Such Great Heights [Closed]

The day had been beyond thrilling for Robin, who spent it with Shepard at her side. Her new brother had shown her around the city, visiting the aquarium, enjoying the vast greenery of the parks, and even going to a game lounge! She had enjoyed beating her brother in a game called 'Super Smash', though she had a strong feeling he was letting her win. All in all, it was an eventful day. So eventful that the excitement was catching up to her, and she had gotten so tired that Shepard carried her to where they were supposed to meet up with Joanna for some late lunch.

The two sat in the booth, Shepard helping RJ read the menu and talking about the different foods. While it all sounded very interesting, Robin insisted on getting a hamburger and fries, nothing with avocado or bacon. That was too weird for her. Kicking out her feet, she peered over the tall booth, waiting for Joanna to come into view. As soon as she did, the girl waved frantically at her, nearly pushing over her glass of water which her brother caught.

"Joanna! Joanna! We saved you a seat!"

She was exhausted.

It'd been her turn to be interviewed, holed up in some room in the intelligence guardian's buildings, answering questions on questions about every step of their surprise journey - just to keep on record, they said. Joanna had felt like she'd repeated the same story a million times. And what did it matter? It'd already felt like ages ago. They'd brought home their newest addition to the city, had received the Headmaster's personal approval, and that should have been the end of that - right?

Jo needed a break from Guardians all-together, so many questions running through her mind - and they didn't seem keen on providing any answers.

Tired as she was, from the moment she stepped into the familiar burger joint, a grin lit up on her face.

"Hey there, RJ!" The young woman stepped right on over, swinging into the booth. "How sweet of you! I didn't miss the food did I?"

Her eyes had only flickered up to Shep for a heartbeat.

How is she doing?

Shepard watched her come in, smiling at Robin who seemed more than thrilled to see a familiar face. RJ began blabbering about their day, speaking so quickly at times that she very nearly forgot to breathe. Especially when they got to the aquarium with all the brightly colored fish. Which she reasoned out loud to them that fish could have powers like her cat Lao.

Shepard half listened to her, half responded back to Joanna. She is adjusting well. Though, she got tired pretty fast. Not too shocking because I don't think they gave her time to run around in containment. There was a pause as he felt her exhaustion, the blond's brows knitting in concern. The guardians didn't give you too much of a hard time, did they? How did it go?

Joanna kept on nodding enthusiastically to little RJ's stories, but her mind was completely elsewhere; her head drooping every-so-slightly as heavy thoughts weighed her down. That's good. After all the things she's been through... She chewed at the inside of her cheek. God Shep, they just kept asking the same questions over and over... She did her best to keep herself together, not wanting to worry Shepard. Everything about... all of that was so messed up, I can't stop thinking about it. The men in swat uniforms, being caged, the experiments, the scientist, the files... RJ was the one bright thing to come from all of this. Was she weird to want to talk about it? Was this just what being a Guardian meant? She'd known their parents had seen some shit, but Jesus...

"But how could fish breathe fire when they live in water? Duh." Jo lightly teased the girl.

There was a pause as she said her thought out loud, but her question to RJ got her mind off of whatever she had said before. Shepard watched RJ, who seemed put off by the idea of no fire in water. "What about...lightning in water?" She said suddenly, kicking her legs out as she straightened her posture. "L-like, ZAP!" RJ made a wide motion with her arms, sending an imaginary lighting bolt toward Joanna. Shepard laughed, placing a hand on her head.

"That's called an eel, RJ."

"A what?! Fish do have powers!" She gaped. Shepard pulled up pictures of them on his unity link, letting her flick through the pictures as he resumed his conversation with Joanna. His grin was replaced with worry, blue eyes looking back up to Joanna.

The possibility of taking a gifted's power then placing it in a blank is a lot to take in. Especially when they were experimenting with all those other people too. That man-- The one with no arms or legs, his frost powers taking over the room he lived in. It seemed there was nothing left to him. The man's eyes were so similar to the man that day at the shooting. They were empty. Moments before a bang, the blood-- Shepard stopped the memory short and forced himself to focus on the many eels that RJ examined. I don't get how people can do that. I can't understand that either, Jo. The other side of him found himself amused at how interested she became, leaning closer to his wrist.

The guardians, on the other hand, don't really know how to treat someone who has gone through trauma. He paused as RJ left the pictures and began exploring his unity link instead, comparing it to hers. Sherpard's had more apps, and not as many games to her liking.

Since when are eels fish, she almost said, entranced instead by the girl's fascination and she sorted through picture after picture. Those bracelets really were miracle workers. "Oh, shoot! I guess there are fish with powers after all!" Jo felt her stomach rumble a bit and glanced over at the open kitchen.

It just feels so unreal... compared to, well
this. The three of them, just sitting in an old burger joint, looking at pictures of eels with an innocent little angel between them. The people who had RJ, they're still out there, and those people who attacked your Dad... Jo chewed away at the inside of her cheek. Is this what Guardians deal when? Because I'm starting to second guess my future career choices. She did her best to show off a light-hearted smile.

A sober face watched her, not responding, not allowing himself to be fooled by the beautiful light-hearted smile. At the mention of the men that had gone after his father, Shepard closed his eyes. The group had been no closer to figuring out the riddle than when they first got it. The words were haunting but eerie enough to where the blond was working on solving it daily. The blond shook his head and turned back to Joanna.

If you don't feel like it's for you, Jo, then don't go into it. He offered a smile of his own. It's all pretty heavy stuff, and I don't want you to feel like you have to. He looked down at the little girl who was seemingly getting bored of the pictures. There are times when I wonder if I really want to, but after that mission, I really feel like being there made a difference. He paused, considering to himself. So, that's why I've stuck with it.

Hi's train of thought derailed as RJ moved away from the watch and began playing with Shepard's hand. She held her hand up to his own comparing their hands. Then, she turned and took Joanna's hand without a word, pressing both of their hands together to do the same.

Amused, and slightly distracted he did his best to finish his thought. But, if you decided not to go into becoming a guardian, what where you thinking you would do? He asked, watching RJ thread Joanna and his fingers together.