⚙︎ Falling Apart ⚙︎

⚙︎ Rookies ⚙︎

"Gyps, you have to focus."

Who's words were they? My mind was swimming: trying to make sense of the sentence, trying to fit it into my head. 

"Focus!"

The blurry lines became sharp once more as I shook my head, trying to clear the brain fog. I closed my eyes, wiping them with the heel of my hand.

When I opened them again, the fog had cleared.
The sun poured in through the garage's small window, lighting up the room. Many a trinket lay discarded on the several tables and shelves decorating the separated room; some broken, others simply forgotten as they went unneeded.

Evelyn let out a sympathetic sigh, reaching over the table to pat my head. "It's okay, Gyps. Do you want to try again?"

Three days after my embarrassing breakdown, I was training in the garage with Evelyn, who was helping me practise my powers. We were lucky when Jess and Max piped up about the isolated, rugged room. Despite being surrounded by shelves, there was plenty of free space in the middle of the room to use. Apparently Jess and Max mostly spent their time in the garage fixing things, playing cards, and hitting each other with bags of frozen peas ("Don't ask," Jess had said, before shooting Max an amused look).

I placed my hands on the aforementioned low table, steadying myself. "Sorry, I'm just tired."

Lyn shook her head and smiled, shaking off the unneeded apology. She grabbed another paper airplane from the lineup on the table. "Again?" She repeated.

"Yeah," I smiled, drawing away from the table and holding up my hands in front of me, ready.

Lyn nodded once, then threw the paper airplane.

It glid through the air for a minute, then started to rapidly fall.

Fast as lightning, I picked it up with my wind powers and guided it around the garage, Lyn watching in awe. 

Her reassurance made me feel stronger, and the plane flew loop-the-loops in the air, not slowing down for a second.

It was flying towards the garage door, when...

"GUYS!" Skye and Grace burst the door open and jumped up the step. I yelped and yanked the airplane out of their way.

It zipped upwards, then lost interest, fell, and bonked me on the head.

I scowled, and the room burst into giggles, eventually coercing me to join in.

"Okay, funny," Lyn grinned. "But what's up?"

"Oh!" Grace exclaimed. "Right. Well, we –"

"LILY FOUND A WAY TO USE HER POWER AGAIN!" Skye shouted excitedly, unable to contain her enthusiasm.
Grace pouted. "I was going to tell them!"

Skye stuck her tongue out at her PowerTwin.

Lyn's eyes glinted in the light of the garage. "That's great!" She giggled at Skye's cheekiness. "But, uh, do you know for sure?"

Gracie flashed us a smile. "Follow us and we'll show you."

<⚙︎>

The residents of the Happy Home were gathered in the lounge room, the air electric with excitement. The nine-in-the-morning sunlight filtered in through the windows, making the inside lights unneeded. 

Lily was sitting nervously on the couch, bouncing her leg. Eric was to her left, beaming. Jess and Max were standing near the tv (the latter leaning against it), and Casey was grinning ear to ear next to Lily.