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The Swan girls have their evaluation appointment. It is largely uneventful. Alli splits and merges under various inoffensive conditions; Bella teleports to various other evaluation stations around the country and to one in a military base on the other side of the world (the evaluators call ahead about this) without incident. They have already - well, Bella has already - determined all the interesting wrinkles of the Swan girls' powers, but it's nice to have them on paper. They sign up for the Junebugs - the evaluator sniffs and says that it's the Gemini Guard, have some respect if you're going to join them! - with Bella as a solo bonus, junior grade, stratum 3 (she gets a badge and dog tags and a lollipop) and Alli as her optional/emergency support, junior grade, stratum 4 (she gets dog tags and a lollipop but no badge).
The evaluative office is crowded. A bunch of twins got their bonuses over the weekend and piled up on the Monday appointment slots. There's a pair where one can apparently conjure objects and the other wield telekinesis over them, juggling. There's a cryokinetic and someone who seems to cling to arbitrary surfaces, the one making a little ice sculpture and the other sitting on the wall (Bella supposes he can probably cling to his brother's ice). There's a set of triplets who don't seem to be doing anything, so she can hazard no guess as to what their powers are. There's a girl weeping into her hands while her brother tries to soothe her; she's crying about fire, ash, devastation, the menace lurking under the ground, and Bella hopes that's an overreaction to some TV show. But considering where she is -
"Er, what's her bonus?" Bella asks the brother.
"Not sure," he says. "Besides really upsetting. I just got a luck tweak, far as we can tell, dice and stuff..."
"So she doesn't pyro or -?"
"No, no, she's not dangerous," he assures Bella. "Not so much as a wisp of smoke, I don't know what the problem is, bonuses are supposed to help."
"I hope the evaluators can figure it out," Bella says, disconcerted, and she and Alli go back to school.
Spanish class is the next one they can catch.
point_b
you_miss_it
Savannah has a magazine and is prodding her sister with it.
"C'mooon, you have to have an opinion," she whines.
"C'mooon, you have to have an opinion," she whines.
blink_and
"Fine," sighs Adana. She takes the magazine, and looks over the lovely women inside critically.
"That one," she says, pointing, "is dreadfully skinny, I worry that she's having problems with anorexia. That one's smile looks painted on, it's kind of horrific and sad to look at. She," Adana points again, "would be much prettier if she wasn't wearing all of that make up and was less obviously photoshopped." There's a pause. "That one - is actually rather nice, she does charity work, I like her." Another pause. "Also she has pretty eyes. Happy?"
"That one," she says, pointing, "is dreadfully skinny, I worry that she's having problems with anorexia. That one's smile looks painted on, it's kind of horrific and sad to look at. She," Adana points again, "would be much prettier if she wasn't wearing all of that make up and was less obviously photoshopped." There's a pause. "That one - is actually rather nice, she does charity work, I like her." Another pause. "Also she has pretty eyes. Happy?"
alli_oop
"Okay, the fact that she asked you makes me wonder if I'm the only straight person of the four of us, but the way you answered makes me not think that anymore?"
blink_and
"... I... Genuinely can't tell if that was an observation or a question?"
point_b
"Alli wants to know if you are straight, and if not, what kind," translates Bella.
blink_and
"Oh. Not straight. I'm - somewhat weird, it's sort of hard to explain."
blink_and
"Er, well. It sort of - just doesn't matter to me in the slightest if someone's male, female, secretly an alien from outer space, or - something."
alli_oop
"...Bisexual plus aliens?" says Alli. "I did not learn a word for that in Your Sister Is Gay Better Learn Some Things 101."
blink_and
Adana shrugs. "Like I said, I'm a bit weird. I'm not upset about my brand of weird, it's nice, I like it."
point_b
"Well, if I encounter any cute aliens I will see if they want to give you their number."
alli_oop
"Do they have to be cute aliens or could they be weird bug aliens?" wonders Alli.
blink_and
"I think I might draw the line at giant spiders," says Adana. "But if they are charming and funny weird bug aliens - it's probably fine."
point_b
"Who do charity work?" inquires Bella. "And do not rely too heavily on makeup?"
blink_and
"Yes. I mean, I can appreciate pretty aesthetics but it's really not a huge deal to me?"
alli_oop
"My date to the dance is really cute, and I think that is important," says Alli. "Not the only important thing, but important, if I'm going to look at him much."
blink_and
"It's nice, I suppose? But not really very important to me. It's more like a - bonus if it's present and if it's not I really don't care either way."