Crystalline Constellations

S1 E8: Flight of the Phoenix [Part 2/2]

"So, to cut out the excess details and put this in short terms, I can basically do this because of this thing I found about 3 weeks ago." Sandra began to explain, extinguishing the flame in her right hand by closing her fist, and like that, it was gone, as if it had never existed. Then she reached into another pocket of her coat with her left hand, pulling out what she opened her fingers to reveal it to be a gemstone. A glittering bright orange one which looked like the stars had been set on fire because of its colour and immaculate shine. 

This was another Zensairium crystal.

"According to a news article I saw, it apparently fell onto this planet from Phobos, one of Mars' moons. Soon after I found it, I woke up one day and discovered these powers I now seem to have when I accidentally set my dressing gown on fire." She continued, letting out her own little laugh at the memory of it. "So then afterwards I was, as you'd expect, a tad surprised about all this, but over the nex few days afterwards I continued to practice and improve it, and that was when I also discovered that I can use my actual powers without needing to have the gem with me all the time, but I have the ability to, by using the object, transform my normal clothes into battle armour with metal wings and, when I'm in that form, my blood turns a lot more bright orange instead of red. Although... the things I could do eventually ended up gaining the wrong sort of attention..."

Based on her own experiences during the weekend which had just passed, Jenny had a feeling about where her friend was going with what she was about to say. 

"I... I used to have a psychiatrist... when I was younger. My parents forced me into seeing him years ago... because of some things..." Her speech was becoming slower at these memories in particular, and her eyes started drifting in the general direction of the ground at the same time. "His name is Jason Peugot. After a couple of years or so the sessions stopped because of me telling my parents about how it sometimes involved touching and it was inappropriate... but he still followed me a few times even afterwards so that he could keep tabs on me... and he just so happened to follow me when I went to practice my powers one day, and about a week later he..." She took a moment to try and push the absolute most negative parts out of her mind before continuing,

"...he kidnapped me, took me to his mental ward, and for 5 days and nights I was kept trapped there. So that he could conduct experiments on me to see the effects of my abilities on my brain. After those 5 days I managed to escape by using them, I think I about burned his disgusting lab to the ground..." For just a split second, her knuckled tensed up in anger at her former captor before returning to their neutral state. "And I happened to escape just a day before my flight to England was going to leave, so the next morning I made a mad dash to the airport before he could show up to recapture me, and I swear you have no idea how relieved I was when the plane finally took off. And then, well, here I am." She finished by motioning towards herself. 

The younger one perched opposite her in the cold started to detect how similar Sandra's experiences were to her own, so she asked, 

"This bloke, Dr. Peugot, did he mention anything about someone by the name of Martin Keates, by any chance?" 

"He mentioned a guy called Dr. Keates once, I believe." Nodded the brunette. "He was talking about how he's his close friend. Why?" 

And so Jen launched into an own account of her own adventures and all the things that had happened in the last few weeks, about how she had found her own gem from Triton and also provided a demonstration of her abilities, how she met Germany and Italy from Hetalia (during which Sandra was trying VERY hard not to leap into the air with excitement), how they'd also been abducted for experimentation but by Martin but escaped a day later, and about how Eleanor showed up with her own powers and ended up saving them the next evening. "And since then, it's been 3 days, leading us to right now." She concluded. 

"Well then it looks like I'm not alone after all, as you and Ells have kinetic abilities too." For just a second, it looked as if the older one was brightening up, but then her mood sank again only a couple of seconds later. "Only... I'm just worried that Peugot went digging through some files after I left the U.S to track me down and somehow found out which country I'd gone to. I don't fully know whether he's ruthless enough to cross entire oceans to hunt his prey, but it still... unnerves me a little, you know...?" 

Still in the kneeling position, Jenny shuffled over closer to her buddy to offer reassurance. "After Feli, Lud and I escaped from Keates, we were chilled right down to the bone at the possibility that he could return to get us again, too. That morning, when they did, I don't think I'd ever been more scared in my life. But when he did, we managed to get away, and later Eleanor came to our rescue and defeated him." She put a hand on her shoulder. "So what I'm trying to say here is that while he came from his own lab only a few miles away to recapture us that day, Peugot will have to come about 6,000+ miles to hunt for you, and in the unlikely event that he does, there's 5 of us, 3 of whom have superhuman powers, and there's only 1 of him." She cracked her fists together to indicate this. 

The green-blue eyed woman looked up in a small shard of hope. "Really? You think so?" 

"Hell yeah I do!" 

For a second, she looked hesitant, but then she nodded in response. "Okay. You're right, we can definitely overpower him if he does come for me, I'm sure of it now too." She clenched one of her fists while smiling, and then they both stood up, releasing the cramp in their legs from being in the kneeling position for so long. "Thank you, Jen. We can get through this and continue to learn more about our abilities, right?" 

"Of course we can! And it's absolutely no problem dudette." She used this last word as another reference to the lingo they used on Discord. "So then... what now? Do you... perhaps wanna come upstairs to my flat to meet Italy and Germany?" She offered. 

"If that's okay, yeah please! Oh god I don't know what I'm gonna say first! It's kinda like meeting a celeb in real life." 

"Just behave like you would with any other person!" Said Jen with her own smile as they walked off around the other side of the tower block towards the entrance. "Also, random idea: when we get up there, I could invite Eleanor round if you want and do you perhaps wanna exchange X Reader fanfic ideas between me, you and her before I have to go to uni in a few minutes? I've been gagging for us to do this in real life for ages!" 

Sandra's eyes glinted like the flames she had control ove. "How could I turn down such an offer?"