In A Blink

Bluebell flopped onto the king-sized bed that was in the room she had claimed, snuggling down into the thick covers with a groan. Her black hair splayed across the pristine white sheets, which were almost invisible against the bright white walls - which, of course, blended in with the pure white carpeting and furnishing. Everything was so very white, from the huge bathroom to the closet the size of Narnia. It was all so very plain colored, which made Bluebell's appearance striking. Against the white, her skin was creamy caramel, her hair and clothes were so very black, and her yellow eyes were even more wolfish.

Then again, maybe it wasn't such a strange thing that she chose a white room. Andy knocked on the door to her room before pushing it open, letting himself in. It gave her the power to change it to whatever she wanted. He paused beside her bed, seeing the girl face-down on the covers. The childish behavior reminded him that the woman was only eighteen, and it made him feel a pang of regret for making her grow up so fast. Forced to keep their Holdings a secret, the man knew that it made people grow up so very fast.

"Blue?" He asked, sitting on the edge of the bed. She gave a short growl of a response, and Andy reached out to rub her back. She hissed in pain, making Andy flinch - her flaming wings from days before had given her burns, and they must have still been tender. "Blue, let's go downstairs. We have some things to discuss with the others." He kept his voice soft as his hand rested on her lower back, where the burning wasn't severe. A heartbeat passes. "Okay," Bluebell sighed, sitting upright and sliding her feet onto the ground.

Andy and Bluebell went downstairs, their boots padding along a red-carpeted staircase under a spiraling chandelier until they reached the bottom. There was a sunken sitting area, where C.C., Jake, and Ashley were already sitting. Jinx came out a moment after Andy and Bluebell sat down on cream velvet seats, putting beers on the round table and a bottle of Sprite for Bluebell. "Alright," Andy said, sitting forwards, "I know that it's personal, but I feel that we should tell each other how we found our Holdings, and what exactly the do."

That earned a few seconds of silence. Bluebell shifted slightly in discomfort - C.C. put his arm around the back of the sitting pit, rubbing her shoulder absentmindedly. "You're right Andy, it is personal. Why are we discussing this?" He asked, glancing at The Voice of their Clan. Andy paused for a moment before answering. "I just feel as if it would help us trust each other more. C'mon guys, we gotta face this at some point or another." He glanced around, seeing Ashley nod slowly in agreement. "I agree," he said, pointing out the obvious. He shifted forwards and grabbed a beer, cracking the lid off. "I guess I'll go first, then."

His story wasn't too bad. It actually started out pleasantly - he found his Holding when he was nine, and amazing ability to make people focus on one thing or another for extended periods of time. He helped his parents concentrate on their work or other duties. They never thought of him as a freak, only a miracle child. His parents passed away since then, of course, but it was after they did that he found his Holding Name. "I'm called The Deviant because Man Without Face wanted to make sure I'd never stray from the good side again. I had a time where I used my Holding to force women to focus on me so I could sleep with them. I regret it, and the Name helps me stay on the straight and narrow." Ashley looked down in shame, and Jinx clamped a hand on his shoulder comfortingly.

A few moments of silence passed, then the others all seemed to leap into the task. Andy went next. His parents thought he was insane because he heard a voice in his head all the time - telling him where to go and what to do, how to help people. After a while, he was sent to a treatment facility where they tried drug after drug to help with his "psychosis". Finally, he lied his way out, ran away from home, started a band, and his career took off at the same time he found his Holding Clan. His power was simple - he could communicate freely with Man Without Face, and his voice had great influence over people - like sirens.

Jinx told how his Uncle, who raised him, thought he was crazy the first time he saw Jinx open a portal with a purple fire that didn't burn anything. Jinx was eighteen when that happened, so when his Uncle went off the deep end and put himself in an asylum, he just skipped town and found a job - until Andy found him. "I'm called The Mystic because I don't know why I was chosen. Andy had a connected with Man Without Face since childhood, and Ashley has a good heart that shows him the best way to use his Holding. Me? Nothing. Just a man who can manipulate mass energy at will."

Jake shrugged, shaking his head when it was his turn. "I'm called The Mourner because... because I found my Holding at a funeral for my sister. I was nineteen and she was seventeen - she took her own life. I remember feeling such a massive desperation to ease our parents hurt and then suddenly..." Jake trailed off, raising his hand to show glittering silver dust twirling above his palm for a moment. "...Suddenly, there was this silver glitter in the air and everyone was alright. I can calm people down to the point they fall asleep - which makes Ashley's job easier, I guess?" Ashley confirmed it with a nod and a tight smile.

There was another moment of silence, then C.C. took a deep breath. He was called The Destroyer because he found his ability when someone was hurting his mother - all of the sudden, the guy was in shreds on the floor. "I destroy energy violently, no matter how big or small. It's just what I am."

Bluebell reached over and squeezed C.C.s hand, putting her other palm against his chest lovingly. He smiled down at her, covering her hand with his own. Andy glanced at Ashley - sure enough, he didn't seem bothered by C.C. and Bluebell being so close anymore, looking at the drummer with a deep respect instead.

"I guess it's my turn," Bluebell said softly, sighing. Her story was a little girl who was forced to be perfect by her parents - forced to dress well, forced to look nice, forced to be silent, forced to be still. She was never allowed to draw or sing or make art - so she just imagined it. One day, her imagination leaked into reality - a galaxy was in her room that night, glowing. Like any eight-year-old, she told her parents and expected them to be excited for her, only to have her sent to shrinks and therapists until she left. "I'm called The Creator because that's what Man Without Face named me - because that's what I do, I suppose. I create."

Silence. For several minutes, the Clan simply drank their beverages and pondered on each others story. If anyone noticed how Bluebell pressed her hand to the couch and summoned soft music from nowhere to ease their stress, no one commented. No one dared to break the moment of peace.

Notes

Here's your second chapter for tonight, as promised! Forgive me for not keeping y'all updated so long, yeh?

Be happy not sappy, loveyoubye!

xoxo
LK Marie