(2019-08-20) Isolation
Isolation
Summary: Syd’s naughty, and smuggled her phone into camp. She has a quiet few minutes where she can set out the solar charger, so she texts Schuyler.
Date: 2019.08.20
Related: None
NPCs: {$npc}
Scene Runner: {$runner}
Players:
schuyler..sydney..

Scene

Finally, some alone time. Syd is perched at the edge of a rocky cliff overlooking the beach, and finally, finally, she has some alone time. She nonchalantly stretches her bellybutton to truly horrific dimensions, and retrieves a solar cell phone charger, and her phone. She unfolds the charger and powers her phone up, then connects the two together with a cable. Not a lot of power left in the various batteries, so she decides not to do any web browsing. But still. Isolation. Bleah. Had enough of that already. She looks instead at her text directory. "Hmm. I wonder what happened to Sky?," she murmurs. So she texts, carefully with steel thumbs against a glass screen: <Yo Sky. Hello from summer camp.>

Schuyler doesn't have a ringtone on his phone, but texts have a certain vibration pattern which is different from the occasional FaceTime calls he would get from his family. They're all staying not too far away this summer so he's not expecting much contact outside of family whom he's seeing quite a bit. So the vibration is met with a little surprise before the phone is pulled out of his pocket and looked at. There's a moment before a text is returned, <I thought you weren't allowed modern technology there? I'm impressed that you even have a signal.>

Sydney looks at the charger, the cable, and her phone. Is she even generating more current than she's using? It's hard to tell. This conversation could be short. She really did think she'd have more time and places she could put the solar panels out discreetly, but her own boyfriend is one of the councelors. Who saw that coming? She types back. "The cell service sees all. And there's a difference between allowed and getting caught. Camp's fun, having a good time, wish you were here and all that, but the isolation is getting to me. What've you been up to?>

There's a slight smirk at the response even as Sky texts back, <I am very happily enjoying the conveniences of modern society. There was no way in Hell I was going to sleep in a tent and eat from a bonfire all summer.> Maybe if he had a split personality like his twin, but he didn't get that particular charming power. <If I was there, I'd be complaining every moment of every day…or trying to escape. The family rented out some house on the shore so we've been hanging out here. Rain's been working, Besa's been…Besa. I've been taking a few classes.>

Sydney chuckles softly. <Hey, there are perks. I haven't worn clothes in like a month. Everyone just thinks I'm wearing my hero costume - which I am. Nobody thinks about what it's made of. :P As for eating from a bonfire, it adds interesting carbon flavors to otherwise boring scrap iron. Heh. Beach house, huh? Sounds like last summer when we were all at the mansion. I still haven't been back to the place since it blew up. There are some things I want to check on. So Besa's with you? I wondered where he was. So… question of the day. You are coming back to school in the fall, right? A lot of the people I knew graduated this spring.> Syd sighs. She'll miss the bright-shiny-sun-powered girl most. She already does.

<I guess there are perks to shapeshifting. I suppose I could try and make people THINK I'm wearing clothes if I'm not, but I'm not sure it's worth the headache.> That, and Sky does have his own fashion expression. <I'd rather be actually home-home, but Rain wanted to work and Besa didn't want to stay apart and wanted to spend some time at the camp. I'm surprised you haven't seen him around. I think he's coming and going.> There's another pause before <Yes, I'm coming back. Last year there though. Conner, our brother, graduated already.>

Sydney chuckles. Conner Masters. Ah yes. She types, <Yeah, I guess he would have. I barely knew him, but I'll miss seeing him around, yanno? ;) Did he ever have his own codename? If not, tell him I suggest "White Rabbit." If he doesn't get the reference, make him watch The Matrix again.»

<That's cute. I'll mention it to him. I don't know if he's ever going to be overtly in the public's face…> not like some of the Masters, <But I'll be he'll consider it for some handle for something or another. I can't imagine he won't get the reference…or one of several references. It was nice having him around too…Rain and I will have graduated by the time one of the youngers get here.>
Sydney laughs, stretching out in the sun herself and holding the phone carefully as not to dislodge the power cable. It does complicate typing. <There are more of you? Are they as cute as you and your brother?> Syd grins. Flirting is fun when even you're not sure if you're serious.

Schuyler actually gives a snort, not that it can be known via text. <Well, Daniel's 12…I guess if you like 'em young? And what would Bryce think of you asking such a question?>

Sydney rolls her eyes. "Bryce might not even realize I was flirting," she mutters.
She sighs. She likes Bryce lots, she really does, but they haven't even kissed in months. Probably one of them has issues with authority figures, and right now Bryce is one. <I'd have to explain it to him, probably. And yeah, twelve's a little young.> Syd's quiet a while, thinking, but she doesn't articulate the thought, even to herself alone on the cliff. <Wouldn't want to break him. And by the time he's old enough, I'll be an adult. Kinda the opposite of my life now. What about you? Any hot girls in your life? Or hot guys, if you ride that way?" It took some getting used to, but today's young people (tm) don't see that kind of thing as a big deal, and Syd's doing her best to go along with it.

<Seems fairly safe to flirt then,> comes one text but then there's a long pause before the next as Sky's snort of amusement has turned into a little glower. <No and no. No one is in my life and Besa is the one who likes guys.>

Sydney ponders that, as she reads the phone. "How does a telepath get so lonely?" she asks the ocean below, or perhaps her phone, or only herself, since she's alone. <Yeah, I found out about that. He's still a sweetheart. :) > She thinks a while. <So should I keep my eye out for elligable junior or senior girls for you?
I dunno. Dating was a big deal in the 80s, but a lot of people now are like
<He says he likes both, but he's only dated guys so far and seemed nervous when girls showed an interest in him,> although Besa may not like him talking to others about that. Sky makes a face, again unseen due to texting, <No…thank you. I'm not going to pursue someone who isn't interested in me.> Sometimes being a telepath isn't the most fun.

Sydney has her question answered. "Oh you poor dear boy… you think you can't grow on someone if you can't look in their head and see interest now…" Syd ponders that. How does she tell him that? How does she give Sky advice even though he's an upperclassman if not literally older? <Sky… not everyone's interested at first glance. Sometimes you go out with someone just to have fun, and realize you had a really good time and you enjoy their company. That's what happened to me with Bryce. I mean, ok, it wasn't a date, more of a rescue mission on my part, but still. I didn't set out to be his girlfriend. It just… happened.>

He could chuck his phone into the street…it's easy enough to get a new one. And it's hard to read tone in electronic print; it's far easier when he can see facial expression and mentally read emotions behind the words. Finally, after a long pause of consideration, Sky texts back, <I'm very familiar with how relationships can happen, thank you very much. But I am also not going to force my presence on anyone who seems ambivalent at best. It would be too easy for me to abuse my powers and I will not.>

Sydney blinks and stares at the phone. <OMG, I totally misunderstood. I'm so sorry. I have to be so careful not to (literally) break people, you'd think I'd get it that telepaths have the same problem, only worse. But I didn't think of it. Ok. And btw, I admire the hell out of your restraint. The temptation with that power must be fierce. It's bad enough when you can throw cars.>

The apology seems to be accepted because Sky still texts back. <I've seen what could happen if I stopped caring what other people wanted and exerted my will on them.> Sort of. <I'm doing my best not to go down that path. Too many people were hurt.>

Sydney types back, <Sky, you're one of the good guys. Never doubt that. And never let go of it.>

Schuyler texts back simply, <No, I'm kind of not. Have fun the rest of the time at camp and thanks for saying Hi.>

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