Test My Reality

[Melissa Castro]

Since this was an interview of sorts, Melissa had dressed up a bit without going overboard. Apparently that was one of the many lessons she'd learned growing up. She knocked on the door to Sam's office.

[Samantha McManus]

"You can come in, Miss Castro."

[Melissa Castro]

Melissa let herself in, closing the door behind her. "Thank you for your time. I realize things must stay busy for you."

[Samantha McManus]

"It's in a bit of self-interest. You did say you're interested in helping tutor telepathic students, aye?"

[Melissa Castro]

She took a seat, "I think that might be where I'd be most useful. Not many people have telekinesis that works the way mine does, so I can't be much help there. And there are more than enough people who have a better grasp on teaching self-defense than I would."

[Samantha McManus]

"And certainly the offer is appreciated. Can you describe a bit of your training? I tend to find if you ask two telepaths how to do something you often get three answers."

[Melissa Castro]

"My training was done exclusively by my mother. It started with the obvious 'keep your thoughts to yourself' control followed quickly by 'leave others' thoughts alone'. That training was a daily constant until I'd mastered it. It was probably similar to a foreign language immersion training. Walking around the house without Mother hearing my thoughts and that sort of thing. From there, we did some Astral work, but she was far more accomplished at telepathic combat and so that was the subject of a lot of my advanced training."

[Samantha McManus]

"So you're the equivalent of a home-schooled child. Perhaps a more practical test would be best."

[Melissa Castro]

"Home-schooled by a retired superhero, but I wouldn't object to a practical test," she said with a nod.

[Samantha McManus]

"I'm somewhat of a retired superhero myself. We're not the most consistent lot."

[Melissa Castro]

"Just... unnecessarily establishing my mother's credentials, which I'm sure you were already more than aware of. My apologies."

[Samantha McManus]

"I'd say you've nothing to prove, but that might put the lie to what we're about to do, aye?"

The flock starts to circle Melissa in the Astral, trying to pick up on her thoughts.

[Melissa Castro]

No thoughts floated around. Melissa's mind was a defined presence, but it wasn't giving anything else away. Melissa just smiled at her.

[Samantha McManus]

The Headmistress then tries a few feints, massing most of the flock's efforts in one area, while trying to sneak a few past from a different angle.

[Melissa Castro]

Melissa propped her chin thoughtfully on one hand, watching Sam's eyes. As the flock got closer, they were greeted by salsa music followed quickly by walls as their approach disrupted the flow of the mental music.

[Samantha McManus]

The Headmistress keeps up her feint, trying to force Melissa to commit her defenses towards the larger push from the flock, hoping to expose an opening for the part she's reserved.

[Melissa Castro]

Melissa does commit more to the big push, but not before adjusting the feint's wall for a brief outward blast to at least briefly disrupt the feinting flock to buy her some time to rearrange things.

[Samantha McManus]

Several of the flock disappear from view as the Headmistress starts battering the shields from different angles, forcing Melissa to continually shift her defenses.

[Melissa Castro]

Melissa shifts her defenses rapidly, but it's somewhat obvious that she's not faced a telepath of Samantha's caliber, which would fit with the reports of her mother's power level. Her shifts begin to involve a mixture of offense and defense, pushing back with small blasts where she thinks she can force Sam to respond, while trying to block and redirect Sam's own attacks to protect herself. Still, she manages to maintain a calm outward appearance, even smiling occasionaly.

[Samantha McManus]

The flock does retreat from the blasts, maneuvering around, but as it does so vines start to sprout below Melissa's avatar, reaching up to twine around its legs.

[Melissa Castro]

Her avatar's legs burst into flame, channeling frustration through the flames into the vines to try to loosen their grip or burn them away. The avatar brings one hand up, tracking the majority of the flock as the other arm crosses in front of the avatar's chest and the Astral air around her begins to get thick.

[Samantha McManus]

"I think I'm increasingly convinced," she says, "unless there's something you desperately need to show me."

[Melissa Castro]

Melissa's defenses stay up, but she says, "Nothing I feel a great urge to show you. Mother spoke highly of you even though she never got to meet you. I can see why."

[Samantha McManus]

"What I'm seeing here is that you're rather competent, and you have a solid enough foundation that you likely won't be letting your perspective cloud your tutoring."

[Melissa Castro]

"Telepathy was much more challenging to develop than how my telekinesis works, so I opted to work harder on the challenging thing."

[Samantha McManus]

"It's certainly the... less flashy discipline, unless you're able to see what's happening."

[Melissa Castro]

"When handled correctly though, it can defuse things without a lot of collateral damage."

[Samantha McManus]

"I'll warn you, some of our younger students have... interesting notions on what telepathy is to be used for."

[Melissa Castro]

"Do I want to know?" Melissa chuckled.

[Samantha McManus]

"They're teenagers. I'm sure you can guess."

[Melissa Castro]

"Anyone you specifically want me to help?"

[Samantha McManus]

"Miss Newgate has taken... some convincing. Especially with regards to ethics. She might respond better to a less obvious authority figure."

[Melissa Castro]

Melissa made a note of the name. "How do you want me to follow up with you? Since I'm assuming you'll want some sort of follow-up."

[Samantha McManus]

"Of course if there's a pressing issue you can always contact me immediately, but I think if we coordinate once weekly, that ought to work out."

[Melissa Castro]

"You have access to my class schedule, so just pick a time that works with your schedule and I'll make sure to be there. Is there anyone else you want me to work with?"

[Samantha McManus]

"I might just start you on Miss Newgate, but Miss Crusek might need some help eventually."

"...I wouldn't recommend tutoring them at the same time."

[Melissa Castro]

"I think one-on-one sessions would be the way to go in any case. More individual attention and no telepathic sniping."