that and hold it for an hour or so and you'll have a useful skill. If you can do this on your first try, you can do that with practice, easy. Probably more."
It sounded a bit ambitious to her, but Bethany brushed her blonde hair to the side and nodded, her face just a bit pale from the stress of the day.
"True. Tomorrow we should start on an obstacle course. It will be fun. For us, I mean. I imagine it will just be work for you, at first. Later we can tie ribbons to you and you can fly down the street during the children's parade."
It was clearly mocking now, but Gwen winked and played along, asking what that was. It turned out to be an annual thing in the spring, where each town had the kids actually walk around in costume, for some unknown reason. They'd get treats and such, but just little things. Apples and oranges were popular for it. Like a really sucky Halloween. Poor kids.
After they finished talking for a while Beth got called away, having to go back to central to answer some questions about what had happened to Count Kavas. Gwen was just as glad that she was being ignored, as far as that went, and while Billy seemed game enough to just sit and talk with her, he also didn't really have anything new to share, not at first.
"So, um, I kind of have to head back to Central too, soon. Tonight. Adam was pitching a fit like a little girl on the telestator earlier. It isn't like I haven't been working, but I do have to admit it's faster if I don't have any distractions. Is that alright with you? I mean, I'll tell him to go take a flying leap, if you want, but there isn't a lot for me to do here. Except set up that obstacle course for you. We should get Heather in for that though. You two really need to hang out more."
For some reason that gentle and fluffy buzzing tickle hit her again. It was a little distracting, which made her rub at her forehead a bit. The smoke must have really gotten to her. It hadn't seemed like it and her lungs felt fine, but she was really light headed, after a few seconds she forced herself to ignore it. She was good at doing things like that.
Gwen smiled, actually feeling it for once, since the slightly older Westmorland in front of her was one of the people that she felt closest to, over all. After all, Heather was, in her own way, just incredible. Like the person she would have wanted to be, if her life hadn't been as messed up as it was. Then, as a Westmorland the idea that her life was also a mess kind of came with the package. All the kids were orphans after all. Or at least abandoned by their parents. No one really knew for certain, since the records were all sealed.
"Oh? Why do you think that?" Gwen went teasing herself, which wasn't something she'd done a lot of in her life. "Do you have a crush on her? You're about the same age..."
Billy... made a face. Kind of disgusted, but let it clear after a few seconds.
"No... Gwen... you do realize that she's you, right? Who you would have been if you were born in this world? I thought I mentioned that already..."
She rolled her eyes, but didn't let the shock show. Of course Billy would forget to mention that kind of thing. It was his way it seemed. Anything that might be useful to her at all... He just forgot to tell her for the longest time. She tried not to be irritated by it.
"Nope, you seem to have forgotten that part."
"Oops?" The scarred man said blankly, as if he'd accidently spilled some water on a vinyl table cloth.
Forcing a laugh she shrugged.
"Kinda an oops moment, yeah. I can see you saying that."
Chapter four
After Billy explained it all, the whole thing made sense, in an awkward and kind of backwards fashion. Daren and Heather had been twins, born more or less at the same time that Gwen had been. A little earlier than that, according to the records that had been stolen by a certain maladjusted person that was sitting across from her. Not that she wouldn't have done it too, but it was kind of
It sounded a bit ambitious to her, but Bethany brushed her blonde hair to the side and nodded, her face just a bit pale from the stress of the day.
"True. Tomorrow we should start on an obstacle course. It will be fun. For us, I mean. I imagine it will just be work for you, at first. Later we can tie ribbons to you and you can fly down the street during the children's parade."
It was clearly mocking now, but Gwen winked and played along, asking what that was. It turned out to be an annual thing in the spring, where each town had the kids actually walk around in costume, for some unknown reason. They'd get treats and such, but just little things. Apples and oranges were popular for it. Like a really sucky Halloween. Poor kids.
After they finished talking for a while Beth got called away, having to go back to central to answer some questions about what had happened to Count Kavas. Gwen was just as glad that she was being ignored, as far as that went, and while Billy seemed game enough to just sit and talk with her, he also didn't really have anything new to share, not at first.
"So, um, I kind of have to head back to Central too, soon. Tonight. Adam was pitching a fit like a little girl on the telestator earlier. It isn't like I haven't been working, but I do have to admit it's faster if I don't have any distractions. Is that alright with you? I mean, I'll tell him to go take a flying leap, if you want, but there isn't a lot for me to do here. Except set up that obstacle course for you. We should get Heather in for that though. You two really need to hang out more."
For some reason that gentle and fluffy buzzing tickle hit her again. It was a little distracting, which made her rub at her forehead a bit. The smoke must have really gotten to her. It hadn't seemed like it and her lungs felt fine, but she was really light headed, after a few seconds she forced herself to ignore it. She was good at doing things like that.
Gwen smiled, actually feeling it for once, since the slightly older Westmorland in front of her was one of the people that she felt closest to, over all. After all, Heather was, in her own way, just incredible. Like the person she would have wanted to be, if her life hadn't been as messed up as it was. Then, as a Westmorland the idea that her life was also a mess kind of came with the package. All the kids were orphans after all. Or at least abandoned by their parents. No one really knew for certain, since the records were all sealed.
"Oh? Why do you think that?" Gwen went teasing herself, which wasn't something she'd done a lot of in her life. "Do you have a crush on her? You're about the same age..."
Billy... made a face. Kind of disgusted, but let it clear after a few seconds.
"No... Gwen... you do realize that she's you, right? Who you would have been if you were born in this world? I thought I mentioned that already..."
She rolled her eyes, but didn't let the shock show. Of course Billy would forget to mention that kind of thing. It was his way it seemed. Anything that might be useful to her at all... He just forgot to tell her for the longest time. She tried not to be irritated by it.
"Nope, you seem to have forgotten that part."
"Oops?" The scarred man said blankly, as if he'd accidently spilled some water on a vinyl table cloth.
Forcing a laugh she shrugged.
"Kinda an oops moment, yeah. I can see you saying that."
Chapter four
After Billy explained it all, the whole thing made sense, in an awkward and kind of backwards fashion. Daren and Heather had been twins, born more or less at the same time that Gwen had been. A little earlier than that, according to the records that had been stolen by a certain maladjusted person that was sitting across from her. Not that she wouldn't have done it too, but it was kind of
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