Best Days

[Clopin]

Vriska had placed her head in her hands, as she leaned forward on her elbows to observe the viewport. So, the kid she'd mistaken for a human...wasn't really human?
There was one thing she knew...and that was that this species and their culture sure was screwed up. But hey, she was bored out of her mind. How could she successfully screw around with these guys?

That girl. The one named Taylor. That would be her target. Vriska's smile only grew wider as her hands slowly made their way to the sides of her head, in preparation for manipul8tion. She concentrated on the viewport in front of her, and her Vision Eightfold was fully activated.

"Manipul8..."

Meanwhile, Taylor and Clopin had no prior knowledge of what was to happen to the former convict. All they knew was that Puck was actually a fae. That would definitely explain his ears, and him having an easier time with the powers that Bob gave to him, more than Clopin.
"Does that mean that Puck had his powers before, but Bob only helped to intensify them?" Clopin asked, as everything began to fall into place.

[Jareth]

Jareth hesitated a moment, then gave a cautious nod. "Yes...somewhat. You see, he has such little fae blood, that he most likely would never have seen any signs that he might hold magical abilities with the unicorns help. So, yes he did have magic, but it took a lot of force to activate it."

Puck frowned to himself, thinking hard. This....reminded him of something. He remembered someone telling him that he had an unusual problem for his whole life, not too long ago...wait. The troll girl. In Grell's biology class, she'd said that he'd had his problems with iron for his entire life. Was this reason behind it?

"So...would this have anything to do with the reactions I have when in the presence of iron?" Puck asked, raising an eyebrow at the teacher. Jareth smiled, nodding his blond head once more.

"Yes. You see, we Faes have a vulnerability to iron. I would have the some reaction as you have had," Jareth answered. "And yes, Grell told me about that, too."

[Taylor]

As Clopin attempted to take in all the new information that had been presented to him, Puck, and Taylor, the brunette next to him had fallen silent. Then, out of nowhere, Taylor fell onto her knees, with her legs tucked under her, and her arms out in front of her. For some reason, it seemed like she was trying to fight something...or someone.

"Taylor? Are you alright?" Clopin asked, as snapped out of his thoughts, and knelt down next to the girl. He couldn't quite understand what was going on, until Taylor pushed him to the side, forcefully, and stood up, looking straight at Puck. There seemed to be an unusually different light in her eyes...almost as if she were being manipulated.

"Why is it that I'm always the first one to notice these things, fairy 8oy?" Taylor started, as she walked towards Puck. Clopin raised an eyebrow in confusion. Taylor's voice was still her own...but at the same time, it wasn't.
He didn't recall anything about the girl telling him that she had been present when Puck had eaten that iron supplement. Not once.

[Jareth]

Before Puck could question any further, both he and Jareth turned sharply to Taylor, who had fallen suddenly to the ground. What...was wrong with her? She had fine just two seconds ago.

But before they could reach out to try and help her, the girl jumped up suddenly, calling Puck directly out. Odd, her voice sounded...strange. Almost like it belonged to someone else. At her insult, Puck blinked, taking a step back in surprise. That was a bit harsh for Taylor's usual teasing. Had he upset her or something?

"Taylor...are you alright?" Puck asked, confused. Like Clopin, Puck didn't know what she was on about in regards to the iron supplement. She hadn't even been in that class with him!

[Taylor]

"Alright? Are you seriously asking me that? OF course I'm alright. 8ut I was right all along." Taylor said, as she paced around Puck.
Back in her dorm, Vriska grinned as she spoke through Taylor, watching the havoc unfold before her very eyes. What else could she do?
"That iron weakness, you've had it ever since you were just a little wriggler. The magic too. That unicorn only served to intensify it." Taylor said, with a wide grin.

[Jareth]

Puck took another step back, his jaw practically falling open in shock. From the way Taylor was speaking, it sounded as though this was all part of some elaborate plan to harm the trickster. But, how could she possibly have known this sort of thing.

Narrowing his eyes, Puck look back at the girl suspiciously. Something was off here, though Puck didn't know just what it was. "Taylor...I think that you'd better explain yourself. You don't want me jumping to conclusions. Trust me," Puck said, his tone hard and serious.

[Taylor]

"Expl8n myself? Why should I? I'm only reiterating what he said." Taylor said, as she pointed back towards Jareth. Clopin too noticed that something was off, and he knew that the girl wouldn't deliberately hurt someone unless under orders or because she despised them. He continued to cautiously watch as Taylor continued to circle, with her head held high, and her hands clasped behind her back.

"Weak-minded human you are, aren't you, Ruse?" Vriska asked, through her manipulation of the girl's mind. Those very same words were spoken by Taylor herself, as she continued to circle around Puck, like a lion observing its kill.
"And to Puck, I know a gr8 deal about you, no matter how much you try and deny it." Taylor said.

In reality, Vriska had only scratched the surface with her mind-reading powers. But threatening the poor fae was satisfying her boredom.

[Puck]

Puck furrowed his brow in confusion at the girl's words. Alright, someone-or something- was definitely playing an outside force in this. Taylor wasn't one to talk in the third person, obviously, and she certainly wasn't one to speak badly of herself like that.

"Is that so, Taylor?" Puck said, suspicion in his tone as he spoke her name. "Well, I won't try and deny you now...but I can tell you one thing. Any coincidence of Bob bringing out my powers...or weaknesses, was just that. A coincidence. No matter how much you may try to deny that."

Puck had caught her game now. It seemed to him that she was trying to make the boy believe that this had all been on purpose, a plan to get Puck hurt. And he didn't like it one bit.

[Vriska Serket]

"Coincidence? I don't think so, fairy 8oy." Taylor said, with a dark grin. Vriska smiled as she watched her plan go into action. Puck might have thought that he had caught her game, but in fact, he hadn't at all. He would have to work very, very hard in order to find out her "game", because Vriska didn't play just any old manipulation game.

"So full of yourself, Puck. You're worse than my meddley meddler meddlefriend. If you really want a chance at my game, you're going to have to play even harder." Taylor said.

[Puck]

"I could care less about you and your little 'game', girl," Puck spat angrily. Who in the hell was this girl? It obviously wasn't Taylor; at least, Puck was fairly certain in that assumption. Whoever, or whatever, she was, Puck knew one thing: she was seriously pissing him off.

Puck had to admit, though...she did seem rather familiar. He just couldn't place just who she might be. Regardless of her identity, she was going to deal with serious consequences from the trickster if she continued this little plan of hers.

Jareth, who had been surveying the situation with a look of caution, felt the corner of his mouth go up in a smirk. Well, well...this child certainly knows her magic. The goblin king put his chin in his hand, looking Taylor over with a look of interest. There was obviously some form of control going on, and Jareth was interested in just who was doing the controlling. Very interested indeed.

"She's right, Puck," the fae smirked. "This girl has you fooled rather well. Seems she may be...outdoing the trickster, hmm?" The man looked to Puck mockingly, making the boy grow even more angered. Whose side was he one, anyway?

[Vriska Serket]

Taylor/Vriska continued with a grin. "Oh really? From the looks of it, I can tell that you're seriously 8othered a8out it all, Puck. And the teacher's right. I've got the "trickster" fooled. Who's the top dog now?" she said, with a mocking tone.

Back at the computer in her dorm, Vriska decided to make things even more interesting. As she continued to speak through Taylor, her mind powers enabled the other girl to begin floating up in the air, if only a few feet above the ground.
The two smirked, one mirroring the other. "Are you ready to play, fairy 8oy?"

[Puck]

Puck let out a low growl, narrowing his eyes up at the girl above him. His eyes flickered a bright green for an instant, and he was one second from flying towards her before he felt someone pulling on his arm. Looking back down, his eyes returned to normal at the sight of Jareth, who shook his head solemnly.

"Remember, Puck. Taylor, or what used to be Taylor, at least....is still your friend. It's this new girl that angering you," Jareth said in a wise tone. Puck slowly nodded, sighing heavily. He couldn't harm Taylor, and he knew it. This wasn't the real Taylor, and he would have to control his temper so that he might not hurt the real one. Besides, he didn't know this false girl's powers, and just how powerful she might be, which was never a safe game to play.

Turning back on the girl haughtily, Puck crossed his arms. "I am, but I don't think you are, girl. I don't know who you are, but you're not Taylor. What's the matter? Afraid to fight in your own form?" Puck taunted.

[Vriska Serket]

"Ha! Imagine that." Taylor said, as she assumed a sitting position in midair, leaning forward on her elbows.

"Afraid to fight in my own form? If you ever saw my true form, there'd 8e no telling whether you'd live or not. 8ut with someone to manipul8, it's a lot more fun." Taylor said, as she descended back to the ground, with a smug look, and her head held high.

"Unfortunately, I am not a wimp like you. I roll with 8ad 8r8ks all the time! So, come at me Puck. I dare you." she said. On the computer screen, Vriska gleefully watched as Taylor did her bidding, as she waited for a reply from the other boy.

[Puck]

Alright, friend or not, Puck was close to loosing his temper completely. He gritted his teeth, clenching his fists as they began to faintly resonate a green glow. Jareth put a firm grip on the boy's shoulder, but he only shrugged it off, too angry at the moment to listen to reason.

The goblin king watched carefully, raising an eyebrow. Puck was close to his bursting point, and with that sort of young, raw, undeveloped magic was a dangerous thing to force at somebody. And whoever this was could easily leave Taylor's form to fend for itself when Puck decided to release his pent up energy.

"Do...not, tempt me, girl!" Puck shouted, his eyes shifting their colors again. He had floated a few feet in the air now, and was beginning to raise his hands for an attack. He only had so much rope left to work with, and he didn't want to get to the end of it, if it could be avoided. But this girl seemed to be winning their little tug-of-war at the moment, and Puck didn't know how much longer he could last.

[Vriska Serket]

Vriska's eyes slightly widened at Puck's faintly glowing hands. Magic, huh? It couldn't be better than old Eridan's. She was sure of it.

"Tempt you? Who said anything a8out tempting, you sno8?" Vriska said. "So, are you just going to stand there like the dum8ass you are and take my taunting?" she asked, as Taylor crossed her arms. Clopin, meanwhile, fell silent. He himself didn't try to do anything, simply because he knew that if he dared to try and stop this menace, he would end up with grave injuries. Instead, he only bit his lip and watched as Puck's anger increased.

"It's your turn to roll, Puck. Advance or a8scond. Make your move, make your move, make your move!"