[ The next day, Erik's there at 8 on the dot, bright and early with two tumblers of coffee and absolutely no tools under his arm save for a large stick of steel. ]
Neria, I presume. Pleasure to meet you in person. I wasn't sure how you liked your coffee, so I've left it black, I have sugar and cream packets in my pocket.
[ True to her word, so is she. No one else seems to be there, either, as she's told them all to take the day and go elsewhere until renovations have finished. Even Jonathan, who's had to find somewhere else to sleep the day away.
Neria smiles as she takes one of the tumblers, hair pulled back, her elven ears on display. There is plenty of metal, concrete, and stone to choose from not far from the site from construction nearby. Under her arm is a rudimentary architectural plan. ]
Black is fine, really. It'll help keep me awake. I appreciate it.
[ And he's brought...a long bar of steel. Interesting. ]
We're looking to build another floor in, put more rooms for people who may need extended residencies. And a kitchen. With the recent shakeup in markings, people have needed to relocate here temporarily. We'd like to provide them more adequate accommodations.
Alright. We can frame it out today, and then I'll be back to put in the electric and plumbing and drywall, hopefully it's all done quickly as most of the time wasted is just going to be waiting for things to dry.
Let me just make sure that everything in the plan looks solid...
[ He gives it a once-over, makes a few calculations with a pencil in the margin, makes sure that the structure is sound, and then-- ]
Okay.
[ He starts work with the easiest part-- building up the steel frame. With an outstretch of his hand, he wakes the beams and lifts them to where they're supposed to be; they fall in as if settling like snow. ]
[ That is...not what she expected to happen. Neria is wide-eyed as he works, watching the intricacies, the effortless way he simply moves what needs to be moved. As if he is simply telling each piece what to do.
Neria doesn't intrude on his work, though she stares in wonder, and breathes out: ]
That's...remarkable. I've never seen such power before.
Yes. She told me what the state of her world is like, that those with gifts and powers are hated and shunned. It's...vile. I'm so sorry that you and she have needed to suffer so.
[ Not that she has details, but she knows exactly what that sort of oppression looks like. ]
It's a shame that a city like this is where we have found some parcel of acceptance.
[ He looks over at her and smiles, even as his hands still conduct the goings-on of the construction. As soon as the frame is done, nails are being put in wood and lifted to their position to frame it out a little more. ]
I know how to use magic. In my world, people with magic are considered dangerous. They are imprisoned for life in places where they are monitored day and night by those who could strip them of those very gifts.
[ She lifts some of her hair, showing him her pointed, elven ears. ]
And I am an elf, which humans do not take kindly to.
No, I...imagined you weren't, though you look like one.
[ She means the ears, at least. And he isn't short enough to be a dwarf, so...
But she pauses at Erik's next statement, chewing at the edge of her lip. ]
I understand their fear, at least in regards to mages. We are susceptible to possession by demons and blood magic is greatly feared. But you're right; they shouldn't be allowed to decide what I can and cannot do with my magic, especially when I am only trying to aid them.
Unfortunately, I've found that's usually always the same. People looking for differences instead of similarities, then grouping together with those most like them, looking to start wars with the others over limited resources.
[ Something cold settles in her stomach at the way he says it. Because she's had that sort of thought, too, before. Why should she be ashamed that she is powerful and they are afraid?
But Neria silently focuses on his next statement. ]
When you finish for the day, you'll at least see some minor casting while I reset all of the wards and protections. But I can show you some of what I can do any time.
There were humans trying to separate my family. I reached out for my mother, and before I knew it, a fence bent in my direction. If I could control it better, they wouldn't have taken us.
[ But Erik moves on, and Neria's brow knits in concern. ]
As if they have not already? [ She frowns. ] It is my great fear they will do so. We are wearing on their patience. Very few of us are conforming to what they desire.
I'm surprised all of us haven't been shoved into the Down, at this rate.
We will be, soon. There are some of us who still hold onto this fantasy they've created that we might be able to become part of their society. I myself thought for awhile, that one day they might accept some of the Dominants.
We don't need to become a part of their society if we do not wish to be. But I feel that even if we try to play their game, we always end up losing. They know we aren't completely sincere...save for a few of our number.
[ There is no judgment there. Some people will simply fall into the roles they have here. ]
You said it yourself: people always turn on those who are different. The odds aren't in our favor, though; it's not as if we can completely acclimate in record time. New arrivals have been trickling in nearly every month. They cannot expect all of us to fall in line - and not so easily, either.
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Neria, I presume. Pleasure to meet you in person. I wasn't sure how you liked your coffee, so I've left it black, I have sugar and cream packets in my pocket.
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Neria smiles as she takes one of the tumblers, hair pulled back, her elven ears on display. There is plenty of metal, concrete, and stone to choose from not far from the site from construction nearby. Under her arm is a rudimentary architectural plan. ]
Black is fine, really. It'll help keep me awake. I appreciate it.
[ And he's brought...a long bar of steel. Interesting. ]
We're looking to build another floor in, put more rooms for people who may need extended residencies. And a kitchen. With the recent shakeup in markings, people have needed to relocate here temporarily. We'd like to provide them more adequate accommodations.
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Let me just make sure that everything in the plan looks solid...
[ He gives it a once-over, makes a few calculations with a pencil in the margin, makes sure that the structure is sound, and then-- ]
Okay.
[ He starts work with the easiest part-- building up the steel frame. With an outstretch of his hand, he wakes the beams and lifts them to where they're supposed to be; they fall in as if settling like snow. ]
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Neria doesn't intrude on his work, though she stares in wonder, and breathes out: ]
That's...remarkable. I've never seen such power before.
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Some of us, back home. We were born with such gifts.
[ He smiles widely at her, and genuinely. ]
I think the both of us agree that it's a pleasure to be able to use them for these purposes.
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[ Not that she has details, but she knows exactly what that sort of oppression looks like. ]
It's a shame that a city like this is where we have found some parcel of acceptance.
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[ He looks over at her and smiles, even as his hands still conduct the goings-on of the construction. As soon as the frame is done, nails are being put in wood and lifted to their position to frame it out a little more. ]
What do you do?
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[ She lifts some of her hair, showing him her pointed, elven ears. ]
And I am an elf, which humans do not take kindly to.
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And I'm sorry. Your gifts are precious, we shouldn't let less powerful creatures dictate what we can and cannot do with them.
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[ She means the ears, at least. And he isn't short enough to be a dwarf, so...
But she pauses at Erik's next statement, chewing at the edge of her lip. ]
I understand their fear, at least in regards to mages. We are susceptible to possession by demons and blood magic is greatly feared. But you're right; they shouldn't be allowed to decide what I can and cannot do with my magic, especially when I am only trying to aid them.
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The humans see you as a threat.
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[ And humans are ever more interested in caring for themselves than for others. Not just humans, she supposes, but most people.
Erik's comment only encourages a brief lift of her shoulders. ]
They always have. They always will.
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Good.
You know, you'll have to do a demonstration for me sometime.
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But Neria silently focuses on his next statement. ]
When you finish for the day, you'll at least see some minor casting while I reset all of the wards and protections. But I can show you some of what I can do any time.
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I look forward to it.
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How long have you known you were different? When did your gift manifest itself?
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[ He turns to her to tell this part. ]
There were humans trying to separate my family. I reached out for my mother, and before I knew it, a fence bent in my direction. If I could control it better, they wouldn't have taken us.
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You can't blame yourself. You had just come into your gifts. Their cruelty is no reflection on you. But...why were they separate your family?
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But the short of it is that humans don't even accept each other.
[ There's a sad look in his eyes, forlorn, but it's gone in a breath. ]
I really think they will marginalize us, the newcomers.
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[ But Erik moves on, and Neria's brow knits in concern. ]
As if they have not already? [ She frowns. ] It is my great fear they will do so. We are wearing on their patience. Very few of us are conforming to what they desire.
I'm surprised all of us haven't been shoved into the Down, at this rate.
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I should have known better.
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[ There is no judgment there. Some people will simply fall into the roles they have here. ]
You said it yourself: people always turn on those who are different. The odds aren't in our favor, though; it's not as if we can completely acclimate in record time. New arrivals have been trickling in nearly every month. They cannot expect all of us to fall in line - and not so easily, either.
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Mystique will tell you, I usually have several plans.
Here, I have none.
[ And in the meantime, the whole expansion has been framed. ]
Want to come take a look? I'd like to be inside for the next step, anyway.
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