Before Hours (Kallisti)

[Cadence]

Sterling was just a ball of energy, and Cadence couldn’t help but feel some of the excitement. With Jules answer, the anxiety Cadence felt at not knowing was diminishing. Cadence thought she had made now two friends today - Ilesha and Sterling.  The feeling of loneliness was diminishing and Cadence was glad that she’d have something positive to talk about during therapy this week. At the very least she wouldn’t feel like a complete failure.

Sterling came back, completely excited with an idea. Sterling explained it, and Cadence felt a little nervous. Drawing wasn’t her art. But she took another calming breath. She turned to Liv  ”I’ll try if you want to?”

When Liv agreed, Cadence turned to Sterling. ”Show me how to work this,” and after a brief tutorial, Cadence embraced her light.

Cadence couldn’t draw to save her life, but she could trace. She made the weave again, but instead of allowing it to come together, she held the threads loose, allowing the others to see how the threads fit together. She then began to trace the threads, following the instructions Sterling had given her. When it was done, she allowed the weave to disappate.

((OoC: Liv and Sterlings agreements approved by Nox))

[Sterling]

Sterling helped Cadence learn the drawing, it really wasn't hard, but it did take time to get used to and tracing the weaves seemed to work though Streling just used the brushes to do it.

Liv was shy about it as well, but she seemed to pick it up without asking, and their weaves were different, not exactly the same.

Sterling pulled the two drawings on top of each other and colored one a little more purple than then other so they could see the differences. She smiled happily. "This worked well." Sterling spread her hands across the overlapping weaves and zoomed in to see the smaller differences. "Liv's are different here and here." She started drawing with a small red line to point them out. "Does anyone know what any of this does other than heal? Like Nox he'd explain things with science, I don't know if we can do that with this."

[Cadence]

Cadence looked at it.  This was a really neat tool, and she was going to ask to get a copy of it to play with in her off time, and Cadence saw the flaw even as Sterling pointed it out, and she looked at it, carefully.  Two differences.  Sterling said the word "science" and it brought Cadence out of her thoughts.

"No, not science," she said. "Weaving." She smiled and pointed at the flaws. "Imagine these weaves - if you tightened them down, these two parts would stick out. They're not tight enough.  They form holes - holes for power to leak through. Maybe that's why it doesn't work.  The frame is there - but there are holes - so it heals, but leaves scars. Cadence shrugged. "It's just a guess of course, but to me it makes sense. What do you think?"

She asked the question, looking at Sterling, Juls, and Ilesha, and deep down she felt excited about this.  She really felt like she had figured it out.

[Legione Sumus]

Juliana Nazarova (Moon Pyre)

Juls had seen Nox play with the program, he had started rigging the stage with similiar projectors the more and more he started putting on shows. His talent wasn't just in the power, he had a good eye. Probably because he had to keep everything so in control in his life. Though she'd never watched him play with weaves in the same way Sterling had, she and him had a strange connection for having just met. Cousins for sure, but it was a bit more than that. Sterling watched and drew but it was Cadence who pointed out the true differences.

And Juls nodded. "I think you are right."

Liv didn't wait she tried her weave again. It wasn't like she didn't know how to do it, she struggled being the center of attention. Attention for her meant the monsters saw her. And that was a bad thing. Juls went and stood next to her and put her hand on her shoulder. "No one here will ever hurt you. You are family."

Liv looked up at her with sad eyes, she was older than the others, they were mere kids, and still Liv felt younger than most. Though she was older than Nox from what the others said. The price of living the way she had. She needed the warmth of a home and Nox intended to see it happen. Even though he himself struggled with family. He was making one for himself and Kallisti was at the heart of it. They were a family before Nox and they'd be a family long after he left, but she hoped he never left. He was like a big brother she never had.

"I think Cadence is right. Your's just need to be tighter. Not all of your healing scars does it?"

Liv shrugged. "I haven't seen all of Nox's scars but some of them look better than others. Maybe you were understanding that?"

Liv frowned. "He still almost died."

Sterling laughed. "You have no idea how many times Nox has almost died. Don't you take any credit for doing him harm. He did that all to himself.

Aston from the stage spoke up "Actually, that's my fault. Liv just healed him."

[Cadence]

Cadence watched as Juls went to talk to Liv. She listened as she heard Juls say the words her mom had said to her. She say Liv’s sad eyes. The same eye Cadence had seen when she looked in the mirror as a girl. The look and interaction brought up memories. Memories of a father who blamed her for her mother’s death and when give her food only to take it away from her and eat it while she watched hungry. Memories of beatings and abandonment. And suddenly those images were replaced by the love of two women who had refused to give up on her.

It didn’t prevent the tears. It didn’t prevent the fear from coming into her eyes. It didn’t prevent her breathing from speeding up. Cadence reached and found Ilesha’s hand again. She squeezed hard, needing this support right now. She embraced her light again, trying to summon her mother’s love to dispel the darkness, but it was still hard. So very hard.

Be brave, Cadence.

Cadence knew that Liv had a hard life. She didn’t know what it looked like. But she had to do something. She moved to Liv, pulling Ilesha with her. She knelt down so she could face the other women. ”I don’t know what you’ve seen and I don’t know what terrors you’ve faced. It may have been easier than mine or worse - I don’t know, but I know you’re loved and safe and no one will hurt you and if someone tries, your family and friends will protect you.”

The words spilled out, and Cadence was immediately embarrassed. ”I…I’m sorry… she said, feeling her cheeks heat up in embarrassment. ”I went a little crazy there…I was just…reminded of things…” Everything in her wanted to run away. She had just screwed up everything again.

[Ilesha]

It was all so overwhelming and interesting. Ilesha wondered if that drawing application could somehow be integrated into Marcus' app that he created that did the whole mathematical calculation thing, it would be so much easier just to draw it and then let the app do the calculations. She might have to talk to Nox about it.

Cadence squeezed her hand and dragged her towards Liv, something was making her anxious but she spoke as if she understood wht Liv was going through. Not that Ilesha understood much of what was going on. She didn't frequent the club often so she was a little out of the loop, last she'd heard Nox was out of town, but apparently he'd been back and was out again. It was all very confusing.

But it was Sterling who got up from her excited seat and wrapped her arms around both Liv and Cadence. "You are all family now. We got this. All of it. No matter what."

She really was a sweet girl. Ilesha wondered if it was Nox rubbing off on her, or if she was just naturally someone who wanted to help. It probably ran in the family.
Ilesha made sure that Cadence knew she was there to support her.

[Cadence]

Cadence was able to hold back the tears, but it was Sterling that let her knew she hadn’t messed up. That girl likely had no idea what that hug had meant to her at that moment. Cadence took this moment to embrace the Sterling and Liv and said to Liv.

”I hope that wasn’t too much. I just wanted to tell you everything is going to be okay.”

She stood when the hug was done and excused herself to go wash her face from the tears. A family. She was part of another famil, and that meant a lot to her, but she could feel the social anxiety boiling beneath her. She was at what she could handle today. She came back.

”Sorry that I freaked out a bit. That happens sometimes. I…” she paused, gathering her thoughts. ”not many people know that I have some trauma in my past, so please don’t talk about that to others. I know you don’t know specifics and it’s not that I’m ashamed of it - well - I’m in the public eye and you know how reporters like to embellish things. I hope I can rely on your discretion.” She smiled though. ”It felt good to say it. Maybe I’ll say more sometime, but my social anxiety isn’t doing so well right now, and I think I need to go soon. Im willing to take pictures if any one wants one, and I hope I can come back some other time, if you’ll have me.” it seemed like Sterling was a fan and she’d be honored to take one with the young girl.

[Ilesha]

It was a happy little thing but Ilesha saw that Cadence had enough, Sterling though she did get up and hand someone her wallet. "Since you are offering, I'll take one. I couldn't ask. Nox would shoot me. Says, if you are gonna hang around the girls you gotta get used to possiblity of having someone rich and famous around." Strerling rolled her eyes in that teenage way they all do. "Course he knows Aiden Finnegan personally, and he's met the Ascendancy. So I suppose he's kinda right. And he met Li Tan once, said he was a hunter too."

Ilesha just shook her head. "Cadence will get that picture and we'll be back some other time. Don't let that picture go viral like you did your cousins skit. That makes a mess."

Sterling blushed. "I won't. I won't show anyone but Nox. Not even Reana. Maybe Liam since he hangs out here now, he's just busy with work work stuff."

[Cadence]

Sterling was certainly a lot of fun, and Cadence was glad to see this girl seemed to have some sort of a normal childhood. Today had overall been a good day, despite everything that went on, and Cadence was once again glad she had left the house. She took a picture with Sterling and said goodbye to the people there, and started to head out with Ilesha.

When they were by themselves, Cadence spoke. "Hey thanks for this...all of this. I..."She trailed off, searching for the right words to say. "I don't make friends easily. I'm sort of messed up and I tend to scare people away. It's really hard, and...just thank you for giving me a chance. And for bringing me here. I see a therapist once a week, and well - I've made a lot of big steps today."

The guy she saw earlier passed again, this time with more clothes on. Her eyes followed him briefly, but this time, her face didn't burn red. Cadence turned to head towards the exit. "Your accent tells me you're from the US too - don't know if you have plans or not, but if you're free, you can come celebrate Christmas with me and my moms. It's always a good time. I don't know if you have family here or not, but if you want to - let me know. If not, well - I understand." There was no sadness on the thought of Ilesha not being able to make it. Cadence knew if she said no, it was just because she was busy, not because she was mad.

((OoC: Feel free to end this thread with your next one if you wish ))

[Ilesha]

Ilesha smiled at the invite. "That sounds like a plan. We can figure out the details. I'll want to bring something. I won't be going home for the holidays."

Ilesha did wonder what had happened to Cadence but she didn't pry. "You can stop by the garge anytime, and we can go to Kallisti whenever you like. It's alot easier when there is someone else who's not quite as open as the rest of them." she grinned at Cadence. It was the first time she hadn't felt like an outsider, though Sterling made sure everyone was loved there. It had to run in the family if Nox had that may kids hanging around his place now. She barely knew him but he seemed decent enough. And hopefully he didn't scare Cadence once she met him.

Ilesha made sure Cadence got to her dwelling safely, with no panic attacks or anxiety issues, then made her way to her own apartment. She'd hit the garage later, but for now she wanted to practice a few things in the privacy of her own home.