Home Sweet Homely by Null0trooper

Sunday afternoon, December 13, 2015,
Highgate Cemetery, London.

Tabitha Ann Dieulafoy, cool name. And interested in the building styles of her hometown, a fun interest.

By middle school, Tabitha had become a deft landscape and architectural sketch artist. Pencil and charcoal were her go-to's.

Now here is someone who will have fun in Imp's art class. I wonder why her interest increased so recently, could it be she has started to manifest and her powers drive her in a new direction? And learning about construction materials, hhm.

A nice older woman is getting Tabitha to open up. Tabitha has two younger brothers, oof, it is a wonder she has any free time to herself. Maggie, is she just visiting someone she lost, or did she end up hear talking to Tabitha for a reason? Aww, Tabitha is in no hurry to travel just yet. Her family owns some hotels, now I really am shocked she has free time to be out her drawing.

"It's been a pleasure to meet you, Tabbie! If an old bird like me has one thing to pass on... Oh, how should I put it? It don't take bricks and stones to make a home for those you care for! Remember that, and you'll do just fine."

Wait a minute, that wasn't Mrs. Potter, was it? Certainly a mysterious woman in any case.

Christmas Eve, 2015, Cambridgeshire, England.

Margaret thinks of the past, her children, and how they are all grown up and out in the world now.

All returned one last time for farewells, and the march of generations went on.

Hhm, a curious way to phrase that, at least to me. Named after her mother. And some of the next sentences make me wonder if her children are still alive or if she outlived them. Mrs. Hearthington. Now, who would greet her at the door like that?

Oh...I get the previous scene now. Either she passed on and the spirit of her husband came to escort her to the other side, or he came to visit and she is still listening to him while she sits there. Afraid it is the former, hope it is the latter.

Wednesday morning, January 6, 2016, St. Cambria Culdensis School, London.

St. Cece's sounds like the kind of school the state sends the poor and troublemaker kids to in old movies. I don't like this Evey, suggesting Tabitha's father needs to steal to get her a nose job, and that she is anorexic because Tabitha's shirt is about to fall off, at least she offers to help. Talking about her bum, she has manifested and sounds like she is an Exemplar with a BIT that is beginning to fill in already. Okay, these two are friends and it puts the teasing from earlier in a new context.

Saturday, April 9, 2016, Westender Carriage House, London.

Dark news, I can see why Tabitha's parents are concerned about her. Hehehe, I can't blame Tabitha for her reaction to Benjamin's appearance, easy mistake. I hope it is the jet lag that has Benjamin so grumpy and not something else. Tall, blonde scolding Benjamin, and Tabitha thinks the wrong thing about it at first.

"A likely story, if only I didn't know you. Look at us! I need shopping. You need therapy. Knowing you, we both need alibis."

Benjamin sure gets pushed around a lot by older women.

"Miss Dieulafoy, I need you to do me a solid. I expect some idiots to come barging in shortly. Doesn't matter who they are. Once you see them, trigger whatever security you've got. Drop as low to the floor as you can manage when done. No questions, just do it."

Oh boy, bringing work back to the hotel. "VIctoria" assembling a BFG, just how bad are things about to get?

"You are not welcome. There is no ale for your comrades, no food for your horses, nor coin for your purse here. Be gone or bear the price of Trespass."

I wonder why she chose those words. Tackled to the floor by Benjamin, oof.

A greater part wanted to punish those who had dared threaten people under her protection. The hotel's storm shutters slammed shut. Fire doors jammed. She could literally feel them doing it.

No, it can't be, she can't be connected to Marduk or some other city god, can she?

She can control buildings through psychokinetic strings, dang. Trying to guide Tabitha through releasing the strings and darkness closes in on her, eep.

Unnumbered years ago, before the seasons were captured by stones.

A memory or something more of an ancient time and people, how they survived in the world, and their beliefs and myths. Or were the demons true for them that far back?

Late November, 1940,
Cambridgeshire in the March of Dreams.

Ouch, trying to survive WW2 and the Nazis. ATS woman and her vehicle broke down, evacuating patients from London, but something happened to mess up their schedule.

"Elizabeth. We've got myself, Nurse Ogilvie, and four patients on stretchers. Oh! They're stable enough, recovering. But, you must know how it is."

"I'm Maggie. Pleased to meet you! So. Right. I'll send my Leonard and the boys back with you. Consider our home your home and hospice tonight."

Don't tell me that Maggie from earlier is somehow connected to Tabitha manifesting as a mutant.

Tuesday, April 12th, 2016,
St. Elsinore's, London.

Tabitha was still cold and finally woke up, if she was out since the incident that is at least 3 days, yikes. Awake for some of the tests they have to run, oh no, not powers testing! Wait, why are her parents securing the room like this after the nurse leaves, something's fishy.

"Who are you two?"

'Mom' told 'Pops', "I told you she'd want to do it herself."

"What can I say? Seeing her like this was making me feel ashy all over. Fiiiiine."

Wait, it is Victoria and Benjamin, I forgot Victoria is a telepath of some sort. A lie to cover for what happened at the hotel, an alibi for her sisters. Benjamin is going to tell her about Whateley, he has a client attending there right now. And telling Tabitha she is a mutant, Benjamin is as blunt as ever.

Sunday, April 17, 2016, after services.

Chevelle Dieulafoy stared down at her two youngest. Thick as thieves, those two were. "I don't know, Anthony. David. Maybe the better question is when is my microwave oven going to start cooking food, as it's meant to, rather than playing Baby Shark?"

Those two would be in so much trouble with me, I hate that song. She would unleash those two on the MCO, eh, they probably deserve it.

Paranormal Abilities Testing Center, London.

Complicated check-in, parents are well connected, just how well connected are we talking about here? Testing-only codename is Duckroll, that's just mean. I like Stevens, he's silly.

"Writers for television are quite blissful when it comes to information sharing among government agencies. We happen to be in a position to redact inconvenient details and records about your manifestation. Now that that's sorted, Duckroll, we'll start with the usual battery of physical assessments. I'll show you to a locker room where you can change clothes."

Why do I get the feeling when she blacked out things got a lot more exciting with her powers.

Huh, guess I was wrong earlier, not an Exemplar after all.

If all this place was hers to do with, Tabitha's instinctive response was to clear out the rubbish. That would go a long way toward easing the itchy wrongness vibes the pile was giving her. Most of the tangled pieces and parts could be organized into usefulness. That sorted, she was left with a few, totally suss, puzzle pieces. She swept those into a steel waste bin. Tabbie walked back to the facility's Mister Wizard zone to fetch the sea salt, rosemary, and Listerine they ought to have on hand. If all that, and a hot propane torch, didn't clean those things up, she didn't want to know what would.

Huh, just what is going on with Tabitha here? Ah, so it is all due to experience, or is this part of her powers after all?

One boring half-hour later.

Alans is going to have a headache by the time Tabitha leaves. Ran a Kirlian imaging 3 times and nothing solid to go on, now I'm worried. A drawing of a building in detail, I hope they learn more about her powers from this than from all the testing so far, it would be funny imo. Alans, I know LGBTQ+ stuff is worse off in the Whateley Academy Universe than in our own, but you shouldn't be ashamed of your husband.

So that is how she got her codename, it fits with her powers and skill with drawing buildings and knowing details about them that others would overlook. A codename that reveals nothing about your powers and can get reactions like that out of others, is priceless.

Tuesday morning, April 19, 2016, St. Cambria Culdensis School, London.

Back at school and Evey is upset that Tabitha's brother Davie said she was in the hospital, big mouth kid. Beth Noble, why does that name seem familiar to me? And Evey figured out what is going on with Tabitha, the contacts excuse won't fly. Such a tale from Evey, she should get into creative writing. I hope Evey stays friends with Tabitha even after she goes to Whateley.

Wednesday, September 7, 2016, Whitman Cottage, Whateley Academy, New Hampshire, USA.

Andrew Keith Nolan, listen to your mother. Poor Ekene having a boy want to touch her hair, kid doesn't know the mess he almost got in. Connie Nolan is a good mother. Aww, Andrew likes Ekene's scales, cute kid if a bit too curious for his own good sometimes.

Room 236.

From what Tabbie could see of her hands and face, her skin was all-over rose-colored like a movie alien. Glowing red irises added to the effect. But what truly stood out, and up, was a halo of metallic silver tendrils holding a captured grey cloud where the girl's hair had probably once been.

Darn my memory, I swear this description is familiar but I can't remember who she is. Estella Jean has an interesting look. And Andrew needs to be kept from the girls of Whitman, he might hit on all of them given a chance at that age and with his way of thinking. Stella is a fellow nerd, yay!

"Stella, on this side of the hallway, we have no less than three devisors, two gadgeteers, two energizers, and a certified wizard. Feeling lucky yet? If it's in the least way possible, I want the patron saint of blowing shit up and setting it on fire on my side."

I would take every advantage I could get with all those just on the same side of the hallway.

Friday, September 9, 2016, Whitman Cottage Dance Hall, Whateley Academy.

Ah, the beginning of the year dorm mixer to get students to interact. Electradyne and Saumer are at the DJ booth, Donut and Cookie are holed up at the food prep area, and all those teens hanging out. Oof, Tabitha wants to see which boys can handle just seeing the Exemplar girls and Riley Spencer. Stella has a healthy appetite *cough*.

Stella has sensory tentacles that can detect that, dang. Dafira is her codename, cool. Marcie getting help to get Stella out of there, Faollass' and Bloodhound's keen senses couldn't take it either. All those hormones and other chemicals, ouch.

Dimmed lights for slow dancing and to stop fights from breaking out, smart move. Max certainly has an interesting look. Wait, is this Benjamin's friend, Max?

Saturday, September 10, 2016, Whitman Cottage.

Marcie Blovotsky, better known as Bai Yun

Now that is a codename that stands out. The warning she is about to deliver, I hate those who prey on their fellow students just to gain power or get back at those who rejected them. Only two GSD individuals in the Capes Squad, oh boy. Carp has good reasons for not joining the Euro-Promotional League.

Dafira.

Stella, Ekene, and Tabitha are going to be great friends. That guy in the Paranormal Investigation Group needs a lesson in manners towards those ware are different. Aww, being a part of a club with Jedis in it sounds fun. A Yoda quote, yay. Faction 3, I can only hope it has improved since Gen 1.

Homely.

Tabitha, never imagine those kinds of things, it is bad for your mental health. Crucifix needs to be taught snakes do not equal evil though. Monica and Dodo in the Underdogs, Dodo wants to join Faction 3, oh boy. Aww, Ekene needs to learn all work and no play can lead to burnout [of the mental kind].

Monday, September 12, 2016, Room 236, Whitman Cottage.

Cleaning duty shared by the whole dorm, is good. Tabitha, you need more sleep as a teen.

Breakfast, Crystal Hall.

Stella looking for trouble at breakfast and uses Max as an example just based on his appearance. *sigh* Max joins them for breakfast and poor Stella is still getting used to sensory overload from her tendrils.

Maximillion Argyle Livingston the Fourth.

Yup, this is definitely Benjamin's friend.

"London, and packaged raw deal psychic."

"Raw deal? How'd that happen?"

"A little danger sense, a bit of tech aptitude, and enough PK to trip a circuit, sometimes."

Tabitha's powers seem a lot more in action than she is describing. Stella's sensory tendrils are like those of a Portuguese man-o-war, wise to never make her angry. Weird hair-care suggestions, Max and Stella get along well.

3rd Period, Algebra I.

First she survives Survival-1, then gets a test on the first day in math, eep.

mild compulsion ("Do your best") placed on each test sheet

I wouldn't consider this cheating, more highly subtle motivation to the students.

7th Period, Powers Theory.

Richard Bergamont seems a much better teacher for this class. Stella and Tabitha support each other in their classes when able, so nice. Janice with Tabitha and Stella, and a lot of other students seem shy so far. More work in class equals less homework if only all teachers did it that way.

Psychics all together, spatial warpers, and so on. Stella goes first, then Tabitha and she is a PDP 1, I hope they test her again at Whateley and find out those guys in London were wrong. Liviana Breedon or Livy, aka Provenance, gadgeteer and sounds like psychometry, cool.

Edward 'Puck, not Eddie' Effingham

Unusual last name, at least to me.

Yeah. It's not visions of doom like in the movies, but I get a sense of how things could work out if I do this, or that, or whatever."

Now that is a useful form of precog.

And a demonstration along with why not getting involved with what you see sometimes is a good idea. Tabitha's knowledge of such things and her zoning out when detecting it certainly rates an additional sense in my book. And Puck is going to be a fun guy for them to hang around with.

Tabitha's trip through her hometown, her observations, and her skills was great to watch and learn how she does things. It certainly made the manifestation of her powers a big reveal, all my guesses were off. Unless those power-testing wonks in England have got things way off. Her family, what little we see of them, are fun and great to watch. Her little brothers, are we sure they aren't early manifesting mutants with Gadgeteer or Devisor traits? If not I wouldn't be shocked if they manifest when they are older.

Will we see more of Tabitha's friends from back home, especially Evey? I misunderstood their interactions at first but realized they are good friends quickly. I can't wait to see Stella and all of their other new friends again soon.

As for Benjamin and "Victoria", I can only hope we see more of them and Benjamin at Whateley soon.

A lot of interesting appearing individuals in the story, I hope at least a few of them become more than just sidekicks or background characters. Keep up the great work and I can't wait for more.