8226/Mairin needs to vent!

Mairin needs to vent!
Date of Scene:	13 October 2021
Location:	1A - Mairin's Studio Apartment
Synopsis:	Mairin and Demona had a heart to heart and Mairin shared her plans for her new private project.
Cast of Characters:	Mairin Moran, Susan Sullivan

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Mairin Moran has posed:
    It's after dinner when Mairin finaly calms down enough to pick up the phone. And it isn't until she's already sent Demona a text asking her to come over to talk (complete with address) that she realizes she didn't even think of reaching out to anyone else.

    She tries to work while she waits, but there is toto much nervous energy. She wants to hit something. Normally she'd go pound a raquetball into the wall until she felt better, but she's out of balls and doesn't feel like running to the store right now. So instead, she just works, stands, paces, sits, works... until Demona comes.

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    Demona is quick to arrive. She texts when she's there, coming in when Mairin buzzes her in. She's soon at the apartment door, knocking.

Mairin Moran has posed:
    The door opens, revealing a disheveled Mairin. Her curly hair, free of its usual poney tail, floats around her face like a brown haze as she motions Dmona in. "I'm sorry. I'm sure you must have better places to be. I just..." She sighs and closes the door behind her. "I just needed someone to talk to."

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    Demona holds her gas-mask in her hand, having worn it on the way over, but taken it off, now. As she sees the state of Mairin, her expression betrays her breaking heart. She moves in freely because of Mairin's open invitation to her and hugs the other woman tightly. "Don't be stupid," she says, gently. "There's no more important place in the world than being the shoulder for a hurting friend to cry on." She reaches out with her foot and kicks the door closed while keeping Mairin in a tight embrace.

Mairin Moran has posed:
    Mairin sort of freezes in place, then just melts as she wraps her arms around Demona, one hand clenching her shirt in back. There's a silence... and then her body begins to shake slightly as the soft sobs come out.

     She stands there, like that, just clinging to Demona, glad to have someone to just let it all out in front of.

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    Demona is there for her, rubbing her. She rests her cheek on the top of Mairin's head as she tries not to make it awkward that her boss's face is squooshed into her bosom and she's likely going to have to wash the snotty tears out of her hoodie. None of that matters in the moment, really. Mairin is clearly hurting, and Demona is a stoic rock to lean on.

Mairin Moran has posed:
    After a minute or two, the slow sobs fade and Mairin takes a couple long, slow breaths. Still, she doesn't seem in a hurry to let go. She knows she should, but something about Demona is just so comforting. But eventually she does, walking across her room to snatch up a tissue from a box on her desk. She faces away from Demona, blowing her nose and wiping her eyes and trying to recover herself before turning back to face her. "Sorry... I promise I didn't ask you here to weep all over you." She tries another smile.

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    "Psh," Demona says, waving dismissively at the apology. "As if I mind being your support person." She moves to the bed and sits down, patting the seat next to her. "Seems like the volcano's let off steam. Why don't you tell me what's going on?"

Mairin Moran has posed:
    Mairin sighs and comes over to sit down next to Demona, their elbows touching. "I went back to the Candle Book and Bell today," she starts, staring at the hands folded in her lap. "I was ready to put everything behind, to start fresh. I knew she was mad, and I knew I should have told her in advance that I was bringning you. That entire... thing... went horribly." Deep breath.

    "And I started to tell her. That I was determined to finish and learn, and focus on what she had to teach me. And... it seemed like everything was going ok."

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    "That's the mean lady's shop?" Demona clarifies, trying to keep track of everything while still being there for her friend.

Mairin Moran has posed:
    Mairin nods an afirmative. "Then John Constantine came in," she says the name with obvious venom, "with another practitioner, Zee, and Nettie just pushed me to the side. Like I was a child and she needed to talk to the adults now." She pulls her feet up onto the bed, chin on her knees, and wraps her arms around her legs. "And you should have seen the way her face lit up as he came in. And the way they flirted..." Theres a different kind of disgust here. Something far more personal. "And that ass starts calling Ty and I 'puppies'... like aren't we the cutest thing... and Nettie doesn't even correct him. She just calls Ty her kitten and me her Rabbit and talks about us as if we weren't even standing right freaking there." She flails her hands in front of her, nearly falling backward but catching herself against Demona and leaning into her shoulder for support.

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    Demona listens, then is silent for a bit. As Mairin leans on her, she furrows her brow. "Why do you put up with that?" Demona asks. "Give back everything she's given you, tear up your contract, and leave. If she tries to force you to stay, she isn't the kind of woman you want being your teacher." The undead woman puts her arm around Mairin and gives her a gentle squeeze. "Sorry. I'm a fixer. I fix things. I should just be listening."

Mairin Moran has posed:
    Mairin shakes her head as she tilts it over to lean against Demona. "It's ok. You're a good listener." Her voice is soft now, barely more than a whisper. "I could. I thought about it. I just..." She gives a big sigh. "I guess I just keep hoping she's just having a bad day. It wasn't like this at the begining. She was kind, and caring. How she's acted lately... It just isn't how I know her. Or... maybe it actually *is* her and what I thought was her isn't." She closes her eyes, just enjoying Demona's support. "Then she told John how she had half a mind to move me into the shop for my own protection." She shrugs. "So... I cussed her out and left."

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    "I don't care if it's not Disney Princess of me to say this," Demona says. "Next time I see that woman, I'm going to be tempted to break my promise to myself and just suck out every breath of her qi." She looks away. "Sorry. That might be a bit harsh. She's just not a very nice woman at all, and I think you're seeing her true self now, around her friend she's had longer. She's not worried about impressing you, anymore, is the thing. For your own safety? No. It's control bordering on abusive. I want you to get out of that relationship, but I can't control what you do."

Mairin Moran has posed:
    She looks up at Demona's face, from her shoulder, her brow furrowed. "You really don't like her, do you?" She smiles, the first really genuine smile she's given since you got there. "But, for now at least, I need her. I've had plenty of teachers I didn't like. Some that I argued with. But as long as she can treat me as a student, I'll learn from her. We don't need to like each other That's what I told her when I cussed her out. That I'd be back tomorrow to learm As her student and nothing else. And I damn well am not moving out of my appartment for anyone." She chuckles, "I just got everything where I want it."

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    Demona huffs out a moment and says, "You don't, though," she says. "Have to stick with her. What if I helped you find another teacher? Someone who treats you like a person and not a pet? Because being trained like a puppy is not good at all. Sorry, you were the rabbit, which is actually worse. They're passive. She sees you as someone she can take advantage of."

Mairin Moran has posed:
    "Or just someone who can't defend themselves. Who's only defense is to run away." Her voice is still soft, but harder. "I appreciate it, Demona. And... well I'd definitly be willing to talk to anyone you find. But for right now at least, I'm not going to give Nettie the satisfaction of me runnng away. I've nevr run away from anything." Not strictly true... there were the Gotham gangs but.... "I'm going to prove to her that I'm not some bunny she can manipulate. In fact..."

    She leaps to her feet and dashes over to the desk to grab a handful of papers then hops back on the bed, curling her legs under her and leaning back against Demona as she spreads them out in front of both of them.

    "Remember that job with the Gotham Cable Company? Well I'm going to use that money to make this." She gestures to the schematics, of a very large and complex cat. It must be roughly the size of a car. And the internal schematics hint at much more going on than mere locomotion, even at a glance.

    "I've been working on it since I got back."

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    Demona furrows her brow. "A cat?" she asks. "Is that...are you going to buy that from the studio? Surely we're not making enough money for you to build one!" she says, excitedly. Her excitement builds as she raises her voice some. "Are we making enough money from that to build one?!" she nearly gushes.

Mairin Moran has posed:
    Mairin actually giigles as she pushes hair back out of her face. "The studio is being very generous. Apparently there isn't a crowd of robotics experts beating down their door to work on it. And Thomas, as repulsive as his outlook on life is, did put in a good word for us." She starts paging through the layers. "But no, this isn't his cat. This is mine. I'll admit I got the idea from his though. Most of it should be pretty simple. We can machine most of the parts at the University, and print the microchips there as well. The only thing missing really is a power source. It'll have to be something pretty large. But we have time to figure that out. Just the frame and body will take a *while*.

    "Little rabbit indeed," she mocks, looking over at Demona with a wink.

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    Demona smirks back at her boss. "I'm impressed," she says. "Hey, you're a teacher, right? I want to help with this, but the new hotness is 3D printing, and I had my hiatus before that was so widespread. Would you teach me how to model things on the computer so I can practice using the SLS printer to make some of the parts out of aluminum?"

Mairin Moran has posed:
    "Sweetie, that's just it... I'm going to teach you *everything*. This is going to take a lot of time, and with this, and the work at the station and learning magic... Well I just don't have time for everything. So I'm going to quit the Adjunct job. I only had it to fill in my time. It wasn't like I had much of a social life. *We're* going to build this." She points to the schematics, a giant grin on her face.

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    Demona smiles as Mairin talks to her more like an equal than anything else. However, she is also incredibly excited to get to work on something like this! "Is it just a robot?" she asks. "I haven't been paying close attention. Is it like Thomas's robot, or is it, like, a Cat Mech?" She moves to get a closer look at the plans. As detailed as they are, she should really learn more about what she's going to be building.

Mairin Moran has posed:
    She giggles again and pulls Demona down to kneel on the floor with her while she spreads the pages out on the bed. "Oh, this isn't just going to be a cat. I've done that already. This is... well.." She turns to Demona, "You know how in Disney movies, the witch always has a familiar? Like a crow, or... a cat?" She side-eyes the plans with a grin. "I want us to imbue this cat with magic. I want it to be *my* familiar. Let Corvax suck on that. *And* I wont even have to feed some dead man's entrails to something or whatever it is Nettie had to do to summon that creepy old man."

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    Demona does not join her on the floor exactly. her head is down there with Mairin's, but her body floats above the floor. They're in private, now; she can do what she wants. She's very interested at the blending of magic and technology. "I am SO down for this," she says. "Will it be small, like normal familiars? Can I make one? Have you gotten me clearance, yet?" she asks, clearly eager to get started.

Mairin Moran has posed:
    Mairin is beaming at Demona, fully as excited as she is and even more so to see her friend so happy. "No, no... this is going to be a big one." She turns her whole body now to face Demona. "Ty has an ability to create a pocket diminsion and reach into it to find stuff. Nettie can teleport things through a circle from pretty much anywhere... and I've read about tech that can actually shrink full objects to something miniscule. I want to use something like that. I'm not sure what yet. But something to allow me to link *this* cat, to a smaller one. So that I can use the smaller one, to summon this one. Or maybe just shrink this one and then make it grow again... Whatever. The point is, it would be both portable as a regular cat, and this..."

    She's out of breath, the air coming through her mouth in gasps that are blowing the hair in front of her face as her eyes are alive with dreamy wonder.

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    "That's so cool!" Demona says as she floats before Mairin, sharing her excitement. She turns her attention to the papers that float a bit as if air is passing under them. They shift and organize themselves as Demona looks over the lines. She begins verbalizing stuff she can and can't do, what machines she thinks could produce certain parts, etc. She stops herself and says, "This is why you took on the department of energy contract, isn't it."

Mairin Moran has posed:
    She just watches Demona, a satisfied and happy smile on her face, and admiration in her eyes as the floating woman reads the designs. There really is a lot there. It looks as though Mairin intends the thing to not only be able to defend itself, but track, find, rescue, and protect those around it.

    "Hmmm? Oh, no. I took that on for another project. One that is a *lot* more ambitious. But this one will help me iron out some of the kinks in those designs as well. I just wish I was closer to figuring how to mitiaturize QNCY."

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    Demona looks up into Mairin's eyes, parallel with the floor and across from her. "What's QNCY?" she asks, imitating Mairin's pronunciation impeccably, even replicating her accent for a moment. "Is this something I should know about?"

Mairin Moran has posed:
    Mairin blushes a bit when Demona catches her looking at her, and looks back down to the pages, tucking her hair back behind her ear. "Ummm... Strictly speaking I don't think so. Lets just say that QNCY is the prototype for my project. I can't really say anything else." She looks up sheepishly. "Sorry. Soon, though. That's the only aspect of this design that you wouldnt be able to work on. And I'm not even sure I'll use that. I might find an arc reactor just laying around." She laughs. "Or find some magical power source." She shrugs, "Who knows, maybe I could power it with my own will, amplified through some means." She laughs as if that idea is ludicrous.

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    "Get a thunder stone," Demona says, pivoting largely around her feet, which incidentally puts distance between her and Mairin. "Like in Pokemon." She shakes her head. "There's so much I've seen on the news in the last few years that I didn't ever believe was possible before. Even what I am now, I didn't think was real. I believed in vampires, and somehow not Jiangshi." She shakes her head. "Borrow some lightning from Thor or something. I don't know!"

Mairin Moran has posed:
    Mairin laughs and crosses her legs under her to sit more comfortably. "Exactly. I'm sure we'll find something to do it. It isn't like this is even that complicated. This isn't Iron Man, or a Sentinal. It's just a friendly kitten." She bites her lip, "How are you with AIs?"

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    "Admittedly," Demona says as her feet touch down, "I'm not great with software or programming. I mean, I know my way around a computer, but I've never met a true AI or tried to program one. The only ones I know of are science fiction or just chat-bots connected to a databse."

Mairin Moran has posed:
    She nods slowly. "That's not my forte either. I have access to some basic ones. But this might end up being too complex for me. I might have to reach out to someone else to make sure it works right. The last thing you want is the AI going wonky on you." She looks up suddenly. "*Could* you use qi to run something like this?" She'd only been kidding before, but now she's not so sure.

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    Demona considers and floats a bit closer, pulling up her legs to sit on the far side of the papers, mimicking Mairin's cross-legged gesture. "Maybe," she finally says. "I can lift drones and non-living objects. If it runs on something alive, like an algae that somehow generates power, it would generate qi. It would have its own personality, though, and you might not find it to be the one you expect."

Mairin Moran has posed:
     Mairin's face scrunches up as she thinks. "So you couldn't just... control it, like you did the rock. You'd need it to already have its own qi that you could then manipulate." She ponders this a moment more then shrugs. "like I said, we have time to figure that out. The first step will be machining the skeleton. That'll take us a while by itself, doing it with just the two of us. *And* we'll need a place to store everything."

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    "I mean, I could do it that way," Demona says. "It wouldn't be a robot at that point, though, would it. It would just be...a kind of puppet for me."

Mairin Moran has posed:
    "True," Mairin concedes. "But I wonder if there's a way to combine both. The whole point of my wanting to combine magic and tech is to use one to balance the weaknesses of the other. I wonder if I could do that with the power source."

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    "That's what I was thinking with the algae that could generate power," Demona says. "If you have something alive like that, you could probably use it for control and AI whatever as well." She waves her hand a bit. "Bit wishy-washy about the details, but again, I'm pretty sure anything's possible." She furrows her brow and tilts her head. "How do golems work? Do golems even exist?"

Mairin Moran has posed:
    Mairin laughs and starts to gather up the schematics. "I have no idea. Like you said, at this point nothing would surprise me. I never thought I'd have a Jiangshi as my best friend and yet..." She gstures to Demona with a grin. Her gaze lingers a bit, then she turns away and clears her throat. "Would you like--" she cuts off and stops for just a second on her way to the kitchen, then detours to her desk to set the plans down. "I mean... Would you mind if I had some tea?" She asks with a smile that is obviously hoping you didn't catch her near gaff.

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    Demona smiles. "Thank you for the offer, anyway," she says with a nod. "Have some tea." She moves into the kitchen by raising herself up and floating in there. She has no reason to keep up the facade of walking around Mairin. "It makes me feel good to hear you acknowledge how close we've gotten over the past couple weeks. I had to start all over after I came back to the states. I'm using my old social and everything, but I'm really trying to do that sparingly. I mean, I have a driver's license only because I absolutely have to have one. It doesn't use my new name, even. I've made a few acquaintances since moving back, but you're definitely the best friend I've got right now, too."

Mairin Moran has posed:
    She puts a well used kettle on to boil, pulls down a cup and drops a teabag in it, then turns to face Demona, leaning back against the counter. "I guess I kind of know that feeling. I've been in New York for two years, but before that it was Pennsilvania for 2 years, and then California for three before that. I... Don't make friends easily. Even when I'm sticking around long enough to make them. I'm..." She clears her throat. "I'm really glad I met you Demona." She says, her tone warm, even if she's looking kind of at Demona's feet.

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    Demona smiles. "Me, too." She wiggles her feet a bit. "You like my shoes?" she teases.

Mairin Moran has posed:
    Mairin blushes deeply and looks up, her mouth opens, but she's saved by the wistle of the kettle. She whirls around, clicking it off and clearing her throat as she pours. "I... I had a few friends in Gotham," she says, with only a slight break to her voice. She coughs, "Excuse me. I had a few friends in Gotham before I left. But all of them are scattered around the states now." She turns back around, this time looking Demona in the eye. "So where were you before you came back to the states?"

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    "Told you," Demona says. "Deep in a cave under a monastery in China. Mostly empty of qi, they would toss predators down at me. My meals were not easy, and they didn't make concentration any easier." She looks at Mairin and says, "Mairin?" She hesitates a moment and asks, "Are you looking at me through rebound eyes?"

Mairin Moran has posed:
    Her expression grows horrified as Demona describes it, and she's about to comment, when Demona's question catches her completely off guard. She just stands there for a momment, tea cup in hand, and staring at her as her neck and face glow red. "I... I don't know what you mean."

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    Demona stands without her muscles lifting her, though she ends on he feet, not hovering above the tile of the kitchen. "Mairin, you got hurt really badly. Your trust is betrayed, your crush dumped on you and treated you like a child, and you're more hurt than I've seen anyone hurt in a long time. Be honest with yourself for a moment and think about my question, then try again when you have an answer."

Mairin Moran has posed:
    She blinks... and nods. Then puts her tea on the counter. "I... I know what getting dumped by the person you love feels like," She answers softly. "And it doesn't feel like this. I liked Nettie. A lot. Maybe I still do," she shrugs. "I don't know. But she was never mine to loose." She sighs. "I'm sorry, I... I've been acting like a little girl around you, and that has to be hard for you, uncomfortable even. And that isn't right." She stands up straighter. "But, honestly. You are beautiful, inteligent, and caring. And you would be all of those things whether I'd been hurt or not. And..." she falters a little. "And when the light from that lamp hits your eyes just right, they're one of the prettiest things I've ever seen."

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    Demona furrows her brow, confused. "My eyes tighten down to pinpricks in any light at all, and my sclaras are gross red blotches that look like conjunctivitis," she says. "SURELY, this is rebound eyes you're looking through." She does, however, smile gently at Mairin. "I'm not going to push you away. I'll still be here for you. Just...when you're looking at me more clearly--when Nettie's in the rear view mirror and your heart isn't aching to fill a void--tell me again, k?"

Mairin Moran has posed:
    Mairin actually smiles, though she shakes her head. "How I see you has nothing to do with Nettie. I've thought you were beautiful since the first time you took off your mask. But..." she takes a deep breath. "I understand. I'll just keep telling you until you believe me." She picks up her tea again and tosses the bag. "And thank you for not pushing me away. That, by itself, means more to me than you know."

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    Demona smiles weakly and nods. "Honestly, it isn't the first inkling I've had of something like this," she says. "I'm not sure how to feel about it, though." She takes a deep breath. She backs up to the opposite side of the small kitchen and leans against the wall there, crossing her arms. She thinks hard for a few moments, then says, "I need you to leave Nettie." She looks up and makes intense eye contact with Mairin. "If you remain her student, I will never feel safe."

Mairin Moran has posed:
    Mairin blinks a few times. "I... I know you don't get along but... She'd never seek you out to hurt you."

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    "That is not the impression I got," Demona says, dryly. "She would stake me just to see if that would work," she continues. She shakes her head. "Only reason I'm still around is because you stood between us. No, I will find you another teacher first, if you want, but if she ever comes to see you at work or otherwise turns up and has a connection to you, I'm not going to feel safe. She armed herself when she saw me, Mairin. You don't pick up a gun and send your spy home with someone because you feel safe around them."

Mairin Moran has posed:
    Mairin takes a step forward, her hands reaching out slightly, but stops, remembering that Demona went to the far side of the room for a reason. She takes a deep breath and lets it out. "Tomarrow, or as soon as I can, I am going to go back to the shop. I am going to make it very clear to Nettie what kind of teacher student relationship we are going to have, and is she cannt deal with that, then I am done. I will also make it clear that as long as she is my teacher, she is not to harm you, or direct any harm to come to you. And if she cannot agree to that, then I am done. I'll make her write it into our contract. Bound in blood. It's the least I can do for you."

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    Demona narrows her eyes a little as she looks at Mairin. She nods, finally. "Okay," she says, holding up her right fist with her pinkie extended. "If you promise me, I will trust you."

Mairin Moran has posed:
    Mairin nods once and walks forward to curl her pinkie around Demona's. "I promise," she says, with full seriousness. "And this promise has nothing to do with... my feelings. I would promise this regardless. You have my trust Demona. Completely and fully."