Poem: "Neither Automatic Nor Inevitable"

[ysabetwordsmith]

This poem is spillover from the July 21, 2015 Poetry Fishbowl.  It was inspired by a prompt from DW user Stardreamer.  It also fills the "healthy touch" square in my 5-20-15 card for the Wellness Toolbox Bingo fest, and the  "nervous breakdown" square in my 11-25-14 card for the Hurt/Comfort Bingo fest.  This poem belongs to the Danso and Family

Comments

[book_worm5]

Gah. I see Jabez wound up going down the "creep" path rather than "well-meaning and horrified". I've read through some of the poems and comments that introduced Cassandra and the possibilities for who he'd be, but I don't think I'm quite up to date here yet.

Yes...

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> Gah. I see Jabez wound up going down the "creep" path rather than "well-meaning and horrified". <<

Definitely. You can also see parallels between him and the Preacherman. People who think their talents are God-given can be very high-handed in using them. >_<

>> I've read through some of the poems and comments that introduced Cassandra and the possibilities for who he'd be, but I don't think I'm quite up to date here yet. <<

The closest discussion on that topic happened in the fishbowl that inspired this poem:
http://ysabetwordsmith.dreamwidth.org/10310060.html?thread=22633900#cmt22633900

You can find the Cassandra poems in the thread about Danso and Family, just search for her name.

Definitely a major event

[anonymous]

Cassandra muddled through-- but she made it, which is its own kind of victory.

I look forward to seeing how this affects her healing with Aidan, and whether she's going to allow any contact with her parents; they'll see the arrest for Jabez, and certainly his official trial.

Re: Definitely a major event

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> Cassandra muddled through-- but she made it, which is its own kind of victory. <<

Sooth. This is a turning point for her. There are still some challenges ahead, most notably recovering from the sheer stress of the trial, but Cassandra has the beginnings of a good support network. Things should get better.

>> I look forward to seeing how this affects her healing with Aidan, <<

It may have ups and downs, because it clears away a lot of stress, but Cassandra has been touchy about intimacy and trust issues even before having all this stuff dragged out in public.

>> and whether she's going to allow any contact with her parents; <<

Probably not soon, if ever. Cassandra isn't the kind of person who wants to go back to her abusers. She may be conflicted about her feelings for them, but she's pretty damn clear on wanting to get the hell away from them. I'm not sure if her parents would still be trying to hunt her down, or if they've written her off by now.

>> they'll see the arrest for Jabez, and certainly his official trial. <

[janetmiles]

Did I read that correctly, that the Abrogator granted Cassandra the opportunity to regain Flight?

Yes...

[ysabetwordsmith]

:D Clever you.

It's a nudge in that direction, at least. While the Abrogator doesn't have Power Healing per se -- everything works through the Justice leverage -- zie has a lot of leeway in terms of shifting probabilities to correct imbalances of justice. So that will definitely help improve the outcome, as long as Cassandra keeps working to recover what she lost. It should also speed up the process of healing, which has been a bumpy ride.

Re: Yes...

[helgatwb]

The way I read it was that, since her losing her power was unjust, zie tipped the scales in favor of her regaining it. Like, not gave it back to her, but made it easier for her to do so, so long as she works for it, and wants it.

Re: Yes...

[ysabetwordsmith]

Exactly. Zie can't change things that are in balance, but where there is injustice, can correct that. It doesn't always take the same route. In this case, since Cassandra is already working with people to heal the damage, it will take the path of least resistance through there. What the Abrogator really did was give her a choice.

[helgatwb]

The Abrogator is scary.

I like this.

Thank you!

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> The Abrogator is scary. <<

Most people feel that way. Zie is very honorable though.

>> I like this. <<

Yay!

Re: Thank you!

[helgatwb]

Re-reading this, and it kind of struck me as ironic that Ripcord's power is so rough, when he's such a gentle person.

Re: Thank you!

[ysabetwordsmith]

Yeah, sometimes that happens. Often, superpowers and personality are congruent, but not always.

[lb_lee]

Yay! So glad to see this plot event!

--Rogan

Thank you!

[ysabetwordsmith]

It's a very important moment in Cassandra's plot arc. It also matters to the larger question of clipping in Terramagne-America. I'm glad you enjoyed it.