[Amelia shoots a baffled look at Henry then at the Belly.]
I'm getting the distinct impression that you're making me out to be something I'm not. Stop that!
[The lizard shakes its head as if trying to feign passiveness.]
You are strange company. Perhaps I'll be seeing you again?
[It asks the same thing in its warbly language to Amelia. The witch pinches the bridge between her nose and then points to the door.]
As soon as you leave, I'll make the arrangements. Next time, be more patient or at least don't throw things around in my kitchen.
[And so, the Blue Moon Belly slinks off of the counter and out the door. But not before sending another thought to Henry.]
Please visit my home. I look forward to seeing what you bring.
[And there it goes, leaving a wreck of a kitchen behind and a tired witch and terrible psychic in it. She looks around and mutters with her hands akimbo.]
He's not malicious but he is a load. It would have been awful if he did try to eat you.
[An interesting offer from an interesting creature; if not a greedy one. But Henry doesn't reply telepathically, instead merely watching it depart, before looking at Amelia dubiously.]
Try. I would have broken all of his bones if he did.
[That response gets a withering sighโ the one where he says he'd break all of the Belly's bones, not the latter. She falls silent for a few seconds before asking Henry a question in a neutral tone.]
Would you like to? Visit I mean.
[There's a pause as Amelia thinks things over. It's been a trying few days where she may have very well spent the rest of however long Henry was going to be here, ignoring him. And then the Load had to shake things up and it's taken her out of the burning anger she had been nursing against her guest.
The problem is ongoing and what she was doing wasn't a solution. Just a stopgap.
And at the heart of it, she doesn't want to continue being cold.
[Sorry he's like this. But hey, the lizard man threatened to eat him first.
He pauses, though, looking at her. Something about this feels a bit like an acquiescence, mostly because she's not put in her headphones and walked away as soon as their unexpected guest had departed. What should he make of it? Henry is a petty person, and there's a part of him that wants to remain snide, but-
In the end, what good will that do him? There's no benefit in it; it'll stagnate his chances of getting back to his world faster, and the very thought bothers him more than anything (or any way) she could possibly do or act.]
...Sure. Sounds interesting. I expect we'd have to bring food.
[Yes, but messes run against the grain of Henry's good sense. He's a neat and careful individual, a trait that she's likely picked out during their time forced to share an abode. It's no surprise that the first thing he does is find a broom to sweep up bits of scattered cereal across the kitchen floor, whether or not Amelia cares about it right now.]
You're asking me... what strange things I've noticed, you mean.
[Sweep sweep sweep.]
Nothing on the same scale of a lizard man trying to raid the fridge, I promise you that.
[Even she has to appreciate Henry's efforts even if it's based on his own traits. As he sweeps, Amelia takes out a rag and cleaning spray to start wiping down the counter (the Load is rather slimy, how gross).
It seems like Amelia would like to inquire further but after being on non-speaking terms for the past few days, easing back into casual conversation feels off. Her face is as poker-faced as usual though so on the surface it's hard to tell what she's thinking.
[The silence drags on a few moments at a time, and then she apologizes.
And Henry... keeps sweeping, his back turned to her, piling the crumbs into the center of the kitchen so that they might be easily swept into a dustpan for later.]
I think...
[He starts, and the ugly part of him that wants to cling to being petty, to feeling self-satisifed that she apologized first, wants so desperately to rear its head. The rest, however, comes soon after, flowing in like a steady river -- time has given both of their prides to become less swollen, which is more poignant now that they're not being accosted by a hungry lizard.]
...that wires were crossed. I meant it when I said I didn't ever have to ask for permission, you know. The freedom to get into someone's mind was always mine; and it was probably the only freedom I was ever afforded until even that was taken away from me in the lab.
[He turns and looks at her finally, mildly.]
So I was hasty. You're strange and powerful, Amelia, with magic I can't hope to understand. Of course I want to know more, and how that came to be. And I wanted to know it immediately.
[But there is something tenuous between them, and it's shaped like trust, something that had to forcibly grow to make this arrangement work -- and something Henry's never been given before, and he doesn't know what to do with until he breaks it. He supposes that's exactly what happened. And that doesn't work to either's benefit.
For all the things he lacks, he can at least see this clearly.]
But I should have just asked. I admit to that. So I'm sorry, too.
[Her shoulders stiffen and the rag which was being pushed in circles stops when he apologizes. She had been listening to his explanation beforehand without looking at him but when he says sorry, it's clear she wasn't expecting that.
Years upon years of being entrapped had made her accustomed to her boundaries being violated. And then it took even more time and the gentle handholding of friends and very few loved ones to come to terms with what had happened to her. What had hurt was that Henry Creel had crossed a line that reminded her of the powerlessness she had despite, ironically, the power she had gained.
But he wouldn't have known that. He wanted to know. And he had acknowledged that he should have asked.
It's a start.
She straightens herself up, the rag twisting between her hands.]
... Thank you.
[There's a brief glance at him before she looks the other way. It feels painfully thorny to make eye contact when she has so many perplexing emotions beneath the surface that she doesn't want to project, not after all those days of pointedly pretending he barely existed in her own space.]
... Tomorrow. I'll be going to the lake first. Someone I know will pick you up. They're trustworthy.
[Still something jagged there, still something a little raw. But the "thank you" is promising, perhaps mending a few slats of that broken bridge between them. Good, he thinks. They'll make more progress this way; and maybe he should be more careful, maybe he'll learn more if he applies a gentler touch.
Henry just nods. He grabs a dustpan to clean up the rest of the mess, sweeping crumbs away.]
[Oh? That does interest him a little more. He's not met other psychics in this world, and he's interested in learning just what they're capable of; after all, the last time he was "handled" by them, he was out cold, courtesy of Amelia.]
Would another "esper" usually cause me trouble? As I understand it, I have their blessing to be here with you.
[A place where espers have some manner of authority... What a wild place this is. Maybe he was born into the wrong world.]
They're a lot more suspicious of outside forces and diligent when protecting the general peace. While you were understandably disoriented at the time, your public aggression is the type of situation they strive to prevent.
[Amelia starts on whatever dishes are left in the sink while continuing her explanation over the sound of running water.]
You would be considered a dangerous outlier. A number of things could have happened if you hadn't met me first. As I've implied before, they know it's easier to let me do things my way.
Understand that they aren't a monolith, however. The reason they exist is to protect each other from others and themselves.
[The Collective definitely has its politics and convoluted social dynamics but Amelia figures it's better to hear from someone who is actually part of the body. She answers his question promptly.]
I have enough influence to afford my current lifestyle and not be bothered even if my "hiding" in plain sight aggravates them.
[And for the first time in days there's just the barest hint of a smile that twitches on the edge of her mouth. The dishes are finished and they're set to dry in the rack.]
[With every single crumb that was on the floor now deftly and precisely swept away, he moves to the trashcan to dump the dustpan out. He hears the small essence of a smile in her tone, but he doesn't even bother to hide his.]
Disappointed? I'm the exact opposite of that.
[Away with you, mess!]
I think I'm fortunate to have landed in your lap. Figuratively, of course.
That's... Good. Nice of you to say. [she is a very graceful lady]
[The kitchen has mostly reverted back to an acceptable state of cleanliness and anything leftover can be dealt with magically. Amelia lingers around the sink drying her hands with a dish towel.]
Thanks for cleaning up. I'll take it from here and we'll be ready for the lake tomorrow.
... I think you'll like it. [She looks at him again and there's an actual smile, small and faint as it is.]
[The rest of the evening passes peacefully and the air is lighter than before. When the next day comes, Amelia has left first and leaves Henry a text message that is as follows:]
"River will be picking you up in his truck around 4 PM. He's a good kid so play nice. You don't have to answer all of his questions though. See you later. Please turn off the lights and lock the door behind you before you leave.
P.S. Take the box with you. That's your gift to the Load."
[On the table is an innocuous wooden box that's... coffin shaped. It's a little heavy but carried easily enough when cradled in one arm.
There's not much to do but wait until 4 PM finally comes around. The sound of a loud truck stops in front of Amelia's house and its driver kills the engine before hopping out. In the backseat, is a teen boy and a little girl of about seven years old and they just sit patiently in their place.
Their cousin, River Kwan is not a kid. The built young man rings the bell and then knocks on the door three times.]
[The box is kind of heavy? This is a man with noodle arms, and so he might have to hoist it up with two arms before he cradles it in the crook of one. But he does, as instructed, take it with him; why is it shaped like a coffin? Who even knows, at this point.
Henry opens the door when River literally comes a-knocking, smiling pleasantly, and looking the other man up and down.]
So. Another psychic.
[He steps out and makes sure to lock the door behind him. And yes, Amelia, he's turned off all the lights, too.]
Should be interesting. All the others I've ever met before were only children.
[River Kwan, age 26, stands at about 6'1 and is broad-shouldered. He has his dark hair tied back into a loose bun and equally dark, but friendly eyes that light up in a grin when Henry answers the door.]
Henry, right? Nice to meet you, bro. River Kwan, just call me River. And we got some psychic kids along for the ride, so don't count yourself lucky yet.
[Amelia has told River the basics, mostly stuff he already knows; this was the psychic that appeared out of nowhere and caused a "situation" that had a lot of other espers working overtime when it came to memory manipulation and suppression. Lucinda was haggard from running around to make sure they missed no one.
He also knows that Henry is a psychic from another world so the way things worked there was much different from here. The boy is bursting with curiosity but he keeps it under wraps as best as he can.
So he'll just give Henry a thumbs up and then gesture one of them to the package he's carrying.]
Want me to carry that for you? We got boxes of food but there's more than enough room to cram that in.
[He's a whole inch taller than Henry, but with a lot more sincere energy rolling off of him. He doesn't even need his telepathy to garner this very obvious vibe.]
Nice to meet you, River. [Mildly, automatically. He hands him the box-coffin.] Sure, if you don't mind. I'm not sure why it's shaped like that, though... Amelia doesn't always tell me everything.
[He trails his look towards the backseat of the pickup truck. Psychic kids, he said?]
Yeah, Ms. Steinbeck's like that sometimes. Well, more like a lot but witches kind of just go with their own flow, her more than most.
[River takes the coffin and easily tucks it under his arm giving it a playful shake. Indeed there is a 'thunk-thunk' sound which makes him jump slightly. But then he shrugs. Just witch things probably. He starts towards the truck beckoning Henry to follow.]
My cousins Simon and Emily are along for the ride. They wanted to see the giant lizard, cause kids, y'know? That and the more the merrier.
[He opens the door for Henry so he'll be sitting in front with him, the driver. River hands Simon, the teen boy the box and it sits between him and the little girl, Emily.]
None of us are mindreaders so don't worry about us trying to snoop in your head during the ride. Well, Simon might get a feel for your vibes, but that comes with being an empath. Emily'll give us a heads-up if she gets a vision.
[Emily gives Henry a shy smile and waves at him. Among the three psychics, none of them look or give off any abnormal behaviors or attitudes. And if River is any indication, having ESP is a casual affair. Of course, you only speak of such things when you're among similar company.]
Time to buckle up! Traffic isn't bad but we'll be taking the long way round just in case.
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sunfloras2023-04-20 07:42 pm
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[Amelia shoots a baffled look at Henry then at the Belly.]
I'm getting the distinct impression that you're making me out to be something I'm not. Stop that!
[The lizard shakes its head as if trying to feign passiveness.]
You are strange company. Perhaps I'll be seeing you again?
[It asks the same thing in its warbly language to Amelia. The witch pinches the bridge between her nose and then points to the door.]
As soon as you leave, I'll make the arrangements. Next time, be more patient or at least don't throw things around in my kitchen.
[And so, the Blue Moon Belly slinks off of the counter and out the door. But not before sending another thought to Henry.]
Please visit my home. I look forward to seeing what you bring.
[And there it goes, leaving a wreck of a kitchen behind and a tired witch and terrible psychic in it. She looks around and mutters with her hands akimbo.]
He's not malicious but he is a load. It would have been awful if he did try to eat you.
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Try. I would have broken all of his bones if he did.
[And he means that.]
He wanted me to visit.
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Would you like to? Visit I mean.
[There's a pause as Amelia thinks things over. It's been a trying few days where she may have very well spent the rest of however long Henry was going to be here, ignoring him. And then the Load had to shake things up and it's taken her out of the burning anger she had been nursing against her guest.
The problem is ongoing and what she was doing wasn't a solution. Just a stopgap.
And at the heart of it, she doesn't want to continue being cold.
So Amelia adds:]
He lives in the reflection of the moon.
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He pauses, though, looking at her. Something about this feels a bit like an acquiescence, mostly because she's not put in her headphones and walked away as soon as their unexpected guest had departed. What should he make of it? Henry is a petty person, and there's a part of him that wants to remain snide, but-
In the end, what good will that do him? There's no benefit in it; it'll stagnate his chances of getting back to his world faster, and the very thought bothers him more than anything (or any way) she could possibly do or act.]
...Sure. Sounds interesting. I expect we'd have to bring food.
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[Amelia looks at the mess on her kitchen though she's in no real rush to clean it up.]
... It just occurred to me. You've had time to explore some of the town but what... Or who have you noticed?
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You're asking me... what strange things I've noticed, you mean.
[Sweep sweep sweep.]
Nothing on the same scale of a lizard man trying to raid the fridge, I promise you that.
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[Even she has to appreciate Henry's efforts even if it's based on his own traits. As he sweeps, Amelia takes out a rag and cleaning spray to start wiping down the counter (the Load is rather slimy, how gross).
It seems like Amelia would like to inquire further but after being on non-speaking terms for the past few days, easing back into casual conversation feels off. Her face is as poker-faced as usual though so on the surface it's hard to tell what she's thinking.
So she says it aloud instead.]
I'm sorry.
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And Henry... keeps sweeping, his back turned to her, piling the crumbs into the center of the kitchen so that they might be easily swept into a dustpan for later.]
I think...
[He starts, and the ugly part of him that wants to cling to being petty, to feeling self-satisifed that she apologized first, wants so desperately to rear its head. The rest, however, comes soon after, flowing in like a steady river -- time has given both of their prides to become less swollen, which is more poignant now that they're not being accosted by a hungry lizard.]
...that wires were crossed. I meant it when I said I didn't ever have to ask for permission, you know. The freedom to get into someone's mind was always mine; and it was probably the only freedom I was ever afforded until even that was taken away from me in the lab.
[He turns and looks at her finally, mildly.]
So I was hasty. You're strange and powerful, Amelia, with magic I can't hope to understand. Of course I want to know more, and how that came to be. And I wanted to know it immediately.
[But there is something tenuous between them, and it's shaped like trust, something that had to forcibly grow to make this arrangement work -- and something Henry's never been given before, and he doesn't know what to do with until he breaks it. He supposes that's exactly what happened. And that doesn't work to either's benefit.
For all the things he lacks, he can at least see this clearly.]
But I should have just asked. I admit to that. So I'm sorry, too.
๐ฅบ
Years upon years of being entrapped had made her accustomed to her boundaries being violated. And then it took even more time and the gentle handholding of friends and very few loved ones to come to terms with what had happened to her. What had hurt was that Henry Creel had crossed a line that reminded her of the powerlessness she had despite, ironically, the power she had gained.
But he wouldn't have known that. He wanted to know. And he had acknowledged that he should have asked.
It's a start.
She straightens herself up, the rag twisting between her hands.]
... Thank you.
[There's a brief glance at him before she looks the other way. It feels painfully thorny to make eye contact when she has so many perplexing emotions beneath the surface that she doesn't want to project, not after all those days of pointedly pretending he barely existed in her own space.]
... Tomorrow. I'll be going to the lake first. Someone I know will pick you up. They're trustworthy.
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Henry just nods. He grabs a dustpan to clean up the rest of the mess, sweeping crumbs away.]
A friend of yours?
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More of an acquaintance. I'm particular about who gets called a friend. He's an esper.
[There's a pause as she considers something before looking at Henry.]
He's affiliated with the Esper Collective but he won't cause you any trouble.
[In fact, Amelia has a feeling that he might not be what Henry expects when it comes to a psychic.]
hello?? dw where was my notif
Would another "esper" usually cause me trouble? As I understand it, I have their blessing to be here with you.
[A place where espers have some manner of authority... What a wild place this is. Maybe he was born into the wrong world.]
Dw wants to save Amelia from bad men
[Amelia starts on whatever dishes are left in the sink while continuing her explanation over the sound of running water.]
You would be considered a dangerous outlier. A number of things could have happened if you hadn't met me first. As I've implied before, they know it's easier to let me do things my way.
Understand that they aren't a monolith, however. The reason they exist is to protect each other from others and themselves.
dw can't stop the inevitable
Well, then he takes it back. It sounds like politics and policing; he'd hate to have been born as a man with psychic powers in this world, likely.]
So they're as messy as any other organization that exists. That's what you're saying.
Just how much influence do you hold in this world, Amelia?
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I have enough influence to afford my current lifestyle and not be bothered even if my "hiding" in plain sight aggravates them.
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You mean you're powerful enough that they can't do anything about it.
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[And for the first time in days there's just the barest hint of a smile that twitches on the edge of her mouth. The dishes are finished and they're set to dry in the rack.]
You could do a lot worse.
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Disappointed? I'm the exact opposite of that.
[Away with you, mess!]
I think I'm fortunate to have landed in your lap. Figuratively, of course.
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[The kitchen has mostly reverted back to an acceptable state of cleanliness and anything leftover can be dealt with magically. Amelia lingers around the sink drying her hands with a dish towel.]
Thanks for cleaning up. I'll take it from here and we'll be ready for the lake tomorrow.
... I think you'll like it. [She looks at him again and there's an actual smile, small and faint as it is.]
Not everyday you get to see a blue moon.
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I think I'll like it, too.
[Is that a real smile, Amelia? Maybe Henry's growing on her, bafflingly so.]
Looking forward to the view.
[Tomorrow, then.]
time skip;
"River will be picking you up in his truck around 4 PM. He's a good kid so play nice. You don't have to answer all of his questions though. See you later. Please turn off the lights and lock the door behind you before you leave.
P.S. Take the box with you. That's your gift to the Load."
[On the table is an innocuous wooden box that's... coffin shaped. It's a little heavy but carried easily enough when cradled in one arm.
There's not much to do but wait until 4 PM finally comes around. The sound of a loud truck stops in front of Amelia's house and its driver kills the engine before hopping out. In the backseat, is a teen boy and a little girl of about seven years old and they just sit patiently in their place.
Their cousin, River Kwan is not a kid. The built young man rings the bell and then knocks on the door three times.]
Yo! Here for a pickup!
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Henry opens the door when River literally comes a-knocking, smiling pleasantly, and looking the other man up and down.]
So. Another psychic.
[He steps out and makes sure to lock the door behind him. And yes, Amelia, he's turned off all the lights, too.]
Should be interesting. All the others I've ever met before were only children.
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Henry, right? Nice to meet you, bro. River Kwan, just call me River. And we got some psychic kids along for the ride, so don't count yourself lucky yet.
[Amelia has told River the basics, mostly stuff he already knows; this was the psychic that appeared out of nowhere and caused a "situation" that had a lot of other espers working overtime when it came to memory manipulation and suppression. Lucinda was haggard from running around to make sure they missed no one.
He also knows that Henry is a psychic from another world so the way things worked there was much different from here. The boy is bursting with curiosity but he keeps it under wraps as best as he can.
So he'll just give Henry a thumbs up and then gesture one of them to the package he's carrying.]
Want me to carry that for you? We got boxes of food but there's more than enough room to cram that in.
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Nice to meet you, River. [Mildly, automatically. He hands him the box-coffin.] Sure, if you don't mind. I'm not sure why it's shaped like that, though... Amelia doesn't always tell me everything.
[He trails his look towards the backseat of the pickup truck. Psychic kids, he said?]
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[River takes the coffin and easily tucks it under his arm giving it a playful shake. Indeed there is a 'thunk-thunk' sound which makes him jump slightly. But then he shrugs. Just witch things probably. He starts towards the truck beckoning Henry to follow.]
My cousins Simon and Emily are along for the ride. They wanted to see the giant lizard, cause kids, y'know? That and the more the merrier.
[He opens the door for Henry so he'll be sitting in front with him, the driver. River hands Simon, the teen boy the box and it sits between him and the little girl, Emily.]
None of us are mindreaders so don't worry about us trying to snoop in your head during the ride. Well, Simon might get a feel for your vibes, but that comes with being an empath. Emily'll give us a heads-up if she gets a vision.
[Emily gives Henry a shy smile and waves at him. Among the three psychics, none of them look or give off any abnormal behaviors or attitudes. And if River is any indication, having ESP is a casual affair. Of course, you only speak of such things when you're among similar company.]
Time to buckle up! Traffic isn't bad but we'll be taking the long way round just in case.
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