If a drop of water falls out of a pool, does it make a sound? (Open.)

Danae-Alisse decided to go swimming today. It had been such a long time since she’d been to the pool and the teen couldn’t understand why she had avoided it for so long. She supposed that it had something to do with worrying about her power becoming unstable and blowing up the pool, or something. But now, there didn’t really seem much point in worrying about it anymore. She had enjoyed swimming as a girl. Not as much as baseball or martial arts, of course, but it was fun. Particularly on a hot summer day when she and her friends and little Jay-Robin and his friends would go out to a small lake in the woods near their home. They’d run up and down the shore, jump off the pier, shouting and splashing as the water refreshed them from the sweaty, Alabama heat. And, while it was still winter here in Beata, Danae-Alisse fancied herself a dip.

She had put on the dress again before she left. Just for a twirl or two. A girl had to wear her best clothing every now and then, don’t you know. It was such a beautiful gown. The blues fanning out across the whites that shifted like ocean waves as she spun. It made her want to swim more. It was a shame that her only occasion to wear it had been spoiled by the nasty intrusion of foppish strangers in masks. But that didn’t matter today, she was going swimming. Naturally, the dress had been properly hung up and put away before she left her dorm. No doubt it would have been most strange to see someone wearing such a gown going across campus. Even if the explanation would have been wearing their Sunday best. It was overkill. Still, the weekend morning would have a mostly empty or sleeping campus. That suited Danae-Alisse just fine. Most people wouldn’t even think to swim on such a fine, winter day.

Further bolstering the redhead’s mood was seeing the sealed envelope on her desk. She had put the finishing touches to it last night. The night of her most peaceful sleep since coming to Beata Academy. Her mind had been so clear the last few days that her sleep had been simply getting better and better. Funny how that works, she laughed to herself. Everything was accounted for, including the casual attire she now wore with a nice, simple winter jacket. She wore her one-piece swimsuit underneath. No need the change that way, she’d be able to get straight onto swimming.

Throwing open the window one last time and the shadow bars its frame cast, she breathed deeply of the crisp air. Across the courtyard, almost all was still. A few students were having a morning snowball fight in one corner. Their joyous shouts permeated the still air. Not a cloud was in the sky and the sun was shining merrily down upon the grounds. Danae-Alisse’s smile grew. It was a perfect day to go swimming. She shivered. Fool me to stand agape with the window open on a winter’s day, Danae-Alisse chided herself with a laugh. Then she shut the window, and the bars returned. But her back was already turned to them, her mind solely focused upon the relaxing time at the pool she would have.

Out the door she went, and down into the hall. Down the hall she went as she traditionally went, hands clasped in front of her with a steady, even gait. There was no real need to hurry, but equally no cause to delay. But there was something different about her. It would take not but a second for anyone who knew her to guess it, for, after all, she was Danae-Alisse. And the one thing she was rarely known for doing, except in the presence of children and few true, heart-felt moments, was giving a true smile. A fake smile she had worn plenty and fooled many with its brightness. But this smile, her true smile, was soft and warm. Content beyond measure and at peace. It was that rare smile that graced her when she was with children or holding a tender moment with her few friends. After all, how could she not be? She was going swimming. The sun shone merrily through the windows as she walked a line through bars. Casting shadows all around her and across her face. Down a stretch of carpeted mile that lead her to the stairs, down them, and out into the courtyard on the bracing, winter day. Danae-Alisse left her key in the room. She wouldn’t need it anymore.

***

Durran was taking a break for breakfast. The early morning hours had seen him well and busy placing and mortaring much of the rock he had gather. There was still a long way to go before he had even finished the walls to his growing home. He hadn’t even reached the top of the trench where his had dug his foundation. So he had relit and restoked the fire in the fire ring and cooked himself a good meal. Durran took stock of his supplies as the food baked. He’d have to go hunting soon as it was beginning to run low. Not today, it was too late for that, but tomorrow seemed likely. He supposed he was going to miss another day of school for it, but it didn’t seem that people much cared if he attended anyway. If they did, they’d actually explain how such skills would be useful to him and not how he’d contribute to a society that he didn’t strictly belong to. He’d contribute in his own way.

Speaking of, after Durran extracted his meal from the flames, he stared into them. Intently as an owl watched a mouse upon the ground in the dark of night. And, eventually yet suddenly, as it always was, the flames revealed their bounty. Flickering within them, he could see. Future or past, he was never sure upon first glance. Immediately and without looking away, he set his meal down and picked up charcoal, his carved drawing board, and an open sheet of parchment. With long practiced and honed skill through years of artwork, carving, and crafting, Durran began to copy down what he saw. Or, what was revealed to him by the flames. He was never quite sure on that point. Nevertheless, he only needed the merest glances down at his work to check it, so trusted he in the skill of his hands that he did not want to deny his eyes a second upon the images in the flame.

Fists buried in the pockets of his leather jacket, Tobias grumbled to himself as he made his way across the courtyard. It was not a lovely day, he mused, exhaling a puff of air. It was too cold to smoke, too cold to be walking outside, just too damn cold. He hated the cold. The sunshine provided a bit of respite, but he liked the air dry and hot. The fact that it was also too damn early further soured his mood.

Tobias' gaze was drawn to what he thought was the only movement in the courtyard, a group of students having a snowball fight. They were too busy having fun to see the way he glared at them, his jaw locked, braced against the cold. In reality, the bright sky would warm the day soon, and he would likely sit comfortably with his jacket off a few hours later; however, Tobias did not have much patience for the weather.

As he walked briskly and grumpily, hating the students for enjoying the snow so much, he was not watching where he was going at all. Despite his awful disposition, he did not intend to take it out on anyone; least of all, the beautiful redhead minding her own business on an early morning walk. However, the distraction had his eyes and his mind occupied, and he winced as he felt a bony shoulder strike his with enough force to almost knock the poor girl off her feet. Instinctively, Tobias' hand shot out of his pocket and grabbed Danae-Alisse's upper arm to steady her.

"Sorry," He said gruffly, his voice coming out harsher than he had intended. It was the first time he had used it, today. His blue eyes widened and he cleared his throat, looking up from her arm to her eyes as he released her, confident she had steady footing again. "I'm sorry," he tried again, with a slightly better result. He cleared his throat again, before his eyes flashed with recognition and he took a step back. "Shit, it's you, Princess," he said, his voice conveying more of the surprise he felt than the biting sarcasm he had intended. "You look different as a commoner," he commented, noting her casual attire before adding, "still stunning, though."

He did not know why he said it. Apparently he was not awake enough to have activated the filter between his brain and his mouth. For most people, that meant they came off grumpier. For Tobias, sleep deprivation had the opposite effect. He shook his head, darkening his expression and hoping to salvage his reputation as the local brooding jerk by snapping, "Don't know what the hell you're doing out here this early on a Sunday morning. Don't you have some royal duties to attend to, like lying in bed ordering your servants around?"

Danae-Alisse blinked twice after being steadied. Her smile evaporating like the morning dew to be replaced by a puzzled frown, as if wakening from a daze or dream. But, in the next instant, it returned. Refocused back into the haze. Swimming was the goal and it was all that mattered. However, slight distractions needed to be dealt with and dismissed. “Why, thank you! I think,” she said as she idly tried to puzzle out if he was trying to be flattering or insulting. He looked vaguely familiar, but she wasn’t sure. Her eyes danced across his face, without a hint of recognition. “I’m sorry, but I can’t quite place where I’ve met you right now. Anyway, to answer your question I’m going swimming. I haven’t had the free-time to for quite some time and I’m rather looking forward to it. So, sorry to cut this short, but I need to be going. Chat later!”

With that, she resumed her normal pace towards to pool. The only inclination that she stopped at all was the sudden packed snow from their collision and a few odd, out of tune stamps. She was unconcerned if he followed or not. Why should she? It didn’t stop her from swimming. Couldn’t stop her from swimming.

***

Durran drew. Sketching out images. One, two, three, framed captures of a film in flames. Charcoal danced across parchment in spidering lines. Smears, rolls, and smudges to add shading. Texture was added based of the residue he left behind, creating feeling for hair, clothes, and tone to muscles. Second by second he strove towards the images he saw dancing in the fire until, finally, he sat back and beheld his work. His face fell. More than fell. A light appeared into his eyes. A twisting worry that developed and plunged down into fear. Dread. A face that Durran had only worn once during his time at Beata. During the Winter Formal when he had realized what his vision was about and what was about to happen. Back then, he didn’t understand his vision, thinking it only some strange event of the formal. After all, everyone was laughing, joy was in their faces, and there was no sound to convey anything else. Just expressions and actions for a brief instant before the image had faded. It wasn’t until he actually attended the ball that he had realized how deadly the vision was. But here, there was no need for sound. No need to attend to know what was happening.

A silent command, for no gesture was needed today, brought the water together and the atoms reordered themselves into solid structure. Ice formed beneath her first step onto the water along with her second step. Yet, for her third, she subconsciously tried a different tact. Instead of commanding the liquid to become solid, she merely brought the molecules together. A seamless clear mass that, through her power, remained both where it was yet was denser than her. She stepped onto the liquid, and almost laughed as it held her and buoyed her into more steps. Ripples flowed inward and outward, tide-like as the coalesced to where she stepped and spread as soon as her foot left. Her soft smiled widened, turning dreamy. For, it was almost a dream to her. So many months of fear, of terror, of agonizing what happened should she lose control when the answer had been so simple. So easy to understand as soon as she had looked at it. As soon as the thoughts began to be put in her head on that mission such a short time ago. After the answer she had received from the Arachne training. All had become clear. And in clarity, she had found peace. And in this calm peace, came control.

And now… she thought as she walked deeper and deeper to the center of the pool, Danae-Alisse swept her hand above the surface of the water, come to me. One orb of water came, followed by another and anther and another. Strange tear drops of water that rose with thin streams rising to meet them, until there were five of them. Flexing her mind, she continuously pulled the water in upon itself. Forming a tighter and tighter mass until she had five, perfect orbs of water no larger than a pea and as dense as lead. Her smile never wavered as she surveyed them.

***

Durran ran.

The man in the fur coat, so simple in many of his ways. So calm, composed, and relaxed. Knowing each and every thing would come in its time and through calm dedication. Ran. As he ran, he called. It had taken him a blasted and cursed ten seconds to even remember he had the bracelet in the first place but, for the first time since coming to the academy, he blessed the instant communication it brought. For it might be the only hope of overturning what he saw. His drawing had know color, but he knew her face. His picture had no sound, but he knew her voice. There was nothing but his absolute certainty that it was Danae-Alisse who was walking across still water. Still water that he didn’t know where, but had guesses. And it was imperative that she never trod upon it. Not in the way he saw it at least. Not in the way his first picture depicted. The redhead had risen and crafted five orbs from the water with an open palm. That was in his second picture Orbs small, but even spiders carried enough venom to kill despite their stature. And in the third picture, her hand was closed. Durran was dialing the headmaster. Had to warn him. Had to tell him to find Danae-Alisse and to keep her from all water. He did not want to find the teen with her fist closed and at the bottom of a pool.

For the headmaster, the morning had been hectic, to say the least. They had been painting the baby's room a light green color over Shepard's old grey. The blond had been insistent on finishing as the new crib was coming in the next day. Leo was up most of the night. On top of that, Mikaela had more morning sickness, and he had to make the twins breakfast. Both of whom insisted on helping. Which lead to more problems than usual. Broken eggs on the cabinets where Eve somehow managed to get them.

All in all, he was pretty far behind on his day but was lucky it was a Friday. If his luck came back to him, Leo would have a nice normal day. Then, as the headmaster approached campus, his phone rung. It didn't worry him until he picked up the phone. Durran? Blond brows knit together, and the headmaster answered as fast as he could. "Hello?"

With a single breath, a simple spread of fingers, the five orbs shifted. Gliding as though upon invisible rails to form a five point halo. Only, the halo was too low as it did not float above her head, but encircled it. Hemming in her mind, thought, and focus upon the orbs from her. Everything was fallen into place. Neatly sliding into preordained spots that she had spent far too long trying to resist. For where else should her place be if not here? At the end of the long, tired line of screw ups and catastrophes. If it was the last thing, she may as well get it right.

***

Panting, but never ceasing his leaping through the snow, Durran shouted into the bracelet. He wasn’t sure how well such devices worked and he wasn’t going to take chances upon actually getting through. “Hello! Headmaster! Danae-Alisse, she’s not right! Well, beyond any obvious, but particular today she’s not right! Find her quick! Find her sharp! Double sharp in fact! And keep her away from any water! ‘Less she’s gone there already, then she’ll be at any still water! A still pool that she’ll be upon or already has walked across! Just find her quick as can be! She’s going to kill herself!”

Okay--Definitely bad he was behind. Really bad. Deadly bad. The angel broke into a run, white wings sprouting from his back. Instantly he was off into the sky, soaring over cars and buildings. "Is she at the pool? What did you see?" He tried to ask over the roaring wind. Assuming she was on campus--the only place with water was the pool. Otherwise the lake...? The blond sent a tentative glance towards the lake. Please let him be making the correct decision. "Oh Danae-Alisse...!" Leo whispered, soaring towards campus at a speed he hasn't gotten to in years.

Leo's heart raced, nearly tripping as his feet hit the ground, mere meters from the building. 'Please. Please let me get here fast enough.' Gritting his teeth, Leo shoved the doors open, pushing into the building with a frenzy. "Danae-Alisse! The angel was frightened that death might have already visited.

Danae-Alisse blinked. As if some drop disrupted her thoughts. And, unfocusing on the orbs of water around her, she saw that Headmaster Herman standing there. Terror was upon his face, for reasons she could only fathom, and he had apparently just shouted her name. The water didn’t even quiver at his appearance. It mattered none to her if she had an audience or no. Everything was already in place. So Danae-Alisse gave the headmaster her cheery smile. Meaning that her face hardly changed at all.

“Hello Headmaster,” she greeted, “pleasant meeting you today. How are you? As you can see, I’m swimming at the moment, but if you give me a few minutes, I’ll be with you presently.” To her, it was the most natural thing in the world to say. As if a world where she hovered between life and death didn’t exist and there weren’t orbs of incredibly dense water were not around her head. As if she, chaotic, unstable, prone to exploding bathroom facets Danae-Alisse Thornbridge, was not in such a calm state of mind that she could walk across water and form such deadly weapons.

Tobias followed Danae-Alysse's polite--even friendly--farewell with a queer look that betrayed how confused he was at her returning his rudeness for kindness. He watched as she strutted off in the opposite direction. He hated to admit it, but he was a bit awe-struck by this girl. The fact that she was no longer in her large, flowing, regal gown did nothing to discourage his blue eyes from following her figure as she walked away. She was just as elegant, graceful, and beautiful in casual attire as she had been when he first saw her in that dress at the dance. He even found himself wondering if her hair was as soft as it looked.

He shook his head to clear it and turned back to his path. Apparently he cleared it too much, because he could no longer remember where he was headed before he had bumped into the beautiful redhead. It had to do with practicing his gift, or trying to get his grades up to passing marks... he exhaled harshly, a small flame escaping his mouth along with the condensation from his breath in the cold air. Wherever he was headed, he knew it was inside. He veered to the side and passed through the first unlocked doors he came across, hoping the warmth within would help him think.

No luck. It was hopeless. He could not remember why he had deigned to rise from bed at this ungodly hour. It was something about his performance, but he couldn't remember what. Oh well. Pulling a cigarette from his jacket pocket, he placed it between his lips before exiting the building. He lit it with his fingers and turned in the direction of the pool. After all, if he was planning on practicing his gift, it wouldn't hurt to do so around some water, right? Usually, he preferred to practice in perfect solitude, but something drew him to the redhead, and for once, he felt that he wouldn't mind some company.

He finished his cigarette and dropped it on the ground, squishing it under his boot before opening the door to the pool. Once inside, he spotted Danae-Alysse on the water, the frantic headmaster, and the orbs of water circling the girl's head.

"What the fuck is going on here?" he blurted.

Leo sent a sharp gaze to Tobias, his blue eyes flicking back to Danae-Alisse. He was not fooled by the bright smile on her face. Leo trusted Durran's predictions and knew he had to get her out of here. "Danae-Alisse," Leo began slowly, managing a few steps toward the water, doing his best to not startle her. "I trust you with the care of my kids, and they love you. Whatever you are doing, is extremely dangerous. If something is bothering you, please please talk to me, Danae-Alisse." His voice was soft but strong enough to carry over to Danae. He didn't dare make any sudden moves, just watching her with terrified eyes for any chance she would try something.

“Dangerous, sir?” she queried, “I doubt that by the by. After all, a loose canon like me is probably one of the more dangerous things. I haven’t improved, despite the efforts made. I still flood bathrooms and break piping.” She sighed at the thought, as if it were some mild memory of childish nonsense. Once a source of horrendous shame and a crippling burden. Now no more than a passing dream that is dismissed with the breaking of the day, or a memory that is erased with sleep at the falling of night.

“It’s only because I’m so resolved that I’m able to be on top of swimming today. Rather literally, I suppose. I thank you, headmaster, for all the trust you’ve given me with your children. I assure you, that it has never been misplaced, but my swimming is necessary as I doubt you’ll be able to trust me with them much longer.” There was a soft, almost wistful sigh at those words. As if she wished it could be something more and yet was secure in the knowledge that it could never be and had long made peace with it.

“And,” she concluded, turning her gaze lightly to Tobias, “what is going on is likely as it appears.” Throughout it all, she never lost her smile. Eyes still seemingly both focused on the here and now, yet infinitely far away. As if nothing could perturb her thought. But, upon the briefest mention of Headmaster Hermon’s children, one would possibly perceive the tiniest ripple in the pool that was quickly smoothed out.

It wasn’t working. Nothing they were saying was working. That much was evident, and Tobias was starting to panic. Danae-Alisse’s calm, cool demeanor was chilling. She was resolute; there was no way they were going to be able to convince her not to go through with it. He could see the determination in her gaze. Her eyes looked empty. She was going to end her life here and now if someone did not do something extreme. No one else seemed to have had that realization, so he supposed it was up to him. 

Tobias threw his arms toward the ground behind him, sending his leather jacket to the poolroom floor. His warm fingertips grasped the hem of his shirt and he roughly pulled it off, almost tearing it. He dropped it on top of his jacket and removed his shoes and socks. In one quick motion, he ran to the edge of the pool and pushed himself into a leap toward Danae-Alisse. At the last moment, he spun and grabbed her by the waist, and then they were both plummeting into the water with a magnificent splash.

Perhaps she wasn’t paying enough attention. Perhaps she thought he was being idiotic. Perhaps she was simply surprised. Regardless of the reason, Danae-Alisse didn’t react in time. The orbs of water exploded as they tumbled into the pool. Yet, the most disquieting thing happened. Nothing. The drops from the orbs, restored to their normal density, pitter-pattered into the pool. And then the water was still. Every last drop was still. Sinks failed to run. The ripples that should have erupted from the teens fall, never came. The sound happened, for certain. And beneath the water the two went. Slowly they sank, as if the water was, somehow thicker. Dull-eyed surprise colored Danae-Alisse’s face as she moved her arms and feebly tried to push Tobias off.

But then, a new thought seeped into her head, by what right do they have to stop me? Then it pulsed as a sudden surge of anger, what right do they have to stop me? There was, of course, an obvious answer, but an old emotion, a forgotten emotion, one she had not felt since her brother’s death prevented her from seeing it. Rage. It boiled into existence across her face and the redhead took action. A quick stroke of her arms and power shot both her and Tobias down. Twisting, she slammed him against the wall of the pool. With a feeling of vindictive satisfaction, she saw and felt him let go as bubble erupted from his mouth. Another stroke sent her into a power assisted flip that she used to launch Tobias out of the water, three feet into the air, and down onto the side of the pool. Continuing the motion landed her in a crouch at the pool’s bottom. She kicked off and rocketed to the surface.

Ears popping, mind still full of crystal-clear rage, Danae-Alisse summoned the water. The pipes groaned, but she wasn’t calling it from them, yet. Instead, the pool immediately surrounding her began and ever crashing shield of spray and churning water. Through which, one could still just make out the redhead, left and right palms open in a claw-like manner that formed a loose cage. Water streamed between her fingers, coalescing into an aquatic ball of steel.

Tobias' surprised scream was muffled by the water as Danae-Alysse threw him against the edge of the pool, forcing him to let go. He reached for her again, but she tossed him out of the water like a rag doll, and he landed painfully on the hard flooring. He groaned as she made her next moves, willing himself to rise and try again. Touching the back of his head where it had smacked the concrete, he examined his fingers and found a few drops of blood. Great, he thought, no time to deal with that now. He was hurt and a little dizzy, but it wasn't over yet. Danae-Alisse was still determined to go through with her plan, and he was still determined to stop her.

"I think we are going to need some more backup," he said to the headmaster, his blue eyes pained and pleading. He had to try again, even if it hurt. Even if it killed him, they could not afford to lose her. She was too powerful, too beautiful, and too valuable. "Please, don't do this!" He called out, doubtful she could hear him through the water and her rage. He didn't know what else to do, but everything in him was screaming try again. Here goes nothing, he thought to himself, once again diving into the unknown--literally and metaphorically. Panic gripped him as he lunged from the side of the pool toward the figure he could barely make out, as well as the aquatic ball she had formed around herself.