Welcome to Gaia! ::

((OOC: Silent was temporarily kidnapped by real life. I'm opening it right now, and I'll post in a bit. In the meantime, I officially declare this RP...

Open!))

Cybil smiled briefly as she walked out of the bank - her paycheque cashed, her bills (hopefully) paid for another month. Her tiny one-room apartment, always too hot or too cold and smelling a little like weed in the summer despite her constant attempts to air it out, was nothing special, but it was hers, and Cyb had a fierce pride in it. She paid for it, kept it up, and if she had to go a little short on food sometimes to hang on to it, well, there were worse things.

Cybil had been taking night-school courses to finish up and earn her diploma. She had no intention of working two jobs at minimum wage for the rest of her life, after all...

She trailed off there in her thoughts, her smile going dull. The rest of her life, if what she saw in her glimpses of the future was any indication, was going to be very short indeed. She might not need that diploma. She might never have a chance to earn it.

Blood and fire and darkness and cold. So cold. Shadows everywhere. And she was always in the middle of it. Sometimes alone, sometimes surrounded by others, but she was always there. Sometimes the shadows called to her, seemed to smile, called her 'daughter'; there was always a bright light that flashed behind her eyes when it spoke, as though saying It lies, it lies, Cybil, you're mine, not its, it lies...

Fighting a shudder, she walked slowly back to her apartment. She had work to get ready for.

Cybil brushed her long blonde hair, currently twisted up into a ponytail, back over her shoulder. She'd gone home to her apartment, changed into her uniform, and currently stood behind the counter of the little gas bar, giving her practiced smile and 'hi-how-can-I-help-you-today' line to everyone who came up to the counter.

There weren't many - being mid-afternoon, it was pretty dead. That left Cybil with a lot of time to think, and too many unpleasant things to think about. So she seemed unusually helpful and eager to please today because she was - every customer was an opportunity to stop musing on blood and fire and death.

But right at the moment, she was stuck in a lull. So she leaned both elbows on the counter, stared wistfully at the door, and waited.

For what, she wasn't really sure.

Cybil's attention was on the computer screen when the little bell attached to the door rang, signaling a visitor.

Oh no, oh s**t, why did you have to come in here right when I was getting comfortable being alone, I was actually enjoying thinking my own thoughts for once-- "Hi, how can I help you today?" she asked, bright practiced smile in place, never once looking up from the screen.

Of course, the sudden blurted question made her eyes flick up and fast. Her own smoky blue eyes met the grey ones of the girl across the counter from her, and narrowed in response. Who did this girl think she was?

"Cybil," she replied coldly, biting off the word. "Who wants to know?"

Cybil eyed the brunette coolly. "That's not what I asked," she replied bluntly. "I asked who wants to know." She put her hands in her pockets, unwilling to acknowledge the faint surge of hope. The way the girl talked...the way she kept 'seeing her'...well, wasn't seeing what Cyb did as well?

Was it possible that this girl was someone who could help her?

She shoved the thought away brutally. There was no use hoping - her hopes always just landed her in more trouble. No one could do anything to help her out, and as far as she was concerned, that meant less trouble for her.

So she cocked her hip, tilted her chin up, and took on the basic attitude of someone who was all confidence. She wanted to hear the brunette's answer, and hopefully, the girl would at the very least oblige her with a name.

Cybil was tempted - very tempted - to snap, 'Well, sorry that you didn't put any thought into it after an entire year!' But at the last moment she held her tongue. There were probably a million other ways she could get fired, but being rude to someone who, at least on camera, looked like a potential customer was most likely among the fastest.

And curse it, she needed this job, at least for now.

So she sighed and shrugged. "Hi, Miranda," she said in a perfect monotone. Leaning her elbows on the counter, she gave a one-shoulder shrug. "Why don't you start by telling me why, exactly, you were looking for me when I'm a total stranger to you?"

After a moment of silence, she added, her voice showing the first trace of uncertainty, "...Aren't I?"

Cybil, preparing herself to make an irritated retort, went dead silent. The breath she'd just taken rushed out in a sound rather like a little gasp. No. It couldn't be. Just like that? After so long?

She stood still for a second, warring with herself. It would be easy, so easy, to dismiss Miranda with a scornful comment and a laugh. To keep going on her own, as she'd always managed to in the past. But on the other hand...

Did she really want to? She had a chance here. Maybe Miranda was telling the truth. Maybe she didn't have to be alone anymore.

Very slowly, as though she had to dislodge each individual word, she said very clearly, "Step outside with me. I'm on my break now."

She didn't give Miranda a chance to disagree. Taking her arm, she practically yanked the other girl out the door, only pausing to shout behind her, "Carmen, you're on for a bit!"

Once they were outside, she took a deep breath. "Look. You're not the only one. I see things, too. It sounds like you can scry. I can see things that might be in the future." She closed her eyes. "And if you are ******** with me, I'm going to have to kill you now."