[Amanda] Skipped Time (Day 10): Surf's Up! (open tag)

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George was splashing around in the surf with Carlos. Again.



Amanda watched them with ill-concealed jealousy. Rose glanced at her, pausing in her preparation of fish stew for today's lunch. "Why do you do this to yourself, girl?" she asked. "There's lot of attractive men around here."

Amanda didn't bother to answer. She just continued chopping up fruit with more force than was strictly necessary. She looked up again. Carlos was teaching George to body surf. Amanda laughed mirthlessly as George tumbled head over heels and disappeared in a breaker.

They'd gone for a swim every day before lunch for the last three days. It was always the same. They spent all morning together, either playing grab ass while pretending to teach George to fight or disappearing into the jungle. Supposedly they were foraging or setting and checking snares, but Amanda knew they were screwing around out there.

Then they'd come back grinning like idiots, usually with something in hand to justify their disappearance. They'd go swimming (more grab ass), eat lunch, and then they'd disappear again for a siesta. Amanda snorted. ("Siesta" my cute little ass!)

"Why're they out there playing in the ocean while I'm stuck here," Amanda muttered. She was talking to herself, but Rose answered anyhow--apparently she found it impossible not to stick her nose into everyone else's business.

"They've been doing their share since the first day here," Rose said. "Or since Carlos joined us, in his case. If they want to take some time to relax, they've earned it." Her voice hardened. "Your friend Shannon has spent a lot more time relaxing with a lot less justification, if you ask me."

"I didn't ask you," Amanda snapped.

"No, I guess you didn't," Rose said with aggravating calm.

Amanda snuck a glance at Rose. She continued to methodically prepare the fish. "I just...don't understand what he sees in Toilet Seat Girl," Amanda said.

Rose paused, knife upraised. She looked at Amanda in surprise. "What?"

Amanda feigned surprise. "Oh, didn't you know? George claims to have been killed by a falling toilet seat. Now she's undead or something and she sees dead people, like that kid in The Sixth Sense. Or so she says. Just goes to show far some people will go for attention, I guess."

Rose blinked and glanced out at George, who was sputtering and wiping her face, hip deep in the surf. Amanda worked hard to control the spiteful smile she felt. She was taking great joy in spreading the story since she'd heard it this morning. Rose shook her head sadly, and Amanda smiled faintly.

"You're a pretty girl, Amanda," Rose said. "But you'd be a lot prettier if your insides matched your outsides."



OOC: I've created an icon for Amanda. Feel free to steal it.

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[Mara] Wheels Within Wheels (open tag)

[scarred-muse.livejournal.com]

Mara was wandering along the high-water line when she felt a clenched fist of spoilt-child anger, outrage and confusion in the shape of a woman heading at her back. "Out of my way, crazy bitch," Amanda snarled as Mara stepped aside just in time to avoid being pushed.

Mara stood there gasping, shocked by an overload of...inappropriate...emotion. Possessiveness. A sense of just not being understood by anyone. Deep irritation...with Harry, for some reason. /They don't get it. None of them get it--Idon'twantpoliticaladvantagehereIjustwantHIM--/

Mara stumbled and let out a soft eek. /Oh boy. Oh boy but some people are uncomfortable to be around./ She herself had been quietly avoiding Charlie all morning; he kept sitting somewhere near her and staring at her, and his stares were like unwelcome hands on her skin.

Speaking of which...heading this way, eyes on her in the wrong way, thinking of saying something just because there was the opportunity, not out of concern--there he was. /No, Charlie, leave me alone,/ she thought as she hurried down the beach, and was so disoriented from his worry over him and getting the brunt of Amanda's feelings that she ran straight into Harry.

Hands grabbed her shoulders.

/crazy but cute...bet I could talk her into anything/

"Hey, hey, careful there. You all right?" Hands sliding down her forearms opportunistically toward the sides of her breasts.

She pulled away awkwardly. "I'm fine." He was smiling too much. She never trusted men that smiled too much. "Excuse me."

"Now, c'mon, wait a second here--what's your name?" He grabbed one of her upper arms again to stop her, and she shuddered. /Dirty. Filthy. Bad./

"Harry," Charlie's voice behind them had suspicion, possessiveness and a hard warning in it. /...hands off her NOW you smarmy shite.../

"Little busy right now, Charlie-boy. Come back later." He sounded amused as she whimpered and tried to pull away. "Oh, come on, don't be shy--"

"Harry, she doesn't fookin' like bein' touched!" Charlie grabbed him by the shoulder and shoved him away. That bit had almost seemed like honest protectiveness...but no. Until the monkey was all the way dead he couldn't manage anything so selfless.

/Oh holy crap, what is this? I'm being fought over by two of the creepiest bastards on the beach!/ Mara stumbled backward away from them, eyes brimming.

"Wait--Mara--bloody Hell, now see what you did!"

Harry got in Charlie's face as he rounded on him. "What I did? You're the one acting like a crazy person! Maybe you two belong together!"

That did it. Mara started running away blindly from the arguing pair.

[Tommy] Wheels Within Wheels (tag Mara, open)

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"Wait--Mara--bloody Hell, now see what you did!" Charlie's and Harry's shouting tore Tommy's attention from his nearly finished bow. He looked up from his campsite to see Mara running blindly from the two idiots, heading straight for the jungle. Tommy was on his feet and sprinting to intercept her before he quite realized what he was doing. Thankfully he'd somehow remembered to leave the knife he'd borrowed from John behind.

Mara was fast, but Tommy had the advantage of longer legs. He dashed several feet ahead of her, saying, "Mara, stop! You're headed for the jungle. It's safe here on the beach." Although they hadn't actually met previously, he hoped she'd listen.

[Mara] Fallout (tag Tommy, open)

[scarred-muse.livejournal.com]

Mara stumbled to a stop, aware of the young man and his concern--and Orrie, thinking this was all a game, making a barking streak down the beach toward her. As her heartbeat slowed and she became more fully aware of her surroundings, she realized she was bare steps from the treeline.

/I ran toward the Jungle. Where THEY are. Oh my God. Why would I do that?/

She stood there panting, her eyes drying as she got her bearings.

/I just got too upset again, I guess./

"I'm sorry." She dipped her head, pale cheeks gleaming. "I wasn't looking where I was going. I just wanted to be somewhere that was away."

The two were still arguing. Harry was going to get hit. She squelched a stab of concern. /Let him. Stop caring so much for hateful people. You're not a martyr; you just had a demon try to turn you into one.

Sound of fist on flesh. She winced.

Then she rolled her eyes up to peek at Tommy. "Th-thank you for the warning."

[Tommy] Fallout (tag Mara, open)

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"You're welcome," Tommy replied a bit distractedly. He was keeping an eye on Charlie's and Harry's rather pathetic fistfight. Several others were watching as well, so he returned his attention to Mara. She looked like a small, frightened bird. Her spirit came into focus briefly. It was also avian; a kestrel whose hood had been torn off and wings clipped. But her sharp eyes were adjusting, and bright feathers growing in.

Tommy smiled. "I'm Tommy. You're welcome to come sit with me if you want. I'm working on a bow over there. I'll crack it over those morons' heads if they bother you again."

[Mara] Seeing souls (tag Tommy, open)

[scarred-muse.livejournal.com]

"Hi Tommy." Mara smiled a little. His eyes were unusually bright, almost a liquid brown, and reminded her of something, but she couldn't put her finger on it. "I'm Mara. I'm with Faith. I...get overwhelmed a lot. You could say the universe has me in a perpetual state of TMI.

She trailed him back to the bow gladly. "Thank you. It won't be necessary. Most girls could just tell them to go away. I'm...not good at confrontation."

Orrie bumbled to a stop a few feet away and landed rump-over-nose. She got up and shook herself off. Meant to do that! She waggled up to Mara and Tommy and then plopped her ball at his feet.

Mara watched what he was doing quietly. "I want to carve kelp leaves in it," she admitted. "That's what I do. I make things look nicer. Not much use out here, I know. Though...I bet I could help you make arrows."

[Tommy] Seeing souls (tag Mara, open)

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Tommy chuckled at the puppy's antics. He ruffled her fur, grabbed the proffered ball, and tossed it for her. The puppy was a blonde streak in pursuit.

"I want to carve kelp leaves in it," Mara said softly. "That's what I do. I make things look nicer. Not much use out here, I know. Though...I bet I could help you make arrows."

Tommy gave her a grin. "Arrows will be useful, as will making things look nice, especially if we'll be here for a while." He whittled the curve of the bow a bit deeper, saying "Kelp leaves, huh?" After seeing how she'd spent yesterday evening with Ami, River, Scott, and Kenzaki, her comment didn't surprise Tommy. "I'd like that. They'd remind me of the otters and kelp beds I maintained at the Monterey Aquarium. I hope they're doing okay. Especially Dennis."

"Dennis?"

"One of the juvenile male otters. Dennis the Menace. He gets into more mischief than otters typically do."

[Mara] Children of the waters (tag Tommy, open)

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Mara blinked at him, then giggled a little. "Oh. That's it, then."

"What's it?"

"Your eyes." It didn't sound like she was flirting. It was always easier to talk to guys who set off her gaydar--especially if she would have otherwise found them attractive. "You miss them, don't you?"

"...kinda, actually, now that I think about it."

She sighed a little, and tentatively took up some of the arrow-making supplies, working to push the bits of fletching into the notched bamboo. "There are kelp beds near here, aren't there?"

"I...think so, yeah."

"Probably otters, too." She smiled faintly. "Maybe you should visit the--"

Her head came up suddenly, a look of panic on her pale features. She looked around, eyes sweeping the treeline as if she expected to see monsters.

A nightengale called. She felt a surge of panic. "Oh no...." she whispered, putting a hand over her chest again. "What is that?"

[Molly] Children of the waters (tag Mara, Tommy, open)

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Molly had finished her bow. It was perfect for her height and current pull strength. She'd found a Brazilwood tree and with her newly made knife, has cut through some fifty long, straight branch offshoots. She carried them bundled under her arm. She needed to make half into practice arrows, but she needed fletching (she had gotten good at carving the three notches at precise 120 degree angles for proper spin) and she would need to make arrow heads for the other twenty five.

She spotted Tommy talking with the new girl, Mara, his own bow in plain view. He’d know where the fletching feathers were now.

"Oh no...." she whispered, putting a hand over her chest again. "What is that?"

Molly sank gracefully to the sand on the other side of the girl, concern creasing her brow.

"What's what?" She looked about for any sign of trouble, but didn't see a thing.

[Tommy] Children of the waters (tag Mara, Molly, open)

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"Hey Molly," Tommy greeted the lithe young(?) woman as she joined him and Mara. He followed the women's gaze to treeline. Although he saw nothing alarming, he felt uneasy. "What is it, Mara?"

[Mara] Children of the waters (tag Tommy, Molly, open)

[scarred-muse.livejournal.com]

The air felt greasy and cold around Mara suddenly; her ears itched, as if she was straining to hear something horribly unpleasant that was just out of range. "Nightingales. I heard them...something's wrong...."

The feeling faded to a faint chill after a few very long and ugly moments. She sat there trying to catch her breath, vaguely aware of the girl with flowers in her hair sitting down next to them.

Molly] Children of the waters (tag Tommy, Mara, open)

[purplerhino.livejournal.com]

Too much on this island was beyond the realm of most mortal ken. But Molly had heard people talk about Mara. Many compared her to River. Was she psychic, or did she have The Sight, which was part psychic, part the ability to see past veils and percieve magic. It was dobtful that she was simply mad. Nothing on this island was that cut and dried.

"Can you sense what's wrong, or only that it is?" Molly lay a hand on Mara's in a gestuyre of support and comfort.

[Mara] Children of the waters (tag Tommy, Molly, open)

[scarred-muse.livejournal.com]

Mara blinked slowly at Molly, and then sighed and shook her head. "I'm a crippled newbie. I know just generally sensing danger is worse than useless. Go ahead and ignore me." She sighed and tried to force herself to go back to making arrows...but her hands trembled. "I just wish I had my meds or something so I didn't have to hear."

[Molly] Children of the waters (tag Tommy, Mara, open)

[purplerhino.livejournal.com]

"Nonsense. Sensing danger even generally, allows us to be ready for it. To be alert. Even if we don't know what it is. We get comfortable in our routines, and supress that we were attacked. I know I do, and it shook me badly." Molly patted Atra's shaking hand. "But as we can't do anything about it now excapt be alert, it's best to arm ourselves, hmm?"

Pulling her own crude knife from its makeshift sheathe(a badly mangled pair of jeans had valiently given its life for, Molly began carving the three little grooves at their proper angles and making notches in her own arrow shafts. "We have to replace the bamboo as the nubs cut down the speed and accuricy. And we really should cut arrows for each archer, or archer in training."

Armpit to middle fingertip with the proper length of arrow, but it varried from person to person.

[Mara] Children of the waters (tag Tommy, Molly, open)

[scarred-muse.livejournal.com]

Mara swallowed and nodded, but looked very hesitant. "I just hope I can give the right warnings at the right time. I...don't know what I am doing."

On the mention of arming themselves, Mara smiled sadly. "I will help you. But there is no point in giving me a weapon."

"Why not?"

"Because I won't hurt people. I feel it, you see. If I hurt someone else it would be like hurting me. I am not allowed to ignore the interconnectedness between all things."

"What about to defend yourself?"

Mara shrugged a shoulder. "I wouldn't know how. I freeze. It took the fight from me, and nowadays I can only run or hide."

Her eyes traced the treeline again. "I almost ran into the jungle this time. I didn't even realize it until Tommy stopped me. I hope they weren't calling me. I hope they can't do that."

[Tommy] Children of the waters (tag Mara, Molly, open)

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Although Tommy wondered what the "it" who'd taken the fight from Mara was, he didn't ask. The young woman was rattled enough already.

"I almost ran into the jungle this time," Mara said. "I didn't even realize it until Tommy stopped me. I hope they weren't calling me. I hope they can't do that."

Tommy frowned thoughtfully. "Rather than hope that it doesn't happen, we should take steps to keep it from happening." Mara peered at him questioningly. "Tara's been teaching me magic. There are protection and warding spells. She may know of one to keep the Others from calling you. You should ask her when she and the others get back.

"As for sensing danger and giving warning without freezing up..." Tommy paused, trying to think of a way to keep the psychics' confidences. "The Doctor is teaching some of us, including Tara and I, shielding. It's supposed to be psychic shielding, but he said that Tara and I use magic. In any case, it works. I'm still learning, but I could teach you what I know. Shields may give you a buffer so that you're not overwhelmed."

[Mara] Children of the waters (tag Tommy, Molly, open)

[scarred-muse.livejournal.com]

Mara nodded slowly and thoughtfully at Tommy's words. "The Doctor...and you...are not the first to suggest this to me. I'll join the class, I guess...I don't know if there's a special section for disabled psychics or anything, but why not...?"

/What would I do if they called me? Alex called me and I crossed continents trying to get to him. I would rather run from them into the ocean and drown than let them touch me. But that's not what my feet did./

/River's right. I should have stayed away from Charlie. He's horrible./

She frowned then, an odd thought occurring to her. "If you haven't gone out to the water yet, how will she teach you magic?"

[Molly] Children of the waters (tag Tommy, Mara, open)

[purplerhino.livejournal.com]

Molly nodded more to herself. Mara was alot like River. But she also had The Sight. River did not. Magic wasn't something River could 'see'.

"I think they'd be gentle with you. And to do that I don't think The Doctor is the one who'd teach you. I understand he gives some people headaches with the mind meld thingy. He's... not your average psychic." He certainly made no great effort to keep his nature hidden. Not if someone were willing to see. Most were not, happily keeping their heads in the sand. But Molly didn't know if Mara knew the man's unearthly nature yet.

"However, Tara did try to teach you some magic connected to water, didn't she? You do seem more connected to water than anything else. Or do you mean salt water, Mara?" She looked at Tommy, "Have you tried anything in the ocean? Seems like you've been drawn to it as a career. Maybe it goes deeper."

[Mara] Children of the waters (tag Tommy, Molly, open)

[scarred-muse.livejournal.com]

Mara smiled...and felt something cold come up beside her. She looked up and whispered, "Hi Sally," to empty air. Then she rocked back and forth a little. The ghost had stood by her all night, and then had stayed by the shelter, and now it had drifted over like a sleepwalker again.

"The Doctor scared me at first. But I felt better after having a conversation with his spaceship." Blink. "Um...I...didn't make that up, really." She ducked her head.

"Gotta get used to the Doc anyway because there's a need there, just like I have a need here. Like I have to buck up and go back into the jungle in a few days. Because there's a need /there/. Compassion, I can do. I'm pretty good at it. It sometimes helps me face how scary things are."

She tried to explain the feeling she had for Tommy to him, but it was like translating things from a phrasebook she only had half the pages to. "I was flying with the birds and I lost track of time. I'm not sure how to explain that feeling, but Tommy is not a witch like Tara is a witch. He needs to go...out...kind of like that. But not in the air. In the sea. But I don't...even know if that makes any sense or anything." She was getting a little better at arrow-making; she finished another and set it aside. "You go out and you bring something back."

[Tommy] Children of the waters (tag Mara, Molly, open)

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Tommy pensively listened to the women's comments about water and magic. "I've always been drawn to the sea. Ironic for a three-quarter plains Indian, huh?" He whittled his bow as he thought aloud. "I haven't been doing anything... magical except for practicing shielding. I'm waiting until Tara gets back. There's plenty to do in the meantime just to keep everyone fed." He looked at Mara consideringly. "You're right. I'm not a witch. I'm a medicine man like my grandfather was, except he knew what he was doing." He widened his gaze to include Molly. "You seem to be describing a vision quest. I guess I can try it. I don't know how much of the old Lakota ways are ceremony and tradition versus true spirit magic."

Tommy glanced at the ghostly woman who was now following Mara around. She still creeped him out, but didn't seem to bother the sensitive psychic. The ghost seemed more... alive. "Her name's Sally?" Mara nodded. "Did she tell you? She was nearly catatonic a few days ago. And what did you mean by conversing with the Doctor's ship?"

[Mara] Children of the waters (tag Tommy, Molly, open)

[scarred-muse.livejournal.com]

"There are a lot of ironies in life," Mara said quietly. She didn't know anything about Lakota medicine, so she didn't pitch in on that, saying only, "If they suddenly found that their lands had a coastline, how would they change what they do?"

"Sally is a nickname. From Nightmare Before Christmas. I didn't know what to call her. She doesn't talk. We've only gotten her to react some so far, but it's fast progress considering. And she's...still catatonic. Just a little less so."

She shrugged a little when the Tardis was brought up. "His ship has a soul. She's actually really nice, although for somebody with no shields it was like being sat on by an elephant who thought it was a lap dog."

[Tommy] Children of the waters (tag Mara, Molly, open)

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"If they suddenly found that their lands had a coastline, how would they change what they do?" Mara asked rhetorically.

Tommy gave her a small, considering smile. (That's it. That's what I need to do.) "Thank you, Mara. I'll think about that." He already had some ideas, but wasn't ready to act on them yet.

Mara's analogy made Tommy chuckle. "If the Doctor ever arranges tours of the 'Tardis,' I'm signing up." Then he added seriously, "I think you really need shields here. That doesn't mean they have to be up all of the time, but they're there if you need them. I can teach you what Tara and the Doctor have taught me now, if you want."

[Mara] Children of the waters (tag Tommy, Molly, open)

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"Um. Y-you're welcome." /Not sure what I said, but ok./

"The Tardis is nice. And she's lonely." So was the Doctor, for that matter, once you got past the ten-block-long parade of cheerful pomposity he surrounded himself with. "We should ask if we can come visit now and again if we're here a while. I think she'd like you."

Mara frowned thoughtfully again at the idea of learning a few pointers now. "I'm...not normal...and may not be able to apply what you teach me the same way..." /Ami said my shields are shredded. But I can at least get the basic ideas of how to do this in my head now, so I can use them when I am more healed./ "But sure, let's talk about it while we work."

Charlie and Harry had vanished into the infirmary. Harry had landed a few pathetic blows, and then Charlie had gotten his Irish up and pounded him one good and hard in the face before succumbing to a vomiting fit. /Poor Charlie,/ Mara thought in spite of herself. /I hope he lives long enough for people to see what he's like without the monkey./

"I don't know what it would be like to have shields up all the time. Do you think I'd become a mean person if I couldn't feel other people's feelings?"

[Molly] Children of the waters (tag Tommy, Mara, open)

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"Normal is a relative term, anyway. I mean, we're on an island with an alien time traveler, his human girlfriend even if they won't admit it and his space ship. Several psychics, a witch and a medicine man. We have dinosaurs and smoke monsters and the Morlochs. Who knows what else?" Molly didn't know how much this woman's Sight showed her. But she wasn't volunterering anything about herself.

"The Normal people are the ones having the hardest time coping, overall. Let's hear it for the freaks!" Molly grinned. "I'd kinda like to meet that ship, as well. I've never seen a living ship before. Okay, untill this island I never met a real not-from-earth alien, either."

[Mara] Children of the waters (tag Tommy, Mara, open)

[scarred-muse.livejournal.com]

"No, I um...mean that I'm not a normal psychic. I had someone look at me and tell me my shields are...damaged?"

Still, Molly's words made her smile. "It's nice to not feel alone. I was...I'd never met anyone else who was anything but ordinary before I came here."

/Well, except Faith, but I won't just babble on about her./

"Are the normal people here mean to the others?" she asked quietly.

Molly was beginning to answer when a look of panic crossed Mara's face and she stood.

(OOC: Mara is reacting to this:
http://community.livejournal.com/crossing_lostrp/66715.html )

[Tommy] Speaking of freaks... (tag Molly, Mara, open)

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Tommy laughed from Molly's "Let's hear it for the freaks!" He hoped that she didn't consider herself a freak. The half-elf was the picture of grace.

Mara had wondered aloud if she'd be a mean person if she was shielded from others' emotions. Although he'd just met the sensitive young woman, Tommy couldn't imagine Mara being mean, even in self-defense. "From what Tara and the Doctor have said, being shielded isn't an all-or-nothing thing. You've met Tara. She'd usually shielded to some degree to keep from being overwhelmed, and she's a sweetheart. Think of it as armor that you can reinforce or take off at will."

Suddenly Mara's eyes widened with panic. (Not again!) Tommy thought, worried. She stared in the direction of the infirmary, staring to get to her feet. Tommy laid one hand on her shoulder, hoping that the contact would ground her rather than further freak her out. "Mara, what is it?" He followed her line of sight and answered his own question. Quentin sprinted out of the infirmary like a man possessed. Tommy watched, dumbfounded.

OOC: Let's continue this over here (http://community.livejournal.com/crossing_lostrp/66715.html).