Within a month, Betsy could eventually get up off the bed and walk to the
washroom by herself. However, longer trips made her leg muscles shiver and
threaten to collapse. If she fell somewhere outside her room, two to three
men would have to be hired to carry her back to her room hence she was only
allowed to walk around in her room. Betsy was grateful though, that her
room had a spacious balcony. She had begun waking at dawn and doing
stretching exercises, albeit with much difficulty and shuffling there. She
never knew how much she had taken her previous body for granted. The
feeling of being one with it and being the master of it. Here, her body was
her master and she could hardly control it much less make it do what she
wants. Walking itself was already a very tricky thing to do. But Betsy felt
that she had to leave this place as soon as possible. It never felt like
home to her anyway. She doubted if Elizabeth Keller felt at home here.
On her first trip to the washroom by herself, Betsy finally got to examine her own reflection carefully for the first time on the mirror in there. She had prior glimpses of herself in reflective areas before but never a clear actual look. She actually flinched when she saw it. She knew she had brown hair and sure enough, the mirror showed a headful of badly maintained uneven and stringy brown hair. Even the familiar red tattoo was there. Her nose was rather non-descript and her lips were fat like the rest of her. However, she was endowed with a lovely pair of hazel-coloured eyes. Although the fat in her face tries to overwhelm her eyes they still stood out. Large and puppy-like and obviously her best asset. Her eyes well up with water as she continued to stare at her mirror image. Her predicament was almost too hard to bear. She really wished she had died in the battle, but when that thought crossed her mind, she gave herself a mental slap. Betsy is not one to heap self-pity on herself. She had always made do with whatever situations she was placed in and this time she would do it even if it would be through sheer willpower alone.
She planned her departure not long after she could walk. Sure enough, Elizabeth Keller's mother was shocked that her once over-dependent, low self-esteemed and timid daughter had suddenly built up the courage enough to walk away from the warm and comfortable shelter and refuge her mother had provided. She did not take Elizabeth's plan for moving out well despite her previous contempt and threats of kicking her out the minute she could walk. She basically told Betsy that if she walked out of the house, she was never allowed to step foot into it again, and she could forget about inheriting anything from her. Betsy did not care. She left. She was free and freedom never tasted so good before that day.
Betsy's plan was this. To move out first, to get a job of her own because despite being rich and famous as Elizabeth Braddock, she had no way of accessing her trust funds or money unless she contacted Brian. However, despite being twins with Brian, she wanted no one who knew her to see her like this. Bulging with fat. She intended to lose most of her weight before she went to look for her brother and the X-Men. But the fates conspired against her. Although she was a very learned woman as Betsy Braddock, Elizabeth Keller had neither the certificates to proof Betsy's calibre of intelligence nor the looks to charm any potential employers. She ended up working for a minimum wage at a used bookstore on a quaint little suburb in the outskirts of the city. It was barely enough to make ends meet but she took on another job so she would have just enough to pay her rent and other bills. She wondered how she was going to save enough to at least purchase her own ticket to New York, where the X-Men were.
In the early mornings, she began practicing her martial arts. Elizabeth Keller's body was not at all adept unlike her previous body but she was determined and sure that with practice, she would be able to reach close to her previous stage of physical excellence. Currently all her moves were in her head, her body had neither the instincts nor the ability to execute most of them. Jogging had become one of her main form of exercise because it was cheap. Her diet had reduced to healthier foods and she was well on her way to losing some serious weight. All seemed to be going according to her plan.
The next blow occurred when she was working at her second part time job at a diner. There was a television playing there and she noted that the highlight of the news was a major event the Prince of Wales was holding for many distinguished guests. She had been paying cursory attention while serving the customers until she heard Warren's name being announced. She turned her eyes eagerly to look at the television. She had not seen him in months and she wondered if he still looked the same. However, the best and worst sight greeted her eyes. Warren was walking down the red carpet, all arrogant and handsome as he usually is and she knew he would not be blue because he usually wore image inducers to such functions. He was wearing a tuxedo and he really looked good in one and he knew it. She smiled. That was the best part. The worst part, the thing that made her heart sink, was that hanging onto his arm was a blond girl in a glittering red gown giggling as he whispered something into her ear. She looked awfully like Paige Guthrie, Samuel Gurthrie's sister.
On her first trip to the washroom by herself, Betsy finally got to examine her own reflection carefully for the first time on the mirror in there. She had prior glimpses of herself in reflective areas before but never a clear actual look. She actually flinched when she saw it. She knew she had brown hair and sure enough, the mirror showed a headful of badly maintained uneven and stringy brown hair. Even the familiar red tattoo was there. Her nose was rather non-descript and her lips were fat like the rest of her. However, she was endowed with a lovely pair of hazel-coloured eyes. Although the fat in her face tries to overwhelm her eyes they still stood out. Large and puppy-like and obviously her best asset. Her eyes well up with water as she continued to stare at her mirror image. Her predicament was almost too hard to bear. She really wished she had died in the battle, but when that thought crossed her mind, she gave herself a mental slap. Betsy is not one to heap self-pity on herself. She had always made do with whatever situations she was placed in and this time she would do it even if it would be through sheer willpower alone.
She planned her departure not long after she could walk. Sure enough, Elizabeth Keller's mother was shocked that her once over-dependent, low self-esteemed and timid daughter had suddenly built up the courage enough to walk away from the warm and comfortable shelter and refuge her mother had provided. She did not take Elizabeth's plan for moving out well despite her previous contempt and threats of kicking her out the minute she could walk. She basically told Betsy that if she walked out of the house, she was never allowed to step foot into it again, and she could forget about inheriting anything from her. Betsy did not care. She left. She was free and freedom never tasted so good before that day.
Betsy's plan was this. To move out first, to get a job of her own because despite being rich and famous as Elizabeth Braddock, she had no way of accessing her trust funds or money unless she contacted Brian. However, despite being twins with Brian, she wanted no one who knew her to see her like this. Bulging with fat. She intended to lose most of her weight before she went to look for her brother and the X-Men. But the fates conspired against her. Although she was a very learned woman as Betsy Braddock, Elizabeth Keller had neither the certificates to proof Betsy's calibre of intelligence nor the looks to charm any potential employers. She ended up working for a minimum wage at a used bookstore on a quaint little suburb in the outskirts of the city. It was barely enough to make ends meet but she took on another job so she would have just enough to pay her rent and other bills. She wondered how she was going to save enough to at least purchase her own ticket to New York, where the X-Men were.
In the early mornings, she began practicing her martial arts. Elizabeth Keller's body was not at all adept unlike her previous body but she was determined and sure that with practice, she would be able to reach close to her previous stage of physical excellence. Currently all her moves were in her head, her body had neither the instincts nor the ability to execute most of them. Jogging had become one of her main form of exercise because it was cheap. Her diet had reduced to healthier foods and she was well on her way to losing some serious weight. All seemed to be going according to her plan.
The next blow occurred when she was working at her second part time job at a diner. There was a television playing there and she noted that the highlight of the news was a major event the Prince of Wales was holding for many distinguished guests. She had been paying cursory attention while serving the customers until she heard Warren's name being announced. She turned her eyes eagerly to look at the television. She had not seen him in months and she wondered if he still looked the same. However, the best and worst sight greeted her eyes. Warren was walking down the red carpet, all arrogant and handsome as he usually is and she knew he would not be blue because he usually wore image inducers to such functions. He was wearing a tuxedo and he really looked good in one and he knew it. She smiled. That was the best part. The worst part, the thing that made her heart sink, was that hanging onto his arm was a blond girl in a glittering red gown giggling as he whispered something into her ear. She looked awfully like Paige Guthrie, Samuel Gurthrie's sister.