Laughing and enjoying the conversations and hijinks abounding in the backseat, and working hard to dismiss that this band of merry-making crazies was careening through Scotland in an ancient automobile... driven by Sophia, no less... AngelFyre was already surprised at how much fun she was having. As Sophia took off from the station, Colin jumped aboard and landed in AngelFyre's lap, quite unceremoniously, with a thud. He was then being passed back and forth between herself and Hiro like a hot potato.... a very large, fidgety, hot potato. She doubted Colin would even understand that muggle reference, and as she had only just met Hiro, she was uncertain if he would understand it either, being ignorant of his family background. It did not matter anyway. He seemed extremely friendly and up for fun, so little else mattered in the moment.

Until it did.

From the front seat, AngelFyre heard her name. The voice belonged to Pax. The tone was brittle and challenging. "Hey. AngelFyre. D'you mind if I ask you something?" There was not a pause for a chance to reply before the bomb was tossed in her lap. "Why did you date Simon so soon after he broke up with Haley? Do you know how much it hurt her to see you and him, when it used to be him and her only days before? It hurt, AngelFyre. You hurt my friend."

Much like the day after the Valentine's Day Tea Party, AngelFyre felt the pangs of grief and embarrassment and shame encompass her. What could she possibly say to them that would make anything better? The truth was, this blindside itself was probably supposed to make them feel better, or even up the score, just a little bit, but if it did, AngelFyre suspected it would ultimately feel somewhat hollow as it changed nothing.

She was acutely aware that everyone had gone silent. She knew she needed to say something, but the framing of the question was not quite the truth of the matter. Arguing any of it would be in vain and would only cause hard feelings between two people where there had been none before, at least not really. Further, everyone else in the vehicle at the moment would be victims of collateral damage.

Pax had heard Haley's side of things and AngelFyre had heard Simon's. There was truth on both sides, of course, but neither she nor Pax could really know what did and did not go on between Simon and Haley. AngelFyre had been told that there was a months long gap in their relationship long before AngelFyre came on the scene and that Simon's trust had been broken. A reconciliation had been attempted, but the relationship had continued to be rocky, even up to the point that she and Simon met.

To say to Haley's very good friend, 'I never would have been a second thought in Simon's mind if Haley had actually been present, both physically and emotionally in the relationship', would sound churlish and petty and self-serving, no matter how true it was. And it was what Simon had told her. He had been very happy and secure in his relationship with Haley, until it died slowly on the vine. He was not looking for someone else, and the someone else he found had not been looking for him. But things happen. Life happens. People change. Anything she would say in direct response to Pax's pointed question would sound like a classic case of blaming the victim, and that is not fair either.

Was Haley perfect in their relationship? Probably not? Was Simon? Not at all. But do they honestly tell others where their own faults lay in the demise of their relationship? No one but them will ever truly know. All everyone remembers is that they "got married" at the Blossom Ball in 2021, but what no one knows seems to remember is that the perfect couple... the lovebirds... did not talk to each other for months because Haley would not or could not, and if her fellow was to be believed, and AngelFyre had absolutely no reason in the world not to believe him, he tried very hard to get Haley to speak with him. Relationships need to be tended to. Fires need to be kept burning. Or else they die.

BUT, no matter how true any or all of it was, it was not AngelFyre's place to say. It was, for good or bad, AngelFyre's place, apparently, to be the obvious target for causing the hurt, anger, anguish, humiliation and blame for what had transpired both before and after Haley's break up with Simon. Had she played a part in it? Yes. And that grieved her then and it grieved her still. Did she do it intentionally? Most certainly not. But again, who was going to hear it and believe it? Only she and Simon really knew the truth of what they themselves had done.... and just as importantly, not done... to keep the utter heartbreak and devastation that played out from happening.

Pax wanted to know why? Why had she dated him on the still warm ash heap of his previous relationship?

The only answer is the selfish one... the human one. Because she was in love with him. She was still in love with him. But it was her lot to be seen as the 'home wrecker' here, and that just was how that would go in certain quarters. So be it. She would take it, and a million times more, because she knew who and what she had..... what she would always have.... and that would far outshine the shade and negativity tossed at her.

So, she could bear the weight of Pax Zhang's hostility and hurt on behalf of their good friend, and silently and simultaneously bless them for being a protector of their friend. Pax was not her enemy. Haley was not her enemy. Haley was a part of Simon. He would always love her. AngelFyre knew that and mostly took comfort in that fact. AngelFyre did not now, nor did she back then, ever wish to hurt Haley in any way. So yeah. This she could bear.

"Pax, I am sorry that Haley, your friend, was hurt. I will forever be sorry for being a cause of her hurt. Did I know it? Of course I suspected it. How could I not? How could she not be hurt? It must have been devastating. It may be still, I have no way of knowing, but again, all I know to do here is to say that I am sorry. I am also sorry that you, carrying this burden on behalf of your friend, are having to be confronted with it by my presence. I am sorry for all of that," and she took a few seconds before adding, "But I cannot be... and am not... sorry for loving Simon, then or now."

Interacts with @Pax Zhang
Mentions: @Simon Kincaid @Haley Rose

"Pax, I am sorry that Haley, your friend, was hurt. I will forever be sorry for being a cause of her hurt. Did I know it? Of course I suspected it. How could I not? How could she not be hurt? It must have been devastating. It may be still, I have no way of knowing, but again, all I know to do here is to say that I am sorry. I am also sorry that you, carrying this burden on behalf of your friend, are having to be confronted with it by my presence. I am sorry for all of that. But I cannot be... and am not... sorry for loving Simon, then or now."

Pax didn't respond straight away. They had to let the words process in their brain.

They had heard from their brother that love was a powerful thing. It could make people do some crazy things. It was an emotion and a force so strong a powerful, yet an emotion void from Pax's mind. Using love as an excuse, to them, wasn't much of an excuse. It seemed like weakness, or something to hide behind another person. No. Independence was always the way.

But then again, others weren't like them. They, for some reason, relied on this weakness. Haley had. So had their brother. Maybe there was something more to this, something more that they weren't seeing.

Either way, at least they'd heard AngelFyre out. And they now 'saw' her side of things. Now what was left was probably to hear Simon's. But they didn't plan on that any time soon.

They could sense the tension forming in the car, and as much as they would want to keep pushing for a better answer, they wanted to spare their friends from sitting through the awkwardness.

So instead, they simply replied with "Right."

Reducio

Word Count: 310

Interacting: @AngelFyre McCubbin Mention: @Sophia Nelson, @Colin McCoire, @Kim Sato as Hiro Bakugo

Date: July 6th 2022

Colin had watched the confrontation between his friends with a look of wide-eyed shock. He had no idea what Hunter was talking about --- who was this Haley and why was his demisister so concerned? Simon was involved and all this about a ball? Colin realised how utterly socially disconnected he'd been the last year. Apart from his few friends and what little time he'd gotten to spend with Liam, he pretty much knew absolutely nothing of what had gone on at Hogwarts! AngelFyre knew, obviously, and while he was certain the exchange between her and Pax was uncomfortable, they both seemed to handle it well.

At least no wands were drawn!

"Right!" he said, looking quickly from one to the other. "Glad that's sorted, then!" Or at least Colin hoped it was sufficiently sorted! He couldn't think of anything else to say, so he just gave AngelFyre a hug and Pax a quick nose doop before moving to the jumpseat that folded down behind Sophia.

Colin half turned and draped himself over the back of Sophia's seat. He watched out of the front window as the scattered barns and garages and houses passed by. Colin felt suddenly excited that his friends would soon be at his house!

"Soph! We'll be home soon --- and ye're actually driving!" He gave his sister a thump on the shoulder. "Ye're brilliant, lassie! I had no idea you could drive one of these machines, Soph. How did you learn? Seanmamó says she's going to teach me and Liam maybe this summer. Maybe some day I'll go to Ireland with you and we can drive there too!"

@Sophia Nelson | @Angelfyre McCubbin | @Kim Sato as Hiro Bakugo | @Pax Zhang

--- Date: 06/07/22 || Time: Morning ---

Outfit: Shirt, Shorts, Shoes

Sophia settled into the driver seat with shaky hands and legs.

She didn't know why she'd asked to drive, and she didn't know why her grandma had allowed it, but here she was, sitting in the driver's seat of this old, old car. She'd grabbed a few comic books from her backpack full of clothes and was currently using them as a makeshift booster seat - which was fairly embarrassing, but she couldn't see over the dash properly otherwise.

As Colin started the engine - which was a bit weird to see, since every car Sophia had been in as a muggle had had a standard ignition setup - Sophia panicked briefly, unsure of what to do, and focused on the gas pedal, not even thinking to give Colin time to get into the car properly. As the car sped through the parking lot, Colin thankfully found his way inside and had some sort of game-like relationship with AF and Hiro.

Sophia ignored all of the hijinks as she focused on the parking lot and road ahead of her. She knew vaguely how to drive - her dad had let her steer while he handled changing gears in their car all the time before he died - so she got the hang of the basics after a few minutes. Just like dad had taught her, she managed to change gears by feel.

As the car sputtered into the road, her tension finally began to melt away.

She ignored the conversation between Pax and AF - not to be rude, but because she wanted to focus on the road ahead of her. The last thing she needed was to lose focus and hurt someone. Besides, if she'd heard right, they were talking about Simon, and after meeting him, it felt wrong for her to listen into his business. If she was meant to know, he'd have told her about whatever was going on.

The road passed underneath them with only the occasional bump, and Sophia was quite proud of what she'd done. She smiled as she heard words of praise from Colin.

"Soph! We'll be home soon --- and ye're actually driving! Ye're brilliant, lassie! I had no idea you could drive one of these machines, Soph. How did you learn? Seanmamó says she's going to teach me and Liam maybe this summer. Maybe some day I'll go to Ireland with you and we can drive there too!"

His words were lost on her, however, as she felt his hand collide with her shoulder.

It wasn't Colin's fault, not by any means, and Sophia didn't quite know why it affected her like that. Maybe it was the combination of being in a car, the noise, and the sudden contact on her shoulder, but the blue-haired girl lost it for a very brief moment.

She wasn't in the old vintage car driving through the hills of Scotland with her friends anymore. Suddenly, she was in the backseat of a different, more modern, car which was no longer on the road. Instead, she could feel the car flipping over and over as her neck jerked from side to side. She could see the pair of lifeless bodies in the front seat even as the sound of shattering glass and twisting metal overwhelmed her.

Sophia's hands gripped the steering wheel tightly and she found herself hitting the gas pedal even harder than before. The car was speeding up, and she was quickly surpassing the speed limit. Without realizing it, she drifted over to the right-side lane. Perhaps it was her old American tendencies kicking in, the traumatic memory she'd just relived, or even a combination of the two, but her driving grew more reckless. She was hitting curves at a far higher speed, veering ever so slightly into the other lane - which was technically the correct lane in the United Kingdom - and stonily watching the road ahead of her as she emotionlessly ignored all rabble going on around her.

Notes:

Reducio

Maybe Soph isn't as acclimated to cars as she thought she was after the accident

Interacting:
@Pax Zhang || @Colin McCoire || @AngelFyre McCubbin || @Kim Sato as Hiro
Mentioning:

The silence seemed to last forever as the tension reached more than an uncomfortable level before Pax ultimately responded with their dismissive one word answer. AngelFyre sighed deeply and accepted Colin's hug with a warm smile and offered a reassuring hug of her own.

She had no issue with Pax, not even after the blindside, but there was a very clear dissatisfaction dripping from their response that hinted they might not be entirely done with their grilling on the Haley front. They did seem to be done for the time being, however, and that would have to be enough. Pax could choose to try to see and know AngelFyre through their own lens, judging the good and the bad for themselves, gathering a more rounded picture of the whole person or they could stay steadfastly glued to the two dimensional image colored for them only by the experiences of another, preferring to only see someone as a sum total based upon one incident and one decision. It was their choice and AngelFyre was not going to press it either way. Giving Pax as wide a berth as possible in order to maintain peace would be the name of the game for the next few days, and AngelFyre would be happy to do whatever it would take to make that happen.

AngelFyre looked over at Hiro and the two grandmother's and offered as bright a smile as she could muster. No point in openly brooding. Enough discomfort had blanketed the prior fun and laughter and anticipation. More was definitely not necessary. As Colin lowered a seat behind Sophia and jumped to it, he happily started enthusing about her driving and reached out to touch her.

In a flash, all prior thoughts of Pax and their encounter was completely forgotten as Sophia became the clear and present danger to everyone as she started to speed up well beyond a safe clip, and even worse, she was crossing the lanes into oncoming traffic. AngelFyre could see Sophia gripping the steering wheel, white knuckling it, and her gaze seemed distant and fixed.

Colin had had to crank the car to get it started. Did that mean there was or was not an ignition? Were there keys anyone could remove? Pax was riding shotgun and in the best position to do something, but it seemed like nothing was being done. AngelFyre did as she always did and prayed for their safety. Then she reached for her wand, but it did not slide from its holster. Oh no! It must have fallen on the floor or in the recesses of the seat while they were rough housing earlier. "Colin! Pax! Cast Wingardium Leviosa and then cast Spongify. Hurry!

HURRY!!"

If anyone else had a better idea, wonderful, but it needed to be implemented right now.

Interacts with @Colin McCoire @Pax Zhang @Sophia Nelson @Kim Sato as Hiro Bakugo

"OWOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! YEEP YEEP YEEEEEP!!!" Colin cheered into Sophia's ears as she careened along the oh so narrow roadway! She seemed to tense up, though, after he whacked her shoulder. Worse, she suddenly smelled of --- fear? His warrior sister? Afraid? Colin got up on the jump seat and leaned in real close to Sophia's left ear. With his right hand, he gave Sophia a gentle scratch behind her ear. She had always calmed him down by doing that --- maybe it would work on her too? He said to her: "You are the one driving this motor car, Soph. No one else. Ye're no in the back seat wi the bairns! You have so got this, my dear sister!"

With a merry laugh he turned back towards the passengers --- Hiro, Fyre Angel, Gramma Penelope, and of course his own Seanmamó --- all seemed to be enjoying the ride now that AngelFyre and Pax had at least heard each other out a bit. Colin was glad they sorted it, because he felt girl stuff like that was waaaay beyond his ability to comprehend. Sure, he'd crushed on Jarael pretty hard, but they hadn't seen each other now in more than a month.

Seanmamó gave him a wink and continued her animated conversation with Gramma Collins. They looked like two old friends just getting back together, even though he reckoned there must be a century or more separating them! "Don't worry Fyre Angel!" Colin said with a wink of his own to his golden haired comrade in wands. "This motor practically drives itself!"

And with another laugh he gave Hiro a friendly punch in the shoulder and cried out to him: "Come on laddie! Let's have a wee bit fun!" He grabbed Hiro by the hand and dragged him up a bit, then Colin clambered over the front seat and landed between Sophia and Pax. He turned first towards Sophia, saying: "You're doing good Soph. I don't know what's gotten into you Soph, but let it go! You're okay now --- we're with ye, Soph!"

He turned to Pax with a wide fangy grin and popped open the wind screen. "Come on Hiro! Let's go surfing! Plenty of room for two!" And with that he clambered out onto the motor car's bonnet and struck a wind defying pose! The blast whistled by his ears and made his long hair and kilts dance behind him! Colin unbuttoned his shirt and let that flap madly behind him as well as he rode the cool breeze of the Highlands!

"YAHOWOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

@Sophia Nelson | @Angelfyre McCubbin | @Kim Sato as Hiro Bakugo | @Pax Zhang

AngelFyre was a combination of irked and perplexed. The drive to Colin's home had held such promise of fun and camaraderie while standing on the platform in Tain, but that evaporated quickly enough when confronted with the Grand Inquisitor. It was difficult to know if Pax's question or AngelFyre's response had been most disturbing to everyone... or to no one... but she had tried to make the best of it. No sooner had she jumped out of the frying pan that had been Pax's question than she apparently jumped right into the fire. Yep. She was irked, and it did not happen often, but here it was.

AngelFyre was a lot of things, but silly and fearful was not two of them. Still here she was, sitting in the backseat of an ancient vehicle appearing to be both. Well, whatever. It did not seem unreasonable to her 12 year old self to be the slightest bit concerned that a girl she barely knew was driving at high speed and recklessly. She was certain Sophia had to be a nice girl.... she was Colin's friend after all, but there was something going on with her right now and driving did not seem to be the thing she should be doing.

Hiro seemed like an awfully nice fellow, but the calm, nonchalant glance he gave her before he performed the Wingardium Leviosa made her wither inside. What was wrong with her anyway? This was so unlike her? How was it she was the unreasonable one here? They had crossed lanes with oncoming traffic ahead. Who was to know Colin would, or could, talk Sophia down from whatever personal cliff she was driving herself over? And taking all of them with her when she did.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrr

She sat back and nodded, blankly, at Colin when he enthused that the car could almost drive itself. AngelFyre had the momentary thought that she would probably prefer it if it did, but wisely kept that thought to herself. She opted instead to do what her old pattern of behavior used to have her do. She silenced herself and just observed everything going on around her. Hiro and Colin then busied themselves together. She and Pax were both ruminating. Sophia was driving, sort of, and the two grandmothers were talking as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.

It felt like Bizarro World to her. And then, to her utter surprise, she started to laugh. It started low and slow, but it built up to a robust laugh soon enough. She remembered that when Colin and his Seanmamó had first pulled up to the Tain Train station (say that 5 times fast!), she had the image of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in her head. When Hiro successfully cast the levitation spell, that image had become somewhat manifest.

It was when that thought crossed her mind that Seanmamó turned her attention from Sophia's Gran and looked directly at her, her eyes sparkling and a smile turning up the corners of her mouth. And just like that, AngelFyre was no longer irked.

Now she was just.... intrigued.

She leaned over to Hiro, still laughing, but she would catch her breath often enough that she was able to tell him "Thank you for casting. Are you at all familiar with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang?" And then she laughed some more.

*******************

Interacts with: Hiro Bakugo (@Kim Sato) and @Colin McCoire
Mentions: @Pax Zhang @Sophia Nelson

"WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" Colin cried out joyfully! "This is surfing laddie!" Colin crouched down a bit, with his arms spread wide. The feel of the wind blowing across his body and through his hair was exhilarating! And the adrenaline coursing through him made him feel warm and cool all at the same time. As Sophia jammed down on the accelerator Colin leaned into the wind.

She took the curves like race driver, though Colin could hardly help laughing when he turned back to take a look. He could hardly see Soph's blueberry hair above the steering wheel! Colin trusted Sophia implicitly. He knew that the motor car could practically drive itself; and he felt at one with Sophia, the car and the road. He shouted over to Hiro: "Lean into the wind, laddie! Dance with the car! Soph's got this! That's it, lad! WOOOOOOO!!!"

Sadly, the drive home hardly lasted long enough for Colin. Sophia turned off the main road and into the dirt lane that in turn forked off heading up towards the House. Little more than dirt tracks, Sophia had to slow the motor car considerably. Even so, the car and everyone in it bumped and jostled around; and Colin grabbed Hiro's hand so that he'd not go flying off into trees on either side of the lane.

At last they came around the curve that led to the stables and garages and workshops. As Sophia jammed on the brakes, skidding the ancient motor car to a halt, a figure stepped out of one of the workshops. Tall and skinny and blond like Colin. Also wearing a kilt, though sporting a much neater shirt! A broom was in his right hand and a big grin was on his face. "COOOOLLLIIIN!!"

Colin yipped excitedly and leaped down from the car's bonnet and ran over towards the other boy where they grappled each other in a very tight hug. "Liam! Come on lad, meet the gang!" Colin was so very happy that his friends had finally made it home. He was looking forward to all the adventures they'd be sure to have and the mysteries they'd need to delve into. But for now, it was enough to be here with his twin brother and his best friends.

Everyone's home safely; thread is finished.

@Sophia Nelson | @Angelfyre McCubbin | @Kim Sato as Hiro Bakugo | @Pax Zhang