Finding my footing

[Aine]

Aine tied her hair back with a blue kerchief and started gathering supplies.  Her first few weeks as a graduate student were full of...well, chaos.  Moving into her apartment, meeting her classmates and professors, and most of all...getting used to the largest university campus she had ever seen, much less step foot in.  She had been so busy and overwhelmed with it all that she still had boxes scattered around her apartment.  But, it was all so exciting too.  Her classes were now focused on her interests, and she had a chance to live in Moscow.  Her family back in Ireland still sent messages, imploring her to be careful, which she was...when she was paying attention.  She had bumped into so many people on campus, because she kept being distracted by this and that.  How would she cope out in the city?

Settling some pencils and sketchbooks into her bag, she started to look around her room for anything else she needed.  A pile from her classes in the corner of the living room caught her eye and she thought back to her lessons. The assortment of supplies, projects in progress, and books on technique weren't really helping.  No, this was a break.  Just a trip to clear her mind and let her breathe for just an hour or so.  Hopefully.

Zipping her light purple jacket up, she slipped on her boots, and walked out of her apartment.  Then realized she forgot her keys.  Aine flew back in and grabbed them, locking the door behind her as she left and shook her head as she let out a sigh with a little laugh behind it.  There was so much to do, she couldn't keep up with it all!  As she walked out of her apartment building and toward the university campus, she was glad to have so much to do.  Her Nan always said it was a blessing to be busy.

Aine let her mind wander as her feet did until she found a bench with a lovely view.  She sat down and set her bag of supplies next to her and began to doodle.  Her classes had been so intense, and moving from a small Irish town to Moscow had been such a change that she just needed a little time to do nothing.  And, since Aine was bad at doing nothing, she did a small bit of something she loved.

[Rachel Shale]

Rachel found herself walking the grounds of the University taking time to see it all again. She didn't know when she would be back or if she would be back. She only knew that right now, her decision to leave had been right. Rachel needed the break. She still felt she should tell her professors in person. Despite how push many of them had been, they had cared about her and had wanted her to succeed. Her decision to leave the graduate program hadn't even been based on schooling. It had just been life. She didn't go into details, but told them she was leaving for mental health reasons. Since all of them were in the field of psychology, they were very understanding.

Bundled up in a light blue coat, matching scarf, and hat, Rachel was protected from the cold, but she still made sure to adjust it to keep warm. Moscow winters could be rough at the best of times. Seeing the University grounds no longer as a student, but also not as a graduate was sort of sad. Rachel let her feet guide her to a spot she often went to when she was feeling down and overwhelmed. There was a bench there and it had a great view. A woman was there sitting on the bench and appeared to be drawing. An art student most likely - and one who had found a lovely place to draw.

Rachel gave the woman a nod and a smile, not pushing herself into the woman's sphere. She didn't want to interrupt the woman's drawing, but still wanted to appear friendly. She sat on the top step of a stairway leading down to the university grounds, still within slight of the other woman and gazed across the campus, eyes showing both regret and relief. She knew her choice to be the right one, but still was sad to see this part of her life ending for now. All of it ending because of her stupid decisions.

Those thoughts always pulled her to Lucio and with that came the feelings that always came even if they were less frequent. Rachel squeezed her hand to stop the tremor of Sentient withdrawal that always seemed to accompany it. A sting of cold came to her cheeks from the tears that had involuntarily dropped at the memories and she wiped them. She was getting better, but healing was a process.

Rachel took a deep, shuddering breath and thought of her support structure to regain composure. Emily, Jared, and her family. Elyse. Hayden. Even Cruz came to mind even though they didn't talk so much anymore. Rachel reached for the power within her and it came easily to her now. That didn't always happen, but this time it did. The warmth and calm was a comfort and she raised her gaze to look once more at the campus and smiled. She would continue to heal and would continue to learn how to use what was in her at Belizna. She was ready.

[Aine]

The winter air was distracting for about a minute or two until she fell into the rhythm of her drawing.  The swirls she made on her page were soothing, and let her mind wander.  They began to transform into little birds as someone walked up and quietly sat in front of her on the steps.  They sat in silence for a bit of time.  Aine scratched away and turned her page, starting a new set of scribbles that she would turn into something new.  She thought she heard the stranger sniffle after a minute.  It was cold...probably just a rebellious nose.  Nothing to worry about.  But, shortly after, the short and quick breathing of crying happened.  Aine lifted her head and lowered her pencil.  

The stranger was a young woman with beautiful golden hair, bundled up for the cold.  She wondered if she should say something, check on the girl.  Or would that be considered rude here?  A big city like this was so different than Carbury, where everyone supported each other.  Biting her lip, she decided to go back to her sketchbook when the girl started to glow and pull in the power that she had learned to control with her Nan.  It seemed to calm her, but Nan was always sure to tell her that there were people out there that would hurt her if they knew she could use it.  She needed to help.

Aine tucked her sketchbook and pencils back into her bag and settled next to the girl.  She looked about her age, probably.  This seemed like when Nan came to to help her when she had reached for the power all those years ago.  She was upset and scared too.  Now it was her turn to reach out.  "Don't mean to intrude," she said, keeping her voice calm.  "Are you doing all right?  Do you need someone to talk to?"

[Rachel Shale]

Movement attracted Rachel’s attention as the artist settled down next to her. Some guilt came up at that. Rachel hadn’t wanted to distract her from her drawing. Of course she hadn’t intended to start crying either. She just liked this place and thought it would be a good place to reflect on her attempt at getting a degree and look ahead to her new projects.

There was some nerves along with that too. The last time she had been upset and had been approached by a stranger, it had been Lucio and that had been a disaster. This woman, however wasn’t like Lucio at all. Her mannerisms were different. Her words were more calming and welcoming. Lucio hadn’t done the same, but still this felt different.

Rachel gave a the woman a smile. ”I’m fine…or I will be.” Rachel turned her gaze back to the University grounds as she considered how much to say. The whole situation was hard to explain. Magic was becoming more well known, but not everyone knew about people who could manipulate emotions with a touch. She also didn’t want to completely unload on this stranger. She went with an explanation the woman should be able to understand. ”I recently broke an addiction, and going through a lot of changes. This happens from time to time. It will pass.” As odd as it sounded, it was true. Lucio hadn’t wanted made her completely reliant on him to the point where even after Iason’s healing, her own body had trouble regulating emotions. It was getting better though.

Rachel turned her gaze back to the woman. Her age was around the same as her own. The red hair fit the Irish brogue of her voice, a contrast to her own Chicago accent. ”Im Rachel,” she said with a smile. ”What were you drawing.”

[Aine]

Aine settled next to the girl, looking out at the university grounds with her.  She tried to calm her mind, so that this stranger didn't realize she was nervous about this interaction.  As far as she knew, she and her Nan were the only ones in Carbury who could use their power, but her grandmother had said there were many across the globe who could.  It was exciting to meet someone who could do this too.  If she approached it right, she might make a friend today.  But, with the world the way it was, there was a lot of uncertainty too.  

The young woman next to her explained that she had recently broken an addiction, and that she would be all right with time.  Before Aine could off advice, she continued, introducing herself as Rachel, and asking what she was drawing.  "Oh!"  She drew her eye brows down a bit and scratched her head.  "I'm not sure if you could call it 'drawing.'"  She laughed.  "I'm Aine.  I just started the Studio Arts program here as a graduate student.  I know a thing or two about change bringing up big feelings too."

She reached into her bag and pulled out her sketchbook again.  It felt strange to show someone doodles as their first introduction to her art, but it was all she had today.  "Classes started not long ago, I still haven't unpacked my things, and I'm busy trying to stay on top of my studies and keep in touch with everyone back home in Ireland...I just needed a moment to step out and...I don't know...let my pencil wander with my mind."  Opening the pad of paper, she showed the first page of scratching.  Well, it felt like scratching, compared to her projects, but the swirls and shading her just as intentional.  Just a bit chaotic.

[Rachel Shale]

Rachel smiled as the other woman offered her name. Aine - pronounced like Anya. It was a pretty name. Rachel scooted a little closer to Aine to get a better look at what she was showing, but also being mindful to not invade her personal space. Some people didn’t like being close to others - even if they did know each other. Rachel and Aine didn’t even really know each other yet.

Rachel wasn’t an artist or critic or anything, but she saw enough to know Aine was a talented artist. Her acceptance into the graduate program would be enough for that as well. ”Well, it’s certainly better than what I could do,” she said with a laugh as she thought Aine should meet Marta sometime. The teenage girl that could talk to wolves and did superhero drawings. It was different that what Aine did, but still art.

Rachel nodded at her speech about change and trying to acclimate. It was something she was familiar with. That had been her life for nearly a year as one thing after another had changed. Aine at least had been a citizen of the CCD. For Rachel, moving from the States had been a challenge, and acclimating had been hard with everything else going on. ”Some people wander to let their minds reset. You sketch. Seems like a very healthy way to reset to me.” Rachel’s approach had been darker and more erratic. It had certainly not been healthy and was still having ramifications. It had led her to her magic though and to finding purpose.