palms against her eyes, really getting in there with her right hand as she seeks to dislodge an eyelash. Ugh.

Finally, after half a minute, Callisto rises and pads barefoot toward the door to door to admit whomever is calling on her. She immediately turns her gaze to her visitor, surprised firstly by the onesie… but immediately the bleary surprise is abolished once she recognizes who is in the attire. "Ness!" Exclaimed in her typical fluting way, eyes widened.

She bows her head gently because it's the Callisto way. "Come in, young sister." Said easily.. hey, she meant what she 'said' as a fox. She eases back to watch Ness, her concern easily masked.

Of course she feels fine, because she used her power to MAKE herself feel fine. "Dal." The word is practically a pur. Her Korean name for Callisto. For once, her reaction to seeing Callisto, emotionally, carries none of the usual envy. It's just… absent. She does tilt her head up, breezily kissing the air in an almost 'European' method of greeting. She swirls the garment back off of her back and onto the bed. Settling it down there, she pulls down the hood then, and grins, her heavily made-up face… excited. Eager,"Come on. We need to get dressed. I figured out a few things that might fit you. Very goth. It'll fit your skin."

She is quick enough to begin sorting through said garment bag, looking for short skirts, fishnets, generally provocative clothing of one type or another. "We are going out, and we are going to tear up the town. With you as my wing girl, there's no way we can fail to have fun." She actually hitches one hip in a slight skip with a little 'whoop'! Then the girl flops down to sit on the bed, pausing to look, eyes positively glittering with energy,"Come on. It's boring and stuffy in here and life is happening out THERE." She points to the door,"You can even call your boy to join us if you like."

Blink? Something…. something feels strange here. Callisto anticipated a much more… not catastrophic, no.. but unsettled reaction to no longer being in that terrible (as Callisto sees it) dark fae body. She could see the sadness coming from a mile away, even as she had lain as a little white fox on a bed in the Promethean dorms. Her cerulean eyes flit from Ness' eyes to her chin, rising slowly to take in her made-up face in the entirety. It is late in the day.. so very late to be done up like this. Unless Ness is thinking of going out? On a school night…?

To even depart the island, underaged, is to invoke trouble. Callisto eases back closer to the door, curving her willowy body sideward to permit passage into the dorm. Those eyes slide to watch Ness as she moves into the room and Callisto then turns on a heel to close the door gently behind them both.

Silence, still, as the little Korean lass sets down her payload and sorts through it. Callisto gazes hard, clears her throat gently. Softens. "Ness, are you certain? T'is late… we shall only have a couple of hours at best until we are on the last ferry. So long as you promise to me that we are on that boat at 10 o'clock pm sharp." Huh? Is she agreeing?

Callisto is worried, and suddenly she doesn't want to let Ness go off alone. She says nothing on inviting Daxton, not yet.. only watches Ness levelly. "Are you doing alright? Forgiveness for not crossing paths lately.. I have been chained to the table playing catchup, for being a fox."

Aaaand, now she's stripping. Considering how weird she can be about her body, this is weird. Sparing the lurid details, it doesn't take her long to skin herself of the Pajamas. "Sure, sure. That's fine. That's FINE." It only should take her half an hour or so, once there, to procure some wine or something similar, with her voice. "I prrrooomise. I Will make every effort to make sure we are on that boat on time." She said it, so it's true. She bubbles with laughter all over again.

Once she has a micro-miniskirt, and a belly-baring crop top and fishnets picket out, she is soon getting re-dressed and waves her hands to the garment bag again,"Either find something in there you like, or get something out of the closet. Come on, come on. We're wasting time. If we wanna make the most of our free time and be back here in time to party, we can't be wasting ANY time."

A pause, and she even pouts,"Oh. My. God. You were ADORABLE as a little white fox. I just wanted to keep hugging you and combing your hair and never stop. You were almost literally making my heart melt a little every time I saw you. I mean, I'll still huge you know, but… you're not exactly the touchy-feely type as far as I can tell." She really is just… blathering on and on shamelessly.

The stripping bit doesn't bother Callisto in the least. She has bore witness to many bodies in her years alive, many of them her kith and kin.. others simply people she has come across along the way. If Callisto were to be flustered by the sight of another very nearly laying themselves bare before her, she wouldn't be a true fey! If she is inwardly disturbed it is by Ness' behavior, not her body. She knows now that if she is to deny the other girl her fun, that may only fracture their closeness and make the both of them feel badly later. NOT a helpful thing for Ness in this state. Callisto knows that she is in a 'state'. Therefore she must protect her.

Even if she were to say no, Callisto knows that the mentalist would use her voice to get onto that ferry, to get into a club… alone. She can't let this happen. So Callisto has to abandon poetry and prose and become a chaperone. She nods slowly, lifts up her phone to quickly check the time and with the swiping of her thumb, send off a text. It takes mere seconds. She then toggles an app in the phone to disconnect the bluetooth from a speaker and kill the music. She is learning!

"I am pleased to be myself. As I am pleased to see you as you are, your normal beautiful self. T'was weird to see everyone unlike themselves." Said as she peers into the garment bag, knows immediately that a lot of this would be too small for her. Though, a slender hand selects a sort of top.. it looks like a halter. Callisto glides toward her closet.

She needs to be ready or this.

===

Long distance to Daxton: Callisto ICLY texts.. "Are you working?"

From afar, Daxton texts back, "On a run. Y? U ok?"

===

It's strange that being so unfettered, she seems to have no trouble controlling that usual thread of attraction. Perhaps because she currently has a literally unassailable sense of self-worth? Therefore it obviates the emotional 'need' for anyone's affection. What then of her attachment to her own humanity. She eventually wiggles into clothes fully, and manages to rumble out some boots with large (about four inch) heels. Then she walks over to the mirror, and focuses on her own eyes, saying simply to herself,"You are strong, and confident, and beautiful, and you are going to slay tonight." And like that, her posture straightens. The muscles in her body gain a certain… tension. Her chin comes up a little, and then she spins, looking at herself.

"I'm glad you think I'm beautiful. You can't trust boy's opinions on these things." She blows herself a kiss in the mirror, spending time posing and twisting for herself, and then she turns to look at Callisto, a grin on her face,"Look at you, using that cellphone like a BOSS. And that top will look SO good on you. Especially with your arms and shoulders. Love it. Simply love it." She claps her hands together, and plops her backside down on the bed to watch Callisto get ready patiently. "Nothing like feeling good in your own skin, right?" That is particularly cheerful.

===

Long distance to Daxton: Callisto texts back, "I'm fine. May be in town, got a situation. Not family related. May need help."

From afar, Daxton texts, "ur ditching school? How u getting off the island?"

Long distance to Daxton: Callisto texts back, "Off for the evening. Have a classmate who wants to come into town who is a bit out of sorts. I am trying to keep her safe."

Daxton pages: "Did they change the rules on leaving the island?" And then "How out of sorts? Like broke up with boyfriend upset, or blow up the town out of sorts?"

Long distance to Daxton: Callisto texts back, "Boyfriend breakup? Hormonal upset? If it is to be called upset?" (Easily taken out of context; hasty text.)

Daxton pages: there's a long pause before he finally texts back, "U want me to come help a HS break up? I don't know that I'm the man for that."

===

To Callisto's credit she is good at keeping herself in sorts when she is feeling anxious. Is she really going to be accompanying Ness to the mainland, to allow her to gallivant while… while she is so.. like this? Hard to say or tell. If Callisto has it her way there will be no wine to be had tonight; if she plays her cards right they won't even get off of the island. She looks down at her phone and seems to swipe-text something again; is she contacting her 'boy'? What it all boils down to is that she is worried; scared for Ness. How often in her life has Callisto been scared in this way?

This is another sort of unhinged. Callisto looks down at the halter in her hands, presses her lips together anxiously, and looks up into her wardrobe. She instead picks out a long flowy blouse — as iridescent and fair as her tresses — and a dark pair of black, fitted slacks. "I feel I must cover up a bit more. T'is cold out. But thank you for letting me have a look at your clothing." Said as she gently folds the halter and goes about getting changed. "Let us walk then, to the docks." And there, Callisto will make another plea.

===

Long distance to Daxton: Callisto texts back, "Hard to explain, she can see me texting. It is far more complex than a breakup. When the shapeshifter flu hit, she turned into one of my kin. Then returned to her normal self. I think it damaged her." … *here there is silence, she must be talking to the girl in her room* … "… not taking it well. Need to try keeping her from going on that ferry. I fear for her wellbeing if she is expelled."

Daxton pages: "Give me 10, I can meet you at the docks on the school. I don't think the Ferry runs now anyway."

Long distance to Daxton: Callisto texts back, "This is a plus. I pray that I am not taking you away from anything important."

Daxton pages: just a run. U can make it up to me later. ;)

Long distance to Daxton: Callisto *angel face emoticon*

Long distance to Daxton: Callisto texts before going silent for a few mins, "She is a good friend, as good as a little sister. I wish not to have anything bad happen to her. She is troubled. Will be in touch soon… run safe.

===

The girl looks sideways at Callisto, a frown on her face as she texts… But she doesn't ask. Nope. Instead, she leans over to twine her elbow with Callisto's. With one look sideways at the mirrors, she informs herself,"I'm not going to BE cold tonight." Already, her skin is beginning warm and pink up beyond its normal. Even if her clothes are CLEARLY inappropriate for the weather. "You won't be slaying dressed like that… but, you're always gorgeous, and you're in a relationship, so I guess you don't need to be dropping jaws all over the place."

Yes. Today will be a day of her 'getting what she wants' if she has any say in it. Thankfully, unlike her elfy selfy, she has SOME level of conscience and concept of consent when she's like this at least. No, it's mostly herself she may be a danger to. "So have you been catching up okay? All the classes I missed are driving me batshit crazy trying to catch up, and they're making me go to these therapists I absolutely HATE." She heaves a sigh, now. "It's sooo lame."

The phone gets one more quick swipe, then shoves into the purse that she pulls off of the back of the seat. Interestingly enough there's no wallet or anything of the sort in that bag; no way for Ness to even know this. Callisto won't need any of it. Now she's just playing a part and it's all in a manner of subtle tough love. If it ends in Ness' disappointment in her? Possibly disliking her? If it means the other girl not being kicked out of this safe haven… so be it. Callisto feels Ness' arm slide into her own and with a slow, deep breath the fey girl pushes a soft smile. "I do not intend to slay. I simply wish to keep you safe."

Making sure things are pushed away, Callisto departs her room and allows the door to lock behind her. As the two walk and shoot the two questioning looks, the fey girl will occasionally return those glances with something that borderlines wary.. almost conspiratorial. She cranes her slender neck to watch Ness as she responds, "All is well now. I have to finish up a few make-up tests, but I am not terribly worried. These classes are important." She cant believe she is saying this; can, as well. So unreal. So unlike her old self. Callisto's gaze softens in her silvery fringe of lashes. "Not only for our minds, but for who we are. T'is nothing but good for you, Ness… though I am sorry to hear of your dislike. You are smart.. tremendously so. I should hate to see you lack in your studies."

Still, she guides the smaller girl toward the docks, dreading somewhat what is to come.

===

Coral Springs Dock, Coral Springs


Not only is there a new school, but apparently there is a new island as well. This one is much larger and a lot more cliffy and forested than the previous one.

The docks are quite nice, with a heating and air conditioned building that has vending machines and restrooms so students can wait for the ferry in inclement weather.

To the left of the docks is a small park like area, the rest is left as nature intended it. Mostly rocky shore, with waves and riptides that make any swimming here dangerous. A winding, flower and tree lined cobblestone path curves up a hill and signage indicates that the school is at the top.

It is a fall night. The weather is warm and overcast.

===

She's arm in arm with Callisto as she strides out to the docks in the cold night air. She SHOULD be shaking, since she's in platform boots, a micro-mini black pvc skirt, and a crop top. It's like she doesn't even feel the cold, though. Her skin is rather flushed, but she takes no note of that either. And she's speaking outloud. That honey-sweet, heavy, powerful, androgynously effeminate voice of hers is just rolling out and over Callisto as it usually does: That is, with little effect. "You're going to kick ass on your tests, and you'll be all set for the rest of the semester. You're a smart girl. You got this. We are two, super-smart, smoking hot babes, on the prowl."

Callisto is likewise dressed up, though far more sensibly than her shorter companion. Ness is of course, going on,"I go to enough therapists as it is for the 'gender thing'. Which is stupid. I'm fine. I know who and what I am. It seems silly I ever worried about it before. It's such a non-problem. You were right, you know. I don't know why I didn't listen to you before."

Daxton's waiting on the docs, stretching next to the building with the vending machines. He's already thinking maybe he needs a soda. But for now he needs to make sure he doesn't cramp up. The muscling speedster is dressed in blue grey jogging pants and a tank top. He too isn't feeling the cold …yet. His dogtags dangle from around his neck as very bright eyes scan the area, looking for his girlfriend plus one.

Indeed Callisto is the more conservative of the two… despite not looking truly done up. She wears the look of a girl who was previously in comfortable pajamas and, spying disaster, dressed quickly to try preventing it. She strides gracefully, arm-in-arm with Ness and if one who knows her well knows how to look, they will recognize her carefully, deeply-concealed look of unease. It is in the edges of her hesitant smile, the way her eyes flit toward the shorter girl at her side as if she is thinking — constantly thinking — of what to say and how best to say it. Ness' consistent, flowing, ebullient words indeed seem to flow over her and not grip her as they are apt to do with others.

"Ness—" Speaking of listening to her; to Callisto. The fey girl turns to look upon the other girl as they reach the end of the dock where a ferry could have been waiting. But at this hour, creeping toward the true evening…. there doesn't seem to be much activity.

"You.. you must listen to me. Can you do that?" Said gently before she looks up to spy a familiar body just at the end of the docks. Callisto feels the relief positively infusing her body.. for if this goes sideways, Daxton has his own ways of convincing someone to not do something. Callisto's eyes lift to watch the speedster. "Daxton." Called out gently.

She looks confused when Callisto collars her, a head tilted ever so slightly. "O-okay, Dal, but… you're acting kind of weird. Are you feeling okay?" She lets her gaze slide off of Callisto and towards Daxton, then, her frown growing, deepening in confusion,"I really don't feel like turning off my voice Callisto. Is he going to be okay? I thought it was going to be just the two of us. I mean… it's cool, the more the merrier, but… No, no, no. You said listen, so I'm going to listen to you-" And like that, she's silenced. She said she'd listen. Which precludes talking. And Ness is resistant, but not immune, to her own words. So she watches Callisto, ears perked for info. For nuance. She's not just listening… She's listening intently.

Daxton smirks, it's a shit eating boyish grin than makes him look younger than he is. "Hey Strawberry." Straightening he'll start moving over to the pair. The linked arms are noted, but girls are weird like that. The weird name for Calli is noted, but he figures it's a nickname or something. Maybe they all gave each other names? That seems a HS girl thing to do. He starts to lift a hand to try to take Calli's but then thinks against it, she seems to have her hands full. "Hey." Ness gets an upend, 'I'm Daxton." Just in case she didn't know. Or he's being polite or something.

"You made mention of calling my boy with the intention to join us, and I did. But not in town, Ness." Callisto says softly, watching Daxton levelly for a moment. "I wished to keep you safe. For even in town I will have asked him to join us, on account of what people would, and could do were they to approach you. For there are some who would hurt you, even in a town such as this. Take advantage. Hurt." Callisto explains, taking a deep breath through her nostrils. "And to help keep you safe, was to ask Daxton to be there. For he is most skilled at helping to keep others safe." Said simply as she looks up to seeks to meet the speedster's eyes with her own, or to at least look at him.

Assuming Ness is still closeby or even still linking elbows with her, Callisto will pull her arm out and in a most un-fey-like fashion, seek the shorter girl's hand out with her own and if allowed, clasp it between her own for a few moments. Daxton speaks and Callisto looks to him again for a few seconds, her look speaking volumes: gratitude, appreciation, no shortage of admiration. His speaking of her nickname quirks her lips into a brief smile before she sobers, looking back to Ness.

"Forgive me Ness for my.. vacillation… for I've no intention to go to the mainland. I do not wish for you to be expelled. I fear that you've been hurt deeper by this flu than even you would think. We are here to prevent you from making a terrible mistake."

Ness barely affords a nod to Daxton. She JUST said she'd listen to Callisto, and so, for at least a little bit, that's exactly what she's doing. So when Callisto starts talking… and talking, her face grows more closed, more confused, more… uncertain and upset. And then? Then she has Callisto taking her hand. She looks… distinctly uncomfortable. She doesn't pull away, or evade, but she looks towards Daxton, then back. This is starting to possess the distinct feel of an intervention of some sort. She scowls. Her eyes narrow, and she opens her mouth.

Out of it flows the full, powerful intent of her voice. This is what it means when she's putting out an effort. It's an oppressive, heavy presence that hangs in the air. What she says is simple enough,"You don't know what you're talking about. Nothing can stop me. Nothing can hurt me. I'm POWERFUL." Yeeeep. Which of course means, Callisto hit the bullseye on what's going on. She was deeply wounded. So she made the pain stop.

Daxton opens his mouth, this seems to be going south fast, "Callis-" And then he just stops, confused. What was he talking about? As Ness fills his susceptible mind, Daxton looks increasingly worried. Why would they let such a powerful student here on the island? Blue eyes dart towards Callisto, trying to gauge if he can whisk her way before this student loses it and hurts her. "Callisto, come here." His hand raises for hers.

<FS3> Opposed Roll — Callisto=Psychic Vs Ness=Psychic
< Callisto: Failure Ness: Good Success
< Net Result: Ness wins - Solid Victory

<FS3> Opposed Roll — Ness=psychic+mind Vs Callisto=psychic+mind
< Ness: Success Callisto: Great Success
< Net Result: Callisto wins - Solid Victory

"You need to let the hurt happen, Ness." Callisto continues to say in a profoundly calming, level way despite her considerable inner turmoil. Oh, what these mortals do to her. "Then let the school help you. The counsellors? The staff? Us? We can all do so much more. FOr think of the pain you will bring yourself in the after; after you use your power to protect yourself. The regret, the shame. You do not deserve it."

Then.. out comes Ness' voice. That voice. Callisto remembers quickly the other girl's strength, and her boyfriend's — for all of his physical power — susceptibility to mental 'attacks'… oh no.

She takes Daxton's hand and yet, angles her body so she stands mostly in front of him. Hopefully she can block or otherwise bear the brunt of whatever comes their way, but she faces Ness not as a foe but someone whom she desperately wants to help. "Ness!" Callisto exclaims, tension felt in her hand by Daxton if he holds it still; she stares hard at the smaller girl. "Please—" She backs into Daxton, eyes locked on Ness. "Even the most powerful need help! Accept that help!" And her brand of 'help' attempts to naggle it's way into Ness' mind to trigger the melatonin response… grasps wearily.. may very well fail.

And with that abrogation of responsibility, verbally, Ness feels the constraints of things like 'morality', 'restraint', and 'good behavior' fall away from her. With every moment, she feels more free… and further from human. Her expression grows twisted with anger and betrayal when the suggestion rolls off of her mind, her gaze hardening as she locks eyes with her friend. The expression, of course, is not super friendly, at this point. She gestures rudely to Daxton, and then practically shouts at her.

"My /friend/. You're supposed to be my SISTER." Poor Dax, caught in the middle of this. She's not even remotely being careful with her words right now. This kind of scenario is exactly why her collar was made. Why staff at the school were given overrides to shut it off remotely. Because now, she's caught in an ever-worsening loop. And she learned something from being Dark Fey, even a little bit. The surest way to avoid emotional pain… is to give no shits about anyone but yourself. "I don't need help. Look at you. You're saying I need help, but the first thing you do is try to protect Dax! Leave me alone and go screw your boyfriend or something for all I care. Go jump in the ocean. Get lost. LEAVE. ME. ALONE." As much as her anger protects her against the urge to sleep, it does fizzle the focus, if not quite the raw power of her voice as it rolls over the others.

<FS3> Opposed Roll — Callisto=Psychic+Mind Vs Ness=Psychic+Mind
< Callisto: Great Success Ness: Good Success
< Net Result: Callisto wins - Solid Victory

Here is where Callisto, protecting Daxton, feels yet another strumming of the chords that are making her feel as mortal as she could ever hope to be. Hurt? Shock? Pain? They're being strummed and they create a powerful melody in her head. It's not a nice one. But what it all boils down to? Callisto is a dark faerie. They do not like being spoken to in such a way. Pair this with Callisto's deep care for the girl that is railing with her and she reacts thusly. Her nostrils flare and she steadies herself in front of the speedster who, still caught up in the potency of Ness' voice, is yet becoming more incensed by the girl's outbust.

Callisto's lips pull back in a snarl but her gaze is profoundly hurt. Oddly, her tresses.. long and moonpale.. begin to lift and sway behind and around her body. She appears to whisper something then, a desperate plea not to Ness but to what which is receptive in Daxton's mind within this onslaught: 'run, trust me, run' … and the speedster does. It is hard for him to do so, to trust that she will be okay, but he knows his weaknesses. Now it is just Callisto and Ness.

"YOU NEED HELP." She roars, pushing the brunt of her psychic energy outwards not to harm or counter but to protect herself. She steps forward, hair snapping and swaying in the energy. Her lips move in a sort of chant but really she's dropped into Unseelie, so deep is her upset. It's a beautiful language but it switches to English, "For I am indeed coming to love you little sister, and I will DRAG YOU to the counsellors myself if it damned well kills me!" Callisto hollers.

<FS3> Opposed Roll — Ness=body+physical Vs Callisto=body+physical
< Ness: Good Success Callisto: Failure
< Net Result: Ness wins - Solid Victory

So… here's the thing. Ness is… completely off the rails. So when Ness is completely off the rails, that imp of the perverse everyone lives with… becomes more like a 'Chancellor of the Perverse'. "I. DON'T. NEED. HELP. BACK OFF. TURN AROUND. AND LEAVE ME ALONE. YOU /WILL/ DO WHAT I TELL YOU. YOU'RE NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO RESIST." Except, somehow she is. With that tide of powerful, heavy, honey-sweet words, she's used to just rolling over and crushing people on the rare occasions it gets used. It seems to be sliding off Callisto's shield likes an angry rainstorm on a solid, modern roof. So much noise and nothing more.

Still. Callisto is RIGHT there. And she's just… so angry. She won't move… Won't back up… Won't give her space. It's possible Callisto reads the intent there a split second before she does it… But courtesy of her slipshod, spur of the moment decision making processes… It happens almost as soon as Ness considers doing it. Especially since she seems NOT to care about consequences right now. Rather than flee the scary psychic fae… She reaches for her shoulders as her head pulls back. She hops up, and her forehead dives right for Callisto's face. Yes. That's right. A headbutt. Classy.

<FS3> Callisto rolls Body: Failure.

Back at Winbarry — mayhaps just before Ness' time or arrival to Coral, Callisto put some effort into her physical conditioning. Once upon a time, maybe.. oh, was it back in the 1910s? 20s? She was pretty kickass with swordplay. She could move and duck and weave and fight hand-to-hand. But now in 2018 she's slipped a little, hasn't seen fit to raise her fists to block or punch someone out. But we're getting ahead of ourselves here. Callisto is still yelling, pouring ever ounce of her force into her voice, being fey and used to being heard as fey are so often accustomed to. She respects Ness far too much to pull any of her racial wiles upon the other girl.

But then Ness goes and takes the physical route. Who could blame her? Callisto did not expect Ness to strike her or even try to. Which is why Ness succeeds in vaulting forth and careening her forehead right into Callisto's face. She has only a second to flinch and turn and the other mentalist cracks her a good one right in her right cheekbone and the fey stumbles back, her legs mincing awkward steps, very nearly toppling. Her body collapses back against the wall of the building upon which Daxton had previously awaited the two of them. Callisto gasps sharply, one side of her face already numb and simultaneously throbbing with pain.

The girl is definitely NOT herself if she strikes in anger. Self-defense? Sure. Striking first, and in anger? That's not her. Not her at all. Which is why all this is, perhaps, so alarming. She's impulsive, unpredictable. She notes with some satisfaction, the decidedly… tactile effect the headbutt has. Callisto was assuming their… 'discussion' still had rules. Ness has none, right this moment. This is a psyche broken wide open. So she approaches, crouching down in a frog-like squatting position, elbows on her knees, to look at Callist, close up. She leans forward, actually smelling, as if scenting for blood, then she says in a soft, sinister voice,"Fuck. You. The night is ruined anyway." One can see this close, the beds of Ness' nails have started to tinge a little blue, as are her lips, ever so slightly. Looks like not feeling the cold doesn't mean it's not affecting her.

She rises and turns around, to start walking back towards the school. Yes. She's actually turning her back on Callisto, inconceivably. She really does believe herself that untouchable. That powerful. And she has yet to get evidence to the contrary.

One thing about being Callisto, she will not fall down. She's hunkered over and kneeling but not supine. She leans forward, hair hanging in a silver-white sheet. No blood; thank goodness her perfect nose was missed, but a shot to the cheekbone is a bastard and she's feeling that pain throbbing all up in her eye socket. Ness kneels, leans in to sniff, and Callisto does not flinch. She cants her chin up slowly in a manner that is so very like one who is used to being struck, hard. Mommy Dearest has conditioned Callisto well and for once she is thankful for her see-you-next-tuesday of a matriarch. This grants Callisto strength and resolve and the ability to not snivel. Her bluish-green eyes lift to lock onto Ness' as she snarls out her terrible words. Callisto stares, intent and emotionless even as the one eye tears up from the pain of the strike. The other is clear and penetrating.

"Get back inside." She grates out, just a whisper.. barely audible. Talking hurts, kinda.

Ness is moving back to the school and once she is far enough away, Callisto collapses to her knees and cups her cheek. She succeeded. They did not go into town. But oh, the hurt.

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