ᴍᴀᴛᴇʀɪᴀʟ ɢɪʀʟ.

“When you do have more to tell, tell me,” India insisted. “Or else I can’t help, okay?” India nudged into Brooklyn’s shoulder with a grin, seeing the fork in the trail coming up. Gently, she began to steer them toward the righthand bend in the fork, and just as it had been, the trail instantly became more verdant around them. “We need to get you a hobby,” she said, somewhat suddenly, glancing at Brooklyn. “One that isn’t… destructive.”

“I’ve done it before,” India confirmed. “I’ll show you at some point, I promise.” She considered shifting right at that moment, but she didn’t have a face clearly in mind, and didn’t want to have a… mediocre shift. “I can make myself into anyone, so… hot guy is on the table.” She was sort of teasing Brooklyn, though it was entirely the truth. She abandoned the teasing for the small nugget of information Brooklyn had offered. “He sounds dreamy. I’ll need more, though!”

“I can shapeshift,” India said. “But usually, I stick to female bodies. I’m pretty sure that was what I was born as.” As someone whose power had come to her at such a young age, India couldn’t ever be sure about the permanence of anything about herself, but she liked how her cells had arranged themselves now. It felt like her default. “Tell me more about the standoffish guy,” India said.

India gave her dear, wonderful, contrary friend a level stare. “It doesn’t have to be forever,” she insisted. “Sometimes, all you need is a distraction.” That was all India dealt in: distractions. She didn’t ever want a relationship: she didn’t want to tie herself down to only one person when there was so much beauty around her; so much good matter out there. “Come on. There has to be somebody.”

India placed her other hand on the arm that was linked with hers, giving Brooklyn’s forearm a gentle squeeze. “The offer’s still out there,” she promised. “Or I could give him a sixth toe on his left foot? It’s not terrible, but it would make all of his left shoes uncomfortable to wear.” –– India’s imagination was… colorful. “Let me help,” she said. “Is there anyone we could rope into helping you move on?”

“Doing about what?” She searched her memory for a moment, trying to remember if anything significant had come up recently. “Is this about… you-know-who?” She supposed that it probably was about you-know-who. “Because I can either make him disappear into a million molecules… or make you a lot of chocolate.”

“Was it worded poorly, though?” India grinned, nudging her shoulder against Brooklyn’s as she lightly teased her. As they walked, they passed a few trees, and India made them a little greener, smell a little fresher. Be a little more for them. “So, you were bored,” she prodded. “What’s up?”

India let Brooklyn pull her up with a bit of a laugh and an exaggerated oof. “You’re pretty easy to please, as long as I remember what you like,” she pointed out. “And you’ll have to see when we get there.” India gestured toward the path, smiling. “After you.”

India rolled her eyes, but otherwise acquiesced. She pulled Brooklyn’s feet into her lap, and passed her hands over the boots. As she went, the heel dissolved, the fashion-house fake leather became made of hardier stuff, and, for Brooklyn’s benefit, the top of the boots were covered in her favorite color of glitter. “There. A little bit of you, and a little bit of me,” India said, making the laces her favorite purple. “Better?”

India, ever-amused by Brooklyn, let herself get wrapped into a hug. While Brooklyn’s arms were otherwise occupied, India glanced at her friend’s boots, and rolled her eyes. “I’m changing your boots,” she declared. “This won’t nearly be as much fun if your feet are hurting.”

India laughed when the text came in, and made her way out to the path she had designated in her text. Being Brooklyn’s friend was never dull, that was certain. Being Brooklyn’s friend when Brooklyn was bored was even more exciting. India laughed at a different memory of the damage a bored Brooklyn could do, and sat in a bench by the trail. When tell-tale red hair finally made itself known, she grinned. “Ready?”

[ txt ] : it’ll be fun! just bring your sense of adventure and, yes, your love for me :) 

[ txt ] : I’ve got a better idea. Meet me by the west trail in 20?

“That’s what I’m here for,” India replied. Her power didn’t need her to do anything to make things appear, but when she had been young, she’d gotten into the habit of visualizing a large shelf right in front of her, and her power pulling the object off of the shelf. So she reached out in front of her with two hands, and when she pulled them back, there was a cake on a platter. “I have to admit, I had some help with the cake in order for it to be edible,” she said. “But it is edible.”

India’s hand paused mid-air, as did the half-formed, nebulous bit of matter hanging in front of her form. She was breaking a couple of rules, but Roman’s tone emboldened her to try being… charming. “What if it was a present for you?”

It took her a while to find Kayleigh, and she was dripping when she did. India couldn’t resist a small, amused smile at the sight, and shook her head at the apology. “I was looking for you,” she said. “After all, it’s your birthday.”