[AU:BR]Not The Same Anymore(OPEN)

[Demi Smith]

Everyone kept saying that about sex. Demi was tempted to admit as much. It just... hadn't seemed appealing to her. She sometimes enjoyed being around some people more than others, but she'd never had the desire to see them naked or anything like that. The few attempts at romantic relationships she'd had never got to that point. It wasn't really a sore topic or anything along those lines, simply one that Demi didn't quite understand. She simply chalked it up to more cultural differences.

"They were... interesting," Demi offered. She could still remember interacting with them, entering that group and being welcomed with open arms. They'd done that with everyone, but there had very nearly been another celebration when they'd discovered that Demi was one of them. It had definitely been interesting, and it almost seemed to solidify Demi's odd position in this world, strangely enough.

The compliment had Demi letting out a laugh. "I should've, given how long I've been doing this," she said, nodding. "I did plateau for a while," she looked back at him, "seeing as I needed to actually try learning things," Demi headed back down, getting her feet back on solid earth and away from decorations. "But yeah,' She smirked, another burst of her old self coming through, "I'm definitely still a badass." She looked over at Franck, brows raised in slight curiosity. "What about you? You ever do anything with your power? Get better at it?" Demi couldn't quite recall if Franck's power was one you could really get better with. He'd been fairly far along when they'd met all those years ago, after all.

[François Laffont]

If Demi never felt any desire for sex, it was not something Franck shared with her. He had always been rather physical when he loved someone, always needing to touch and feel them. And that also meant to sleep with his lovers. He only needed an emotional connection and he was just ready to do it. Even more now. He was, however, still not entirely comfortable discussing it. Oh, he could talk more than he used to as a teenager, but he considered what he was doing with his lover to be private and that it should remain so. People didn’t need to know what position he liked best and other things of the like.

“Everyone thought they were a bunch of hippies,” he began to say, stopping before he added more on how people saw them in town. A bunch of weird people who chose to go back to simple things and working the ground and all that. Those were her people after all, he didn’t want to insult them, even if she chose to live here instead.

“I’ve learned a thing or two as well. Mostly being able to read better into one’s feelings and not let them get to me as easily. A good thing, if I wanted to do this job. You imagine if I were to cry every time a kid came in tears?” This happened with practice and getting used to a power that he could not turn off to begin with. But Demi, he knew it was through lots of training and hard work and lots of determination. She always had a lot when it came to her ability. He smiled, amused by the smirk she gave him. “I think I wouldn’t believe it was you if you had turned all sweet and innocent. You’ve always been more... like a diamond in the rough. That fits you better.”

[Demi Smith]

The mention of the visitors being hippies had Demi laughing. "They pretty much were," she said, half-smiling. She could remember them all too well, and what they'd put her through, put everyone through. all in the past now, something they could look back on and smile and make awkward conversation about. Not that conversation had ever really gotten that easy for Demi; she was just thankful that most training sessions had what essentially amount to a script to follow.

It did lighten her mood to hear that Franck had gotten better, even as the French speaker joked about it. "I'm glad to hear it. otherwise I'd have to be offering to train you, and wouldn't that be fun?" Demi said, giving Franck another smile. she walked back, standing next to Franck now, dusting herself off. The coating had more or less condensed into a fine dusting that they sprinkled on her body more like a powder: the benefit of technology and directly working of the school.

The last comment drew Demi's attention away from such technological marvels, and she instead looked at her longtime companion, meeting his gaze and smirking. "So does that make me a diamond now? I could go with that; they're one of the toughest materials on earth." Leave it to Demi to think more of diamond drills than the precious stones that everyone lusted after.

[François Laffont]

Franck remembered how he thought they were absolutely harmless at first. Just some of those who decided that the world turned too much around material possessions and chose a simpler, more natural lifestyle. The fact they thought differently did not make them dangerous. To think that he could have been recruited within the Inherited! He had wanted to learn more about them. But he was curious in the individuals, not their beliefs. Demi had tried to explain that to him enough in the past for him to know he could not agree with it.

Unlike Demi, it was his job to make conversation. Or more to listen and direct the conversation where it had to go. He was a listener. And a talker too. But mostly a listener. In short, he was a people person and this reunion was perfect for him as he would be able to meet lots of people, some that he might not even remember of, and talk with them. He was at his best during such events. Demi, in comparison, didn’t seem to fit right in. He wouldn’t be surprised if she skipped off before long.

He laughed at her joke about training. “How long you think I could last in one of your session?” Franck asked. Oh, it was just for jest. If he ever needed more training, and he didn’t believe that, he could do it on an everyday basis just by being around people. And if a trainer was required, she wouldn’t be his first choice. Not because of her competences, he was not second-guessing those, but because he needed one dealing with mental abilities, not physical ones. Anyway, she was not serious about it so he was not going to be either.

Franck had not thought of it that way, but it was true that a diamond was pretty tough. You even needed a diamond to cut a diamond, to show how tough it was. That fit her even more. “See, it fits you even better than I thought. Tough, a little rough on the edges, but precious too.”

[Demi Smith]

"Depends on what we were focusing on," Demi replied, adding a slight shrug. She rarely dealt with students that had Franck's sort of power. Her focus meant that she could do wonders with students with kinetic powers, even those with strength, essentially any that could fully enter the Flow and get the most out of it. True, the meditation aspects and the centering of oneness generally applied to all powers, but Demi still hadn't lost her edge.

"Fifteen minutes, if I were going easy," she said after a bit. then she was smirking as he compared her to a diamond, mentioning the toughness. She had to bark a rough laugh at the final comment, shaking her head slightly.

"did you just call me precious? I should beat you up for that," she insisted, throwing a punch his way. Unlike in the past, not a whole lot of dirt went with it: it wouldn't unless she willed it too. Instead she pulled it back. "You're lucky I like you, Laffont."

[François Laffont]

Even if she decided to go nice on him, he knew this might not work as well as they’d like. Her power and abilities made her perfect to train other physical abilities. Or maybe telekinetics, he supposed. But empaths? Unlikely. He’d need someone who dealt with mental abilities. She could, however, teach him meditation. And that, he could easily survive it. “I’m not even sure I could follow you through a physical training,” he let out. Although, maybe he could. And be all sore the next day but it was clear if you looked at Franck that he was used to train his body.

He chuckled as she expected he’d survive fifteen minutes. “You ever run? That’s what I do mostly, or swimming. We should try that at some point if you do,” he told her. She looked like the kind of partner for such activity that was ready to kick your ass into giving your all. Not the kind you had to slow down so they could catch on. Although he might have to adjust his pace since he could take longer steps than she could.

He moved his head away as she pretended to punch him. He didn’t fear, the way she did it, that she would punch him for real but reflexes had a way of making you duck from harm, even unrealistic ones. “Okay then, I’ll go for rare if you don’t want to be precious to us. That first you too. I’m not sure I’ve met anyone else quite like you.”

[Demi Smith]

Demi smirked at the mention of getting through a physical training. He might be down on himself, but Franck probably could've pulled through. Demi had seen that sort of hidden strength in him, had almost seen it stretching back from there first meeting. He dealt with that whole empathy thing far better than a lot of people would have, and on top of that, he had this sort of inner steel that drew other people to him and got them to sort of go along. If Demi were forming some sort of team to survive a disaster, Franck would've been one of the ones she picked.

The mention of running had Demi raising her brows again. "I have," she offered. The mention of swimming had her letting out another bark-laugh. "I sink like a rock in water, never did really get beyond the paddle," everyone needed a weakness and Demi's just happened to be deep water. At least all her training had helped her get to the point where she could actually move mud now.

The flinch nearly made Demi follow up with more, but she got what she wanted. The girl offered up an approving grunt before looking at the area around them. "Looks good, right? or is there something else you want me to try not to break?" She looked over at him and smiled. It was good to be around someone familiar, but they both knew they had other things to get to for this fun little reunion as well.

[François Laffont]

Franck was not a weakling. He might not have biceps the side of Demi’s head or well cut abs but he had nothing to be ashamed of. Anyway, he was not trying to get that. Only to remain healthy and in good physical shape. You didn’t need big muscles to get that. His strength was not physical, but inside of him. He had this way to shelter people from the storm and not let hardships get the best of him. It was the kind of strength he was really working on building, more than the physical one. But there was always something satisfactory at knowing you could carry heavy objects without help or run long distances before you ended up out of breath.

He smiled, shrugging as she pointed out she was no good swimmer. Somehow, that didn’t seem that weird. He even thought she used the best comparison to describe herself. A rock. “It’s ok. It was the running I was thinking most about anyway,” he said. Besides, didn’t kind of fit that the earth manipulator was weak against water? There was an analogy to make, probably involving Pokémon or something but he would leave it at that.

He looked around the room she helped him decorate. “No, I think it’s good. I think they hired something to play music that had been popular at that time. Something tells me we’re up to a bunch of embarrassing memories,” he let out. He was still smiling though. He didn’t know what would play or how old or terrible it would sound to them now, but he was looking forward to meet everyone. “Do you intend to stick around for while? Or I’ll see you only when we’ll start the new school year?”

[Demi Smith]

The smile and shrug Demi had all but expected. At least she'd learned to offer some teasing comments about herself, to appreciate her weakness for what it was. It still bothered her, and even now as she said it, some part of her was seriously considering finding some way of fixing it. Hiring a swim-coach or taking lessons or something.

Later though. There was mostly the running anyway. "I can probably do that," she offered, adding a nod, "if you were looking for a partner," and she wouldn't mind associating with Franck more often. He'd been one of the few to reach out to her when she was a much more troubled young lady. Now they were adults, mature, and Demi could appreciate who Franck was better.

"I'll be sticking around," Demi said, looking around. "I do want to see how some other people turned out. Believe it or not," she gave Franck a wry smile, "I have other friends," she extended a hand toward Franck. "Let's really do that running thing. We don't see each other enough."

[François Laffont]

It was not impossible for someone who didn’t know how to swim to learn. Any weakness one had could be worked on. Simply those weaknesses were what made them human. It was his point of view and even if he knew his weaknesses would just had him end up hurt over and over. It was a part of him just like his strengths, it shaped who he was today and wouldn’t have it any differently just to save him from heartache. He chose not to say it to Demi though. If she was anything like he remembered, she might not like to accept she would always have weaknesses of one kind or another.

He nodded. “Not that I mean we should do it together all the time. But it is nice every now and then to have a partner. Keeps you motivated,” he explained. Or maybe he should say she was the kind of partner to keep you motivated. But she might get it. Besides, he would spend the next months if not years of his life talking more to kids than adults, he could start already to get a group of people his age to hand out with. Now that she was not as troubled as she used to be, Demi seemed like a pleasant person to hand out with. At the very least Franck now had better control of his power and would not let her rage get over him.

He chuckled at her joke. It was good to see she was able to laugh about this, as he was not sure she would have achieved this in her youth. “I am curious too. I stayed in touch with some of them but...” he said, trailing off as he looked at the place. When he stared back at her, she could see the excitement in his eyes. “It will be nice to see how everyone is doing now.”

He took her hand with a smile and shook it. He was still able to feel emotions better through touch and could not stop it but the effect it had on him was too minor for him to care. He nodded as she agreed to his suggestion. They’ll see more of each other. It seemed to be something they could more easily do now.

[Demi Smith]

More nods of agreement, a sort of pact made between the two of them. It did feel strange, but, well, even after all these years, Demi still often found these people and her relationships with them to be a bit on the odder side of things. At least Demi had figured them out enough to joke around with them in ways that didn't involve her bragging about her skills or threatening to beat them up.

Demi actually found herself nodding: it would be interesting to see where everyone ended up, how everyone was doing, what people were like now. They'd shaken, the pact made. "Well, we'd better get to seeing those other people then," Demi said. She knew she looked a little stiff as she nodded and released Franck's hand but, well, at least she wasn't threatening to beat anyone up, so she definitely saw that as progress.

Demi looked up at the decorations one last time, nodding, satisfied with them and what she'd done. Then it was look to Franck, raise a hand in farewell, and head off on her own yet again, safe in the knowledge that if she got nothing else out of coming to this event, she'd at least gotten a workout partner.